IMPROVED MEANS OF OBTAINING ALUMINIUM METAL, AND THE ADAPTATION THEREOF TO THE MANUFACTURE OF CERTAIN USEFUL ARTICLES
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick William Gerhard, at the Office for Patents,
4, Trafalgar Square, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of
"IMPROVED MEANS OF OBTAINING ALUMINIUM METAL, AND THE ADAPTATION
Scaled the 12th June 1857, and dated the 16th December 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick William Gerhard
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th December 1856.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM GERHARD, at the Office for Patents, 4, Trafalgar
Square, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVED MEANS OF OBTAINING ALUMINIUM METAL, AND THE
ADAPTATION THEREOF TO THE MANUFACTURE OF CERTAIN USEFUL ARTICLES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention is designed for obtaining the metal known and distinguished
from other metals as aluminium, at considerably less expense than by the
means at present known and heretofore practised for obtaining that metal, by
which I render such metal capable of being used without being alloyed with
other metals in and for the manufacture of various articles, such as small
weighing weights, bells, pens, penholders, musical wind instruments, the
strings of musical stringed instruments, printers' type, medals, coins, plated
goods, and articles of vertu required to withstand the corroding action of the
atmosphere and many acids, as herein-after described:
The costly nature of aluminium metal, as heretofore obtained, has prevented

page_text: the use of that metal in the manufacture of these and other useful articles,
except when such said motal has been alloyed with other metals. To obtain
aluminium according to this Invention I proceed as follows:-I obtain alumi-
nium by means of hydrogen gas from the fluoride of aluminium either alone or in
combination with other fluorides. This reduction of the metal from its fluoride
by means of hydrogen gas may be performed in various ways and by different
arrangements and methods well known to metallurgists, but the apparatus which
I employ and have found in practice very effectual for obtaining aluminium
metal is the following:-I use a vaulted oven similar to the ovens used by
bakers for baking bread, &c. &c., but with the floor thereof mado of wrought
iron, under which the fire is placed. This oven is first strongly heated nearly
to redness, and then on the floor thereof I place a number of well glazed
earthenware or porcelain squaro and shallow dishes previously warmed, and I
use as many of the aforesaid dishes as the floor of the oven will conveniently
contain. One half of these said dishes I fill with dry and well powdered
"Oluoride of aluminium," or any other double fluoride of that metal, and the
remainder of the dishes I fill with clean "iron filings." The several dishes I
so arrange as that all of those dishes which contain the fluoride aro on all
sides surrounded by those dishes which contain the iron. The oven is then
woll closed and luted, and the heat increased to redness, immediately after
which I introduce a stream of dry hydrogen gas by means of a tube provided
with a stop cock, whilst another tube placed at the other and opposite side of
the oven, also provided with a stop cock, and with a safety valve, allows the
gas to escape from the oven in case the pressure thereof should become too
strong, and I continuo the operation for about one hour. The effect of thus
operating upon the fluoride and iron by the combined agency of heat and
hydrogen gas is as follows:-The hydrogen gas combines with the fluorine and
forms "hydro-fluoric" acid, which is taken up by the iron, thereby converting
it into fluoride of iron, and the aluminium thus obtained remains in the
metallic state.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentietli year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, tho
said Frederick William Gerliard, Her special licenco that I, the said Frederick
William Gerhard, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others ns
I, tho said Frederick William Gerhard, 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, tho Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVED MEANS OF OBTAINING ALUMINIUM METAL, AND THE ADAPTATION
THEREOF TO THE MANUFACTURE OF CERTAIN USEPUL ARTICLES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Frederick William Gerhard, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in wliat manner the same was to be performed, and cause tho 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 Frederick Williain Gerhard, 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 statement:-
My said Invention relates to a simple and economic method or process for
obtaining the metal known and distinguished from other inetals as aluminium,
whereby such metal is produced at a considerably less expense than by the
means at present known and heretofore practised.
By this means aluminium is rendered capable of being used without being
alloyed or mixed with other metals in and for the manufacture of various
useful and ornamental articles, such as small or delicate weighing weights,
bells, pens, penholders, musical wind instruments, the strings of musical
stringed instruments, printers' type, medals, coins, plated goods, and articlos of
vertu, and all articles required to withstand the corroding action of the
atmosphere and acids.
The costly nature of aluminium metal, as heretofore obtained, has prevented
the application of that metal to the manufacture of these and other useful
articlos otherwise than as an alloy with other metals. In order to effect the
extraction or production of aluminium from tho oro or earthy matter con-
taining the same I proceed as follows:-I take the fluoride of aluminium

page_text: either alone or in combination with other fluorides, and subject it to the action
of hydrogen gas. This reduction of the metal from its fluoride by means of
hydrogen gas used as a reagent in place of sodium may be performed in
various ways and by different arrangements and methods well known to
metallurgists, but the apparatus which I employ, and have found in practico
to be very effectual for obtaining aluminium metal consists of a vaulted oven
similar to an ordinary bakers' oven, but with the floor thereof composed of
wrought or cast iron, under which the fire is placed. This oven is first
strongly heated nearly to redness, and then on the floor thereof I place a
number of well glazed earthenware or porcelain shallow dishes previously
warmed, and I use as many of these dishes as the floor of the oven will
conveniently contain. A certain number of these said dishes I fill with dry
and well powdered "fluoride of aluminium," or any other double fluoride of
that metal, and the remainder of the dishes I fill with clean "iron filings." I
so arrange the several dishes that all of those dishes which contain the fluoride
are on all sides surrounded by dishes containing the iron filings. The oven is
then tightly closed and luted, and the heat increased to redness, immediately
after waich I introduce a stream of dry hydrogen gas by means of a tube
provided with a stop-cock, whilst another tube placed at the other and opposite
side of the oven, also provided with a stop-cock and with a safety valve, allows
the gas to escape from the oven in case the pressure thereof should become
too strong, and I continue this operation for about one hour.
The effect produced by thus operating upon the fluoride and iron by the
con: b'ned agency of heat and hydrogen gas is that the hydrogen gas combines
with the fluorine, and forms "bydro-fluoric " acid, which acid is taken up by the
iron, and is thereby converted into fluoride of iron, whilst the resulting alumi-
nium thus obtained remains in the metallic state in the bottom of the trays
containing the fluoride.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my sai
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to
describe or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of my said Invention; but what
I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,―
First, the general system or mode of obtaining or producing aluminium, as
herein-before described.
Secondly, the application and use to and in the obtainment or production of

page_text: aluminium, of hydrogen gas as a reagent in substitution for sodium, as
herein-before described.
Thirdly, the application and use of unalloyed aluminium produced in the
manner herein-before described to and in the manufacture of useful and
ornamental articles.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick William Gerhard, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Fifteenth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
0 Witness,
FREDERICK WILLIAM GERHARD. (L.s.)
JAMES HUNT, Patent Agent,
71, Chancery Lane,