Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Aug., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 7th May, 1890-Accepted, 12th July, 1890
ВАТН.
Hydrochlorate of ammonia is taken to which is added a chloride, for instance,
chloride of nickel if it is wished to nickel plate (in other cases chloride of copper
for coppering, chloride of silver for silvering, or chloride of gold for gilding are
employed).
A neutral solution of a double chloride with an excess of one salt or the other is
thus obtained. A pure hydrochlorate of ammonia may be employed, but the process
succeeds as well and it is much more economical to use commercial sal aminoniac
A mixture of
which is always more or less impure and mixed with other salts.
hydrochlorate of ammonia can also be utilised with sea salt or any other alkaline
chloride or alkaline earth.
For iron, cast metal, steel and copper, the neutral solution (double chloride is used)
prepared as described above; but for zine and aluminium this solution is not so
suitable and liquid ammonia or carbonate of ammonia is preferably added to it in
sufficient quantity to givo an alkaline solution so that there is never any precipitation;
if any should be produced, enough ammonia or carbonate of ammonia is added to
dissolve it.
Instead of mixing the hydrochlorate of ammonia with a chloride (chloride of nickel
for instance) another salt such as a sulphate, carbonate, etcetera is mixed with it, and
the operation also gives good results but a little inferior and a little slower.
IMMERSION.
In the bath prepared as described, are plunged the articles in iron, cast iron, steel,

page_text: The dipping of articles can be performed either in a cold bath or in one heated to
various degrees of temperature up to boiling point according to circumstances a hot
or cold bath can be employed.
The receptacle containing the dipping bath must be of some material which has
no action on the bath, such as iron, cast iron or any other metal covered with a
protective material, wood, concrete, stoneware, etcetera.
These are the main and special characteristics of the invention. Some details
relative to the mode of working will now be described, which have more importance
from an industrial and commercial point of view.
1st. Nickeling of iron, cast metal, steel, aluminium, etcetera.
In a basin (of enamelled cast iron, wood, stoneware, etcetera) the double solution
of sal ammoniac and of nickel as described previously is prepared, the articles to be
nickelled, which are placed in a holder with openings in the sides and moved about,
are then plunged therein for some moments.
This arrangement is altered in many ways according to circumstances, and the
power of using any mechanical means is reserved. If the bath be warmed the
immersion need only last a few seconds, if it be cold it must be longer.
The operation of nickeling is facilitated and will succeed much better by the
addition to the bath of a certain quantity of copper as for instance by plunging into
it, while warm, strips of copper well cleaned, which may be left there or withdrawn
after a time.
For nickeling iron, cast iron or steel, a neutral bath is employed while for nickeling
zine or aluminium an alkaline one is used.
2nd. Coppering zinc aluminium etcetera.
according to the mode of working.
The tone of the coppering can be varied
(a) Red coppering. To obtain this tint a solution of a simple double or com-
pound salt of copper is added to the sal-ammoniac and an excess of ammonia
or carbonate of ammonia so as to have an alkaline solution.
(b) Yellow or brass coloured coppering. To obtain this shade, it is sufficient
to add to the above named bath (a) an ammoniacal solution of zinc salts.
Practically care must be taken in preparing this solution to add sal-ammoniac
to the zinc salts so as to dissolve the whole, and the aminonia must only be
added when the above salts are well mixed without. which the ammonia
will precipitate the zinc salts.
(c) Coppering yellow bronze. This tint is obtained by adding to the first
named bath (a) an alkaline solution of tin salts. (This solution is rendered
alkaline by means of carbonate or bicarbonate of soda in preference to
ammonia.) To avoid precipitation of the tinned salts by the alkali, it suffices
to add first to the solution tartaric acid.
In baths prepared as described, the articles to be coppered are plunged as described
for nickeling. It may be used cold or hot as circumstances demand. The addition
of a solution of cyanide of potassium or ammonia may in certain cases facilitate the
operation, but it is not necessary.
3rd. Silvering zinc, aluminium, etcetera. The bath is formed by mixing with the
sal ammoniac a solution of a single double or compound salt of silver (especially
chloride of silver). Cyanide of potassium or ammonia can be added if desired. The
dipping takes place in a hot or cold bath, and as already described several times
before.
4th. Gilding zinc or aluminium, etcetera. The bath is made of a solution of
hydrochlorate of ammonia and chloride of gold with the addition of ammonia. or
a solution of carbonate of ammonia, so as to make it alkaline, cyanide of potassium
can be added if desired. The articles to be gilded are immersed in the manner already
described.
The process just described is of a general application for obtaining a deposit of any
one metal upon any other metal; its essential foundation consists in the preparation
of the bath by means of hydrochlorate of ammonia (with or without the modifications

page_text: described above) and some other metallic salt, preferably a chloride, although the
operation may succeed equally well with other salts.
The process is especially advantageous in nickeling, coppering, silvering or gilding
articles of small dimensions, such as steel pens, needles, pins, buttons, clasps, etcetera,
but the same process can be utilised for larger articles it is sufficient in that case to
make such arrangements that the immersion of the articles in the bath is easily
carried out.
Dated this 7th day of August 1889
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
ВАТП.
Hydrochlorate of ammonia is taken, to which is added a chloride, for instance,
chloride of nickel if it is wished to nickel plate (in other cases chloride of copper
for coppering, chloride of silver for silvering, or chloride of gold for gilding are
employed).
A neutral solution of a double chloride with an excess of one salt or the other is
thus obtained. A pure hydrochlorate of ammonia may be employed, but the process
succeeds as well and it is much more economical to use commercial sal ammoniac
which is always more or less impure and mixed with other salts. A mixture of hydro-
chlorate of ammonia can also be utilised with sea salt or any other alkaline chloride
or alkaline earth.
•
For iron, cast metal, steel and copper the neutral solution (double chloride) is used,
prepared as described above; but for zinc and aluminium this solution is not so
suitable and liquid ammonia or carbonate of ammonia is preferably added to it in suffi-
cient quantity to give an alkaline solution, so that there is never any precipitation :

page_text: IMMERSION.
In the bath prepared as described, are plunged the articles in iron, cast iron, steel,
zinc, aluminium, etcetera, to be nickeled, coppered, silvered or gilded. They are
rapidly covered with a coating of nickel, copper, silver or gold, and can be withdrawn
from the bath after a short immersion.
The dipping of articles can be performed either in a cold bath or in one heated
to various degrees of temperature up to boiling point, according to circumstances a
hot or cold bath can be employed.
The receptacle containing the dipping bath must be of some material which has
no action on the bath, such as iron, cast iron or any other metal covered with a
protective material, wood, concrete, stoneware, etcetera.
These are the main and special characteristics of the invention. Some details
relative to the mode of working will now be described, which have more importance
from an industrial and commercial point of view.
1st. Nickeling of iron, cast metal, steel, zinc, aluminium, etcetera.
In a basin (of enamelled cast iron, wood, stoneware, etcetera) the double solution
of sal ammoniue and of nickel as described previously is prepared, the articles to be
nickeled, which are placed in a holder or basket of perforated metal or metallic
gauze or the like and inoved about, are then plonged therein for some moments.
If desired mechanical means may be employed to agitate the articles, more
especially if they are heavy or cumbrous. If the bath be warmed the immersion
need only last a few seconds, if it be cold it must be longer.
The operation. of nickeling is facilitated and will succeed much better by the
addition to the bath of a certain quantity of copper, as for instance, by plunging
into it, while warm, strips of copper well cleaned, which may be left there or with-
drawn after a time.
For nickeling iron, cast iron or steel, a neutral bath is employed, while for nickeling
zine or aluminium, an alkaline one is used.
2. Coppering zinc, aluminium, etcetera. The tone of the coppering can be varied
according to the mode of working.
(a) Red coppering. To obtain this tint, a solution of a simple, double or
compound salt of copper is added to the sal-ammonise and an excess of
ammonia or carbonate of ammonia, so as to have an alkaline solution.
(b) Yellow or brass coloured coppering. To obtain this shade, it is sufficient
to add to the above named bath. (a) an ammoniacal solution of zinc salts.
Practically care must be taken in preparing this solution to add sal-ammoniac
to the zinc salts so as to dissolve the whole, and the ammonia must only
be added when the above salts are well mixed, without which the ammonia
will precipitate the zinc salts.
(c) Coppering yellow bronze. This tint is obtained by adding to the first
named bath (a) an alkaline solution of tin salts. (This solution is rendered
alkaline by means of carbonate or bicarbonate of soda in preference to
ammonia.) To avoid precipitation of the tinned salts by the alkali, it
suffices to add first to the solution, tartaric acid.
In baths prepared as described, the articles to be coppered are plunged as described
for nickeling. It may be used cold or hot as circumstances demand. The addition
of a solution of cyanide of potassium or ammonia may, in certain cases, facilitate the
operation, but it is not necessary.

page_text: 3rd. Silvering zinc, aluminium, etcetera. The bath is formed by mixing with the
sal ammoniac a solution of a single, double or compound salt of silver (especially
chloride of silver). Cyanide of potassium or ammonia can be added if desired.
The dipping takes places in a hot or cold bath, and as already described several times
before.
4th. Gilding zinc or aluminium, etcetera. The bath is made of a solution of hydro-
chlorate of ammonia and chloride of gold with the addition of ammonia or a solution
of carbonate of ammonia, so as to make it alkaline, cyanide of potassium can be
added if desired. The articles to be gilded are immersed in the manner already
described.
The process just described is of a general application for obtaining a deposit of
any one metal upon any other metal; its essential foundation consists in the
preparation of the bath by means of hydrochlorate of ammonia (with or without the
modifications described above) and some other metallic salt, preferably a chloride,
although the operation may succeed equally well with other salts.
The process is especially advantageous in nickeling, coppering, silvering or gilding
articles of small dimensions, such as steel pens, needles, pins, buttons, clasps, etcetera,
but the same process can be utilised for larger articles, it is sufficient, in that case,
to make such arrangements that the immersion of the articles in the bath is easily
carried out.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The method of plating in any metal, which consists in plunging the articles to
be plated in a bath composed of a solution of hydrochlorate of ammonia which is
mixed with any salt (preferably chloride) of the metal which it is desired to deposit,
substantially as described.
2. The method herein described of nickeling iron, cast iron, steel, aluminium and
other metals, which consists in plunging and moving about the articles to be plated
in a bath composed of a solution of sal ammoniac and chloride of nickel (or other
nickel salt) as herein described, the bath being neutralised if for plating iron, cast iron
and steel and alkaline for zinc and aluminium, and either containing or not a certain
quantity of copper, substantially as described.
3. The method of coppering zinc or aluminium, which consists in plunging the
articles to be coppered into a bath composed of sal ammoniac and a salt of copper
(preferably a chloride) with or without the addition of a solution of tin or zinc salts,
according to the colour desired, substantially as described.
4. The method of silvering zinc, aluminium and other metals, consisting in plunging
the articles to be silvered into a bath composed of a solution of sal ammoniac and of
a chloride of silver or any other salt of silver, substantially as described.
5. The method of gilding zinc, aluminium and other metals by plunging the articles,
to be gilded, into a bath composed of a solution of sal ammoniac, and a chloride
or any other salt of gold, and rendered alkaline by the addition of ammoniac or
carbonate of ammonia, with or without cyanide of potassium or ammonia, substantially
as described.
6. The various methods of coating or plating metals, each taken as a whole
substantially as herein described.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.