AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN UTILIZING WASTE PRODUCTS OBTAINED IN GALVANIZING IRON
Year: 1885

page_text: :
Obtained in Galvanizing Iron.
I RICHARD HEATHFIELD of Lion Galvanizing Works Wiggin Street Birmingham
in the County of Warwick Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN UTILIZING WASTE PRODUCTS
OBTAINED IN GALVANIZING IRON to be as follows:-
In the galvanizing of iron the bath of melted zinc in which the iron to be
galvanized or coated with zinc is plunged is covered or partially.covered with a
layer of muriate of ammonia or sal-ammoniac By the action of the sal-ammoniac
on the zinc a considerable quantity of chloride of zinc is formed. This chloride of
zine mixed with muriate of ammonia and oxide of zinc and some particles of
metallic zinc form the scum which collects on the surface of the bath of melted
zine and is called spent flux and the object of my invention is to utilize the zinc
contained in the said scum and my said invention consists of the method herein-after
described of operating upon the said scum.
I first treat the said scum with water. The chloride of zinc and muriate of
ammonia are thereby dissolved the undissolved residuum consists of oxide of zinc
more or less pure and metallic zinc and may be treated in the ordinary way for
obtaining metallic zinc therefrom.
The solution of chloride of zinc and muriate of ammonia may be used directly
for the reduction of metallic zinc therefrom by means of electricity. For this
purpose I prefer to use a dynamo machine for the production of an electric current
the metallic article on which zinc is to be deposited being plunged in the solution
of chloride of zinc and muriate of ammonia and made by proper connection with
the dynamo machine the cathode in the electric circuit an anode of zinc or carbon
being employed in the bath as is well understood.
Instead of depositing the zinc on articles requiring a uniform coating of zinc it
may be deposited on a plate the zinc obtained in this way being applied to any
purpose to which zinc is or may be applicable. As the zinc obtained in this way
is of exceptional purity it is suitable for application to purposes to which
commercial zinc is inapplicable such for example as the making of medicinal
preparations of zinc and the forming of alloys of zinc which require the use of zinc
of exceptional purity.
Although I prefer to use the electric current obtained from a dynamo machine
yet I do not limit myself thereto as any cheap source of electricity may be used
with like effect.
:

page_text: Obtained in Galvanizing Iron.
I RICHARD HEATHFIELD, of Lion Galvanizing Works, Wiggin Street, Birmingham
in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer 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 following statement :-
In the galvanizing of iron the bath of melted zinc in which the iron to be
galvanized or coated with zinc is plunged, is covered or partially covered with a
layer of muriate of ammonia or sal-ammoniac. By the action of the sal-ammoniac
on the zinc a considerable quantity of chloride of zinc is formed. This chloride of
zinc, mixed with muriate of ammonia and oxide of zinc and some particles of
metallic zinc form the scum which collects on the surface of the bath of melted
zinc and is called spent flux, and the object of my invention is to utilize the zinc
contained in the said scum; and ny said invention consists of the method
hereinafter described of operating upon the said scum.
I first treat the said scum with water. The chloride of zinc and muriate of
ammonia are thereby dissolved; the undissolved residuum consists of oxide of zinc
more or less pure and metallic zinc and may be treated in the ordinary way for
obtaining metallic zinc therefrom.
The solution of chloride of zinc and muriate of ammonia may be used directly
for the reduction of metallic zinc therefrom by means of electricity. For this
purpose I prefer to use a dynamo machine for the production of an electric
current, the metallic article on which zinc is to be deposited being plunged in the
solution of chloride of zinc and muriate of ammonia and made by proper connection
with the dynamo machine the cathode in the electric circuit, an anode of zinc or
carbon being employed in the bath as is well understood.
Instead of depositing the zinc on articles requiring a uniform coating of zinc it
may be deposited on a plate, the zinc obtained in this way being applied to any
purpose to which zinc is or may be applicable. As the zinc obtained in this way
is of exceptional purity it is suitable for application to purposes to which
commercial zinc is inapplicable, such for example, as the making of medicinal
preparations of zinc and the forming of alloys of zinc which require the use of zinc
of exceptional purity.
Although I prefer to use the electric current obtained from a dynamo machine
yet I do not limit myself thereto as any cheap source of electricity may be used
with like effect.
In employing the solution of chloride of zinc and muriate of ammonia obtained
by treating the spent flux or scum with water I prefer to employ a saturated or
nearly saturated solution.
Any of the dynamo machines now. commonly employed for silver and nickel
plating may be employed in carrying my invention into effect; or in place of
electricity obtained from a dynamo machine the electricity of a voltaic battery
may be employed, any of the voltaic batteries employed for electro plating being
suitable for the purpose of carrying my invention into effect.

page_text: As the details of the process by which I effect the electricial deposition of zinc
from the solution of chloride of zinc and muriate of ammonia differ in no essential
respects from the process of depositing silver and other metals by electricity as
now commonly practised I do not consider it necessary to describe the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and the manner in which the same is to be performed I declare that I claim as my
invention of "An improvement or improvements in utilizing waste products
obtained in galvanizing iron
Utilizing in the manner hereinbefore described the scum or spent flux obtained
in the process of galvanizing iron by plunging it into a bath of melted zinc covered
or partially covered with a layer of sal-ammoniac or muriate of ammonia; that is
to say, treating the said scum or spent flux with water and thereby separating it
into a solution of chloride of zinc and muriate of ammonia and a mixture of
metallic zinc and oxide of zinc and employing the solution of chloride of zinc and
muriate of ammonia for the coating of articles with zinc by means of electricity or
for reducing zinc therefrom by means of electricity substantially as hereinbefore
described.
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicant.