AN IMPROVED GALVANOPLASTIC PROCESS AND IMPROVED APPARATUS IN CONNECTION THEREWITH
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of No. 11, Wellington Street,
Strand, London, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention
of "AN IMPROVED GALVANOPLASTIC PROCESS AND IMPROVED APPARATUS IN
CONNECTION THEREWITH." A communication from abroad by Cyrille Bonaz,
fils ainé, of Oyonnax (Ain), France, Comb Manufacturer.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Gedge at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th September 1879.
WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, London, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "AN IMPROVED GALVANOPLASTIC PROCESS
AND IMPROVED APPARATUS IN CONNECTION THEREWITH.” A communication from
abroad by Cyrille Bonaz, fils ainé, of Oyonnax (Ain), France, Comb Manufacturer.
This Invention relates to an improved process whereby it is proposed to render
easy and practical the reproduction in a single piece by electro-chemical means of
all objects or articles in relievo and others.
For this purpose, after having formed the mould of the article to be reproduced,
and having rendered it a conductor of elictricity, I use for the positive purpose of
bringing the positive fluid into the mould an anode jointed or linked like a chain.
Each link is surrounded with a suitable insulating substance, such covering or
coating however having numerous openings or solutions of continuity.
To form this chain-anode I use any metal wire being a good conductor of elec-
tricity, but preferably platinum wire, because this metal remains unaltered in the
bath, and I provide each link with an insulating covering in the form of a ball or
of a tube. The balls may be of glass, porcelain, wood, horn, india-rubber, gutta-
percha, in short, of any insulating material unchangeable (or incorruptible in the
bath; they are hollow, and pierced with openings as numerous and as broad as
possible.
When the narrowness of the mould or of a part of it will not permit the intro-
duction of the balls, the link, which consists either of wire or of a plate according to
circumstances, is covered with a tube, or with a sheet of india-rubber, or with any
other insulating material, but always pierced with openings.
13

page_text: The joints are also protected by a piece of tubing or by a strip or lashing of any
suitable insulating material, india-rubber being preferred, because it leaves the chain
free to bend.
The jointing or articulation of the anode renders its introduction into and removal
from the mould easy; it also permits following the principal sinuosities of the
mould. The electric fluid passes along it in its entire length. The insulating
covering prevents all electric contact between the anode and the mould, and the
fluid may escape by the openings in this covering or envelope.
The chain being thus made, one or more of them is introduced into the mould,
previously made a conductor of electricity, so as to fill its entire cavity; and the
whole being carried to the reduction bath, and the chain-anode and the mould con-
nected with the poles of the source of electricity, the metallic solution becomes
decomposed, the metal deposits over the inside of the mould, and at the end of a
certain time when the coating is of sufficient thickness the mould may be detached,
and an exact reproduction of the object or article will be found.
This process may also be applied to ordinary galvano plastic or electro-metallurgy.
Thus when it is desired to deposit a metal upon an open surface, plane or concave,
instead of using an anode in one piece, which cannot follow the sinuosities of the
mould, the chain-anode may be used; in this case the piece is laid horizontally in
the bath, the chain-anode resting upon it. This applies also to objects or articles
with convex surfaces, like a relievo; the article is surrounded with the chain.
As to the advantages of this process, it permits the artistic and commercial or
manufacturing reproduction of all kinds of objects or articles, busts, statues, groups,
and various subjects, in relievo or otherwise, in gold, silver, copper, or any other
metal, and in a very easy and practical manner, which will be found a great
advance upon the old processes, which could only be used with great difficulty for
reproductions in relievo.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Edward Gedge in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th
March 1880.
WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, London, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "AN IMPROVED GALVANOPLASTIC PROCESS
AND IMPROVED APPARATUS IN CONNECTION THEREWITH." A communication from
abroad by Cyrille Bonaz, fils ainé, of Oyonnax (Ain), France, Comb Manufacturer.
This Invention relates to a new process whereby it is proposed to render easy
and practical the reproduction in a single piece of all kinds of objects or articles in
alto-relievo and others.
For this purpose, after having formed the mould of the article to be reproduced,
and having rendered it a conductor of electricity if not already such, I use for the
purpose of bringing the positive fluid into the mould either an anode jointed or
linked like a chain, or an anode formed of a continuous metal wire or of a plate
also metallic.
This chain, wire, or plate is surrounded with a suitable insulating substance
incorruptible or unalterable in the bath, and having numerous openings or solutions
of continuity.
To form this chain-anode I use a metal wire, preferably of platinum, and I pro-
vide each link with an insulating covering in the form of a ball, a disc, or a tube.
The balls as well as the discs may be of glass, porcelain, wood, horn, india rubber,
gutta porcha, in short of any insulating material unchangeable or incorruptible in
the bath; they are hollow, and pierced with openings as numerous and as broad as
possible. The joints or linking parts of the chain are also protected by a piece of
tubing or a strap or strip of insulating material, usually india-rubber.
The continuous copper, leaden, platinum, or other wire is provided with the same
insulating balls or discs as the chain, and when the narrowness of the mould or of
a part of the mould does not permit the introduction of the balls or of the discs I
replace them by a tube of indiarubber or other material pierced with holes.
I usually use platinum wire to form the chain and lead wire for the continuous
wire, as the two metals are not sensibly impaired or altered in the bath. I havo
thus an insoluble anode which lasts for an indefinite period.
Any other metal may be used.
The jointing of the anode renders its introduction into and removal from the
mould easy. It naturally takes the form of the mould, and follows its principal
sinuosities. The balls and other insulating coverings prevent with certainty all
electric contact between the anode and the mould, and the openings in these
coverings permit the fluid to escape to decompose the metallic solution.
Whenever the mould will permit I use the continuous wire furnished with its
balls, discs, and tube, because the property of conducting or conductibility is better
than with the chain.
The chain-anode is used in difficult cases, where, for example, the opening of the
mould is very narrow and the remainder of the mould swells out and has very wide
parts. The plate is used when the mould has large or long and narrow parts.
The anode being thus made, one or more of these chains, wires, or plates, fur-
nished with their insulating coverings, is introduced into the mould, so as to fill its
entire cavity; and the whole being carried to the reduction bath, the anode and
the mould being connected the one with the positive and the other with the nega-
tive pole of the source of electricity, the metallic solution decomposes, and the metal
deposits over the inside of the mould. The chains or the wires may be withdrawn
from time to time during the work in order to follow the course or progress of the
operation, which takes place in a very regular manner and without fear of contact,
and they are replaced without difficulty.

page_text: At the end of a certain time, varying according to the degree of intensity of the
electricity, when the coating of metal has attained the desired thickness, the
mould may be detached, and an exact reproduction of the object or article will be
found.
This process may also be applied to ordinary galvanoplastic or electro-metallurgy.
Thus when it is desired to deposit a metal upon an open surface, plane or concave,
and presenting great sinuosities or great anfractuosities, instead of using an anode
in one piece which cannot follow the sinuosities of the mould, the chain-anode may
be used.
In this case the mould is laid horizontally in the bath, the chain-anode
resting upon it. This applies also to objects or articles with convex surfaces, like
alto relievos, which it is desired to coat with metal; the article is surrounded with
the chain.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawing,-
Figure 1 shows a chain-anode furnished with insulating balls and discs.
Figure 2, a continuous wire-anode furnished with insulating balls and plate pro-
vided with a covering.
Figure 3, reduction bath in which are two moulds, one provided with a continuous
wire anode and the other with a chain-anode.
Figure 4, pile or source of electricity.
This Invention is characterized by the fact that the anode, whether chain, wire,
or plate, carries with it the wedges which insulate it electrically from the mould.
As to the advantages of this process, it permits the artistic and commercial or
manufacturing reproduction of all kinds of objects or articles, busts, statues, groups,
and various subjects, in alto-relievo or otherwise, in gold, silver, copper, or any other
inetal, and that in a very simple and practical manner, which will be found a great
advance upon the old processes, that could only be used with great difficulty for this
kind of reproduction.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of the Invention communicated
to me as aforesaid, and in what manner the same is or may be performed,―
I claim as secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent,―
Firstly. The jointing of the anode and its arrangement in the form of a chain,
which permits its being easily introduced into and withdrawn from the mould, to
follow or ascertain the course or progress of the operation, and taking naturally or
of itself the form of the mould, filling the whole of the cavity and following the
principal sinuosities, substantially as herein before described.
Secondly. The insulation of the anode:-Chain, wire, plate, by a covering
formed of a substance a non conductor of electricity and unalterable or incorruptible
in the bath in order to prevent all electric contact between it and the mould,
substantially as above set forth.
Thirdly. Openings or solutions of continuity in these insulating coverings, balls,
tubes, or other to give passage to the fluid, substantially as above specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Gedge, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty third day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.