IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ART OF DEPOSITING AND MANUFACTURING METALS AND METAL ARTICLES BY ELECTRO-GALVANIC AGENCY, AND IN THE APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1842

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
BEAUMONT LEESON, of Greenwich, in the County of Kent, Master of Arts
and Doctor in Medicine, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria; by Her Letters
Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at Westminster,
the First day of June, in the fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself; Her
heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Henry' Beaumont'
Leeson, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, Her especial license, full power,
sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Henry Beaumont Leeson, my
exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Beaumont'
Leeson, my exors, adiňors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times hereafter during the terms of
years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ART OF DEPOSITING AND MANUFACTURING
METALS AND METAL ARTICLES BY ELECTRO-GALVANIC AGENCY, AND IN THE
APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH;" in which said Letters Patent is contained
a proviso, that I, the said Henry Beaumont Leeson, shall cause a particular'
description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed; to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the* said*

page_text: Henry Beaumont Leeson, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully
described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference
being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters
marked thereon, that is to say:-
My Invention consists of several parts. The first relates to improvements
in the construction and arrangement of the galvanic battery, whereby the same
can be more conveniently managed and applied, and the quantity and intensity
of the electric current regulated. For the better understanding of the descrip-
tion of my improvements in the battery itself and in the other parts of my
Invention, I may remark that a galvanic battery is constructed of one or more
pairs, composed, as is well known, either of two metals and one fluid (the latter
called an electrotype), as, for instance, zinc, sulphuric acid and water, and
copper, in which arrangement zinc forms the cathode, or positive pole; copper,
the anode or negative pole; and sulphuric acid and water the electrolytic fluid;
or a galvanic arrangement may be formed of two metals and two electrolytic
fluids, as, for instance, zinc in sulphuric acid and water, and copper in sulphate of
copper, the two fluids being separated by a porous diaphragm; or an arrange-
ment may be formed of plates of the same description of metal to form both
the anode and the cathode of the battery, and two solutions, as, for instance,
sulphuret of potassium, platinum, and an acid or sulphuret of sodium, calcium,
barium, strontium, and an acid may be employed, or alkalies and an acid, with
plates of the same description of metal, to form both the anode and the cathode
of the battery. In electro-deposition the cathode or positive pole of the
battery is connected with the article or surface to be deposited upon, which
then becomes the anode of the arrangement, whilst the anode or negative pole
of the battery is connected with a piece of the metal it is wished to deposit,
which piece of metal thus becomes the cathode of the arrangement, and is
eaten away by the solution in proportion as the metal of the solution is depo-
sited. When, therefore, I am not speaking of the battery itself, the term
cathode, or supply metal, in the subsequent description, must be understood as
having reference to a plate or other form of metal connected with the negative
end or anode of the battery, such metal or cathode being of the same descrip-
tion as the metal required to be deposited, except in certain cases, where a
cathode is employed, such as platinum or charcoal, for instance, upon which
the metallic solution used for depositing from is incapable of acting, whilst the
term anode will apply to the surface to be covered connected to the cathode
extremity of the battery. The fluid or solution in which the cathode and anode,
or article to be deposited on, are immersed, will be termed, pursuant to the

page_text: nomenclature now generally adopted by chemists, the electrolyte or electrolytic
solution; a similar term being also applied to the fluids used in charging the
battery. What is termed "the quantitative effect of a galvanic current," must be
understood as having reference to the amount of decomposition of the electro-
lyte in a given period, and thus has reference to the amount of metal deposited
in a given period. This is dependent upon the size of the plates of the battery,
or the depth to which they are immersed in the electrolytic fluids. What is
termed the "intensity effect of a galvanic current," must be understood as
having reference to the energy of transit of such current, and regulates (as I
have discovered and will hereafter describe), the coherence of the particles of
metal deposited. The intensity effect, depends, as is well known, upon the
number of pairs forming the galvanic series. In order to obtain the best effect
from a galvanic battery, I recommend that the form of the anode and cathode
metals of the battery be flat plates, opposing equal surfaces to each other,
and I find that any increase of the one opposing surface over the other is not
advantageous. In order to obtain such condition of equal opposing surfaces,
coupled with the condition which is also desirable, that the metals shall be
easily taken apart, so that they may readily be cleaned, and the cathode of the
battery, when worn, from time to time renewed, it is necessary to have two
plates of the one metal exterior to the other, one on either side thereof; and I
recommend that the single plate be the cathode of the battery, as the waste is
confined to that metal. I further recommend that the connections be con-
tinuous along the upper edges of the plates forming the anode an: cathode,
and that they be formed without any soldering, in the manner subsequently
shown. I also recommend that particular attention be paid to the size of the
conducting wires or rods leading from the battery to the anode or surface to be
deposited on, and the cathode or the supplying metal that they be large enough,
otherwise the quantitative effect of the battery will be proportionably
diminished.
I shall now proceed to describe my improved battery. Figure 1 is a section,
and Figure 2 an end section of the battery, which consists of an oblong wooden
trough A, B, C, D; having a conical hole at one extremity E, Figures 1 and 4,
into which a taper wooden plug F, Figure 1, is fitted; by the withdrawal of this
plug the trough may be emptied. G, H, I, K, Figure 1, represents a wooden
box, open at top and at bottom, which fits into the outer trough. Figure 4
represents a plan of Figure 1. The inner box is intended to support porous
cells (C, Figures 1 and 4) of earthenware or other convenient material,
which fit into grooves a, Figures 1 and 4, cut out of the sides of such inner
box. Two wooden ledges, shown at L, M, Figures 1 and 2, support the

page_text: porous cells, and are connected by wooden pegs to the inner box, which is thus
supported, leaving a continuous communication, shown at o, Figure 2, below
the cells and between the two ledges (b, b). Figures 1 and 4 represent thin
wooden partitions in the inner box, by which the galvanic pairs are separated
but which are not absolutely necessary, although they appear to improve the
action of the battery. A¹, B, C, D, Figure 3, represent the plan of a wooden
frame to support the anode and cathode plates of the battery, which are. attached
by a screw clamp, represented in Figures 7 and 8, to the bars of a metal fork
as represented in Figures 5 and 6, secured by resting in. a groove cut in the
frame, A, B, C, D, Figure 3, and by a nut 6', Figures 5 and 6, screwed on
the end a, which passes through the side of the frame A', B, C, D', Figure 3.
By the arrangement of the bars, it will be. observed that the plate. which. is
immersed within the porous cells, or in the space occupied by such cell, com
municates with the two plates. on. the other side of the wooden partition,
separating tho next galvanic pair. By this arrangement the single plate will
form either the anode or cathode of the arrangement, as may be desired, the
two plates in the adjoining cells forming the cathode or anode respectively,
their relative situation depending on the metals and the electrolytic solutions
employed. When only only one electrolytic fluid is employed; the box con-
taining the porous cells will not be required, and may be removed. If the
pins shewn at N, Figures 1 and 4, be inserted, the inner box, and frame sup-
porting the metal plates may be lifted out of the outer trough together, but
when it is only required to lift the metal plates, such pin must be withdrawn.
It will be found convenient to suspend the frame by a pulley and counterweight.
This battery will be found to.embrace the following advantages:-The quanti-
tative effect can be readily diminished or increased by raising or lowering the
whole of the plates, and thus causing them to be more or less immersed in. the
electrolytic fluid or fluids. A diminution of the quantitative effect can also
be readily effected by withdrawing the plug F, E, Figure 1, and allowing a
portion of the electrolytic fluid to flow out. This also affords a ready and
convenient mode of discharging or emptying the battery. The quantitative
effect may be readily doubled, trebled, &c., by connecting the wire or rod leading
to the anode or surface to be deposited upon across and in connexion with each
of the terminal plates forming the cathode of two, three; or more batteries
placed side by side, whilst the other wire connected with the cathode or sup-
plying metal is in like manner connected to each of the anodes of the batteries.
The arrangement is also equally convenient for obtaining intensity for by
placing every other battery in the reverse position, and connecting the terminal
cathode of one battery with the terminal anode of the next, an entire sequence

page_text: may be obtained, in the same manner as though one battery had been con-
structed with a much larger number of plates. The metal plates of this.
battery, if requiring it, can be readily removed or altered, and any plate can be
got at without disturbing the remainder. The whole of the metal plates being
connected to one frame can be raised, so as to alter the depth of immersion
in the electrolytic fluid or fluids, thus enabling the workman to regulate the quan-
titative effect; where two electrolytic fluids are used, porous cells, made of
earthenware or other convenient materials, are to be employed; or a porous
cell may be constructed by cementing two flat plates of earthenware, in grooves
made for that purpose in the inner frame, the bottom of such cell being in
that case formed of wood connected to the inner frame. The whole of such
cells are, it will be observed, contained in a frame having no bottom, but with
two ledges for the cells to rest upon. This enables the operator to remove the
whole of the cells at once, and is very convenient in emptying the electrolytic
fluid with which they may be charged, or in refilling them, as they may be all
charged at once, by dipping them into a vessel containing the fluid. Another
advantage of this form of battery is, that it is universally applicable to the
different arrangements before alluded to. Thus, you may connect two zinc or
iron plates to the two bars (1), Figure 3, of each division or pair, and a copper,
silver, or platinum plate to the bars 2, or you may connect two copper, silver, or
platinum plates to the two bars (1), Figure 3, and a zinc or iron plate to the
bars (2), Figure 3; and you may either use one electrolytic fluid, such as
diluted sulphuric acid, in which case the frame containing the porus cells is
not necessary, or you may use two electrolytic fluids, keeping them separate by
the porous cells; again, you may use two electrolytic fluids, such as sulphuret
of potash and nitric or other acid, and attach platinum or other metallic plates
to all the bars; the cathode and anode of the battery in this case depending on
the relative position of the plates in the one or the other fluid. I usually con-
struct the battery of mahogany, and if well jointed and put together with
screws and white lead, it is very durable. The inner box containing the
porous cells must be put together with wooden pegs or screws, as metal would
corrode. The voltameter or instrument for measuring the quantitative effect of
any galvanic battery which I employ may either contain three plates of
platinum, as represented in Figures 9 and 10, or it may contain several pairs
of platinum plates, as represented in Figures 11, 12, 13. It consists, in either
case, of a glass jar A, B, C, D, Figures 9, 11, and 12, the neck contracted at
the part above A, B, on which is cemented, by strong plaster of Paris, a brass
collar, having a turned flanch at its upper extremity, to which the metal cover
is attached, air tight, by means of the thumb screws E, Figures 9, 10, 11, 12,

page_text: 14; a collar of leather soaked in oil being interposed between the cover and
the flanch, and a ring of brass being placed above the cover, as shewn in
Figure 10, to give additional strength to that part on which the screws are
fastened. The plaster of Paris with which the collar is cemented should
when dry, receive a coat or two of drying oil, or japanners' gold size, on the
line exposed at the top and bottom of the neck. There is an aperture F in
the cover, Figures 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, which allows the mixed gases generated
by the electric current to escape, and which are conveyed by a curved pipe,
not represented in the Drawings, into a glass jar, graduated into cubic inches
placed on the shelf of a pneumatic cistern in the usual manner. The anode or
negative end of the battery is connected by a metal wire, or rod, as shewn at
L, Figure 10, to the plate G, Figures 9 and 10, or to the rod G, Figures 11,
12, 13, 14, 15, and 16, which thus becomes the cathode or positive pole of the
voltameter, and is insulated from the cover by means of a piece of wood I,
Figures 9, 10, inserted air tight; or when the frame, represented in Figures 11,
12, 13, 15, and 16, is used to support several cathode plates, two pieces of
turned wood for the rods to pass through are used to insulate the plates, as
represented in section at K, Figures 11, 12, 18. The anode plates are con-
nected to the covers in both voltameters, and small screw clamps, as shewn,
Figures 19 and 20 are used to connect both the anode and cathode plates.
The plan of arranging the plates is seen in Figures 11 and 13; and when
several pairs of thin platinum plates are employed, I find it necessary to use a
wooden frame, to prevent the possibility of contact between cathode and anode
plates. A section of this wooden frame is shewn in Figure 11; a, b, c, d, the
bars separating the plates being shewn in section at e. It is suspended from
the two external plates attached to the cover, to which the external anode
plates of platinum are likewise attached, and is secured by two pins and nuts
screwed thereon, as shewn in Figure 11.
The plan hitherto mostly adopted to form voltameters has been to cement
the platinum plates in a wooden bottom, into which a glass cylinder was
cemented, and instruments thus constructed have been very apt to become
leaky and out of order, whilst it was most difficult to construct them with
platinum plates of large size, unless the plates were very thick, which was
attended with a proportionately increased expence. This form of voltameter
is very convenient, as the platinum plates can be readily altered or removed.
It is essential, in trying the quantilative effect of any battery, that the area of
the opposed surface of the platinum plates of the voltameter be not less than.
the area of the opposed surfaces of the anode and cathode forming a single pair
of the battery, and if several batteries be joined together quantitatively, as alluded:

page_text: to in the former part of my Specification, the area of the opposite surface of the
platinum plates must be not less than the sum of the areas of the opposing
surfaces of as many pairs as are joined together in one cathode or anode. In
order to obtain such increased surface, I sometimes use several plates arranged
as in the foregoing description thereof; the plates being kept from contact
with each other by means of the wooden frame. I charge the voltameter with
one part pure concentrated sulphuric acid and three parts distilled water. The
mixed oxygen and hydrogen gases generated are conveyed by the pipe into a
graduated glass receiver, placed in a pneumatic cistern in the usual manner, as.
before mentioned. It is necessary that attention be paid to the size of the
conducting wires to convey the electric current from the battery, as before.
alluded to when treating of the battery.
The second part of my Invention relates to the application of a galvanic.
battery, for the purpose of cleaning the zinc and copper plates used in any
battery, and for the purpose of depositing mercury upon the zinc plates, using
a convenient solution of mercury for such purpose. The zinc of commerce
requires, as is well known, to be amalgamated with mercury, if used for the
purpose of exciting an electric current, and as the usual mode of amalgamating
such plates is both troublesome and expensive, I consider the following method.
advantageous, and my improvement consists in amalgamating or coating the
surface of the zinc plates by nicans of the battery in the manner used for
depositing other metals, using any of the solutions of mercury herein-after
described. In my form of battery I proceed thus:-I disconnect the other metal
from the frame, Figure 3, and having laid a rod of copper along the bars, so as
to form a connection with the whole of the zinc plates; I connect such rod to-
the cathode of a battery of nine or eighteen pairs, and immerse the zinc plates.
in a solution of mercury and potassium, contained in a box similar to that
forming the outer case of the battery, and which is raised about one inch at one
extremity, so that a small quantity of mercury placed at the bottom may rest.
at one extremity, which I connect with the anode of the battery by means of a.
rod or wire of metal, protected from the action of the electrolytic fluid by
cementing it into a glass tube, or covering it with pitch or any convenient.
resinous cement, that part only below the fluid being exposed which dips into
the mercury.
If the anode plates be of platinum, it is scarcely necessary to
disconnect them, and even when other plates are employed, I sometimes allow
them to remain, in which case the copper or platinum plates must form the
cathode of the arrangement, and a powerful battery be employed so as to over-
come the electric current generated by the metals to be cleaned; copper plates
may be advantageously cleaned by means of the battery, first placing them

page_text: connected, as in the case of the zinc, in dilute sulphuric acid or sulphate of
soda, and attaching them to the anode of the battery, a separate-copper plate
being connected with its cathode, and afterwards removing them. into a solution
of sulphate of copper, and reversing the connections, so that the-copper plates
to be cleaned may now form the anode, whilst another clean copper plate forms
the cathode, as is usual in depositing copper. By the first operation zinc or
other impurities are removed from the surface of the copper, and by the
second process a new surface is given to the plates, which adds greatly to their
efficiency.
The third part of my Invention consists in the application of the under-men-
tioned electrolytic fluids, to be used in connection with sulphuric, nitric, or
muriatic acids, for the purpose of exciting a galvanic current to be used in the
deposition of metal. First, the impure ammoniacal liquor produced in the
destructive distillation of coal. Second, the lime liquor after it has been-used
for purifying coal gas. Third and fourth, the impure alkaline sulphurets
of potassium and sodium, produced from the sulphates of potash and soda by
calcination in a furnace with coal and chalk or charcoal, as in the well known
processes for making potash and soda. Fifthly, the sulphates of calcium, barium,
and strontium, produced from the sulphates of lime, baryta, and strontia.
Sixthly, the alkalies, ammonia, potash, and soda, and their respective carbonates.
Lastly, this part of my Invention relates to the use of the acid solution of
sulphate of iron, produced by the decomposition of sulphuret of iron or iron
pyrites in the manner well understood in the manufacture of green copperas or
sulphate of iron, in connection with any of the last-mentioned alkaline solu-
tions or sulphurets, for the like purpose of exciting an electric current to be
used in the deposition of metal.
These electrolytic fluids are not only economical in regard to their originall
cost, but effect a saving in the consumption of the metal plates of the battery,
and some of them produce substances valuable for other purposes after they
had been used for exciting the electric current.
The fourth part of my Invention consists of improvements in the mode of
applying the galvanic current. I find that by employing a sufficient number of
plates, forming what I term an intensity arrangement, any metal may be
deposited under the circumstances herein-after stated, from any solution con-
taining such metal as a component part thereof, whether such metal originally s
formed such component part, or becomes such by the action of some electro-
lytic solution capable of acting upon a cathode formed of the metal required
to be deposited. If the quantitative effect of a battery be too great, the metal
will be deposited in a rough or loosely aggregated state, and hitherto it has

page_text: been usual to correct this fault by diminishing the power of the battery, by
reducing the area of the pairs of plates or their number (if more than one pair
of plates were used), or by diminishing the action of the electrolytic fluid used
by diluting it with water; I find, however, that this fault may be corrected by
increasing the intensity or number of plates, reference being had to the quan-
titative effect of any given combination or construction of battery. I find
also that greater intensity increases the facility with which bad conducting
surfaces may be covered, such as wax or other bad conducting surface coated
with black lead, that it causes the metal to be deposited more smoothly, and
gives it greater tenacity and adherence, especially in covering metallic surfaces.
By this means the quantity deposited in a given period may be increased if the
intensity be at the same time proportionately increased. The quantitative effect
of any battery may be ascertained by using a voltameter, preferring those
herein-before described, and the method I adopt consists in trying the amount
of gas produced in a given period by employing two pairs of such particular
battery; I then try what amount of gas three pairs will produce, then what
four and five will produce, and so on, until I have ascertained what number of
pairs produces the greatest proportionate amount of gas, dividing the amount
of gas produced by the number of pairs producing it. Thus, for instance, in a
battery series composed of amalgamated zinc plates, 6 inches wide immersed
6 inches deep in sulphuric acid diluted with three parts of water, and opposed
to copper plates of the same size immersed to the same depth in a saturated
solution of sulphate of copper, the thermometer standing at 70°, and the
barometer at 30.05. I found that three pairs produced 8 cubic inches of the
mixed gases per minute.
It will, therefore, be seen that the maximum quantitative effect of this battery
was when using four pairs of plates, which produced 13 cubic inches, being
equal to 3 cubic inches for each pair of plates, the quantitative effect per
pair decreasing as the number was increased or decreased, and eight pairs only
produced 2 cubic inches per pair. Again, with similar sized zinc plates,
similarly immersed and opposed to equal sized platinum plates immersed in
nitric acid, forming what is termed Groves' arrangement, I found the maximum
quantitative effect to be 30 cubic inches per minute from three pair of plates,
or 10 cubic inches per plate. I found that two pairs did not produce 20 cubic

page_text: inches, and I found that four pairs did not produce more than 40 cubic inches
per minute, and that five pairs did not produce 50. In this case, I consider
therefore three to four pairs as the point of maximum quantitative effect.
Again, in what is termed Smee's battery, similar sized zinc plates, similarly
immersed, but opposed to platanized silver plates immersed in one part sul-
phuric acid and three of water, I found that when the barometer stood at
30-14, and the thermometer at 67,-
effect is produced, and 4 cubic inches per pair of plates is the maximum
quantitative effect per pair of plates. In this last case I found, however, that the
effect of the battery rapidly decreased, so that at the expiration of two hours
six pairs produced only 9 cubic inches per minute, and the constant maximum
effect of the battery was only 1½ cubic inches per plate. In all these cases, it
will be observed that the quantitative effect per pair diminishes above and
below some particular number of pairs, to be ascertained by experiments con-
ducted in the manner herein specified; but the intensity of the current
increases in proportion to the number of plates employed, and hence continues
to increase, whilst the quantitative effect diminishes. The quantitative effect
ought to be proportioned to the extent of anode or surface to be covered;
and I find it advisable that such surface should be at least double the area of
the opposing surfaces of one pair of the battery, if arranged in a consecutive
series, or of two, three, or more pairs, if two, three, or more batteries are con-
nected together quantitatively. If the surface to be covered is less in area than
it ought to be, it is frequently useful to increase such surface by connecting an
additional surface of metal to the anode or surface to be coated; this is
particularly useful in covering wax or other-non-conducting surfaces, where
the whole surface cannot at once be brought into action. Another mode con-
sists in diminishing the immersion of the plates. Too great quantitative effect,
without a greater proportionate increase of intensity, tends to produce a
pulverulent, rough, little coherent, or rotten deposit, and it has been usual, as I
have already mentioned, to remedy this fault by decreasing the power of the
battery and lessening the number of pairs, where more than one pair was
employed, inasmuch as that the number of pairs employed has seldom hitherto,
if ever, been equal to that producing the maximum quantitative effect of the
battery used; the practice has, to a certain extent, succeeded; but the process.

page_text: has been thereby rendered very tedious and slow. In some, cases, in covering
other metals, it has been impossible to obtain sufficient adherence of the metal,
particularly where large flat surfaces were required to be covered. This part
of my Invention enables the workman to overcome these difficulties, and con-
sists in using ten pairs of plates and upwards, whereby the intensity of the
current is augmented; and in room of diminishing the number, of pairs, when
I find the quantitative effect too great, I increase the number so as to add to the
intensity; or, if I find, on account of the small extent of surface to be covered,
it is desirable to diminish the quantitative effect, I do so, not by diminishing the
number of plates, but by altering the depth to which they are immersed, or by
decreasing the strength of the electrolytic fluids charging the battery. The
number of pairs to be employed may be encreased to any extent, and I have
even, in some cases where the electrolytic solution of metal did not readily
deposit such metal, used with advantage as many as two thousand pairs
weakly charged; but, in general, I recommend from eighteen to ninety pairs
of plates, when constructed as described in the first part of my Invention,
and when using an electrolytic solution from which the metal is readily.
deposited.
:
The fifth part of my Invention relates to improvements in the method of:
manufacturing works of art and other articles, and consists, first, in the
application of an elastic mould; to be employed for the purpose of obtaining
casts in wax, stearine, tallow, or other similar substance, to be used in manu-
facturing works of art and other articles, by depositing metal upon such casts,
having their surfaces first made conductors by a coating of plumbago or other
similar substance in the usual manner. To prepare such elastic mould I make
a solution of glue, about the consistence of treacle, with which I brush over or
paint the articles to be copied, and after the article has received four or five such
coats, I then surround it with a strip of thin metal cartridge paper, or other
material, at such a distance as to enable me to pour in a quantity of the
solution of glue, so as to give to the mould sufficient strength and consistence
when cold. The glue may have added thereto a solution of caoutchouc or
india-rubber, and other gums and resinous substances, or it may, by means of
a solution of tannin, have a leathery consistency communicated to it, which,
in some cases, may be considered advantageous. After standing from five to
ten hours, the removal of the mould may be effected, which can readily be:
accomplished on account of its elasticity, even in cases where the article is
much undercut. If the article to be copied be composed of wood or other
substance to which glue would adhere, it is necessary to prepare the surface-
previously by oiling it; but this is not necessary when the article is of metal.

page_text: In some cases it is necessary to make an incision in some part of the mould,
but after removing the article the mould can be rejoined at such part and
readily returns to its original form; care, of course, must be taken in running
wax, tallow, or other like substance into the mould, that too great heat be not
applied, and the cast should remain to harden from five to ten hours, according
to its size, when the mould may be removed as from the original article. The
next part of my improvement consists in a method whereby silver may be
deposited on casts, such as those last mentioned, and on other con-conducting
or badly conducting surfaces, such surfaces having been first made conductors
in the usual manner, preferring plumbago or black lead for that purpose.
This part of my improvement consists in using a strong solution of cyanide of
silver and potassium, formed by dissolving from ten to twenty ounces of the
pure salt in a gallon of distilled water, and adding thereto one ounce of cyanide
of potassium, so that the latter salt may be slightly in excess. By using this
solution and an intensity arrangement, as herein-before described, I find that
such moulds can be covered directly, without previously depositing copper upon
them, as has been before proposed. When the metal has been deposited of
sufficient thickness to bear the removal of the mould, I sometimes remove it,
and having well cleansed the article, I increase its thickness, either externally
or internally, or both, as may be desired. Another part of my improvement
consists in a mode of arranging the cathod, or supply metal, and conducting
wires, whereby an uneven surface may be more readily and smoothly covered.
When a mould or other article constituting the anode or surface to be deposited
on, has any parts projecting much beyond the rest of its surface, especially if
the size of such projecting part is small, the deposition takes place more rapidly
upon such part, which is apt to become rough in consequence. In this case I
find attaching a pin or wire of metal to that part projecting an inch or more
from the surface removes the difficulty, as the pin or wire is now the more
projecting part, and the roughened deposit takes place upon it. When the
article is finished this pin or wire is cut off and removed. There is great
difficulty in covering parts of figures and other articles where two portions face
each other, or are much undercut; in this case, by connecting wires or other
surface of the same metal as that to be deposited with the anode of the battery,
and leading them into the space between such parts, but so as not to touch the
article, this difficulty may be surmounted; and in wax or other non-conducting
surfaces or moulds the deposition may be facilitated by inserting conducting
wires in the substance, so as to cause the deposition to commence in many
points at once; and the cathode or supply metal should be roughly shaped, so
as to invest the article to be covered at a nearly equal distance, whereby large

page_text: articles can be more equably and quickly covered. In depositing upon metallic
surfaces, I sometimes employ the aid of a galvanic current in cleansing and
otherwise preparing such surface; but as this process is now generally under-
stood, I do not claim it as part of my Invention.
The sixth part of my Invention relates to a method whereby a smoother
external surface may be obtained; and a greater amount of metal deposited in
a given time. This improvement consists in keeping the anode or surface to
be deposited upon, in constant motion in relation to the liquid in which it is
immersed; by any. convenient mechanical means; during the period of electro-
deposition; thus, for instance; it may be suspended to a jack, such as is com-
monly employed for roasting, or wliere more power is required, by any suitable
means, taking care that the anode or surface does not revolve on its own axis;
it being desirable that the anode or surface should constantly be changing its
position in the fluid, care being observed that all things are so arranged that
a perfect metallic connection be established between the anode or surface to
be deposited upon and the cathode of the battery. By such means it will be
found that a quantative effect; which would otherwise produce-a pulverulent
or rough deposit, may be employed, and that the surface will be smooth, and
the metal deposited more compact, whilst at the same time a larger amount of
metal may be deposited in a given period. If it be inconvevient to move the
anode or surface to be covered; motion or agitation may be communicated to
the electrolytic fluid in which it is immersed by any convenient mechanical
means.
The seventh part of my Invention consists in a method of applying electro-
deposition of metals to the formation of parabolic and other reflectors, and
specula, the workmanship of which is very costly; I perform this part by first
depositing on a suitable mould, correctly worked, the metal, such as silver,
antimony, or other metal or metallic alloy, of which the face of the mirror is
to be composed to form the face of the mirror, and I then deposit a suitable
thickness of copper to give strength and solidity to the mirror, and the face-is-
to be then highly polished.
The eighth part of my Invention relates to the deposition of metallic-alloys:
This I perform, first, by connecting the-article- to be covered to the terminal
cathodes of two or more distinct batteries, according to the number of metals
composing such alloy; the article to be so covered is placed in a solution com-
posed of similar salts of the different metals to be deposited, and a cathode
plate of each of the metals composing- such alloy is likewise placed in such
solution, and each such plate is connected- separately to the anode of one of
the batteries. Thus, for instance, if I wish to deposit an alloy of copper and

page_text: silver, I use a solution composed of cyanide of potassium and silver, and of
cyanide of potassium and copper, taking care to have a slight excess of cyanide
of potassium, and I regulate the relative portion of the two metals by increas-
ing or diminishing, in the manner already pointed out, the quantitative effects
of the battery attached to the cathode of the particular metal.
A second mode consists in the use of one battery, and what I term an
alternating cathode, a, representation of which is shewn at Figures 21 and 22
in the Drawings hereunto annexed. It consists of a small beam A, B;
Figure 1, to which a reciprocating motion is given by a connecting rod C and
crank D, from any suitable mechanical power; an electro-magnetic machine
may be employed, driven by the electric current excited by the battery; the
beam is connected to the anode of the battery by a suitable conducting wire E,
and the adjustible rods F, G, at the two extremities of the beam, dip alter-
nately into the hollow cylinders or cups II, H, placed at each extremity, filled
with mercury, and communicating by a metal rod or wire K, L, the one with
one of the metals required to be deposited, and the other with the other metal,
these two metals forming the cathodes, and being immersed in a fluid com-
posed, as in the last case, of similar salts of the respective metals, in which
solution the anode or surface to be deposited on is also immersed. The
relative proportion of the two metals is adjusted by lengthening or shortening
the rods, so that they may be immersed for a longer or shorter period in the
mercury communicating with the metal, the proportion of which it is desired
to adjust. Another mode consists in using the arrangement above described
of two batteries, but alternating the action of the two batteries by a similar
alternating cathode, the beam being, in this case, connected with the anodes
of each battery by any suitable conducting metal, whilst the cathodes of both
batteries are connected with the anode or surface to be covered.
A third mode consists in using a mixed solution as before, and connecting a
cathode plate of each of the metals forming the alloy to the anode of the
battery, but this I do not recommend.
A fourth mode consists in the use of any of the non-metallic electrotytic
fluids described in the eleventh part of my Invention, in connection with any
of the herein-before recited arrangements.
The ninth part of my Invention consists in the preparation of metallic
surfaces for electro deposition, by first covering the same with a slight coating 3
of metallic mercury, so as to produce greater adhesion of the metal afterwards
deposited, and a deader effect on the surface; this method consists in dipping
the article, first properly cleansed, into any convenient solution of a compound
of mercury in water, by preference, a solution of cyanide of potash and mercury..

page_text: By this means a slight coating of metallic mercury is obtained on copper, and
its alloys, zinc, and some other metals, and the article is then to be placed in
the electrolytic-solution of the metal to be deposited, and to undergo the
process of electro-deposition. The galvanic battery may be employed to
cleanse any metallic surface, and the battery might be employed to deposit the
previous coating of mercury, but this I do not recommend.
The tenth part of my Invention relates to a mode of arranging the anode or
surface to be deposited on, so as to assist in generating and maintaining the
galvanic current. This mode consists in arranging the articles themselves in
a series as a portion of the battery, making the metals or articles to be
deposited on the anodes of the arrangement, and the cathodes by preference
of the metal to be deposited, but zinc or other oxidizable metal may be
employed.
The eleventh part of my Invention consists in a method of depositing gold,
silver, platinum, zinc, lead, tin, nickle, cobalt, and mercury, without the aid of
a solution originally containing such metal as a component part. This method
consists in immersing the anode or surface to be deposited on (connecting it
with the cathode of a galvanic battery) in any electrolytic fluid not containing
such metal to be deposited as a component part, but capable of acting on or
combining with the supply metal of which the cathode is to be formed, and
which is to be immersed in such fluid, and connected with the anode extremity
of the battery. The electrolytic fluid in this case acts as a carrier, as it were,
to convey the metal of the cathode to the article to be deposited on, the soluble
cyanides, ferrocyanides, ferrideyanides, sulphocyanides, hyposulphites, chlorides,
bromides, iodides, fluorides, and sulphurets of potassum, sodium, calcium,
barium, strontium, and ammonia may be employed to form such solution, and
also acids soluble in or diluted with water, and also soluble salts of potassa,
soda, ammonia, lime, baryta, and strontia. But in choosing any of these
compounds care must be taken that it is capable of acting upon the cathode
or supply metal, and combining therewith, so as to form a soluble compound.
And generally those that form double salts with the metal, and such as contain
the metal in a state of protoxide, protochloride, protoiodide, protofluoride,
protobromide, protocyanide, protosulpho-cyanide, or protosulphuret, are to be
preferred, and succeed best. Care also must be taken that the electric:
current possess sufficient energy and utensity, as explained in the former parts
of my Invention.
The twelfth part of my Invention relates to the application of electro-
metallic deposition, or deposition of metal by the galvanic battery, as a means.
of manufacturing, extracting, or obtaining platinum and other metals from

page_text: their respective ores. I first obtain, by any of the methods already known and
published, a convenient solution of the metal from the ore, purifying such
solutions, when necessary, by processes also well known and already described
in various works, and preferring the solutions recommended in the last part of
my Invention; I then precipitate the metal from such solution upon any
convenient metallic anode, using for the cathode a plate of platinum or other
metal not acted upon by the solution, and employing a galvanic battery for
the purpose. When, however, I manufacture platinum. from the ore, I use a
cathode of any good conducting charcoal, or I first prepare the platinum from
the ore in the spongy state by the process described by Doctor Wollaston, and
now generally known, and form the cathode of such material; or. I use a
cathode of zinc or other oxidizable metal, but I do not prefer this plan, as it is
apt to render the platinum impure. The solution I prefer for depositing
platinum is the protochloride of platinum dissolved in muriatic acid, but any
of the other suitable compounds of platinum may be employed. If an article
or mould be substituted for the metallic anode above described; it is manifest
that the same may be coated or covered without previously obtaining the
metal from the ore in a separate state, but in such case the whole of the metal
in solution would at length be thrown down, and, therefore, the solution must
be supplied with a fresh portion of the metal by adding to or placing within
such solution or electrolytic fluid a further supply of some suitable salt, or
compound of such metal prepared from the ore, to be dissolved or taken up
from time to time as the fluid becomes exhausted.. If the solution consist
originally of a double cyanide of potash, soda, ammonia, lime, baryta, or
strontia, and the metal, a convenient mode of supplying such fluid will be
placing therein a portion of cyanide or oxide of the metal prepared from the
ore by any of the processes well known to chemists, but any other convenient
compound prepared from the ore may be employed, or a further portion of the
salt of which the solution was originally composed. The solutions most
generally applicable are those containing the metal in a state of protoxide,
protochloride, protoiodide, protobromidi, protocyanide, protosulpho-cyanide,
protofluoride, or protosulphuret, or those constituting double salts of the
metal in such state of protosalt, with potassium, potassa, sodium, soda,
ammonia, calcium, lime, barium, barytá, strontium, and strontia.
The thirteenth part of my Invention consists in manufacturing or forming
platinum vessels and other articles, and also relates to improvements in the
coating or covering other articles or surfaces therewith. In order to manu-
facture any article of platinum, I first prepare a suitable mould of wax, plaster
of Paris, or other suitable material, and having rendered the surface a

page_text: conductor in the usual manner by coating it with plumbago,. or other suitable
conducting substance, I proceed with the deposition of platinum upon such
mould; and when I have obtained a coating of sufficient thickness, I melt out,
or otherwise remove such mould;, sometimes I employ a mould of copper or
other metal, and remove it, afterwards. by dissolving it in nitric or other acid.
The process for depositing the metal by the. electric battery has already been
sufficiently described, but in this case I prefer using a cathode or supply
metal of platinum, using the solution of protochloride of platinum dissolved in
muriatic acid herein-before described, but I do not confine myself to such
solution. In order to coat other articles or surfaces with platinum, if not
metallic, I first render their surface:a conductor in the manner already men
tioned, either by coating such surface with plumbago or other conductor, or
by first depositing on them. a slight coating of copper, and then depositing
platinum thereon. To coat.or cover. metallic surfaces with platinum, I employ
a solution of platinum, preferring the solution of protochloride of platinum in
muriatic acid, herein-before described, and a cathode or supply metal of
platinum, or spongy platinum; but I do not confine myself in this part of my,
Invention to the above solution, but.use any of those described in the last part
of my Invention.
The last part of my Invention relates to the application of compounds,
of metal, not heretofore proposed to be used, for the purpose of fur-
nishing an electrolytic solution, to be employed in depositing the respective
metal. I may remark.generally, that the soluble protosalts and double proto-.
salts are in most cases to be preferred; such, for instance, as the salts having.
a protoxide for the base, the protochlorides, protoiodides, protobromides,
protofluorides, protocyanides, protosulphurets, particularly the double salts
formed of: the metals, with the cyanides of potassium, sodium, ammonium,
barium, calcium, and strontium, and also the double salts formed by adding
these cyanides to other acid salts. And. I may also remark, that organic com-:
pounds, that is, compounds of oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, and nitrogen, or some,
of them, forming vegetable. and animal: substances, may be added. with advan-.
tage to many solutions of. metallic salts and compounds, particularly to the.
persalts, which, without such addition, would not in many cases readily yield.
a metallic deposit, but would deposit a subsalt or intermediate compound. To
enumerate the whole of such organic compounds would be endless; but I may.:
state generally, that vegetable infusions, such.as those of tea, coffee, shumac,
Peruvian bark, and other vegetable substances, gum, mucilage, sugar, starch,.
tannin, gallic, crenic, apocrenic, formic, purpuric, uric, and other organic.
acids, assist in producing a pure metallic deposit in consequence of the
B

page_text: dioxidating or decomposing energy; but I do not recommend them, because
good solutions for the purpose of electro-deposition may be obtained of the
metals herein-after enumerated without their use. Insoluble compounds of
the metals should be dissolved in some appropriate solvent, and the cyanides of
the alkalies and alkaline earths, and the caustic alkalies, potassa, soda, and
ammonia will, in most cases, be found available. But, generally, I consider it
preferable to convert such salts or compounds as cannot be readily used to
some one of those compounds which are herein-after or herein-before recom-
mended by any of the processes known and published.
I shall now give a list of the salts of each particular metal applicable for
the purpose of electro-deposition, commencing with those most useful for the
purpose, but first enumerating those which, having already been proposed to
be used, are not claimed by me as part of my present Invention. With regard
to platinum, the following solutions have been already proposed to be used for
coating metals and metallic alloys for electro-deposition, and are therefore not
claimed by me for such purpose:-A solution of platinum in twelve parts
of muriate of soda, two parts alum, and one cream of tartar; sulphuret of
platinum dissolved in caustic potash; platinum, bichloride of ammonia, dis-
solved in dilute muriatic acid; spongy platinum dissolved in bromine and
alcohol with sulphuric acid; the perchloride of platinum and potassa dissolved
in caustic potash; and, lastly, a solution of gallic acid in water, ether, or
alcohol, added to a solution of platina. The solutions which I do claim, always
excepting those above mentioned, are those prepared in, by, or with water,
muriatic acid, solution of soda, ammonia, and potassa, or by cyanides of
potassa, of soda, of ammonia, of baryta, of strontia, and of line, or one of
them, from protochloride of platinum, cyanide of platinum, protosulphate of
platinum, protonitrate of platinum, protochboride of platinum and potassium,
protochloride of platinum and sodium, protochloride of platinum and ammo-
nium, cyanide of platinum and potassium, cyanide of platinum and sodium,
cyanide of platinum and ammonium, sulphite of platinum and potassium,
sulphite of platinum and sodium, protodioide of platinum, acetate of platinum,
oxalate of platinum, pyroracemate of platinum, perchloride of platinum and
sodium, perchloride of platinum and barium, perchloride of platinum and
potassium, perchloride of platinum and calcium, perchloride of platinum
and magnesium, perbromide of platinum and sodium, perbromide of
platinum and potassium, perbromide of platinum and barium, perbromide
of platinum and calcium, perbromide of platinum and magnesium, per-
iodide of platinum and potassium, periodide of platinum and sodium,
periodide of platinum and ammonium, fluoride of platinum and potassium,

page_text: fluoride of platinum and sodium, fluoride of platinum and ammonium,
sesquicyanide of platinum and potassium, sesquicyanide of platinum and
sodium; sesquicyanide of platinum and ammonium, nitrate of platinum and
potassa, nitrate of platinum and soda, subsulphate of platinum and potassa,
subsulphate of platinum and soda, subsulphate of platinum and ammonia,
subsulphate of platinum and baryta, perchloride of platinum, perbromide of
platinum, persulphate of platinum, peroxalate of platinum, fluosilicate of
platinum, benzoate of platinum, camphorate of platinum, sulphocarbonate
of platinum, sulpharseniate of platinum, sulphotungstate of platinum, sul-
photellurite of platinum, persulphocyanide of platinum, iodate of platinum,
arseniate of platinum, chromate of platinum, sulphomolybdate of platinum,
hyposulphomolybdate of platinum dissolved in sulpharseniate of platinum.
With respect to palladium, I use the following compounds :-Protochloride
of palladium, protochloride of palladium and chloride of potassium, proto-
chloride of palladium and chloride of sodium, protochloride of palladium
and chloride of ammonium, cyanide of palladium, cyanide of palladium
and cyanide of potassium, cyanide of palladium and cyanide of sodium,
cyanide of palladium and cyanide of ammonium, cyanide of palladium and
cyanide of barium, cyanide of palladium and cyanide of calcium, cyanide
of palladium and cyanide of strontium, cyanide of palladium and nitrate
of palladium, ammoniacal protochloride of palladium, perchloride of palla-
dium, perchloride of palladium and of potassium, perchloride of palladium
and of ammonium, sulphocyanide of palladium, sulphate of palladium, nitrate of
palladium, ammoniacal nitrate of palladium, phosphate of palladium, arseniate
of palladium, oxalate of palladium, tartrate of palladium, citrate of palladium,
oxide of palladium, peroxide of pelladium; and I use as solvents water or solu-
tions of the soluble cyanides of the alkalies and alkaline earths, or muriatic acid.
With respect to rhodium, I use the sulphate of rhodium, the sulphate of
rhodium and sulphate of potass, nitrate of rhodium, nitrate of rhodium and
soda, acetate of rhodium, acetate of rhodium and soda, perchloride of rhodium,
perchloride of rhodium and potassium, perchloride of rhodium and sodium,
perchloride of rhodium and ammonium, sesquichloride of rhodium, protoxide of
rhodium; and I use as solvents water, muriatic acid, solutions of potassa, soda,
and amonia, and cyanides of the alkalies and alkaline earths and sulphuric acid,
depending on the nature of the compound I employ.
With respect to iridium, I use the cyanide of iridium, the cyanide of iridium
and potassium, the cyanide of iridium and sodium, the cyanide of iridium and
ammonium, the cyanide of iridium and barium, the cyanide of iridium and
calcium, the cyanide of iridium and strontium, protosulphate of iridium, proto-

page_text: nitrate of iridium, the protochloride of iridium, the protochloride of iridium
and of potassium, the protochloride of iridium and sodium, the protochloride
of iridium and ammonium, subchloride of iridium, perchloride of iridium,
perchloride of iridium and potassium, perchloride of iridium and sodium,
perchloride of iridium and ammonium, persulphate of iridium, oxide of iridium,
suboxide of iridium, and peroxide of iridium; and I use as solvents water
with or without the cyanides, or the alkalies or alkaline earths, solutions of
potassa, soda, and ammonia, and muriatic and sulphuric acid, depending on
the nature of the compound to be employed.
With respect to gold, the following compounds have been proposed to be
used for the purpose of depositing metal by an electric current, and are there-
fore not claimed by me for that purpose. The chloride of gold dissolved in
cyanide of potassium, the chloride of gold dissolved in ferocyanide of potassium,
the chloride of gold dissolved in red ferocyanide of potassium, the perchloride
of gold dissolved in cyanide of potassium, the perchloride of gold dissolved in
ferocyanide of potassium, the perchloride of gold dissolved in red ferocyanide
of potassium, and the perchloride of gold and sodium dissolved in soda,
sulphuret of gold dissolved in sulphuret of potassium, sulphuret of gold
dissolved in hydrate of potass, oxide of gold dissolved in cyanide of potassium,
oxide of gold dissolved in cyanide of sodium, oxide of gold dissolved in any
soluble cyanide, gold in cyanide of potassium, gold in cyanide of sodium, gold
in any soluble cyanide, protoxide of gold, or purple of cassius in muriate of
potash, in muriate of soda, and in other soluble muriates, gold, or any of its
alloys, dissolved in iodine or bromine with the aid of sulphuric acid; it has
also been proposed to add a solution of gallic acid in water, ether, or alcohol,
to solutions of gold, which, therefore, I do not claim..
The following solutions have been claimed for the purpose of gilding metals
and their alloys without the aid of an electric current, and are, therefore, not
claimed by me as part of my Invention.
But I do claim the application of an independent electric current or battery
as a means of facilitating their use and obtaining thereby a greater thickness
of deposit, that is to say, a solution of chloride of gold and potassium in
conjunction with the biborate of soda or borate of potassa, a solution of
chloride of gold in chloride of potassium and biborate of soda or borate of
potassa, solutions of chloride of gold with the bicarbonates of potash and soda.
With the exceptions above enumerated, I employ the cyanide of gold, the
cyanide of gold and potassium, the cyanide of gold and sodium, the cyanide
of gold and ammonium, the cyanide of gold and barium, the cyanide of gold
and calcium, the cyanide of gold and strontium, the protochloride of gold,

page_text: the sulphate of gold, the nitrate of gold, the Dromate of gold, the por
of gold, the perchloride of gold and potassium, the perchloride of gold and
sodium, the perchloride of gold and ammonium, the perchloride of gold and
lithium, perchloride of gold and barium, perchloride of gold and calcium,
perchloride of gold and strontium; perchloride of gold and magnesium,
perchloride of gold and manganese, perchloride of gold and nickel, per-
chloride of gold and cobalt, perchloride of gold and zinc, perchloride of gold
and cadmium, sulphocyanide of gold, sulphocyanide of gold and potassium,
iodate of gold, molybdate of gold, acetate of gold, benzoate of gold, sulpho-
arseniate of gold, sulphomolybdate of gold,, sulphotungstate of gold, sulpho-
tellurite of gold, peroxide of gold, subchloride of gold, trisiodide of gold,"
sulphuret of gold, phosulphuret of gold, cyanide of gold, sulphocyanide of
gold, perseleniate of gold, pinate of gold, sylvate of gold, bisulphocarbonate
of gold, arseniuret of gold, antimoniuret of gold, sulpharsenite of gold, ferro
cyanide of gold, ferrideyanide of gold, arseniate of gold, hyposulphomolybdate
of gold; I use solvents of water, muriatic acid, sulphuric acid, and nitric
acid, with the addition of the cyanides and sulphocyanides of the alkalies
and alkaline earths, the carbonate and bicarbonate of potash and soda, the
ferrocyanide and ferrideyanide of potassa, soda, ammonia, baryta, lime, and
strontia of borax, borate of potassa, boracic acid, oxalic acid, quadroxalate of
potash, and other organic substances already referred to, the nature of the
solvent depending upon the compound to be employed.
With respect to silver, the solutions which have already been proposed to
be used are those of chloride of silver in muriatic acid, chloride of silver in
chloride of sodium, chloride of silver in chloride of potassium, chloride of silver
in cyanide of potassium or sodium or in other analagous salt, chloride of silver
in hyposulphite of soda or any other liquid byposulphite, the cyanide of silver
in cyanide of potassun or sodium, or in other analagous salt, the irodide of
silver in the irodide of potassium or sodium, or in cyanide of potassium, the
nitrato-oxide and chloride dissolved in ammonia, and generally the ammonical
solutions of silver, the sulphuret of silver in caustic potash, silver dissolved by
the aid of galvanism in bromine and alcohol, allowed to precipitate, and the
precipitate dissolved in acetate of ammonia; solutions prepared with gallic
acid, and any simple solution of silver in an acid constituting what is termed
a neutral salt. With the exception of those above enumerated, I claim to
employ the cyanide of silver, the ferrocyanide of silver, ferridcyanide of silver,
the cyanide of silver dissolved in ferrocyanide of potassium, the cyanide of
silver and potassium, the cyanide of silver and sodium, the cyanide of silver
aud ammonium, the cyanide of silver and barium, the cyanide of silver and

page_text: calcium, the cyanide of silver and strontium, borate of silver dissolved in
nitrate of silver, the double salt of cyanide of silver and nitrate of silver, the
double salt formed by adding cyanide of silver to other salts, of silver, the
sulphocyanide of silver and potassium, the sulphocyanide of silver and sodium
the sulphocyanide of silver and ammonium, the sulphocyanide of silver and
barium, the sulphocyanide of silver and calcium, the sulphocyanide of silver
and strontium, the sulphate of silver, the sulphate of silver and soda, the
sulphate of silver and potassa, the nitrate of silver and ammeline, the mellate
of silver and potash, the hyposulphite of silver, the hyposulphite of silver and
lime, the hyposulphite of silver and baryta, the hyposulphate of silver and
strontia, the hyposulphite of silver and ammonia, the hyposulphite of silver and
potash, the hyposulphite of silver and soda, bisulphocarbonate of silver, the
oxalate of silver and potash, the tartrate of silver and potash, bromide of silver,
the bromide of silver and potassium, the bromide of silver and sodium, the
bromide of silver and ammonium, iodide of silver, oxide of silver, suboxide
of silver, metaphosphate of silver, pyrophosphate of silver, triphosphate of
silver, iodate of silver, carbonate of silver, oxalate of silver, borate of silver,
tartrate of silver, pyrotartrate of silver, citrate of silver, succinate of silver,
cyanate of silver, selenite of silver, tellurate of silver, tellurite of silver, arse-
niate of silver, subsesquiarseniate of silver, arsenite of silver, chromate of
silver, vanadiate of silver, molybdate of silver, tungstate of silver, ammoniate
of silver, tantalate of silver, paratartrite of silver, meconate of silver, comenate
of silver, pyromeconate of silver, valerianate of silver, benzoate of silver,
fumarate of silver, fungate of silver, boletate of silver, nectate of silver,
tanate of silver, gallate of silver, pyrogallate of silver, ellagate of silver,
metagallate of silver, saccharate of silver, ferrosulphate of silver, mucate of
silver, pyromucate of silver, camphorate of silver, suberate of silver, humate
'of silver, crenate of silver, apocrenate of silver, pinate of silver, sylvate of
silver, amygdalate of silver, sulphate of silver, ferrocyanide of silver, ferrid-
cyanide of silver, hyponitrite of silver, mellate of silver, phosuret of silver,
sulphuret of silver, selinuret of silver, arsenuiret of silver, antimonuiret of
silver, fluoride of silver, silicofluoride of silver, sulphate of silver, hyposulphate
of silver, nitrate of silver, nitrite of silver, subnitrite of silver, perchlorate of
silver, chlorate of silver, bromate of silver, acetate of silver, malate of silver,
formiate of silver, racinate of silver, seleniate of silver, platino-chloride of
silver, hypermanganate of silver, pyroracemate of silver, lactate of silver;
kinate of silver, sulphorinate of silver, sulphonapthalate of silver, hippurate
of silver, carbazotate of silver, indigotate of silver, succinate of silver, sub-
erate of silver, nitrosulphate of silver, purpurate of silver, sebate of silver,

page_text: the double salt of chloride of silver and cyanide of potassa, the double
salt of iodide of silver and cyanide of potassa, the nitrate of silver and
cyanide of mercury; the nitrate of silver and mercury, the nitrate of silver
and cyanide of copper, the oxychlorate of silver, the oxyiodate of silver,
sulphocarbonate of silver, sulphocyanhydrate of silver, bivanadate of silver,
oxalurate of silver, alloxanate of silver; I use as solvents water, with
the addition of cyanides of the alkalies and alkaline earths, or with the
addition of borax, or the carbonates and bicarbonates of potash and soda. I
use also solutions formed with the ferrocyanides and ferrideyanides of the
alkalies and alkaline earths; and I find also that the addition of the cyanides
of the alkalies and alkaline earths to other compounds or soluble salts of
silver improves them, and that generally compounds insoluble in water are
soluble in ammonia, or in the cyanides of the alkalies and alkaline earths, or in
nitric acid, and I vary the solvent according to the nature of the compound
employed.
With respect to mercury, I employ the cyanide of mercury and potassium,
and of the other alkalies and alkaline earths, the protonitrate of mercury,
bichloride of mercury, and generally any other soluble compound of mercury. .
With respect to copper, as the sulphate and the double salts of copper and
the alkaline earths answer very well, as do most of the soluble compounds
of copper, I do not think it necessary particularly to describe the same.
With respect to cobalt, I employ the nitrate of cobalt, and the cyanides of
cobalt, and the alkalies and alkaline earths.
With respect to zinc, solutions of an amalgam of zinc in dilute muriatic acid,
solutions of an amalgam of zinc in muriate of ammonia, solutions of an amalgam
of zinc in sulphate of ammonia, solutions of an amalgam of zinc in acetic acid,
solutions of an amalgam of zinc in sulphuric acid, and also the sulphate,
muriate, acetate, and other acid solutions, and muriate of ammonia, have been
proposed to be used and are, therefore, not claimed by me; what I do propose
are the chloride of zinc, iodide of zinc, sulphate of zinc, basicsulphate of
zine, hypophosphite of zinc, sulphite of zinc, hyposulphite of zinc, nitrate of
zinc, hypophospite of zinc, perchlorate of zinc, chlorate of zinc, iodate of zinc;
acetate of zinc, pyrotartrate of zinc, citrate of zinc, malate of zinc, sulpho-.
cyanide of zinc, lactate of zinc, dichromate of zinc, racemate of zinc, pyro-
macate of zinc, benzoate of zinc, sulphonapthalate of zinc, sulphuret of
zinc, phosphuret of zinc, tribasic-chloride of zinc, cyanide of zinc, ferro-
cyanide of zinc, ferridcyanide of zinc, phosphate of zinc, carbonate of zinc,
oxalate of ziuc, borate of zinc, oxide of zinc, suboxide of zinc, corseniate of
zinc, molybdate of zinc, camphorate of zinc, suberate of zinc, pinate of zinc,

page_text: chloride of zinc and potassium, chloride of zinc and ammonium, ammoniacal
chloride, of zinc, cyanide of zinc and potassium, cyanide of zinc and sodium,
cyanide of zinc and ammonium, cyanide of zinc and barium, strontium, and
calcium, sulphate of zinc and potash, sulphate of zinc and ammonia, ammoniacal
sulphate of zinc, carbonate of zinc and soda, tartrate of zinc and potash, chro-
mate of zinc and potash, sulphate of zinc and iron, bisulphocarbonate of zine,
persulphocyanide of zinc, sulpharesinate of zinc, sulpharsenite of zinc, sulpho-
molybdate of zinc, hypersulphomolybdate of zinc, sulphotungstate of zinc, sul-
photellurite of zinc; and I use as solvents water, alkaline solutions of oxide
of zinc, produced by adding excess of potassa, soda, or ammonia to other solu-
tions; also those produced by the cyanides of the alkalies and alkaline earths;
also the solutions produced by the precipitates thrown down by oxalic acid and
oxalates redissolved in muriatic or other acids.
With respect to tin, a solution of acetate or muriate of ammonia, or sulphate
of soda, has been proposed to be used, but I claim to use the double salts of
the cyanides of tin with the cyanides of the alkalies and alkaline earths of the
soluble protosalts of tin, and of the iodide of tin dissolved in an excess of
hydriodate of potash.
With regard to nickel, I employ the choride of nickel and potassium, the
chloride of nickel and ammonium, and the following double salts, cyanide of
nickel and potassium, cyanide of nickel and sodium, cyanide of nickel and am-
monium, cyanide of nickel and barium, cyanide of nickel and calcium, cyanide
of nickel and strontium, sulphate of nickel and potash, sulphate of nickel and
soda, sulphate of nickel and ammonia, ammoniacal sulphate of nickel, nitrate of
nickel and ammonia, phosphate of nickel and ammonia, phosphate of nickel
and magnesia, carbonate of nickel and ammonia, oxalate of nickel and potash,
oxalate of nickel and soda, oxatate of nickel and ammonia, tartrate of nickel
and potash; and I use as solvents water, adding, when necessary, an excess of
ammonia, or of the cyanides of the alkalies and the alkaline earths.
With regard to lead, the oxide of lead dissolved in potassa alone has already
been proposed, but I claim to use the solutions produced by adding an excess
of soda or potassa to solutions of the protosalts, or prepared from the protosalts
without such addition.
What I claim, in respect of the first part of my Invention, is the improved
method of contructing a galvanic battery, as represented in the description and
Drawings hereunto annexed, and I do not limit myself to any particular
dimensions, provided the general plan herein described be adopted. What I
claim as new is the particular mode of placing or constructing the metal bars
connecting the cathode and anode plates, so that one plate can be readily

page_text: removed or changed without disturbing the remainder. And I further claim
as new the mode of supporting and arranging the porous cells in one frame, so
that the whole can be at once removed.
In regard to the second part of my Invention, I claim the application of a
galvanic battery for the purpose of cleaning the zinc and copper plates used in
any battery, and for the purpose of depositing mercury upon the zinc plates.
In respect to the third part of my Invention, I claim the application of the
electrolytic fluids mentioned in the third part of my Invention; for the purpose
of exciting an electric current to be used in the deposition of metal.
In regard to the fourth part of my Invention, I claim the use of what I term
an "intensity arrangement," for the purpose of obtaining a good metallic
deposit, consisting in the use of a galvanic battery composed of more than ten
pairs of plates.
In regard to the fifth part of my Invention, I claim the method of
manufacturing works of art and other articles in silver, by depositing the metals
upon moulds of wax, plaster of Paris, and other non-conducting or badly con-
ducting surfaces, by using a strong solution of cyanide of silver and potassium,
prepared as herein-before described. And I also claim the use of elastic moulds,
as herein described, for the purpose of producing casts to be employed in the pro-
cesses of electro-deposition. I also claim the peculiar methods, described in this
fifth part of my Invention, of obtaining a deposit on badly conducting surfaces.
With regard to the sixth part of my Invention, I claim the giving motion to
the surface to be deposited upon, or to the electrolytic fluid in which such
surface is immersed during the period of electro-deposition.
With regard to the seventh part of my Invention, I claim the application of
the electro-deposition of metals and metallic alloys to the formation of the
reflecting surfaces of parabolic and other reflectors and specula.
With regard to the eighth part of my Invention, I claim the methods of
depositing metallic alloys, as herein-before described.
With regard to the ninth part of my Invention, I claim the method of
preparing metallic surfaces for electro-deposition, by previously covering the
same with a slight coating of metallic mercury.
With regard to the tenth part of my Invention, I claim the method of
arranging the articles to be deposited on so as to assist in generating and
5 maintaining the galvanic current.
With regard to the eleventh part of my Invention, I claim the method
herein described of depositing metals by the aid of electrolytic solutions not
originally containing such metals as component parts thereof, when in con-
junction with a cathode of the metal to be deposited.

page_text: With regard to the twelfth part of my Invention, I claim the use of electro-
deposition, when employing the cathodes herein mentioned, as a means of
manufacturing platinum and other metals from their respective ores.
With regard to the thirteenth part of my Invention, I claim the appli-
cation of electro-deposition to the manufacture of vessels and other articles of
platinum. And I also claim the method described under this part of the
Invention of covering metal and other surfaces with platinum.
With regard to the last part of my Invention, I claim the application of the
compounds of the various metals herein particularly set forth as not having
been heretofore used for the purpose of the deposition of such metals.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Beaumont Leeson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this First day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-two.
HENRY BEAUMONT (L.S.) LEESON.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the First day of December, in
the year of our Lord 1842, the aforesaid Henry Beaumont Leeson, came
before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the
Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and speci-
fied, in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute måde for that purpose.

page_text: Greenwich, in the County of Kent, for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE ART OF DEPOSITING AND MANUFACTURING METALS AND
METAL ARTICLES BY ELECTRO-GALVANIC AGENCY, AND IN THE APPARATUS
CONNECTED THEREWITH," (to which a Specification has been duly
inrolled,) bearing date at Westminster, the First day of June, One
thousand eight hundred and forty-two.
MEMORANDUM OF ALTERATION to be entered with the Clerk of the
Patents of England, pursuant to an Act passed in the fifth and sixth year
of the reign of His late Majesty King William the Fourth, intituled
"An Act to amend the Law touching Letters Patent for Inventions."
I, the said Henry Beaumont Leeson did, in my said Specification, amongst
other things, mention the use of certain salts, to be used when depositing silver
upon metals and in drawing and. settling the draft Specification, sulphite of
silver, sulphite of soda and silver, sulphite of potassa and silver, and also hypo-
sulphite of soda and silver, racemate and sulphorimate were in the said draft,
but in the engrossment of the Specification taken from the said draft, the words
ulphate of silver were, by error, inserted for "sulphite of silver," for which
eason I am desirous of altering the word sulphate into sulphite; also the words
ulphate of soda and silver were, by error, inserted for "sulphite of scda and
ilver," for which reason I am desirous of altering the word sulphate into sul-
phite; also the words sulphate of potassa and silver were, by error, inserted for
he words "sulphite of potassa and silver," for which reason I am desirous of
ltering the word sulphate into sulphite; and also the words hyposulphate of
ilver and strontia were, by error, inserted for "hyposulphite of silver and
trontia," for which reason I am desirous of altering the word hyposulphate into
yposulphite; also in the said ingrossment of the Specification, the words raci-
ate and sulphoranate were, by error, inserted for "racemate" and ":
'sulpho-
imate," for which reason I am desirous of altering the words racinate and
ulphoranate into racemate and sulphovinate."
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Beaumont Leeson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-three.
HENRY BEAUMONT LEESON. (L.S.)

page_text: To the Clerk of the Patents of England.
This is to certify, That the above-named Henry Beaumont Leeson, has applied
to me for leave to enter with you the above-written Memorandum of Alteration
of parts of the Specification of a certain Invention, for which Letters Patent
were granted to him under the Great Seal of. Great Britain, dated at West-
minster, the First day of June, One thousand eight hundred and forty-two, and
to which a Specification was duly enrolled; and having considered of the said
application, and read the affidavits of Henry Beaumont Leeson, and Edwin
Eeles in support thereof, and no objection having been made to the same, I
have accordingly granted leave to the said Henry Beaumont. Leeson to file his
said Memorandum of Alteration pursuant to the Statute passed in the fifth and
sixth years of the reign of His late Majesty King William the Fourth, entituled
"An Act to amend the Law touching Letters Patent for Invention."
FRED. POLLOCK.