A PROCESS OF GALENISING OR COATING METALS AND OTHER SURFACES WITH GALENA
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Emerson Reynolds, M.D., Professor of Chemistry,
University of Dublin, Ireland, for an Invention of "A PROCESS OF GALENISING
OR COATING METALS AND OTHER SURFACES WITH GALENA."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Emerson Reynolds at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th March 1880.
JAMES EMERSON REYNOLDS, M.D., Professor of Chemistry, University of Dublin,
Ireland. "A PROCESS OF GALENISING OR COATING METALS AND OTHER SURFACES
WITH GALENA."
My Invention relates to a process for galenising or coating metallic and other
surfaces with brilliant and strongly adherent protective layers of galena.
My process consists in immersing the surface to be coated in or covering it with
a hot or cold solution containing dissolved lead (either in the form of a salt of the
metal, or of oxide or hydrate dissolved by aqueous soda, potash, or lime, with or
without the addition of other metallic hydrates or of ammonia), and a body capable
of affording sulphur by gradual decomposition in the liquid, but preferably the
body known as thio-carbamide or sulphourea discovered by me.
I further claim the application of this method of galenising to the coating with
mirror like and protecting layers all metals, alloys, and amalgams, glass, (including
the production of doubly reflecting mirrors), photographic films or collodion on
glass or paper, porcelain, earthenware, mica, marble, stone (natural and artificial),
slate, plaster, ivory, bone, horn, wax, paraffine, and similar bodies, wood, resinous
surfaces, ebonite, guttapercha, india rubber, and allied materials, leather) papier
-maché, paper, and various other fabrics._

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Emerson Reynolds in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th
September 1880.
JAMES EMERSON REYNOLDS, M.D., Professor of Chemistry, University of Dublin,.
Ireland. "A PROCESS OF GALENISING OR COATING METALS AND OTHER SURFACES
WITH GALENA,"
My Invention relates to a process for galenising or coating metallic and other
surfaces with brilliant and strongly adherent protective layers of galena.
My process consists in immersing the surface to be coated in or covering it with
a hot or cold solution containing dissolved lead (either in the form of a salt of the
metal, or of oxide or hydrate dissolved by aqueous soda, potash, or lime, with or
without the addition of other metallic salts or hydrates or of ammonia), and a body
capable of affording sulphur by gradual decomposition in the liquid, but preferably
the body known as thio-carbamide or sulpho-urea discovered by me, and described
in the "Journal of the Chemical Society of London," Vol. 7 (second series).
t.
• This method of galenising is applicable to the coating with mirror-like and
protecting layers of metals, alloys, and amalgams, glass, photographic films or
collodion on glass or paper, porcelain, earthenware, mica, marble, stone (natural and
artificial), slate, ebonite, guttapercha, indiarubber, and allied materials; also to the
coating of leather, papier maché, paper, and various other fabrics, plaster, ivory,
bone, horn, wax, paraffin, and similar bodies, wood, and resinous surfaces after
having previously coated or filled up the pores of the wood or other surface with
any material capable of resisting weak alkalies, viz., soluble rubber, guttapercha, or
siliceous, or other enamels.
The following is an example of one of the best modes of galenising the above
"mentioned substances except brass, and some other substances hereafter mentioned,
although it is applicable to these also:-Take 16 grammes of solid sodic hydrate
(NaOH) or an equivalent of other suitable bydrate, dissolve it in-1.75 litres of
water, and add to the liquid 17 grammes of lead nitrate (Pb2 NOs), or an equivalent
of other lead salt with 250 cubic centimetres of water; raise the temperature of
the mixture to 90° C. If sufficient lead salt has been added the liquid remains
somewhat turbid after heating, and must then be rapidly strained or filtered
through asbestos, glass-wool, or other suitable material into a convenient vessel.
The filtered liquid is then well mixed with 100 cubic centimetres of hot water
containing in solution 4 grammes of sulpho-urea or thio-carbamide. If the
temperature of the mixture be maintained at about 70° C, deposition of galena in
the form of a fine adherent film or layer quickly takes place on any object
immersed in or covered with the liquid, provided the object be in a perfectly clean
condition and suitable for the purpose. When the operation is properly conducted
a layer of galena is obtained, which is so strongly adherent that it can be easily
polished by means of the usual leather polisher. It is not necessary to deposit the
galena from hot liquids, but I generally prefer to do so as the deposition is more
rapid than from cold solutions.
The most convenient solution for deposition on brass is thus prepared :-Take a
quantity of soda ley containing 11½ ounces of real soda (NaOH); dissolve in this
with the aid of heat 3 ounces of tartrate of lead, and just before diluting the solution
to one gallon with cold water, add 5 drachms of sulpho-urea previously dissolved in
a small quantity of hot water. The articles are to be immediately immersed in this
bath, and the temperature raised to boiling. When the desired tint is obtained the
articles are to be removed, washed, and polished.
The above solution can be used for glass or porcelain, hot or cold, if the
proportion of alkali be reduced one third or thereabouts.

page_text: Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be protected by the
hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1st. The process of galenising or coating surfaces with galena consisting in
applying to the surface to be galenised a solution containing dissolved lead, with
or without other metals in solution, and a body capable of affording sulphur by
gradual decomposition in the liquid, substantially as herein described.
2nd. The application and employment in the herein described process of
galenising of the body known as thio-carbamide or sulpho-urea, substantially as
and for the purpose herein specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Emerson Reynolds, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Tenth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
JAMES EMERSON REYNOLDS. (LS.)