IMPROVEMENTS IN COATING OR PLATING THE FACES OF PRINTING TYPE AND STEREOTYPE PLATES
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Thomas Hughes, of the firm of Hughes
& Son, Patent Agents, 123, Chancery Lane, London, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COATING OR PLATING THE FACES OF PRINTING TYPE
AND STEREOTYPE PLATES."-A communication from abroad by Joseph
Corduan, of New York, United States of America.
Sealed the 4th December 1860, and dated the 6th June 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Thomas Hughes
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th June 1860.
I, EDWARD THOMAS HUGHES, of the firm of Hughes & Son, Patent Agents,
123,Chancery Lane, London, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COATING OR PLATING THE FACES OF PRINTING TYPE
AND STEREOTYPE PLATES," a cominunication from abroad by Joseph Corduan,
of New York, United States of America, to be as follows:-
These improvements cousist in coating type or stereotype plates made of
ordinary type metal with other compound metals harder than copper, or type
metal, such as brass, or an alloy of copper, zinc, and iron, or an alloy known
as key metal, or an alloy of tin and zinc. For this purpose I prepare chemical
solutions to form part of the electrical circuit connecting the type to be coated
Prive I

page_text: with a pole or node of the same compound metal which is to be deposited on
the type for the node.. I make use either of the vat in which the solution is
held, or a separate piece of metal with which the types are connected within
the solution.
To coat type metal with brass I use two solutions, one a saturated solution
of blue vitrol and water, and caustic potash dissolved in water, from which I
obtain a precipitate known as black oxide of copper. I afterwards mix in a
solution of cyanide of potassium and water as much of this black oxide of
copper as it will dissolve; the second solution I compose of cyanide of
potassium and water, to which I apply heat, and then stir in as much white
oxide of zinc as the solution will hold. I mix these two solutions together,
and use the compound as part of the electrical circuit in connection with a vat
or node of brass. As a depositing agent I make use of electro-magnetism. I
vary the proportionate quantities of these two solutions according to the hard-
ness of the brass which it is desirable to deposit; an excess of the zinc solution
increases the hardness, whereas an excess of the copper solution diminishes it.
prepare the
type for this process by placing them in suitable frames, or by
fastening them by wires; the faces of the whole offering a completely even
surface, the conducting wire connected with the type being at its other end
attached to the zinc or negative pole of the battery, whilst the positive or
platinum pole is by a similar wire connected with the brass vat, or with a
brass plate.
To coat type with an alloy of copper, zinc, and iron, I make use of a
solution of prussate of iron one part, white oxide of zinc one part, and black
oxide of copper one part, mixed and dissolved by heat in a solution of cyanide
of potassium and water; for the node I employ copper, iron, and zinc, in
equal parts, and as a depositing agent, either batteries or magnetic machines.
To coat type with an alloy known as key metal, in a heated solution of
cyanide of potassium, I mix equal parts of black oxide of copper and chloride
of tin; I employ as a node equal parts of copper and tin, and for depositing
agents, either batteries or a machine.
To coat type with an alloy of tin and zinc, I stir in a hot saturated solution
of cyanide of potassium, equal parts of chloride of tin and white oxide of zinc,
as much as the solution will hold, the node being formed of equal parts of tin
and zinc, and the depositing agents employed either a battery or a machine.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Thomas Hughes in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 6th December 1860).
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
THOMAS HUGHES, of the firm of Hughes & Son, Patent Agents, 123, Chancery
Lane, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Edward Thomas Hughes, Her special licence that I, the said
Edward Thomas Hughes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, my 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 King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COATING OR PLATING THE FACES OF PRINTING
TYPE AND STEREOTYPE PLATES," a communication to me from abroad by Joseph
Corduan, of New York, United States of America, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, ny 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 Edward Thomas Hughes, 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):-
These improvements consist in coating or plating the faces of printing types
made of the ordinary type metal and the faces of stereotype plates with brass
and certain other compound metals harder and more durable than type metal
or copper.
The nature of the Invention consists in the making of a chemical solution
of certainingredients herein-after particularlydescribed, andwhich solution is
to form a part of the electrical circuit, and in connecting the type to be coated

page_text: with a pole or node of the same compound metal with which the types are to
be coated, and using for the node the vat in which the solution is held, in
which case the vat must be of the metal which is to coat the types; or using
a separate piece of metal with which the types are connected within the
solution itself, the precipitation and deposit of the brass or other hard
compound being effected by the galvanic battery, or electro-magnetism.
The nature of the ordinary type metal used for printing types and stereo-
typing is such, that the processes heretofore known for electrotyping iron with
other metals, or even with compound metals, such, for instance, as brass, are
different essentially from that required for type metal; and I believe that I
am the first to discover a process by which brass and certain other compound
metals can be deposited upon the faces of types made of type metal by electro-
typing, so that the faces or letters of the types will have the requisite, distinct,
and clear outline, and at the same time the required hardness. For this
purpose when a coating of brass upon type metal is required, I use the
following described solution and process:-Make a saturated solution of blue
vitriol and water, pour into this solution of vitriol and water caustic potash
dissolved in water, which will precipitate a brown dark powder, known as
black oxyde of copper. Wash this well, and evaporate till dryness. Into a
solution of cyanide of potassium and water stir as much of this black oxyde of
copper as it will dissolve. U se no heat. Place another vessel containing a
solution of cyanide of potassium and water upon a heated sand bath until it
boils, then stir in as much white oxyde of zinc as the solution will hold. By
mixing these two solutions together, a solution is produced, capable when used
as part of the electrical circuit, and in connection with a vat or node of brass,
of reducing and depositing the composition known as brass upon all metals
and alloys.
The articles to be coated must be well brushed in a solution of cyanide of
potassium and water, which will remove all grease and any other substance
foreign to the metal. In making this solution the hardness or softness of the
brass deposited can be regulated by using in excess either one or the other
solutions; excess of zinc solution making it hard, excess of copper solution
making it soft; the color of the deposit inclining to the color of the metal
which is in excess. I prefer to use brass vats in which to hold the compound
solution. Having them made of this alloy saves the use of a node, the vat
itself acting in that capacity. I use electro-magnetism as a depositing agent.
In subjecting types to the operation of being electrotyped or plated with
brass, I plate masses of thein together in a suitable frame, or fasten them
together in bundles by wires; the letter faces should all be upon
the same

page_text: plane, i.c., with a perfectly even surface; the faces are only to be immersed in
the solution. The wire, which is connected with the type or stereotype plate
to be operated upon, must be attached at the other end to the zinc or negative
pole of the battery. The positive or platinum pole is connected by a wire
with the brass vat if used, or with a brass plate.
By using the following described solution and process types can be plated
with an alloy or compound of copper, zinc, and iron-Prussate of iron one
part, white oxyde of zinc one part, and black oxyde of copper one part, stirred
in a boiling hot solution of cyanide of potassium and water until they dissolve.
Let it cool before using. Node used, composed of equal parts of copper, iron,
and zinc. Depositing agent, either batteries or magnetic machine.
For plating types with an alloy known as key-metal, proceed as follows:-
Make a saturated solution of cyanide of potassium. Heat to boiling, then stir
in equal parts of black oxyde of copper and chloride of tin. Allow it to cool
before using. Node, composed of equal parts of copper and tin. Depositing
agent, either batteries or machine.
For plating types with an alloy of tin and zinc proceed as follows:-Make
a boiling hot saturated solution of cyanide of potassium, and stir in equal parts
of chloride of tin and white oxyde of zinc as much as the solution will hold.
Let it cool before using. Node, equal parts of tin and zinc; use either battery
or machine.
In the composition of the solutions above described I have given the parts
and proportions which I believe to be the best for the purpose. These
solutions may be varied in their proportions and parts somewhat, and a similar
result still be produced, though with less perfect and satisfactory effect.
Having now described the nature and particulars of the said Invention, as
communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, I would have it understood
that I do not confine myself to the exact details or proportions herein given;
but I give the above as the best and sure st process for plating typemetal with
brass or other compound metals named by chemical means.
I am aware that solutions and processes have been discovered for electro-
typing brass upon iron, though in an imperfect manner,
and such processes
have hitherto been inapplicable and ineffectual for plating brass upon type
metal.
I am also aware that the plating of the surfaces or faces of printing types
and stereotype plates made of type metal with copper by chemical solutionsand
galvanic electricity has been already practised. I do not, therefore, claim the
coating or plating of the process of printing types with simple metals, such,
for example, as copper; nor do I claim to be the first who has coated or

page_text: plated certain metals, such as iron, for, instance, with brass composition by
chemical means; but what I do claim and believe to be new within the realm
is, the plating or coating of the letter faces of printing types or stereotype
plates made of type metal with brass or other compound metals harder than
copper, as described, by means of the solutions and process combined with
electro-magnetism, as herein described, or any other process substantially
the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty..
EDWARD THOMAS, HUGHES. (L.S.)