A NEW METALLIC COMPOSITION.
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to François Amand Délande, of Paris, France,
and of 4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Gentleman, for the
Invention of "A NEW METALLIC COMPOSITION.
"
Sealed the 9th May 1854, and dated the 12th November 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said François Amand
Délande at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 12th November 1853.
I, FRANÇOIS AMOND DÉLANDE,. of Paris, France, and of .4, South
Street, Finsbury, London, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of
the Invention for "A NEW METALLIC COMPOSITION" to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in certain processes for producing a new
metallic alloy. The base of the composition is tin, which I refine or
purify by calcining it with sulphate or nitrate of potash; I reduce it to
powder, then melt it; when in a fluid state I mix it with charcoal
dust, and pour it into another crucible, separate the clear part from
the dregs.
First process. I put about two gallons of quick lime in about four-

page_text: teen gallons of water which I boil down to half its volume; I put into it
three quarters of a pound of sea salt and as much rock salt; I then take
two pounds of tin, refined as before stated, and about one pound of the
best soft iron, and melt them together in a crucible. When in a molten
state I pour the metal slowly into the lime solution, repeating the
process eight times and changing the water each time. The last time
I melt the metals I take about one ounce of borax, one ounce and a
quarter ammonical salt, and half an ounce of red or yellow oxide of
arsenic, according to the hue I wish to obtain; all these matters are
pounded and mixed together with white of egg, so as to form a kind of
dough part of this dough is placed in the bottom of the crucible, then
part of the alloy, and so on until the crucible is filled, when it is placed
on the fire and left during about one hour and a quarter; when it is clear
and fluid some alum may be also poured_in_to_give the composition
brilliancy.
4
Second process. I take grape vine ashes in a cloth; which I place
and leave in strong vinegar until they are dissolved. I then melt:some
refined tin which I pour into the vinegar. I repeat this operation eight
times. After-this-I melt the tin again and pour in fresh milk, repeating
this last operation eleven times. I place some pounded white arsenic
and mineral crystals into-the-milk-It-is-optional to add, as for the
first composition, some alum, borax, ammonical salt, and arsenic, in a
proportion according to the quantity of metal that is melting.
Third process. I take a variable quantity of purified tin, I melt it in
a crucible, and when in a fluid state I pour it slowly into vinegar seven
or eight times. I then repeat the operation as many times in water
charged with mercury, after which I add about half less of alum than
for the other composition.
The composition prepared by the above-described processes is of a
white silvery color, and is applicable to the manufacture of ornaments
for dress and other purposes for which it is desirable to obtain the
appearance of silver.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said François Amande Délande in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 11th May 1854.
.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
FRANÇOIS AMAND DELANDE, of Paris, France, and of 4, South Street,
Finsbury, London, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victória, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said François Amand Délande, Her special.
license that I, the said François Amand Délande, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said François
Amand Délande, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at.
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times:
thereafter 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 Inven-
tion for "A NEW METALLIC COMPOSITION,"
upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said François Amand Délande, by an instrument
in writing under iny 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 François Amand Délande, do.
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained-in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say:
.My Invention consists in certain processes for producing a new
metallic alloy, imitating silver in appearance, and susceptible of super-
seding. it in various applications. I prepare the tin which forms the
base of the composition as follows:--I take tin of the purest quality and
calcine it two or three times with saltpeter.; .I.reduce the calcined part-

page_text: to powder, which I melt down in a crucible; when in a fluid state I
purify it by mixing with it charcoal powder, and draw off the clear"
part into another crucible ready for use.
First process. I mix about two gallons of quick lime with about
twelve gallons of pure water, and boil it down to half its volume. I
add about ten ounces of sea salt and ten ounces of rock salt in powder.
I take about two pounds of purified tin and about one pound of the best
soft iron, which I reduce in a crucible to a state of fusion, and slowly
pour on to the solution of lime and salt, repeating this operation several
times, each time changing the salt and lime water. I then take about
one ounce of borax, one ounce of sal ammoniac, and half an ounce of
red or yellow arsenic, the selection of the latter depending on the hue
I wish to obtain (as the red arsenic gives to the alloy a darker hue than
the yellow arsenic). These matters being pulverized are mixed with
the white of fresh eggs to the consistence of dough; half is placed at
the bottom of a crucible, then part of the metal, afterwards the other
part of the dough, and, lastly, the remainder of the metal. The
crucible is put on the fire of an ordinary furnace, where it is kept
during about one hour and a quarter, until the whole is in a fluid state,
when it acquires the aspect of silver; before taking it off the fire
pounded alum is added to give brilliancy to the composition, which may
then be left to cool, and afterwards be rolled or moulded.
Second process. I take grape vine ashes in a cloth, which I submit
to and leave in strong vinegar to dissolve the potash salts; I decant the
liquid part into another vessel, and I melt the purified tin, which I also
pour into vinegar. I repeat this operation several times, after which I
again melt the tin and pour it into fresh milk, in which I previously
place pounded white arsenic and pounded silex, repeating this last
operation several times. To give brilliancy to the composition alum
must be added as before, and, if it is required to be of a dark hue,
borax, sal ammoniac, and red arsenic must be added in suitable propor-
tions to the quantity of composition-to be treated:
Third process. I take purified tin and melt it in a crucible. When
in a clear fluid state I pour it slowly into strong vinegar, and afterwards
into water charged with mercury, repeating each operation several times,.

page_text: according to the degree of strength required. To give brilliancy I add
half as much alum as for the former compositions, and melt it as before
described.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be under-
stood that what I claim is, the processes herein-beforo described for
the production of a metallic alloy, imitating silver in appearance, and
susceptible of superseding silver in various applications.
In witness whereof, I, the said François Amand Délande, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Third day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
F. A. DÉLANDE. (L.S.)