Year: 1888

page_text: I LÉON QUENTIN BRIN, of 6, Rue Wilhem, Auteuil, Paris, France, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My Invention retates to an improved process of coating iron, copper, and other
metals with aluminium and of producing aluminium alloys.
The process consists in applying to the sheets or pieces of metal, a layer of the
composition hereinafter specified, which is applied in the same way as an enamel, the
metal to be coated being then raised to a high temperature in order to effect
the decomposition of this sort of aluminium flux in direct contact with said metal.
The composition is manufactured and applied in the following manner :--A certain
quantity of alumina whether hydrated or not, or of clay rich in alumina, together
with one half its weight of powdered borax dried or not, i placed in a crucible in a
reverberatory furnace and the contents brought to a state of complete fusion. The
product is then run on to tables of stone or cast iron and pounded or crushed to
powder. This powder when mixed with some essential oil or with water is applied
with a brush to the articles to be plated with aluminium.
The metal plates or articles are thoroughly cleaned by pickling with acid before
being coated with the powder made up in oil or water. After being coated they are
dried slowly, and then placed in a reverberatory furnace and exposed to the direct
heat of the fire, the temperature being raised until the composition is remelted,
whereupon decomposition is effected and aluminium set free. The aluminium unites
with the surface of the metal with which it is in contact and spreads thereon in
exactly the same manner as tin solder or tin does in the operation of tinning.
In order to obtain a more complete mixture or alloy of aluminium, the metals
coated therewith may be remelted and also if desired larger quantities added and the
whole melted together.
In this manner, a complete mixture of aluminium in any desired proportions,
either with iron, copper, or other metals, may be obtained.
L.. Q. BRIN.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Plating Metals with Aluminium and Producing
Alloys thereof.
I, LÉON QUENTIN BRIN, of 6, Rue Wilhem, Auteuil, Paris, France, Engineer,
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:-
My Invention relates to an improved process of coating iron, copper, and other
metals, with aluminium and of producing aluminium alloys.
The process consists in applying to the sheets or pieces of metal, a layer of the
composition hereinafter specified, which is applied in the same way as an enamel,
the metal to be coated being then raised to a high temperature, in order to effect the
decomposition of this sort of aluminium flux in direct contact with said metal.
The composition is manufactured and applied in the following manner: A certain
quantity of alumina whether hydrated or not or of clay rich in alumina together
with say one-half its weight of powdered borax dried or not is placed in a crucible
in a reverberatory furnace and the contents brought to a state of complete fusion.
I do not limit myself to the above mentioned proportion of borax as a less quantity
may be used in some cases, it being only necessary to use sufficient to ensure
fusibility and vetrification of the clay.
The product is then run on to tables of stone or cast iron and pounded or crushed
to powder. Or the molten product or the cast plates whilst still hot may be dropped
into cold water for the purpose of disintegrating it. This powder when mixed with
some essential oil or with water is applied with a brush to the articles to be plated
with aluminium.
The metal plates or articles are thoroughly cleaned by pickling with acid before
being coated with the powder made up in oil or water. After being coated, they
are dried slowly and then placed in a reverberatory furnace and exposed to the direct
heat of the fire, the temperature being raised until the composition is remelted
whereupon decomposition is effected and aluminium set free.
I find that in carrying out this process it is advantageous to perform the operation
in the presence of an atmosphere of deoxidizing or reducing gases.
Such an
atmosphere both promotes the reduction of free aluminium from the flux and also
serves to maintain the surface of the metal to be coated clean and more active for
the purpose of condensing the aluminium upon it. The most efficient gas I have
found to be ammonia, but nitrogen cyanogen or carbon monoxide may be used.
The gas employed should be either heated to a high temperature or in the nascent
state. It is preferably generated by any of the well-known methods in a separate
retort or apparatus connected with the reverberatory chamber, or ammonia vapor
may be passed in along with the carbonic oxide flame which is used in heating the
furnace.

page_text: The aluminium unites with the surface of the metal with which it is in contact
and spreads thereon in exactly the same manner as tin solder or tin does in the
operation of tinning.
The retort or apparatus wherein the ammonia is generated also serves as a
condensing chamber for the surplus aluminium vapors generated in excess from the
heated flux, which vapors in the presence of the nascent ammonia become reduced to
the metallic state. This pure metal is therefore collected at the same time as the
operation of making the alloys, and can be employed for enriching the alloy or for
other purposes.
In order to obtain a more complete mixture or alloy of aluminium, the metals
coated therewith, as above described, may be remelted and also if desired larger
quantities added and the whole melted together.
In this manner a complete mixture of aluminium in any desired proportions
either with iron, copper, or other metals, may be obtained.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In the herein described process of plating metals with aluminium and producing
alloys thereof, the operation of melting the ingredients of the flux together and then
reducing the same to powder for the purpose of obtaining a uniform flux, as
described.
2. In the herein described process of plating metals with aluminium and producing
alloys thereof, the employment of a composition acting as a flux and also as the
source of metallic aluminium, consisting of a mixture of alumina and borax, as
described.
3. In the herein described process of plating metals with aluminium and producing
alloys thereof, effecting the reduction of the herein described composition or flux in
contact with the metal to be alloyed and in the presence of an atmosphere of
deoxidizing or reducing gases for the purpose of facilitating the production of metallic
aluminium and of maintaining active the surfaces of the metal upon which the
aluminium is condensed, as described.
Dated the 10th 1 CA: 1000
L. Q. BRIN.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agents.