IMPROVEMENTS CONNECTED WITH THE MANUFACTURE OF REFLECTORS FOR SHIPS, RAILWAY, AND OTHER LAMPS, OR LIGHTING VEHICLES, SAID MANUFACTURE BEING APPLICABLE FOR ADVERTIZING AND OTHER TABLETS."
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Wilkinson, of Paddington Street, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
CONNECTED WITH THE MANUFACTURE OF REFLECTORS FOR SHIPS, RAILWAY,
AND OTHER LAMPS, OR LIGHTING VEHICLES, SAID MANUFACTURE BEING
APPLICABLE FOR ADVERTIZING AND OTHER TABLETS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Wilkinson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd October 1878.
ALEXANDER WILKINSON, of Paddington Street, in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS CONNECTED WITH THE MANUFACTURE OF
REFLECTORS FOR SHIPS, RAILWAY, AND OTHER LAMPS, OR LIGHTING VEHICLES,
SAID MANUFACTURE BEING APPLICABLE FOR ADVERTIZING AND OTHER TABLETS.”
This Invention relates to improvements connected with the manufacture of
reflectors for ships, railway, and other lamps, or lighting vehicles, said manufacture
being applicable for advertizing and other tablets.
My Invention is carried into effect as follows:-I take a plate or sheet of iron
or other metal, and corrugate or perforate it to any desired shape or form; I then
prepare a quantity of earthenware or china clay with suitable proportions of nitrate
of bismuth, nitrate of silver, and mercury, with a small quantity of blue copperas
(blue stone); these ingredients, when placed into a mill, become ground and mixed
together, forming a plastic body, with which I coat the metallic surface or
surfaces.
The corrugations or perforations of the metal will prevent its coating from
collapsing or contracting and the enamel from falling off. When these reflectors
have received a sufficient coating of the mixture before referred to they are taken
and "fired" in an ordinary pottery kiln for about twenty-four hours; they are then
taken out and allowed to cool down, after which they receive a final coating com-.
posed of the chemicals bereafter mentioned. place one pound of mercury into a

page_text: tank along with four ounces of nitrate of silver; I then add three pound of
ordinary tin foil with a small quantity of nitrate of bismuth; these ingredients are
placed in a tank heated by steam supplied at the desired temperature, when the
mass will be found to be in a liquid-state.
The articles previously coated as before described are then dipped or rinsed-in-
this liquid to produce a brilliant silver- lustre, they are then allowed to get suf-
-ficiently-hard, and handed to the "glazer" to be treated or glazed by him according
to the manner well known in pottery works.
Metallic-bronze may be dusted or sprinkled upon these articles after the first
coating with the clay, as herebefore mentioned, while in its plastic state, the
firing serving to harden it and amalgamate it with the clay; the surface will then
be found sufficiently smooth-and-capable of being readily coated with the second
ingredients before referred to.
The bronze powders may be mixed with the ingredients if desired, and the
articles so treated may be dipped into an electro bath and plated with great
rapidity.
In some cases I gild or silver these articles by means of gold or silver leaf,
which can then be coated with guin or other suitable adhesive substance; they are
then further treated for a final coating with pounded glass and borax and a small
quantity of lead ashes; these ingredients in a pounded form may be dusted on to
these articles, and placed in the kiln to subject them to a powerful heat, whereby a
brilliant glaze or lustre will be produced.
The articles made or manufactured as above set forth are applicable for all kinds
of reflectors, and also for show plates and tablets for advertizements or general
advertising purposes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Alexander Wilkinson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd April
1879.
ALEXANDER WILKINSON, of Paddington Street, in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS CONNECTED WITH THE MANUFACTURE OF RE-
FLECTORS FOR SHIPS, RAILWAY, AND OTHER LAMPS, OR LIGHTING VEHICLES,
SAID MANUFACTURE BEING APPLICABLE FOR ADVERTIZING AND OTHER TABLETS."
This Invention relates to improvements connected with the manufacture of
reflectors for ships, railway, and other lamps, or lighting vehicles, said manufacture
being applicable for advertizing and other tablets.
My Invention is carried into effect as follows:-I take a plate or sheet of iron
or other metal, and corrugate or perforate it to any desired shape or form; I then
prepare a quantity of earthenware or china clay with suitable proportions of nitrate
of bismuth, nitrate of silver, and mercury, with a small quantity of blue copperas
(blue stone); these ingredients, when placed into a mill, become ground and mixed
together, forming a plastic body, with which I coat the metallic surface or
surfaces.
The corrugations or perforations of the metal will prevent its coating from
collapsing or contracting and the enamel from falling off. When these reflectors
have received a sufficient coating of the mixture before referred to they are taken.
and "fired" in an ordinary pottery kiln for about twenty-four hours; they are then
taken out and allowed to cool down, after which they receive a final coating com-
posed of chemicals hereafter mentioned. I place mix pound of mercury along with
four ounces of nitrate of silver; I then add three pounds of ordinary tin foil with a
small quantity of nitrate of bismuth; these ingredients are placed in a tank heated
by steam supplied at the desired temperature, when, after a short time, the mass
will be found to be in a liquid state.
The articles, previously coated as before described, are then dipped or rinsed in
this liquid to produce a brilliant silver lustre; they are then allowed to get suf-
ficiently hard, and handed to the "glazer" to be treated or glazed by him according
to the manner well known in pottery works.
Metallic bronze may be dusted or sprinkled upon these articles after the first
coating with the clay as first herein-before mentioned while in its plastic state, the
firing serving to harden it and amalgamate it with the clay; the surface will then
be found sufficiently smooth and capable of being readily coated with the second
ingredients before referred to.
The bronze powders may be mixed with the first-named ingredients if desired,
and the articles so treated may be dipped into an electro bath, and plated with
great rapidity.
In some cases I gild or silver these articles by means of gold or silver leaf, which
can then be coated with gum or any other suitable adhesive substance; they are
then further treated for a final coating with pounded glass and borax and a small
quantity of lead ashes. These ingredients in a pounded form may be dusted on to
the articles, and placed in a kiln to subject them to a powerful heat, whereby a
brilliant glaze and lustre will be produced.
The articles made or manufactured as above set forth are applicable for all kinds
of reflectors, and also for show plates and tablets for advertisements or general
advertizing purposes.
In enamelling or raising ornamental designs on iron, copper, or other metal I
roll or spread a quantity of the ingredients first herein-before mentioned on to the
corrugated plates to form a key in order that a firm substance may be fixed upon
the plate and to any desired thickness.
The plate of metal is fired in a pottery kiln or oven a sufficient time for the
ingredients to become hard and with a smooth surface. I prepare a sheet of paper

page_text: printed with the necessary design in enamel colour, in starch or soap, and transfer
the designs, figures, letters, or devices for ornamental or advertizing purposes on to
the plate in the manner usualy known for pottery ware.
After the printed paper is applied to the iron by pressure I rinse in cold water
to loosen the paper from the metal that it may be removed, the design, letters, or
device being left upon the plate:
The plate thus ornamented is again fired to burn the colour into the surface
previous to the usual glazing operation.
For the protection of copper plates and other copper articles plated with silver
or gold to prevent the silver or gold surface ou the metal from being scratched or
rubbed off by cleaning I take a small quantity of glass and grind it into a fine
powder, this mix with a glutinous body that it may be applied or coated
on to the metal surfaces. This solution is heated, and the plates are-dipped into
the bath.
The glass in powder may be sprinkled or brushed on if necessary. After the
plates have received this treatment they are placed into a kiln under a powerful
heat for the glass to be brought into liquid form, when it will readily run over the
surface to serve as a glaze for the protection of plated articles, and thereby render
them of greater durability than at present.
Copper plates and other articles of copper may be dipped into ordinary pottery
glaze, and be coated under the action of heat to protect their surfaces.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,―
The manufacture of reflectors for ships, railway, and other lamps, or lighting
vehicles, in the manner and by the ingredients hereinbefore set forth.
Secondly. I claim the manufacture of advertizing and show tablets in general in
the manner and by the ingredients herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Wilkinson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
TT INSON