IMPROVEMENTS IN COATING AND INDURATING METALS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Webster, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COATING AND
INDURATING METALS."
Sealed the 18th November 1862, and dated the 23rd May 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Webster at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 23rd
May 1862.
I, JAMES WEBSTER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
COATING AND INDURATING METALS," to be as follows, that is to say:-
I take the article if of wrought-iron or steel, thin or light in substance, and
bring it to bright red heat in a furnace. I then make a mixture, consisting
of the following ingredients in about the following proportions: three parts of
pure tin, and one part of antimony; of these ingredients I take one part and
mix with two and a half parts of copper; I first melt the copper, then add the
antimony stirring it well into the copper, then add the tin, and amalgamate
the whole. This mixture is to be kept at a low red heat, if used for sheets
and other thin forms, the surface of the metal being covered with a flux of
one part of prussiate of potass, and two parts of carbonate of potass, to a
depth of two inches upon the metal. The sheet or article of wrought iron or
steel is heated to a red heat, and passed through the flux into the bath

page_text: of molten. metal, by which the sheet or other form is completely coated
and indurated. For articles of cast iron and copper. this mixture will also
answer.
For heavy articles of wrought iron or steel, the proportions of the mixture
will be three parts of copper to one part of the alloy, this is to be granulated
and ground to a fine powder, and the powder is then mixed with the flux in
the proportion of two of flux to one of metal. This compound is applied to
the heated iron or steel, and brushed over it whilst red hot, if the article be
too heavy for immersion. Other fluxes may be used, such as dried animal
matter in combination with carbonate of potass, but I prefer that above
specified.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James. Webster in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd November 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
WEBSTER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,. Engineer, send
.greeting.
WHEREAS Her most. Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said James Webster, Her special license that I, the said James
Webster, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said James Webster, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and. Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN COATING AND INDURATING METALS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said James Webster, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Webster, do bereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement (that is to say):
The object of my Invention of improvements in coating and indurating
metals, is to coat iron, steel, articles or surfaces of copper, and other metal
surfaces with an alloy, which will harden the surface to which it is applied.
In carrying out the Invention, I take the article, if of wrought-iron or steel,
and thin or light in substance, and bring it to a red heat in a furnace,
and I coat the article with an alloy composed of the following metals, mixed
in about the following proportions: viz., three parts of pure tin, and one part
of antimony. In making this alloy, I first melt the antimony, and then add
the tin thereto, while the antimony is in a molten state, and of this alloy either
in a cold or melted state, I take one part, and mix therewith two and a half
parts of copper. In doing this I first melt the copper, and then add the alloy
of tin and antimony, or the copper having been melted I add the antimony
alone and stir it well into the copper; I then add the tin and amalgamate the
whole. This mixture is to be kept at a low red heat if used for sheets and
other thin forms. The surface of the mixed metals or melted alloy is covered
with a flux, consisting of one part of the yellow prussiate of potass, and two
parts of either caustic or carbonate of potass. The molten alloy should be
covered to a depth of two inches, and the bath will then be ready for use.
The sheet or article of wrought iron or steel to be operated upon is then to
be beated to a red heat, and in this state it is to be passed through the flux
into the bath of the molten alloy, by which operation the article will be com-
pletely coated, and its surface indurated or hardened. For articles made of
cast iron and copper, this mixture of metals or alloy will also answer, and may
be applied in the same manner.
For heavy articles of wrought iron and steel, the proportion of copper which
I prefer to add to the alloy is three parts of copper to one part of the alloy of
tin and antimony. This mixture of metals is to be granulated and ground to
a fine powder and this metallic powder is then mixed with the flux of prussiate
of potass, and caustic or carbonate of potass, in the proportion of two of the
flux to one of mixed metals. This compound is applied in a pulverized state
to the heated iron or steel, over which it is to be brushed whilst the metal to
be coated is in a red-hot state.
.
For articles too heavy for immersion other fluxes may be used, such as dried
animal matter, in combination with carbonate or caustic potass, but I prefer
the flux above specified.
If a very smooth surface be required instead of heating the metal to be
coated, (and which heating operation will injure the smooth surface,) I pickle

page_text: the article in a solution of sulphuric or other acid and water. This pickling
process will remove all oxide from the surface to be coated, and after the
articles have been dried, they must be passed through the bath of molten
metals, which for this purpose should consist of one part of copper, and
one of the alloy of tin and antimony, covered over with the same flux as before.
Having now described my Invention of improvements in coating and
indurating metals, and having explained the manner of carrying the same
into effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as afore-
said, the mode or modes, or process or processes herein set forth for coating
and indurating or hardening metallic surfaces.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Webster, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty-second day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
-
66, Chancery Lane.
JAMES WEBSTER. (L.S.)