IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SHEATHING METALS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Parkes and Henry Parkes, of Bir-
mingham, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
SHEATHING METALS."
Scaled the 5th February 1858, and dated the 2nd December 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Parkes and
Henry Parkes at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 2nd December 1857.
WC, ALEXANDER. PARKES and HENRY PARKES, of Birmingham, do hereby
declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF SHEATHING METALS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
sheathing metals. For these purposes copper, and copper and its alloys with
zinc, are combined with such a quantity of phosphorus or with the metal
manganese as will admit of the metals being rolled hot into sheets. It should
be stated that copper and copper and its alloys with zinc have before been
combined with the above-mentioned metals, but in such proportions as will
not roll or not advantageously roll hot into sheets at a red heat.
In manufacturing copper sheathing combined with phosphorus according to
our present Invention, the phosphorus does not exceed eight ozs. in a
hundred lbs. of the compound, and when the copper is alloyed with zinc,
the phosphorus does not exceed six ounces in one hundred lbs. of the
[Price 8d.1

page_text: compound. When using alloys of copper, it is preferred to employ at the
rate of 60 parts of copper to 40 parts of zinc, both being as.pure as possible.
If the metal manganese be used in place of phosphorus, the same is employed
in about the same proportions, keeping the quantity employed to such
pro-
portions as to admit of the compounds rolling hot. In some cases mercury
is used in about the same proportions. By these means we are enabled to
produce superior compound metals for sheathing, which are capable of being
rolled hot into sheets.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alexander Parkes and Henry Parkes in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 1st June 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ALEXANDER
PARKES and HENRY PARKES, of Birmingham, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victorin, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-soven, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Elerself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Alexander Parkes and Henry Parkes, Her special licence that we, the
said Alexander Parkes and Henry Parkes, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Alexander Parkes and Henry Parkes,
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 night 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 MANU.
FACTURE OF SHEATHING METALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,
the said Alexander Parkes and Henry Parkes, our executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals, or
under the hand and seal of one of us or them, 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 I, the said Alexander Parkes, on behalf of myself
and the said Henry Parkes, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-

page_text: ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof,
that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
sheathing metals. For these purposes copper and copper and its alloys with
zinc are combined with such a quantity of phosphorous or with the metal
manganese as will admit of the metals being rolled hot into sheets. It should
be stated, that copper, and copper and its alloys with zinc have before been
combined with the above-mentioned metals, but in such proportions as will
not roll or not advantageously roll hot into sheets at a red heat.
In manufacturing copper sheathing combined with phosphorous according
to our present Invention, the phosphorous does not exceed eight ounces in a
hundred lbs. of the compound, and when the copper is alloyed with zinc, the
phosphorous does not exceed six ounces in one hundred lbs. of the compound.
When using alloys of copper, it is preferred to employ at the rate of sixty parts
of copper to forty parts of zinc, both being as pure as possible. If the metal
manganese be used in place of the phosphorous, the same is employed in about
the same proportion, keeping the quantity employed to such proportions as to
admit of the compound rolling hot. In some cases mercury is used in about
the same proportions. By these means we are enabled to produce superior
compound metals for sheathing, which are capable of being rolled hot into
sheets.
Having thus stated the nature of our said Invention, we will proceed
more fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
In a Specification of a former Patent, granted to us on the 11th day of
November 1848, we described the use of phosphorous in combination with
copper and copper alloyed with zinc and other metals, since which time, in
the course of extensive experiments, we have discovered that, in order to
producesheathing metal of the best quality andat less cost, when phosphorous
is used with copper and its alloys with zinc, the quantity of phosphorous must
be greatly reduced from what was previously recommended by us, and that
by so reducing the quantity of phosphorous we are enabled to produce
sheathing metal containing phosphorous by rolling at a red heat; by which
meansthemanufactureofsheathingmetal, when usingphosphorouswith copper,
copper and its alloys with zinc,is greatly improved, and advantages result
in the manufacture which cannot be obtained when using proportions such
as were formerly described by us. The proportion of phosphorous we prefer
when simply compounding it with copper is about six ounces of phosphorous to
sixteen hundred ounces (100 lbs.) of copper.
and
When manufacturing sheathing metal consisting of copper and zinc with

page_text: phosphorous, we prefer to use about four ounces of phosphorons to each nine
hundred and sixty ounces (60 lbs.) of copper and six hundred and forty ounces
(40 lbs.) of zine. It is preferred to use these substances in as pure a state as
may be, but this is not essential so long as the compound metal sheathing
when produced consists of the proportions suitable for allowing the metal
to roll at a red heat. By the use of phosphorous in the proportions herein
described we believe that the best manufacture of sheathing metals may be
produced, at the same time we do not confine ourselves to the proportions
above mentioned, so long as the compound sheathing metal produced will
roll at a red heat. We have found that every additional ounce above the
proportions mentioned increases the difficulty of manufacture, and reduces
the valuable character of the compound sheathing metal. We have also
found that a less proportion of the phosphorous may be used, and the metal
rolled at a red heat, but we believe the sheathing is not so good. In con-
ng phosphorous with copper, the copper is first fused'in a crucible or
by other convenient means; stick phosphorousis then added in the proportion
described, and, on stirring, the compound is very quickly produced. The
fluid metal is then cast into ingots, and rolled at a red heat, as is well
understood when rolling copper and yellow metal. When the compound is
to consist of cepper, zine, and phosphorous, the quantity of zinc is introduced
after the phosphorous. The compound metal is cast into ingots and rolled
at a red heat, as is done when rolling yellow sheathing metal.
Another part of our Invention consists of combining metal manganese with
copper in such small proportions or quantities as will admit of the compound
metal rolling at a red heat. For this purpose we have found that from about
four to six ounces of metal manganese to sixteen hundred ounces (100 lbs.)
of copper produces what we believe to be the best compound, and that,
though the proportion of metal manganeso inay bo reduced, it cannot with
advantage be increased in its proportions without prejudice to the process of
rolling at a red heat, and to the resultant metal sheathing. The metal
manganese may be introduced with the copper and melted together, using
carbonaceous matter as a flux, or the manganese may be introduced after
fusing the copper. The compound metal is to be cast into ingots, and then
rolled nt a rod heat.
.
Another part of our Invention consistsof combining mercury with the copper
or copper alloyed with zinc, in such proportions that the compound metal
may be rolled at a red heat. The, mercury is to be introduced in excess, so
as to obtain a compound in the proportion desired; and the proportion wo
prefer,and believe to be the best, is at the rate of about six ounces to sixteen

page_text: hundred onuces (100 lbs.) of copper, and at the rate of about four ounces to
sixteen hundred ounces (100 lbs.) of the alloy of copper and zinc; and we have
found that by promptly introducing about three times as much quicksilver
into the fused metal as we desire to retain in the compound, stirring and
pouring quickly, we cbtain in practice the desired compound. We would
remark that a less quantity may be added, but we do not find it desirable or
advantageous materially to increase the proportions of mercury in the
compound. The melted metal is to be cast into ingots, and rolled at a red
heat, as is well understood.
In carrying out our Invention we prefer, as above stated, to use the metals
aud the phosphorous in a pure state, and free from other compounds, but this
may be varied; and some of the matters may be used in a state of salts or
other compounds, with reducing fluxing agents, in order to produce the
compound metal herein described, but we do not recommend such mode of
manufacture.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Parkes, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight bundred and fifty-eight.
זש
20 Witness,
GEO. PITI.
nnזוn
(T..S.)