IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING AND APPLYING PRODUCTS OBTAINED WHEN GALVANIZING IRON
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Graham, of Warrington Junction, Lancashire,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING AND APPLYING PRODUCTS
OBTAINED WHEN GALVANIZING IRON."
Sealed the 27th April 1860, and dated the 15th November 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Graham at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th November 1859.
I, JAMES GRAHAM, of Warrington Junction, Lancashire, do hereby declare
the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING AND APPLYING
PRODUCTS OBTAINED WHEN GALVANIZING IRON," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists partly in employing a solution of chloride of ammo-
nium, chloride of zinc, and a little chloride of iron, for preparing iron and iron
wire for galvanizing, instead of employing muriatic acid as is usual.
This solution I obtain from galvanizing refuse, called by some sal ammoniac
skimmings or sal ammoniac dross, which is now considered refuse and of little
value, and in many instances was thrown away. I prepare the solution by
crushing the sal amoniac dross or skimmings, and by boiling the same until
all or nearly all the soluble salts are dissolved. I then place the refuse in a
reverberatory furnace and obtain a very good oxyde of zinc.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Graham, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th May 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
GRAHAM, of Warrington Junction, Lancashire, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me
the said James Graham, Her special licence that J, the said James Graham,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
James Graham, 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 Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TREATING AND APPLYING PRODUCTS OBTAINED WHEN GALVANIZING IRON," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Graham, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my or their or one of
their hands and seals, 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 James Graham, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement thereof, that is to say:
This Invention consists partly in employing a solution of chloride of ammo-
nium, chloride of zinc, and a little chloride of iron, for preparing iron and iron
wire for galvanizing, instead of employing muriatic acid as is usual.
This solution I obtain from galvanizing refuse called by some sal amoniac
skimmings or sal amoniac dross, which is now considered refuse and of little
value, and in many instances was thrown away. I prepare the solution by
crushing the sal amoniac dross or skimmings, and by boiling the same until all
or nearly all the soluble salts are dissolved. I then place the refuse in a
reverberatory furnace and obtain a very good oxyd of zinc.

page_text: Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, I will proceed more fully to
describe the manner of performing the same.
My Invention relates to the preparing iron wire, sheet iron, and iron articles
for the purposes of galvanizing previously to passing them through or dipping
them into a bath of molten zinc intended to form the coatings, and consists of
employing for such preparation the refuse made by galvanizers in the process
of galvanizing termed sal amoniac dross or sal amoniac skimmings. This
refuse I break and crush very small, and then boil in water until all or nearly
all the soluble salts contained in such refuse are dissolved. I then draw off
the solution into vessels and allow any light particles or cloudings to subside.
The solution is then ready for use, which I transfer to a vessel to boil and
evaporate down from one-quarter to one-half of the bulk, and when in a
boiling state I place the iron wire, sheet iron, and other articles intended for
preparation into such solution, keeping the same always boiling until the
surfaces become in a fit state to receive the coating of metal, which is very
quickly effected when the articles are free from oxydation or scales, and when
in such state I find it better to take the articles out of the boiling vessels after
about an hour, and rub off the scales or oxyd, using a little sand; wash
off sand and plunge them again into the boiling solution for a short time, when
they are in a fit state to receive the coating of metal. As the solution keeps
evaporating, I replace with fresh solution by such process and discovery. The
employment hitherto of muriatic acid is entirely dispensed with, and the finest
wire may be galvanized without injury by the action of acids. The refuse left
after dissolving out as much of the salts as practicable, I transfer to a rever-
beratory furnace and obtain a very good oxyd zinc for reduction.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Graham, bave hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty.
JAMES GRAHAM. (L.S.)