IMPROVEMENTS IN COATING OR COVERING IRON AND STEEL WITH TIN, ZINC, OR LEAD, OR ALLOYS OF THOSE METALS BY ELECTRICAL DEPOSIT
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to. Charles Beslay, of 22, Rue St. Sebastian, Paris, in
the Empire of France, Engineer, for the Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN
COATING OR COVERING IRON AND STEEL WITH TIN, ZINC, OR LEAD, OR ALLOYS
OF THOSE METALS BY ELECTRICAL DEPOSIT"
Sealed the '8th July 1859, and dated the 12th January 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Beslay at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th January, 1859.
I, CHARLES BESLAY, of 52, Rue St. Sebastian,' Paris, in the Empire of
France, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN COATING OR COVERING IRON OR STEEL WITH TIN, ZINC, OR LEAD,
OB ALLOYS OF THOSE METALS BY ELECTRICAL DEPOSIT," to be as follows:
In coating iron & steel heretofore with lead, zinc, or copper, or alloys of
those metals, it has been usual to do so by melting those metals or alloys, and
causing them to adhere to iron or steel, as in the well-known process of
tinning; it has also been attempted to do so by electrical deposit, but where
such has been effected, the coating has adhered inperfectly at first, & soon
becomes detached by reason of the oxidation of the metal coated, resulting
from the acids used in the baths for the purpose of the deposition; this has
been partially overcome by first tinning the metal to be coated by the ordinary'
hot tinning process. In addition to this extra process, which is not perfect, >
the heat of the tinning process precludes its application to articles of tempered.
TDi 817

page_text: steel. Now according to my Invention, I can coat iron & steel by the direct
deposit thereon (by electrical agency) of the coating metal or alloy, which
adheres firmly thereto, & with no tendency to oxidation produced, thus
applying a firm & durable coating to the iron or steel.
For the purposes of the batteries used in depositing the coating, I employ
solutions of caustic soda or potash; which dissolves the tin, lead, zinc, or alloy
to form the coating. In order to utilize waste scraps, tin plate, or other
tinned or zinced iron, I introduce these scraps into the alkaline bath, placing
them in a mass to form one pole of the battery, the tin of which is thereby
decomposed & transferred to the object to be coated, as well understood.
The alkaline baths I forin somewhat inthe followingproportions:-From five
to six parts of metal, fifteen to twenty parts of caustic potash, & one thousand
parts of water instead of the waste scraps, lead, tin, zinc, or alloys of those
metals may be used & decomposed in the alkaline baths, and the same applied
to the coating of iron & steel. In operating with tin, & in order to obtain
the primary quantity of metal in solution in the bath, I boil the metal or its
oxide in a solution of caustic potash.
As before-mentioned, the coating according to my Invention can be per-
formed either on iron or steel, in sheet or bar,prepared as for ordinary tinning,
or manufactured goods may be so coated either for temporary or permanent
protection; engravings & other objects or art may also be similarly treated for
their preservation, or it may be to improve their appearance, or as a pre-
paratory operation to the deposit of silver, gold, or other more expensive or
ornamental metal, the metal base or groundwork having no tendency to
oxidate, the coating or covering retains a permanent hold thereof, & thus fixes
& secures the ornamental or protective coating as desired.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Beslay in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th July 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
BESLAY, of 22, Rue St. Sebastien, Paris, in the Empire of France, Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto I, the

page_text: said Charles Beslay, Her special licence that I, the said Charles Beslay, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles
Beslay, 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 COATING OR
COVERING IRON AND STEEL WITH TIN, ZINC, OR LEAD, OR ALLOYS OF THOSE METALS
BY ELECTRICAL DEPOSIT," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Charles Beslay, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my,or their,or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertainthe 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 Charles Beslay, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):-
In coating iron and steel heretofore with lead, zinc, or tin, or alloys of those
metals, it has been usual to do so by melting those metals or alloys, and
causing them to adhere to the iron or steel, as in the well-known process of
tining; it has also been attempted to do so by electrical deposit, but where
such has been effected, the coating has adhered only imperfectly at first, and
has soon afterwards become detached by reason of the oxidation of the metal
coated, resulting from the acids used in the baths for the purpose of deposit-
ation; this has been, in some degree, partially overcome by first tining the
metal to be coated by the ordinary hot tining process.
In this extra process, which does not obviate entirely the objection
mentioned, the heat of the tining process precludes its application to articles
of tempered steel, besides which it is unsuited to many manufactured articles.
Now, according to my Invention, I can coat iron and steel by the direct
deposit thereon (by electrical agency) of the coating metal or alloy which
adheres firmly thereto, and no tendency to oxidation is produced, and whereby
a firm and durable coating is applied to the iron or steel.
For the purposes of the batteries used in depositing coatings of metal on iron
and steel, I employ solutions of caustic soda or potash instead of acids, which
caustic solutions have the effect of dissolving the tin, lead, zinc, or alloy, to
form the coating without engendering any tendency to oxidize in the metal

page_text: coated, therefore the coating and the metal coated have permanent adhesion
together.
"
"The alkaline bath I form in somewhat of the following proportions by weight,
from five to six parts of inetal, fifty to sixty parts of caustic potash, and
one thousand parts of water. In order to utilize waste scraps of tin plate or
other tinned or zinced'iron, I introduce these scraps into the alkaline bath,
placing them in a mass to form one pole of the battery,the tin or zinc ofwhich are
thereby decomposed and transferred to the object to be coated, as well under
stood. Instead of the waste scraps, lead, tin, zinc, or alloys of those metals may be
used and decomposed in the alkaline baths, and the same applied to the coating
of steel and iron. In operating with tin, and in order to obtain the primary
quality of the metal in solution in the bath, I boil the metal or its oxide in a
solution of caustic potash..
"
As before mentioned, the coating according to my Invention can be per-
formed either on iron or steel, in sheets or bar, prepared as for ordinary
tining; or manufactured goods may be so coated either for temporary or per-
manent protection; engravings and other objects of art may also be similarly
treated in order to their better preservation; or it may be to improve their
appearance, or as a preparatory operation to the deposit of copper, silver, gold,
or other metals,the metal base or groundwork having no tendency to oxidize,
the coating or coatings retain a permanent hold thereof, and thus fix and
secure the ornamental or protecting covering as described.
....Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is the use of caustic alkalies in
the batteries or decomposition baths in coating or covering iron or steel with
tin, zinc, or lead, or with alloys of tin, zinc, or lead by electrical deposit, and
as herein-before described; I also claim utilizing waste țin plate or zinced iron
for like purposes; as herein-before described.
1 :
'
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Beslay, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.