IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ELECTRO-DEPOSITION OF METALS, AND IN THE APPLICATION OF ELECTRO-DEPOSITION TO THE PROTECTION OF IRON, ALSO IN THE BATTERY AND APPARATUS USED IN ELECTRO-DEPOSITION, SUCH BATTERY BEING APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Thomas Allen and
Desmond Gerald FitzGerald at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 24th July 1872.
We, WILLIAM THOMAS ALLEN, of Upper Thames Street, in the City
of London, Iron Merchant, and DESMOND GERALD FITZGERALD, of
Loughborough Road, Brixton, in the County of Surrey, Electrician, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
ELECTRO-DEPOSITION OF METALS, AND IN THE APPLICATION OF ELECTRO-DEPOSITION
TO THE PROTECTION OF IRON, ALSO IN THE BATTERY AND APPARATUS USED IN
ELECTRO-DEPOSITION, SUCH BATTERY BEING APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES," to
be as follows :—

page_text: 2. In the addition of arsenious acid to certain solutions used for the
electro-deposition of antimony (such as the double chloride of antimony
and ammonia) whereby a tough and adherent deposit of this metal may
be obtained.
3. In the corrugation of plates or sheets of metal used as anodes or
positive clectrodes, whereby in certain cases such anodes are more readily
maintained in position within the deposition tank.
4. In a cheap and efficient form of constant battery adapted for
electro-deposition, and also for other purposes. Each cell of this battery
is formed of a trough or chamber of wood or other suitable material
having near to one of its extremities a partition extending vertically
from the top to within a certain distance of the bottom of the trough or
chamber, which latter is partly filled with fragments of carbon or coke
in admixture with binoxide of manganese or other suitable oxidising
agent; this layer of carbon extending above the lower level of the
partition. The carbon in the larger of the two divisions of the trough
or chamber is covered with a layer of plaster, paper pulp or other
material constituting a porous diaphragm upon which is placed a certain
quantity of metallic mercury together with zinc in fragments or
"clippings." Connection with the carbon and the zinc respectively is
established by means of binding screws to which may be attached a strip
or wire of platinum (in contact with the carbon), and a wire of amalga-
mated copper (in contact with the mercury and zinc). The battery
is charged by means of dilute acids or other suitable solutions. It is
applicable to purposes other than those specifically mentioned in this
Provisional Specification.
.
5. In the electro-deposition upon iron of a compound metallic
coating consisting in a layer of zinc upon which is superposed a layer of
copper, copper bronze, brass or antimony; by which means the iron is
effectually protected against oxidition without being in any degree
impared in strength or toughness. In certain cases where strength and
toughness are not of importance, the iron may be coated with zinc in the
first place by the ordinary process of dipping into a bath of molten zinc,
and the superposed layer of copper or other materials may then be
applied. In some cases also the process may be repeated so as to‘give a
number of alternate coatings of zinc, and another metal.or alloy.

page_text: 6. In the application of the last mentioned process to the protection
of iron ships from the destructive effects of oxidation by separately
coating every portion of the vessel in suitable tanks, care being taken
that those portions which are most exposed to wear and corrosion should
receive the thickest coating of the superposed metals.