IMPROVEMENTS IN COATING METALLIC SURPACES
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur Wall, of the East India Road, Poplar, in the
County of Middlesex, Chemist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
COATING METALLIC SURPACES,"
Sealed the 9th February 1858, and dated the 19th August 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur Wall at the Office
of the Cominissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 19th August
1857.
I, ARTHUR WALL, of the East India Road, Poplar, in the County of
Middlesex, Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN COATING METALLIC SURFACES," to be as follows:-
I propose to make a coating for iron and other metals for the prevention
of oxidation and fouling either in sea or in ordinary waters. I form a pile
(galvanic) by means of a friable earth or earths, (chalk, for instance), and the
metal to be operated upon; by this process I am enabled to deposit metalš
held in solution on the metallic surface so to be prepared, to which the metal
(in solution) will adhere. The solution is made from the oxides of zinc,
copper, or other metallic oxide by means of acid (sulphuric or muriatic), it is
then precipitated and redissolved in naptha and pyroligenous acid. To
neutralise the acid, I use a solution of potash,or any solution proper for such
purpose; or I take any of the hydrocarbons (colophine, for instance), dis-
solving such hydrocarbon in naptha or other spirit, and form it into a thick
paste, which may be applied by a brush or otherwise to a metallic surface; or
I vulcanize the oxides of metals into this compound, or other resinous.or
0-13-

page_text: gummy substances dissolved in colophine, as aforesaid, until perfectly homo-
geneous; this I afterwards moisten with turps (spirit of turpentine), or other
suitable spirituous liquid, and apply to the metallic surface. When dry, Iapply
either a mercurial solution or any of the oxides of mercury(such as calomel).
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Arthur Wall in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th February 1858..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, AKTHUR
WALL, of the East India Road, Poplar, in the County of Middlesex, Chemist,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria,by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of August, 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 Arthur Wall, Her special licence that I, the said Arthur Wall, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as J, the said Arthur
Wall, 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 COATING METALLIC
SURFACES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Arthur Wall
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or,
their, or any of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention and in what manner the same is
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 Arthur Wall, 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 state-
ment, that is to say:-
My Invention is the making, by the manipulation, treatment, and combina-
tion of certain materials hereafter described, a cheap and efficient material
or substance, which applied as directed will secure the surfaces of iron sub-
merged (or partially so) in sea water from being corroded, or coated, or

page_text: clogged with or by worms, barnacles,animalculæ, sea weed, or other adhering
or clinging objects. And previous to describing the means I use for effecting
my purpose, I would observe, that although my experiments were undertaken
for the discovery of a material or materials for preserving the bottoms of iron
ships or other vessels, and it is principally for this purpose my Invention is
intended, yet I do not confine myself to its application to the bottoms of
iron ships, but intend to use it for the preservation of all iron surfaces sub-
merged in sea water, or partially or occasionally so submerged. I commence
the process of making my material by taking any quantity of the oxides of
lead (either as litharge or white oxide), to this I add a quantity of spirits of
turpentine ("turp"), mixing and stirring it with the oxide until the mixture
becomes a thin paste. In order to make or reduce this paste to as fine a con-
dition as possible, I pass it through the mill, or attain the same result by any
other ordinary and well-known process. When the mass is sufficiently milled
I weigh it, and to every pound (by weight) I add a pound of colophine, or the
same quantity (one pound) of the resin of commerce; I then put the whole
of these ingredients into an earthen or other suitable vessel of sufficient
capacity, and add thereto the best wood naptha of 58%, or as strong as I can
obtain it. I pour as much of this on to the mass as will thin it to a creamy
state; I now stir the whole well up, pouring in the naptha gradually until the
mass of material is thoroughly saturated. The earthen or other vessel I use
has a moveable lid with some holes (not too large) perforated therein to
permit the escape of the carbonic or other acids, or the gases.
When the
ingredients or mass before described is saturated with the naptha, I put the lid
or cover on to the vessel containing them or it, from time to time stirring the
whole,adding thereto, at each stirring, a fresh supply of naptha and occasion-
ally more "turps," in the proportion of one-fifth of turps to four-fifths of
naptha. In a few days the mass will assume a uniformn consistency, and be of
a very tenacious and adhesive nature, and may after (further) dilution with
turps or naptha to bring it to the consistency of ordinary paint, as used, be
applied to the surfaces (bottoms) of iron ships or other metallic surfaces, as
aforesaid. The mixture I have just described I call mixture A, (or No. 1, if
preferred) and I will now proceed to describe the mode of making another
mixture to be used with A, which I shall designate as mixture B (or No. 2.).
To about five parts (by weight) of the best colophine, (or the resin of commerce
before mentioned,) I add one part (by weight) of any of the oxides of mercury,
first having well mixed up the mercury with finely powdered charcoal in order
to obtain a black or dark color. I pound the whole in a mortar, or otherwise.
cause the mercury to mix with or be taken up by the charcoal. The colo

page_text: water.
phine or resin (as the case may be) being now well mixed or incorporated with
the mercurial compound so as to become uniform or homogenous, is applied or
used for an over or top coating for mixture A (or No. 1), and it will close,
stop, or fill in 'any cracks or gaps left in the application of A (or No. 1) to
the bottom of iron ships or other surfaces of iron to be submerged in sea
If I require a black coating, I prefer to use ethiops mineral (the
sulphuret), if red, vermilion, or red oxide (precipitate per se), but I use either
of or all the oxides; as 'change of color in the mixture may require or pre-
scribe, and all other compounds of the same metal. Before proceeding to the
description of the manufacture of other products to be used for the samé
purpose as those I have been describing, I would direct the manufacturer or
operative to be careful to destroy or neutralize the sylvic or pinic acids which
pervade wood products, and consequently spirits of turpentine; this I effect by
the use of acetate of copper. I add or put into all the turps used in the before-
mentioned processes 1 lb. of acetate of copper in proportion to 10 gallons of
turps, or thereabouts. When the turps is used for diluting the mixture
previously described, the vessel containing it,and the acetate of copper should
be well shaken, so as to cause the acetate to pervade the whole of the turps
therein contained.
I now proceed to describe the manner or means by which I effect that poi
tion of my Invention mentioned in the first part of my Provisional Speci
fication relating to the deposit of metals held in solution. I take any quantity
of the sulphate of copper, sulphate of zinc, or sulphate of lead, and dissolve
that which I choose to operate upon in water; this solution Iacidulate with sul-
phuric acid, about from 1 to 4 specific gravity; the solution is then concentrated
by heat until it becomes syropy; I then proceed to redissolve this product in
naptha and pure pyrolignous spirit in about the proportion of one of the lattér
to two of the former, add about a gill of sulphuric acid, specific gravity 1 to
40, to a quart of the solution of oxide, and after being well stirred and shaken
it is to be applied to metallic surfaces with a brush, such surface being
previously cleansed from rust,scales.grease, or any other impurity or foreign
matter; or the solution may be placed in a tank and the metal be immersed
in it, and electric currents applied, if required. My observation as to
thoroughly cleansing the metallic surface particularly applies to the bottoms,
et cetera, of iron ships, and I furthy apply there a strong mixture of
muriatic acid and water. To effect the coating of iron ships' bottoms without
waste and loss, I pour the diluted acid into a tub or other vessel (the dilute
acid-ranging from 2 to 40, specific gravity), adding gypsum or chalk till
perfect-saturation takes place; keep stirring until the inass becomes homo-

page_text: geneous or of a creamy consistence. This I lay or paint over the metal witha
brush and allow it to remain on the iron till dry, and till the coating assumes
ared rusty appearance, say about 4 or 6 hours minimum to 10 or 12 hours,
maximum. I remove this coating with hot water and a brush, if convenient;
if hot water be unattainable conveniently, then use cold water and brushes, or
apply the solution as previously directed. When the operator considers the
has obtained a sufficient metallic covering, the whole surface should be first
washed with hot water and a sponge, and secondly with a weak solution of
potash, the whole wiped dry, and the solution,herein-before described, for the
purpose of preventing fouling in sea water applied as a surface covering.
(When the metal is prepared for common atmospheres, the compound No. 1 is
applied as a surface covering.) I prefer to use, generally, the mixture or com-
bination described in the first part of this my Final Specification for coating
metallic surfaces, it being capable of being applied with less labor; the
formula if more simple, and the material as cheap or cheaper a solution.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and the means by or with
which it is performed or carried into effect, I would observe that while I lay
noclaim to the exclusive use of any of the articles or substances herein named
taken separately, I do claim as of my Invention the combinations of certain
articles or substances forming, when so combined, "Improved Coatings for
Metallic Surfaces," the same being herein-before set forth, described, and
explained.
In witness whei eof, I, the said Arthur Wall, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Witness,
W. E. GEDGE,
4, Danes Inn.
ARTHUR WALL. (L.S.)