An Improvement in Copper Alloys.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Nov., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 13th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 17th Sept., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Copper Alloys.
We, ALFRED KIRBY HUNTINGTON, of King's College, Strand, in the County
of London, Professor of Metallurgy, and JOHN THEODORE PRESTIGE Junr. of
the firm of J. Stone & Co., Deptford, in the County of London, Engineers, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
For many purposes it is desirable to use alloys of copper and iron, and such alloys
would be serviceable on account of their strength and comparative freedom from
oxidation, if it were possible to ensure that the iron shall be thoroughly alloyed
with the copper. Hitherto it has been possible to form alloys of copper and iron of
which the iron constitutes only a very small proportion, and that frequently not
really alloyed. Copper by itself will only take up properly about 3 per cent. of
iron and when it is already alloyed with zinc the quantity of iron which it will take
up is proportionally diminished.
The object of the present invention is the production of an alloy of which the
iron shall constitute, if desired, a much larger proportion than has been hitherto
attainable and in which the iron shall be truly and thoroughly alloyed.
This invention is based on the particular property of the metal nickel, which will
alloy in any proportion with either copper or iron. By its means, copper can be
made to take up in true alloy much more iron than it would otherwise take up.
When the copper is alloyed with zinc, it can be made to take up a larger quantity
of iron along with nickel than it can without nickel, but this quantity is less than
can, along with nickel, be taken up by pure copper. In producing such an alloy,
it is preferred in the first place to form an alloy of the iron and the nickel and then to
mix this with the desired proportion of copper. The alloy may however be formed
at once by admixture of the iron, the nickel and the copper, but in this way it
is more difficult to secure a proper alloy of the iron with the copper.
Dated this 14th day of November 1891.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Copper Alloys.
We, ALFRED KIRBY HUNTINGTON, of King's College, Strand, in the County of
London, Professor of Metallurgy, and JOHN THEODORE PRESTIGE Junr. of the
firm of J. Stone & Co. Deptford, in the County of London, Engineers, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
For many purposes it is desirable to use alloys of copper and iron, and such
alloys would be serviceable on account of their strength and comparative freedom
from oxidation, if it were possible to ensure that the iron shall be thoroughly
alloyed with the copper.
Hitherto it has been possible to form alloys of copper and iron of which the iron
constitutes only a very small proportion, and that frequently not really alloyed.
Copper by itself will only take up properly about 3 per cent. of iron and when it is
already alloyed with zinc the quantity of iron which it will take up is proportionally
diminished.
The object of the present invention is the production of an alloy of which the

page_text: iron shall constitute, if desired a much larger proportion than has been hitherto
attainable and in which the iron shall be truly and thoroughly alloyed.
This invention is based on the particular property of the metal nickel which will
alloy in any proportion with either copper or iron. By its means, copper can be
made to take up in true alloy much more iron than it would otherwise take up.
When the copper is alloyed with zinc, it can be made to take up a larger quantity
of iron along with nickel than it can without nickel, but this quantity is less than
can along with nickel, be taken up by pure copper. In producing such an alloy it
is preferred in the first place to form an alloy of the iron and the nickel and then
to inix this with the desired proportion of copper. The alloy may however be
formed at once by admixture of the iron, the nickel and the copper, but in this way
it is more difficult to secure a proper alloy of the iron with the copper.
Instead of iron, ferro manganese may be employed, in which case also it is
preferred in the first instance to prepare an alloy of the ferro manganese and nickel
and afterwards to melt this alloy with the copper or with the copper and zinc, when
both are used. The proportions may be varied according to the tensile strength,
ductility or elasticity required in the alloy. We have found the following pro-
portions suitable for a strong ductile metal, copper about 50 parts, zinc about
40 parts, iron about 2 parts, nickel about 2 parts. When the quantity of zinc is
lessened, the quantity of iron with its due proportion of nickel is increased. Thus
if the zinc be entirely omitted with the 50 parts of copper iron may be employed up
to about 5 parts along with about 6 parts nickel.
Ferro manganese containing about 80 per cent. of manganese may be substituted
for the iron.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
Copper alloys containing iron or ferromanganese in proportions increased by
admixture of nickel substantially as described.
Dated this 13th day of August 1892.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.