IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SILICIOUS COPPER AND SILICIOUS BRONZE PARTICULARLY SUITED FOR MAKING ELECTRIC CONDUCTING WIRES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Clayton Mewburn of 169 Fleet Street in the.
City of London Patent Agent and Consulting Engineer for an invention of
"
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SILICIOUS COPPER AND SILICIOUS
BRONZE PARTICULARLY SUITED FOR MAKING ELECTRIC CONDUCTING WIRES".
communication from chrood hos Inman Waillon of Annantama Tunne
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SILICIOUS COPPER AND SILICIOUS
BRONZE PARTICULARLY SUITED FOR MAKING ELECTRIC CONDUCTING WIRES".
A communication from abread by Lazare Weiller of Angoulème France
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION_left by the said John Clayton Mewburn at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th April 1882.
JOHN CLAYTON MEWBURN of 169. Fleet Street in the City of London Patent
Agent and Consulting Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFacture of
SILICIOUS COPPER AND SILICIOUS BRONZE, PARTICULARLY SUITED FOR MAKING
ELECTRIC CONDUCTING WIRES A communication from abroad by Lazare Weiller
of Angoulème, France
"2
The idea of adding silicium to copper is not new but the processes hitherto
suggested have necessitated the preparation of a pure silicium; sodium has also to
be added to prevent oxidation, when casting..
Now as it has been ascertained that these silicious compounds are particularly
suited for making electric conducting wires the object of the present Invention is
to manufacture them in a commercial and economical manner.
-
The invention consists in introducing into melted copper or bronze those bodies
which by their reactions are capable of furnishing, in the midst of the molten mass
itself, silicium and sodium which by their association with the molten metal will
produce silicious alloys or compounds of copper and bronze. The use of partial
and expensive preparations of silicium and sodium is thus avoided by producing
them concurrently with the silicious compound itself.
Into a plumbago crucible I introduce the following mixture :——
Fluosilicate of potass
Pounded glass
Chloride of sodium
450 grammes
600
.
"
250 10
Carbonate of soda
Carbonate of lime
Chloride of calcium (dry)
75
60
"
500
"
This mixture is brought to a temperature approaching but lower than that at
which the different bodies can enter into reaction; the mixture is then thrown

page_text: into the melted copper or bronze. Owing to the higher temperature of this metal
the reactions are produced and the silicium and sodium combine directly with the
metal.
By its presence the chloride of calcium of the mixture serves to absorb the
scoriæ as they are formed.
ww
For the quantity of materials above given for the mixture the quantity of the
metal is for copper alone 10 Kilogrammes, and for bronze 10 Kilogrammes of
copper and 460 grammes of tin..
When the reactions are finished the metal is run into bars and led to a draw
plate made of diamond so as to draw it into wires. of 2 millimetres diameter.
'
The conductivity of the alloys is 61 per cent of that of copper and four times
more than that of iron...
With equal conductivity the weight of the wires is one fourth that of iron wires
and one fifth that of steel wires.
The presence of the silicium gives to the copper and bronze a resistance to
rupture equal to that of steel.
These qualifications render the silicious copper and. bronze particularly adapted
for the manufacture of wires for telephonic, telegraphic and other electrical
purposes; the silicious bronze is preferred.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Clayton Mewburn in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th October 1882.
"
JOHN CLAYTON MEWBURN of 109 Fleet Street in the City of London Patent
Agent and Consulting Engineer IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
SILICIOUS COPPER AND SILICIOUS BRONZE PARTICULARLY SUITED FOR MAKING
ELECTRIC CONDUCTING WIRES" (A. Communication from abroad by Lazare Weiller
of Angoulème France).
The idea of adding silicium to copper is not new but the processes hitherto
suggested have necessitated the preparation of a pure silicium; sodium has also to
be added to prevent oxidation during the process of casting.
i
Now as it has been ascertained that silicious compounds of 'copper are particu-
larly suited for making electric conducting wires the object of the present invention
is to manufacture them in a commercial and economical manner.
The invention consists in an improved process of manufacture wherein substances
such as are hereinafter specified are introduced into the melted copper or bronze in
such a manner that by their re-actions they are capable of furnishing in the
midst of the molten mass itself the requisite silicium and sodium which by their.
association with the molten metal will produce silicious alloys or compounds of
copper and bronze. The use of expensive and specially prepared forms of silicium
and sodium is thus avoided and the process of manufacturing the required alloy is
effected in an efficient and economical manner by producing them concurrently
with the silicious compound itself by the agency of substances that may be easily
procured at a cheap rate but which have not been used for the purpose in question.
Into a plumbago crucible containing about 10 Kilogrammės (about 22 lbs) of
copper I introduce a quantity of the following mixture varying from 100 to
2000 grammes (about 31 oz to 4 lbs 6 oz) according to the degree of conductivity
required in the wire to be subsequently manufactured:―
Fluosilicate of potass from about
Pounded glass from about
Chloride of sodium from about
(about 347 grains to 1 lb)
(about 463 grains to 1 lb 5 oz) :
(about 193 grains to 9 oz)
-
22.5 to 450 grammes
30 to 600
12-5 to 250
.5 to 100
"
"
"
(about 77 grains to 3 oz).
6 to 120
"
Chloride of Calcium (dry) from about 25 to 500
Carbonate of soda from about
Carbonate of lime from about
"
(about 92 grains to 4 oz)
(about 386 grains to 1 lb 1 oz).
i
The pounded glass and the chloride of calcium may be omitted but in this case
the proportion of the fluosilicate of potass should be increased; for the two outside
limits above cited it would be from about 37 to 740 grammes (about 11 oz to
1 lb 10 oz :)..
This mixture should be raised in a suitable vessel to a temperature approaching
but lower than that at which the different bodies can enter into reaction; it is
then thrown into the melted copper or bronze. Owing to the higher temperature
of this metal the reactions are produced and the silicium and sodium in combining
with the metal absorb all the oxides present in the mass.
While the operation of manufacturing the silicious copper and silicious bronze
may be well effected by the employment of the ingredients herein before named it
will be facilitated by the addition of a small quantity of carbon towards the end of
the process as will be well understood by persons conversant with the nature of
similar operations.
The chloride of calcium present in the mixture serves to absorb the scoriæ a
they are formed.
.

page_text: For the quantity of materials above given for the mixture the quantity of the
metal is for copper alone 10 Kilogrammes (about 22 lbs) as has been already herein
mentioned, and for bronze 10 Kilogrammes of copper and from 20 to 450 grammes
(about 309 grains to 1 lb) of tin.
The proportion of tin to that of the copper in the alloy or compound may vary
as will be well understood and the quantities of the ingredients employed should
be varied with any change in the quantity of copper present as will be well under-
stood by persons experienced in the manufacture of alloys of copper.
When the reactions are finished the metallic alloy is run into bars and drawn
through a suitable draw plate-one made of diamond may be employed-so as to
draw it into wires of the required size.
The conductivity, of the alloys manufactured by the improved process above
described is about 61 per cent of that of copper and 4 times more than that
of iron.
With equal conductivity the weight of the wires is one fourth that of iron wires
and one fifth that of steel wires.
The presence of the silicium gives to the copper and bronze a resistance to
rupture equal to that of steel.
These qualifications render the silicious copper and bronze particularly adapted
for the manufacture of wires for telephonic, telegraphic and other electrical
purposes; the silicious bronze is preferred.
.
Owing to the light weight and diameter of the telegraph wires formed of these
silicious compounds, the wind has less effect upon them and this leads to an
economy in the posts.
The proportions of the materials herein before stated can be varied within the
limits hereinbefore named, and thus an electric conductivity of 81% of that of
copper can be reached with a rupture strain of about 50 Kilogrammes (about
110 lbs) per square millimetre (about 00155 square inch).
Having now described the nature of the said Invention as communicated to
me and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I claim
First. The process hereinbefore described of producing silicious copper and
silicious bronze by introducing into melted copper or bronze a mixture such as
herein specified and containing substances which, by their reactions in the midst
of the molten mass itself will furnish the silicium and sodium necessary for the
formation of the said silicious compounds as hereinbefore set forth.
Second. The inanufacture of silicious copper and silicious bronze by the employ-
ment of the materials herein before named and in the manner substantially as
set forth.
In witness whereof I the said John Clayton Mewburn have hereunto set
my hand and seal this seventeenth day of October One thousand eight