IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ELECTRIC DEPOSITION OF METALS AND METALLIC ALLOYS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Walenn, of 68, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ELECTRIC DEPOSITION OF METALS AND METALLIC
ALLOYS."
Sealed the 27th November 1857, and dated the 1st June 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Walenn
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 1st June 1857.
I, WILLIAM HENRY WALENN, of 68, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ELECTRIC DEPOSITION OF METALS AND
METALLIC ALLOYS," to be as follows:-
My improvements relate to the solution used for the electric deposition of
metals and their alloys. For this purpose I employ aqueous solutions of
cyanide of potassium and tartrate of ammonium in various proportions,
according to the metal or alloy to be deposited; for instance, for copper I use
one part of tartrate of ammonium to eight parts of cyanide of potassium;
for silver, five parts of the tartrate to one part of the cyanide; for gold, three
parts of the tartrate to one part of the cyanide; for the alloy bronze, one part.
of the tartrate to six parts of the cyanide; and for the alloy brass, I use equal

page_text: parts of the tartrate and cyanide solutions, as herein-after set forth. In this
menstruum I dissolve cyanides, tartrates, carbonates, or any other suitable
salt or salts, compound or compounds of the metal or metals to be deposited.
I have hitherto in the majority of cases used the solution cold, but it may
be used either hot or cold, according to circumstances, the hot solution
depositing quicker than the cold solution, and enabling the acids of the solvent
to have a more energetic action on the positive plate. For ordinary purposes
I have found a cold solution sufficient.
The solution for depositing may also be made by the assistance of a galvanic
battery, or other sufficient source of electric power, by mixing the cyanide of
potassium and tartrate of ammonium solutions in the desired proportions, and
using a large positive plate of the metal or alloy required to be deposited, and
a fine wire for a negative plate, to charge the solvent solution, above named,
with the quantity of metal requisite to give a reguline deposit.
As an example, for the common alloy brass, various proportions of the
solutions of cyanide of potassium and tartrate of ammonium may be taken;
but I have used, in preference, equal parts of each; and cyanides, tartrates,
carbonates, or other suitable compounds of the metals, copper and zinc, may
be dissolved therein, or the menstruum charged with metal by electric power.
The tartrate of ammonium alluded to is the neutral tartrate; the other
compounds of tartaric acid and ammonia may be used, or free tartaric acid,
or ammonia, or hydrocyanic acid, or potash may be used; but I prefer the
methods herein-before set forth.
To deposit the alloy brass, a source of electric power should be used, capable
of evolving hydrogen freely at the negative pole; this is a general rule to be
observed with all alloys.
The proportions given are those that I have found answer in the cases
mentioned, but a more lengthened experience may slightly alter them; the
proportions found to answer best will be stated as exactly as possible in the
Complete Specification. It is to be understood, in the case of alloys, that
the proportions of the tartrate of ammonium and cyanide of potassium are
alterable according to the relative proportions of the metals to be deposited,
the color of the resulting alloy being also determinable by this means. For
instance, in brass an excess of cyanide of potassium causes more copper to
be deposited; in bronze the same; other alloys are also affected by similar
means.
The improvements do not relate to the proportions herein-before mentioned,
as other proportions may be used with success without invalidating the use
of the materials mentioned. The improvements consist of the application of

page_text: the tartrate of ammonium and cyanide of. potassium in combination, in a
solution used for the electric. deposition of metals, or any modification of this
combination, according to the metal or alloy required to be deposited.
The degree of dilution at which the salts are to be used may be varied
according to circumstances for general purposes; five times the weight of
water is added to the salts in the solid form.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Henry Walenn in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 30th November 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
HENRY WALENN, of Number 68, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Consulting Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Henry Walenn, Her special licence, that I, the said William
Henry Walenn, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Henry Walenn, 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 THE ELECTRIC DEPOSITION OF METALS AND METALLIC ALLOYS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Henry Walenn,
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 William Henry Walenn, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-

page_text: My improvements relate to the solution used for the electric deposition of
metals and their alloys. For this purpose I employ aqueous solutions of
cyanide of potassium and tartrate of ammonium in various proportions,
according to the metal or alloy to be deposited; for instance, for copper I use
one part of tartrate of ammonium to eight parts of cyanide of potassium;
for silver, five parts of the tartrate to one part of the cyanide; for gold, three
parts of the tartrate to one part of the cyanide; for the alloy bronze, one part
of the tartrate to six parts of the cyanide; and for the alloy brass, I use equal
parts of the tartrate and cyanide solutions, as herein-after set forth. In this
menstruum I dissolve cyanides, tartrates, carbonates, or any other suitable salt
or salts, compound or compounds of the metal or metals to be deposited.
I have hitherto in the majority of cases used the solution cold, but it may
be used either hot or cold, according to circumstances, the hot solution
depositing quicker than the cold solution, and enabling the acids of the solvent
to have a more energetic action on the positive plate. For ordinary purposes
I have found a cold solution sufficient.
The solution for depositing may also be made by the assistance of a galvanic
battery, or other sufficient source of electric power, by mixing the cyanide of
potassium and tartrate of ammonium solutions in the desired proportions, and
using a large positive plate of the metal or alloy required to be deposited, and
a fine wire for a negative plate, to charge the solvent solution, above named,
with the quantity of metal requisite to give a reguline deposit.
As an example, for the common alloy brass, various proportions of the
solutions of cyanide of potassium and tartrate of ammonium may be taken;
but I have used, in preference, equal parts of each; and cyanides, tartrates,
carbonates, or other suitable compounds of the metals, copper and zinc, may
be dissolved therein, or the menstruum charged with metal by electric
power.
The tartrate of ammonium alluded to is the neutral tartrate; the other
compounds of tartaric acid and ammonia may be used, or free tartaric acid,
or ammonia, or hydrocyanic acid, or potash may be used; but I prefer the
.methods herein-before set forth.
To deposit the alloy brass, a source of electric power should be used, capable
of evolving hydrogen freely at the negative pole; this is a general rule to be
observed with all alloys.
It is to be understood, in the case of alloys, that the proportions of the
tartrate of ammonium and cyanide of potassium are alterable according to
the relative proportions of the metals to be deposited, the color of the result-
ing alloy being also determinable by this means. For instance, in brass an

page_text: excess of cyanide of potassium causes more copper to be deposited; in bronze
the same; other alloys are also affected by similar means.
Having thus described the nature and particulars of my said improvements,
I desire it to be distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to the
proportions herein-before mentioned, as the same may be varied or modified
with success, without departing from the principle thereof or invalidating the
use of the materials mentioned; but I claim as new and of my Invention
the application of the tartrate of ammonium and cyanide of potassium in
combination, in a solution used for the electric deposition of metals, or
any modification of this combination, according to the metal or alloy required
to be deposited.
The degree of dilution at which the salts are to be used may be varied
according to circumstances; for general purposes, five times the weight of
water is added to the salts in the solid form.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Walenn, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of November, 1857.
WILLIAM HENRY WALENN. (L.S.)