AN IMPROVED METALLIC ALLOY, AND IN THE APPLICATIONS OF THE SAME
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville 'Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED METALLIC
ALLOY, AND IN THE APPLICATIONS OF THE SAME."-A communication from
abroad by Georges Achille Schmitte and Hilaire André Levallois, Metal
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th August 1867.
1, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IM-
PROVED METALLIC ALLOY, AND IN THE APPLICATIONS OF THE SAME," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to the composition of what I term minargent, con-
sisting of alloys of different metals, and to the applications of the same.
The
minargent, which may be compared to silver, possesses nine-tenths of its
whiteness, malleability, ductility, tenacity, sonorousness, and density, while_it_
bas a-superior metallic lustre, wears better, is less liable to be acted on by
the emanations of sulphuretted hydrogen, and is less fusible than silver. This

page_text: alloy (minargent) may be used for all purposes to which silver or other white
metals or alloys are applicable. It is composed of 1000 parts of pure copper,
7:00 parts of pure nickel, 50 parts of pure tungsten, 10 parts of pure
aluminium.
I do not, however, limit myself to the exact proportions given above as the
composition of this improved alloy.
The chief features of the minargent consist in the introduction in the alloy
of pure tungsten and pure aluminium, and also the considerable proportion of
nickel which I have succeeded in alloying with the aluminium, notwithstanding
its known want of affinity therewith. Thus I may use not only the proportions
given above, but vary each of them more or less as may be desirable. I first
melt together the three first elements, care being taken to cover them with
small lumps of charcoal. They are then run off in a granulated form, and
again melted, adding aluminium as above mentioned, and about one and a half
per cent. of a flux composed of one part borax and one part fluoride of calcium;
these proportions of flux are reduced as the fusion proceeds. The metal is formed
into ingots and moulded in sand in the ordinary way. The ingot and other
moulds should be greased with some fatty matter, such as suet or rosin. The
forging, rolling, wiredrawing, and annealing of the metal is, also effected in
the ordinary manner, care being taken not to employ sulphurous fuel, while
for "cleaning" the metal dilute sulphuric acid is used, and a dead surface is
obtained by the aid of nitric acid of commerce.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 5th February 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Alexander Melville Clark, Her special licence that I, the said Alexander Melville
Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Alexander Melville Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all

page_text: 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 "AN
IMPROVED METALLIC ALLOY, AND IN THE APPLICATIONS OF THE SAME," a com-
munication to me from abroad by Georges Achille Schmitte and Hilaire
André Levallois, Metal Manufacturers, both of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexander Melville
Clark, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
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 I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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 is to say) :-
This Invention relates to the composition of what I term minargent, con-
sisting of alloys of different metals, and also to the applications of the same.
This alloy may be compared to silver, possessing nine-tenths of its whiteness,
malleability, ductility, tenacity, sonorousness, and density, while it has a
superior metallic lustre, wears better, is less liable to be acted on by the
emanations of sulphuretted hydrogen, and is less fusible than silver., This alloy
(minargent) may be used for all the purposes to which silver or other white
metal alloys are applicable. It is composed of one thousand parts of pure
copper, seven hundred parts of pure nickel, fifty parts of pure tungsten,
ten parts of pure aluminium.
I do not, however, limit myself to the exact proportions given above as the
composition of this improved alloy.
The chief features of the minargent consist in the introduction in the alloy
of pure tungsten and pure aluminium, and also the considerable proportion of
nickel which I have succeeded in alloying with the aluminium, notwithstanding
its known want of affinity therewith. I may use not only the proportions
given above, but vary each of them more or less as may be desirable. I first
melt together the three first elements, care being taken to cover them with
small lumps of charcoal. They are then run off in a granulated form and
again melted, adding aluminium as above mentioned, and-about-one-and-a-half
per cent of a flux composed of one part borax and one part fluoride of calcium;
these proportions of flux are reduced as the fusion proceeds. The metal is

page_text: formed into ingots and moulded in sand in the ordinary way. The ingot and
other moulds should be greased with some fatty matter, such as suet or rosin.
The forging, rolling, wiredrawing, and annealing of the metal is also effected
in the ordinary manner, care being taken not to employ sulphurous fuel, while
for cleaning the metal dilute sulphuric acid is used, and a dead surface is
obtained by the aid of nitric acid of commerce.
Having described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the composition of
the improved alloys to which I give the name minargent, the chief features
being,―
First, the introduction of pure tungsten and pure aluminium in the alloys,
as described.
Secondly, alloying the considerable proportion of nickel notwithstanding its
known anti-affinity to aluminium.
It will be understood that I do not confine myself to the exact proportions
given of each of the component parts of the alloys, 'as such may be increased
or reduced if desired, and as before mentioned.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
M CLADIZ
M
CLADIZ
CL