An Improved Process for the Manufacture of Metal Paper by Electro- metallurgy.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process for the Manufacture of Metal Paper by Electro-
metallurgy.
I, ISIDOR LANDAUER, of II Obere Donaustrasse No. 69, Vienna, in the Empire
of Austria, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The whole of the processes heretofore known for the manufacture of metal
papers by electro-metallurgy are based essentially on the fact that the metal
plate or a metallic coating produced on the plate, for the purpose of facilitating
the removal of the metallic deposit produced by electro-metallurgy, is previously
.coated with an insulating layer of an oxidising substance or with a layer of
sulphur alkali or sulphide.
In all these processes a serious disadvantage is incurred, viz:-that an uniform
galvanic metal coating cannot be obtained and further that the latter partly
remains adhering to the metal plate so that very much waste occurs, and there-
fore cheap industrial production is precluded.
The defects above referred to are entirely obviated by the process forming the
subject of the present invention.
In carrying this process into practice a plate of brass, or preferably of alpacca
(silvered German silver) is first highly polished on both sides, then polished
with spirit or pulverised Vienna lime and washed clean with a paste of lime so
that the plate is perfectly free from grease.
The plate so prepared is now well rinsed with water and hung in an antimony
bath, which is prepared by completely dissolving sodium sulphantimoniate (6
kilograms) in hot water (20 litres), the solution after cooling being diluted with
water (80 litres) and finally filtered.
In a bath of this kind, the plate is subjected for a longer or shorter time to
the action of the electric current, and the deposit of antimony so produced is
then strengthened or backed by hanging the plate in a bath of sulphate of copper
and thus producing a deposit of copper thereon.
If the time during which the current acts in the antimony bath amounts to
3 minutes, a deposit of antimony is obtained which is in no way deteriorated in
colour and gloss by the backing of copper afterwards applied and produced during
a period of about 30 minutes. If, on the other hand, the plate be only hung
for a few seconds in the antimony bath and then for about 30 minutes in the
copper sulphate bath, the antimony deposit only forms a black shiny coloration
on the plate and the metal coating, after the backing, appears with the colour
and gloss of the copper.
After the removal and drying of the plate, there is glued or cemented thereon
in the usual manner, paper, cardboard, linen and the like, the plate is then filed
at the four edges, and after this, the metal deposit, together with the glued or
cemented paper or the like can be easily drawn off from the plate.
In this manner beautiful highly-polished metal impressions are obtained which,

page_text: according to the duration of the action of the current in the antimony bath,
show the colour of antimony or highly-polished copper.
Dated the 15th day of July 1898.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
An Improved Process for the Manufacture of Metal Paper by Electro-
metallurgy.
I, ISIDOR LANDAUER, of II Obere Donaustrasse No. 69, Vienna, in the Empire
of Austria, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
The whole of the processes heretofore known for the manufacture of metal
papers by electro-metallurgy are based essentially on the fact that the metal
plate, or a metallic coating produced thereon is, for the purpose of facilitating
the removal of the metallic deposit produced by electro-metallurgy, previously
coated with an insulating layer of an oxidising substance or with a layer of an
alkaline sulphide or any other sulphide.
In all these processes a serious disadvantage is incurred, viz: - that an uniform
galvanic metal coating cannot be obtained and further that the latter partly
remains adhering to the metal plate so that very much waste occurs, and there-
fore cheap industrial production is precluded.
The defects above referred to are entirely obviated by the process forming the
subject of the present invention.
In carrying this process into practice a plate of brass, or preferably of alpacca
(silvered German silver) is first highly polished on both sides, then polished
with spirit or pulverised Vienna lime and washed clean with a paste of lime so
that the plate is perfectly free from grease.
This plate so prepared is now well rinsed with water and hung in an antimony
bath, which is prepared by completely dissolving sodium sulphantimoniate (6
kilograms) in hot water (20 litres), the solution after cooling being diluted with
water (80 litres) and finally filtered.
In a bath of this kind, the plate is subjected for a longer or shorter time to
the action of the electric current, and the deposit of antimony so produced is
then strengthened or backed by hanging the plate in a bath of sulpňate of copper
and thus producing a deposit of copper thereon.
If the time during which the current acts in the antimony bath amounts to
3 minutes, a deposit of antimony is obtained which is in no way deteriorated in
colour and gloss by the backing of copper afterwards applied and produced during
a period of about 30 minutes. If, on the other hand, the plate be only hung
for a few seconds in the antimony bath and then for about 30 minutes in the
copper sulphate bath, the antimony deposit only forms a black shiny coloration
or film on the plate and the metal coating, after the backing, appears with the
colour and gloss of the copper.
After the removal and drying of the plate, there is glued or cemented thereon
in the usual manner, paper, cardboard, linen or the like, the plate is then filed
at the four edges, and after this, the metal deposit, together with the glued or
cemented paper or the like can be easily drawn off from the plate.

page_text: In this manner beautiful highly-polished metal impressions are obtained which,
according to the duration of the action of the current in the antimony bath,
show the colour of antimony or of highly-polished copper.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:―
A process for the manufacture of metal paper by electro-metallurgy, wherein
a highly-polished alpacca or brass plate made perfectly free from grease, is first
coated with a stout or a filmy deposit of antimony in a bath consisting of a
dilute solution of sodium sulphantimoniate in water by a longer or shorter
action of the electric current, and the said deposit or coating is then strengthened
by a galvanic deposit of copper and drawn off from the said plate together
with a layer of paper or fabric glued or cemented onto the layer of copper,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated the 1et day of March 1899.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.