IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF METALLIC ALLOYS OR COMPOUNDS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Alexander Dick, of 110 Cannon Street, in the
City of London, for an Invention of “IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF METALLIC ALLOYS OR COMPOUNDS"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Alexander Dick at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th December 1883.
GEORGE ALEXANDER DICK, of 110 Cannon Street, in the City of London,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF METALLIC ALLOYS OR COMPOUNDS,"
This invention consists of improvements in the manufacture of alloys or
compounds of copper, zinc, iron and phosphorus or manganese or both of the last
mentioned substances.
I am aware that alloys or compounds have previously been manufactured from
the said materials but the processes employed have not only possessed various
disadvantages such as requiring a very high temperature for melting whereby the
substances become partly oxidised and eliminated but the nature of the alloys or
compounds produced has consequently been extremely uncertain.
For the purposes of this Invention I employ phosphuret of iron containing
from 2 to 20 per cent of phosphorus or ferro-manganese or spiegel eisen containing
up to 70 and even more percent of manganese. The proportional constituents of
the phosphuret of iron, ferro manganese or spiegel eisen, which are of the ordinary
trade character, must be known or ascertained.
I dissolve the phosphuret of iron or ferro-manganese in molten zinc to saturation
taking care that the bath is maintained at as high a temperature as possible without
volatilizing the zinc, that is to say, to about 1200 degrees Fahrenheit and I thus
cause the zinc to dissolve or take up as much as possible of phosphuret of iron,
ferro-manganese or spiegel eisen being about 8 or 9 per cent in each case. If the
bath is kept at a lower temperature than that herein before stated the amount of
phosphuret of iron or ferro-manganese, or spiegel eisen taken up will be less
than 8 or 9 per cent; the amount so taken up depending upon the temperature
employed,
.

page_text: As the proportional quantity of phosphorus or manganese combined with the
iron will, as herein before stated, be known, it is evident that the requisite quantity
of iron and phosphorus or manganese can be introduced into the alloy with great
nicety and accuracy.
The saturated composition hereinbefore referred to is, with or without a quantity
of pure zinc, added to molten copper.
The proportions of copper and zinc I employ in the manufacture of the above
alloys are from 45 to 75 per cent of copper combined with from 55 to 25 per cent
of zinc compound containing the phosphuret of iron, ferro manganese, or spiegel
eisen or mixture of the same, alone or combined with pure zinc.
Ferro-manganese frequently contains silicium which increases the tenacity of the
alloy and if the proportion of silicium contained in the ferro-manganese exceeds one
half per cent I add a proportionally larger per centage of pure zinc than I would
do if no silicium were present.
The preliminary combination of zinc with the phosphuret of iron, ferro-manganese
or spiegel eisen as effected by my method hereinbefore described, requires but a
comparatively low temperature for its formation, the phosphuret of iron, ferro-
manganese or spiegel eisen being brought into contact with the molten zinc while
in the solid state (in excess) whereby the oxidation of the phosphorus or manganese
present is avoided which is not the case when the phosphuret of iron, ferro-
manganese or spiegel eisen are melted at a high temperature as has been heretofore
proposed and then added to the molten copper, it being well known that especially
the ferro-manganese and spiegel eisen require an extremely high temperature to
melt them,

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Alexander Dick in the Patent Office on the 26th June
1884.
GEORGE ALEXANDER DICK, of 110 Cannon Street, in the City of London,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF METALLIC ALLOYS OR COMPOUNDS,"
My said Invention consists of improvements in the manufacture of alloys or
compounds of copper, zinc, iron and phosphorus or manganese or both of the last
mentioned substances.
I am aware that alloys or compounds have previously been manufactured from
the said materials but the processes employed have not only possessed various
disadvantages such as requiring a very high temperature for melting whereby the
substances become partly oxidised and eliminated but the nature of the alloys
or compounds produced has consequently been extremely uncertain.
For the purposes of this Invention I employ phosphuret of iron containing
from 2 to 20 per cent of phosphorus or ferro-manganese or spiegel-eisen containing
up to 70 and even more per cent of manganese. The proportional constituents of
the phosphuret of iron ferro-manganese or spiegel eisen, which are of the ordinary
trade character, must be known or ascertained.
I dissolve the phosphuret of iron or ferro-manganese in molten zinc to saturation
taking care that the bath is maintained at as high a temperature as possible without
volatilizing the zinc, that is to say, to about 1200° Fahrenheit and I thus cause the
zinc to dissolve or take up as much as possible of phosphuret of iron, ferro-
manganese or spiegel eisen being about 8. or 9. per cent in each case. If the
bath is kept at a lower temperature than that hereinbefore stated the amount of
phosphuret of iron or ferro-manganese, or spiegel eisen taken up will be less than
8. or 9. per cent: the amount so taken up depending upon the temperature
employed.
As the proportional quantity of phosphorus or manganese combined with the
iron will as hereinbefore stated be known it is evident that the requisite quantity
of iron and phosphorus or manganese can be introduced into the alloy with great
nicety and accuracy.
The saturated composition hereinbefore referred to is, with or without a quantity
of pure zinc, added to molten copper.
The proportions of copper and zinc I employ in the manufacture of the above
alloys are from 45. to 75. per cent of copper combined with from 55. to 25. per
cent of zinc compound containing the phosphuret of iron, ferro-manganese or spiegel
eisen or mixture of the same alone or combined with pure zinc.
Ferro-manganese frequently contains silicium which increases the tenacity of the
alloy and if the proportion of silicium contained in the ferro-manganese exceeds
one half per cent: I add a proportionally larger per centage of pure zinc than I
would do if no silicium were present.
The preliminary combination of zinc with the phosphuret of iron, ferro-
manganese or spiegel eisen, as effected by my method hereinbefore described,
requires but a comparatively low temperature for its formation the phosphuret of
iron, ferro-manganese or spiegel-eisen being brought into contact with the molten
zinc while in the solid state (in excess) whereby the oxidation of the phosphorus
or manganese present is avoided which is not the case when the phosphuret of iron,
ferro-manganese or spiegel eisen are melted at a high temperature as has been
heretofore proposed and then added to the molten copper it being well known that
especially the ferro manganese and spiegel eisen require an extremely high
temperature to melt them.

page_text: Having thus described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention and the
manner in which the same is to be performed I would observe in conclusion that
what I consider novel and original and therefore claim as constituting the invention
secured to me by the said hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent, is :-
First. The manufacture of alloys or compounds of copper, zinc, iron and
phosphorus or manganese or both by dissolving phosphuret of iron or ferro-
manganese or spiegel-eisen in molten zinc and adding the composition so formed to
molten copper.
And Secondly. The employment in the manufacture of copper alloys of the
compound formed by bringing molten zinc into contact with ferro-manganese or
phosphuret of iron or spiegel eisen, substantially in the manner and for the
purposes hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof I the said George Alexander Dick have hereunto set my
hand and seal this tenth day of June in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
bundred and eighty four.
GEORGE ALEXANDER DICK. (L.S.)