Improvements in or connected with Readily Fusible Composition or Cement.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Apr., 1908
Complete Specification Left, 25th Jan., 1897-Accepted, 27th Feb., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 25th Jan., 1897-Accepted, 27th Feb., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Readily Fusible Composition or
Cement.
I, THOMAS SMITH, of No. 12, Sandycombe Road, Richmond, in the County
of Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to that class of metal known as "Spence's metal" composed
of sulphides and sulphur and which is generally used for pipe points, fixing iron
work into stone, oasting busts, and statues and for other purposes.
In the manufacture of "Spence's metal" of good quality as at present carried
out numerous difficulties are met with, amongst which may be mentioned the
following:-
The sulphides and sulphur generally employed in the manufacture of "Spence's
metal" contain a quantity of extraneous matter which in the crucible cause the
metal to absorb a large amount of oxygeu resulting in gas or air bubbles and blow
holes in the metal.
Another difficulty met with is that fuel such as coal or coke is employed in the
melting apparatus, which renders it difficult or impossible to regulate the heat to
the required degree, and as a natural result the ingredients of the metal aro
frequently more or less burnt or charred, and are not properly blended whereby the
metal produced is of inferior quality.
Furthermore, fusible metal of the character above described is somewhat of a
brittle nature necessitating the employed of a considerable weight of metal iu order
to obtain the necessary strength in various articles made therefrom.
Now, the object of the present invention is to produce a fusible metal in such
manner and of such a character that the above objectious will be obviated whilst
articles produced therefrom will be strengthened.
In carrying the invention into effect, the natural sulphides are employed,
preferably sulphides of iron, and these are as far as possible cleansed from
extraneous matter by washing or otherwise and these sulphides are then thoroughly
dried in a suitable drying chamber.
These sulphides in a dry condition are reduced to a fine state of division, and in
that condition are placed in a cylindrical or other closed chamber which is capable
of revolving and there submitted to heat obtained from atmospheric gas burners or
other suitable means.
A quantity of sulphur is next freed from extraneous matter, and thoroughly
dried, after which about forty parts thereof are added to the sulphides in the
chamber together with about ten parts of perfectly clean and dry slate dust and
about ten parts of clean and dry alumina.
The vessel which is furnished with a suitable cover, is now closed, and the gas or
other fire is started whilst the vessel is slowly revolved by suitable means the
contents of the vessel being submitted to a suitable degree of heat say from 250°
to 400° F. which will have the effect of melting the contents and in order to assist
the efficient amalgamation or mixing thereof a number of loose balls, rollore, or the
like are placed in the vessel and in the revolution thereof thoroughly stir the
materials undor treatment.

page_text: Instead of causing the vessel to revolve as hereinbefore described the vessel may
be fixed and a suitable stirring device may be arranged within the chamber or
vessel but in all cases the vessel must be closed against air.
When the mass treated in the manner above described has arrived at a thick
plastic condition the applied heat is reduced and as it is reduced the mass will
become more fluid and when sufficiently so it is run out and cost preferably in the
form of a thin sheet.
This sheet is broken up or divided into small pieces and again melted in the
closed vessel hereinbefore described and a srnall percentage say from about 1
per cent. each of refined West Indian bitumen and wax, preferably petroleum
wax, is added, and when these ingredients have been thoroughly incorporated with
the mass and the latter is sufficiently fluid, the fusible metal is ready for use.
In some cases, it may be found convenient to substitute for the slate dust a
similar proportion of clean and ground silica.
If it is desired to produced a flexible metal the sulphur is dispensed with and
bitumen, resin, and refuse wax, or wax tailings, are substituted therefor in or in
about the following proportions namely :—
These ingredients are melted together and the mixture is added to the pyrites in
about the proportion of 30 to 40 parts by weight of such mixture to 60 parts of the
pyrites but these proportions will vary according to the purpose for which the
metal is intended to be used.
When this fusiblo metal is to be employed in the production of printing surfaces
or forins for stamping or embossing or for the production of a printing plate direct
from a glass or other photographic negative, the device to be reproduced is
surrounded with a frame of the required depth which is kept at a suitable
temperature and a suitable quantity of the fusible metal in a molten condition is
run thereinto, and whilst still hot a number of short pieces of wire or the like are
placed therein and sink into the metal as far as the more or less fluid condition
thercof will permit.
Or, in lieu of the pieces of wire herein before referred to, a suitable fibrous
substance such for example as asbestos may be employed in lien thereof, the object
of the introduction of this metal or material being to toughen the sheet or article
cast in the fusible metal, and thus render it extremely strong and capable of
withstanding considerable crushing strain so that it will be applicable not only to
printing but to stamping or embossing machines such as those employed in stamping
terra cotta in potteries and for such like purposes.
.In lieu of employing short disconnected pieces of wire or metal embedded in the
fusible metal for the purpose of strengthening the same, for some purposes, wire
gauze of any suitable mesh, and which has previously been freed from extraneous.
inatter is embedded in the fusible metal plate or other article.
For this purpose, a sufficient quantity of fusible metal in a molten state is poured
on to the mould desired to be reproduced in quantity preferably just sufficient to
form a thin sheet all over the same, after which a sheet of wire gauze is pressod
into the molten metal and if necessary a quantity of the molten metal is run over
the wire gauze so as to thoroughly embed the same in the metal plate.
The molten metal and embedded gauze is then submitted to pressure applied
thereto in any convenient manner whereby the molten metal is forced into all the
interstices of the embedded wire gauze, and the thickness of the plate or other
casting may be exactly regulated to a given thickness, the surface metal being
squeezed out.
In the same manner, several thicknesses of wire gauze may be introduced into the
plate or casting of the metal in which case the wire gauze sheets may be connected

page_text: together by a lacing of wire, asbestos, or other material refractory to the melting
point of the fusible metal and in this manner any desired thickness and strength of
the plate or article can be obtained.
Instead of enclosing the wire gauzo in the molten metal it may be if desired
simply embedded in the surface thereof so as to be more or less exposed.
The castings should be permitted to slowly cool, and when quite cold, the
pressure can be removed and the casting or other article taken out of or removed
from the mould, when it will be found extremely tough and strong and in no sense
fragile.
It will be understood that this part of the present invention which relates to
strengtheaing the metals by incorporating therewith wire gauze, short pieces of
metal wire or other material is equally applicable to other similar metals.
Dated this and at Amil 100e
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or connected with Readily Fusible Composition or
Cement.
I, THOMAS SMITH, of No. 12 Sandycombe Road, Richmond, in the County of
Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
This invention relates to that class of composition or cement kuown as "Spence's
metal" composed of sulphides and sulphur and which is generally used for pipe
joints, fixing iron work into stone, casting busts and statues and for other
purposes.
In the manufacture of "Spence's metal" of good quality as at present carried
out numerous difficulties are met with, amongst which may be mentioned the
following:
The sulphides and sulphur generally employed in the manufacture of "Spence's
metal" contain a quantity of extraueous matter which in the crucible cause the
composition or cement to absorb a large amount of oxygen resulting in gas or air
bubbles and blow-holes.
Another difficulty met with is that fuel such as coal or coke is employed in the
melting apparatus, which renders it difficult or impossible to regulate the heat to
the required degree, and as a natural result the ingredients of the composition or
cement are frequently more or less burat or charred, and are not properly blended
whereby the composition or cement produced is of inferior quality.
Now, the object of the present invention is to produce a fusible composition or
cement in such manner and of such a character that the above objections will be
obviated.
In carrying the invention into effect, the natural sulphides are employed,
preferably sulphides of iron, and these are as far as possible cleansed from extraneous.
matter in any well known manner by washing or otherwisu and these sulphides are
then thoroughly dried in a suitable drying chamber.
A suitable quantity of these sulphides say equal to 30 parts of the whole mass in
a dry condition are reduced to a fine state of division by the aid of any suitable
disintegrating or grinding machine and in that condition are placed in a closed
chamber of cylindrical or other shape which is mounted with capability of revolving

page_text: and there submitted to heat obtained from atmospheric gas burners or other suitable
means located upon the exterior of the chamber.
A quantity of sulphur is uext freed from extraneous matter in any well known
manner and thoroughly dried, after which about forty parts thereof are added to
the sulphides in the chamber together with about ten parts of perfectly clean and
dry slate dust and about ten parts of clean and dry alumina.
The vessel, which is furnished with a suitable cover, is now closed, and the gas
or other fire is started, whilst the vessel is slowly revolved by suitable means the
contents of the vessel being submitted to a suitable degree of heat say from 250°
to 400° F. which will have the effect of melting the contents, and, in order to assist
the efficient amalgamation or mixing thereof, a number of loose iron or steel balls,
rollers, or the like are placed in the vessel and in the revolution thereof thoroughly
stir or roll the materials under treatment.
Instead of causing the vessel to revolve as hereinbefore described, the vessel may
be fixed and a suitable stirring device may be arranged within the chamber or
vessel but in all cases the vessel must be closed against air.
When the mass treated in the manner above described has arrived at a thick
plastic condition the applied heat is reduced, and, as it is reduced, the mass will
bcome more fluid, and, when sufficiently so, it is run out into a suitable mould and
cast preferably in the form of a thin sheet.
This sheet is broken up or divided into small pieces and again introduced into a
closed vessel and melted and a small percentage say from about 1 to 5 per cent.
each of refined West Indian bitumen and wax, preferably petroleum wax, is added,
and when these ingredients have by the aid of the mixing device become thoroughly
incorporated with the mass and the latter is sufficiently fluid, the fusible composi-
tion or cement is ready for immediate use or may be run off and cast in any
convenient form for storage until it is needed when it must be remelted in a
similar vessel.
The following is a table of the above named ingredients, which have been found
to answer well in practice in the proportious given.―
Sulphides
Sulphur
36 parts by weight.
-
40 "
"
"
Slate dust (or silica)
Alumina -
10
"
"
"
10
"
"
"
Bitumen -
2.
"
"
"
Wax
2
-
"
"
"
In some cases, it may be found convenient to substitute for the slate dust a similar
proportion, vic. -10 parts of clean and ground silica.
If it is desired to produce a flexible composition or cement, the sulphur is
dispensed with and bitumen, resin, and refuse wax, or wax tailings, are substituted
therefor, in or in about the following proportions, namely:-
Bituinen
Resin
-
Refuse wax or shale grease
6 to 10 parts by weight.
-
15 to 20 33
"
"
5 to 8 "
"
"
These ingredicuts are melted together and the mixture is added to the pyrites or
sulphides in about the proportion of 30 to 40 parts by weight of such mixture to
60 parts of the pyrites but these proportions will vary according to the purpose for
which the composition or cement is intended to be used.
When this fusible composition or cement is to be employed in the production of
printing surfaces or forms for stamping or embossing or for the production of a
printing plate direct from a glass or other photographic negative, the device to be
reproduced is surrounded with a frame of the required depth which is kept at a
suitable temperature and a suitable quantity of the fusible composition or cement
in a molten condition is run thereinto.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what mannor the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
A fusible composition or cement composed of sulphides, sulphur (or bitumen,
resin, refuse wax or shale grease) slate dust or silica, alumina, bitumen and wax
treated and combined in the manner and in or in about the proportions stated,
substantially as herein described.
Det
1007
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant..