AN IMPROVED PROCESS OR METHOD OF ALLOYING, UNITING, AND COVERING METALS WITH OTHER METALS."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter de Villiers, of Silver Hill, St. Leonard's-on-Sea, in
the County of Sussex, Doctor of Medicine, for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED
PROCESS OR METHOD OF ALLOYING, UNITING, AND COVERING METALS WITH
OTHER METALS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter de Villiers at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st December 1881.
PETER DE VILLIERS of Silver Hill St. Leonard's-on-Sea in the County of
Sussex Doctor of Medicine. "AN IMPROVED PROCESS OR METHOD OF ALLOYING
UNITING AND COVERING METALS WITH OTHER METALS."
My Invention relates to a novel process or method of imparting to iron, steel, and
other metals which are naturally subject to more or less rapid oxidation or corro-
sion under ordinary atmospheric or other conditions, the property or quality of
inoxidability or incorrodibility.
The said Invention consists in alloying, combining, coating, or covering iron, steel
or other metals or alloys with silver gold nickel copper aluminium, zinc tin, or
other metals or a combination or alloy of the same or other metal obtained from a
salt or salts or an oxide thereof by a process of decomposition and recomposition;
that is to say a salt or salts of silver gold, nickel, copper aluminium zinc tin or
other metal or an oxide of a metal which is to be caused to impregnate, combine
with, alloy, or cover iron, steel, or other oxidable or corrodible metal or an alloy of
metals, is first subjected in a suitable bath to the action of such chemical reagents as
will effect its decomposition, and then by and during the process of recomposition.
I obtain a metal which by chemical action and without the aid of electricity is
alloyed with, and deposited in, the pores and on the surface of the iron, steel, or
other metal or metals or alloys exposed to contact therewith. The agents or
reagents employed for effecting the decomposition and recomposition will usually be
such as are known to, and used by, chemists for similar purposes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Peter de Villiers in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th June
1882.
PETER DE VILLIERS, of Silver Hill, St. Leonard's-on-Sea in the County of
Sussex, Doctor of Medicine. AN IMPROVED PROCESS OR METHOD OF ALLOYING,
UNITING, AND COVERING METALS WITH OTHER METALS."
My Invention relates to a novel process or method of imparting to iron, steel, and
other metals which are naturally subject to more or less rapid oxidation or corrosion
under ordinary atmospheric or other conditions the property or quality of
inoxidability or incorrodibility.
The said Invention consists in alloying, combining, coating or covering iron, steel, or
other metals or alloys with silver, gold, nickel, copper, aluminium, zinc, tin lead or
other metals, or a combination or alloy of the same or other metal obtained from a salt
or salts or an oxide thereof, by a process of decomposition and recomposition; that is
to say, a salt or salts of silver, gold, nickel, copper, aluminium, zine, tin lead or other
metal or an oxide of a metal which is to be caused to impregnate combine with,
alloy, or cover, iron, steel, or other oxidable or corrodible metal or an alloy of metals,
is first subjected in a suitable bath, to the action of such chemical reagents as will
effect its decomposition, and then, by and during the process of recomposition I
obtain a metal which, by chemical action and without the aid of electricity, is
alloyed with, and deposited, in the pores and on the surface of the iron steel or other
metal or metals or alloys exposed to contact therewith. The agents or reagents
employed for effecting the decomposition and recomposition will usually be such
as are known to, and used by, chemists for similar purposes.
In the following description I refer moro particularly to the impregnation,
alloying, and covering of iron or steel as those are the metals which are most
subject to oxidation, but it will be understood that other metals or alloys, such as
copper and its alloys, alloys of zinc and lead, of zinc tin and antimony, and others
may be subjected to any said processes to render them inoxidizable and in some cases
to improve their appearance or for other purposes.
I employ for this purpose solutions of metallic salts and compounds including
oxides, from which, by decomposition or recomposition, I obtain fine metallic alloys.
In applying my Invention to the combining or alloying of iron or steel with
silver I commence by thoroughly cleaning the surface of the iron or steel which is
to be rendered inoxidizable for which purpose I use a bath of concentrated solution
of caustic potash or other suitable means. Then I immerse the article or piece of iron
or steel thus cleaned in a second bath consisting of a weak solution of sulphuric
acid, but I use it only when the steel or iron piece or article requires a special
cleaning that is to say when it is deeply rusted and then I further clean it in a
weaker solution of caustic potash. In a short time, varying from about five to
twenty minutes, I withdraw the said article or piece from this second bath or
solution, wash it freely in water, then dry and heat it in an oven at a temperature
of about 150° centigrade.
At this moment it is plunged into a boiling solution contained in a vessel of
earthenware or enamelled iron ware which solution is composed of distilled water,
ten (10) gallons, and tartaric acid ten (10) ounces or more. When this solution is
perfectly clear I introduce into the same while stirring it with a glass rod, melted
chloride of tin two (2) ounces diluted in twenty (20) times its weight of water and
white chloride of silver (dissolved in a concentrated solution of byposulphite of

page_text: soda) the chloride of silver being in any desired quantity not exceeding one half
the weight of the chloride of tin according to the desired richness of the alloy to be
produced. The chloride of silver is diluted in sufficient water to form a concen-
trated solution previous to its being added to the chloride of tin. I sometimes
substitute crystallized nitrate of silver for the chloride of silver.
When these different solutions have been properly mixed they are allowed to
boil together for about a quarter of an hour.
The article or piece of iron or steel previously heated in a dry oven and
suspended by a piece of zinc wire or galvanized iron wire is immersed quickly in
the boiling solution; its dilated or open pores immediately absorb the alloy which
is formed by the solution and in a short time its surface will be covered with a
coating of the same alloy. The iron or steel being thus impregnated and covered
with a metal which is quite as inoxidizable as pure silver, will be effectually pro-
tected against oxidation.
I sometimes, by obvious modifications of the above described process, employ salts
and oxides (or compounds thereof) of various other metals for the impregnation
and coating of iron or steel with alloys of such metals.
For example I combine sulphate of nickel and bisulphate of copper in the
proportion of one (1) ounce of the form with ten (10) ounces of the latter and
thus produce an alloy of nickel and copper which will render iron or steel
inoxidizable.
In this instance I substitute for the tartaric acid solution, chloride of silver one
quarter (/) ounce, binoxide of platinum three (3) ounces, cyanide of potassium
four (4) ounces, and boiling water five (5) or six (6) gallons.
An alloy of aluminium and copper is obtained according to my Invention from
the double chloride of aluminium and the sulphate or oxide of copper combined
in the proportion of one half ounce (/, oz.) of the former and two pounds (2 lbs.)
of the latter. This alloy will impart to the iron or steel the property of inoxi-
dability and will also render the same very sonorous. This alloy is applied to the
iron, steel, or other metal by the aid of a boiling solution of sulphite of soda and
cyanide of potassium in the proportion of four (4) pounds of the sulphite and
eight (8) ounces of the cyanide.
I obtain an alloy of silver and nickel by using the salts thereof in the proportion
of one (1) ounce of nitrate of silver and one (1) ounce of sulphate of nickel which
will penetrate or impregnate iron or steel and render them indestructible by
oxidation or corrosion.
Bichloride of platinum is, according to my Invention by a process or treatment
similar to that above described, combined with either gold, silver, or copper or with
copper and zinc. For producing the first of these alloys I use the salts in the
proportion of one half (2) ounce of chloride of gold and one eighth (/) ounce of
bichloride of platinum. When the iron, steel, or other metal to be protected by
this alloy has been properly cleaned and all traces of oxide and acid have been
removed it is impregnated, combined, or coated with the said alloy in a bath
acidulated with sulphuric acid or preferably with a weak solution of cyanide of
potassium. This alloy possesses to a great extent the quality of durability, and,
as compared with fine gold, is equally inoxidable but of a somewhat paler colour.
The same salt of platinum is also, according to my Invention, combined with
salt of silver in the proportion of one half (/) ounce of bichloride of platinum and
two (2) ounces of nitrate of silver. The alloy thus produced, like that just
previously described, is remarkable with regard to its effect in rendering iron or
steel inoxidizable and I apply it for the same purpose to other metals which are
naturally so readily oxidizable or corrodible as to unfit them for various purposes
for which their other qualities render them very useful. In using such composition
or combination the process will be substantially the same as that above described,
that is to say, the two salts or oxides, or salts and oxides are reduced or decomposed
by the action of the proper chemical agents and the metals resulting from their
decomposition and recomposition form alloys which without which without the aid

page_text: of electric or galvanic appliances impregnate and cover the naturally oxidizable
The following
metal or alloy placed in the bath and subjected to their influence.
formulæ indicate various further modifications of my Invention.
I form an alloy of chloride of silver one quarter (¹) ounce, and binoxide of
platinum three (3) ounces. This alloy will have a very white appearance and is
so hard that the desired polish of its surface when effected will be practically
indestructible.
I also make an alloy of chloride of gold one third (1/3) ounce and neutral oxide
of platinum four (4) ounces. This alloy will be as bright and hard as that just
above described and will have a slightly reddish gold tint.
I also make an alloy of proto-chloride of tin one half (/.) ounce and oxide of
copper two (2) ounces, which alloy forms a bronze which will readily take or
assume any of the various tints required by manufacturers. The three alloys just
above described are applied to the steel or other metal by the aid of a solution of
cyanide of potassium in the proportions above specified.
Another alloy produced by my Invention consists of oxide of manganese and
oxide of iron in variable proportions. This alloy is applied to the steel or other
metal by means of a solution of oxide of manganese, oxide of iron, or sulphate of
iron in the proportion of about one part of the oxide of manganese and two or
These substances must be boiled
three parts of the oxide or the sulphate of iron.
The
for about two or three hours in a concentrated solution of sal ammoniac.
metal pieces or articles to be impregnated or coated with the alloy consisting of the
oxide of manganese and of iron should not be immersed in this solution till after
this boiling.
The objects, articles, or pieces treated as above described are susceptible of a fine
polish and a brilliant colour, but to further improve their appearance when a white
surface is required I sometimes subject them to the action of an electro-plastic
bath composed of the following substances viz carbonate of soda two (2) pounds
sulphite of soda two (2) pounds chloride of zinc four (4) ounces, acctate of copper,
one (1) ounce (with or without arseneous acid say about five (5) grains) the whole
being diluted with a solution of cyanide of potassium (No. 1) in a sufficient
quantity of distilled water to form a clear bath. If any deposit is found at the
bottom of this bath it may be removed by decantation, then the objects or articles
prepared as above described are placed in this bath and subjected to the process of
electro-deposition whereby they receive a second coating or covering which is
white, hard, and susceptible of a very fine polish though the polishing is unnecessary
if the surface is covered by the usual electro-plating process. I sometimes add a
few grains of crystallized nitrate of silver to the bath of white metal to give to the
same a decided silver colour and to produce a more perfect adhesion between the
Jayers of metal. But in either case I obtain as the final result the impregnation of
the iron, steel, or other metals and a white inoxidizable surface thereof whose
quality is improved by each successive operation and the articles or objects thus
treated will preserve for an indefinite time the qualities and appearance of silver.
It will, however, be understood that the final coating may be silver, gold, platinum,
or other metal or alloy according to the appearance desired to be given to the
object or article which has been treated by my process.
I may also treat, according to my Invention, salt of nickel to obtain this nietal
therefrom, or I may obtain an alloy of nickel in different proportions with various
metals for permeating iron, steel, or other metals or alloys as aforesaid, and convert
oxide of nickel in the metal itself and impregnate with it, or deposit it upon, other
metals or alloys.
According to another modification of my Invention I apply a coating or covering
of bronze to iron or steel as follows:-that is to say I make a bath or solution
composed of water ten (10) gallons, bichloride of tin two (2) ounces, sulphate of zinc
two (2) ounces, and sulphate of copper one (1) ounce or more according to the
desired color; the proportions of the salts of zinc and tin may be also varied
without inconvenience according to the size of the pieces of iron or steel to be

page_text: treated by this process, or to the desired appearance. The said solution must be in
all cases heated and kept heated to boiling point till the operation is completed.
The iron, steel, copper and copper alloys or other metals and alloys to be coated
should be cleaned and heated in every preparation according to the process herein-
before described and then immersed in, or otherwise subjected to, the boiling solution
for about one half hour more or less according to the desired thickness of the
coating. After this coating has been obtained it will be advantageous in many
instances to subject the coated metal pieces to a second ebullition which improves
greatly their appearance and quality.
Having thus fully described my said Invention and the manner of performing
the same I wish it understood that I claim.
First. The production or formation of metallic alloys by the decomposition of
the salts in the presence of oxides or in the presence of other salts and the
recomposition of the saine, as above set forth.
Second. The production or formation of inetallic alloys by the decomposition of
the oxides in the presence of other oxides, and the recomposition of the same, as
above set forth.
Third. The coating or covering, impregnating, or alloying, of iron, steel, or other
metal, with either or any of the above specified or similar metallic alloys or
compounds in the manner above specified.
In witness whereof I the said Peter de Villiers have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Thirtieth day of June in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.
PETER DE VILLIERS. (L.S.)