IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henri Catherine Camille de Ruolz, and Anselme
Louis Marie de Fontenay, both of Paris, in the Empire of France, Civil
Engineers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OP
M
Sealed the 20th March 1855, and dated the 25th September 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henri Catherine Camille
de Ruolz and Anselme Louis Marie de Fontenay at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 25th September
1854.
We, HENRI CATHERINE CAMILLE DE RUOLZ and ANSELME LOUIS MARIE DE
FONTENAY, both of Paris, in the Empire of France, Civil Engineers, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT
OF CERTAIN METALS FOR PRODUCING AN IMPROVED METALLIC ALLOY" to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to certain modifications in additions to, or improve-
ments on, an Invention of an improved metallic alloy, for which we obtained
Letters Patent, under date the 30th day of December 1858.
It has been found by experiment that the proportions of the several metals,

page_text: viz., copper, nickel, and silver, may be considerably varied and the quantity of
silver reduced without materially injuring the appearance of the alloy. By
the introduction of phosphorus, or its compounds, with the other ingredients,
a much whiter and more brilliant alloy can be produced than when this sub-
stance is omitted. The fusibility of the alloy is also increased, and by its being
more limpid when molten a more united grain is obtained, as well as greater
homogeneity of parts, and all porosity is avoided.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henri Catherine Camille de Ruolz and Anselme Louis
Marie de Fontenay in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd March
1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, HENRI
CATHERINE CAMILLE DE RUOLZ and ANSELME LOUIS MARIE DE FONTENAY, both
of Paris, in the Empire of France, Civil Engineers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said Henri Catherine Camille de Ruolz and Anselme Louis Maric de
Fontenay, Her special license that we, the said Henri Catherine Camille de
Ruolz and Anselme Louis Marie de Fontenay, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said Henri Catherine Camille de Ruolz
and Anselme Louis Marie de Fontenay, our 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 THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN METALS FOR PRODUCING AN
IMPROVED METALLIC ALLOY," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the
said Henri Catherine Camille de Ruolz and Anselme Louis Marie de
Fontenay, by an instrument in writing under our hands and seals, or under
the hand and seal of one of us, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-

page_text: formed, 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 we, the said Henri Catherine Camille de Ruolz
and Anselme Louis Marie de Fontenay, do hereby declare the nature of
our said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
(that to say):
These improvements consist principally in additions to, and modifications in,
the process described in our Patent, dated Thirtieth December, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-three, relative to a metallic alloy composed of nickel,
copper, and silver, which alloy can be used in place of silver in almost every
case.
It has been found by experiment, first, that we can so far advantageously
modify this new combination of metals as to employ the following proportions,
viz., copper as high as forty-nine parts, nickel thirty-one, and silver from twenty
to forty, making a total of one hundred to one hundred and twenty, reserving
to ourselves the privilege of manufacturing an alloy containing more or less
silver, as may be desired by the consumer, after the manner we are about to
describe; second, that we can usefully introduce phosphorus into these alloys,
and in certain cases extract it after the required effect has been produced
by it. We would observe that it is necessary to employ the purest copper of
commerce, and also that the nickel must be purified in the most effective
manner.
The nickel and copper are first melted and brought into a granular state,
and are afterwards replaced in the crucible and re-melted, after which the
silver is added. The best flux which can be used is an intimate mixture of
borax and powdered charcoal. The ingots, when obtained, must be slowly
annealed at a cherry-red heat in a closed vessel with powdered charcoal.
As to the use of phosphorus: 1st. If it bo required to obtain cast articles,
such as statuettes and objects of art, a certain quantity of phosphorus must be
introduced into the combination. The introduction of phosphorus can be
effected in several manners, viz',—
First, by melting the mixture of the three metals with a mixture of equal
parts of acid phosphate of lime and powdered charcoal brought to a red
heat.
Secondly, the mixture of the three metals may also be heated together,

page_text: with a mixture of one hundred parts of phosphate of lime, fifty parts of sand,
seventy-five parts of borax, and ten parts of charcoal. As regards the relative
proportions of the metallic alloy and the phosphorated mixture, described
above, the following are the most suitable for cast articles :-One thousand
parts of the alloy of silver, copper, and nickel, and about one hundred and
fifty parts of the phosphorated mixture. The quantity of phosphorus to be
added depends upon the length of time taken in heating.
:-
Thirdly, the following method is the most preferable. The operation is as
follows Phosphuret of copper is prepared in the ordinary way, and its rich-
ness in phosphorus is ascertained by analysis. This phosphuret of copper is
then re-melted and granulated, after which the following mixture is melted:
Phosphuret of copper forty-nine parts (of such a strength as to be capable of
introducing into one hundred parts of our alloy, from one to twenty thousandths
of phosphorus), nickel thirty-one parts, silver from twenty to forty parts or
more, as desired by consumers. It should be well understood that the silver
must not be introduced into the alloy until the phosphuret of copper and the
nickel are completely melted and combined or mixed. The effects produced
by this introduction of phosphorus are to augment the fusibility of the alloy,
causing it when melted to run in a very limpid state, to obtain a closer grain,
to avoid all porosity, and to have a greater homogeneity, and finally to render
the whiteness greater..
2d. In order to preserve the advantages arising from the presence of
phosphorus when articles are required to be forged, rolled, or stamped, it
is necessary during this operation to restore the ductility and malleability
which the phosphorus has to a great extent impaired. To effect this, after
having obtained regular and homogeneous ingots by the aid of the phosphorus,
the phosphorus must be almost totally eliminated or abstracted, which may be
effected by submitting during a long time, the metal to a cherry-red heat in a
close vessel with powdered charcoal.
Having now described our Invention of improvements in the treatment of
certain metals for producing an improved metallic alloy by new combinations,
and set forth the best means with which we are acquainted for carrying the
same into effect, we wish it to be understood that we do not mean to restrict
ourselves to the proportions indicated above, which may be modified without
departing from the nature or object of our Invention; but that which we
consider to be new, and therefore desire to secure under the herein-before
in part recited Letters Patent, is, the introduction (and in certain cases

page_text: the elimination) of phosphorus in the manufacture of alloys of silver or
other metals.
In witness whereof, we, the said Henri Catherine Camille de Ruolz, and
Anselme Louis Marie de Fontenay, have hereunto set our hands and
seals, the Nineteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
EDP BARBAU,
98 Ch d'Antin.
H. C. C. DE RUOLZ.
(L.B.)
A. L. M. DE FONTENAY. (L.8.)