CERTAIN MODIFICATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS IN COATING IRON AND STEEL WITH CERTAIN METALS, WITH SPECIAL APPLICATION TO COPPERING OR COVERING IRON SHIPS WITH AN ADHERENT. AND PROTECTIVE COATING OF, A LESS OXYDABLE METAL, AND IN GENERAL COATING LARGE OR SMALL PIECES OF IRON AND STEEL, AND PARTICULARLY IRON SHIPS WITH COPPER, AND IN APPARATUS FOR THAT PURPOSE
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frédéric Weil, Engineer, and Farnham
Maxwell-Lyte, Chemist, both of Paris (France), for the Invention
of CERTAIN MODIFICATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS IN COATING IRON AND
STEEL WITH CERTAIN METALS, WITH SPECIAL APPLICATION TO COPPERING
OR COVERING IRON SHIPS WITH AN ADHERENT. AND PROTECTIVE COATING OF,
A LESS OXYDABLE METAL, AND IN GENERAL COATING LARGE OR SMALL
PIECES OF IRON AND STEEL, AND PARTICULARLY IRON SHIPS WITH COPPER,
AND IN APPARATUS FOR THAT PURPOSE."
Sealed the 24th March. 1874, and dated the 25th September 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frédéric Weil and
Farnham Maxwell-Lyte at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 25th September 1873.
We, FRÉDÉRIC WEIL, Engineer, and FARNHAM MAXWELL-LYTE,
Chemist, both of Paris (France), do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "CERTAIN MODIFICATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS IN COATING
IRON AND STEEL WITH CERTAIN METALS, WITH SPECIAL APPLICATION TO

page_text: "
COPPERING OR COVERING IRON SHIPS WITH AN ADHERENT AND PROTECTIVE COATING
OF A LESS OXYDABLE METAL, AND IN GENERAL COATING LARGE OR SMALL PIECES
OF IRON AND STEEL, AND PARTICULARLY IRON SHIPS WITH COPPER, AND IN APPA-
BATUS FOR THAT PURPOSE," to be as follows:-
-
This Invention relates to certain improvements on a former Patent
granted to Frédéric Weil, for "Improvements in Coating Metals with
one or several other Metals, and in Oxydizing the Surface of those
latter," No. 497, dated 29th February 1864, and consists in the
application of an alkaline organic bath of copper, or of certain other
metals or mixtures of such metals to the production of a protective
covering for iron ships and large pieces of ironwork liable to be exposed
to oxydizing influences.
By the present improved process we do not employ the zinc wire
described in the Specification of the aforesaid former Patent, but we
employ by preference a kind of alkaline battery composed of one or
more vases of porous material or furnished with a porous septum, such
vases being filled with solution of caustic alkali and containing the
The anode being
electro-positive element (by preference zinc).
attached to such electro-positive element and the vase being immersed
in the organo-alkaline metallic or cupreous bath, in which is immersed
the object to be coated, the other end of the anode is brought into
contact with the object to be coated or coppered. An adherent coating
of metal is thus caused to be deposited on the object to be coated.
When the alkaline solution in the porous vases becomes too much
saturated with zinc it should be withdrawn from the said vases and
replaced by fresh solution. This withdrawn solution may nevertheless
be regenerated by simply precipitating the dissolved zinc with an
alkaline sulphide.
We further find it convenient in the treatment of large castings or
other large works in iron or steel, to clean them by immersion in a bath
of weak hydrochloric or sulphuric acid, subsequently washing them in
water and then rinsing them in an alkalino-organic but non-metallic
bath, such bath being composed only of a solution of caustic alkali with
one of the organic compounds capable of preventing the precipitation of
metallic oxides in alkaline solutions; such a bath may be composed of
11
IL

page_text: glycerate citrate or equivalent with a caustic alkali, and dissolved in
suitable proportions in water.
Our present improved method differs essentially from the former
Patent of 29th February 1864, in the following respects, and consists,―
First. In the introduction of the above-described alkaline battery,
whereby the thickness of the metallic coating may be augmented at.
will, and in the suppression of the zinc placed in direct contact with the
object to be coated.
Second. In the previous cleansing of the object to be coated by the
acid, and the alkalino-organic baths.
Third. Whereas a bath of very special and exact composition was
requisite under the former Patent, by the present Invention the bath
may contain any proportions of caustic alkali, metallic oxides, and
organic salt, provided always that the said bath does not contain more
than about two equivalents of organic salt and one equivalent of
metallic oxide, together with the requisite proportion of soda for
making a clear solution. If the metallic oxide exists in much greater
proportion than this, the metal if it be copper, deposits in a semi-
oxydized and less perfectly adherent form.
.
We now proceed to describe as an example of our said improved
process the methods and apparatus we propose to employ in the copper-
ing of iron ships.
We construct a dock capable of being hermetically closed. A dock
built of granite blocks, such as is used in the English arsenals will
answer the purpose, the joints should be carefully filled in with bitumen
or other suitable material, the gates and sluices may be of timber bound
and mounted with copper. All round the dock we construct one or
more wells or chambers capable of being filled with a solution of caustic
alkali, and each of such wells or chambers is connected with the dock
by an opening in one of its sides, such opening being closed by a
porous septum of biscuitware or any convenient material, such as for
instance, one or more folds of parchment paper enclosed for strengthen-
ing purposes between two surfaces of wire gauze. As soon as the ship
has been placed in the dock and the dock emptied, we first introduce a
bath of acid as above described, and when the acid bath has cleaned the
surfaces of the iron it is pumped on decanted off and another bath of

page_text: This bath further completes the cleaning of the iron surfaces and pre-
pares them for receiving the deposited copper. This alkalino-organic
bath being now withdrawn by pumping or decantation, the coppering
solution is admitted; and this solution may be composed of the
following ingredients in the following proportions, more or less, 1
namely:

page_text: In conclusion we would observe, that the features of novelty of this
present Invention consist,--
:
First. In the application of an alkaline battery, whether used in
the wells or by means of any other form of porous jars or vessels
placed in contact with or immersed in a metallizing alkalino-organic
bath.
Second. The preparation of the iron to be metallized by means of an
acid bath followed by an alkalino-organic bath; if desirable we dispense
with the acid bath, or the alkalino-organic bath, or both, or substitute
for one or other of these a simply organic and non-alkaline bath made
with glycerine or other organic material, or an organic salt, neutral,
alkaline or acid, or even an alkaline non-organic bath applied hot if
required before the acid bath.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Frédéric Weil and Farnham Maxwell-Lyte in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th March 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, FRÉDÉRIC
WELL, Engineer, and FARNHAM MAXWELL LYTE, Chemist, both of
Paris (France), 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 seventy-three, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto us, the said Frédéric Weil and Farnham
Maxwell Lyte, Her special licence that we, the said Frédéric Weil
and Farnham Maxwell Lyte, our executors, administrators, and assigns,.

page_text: or such others as we, the said Frédéric Weil and Farnham Maxwell
Lyte, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time.
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "CERTAIN MODIFICATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS IN. COATING IRON
AND STEEL WITH CERTAIN METALS, WITH SPECIAL APPLICATION TO COPPERING
OR COVERING IRON SHIPS WITH AN ADHERENT AND PROTECTIVE COATING OF A
LESS OXYDABLE METAL, AND IN GENERAL COATING LARGE OR SMALL PIECES OF
IRON AND STEEL, AND PARTICULARLY IRON SHIPS WITH COPPER, AND IN APPARATus
FOR THAT PURPOSE," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the
said Frédéric Weil and Farnham Maxwell Lyte, our executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was 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 we, the said Frédéric Weil and Farnham
Maxwell Lyte, 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 :-
Our process consists in the application of an alkaline-organic bath of
copper or of certain other metals or mixtures of such metals, to the
production of a protective covering for iron ships and large pieces of
ironwork liable to be exposed to oxydizing influences.
In a former Patent dated 29th February 1864, one of us described a
new method of coating metals over one another by means of an alkalino-
organic bath and zinc wire, or in general by direct contact of metallic
zinc.
In the present process we do not employ the zinc wire as described
in the above-mentioned Patent, nor the zinc in any form set in direct
contact with the object to be coated, which constituted one of the
principal objects of the above-mentioned Patent; but we employ by
preference a kind of alkaline battery composed of one or more vases of
porous material or furnished with a porous septum, such vases being

page_text: filled with solution of caustic alkali and containing the electro-positive
element (by preference zinc). The anode being attached to such
electro-positive element and the vase being set in communication or
immersed in the organo-alkaline, cupreous, or other metallic bath in
which is immersed the object to be coated, the other end of the anode
is brought into contact with the said object to be coated. An adherent
coating of metal is thus caused to deposit on the latter. When the
alkaline solution in the porous. vases becomes too much saturated with
zinc it should be withdrawn from the said vases and replaced by fresh
strong alkaline solution. This withdrawn solution may nevertheless
be regenerated by simply precipitating the dissolved zinc with an
alkaline sulphide.
We further sometimes find it convenient in the treatment of large
castings or other rough works in iron or steel, to clean them by
immersion in a bath of weak hydrochloric or sulphuric acid, sub-
sequently washing them in water and next rinsing them in an alkalino-
organic but non-metallic bath, such bath being composed only of a
solution of caustic alkali with one of the organic compounds capable of
preventing the precipitation of metallic oxides in alkaline solutions ;
such a bath may be composed of caustic soda, for instance, and
Rochelle salt, or even glycerine, or a glycerate or citrate with a caustic
alkali, and dissolved in suitable proportions in water.
Our present method differs essentially from the former Patent of 29th
February 1864, No. 497, in respect,―
First. Of the introduction of the above-described alkaline battery,
whereby the thickness of the metallic coating may be augmented
at will:
Second. Of the suppression of the zinc placed in direct contact with
the object to be coated.
Third. Of the previous cleansing of the object by the acid or alkalino-
organic baths.
Fourth. That a bath of very special and invariable composition was
requisite under the former Patent, but in the present case the bath may
contain any proportions of caustic alkali, metallic oxide, and organic
salt, provided always that the said bath does not contain more than
about two equivalents of organic salt by one equivalent of metallic

page_text: oxide, together with the requisite proportion of soda for making a clear
solution. If the metallic oxide exists in much greater proportion than
this with respect to the organic salt the metal, be it copper, deposits in
a more or less oxydized and less perfectly adherent form.
We now proceed to describe as an example of our said process, the
methods we propose to employ in the coppering of an iron ship.
We construct a dock capable of being made watertight. A dock
built of granite blocks, such as used in the English arsenals would
answer the purpose, the joints should be carefully filled in with bitumen
or other suitable material, the gates and sluices may be of timber or
any suitable substance. All round the sides of the dock may be con-
structed one or more compartments or chambers capable of being filled
with a solution of caustic alkali, each of such compartments or
chambers being directly connected with the dock by an opening in one
of its sides, such opening being closed by a porous septum of biscuit-
ware or any convenient material, such as for instance, one or more folds
of parchment paper held for strengthening purposes between two
surfaces of wire gauze. The ship having been placed in the dock and
the dock emptied, we first introduce an acidulated bath as above
described, when such bath has cleaned the surfaces of the iron it is a
pumped or turned off into a suitable receiver and another bath of
alkalino-organic liquid made with about the following proportions :-

page_text: hulk when the deposition of copper immediately commences. As soon
as a sufficient coating has been obtained the cupreous liquour is with-
drawn, and plain water being introduced the vessel may be floated out
of the dock.
Instead of coppering the entire vessel or object to be coated, we can if
preferred, operate the metallization in successive sections by means of
one or more adherent and watertight movable. compartments.. By this
means a smaller quantity of bath suffices, and we are also enabled to
make a local application of the metallizing bath, such as is required in
the case of repairs.
We can further vary our process by first producing a thin adherent
coating of metal by means of our alkalino-organic metallizing bath and
the alkaline battery above described, and the coating thus once pro-
duced may be thickened by the employment of an ordinary acidulated
bath of sulphate of copper with ordinary batteries as in the common
galvano-plastic process.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be carried into effect, we wish it to be
distinctly understood, that we do not confine ourselves to the precise
particulars as described, which may be varied without departing from
the principle of our Invention; but what we claim is,—
First. Applying the alkaline battery composed of porous compart-
ments, wells, or chambers as described, located in direct communication
with the vat which contains the above-described organo-metallic bath in
which are immersed the objects to be coated to the coppering or general
coating with any metal of iron or steel articles.
Second. Preparing the iron which is to be coated with another metal,
by means of the acid bath followed by an alkalino-organic one.
Third. The coppering of ships by means of our above process.
Fourth. The metallizing of iron by the above process.
Fifth. The especial form or forms of apparatus above described as
applied to iron ships.
Sixth. The coatings of iron and steel with metals other than copper
by means of our alkaline battery, substantially as above described.

page_text: Seventh. The regeneration of the caustic solution of the zinc cell,
substantially as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said] Farnham Maxwell Lyte, one of
the parties hereto, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this
Twenty-fourth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
F. MAXWELL LYTE. (L.S.)