Improvements in Metallically Renovating Gold and Silver Lace, Trimmings, Braidings, and the like, and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1885

page_text: Improvements in Metallically Renovating Gold and Silver Lace,
Trimmings, Braidings, and the like, and in Apparatus therefor.
I, ANDREAS SÖHNER of Kaiserstrasse 166 Karlsruhe, Grand Duchy of Baden,
in the Empire of Germany, do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLICALLY RENOVATING GOLD- AND SILVER-LACE, TRIMMINGS,
BRAIDINGS, AND THE LIKE AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR, to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object a regular gilding or silvering of real or imitated
metal-threads, wires etc in a wrought state, that is to say of spun, woven, plaited
or embroidered metallic fabrics, which however, in order to obtain this metallic
restoration in a complete and thorough manner, if they are composed of different
parts, are previously disjoined into their components; for instance military scarves
are decomposed into the bands and nets and upper and lower fringes.
Subsequently, they are sorted according to their nature, for instance into woven
and embroidered fabrics; gold and silver laces are coiled up or rolled, fringes are
held by wires, embroideries are mounted, and now any dirt fat, oxyd is entirely
removed, without damaging or weakening the under lying fibre of silk, cotton etc.
For this purpose the different articles to be gilt or silvered, are at first treated
by steam, in an apparatus, essentially consisting of an open steam generator,
covered with a tinned wire grating, a hermetically adjoined steam-space, situated
above the grating and a condenser.
The respective articles are placed in two compartments in the steam space; the
embroideries and other delicate articles being uppermost above the grating, formed
of single, easily exchangeable wooden rods, and exposed to the action of steam for
about an hour: The distilled water, formed in the condenser, is collected in
a tank.
The pieces are now swollen, loose, soft and flexible, dust and dirt are loosened
or detached. Subsequently the pieces are brought into their original form, for
instance depressed portions are raised, eventually, rust and other stains are
removed and then, for loosening and removing still more effectually dirt and
Sweat, the pieces are separated according to their metal, and the silver articles,
that is to say those with a white ground, are drawn to and fro for about half an
hour in a lye, heated to 80° and consisting of 2 Kilos of soda in one hectolitre of
water, and the gold articles, that is to say, those with yellow or other coloured i

page_text: ground, are similarly treated in an equally hot lye, consisting of 3 Kilos of Soda
in one hectolitre of water for about 20 minutes.
Subsequently any soda and water being removed from the articles, the latter are
cautiously stirred in a boiling solution of 2 Kilos of Panama bark in one hectolitre
of water and again carefully washed with water, whereby the remainders of all
greasy substances are removed. The rinsing is effected by waving the articles
by hand in a trough, divided into several compartments, adapted to be closed
by means of slides, for transmitting the articles from one compartment to the
other, they are laid by the by-standing workman, on a grating and taken off
by the following workman in order to be waved or agitated in the respective
compartment.
[..
Subsequently the articles are treated in a bath of hydrochloric acid, for the
purpose of bleaching the thread and of loosening any calcareous matter adhering
thereto and of pickling the metal.
The bath consists of a solution of some chloride of tin in cold distilled water,
with the addition of hydrochloric acid of 0,25-0,5° B., therein the articles are
effectively agitated and taken out at the moment, the thread appears white and
the worn places of the metal appear bright. Subsequently they pass again the
agitating trough and are finally completely rinsed with running water in the last
compartment.
In order to further increase the capacity of the thus prepared articles for being
gilt silvered or colored, also to give the metal to be brought on, at once a uniform fresh
colour, the articles, after having been regularly brushed by means of hair brushes
and tartaric powder, are subjected to a preliminary polishing process by the here-
after described polishing cylinders or metal brushes, subsequently again slightly
brushed with tartaric powder and regularly rinsed with water."
;"
The embroideries are somewhat differently treated, in as much as they are, after
coming out of the steam apparatus, treated cold. They are brushed clean in a
swollen, and (having been fastened on little boards, wooden cylinders etc.) tightly.
strained state with a fine hair brush and rather strong solution of soda in distilled
water, then again rinsed, subsequently, like the other articles, polished by hand
with finest metal brushes, again slightly brushed with tartaric powder and finally
rinsed.
Now the articles are sufficiently prepared for the galvanic silvering or gilding,
which is effected as follows:
Owing to the different natures of the articles to be treated, two kinds of silver-
or gold-baths are employed according to the required thickness of silvering or
color of gilding and the strength of the current is regulated according to the
presence of fine torn metal threads or solid metal articles."
For silvering heavy double laces, strong strings etc, which can be reached from
all sides and for silvering light and sensitive objects, such as wire-ribbons etc, a
solution of 75 grammes of chemically pure silver and 40 grammes of 90% cyanide
of potash in 50 litres of distilled water at 40° C. is used.
To obtain more quickly on the articles thus silvered, a brilliant white precipitate,
the same are again exposed to the galvanic current in a second solution of
30 grammes of chemically pure silver and 100 grammes of 90 % cyanide of potash
in 50 litres of distilled water at 70° C. <
1
!. For gilding smooth and-craped cords, light tassels, fringes, wire-ribbons in light
gold colour, I employ a solution of 50 grammes of fine gold and 500 grammes
of 90% cyanide of potash-in 50 litres distilled water at 80-85° C, and for
gilding wire-laces, embroideries etc., I use a solution of 50 grammes of fine gold,
400 grammes of bicarbonate of soda, 700 grammes of yellow cyanide of potash in-
50 litres of distilled water at 40-45° C. ~
.
The baths must be kept standing two days after being prepared, and must then
be filtered.
The articles, suitably sorted according to their weight and nature, are brought
in ardifferent manner into the baths. For this purpose I employ a wire frame.
:

page_text: consisting of silvered or gilt-brass or copper rods, on which frame are hung from
below by means of small brass hooks, little tassels, stars nets etc, and on the top
of the grating are laid wire-laces, 'cords etc, loosely rolled.
?
These wire frames, thus armed, are hung into the bath and connected with the
conducting wire.
:
The wire frame allows cords, laid upon it in a spiral line, to be taken out and
turned, which cords are silvered less thickly at the points of contact and therefore
become stained.
:
:
}
For this purpose two gratings are connected by brass chains passing loosely
through both gratings in such a manner, that, when the upper grating, which has
not been in the bath, is hooked out, and the chains are seized at their crossing
point, this grating sinks down on the lower grating and thus therewith encloses
the strings, subsequently both gratings are held fast by intermediate strings, and
the whole is turned upside down. The grating, now situated above, is-subsequently
raised and hooked in, whilst the strings are lying inversely on the other grating,
which is now dipped into the bath.
Stronger and stiffer cords, parts of plaitings, are directly hung upon rods,
provided with recesses, to prevent the cords from sliding off, by dipping in and
turning.
For very heavy double webs with or without fringes, heavy tassels, long heavy
belts, which are hung or plaited on their entire length, gratings with feet are
employed, and put into the bath. The articles, which are lying on, are now and
then drawn a little out of their position, for avoiding the formation of stains at
the points of contact.
For treating wire laces, borders, embroideries, which are to be silvered or gilt on
one side only and possess a considerable length, and the metal threads of which do
not directly touch one another, or which are worn away at the edges or torn, so
that the current cannot flow from wire to wire inside of the articles, I employ the
following apparatus.
On a perforated enamelled metal plate are arranged two pairs of stands, between
which a grating, made of strong brass wires, is stretched or mounted over.
cross bars.
A second grating or flap, movable up and down, and made of fine brass wires, is
mounted on two parallel brass rods and pivoted by means of a frame, connected
with the outer brass rod and with the axle of this frame, the inner brass-rod being.
adapted to slide in vertical slots, formed in two of the stands. The flap must be
laid down for use during which motion the sliding brass rod falls from its highest
position to the bottom of the slots. When not in action, the flap is brought into
its original position by the aid of a weight.
For enabling the operator to stretch the wires of the frame tightly, two screws
are applied, which in the lowest position of the frame, are situated in front of
corresponding holes of the outer stands, get through these holes by pulling the
grating towards these stands, and are subsequently tightened by means of
screw nuts.
Thereby the sliding brass rod is raised obliquely and simultaneously the grating
is slightly lifted. An intermediate rod prevents the cross plate from falling back
towards the side of the stand. A perforated plate serves for setting the wires by
being shifted to and fro along the same.
For silvering or guilding a long ribbon, the same is wound upon a beam, thence
placed on the wire grating, and the wire flap is lowered to its lowest position.
Subsequently a comb, mounted on the wire flap, which comb had fallen until untit
arriving in front of the stands, is drawn forward until it arrives behind the inner
cross-bar, the screws are brought through the outer stands, therefore the grating is
drawn from its lowest to the intermediate position, and its wires stretched by
means of the respective nut, whereby all wires are lying closely upon the ribbon,
and each part of the latter is in connection with the galvanic current, after the

page_text: whole, hanging at cords or chains, has been lowered into the bath and the galvanic
current has been admitted at h.
After this part of the ribbon has been sufficiently long in the bath, the wire
flap is opened, the reverse way, the finished part of the ribbon is conducted under
a pulley to a beam, and there wound up, and a following part of ribbon is equally
treated and so on, until the whole piece is finished.
In the same manner the embroideries attached to very thin little boards, are
brought under the wire flap or between the gratings and further treated in the
bath.
Should it however occur, that one or more threads can not at all or but partly
be brought into the electric circuit, the hereafter described so-called retouching
brush is applied.
To treat wire ribbons for the uniform of officers, I employ a glass-cylinder, pro-
vided with a felt cover, which leaves about one sixth of the circumference of the
cylinder uncovered, and with a closing device, consisting of two brass angles,
situated on that part of the surface of the cylinder, which is not covered by the
felt cover, and which angles are so connected by wires as to surround the felt
cylinder, on which the ribbons are laid.
The wire ribbons are laid flat on the felt cover, tightened and fastened by means
of pins, the wire mantle is shifted over the same and tightened by means of a few
connecting screws.
The wires must be arranged so as to touch all wires of the ribbons or to bring
the same into the electric circuit, when the whole is immersed into the bath and
the circuit is closed.
Also in this case I employ the aforementioned retouching brush, when not all
the wires were brought into the circuit. This retouching brush consists of a brush,
composed of fine brass wires all of which are electrically connected with each
other by a brass cover plate, consequently so as to form a pole, as soon as the
conducting wire, insulated in the handle and connected with the coverplate, is
inserted.
By treating the deficient spots with this brush, the smallest spots of metal are
brought in contact and thus again silvered or gilt.
This brush is also of particular importance, where small flowers, stars etc. are
separately embroidered into the respective articles.
The articles after having been silvered or gilt in the manner described, are
washed with water in order to recover the excess of silver or gold, attached
thereto. Subsequently the articles are polished either by hand (by means of metal
brushes) or by mechanically driven polishing cylinders and that under continuous
rinsing, for which purpose a table table furnished with a spouting contrivance.
The metal brushes have the shape of ordinary hair brushes and are perfectly
armed with corrugated brass-wires, according to their application, of different
thickness. For long strings I employ a hollow brush, composed of two halves,
hinged together and covered inside with caoutchouc and lined with tufts of bristles,
made of brass wire, so that the two halves, when folded together, form a round
hollow space, into which is laid the string to be polished.
By quickly drawing the brush to and fro and simultaneously turning the same,
the wire points are caused to act on the string from all sides. The shortness of
the wires prevents the same from being bent round and thereby from sliding
longitudinally, while the elasticity of the caoutchouc prevents them from being
broken off and gives the brush a great flexibility and mobility.
For machine polishing I use quickly rotating polishing cylinders, formed of brass
bristles, in combination with a cylinder, lined with small thin steel pins, similar to
the cylinder or roller of a musical box, the said polishing cylinders being set in
rotation by means of toothed wheels, at the same time and in opposite direction,
whilst the roller is set in rotation by friction.
'
This apparatus enables one to polish an article twice on one side, for instance a
half ribbon, or a double wire-ribbon simultaneously once on two sides.

page_text: In the former case the half ribbon is brought with its metal-threads upward, on
a guide roller slightly pressed into the steel points of the same and guided from
under two brushing cylinders, which seize and polish it in contrary direction, for
which purpose the ribbon must be stretched or drawn from the polished side.
In the latter case the double, wire ribbon is in the same manner, but without
strain, caused to pass over the guide cylinder and between the brushing cylinders,
which, attracting it automatically, polish it from both sides in the same direction.
To obtain a double polishing action also in this case, the ribbon is subsequently
caused to pass through the cylinders with the other end in front.
According to the nature of the article to be treated the one or the other of the
cylinders may be set out of action and the operation performed with the remaining.
rollers, which, for instance, may be done in the case of wire ribbons, fringes etc.
A spouting appliance or jet-apparatus, acting from above on the entire length
of the cylinders, keep the working places and the articles clean.
After the articles have received their polish in the described manners, they are
in most cases slightly brushed with tartaric powder, rinsed with clear water and
then quickly dried, after which they may be dyed, smoothed or plaited, according
to their nature; the single parts are subsequently again put together etc. and made:
ready for use.

page_text: improvements in metalically Kenovating Gold and suver Lace,
Trimmings, Braidings, and the like, and in Apparatus therefor.
I, ANDREAS SÖHNER of Kaiserstrasse 166 Karlsruhe, Grand Duchy of Baden in
the Empire of Germany do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:—
This invention has for its object a regular gilding or silvering of real or imitated
metal threads, wires, etc, in a wrought state, that is to say, of spun woven, plaited,
or embroidered metallic fabrics; which however in order to obtain this metallic
restoration, in a complete and thorough manner, if they are composed of different
parts, are previously separated into their components, which are subsequently sorted
according to their nature, for instance into woven and embroidered fabrics, gold
and silver laces are coiled up or rolled, fringes are held by wires, embroideries are
mounted, and afterwards any dirt, grease, oxyde, is entirely removed without
damaging or weakening the under lying fibre of silk cotton etc.
For this purpose the different articles to be gilt or silvered, are first treated by
steam in the apparatus represented by Fig. 1 and essentially consisting of an
open steam generator A, covered with a tinned wire grating a, a steam space B
hermetically adjoined thereto situated above the grating and a condenser C.
The respective articles are hung or placed in two compartments in the steam
space B the embroideries and other delicate articles being uppermost above the
gratings formed of single easily exchangeable wooden rods, 6 61 and exposed to the
action of steam for about an hour. The distilled water formed in the condensor C
is collected in a tank D.
The pieces are rendered loose soft and flexible by the action of the steam, and
dust or dirt loosened or detached, subsequently the pieces are brought into their
original form, for instance depressed portions are raised, rust and other stains
removed, and afterwards for loosening and removing still more effectually dirt and
impurities, the pieces are separated according to their metal and the silver articles
or those with a white ground are drawn to and fro for about half an hour, in a lye
heated to 80° and consisting of of two kilograms of soda in one hectolitre of
water; and the gold articles or those with yellow or other colored ground, are
similarly treated for about twenty minutes in a lye of the same temperature
consisting of three kilograms of Soda in one hectolitre of water.
The soda and water is then removed from the articles and the latter are carefully
washed in a boiling solution of two kilograms of Panama Bark in one hectolitre
of water, and again carefully washed with water, thereby removing the last trace
of grease and impurities. The articles are then rinsed by hand in the direction
from compartment I towards IV in a trough F (Fig. 2) divided into several com-
partments adapted to be closed by means of slides f¹ƒ ƒ³ f. For passing the
articles from one compartment to the other they are laid by the first workman on
the grating g¹ g³ g³ g and taken off by the next workman in order to be agitated
in the next compartment until they reach the last compartment when they are
removed. The articles are next treated in a bath of hydrochloric acid, for the

page_text: purpose of bleaching the thread and of loosening any calcareous matter adhering
thereto, and of corroding the metal. The bath consists of a solution of chloride
of tin in cold distilled water, with the addition of hydrochloric acid to 0.25
to 0.5° Beaume. The articles are agitated therein and taken out at the moment
when the thread appears white and the worn places of the metal appear bright,
they are then again passed through the agitating trough F and are finally
completely rinsed with running water in the compartment IV.
In order to further increase the capacity of the thus prepared articles for being
gilt, silvered, or colored, also to give the metal to be applied at once a uniformly
bright color, the articles after having been regularly brushed by means of hair
brushes and tartaric powder, are subjected to a preliminary polishing process by
the hereafter described polishing cylinders or metal brushes, again slightly brushed
with tartaric powder and well rinsed with water.
Embroideries are somewhat differently treated, in as much as they are treated
without heat after coming out of the steam apparatus. They are fastened on small
boards or wooden cylinders or the like, tightly stretched thereon and brushed with
a fine hair brush and rather strong solution of soda in distilled water, then again
rinsed and subsequently polished by hand with finest metal brushes, again slightly.
brushed with tartaric powder and finally rinsed.
The articles are now sufficiently prepared for the galvanic silvering or gilding
which is effected as follows:-
Owing to the different nature of the articles to be treated, two kinds of silver or
gold baths are employed according to the required thickness of silvering or color of
gilding, and the strength of the current is regulated according to the presence of
fine metal threads or solid metal articles.
For silvering heavy double laces strong cords etc, which can be reached from all
sides, and for silvering light and delicate objects, such as wire ribbons etc, a
solution of 75 grammes of chemically pure silver and 400 grammes of 90° cyanide
of potash in 50 litres of distilled water at 40° C. is used.
To obtain more quickly on the articles thus silvered, a brilliant white deposit
the same are again exposed to the galvanic current in a second solution of
30 grammes of chemically pure silver and 100 grammes of 90% cyanide of
potash in 50 litres of distilled water at 70° C.
For gilding smooth and craped cords light tassels, fringes, wire-ribbons in light
gold colour, I employ a solution of 50 grammes of fine gold, and 500 grammes of
90% cyanide of potash in 50 litres distilled water at 80°-85° C and for gilding
wire-laces embroideries etc, I use a solution of 50 grammes of fine gold, 400 grammes
of bicarbonate of soda, 700 grammes of yellow cyanide of potash in 50 litres of
distilled water at 40°-45° C.
The baths must be kept standing two days after being prepared and must then
be filtered.
The articles sorted according to their weight and nature are brought in various
ways into the baths. For instance Fig. 3 shows a suitably formed wire frame H
consisting of silvered or gilt brass or copper rods h h¹ h³, on which frame are hung
from below by ineans of small brass hooks, such articles as tassels stars nets etc,
and on the top of the grating are laid wire-laces cords etc loosely coiled.
The wire frames thus loaded are hung into the bath and connected with the
conducting wire.
Fig. 4 shows a wire frame adapted to allow cords or bands laid upon it in coils
to be turned without deranging their shape, which is necessary since the parts of
the articles contiguous to the frame are less thickly plated. For this purpose the
two gratings i i¹ are connected by brass chains ³, passing loosely over both
gratings in such a manner, that, one of the gratings i, which has not been in the
bath is kept suspended when the chains are seized at their crossing point i, and
the grating i released, this grating sinks down on i' and thereby falls on and holds
in place the articles placed thereon, subsequently both gratings are held fast by
intermediate strings and the whole is turned upside down. The grating. it now.

page_text: situated above, is subsequently raised and hooked up whilst the articles now lie
inversely on the grating i which is now dipped into the bath.
Figs. 5 and 6 show devices for suspending stronger and stiffer cords, parts of
plaits etc, which are directly hung upon rods K provided with recesses k to prevent
the cords from shifting when moving the frame.
For very heavy double fabrics with or without fringes, heavy tassels, long heavy
belts and the like, which are to be plated on their entire length, gratings with
feet (figs. 7 and 7a) are employed and put into the baths. The articles lying
thereon are now and then shifted a little in position for avoiding the defects caused
by the points of contact.
Fig. 8 shows an apparatus for gilding or silvering on one side only such wire-
laces, borders, embroideries, which possess considerable length and the metal threads
of which do not directly touch one another or which are worn away at the edges
or torn so that the current cannot flow from wire to wire along the articles.
On a perforated enamelled metal plate M are arranged two pairs of stands N, N.
O, O. between which a grating P made of strong brass wires is stretched or
mounted over the cross bars p. and p¹. A second grating Qmovable up and down
and made of fine brass wires is mounted on the brass rods q and q¹ and pivoted by
means of the frame R connected with q¹ and the axle of the frame the rod q.
being adapted to slide in the slots q². The flap must be lowered when in action so
that the bar q rests on the lowest recess of the slot q2 (Fig. 8b). When not in
action the flap is brought into the position shown in (Fig. 8a), by the aid of the
weight S. whereby the bar q is lifted in the slot q². For enabling the operator
to stretch the wires of Q. tightly, two screws 88 are applied which when Q is in
its lowest position are situated in front of corresponding holes of the stands O. O.
and are passed through the same by pulling the grating Q towards these stands
and are subsequently tightened by means of screw nuts, thereby bringing the
rod q out of the lowest recess into the second recess on the inner side of the slots q³
and simultaneously slightly lifting the grating Q. An intermediate rod q³ prevents
the cross plate q¹ from falling back towards the side of the staud N N A perforated
distance plate or comb Q¹ serves for setting the wires by being shifted to and
fro along the same.
7.
For silvering or gilding a long ribbon T the same is wound upon the roller tand
led thence on the wire grating P and and the wire flap Q. is lowered to its lowest
position, subsequently the comb Q¹ which had fallen in front of the stands N N is
drawn forward until it arrives behind the cross bar pl, the screws 8.8 are brought
through the stands O, O. and the grating and its wires stretched by means of the
nuts whereby all wires P are lying closely upon the ribbon T and each part of the
latter is in connection with the galvanic current after, the whole apparatus hanging.
from cords or chains m m has been lowered into the bath and the galvanic current
has been admitted at h.
After this part of the ribbon has been sufficiently long in the bath, the wire flap
is opened and the finished part of the ribbon conducted under a pulley t¹ to the
roller and wound thereon and a following piece of ribbon is equally treated and
so on until the whole piece is finished.
In the same manner embroideries attached to thin boards are brought under the
wire flap or between the gratings PQ and treated in the bath.
Should it however occur that one or more threads can not at all or only partly.
be brought into the electric circuit the hereafter described retouching brush is
applied.
To treat wire ribbons for the uniforms of officers I employ a glass cylinder U.
provided with a felt cover U, which leaves about one sixth of the circumference
of the cylinder uncovered and is suitably fastened thereto by wires connected with
a closing device U consisting of two brass angles situated on that part of the
surface of the cylinder which is not covered by the felt. The wire ribbons to
be plated are laid flat on the felt cover tightened and fastened by means of pins
the wire fastener u u¹is shifted over the same land tightened by means of a few.

page_text: connecting screws uu The wires u¹ must be arranged so as to touch-all wires
of the ribbons to bring the same into the electric circuit when the whole is
immersed in the bath and the circuit is closed.
Also in this case I use the aforementioned retouching brush Fig. 11, when some
of the wires fail to enter into the circuit This retouching brush consists of a
brush composed of fine brass wires v all of which are electrically connected with.
each other by a brass cover plate V. so as to form a pole, as soon as the conducting
wire h insulated in, the handle. V₁ and connected with V. is connected with the
battery.
با
By treating the deficient spots with this brush the smallest spots of metal are
brought in contact and thus silvered or gilt.
This brush is also. of particular importance where small flowers, stars, etc are
separately embroidered on fabrics.
The articles having been silvered or gilt in the manner described are washed
with water in order to recover the excess of silver or gold attached thereto
Subsequently the articles are polished, either by hand by means of metal brushes
or by mechanically driven polishing cylinders the articles being continuously
rinsed for which purpose the table W represented by Fig. 12 may be used which
table is furnished with numerous water jets w.
The metal brushes have the shape of ordinary hair brushes and are preferably
armed with corrugated brass wires of varying thickness according to their
application. Such corrugated wire or bundles of wire spirals do not produce the
polishing of the gilt or silvered articles by shaving or scratching whereby the
same would be injured, but by means of an elastic rubbing contact of the single
spirals with the fabrics into the interstices of which, they are better adapted to
penetrate, so as to polish the same from all sides, the united reflection of which
produces the brilliant effect which makes the renovated articles equal to new.
For long cords I employ a hollow brush Figs. 13 and 14 composed of two
halves XX¹ hinged together and covered inside with caoutchouc and lined with tufts
of bristles x made of brass wire so that the two halves when folded together form
à cylindrical hollow space ¹ into which is laid the cord to be polished. By quickly
shaking the brush to and fro and simultaneously turning the same, the wire points
are caused to act on the cord from all sides. The shortness of the wires x prevents
the same from being bent round and thereby from sliding longitudinally while the
elasticity of the caoutchouc prevents them from being broken off and gives the
brush a great flexibility and mobility.
For machine polishing I use quickly rotating polishing cylinders y¹ y Figs. 15
and 16 which are provided with corrugated wire or wire spirals as described above,
or with brass bristles, in combination with a cylinder y. the surface of which
carries small thin steel pins similar to the cylinder or roller of a musical box, the
cylinders yy being set in rotation by means of toothed wheels, at the same time
and in opposite directions whilst the roller y. is set in rotation by the friction.
This apparatus enables the operator either to polish an article twice on one. side
as Fig. 15 or simultaneously once on both sides. In the former case the ribbon is
brought with its metal threads upward on the roller y. slightly pressed into the
steel points and guided from under the cylinders y1 y2 which seize and polish it in
contrary direction, for which purpose the ribbon must be stretched or drawn from
the polished side as indicated by Fig. 15.
In the latter case the double wire ribbon is in the same manner but without
strain caused to pass over the cylinder y. and between the cylinders y¹ y², which
attracting it automatically polish it from both sides in the same direction Fig. 16.
To obtain a double polishing action also in this case the ribbon is again passed
through the cylinders with the other end in front. According to the nature of the
article to be treated, the one or other of the cylinders may be set out of action, and
the operation performed with the remaining roller, which for instance may be done
in the case of wire ribbons, fringes, etc. A water jet appliance acting from above

page_text: on the entire length of the cylinders, keeps the working parts and the articles
clean.
After the articles have received their polish in the described manners they are in
most cases slightly brushed with tartaric powder, rinsed with clear water and then
quickly dried after which they may be dyed, smoothed or plaited according to their
nature, the single parts are subsequently again put together and made ready
for use.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is;-
1. The process for silvering or gilding real or imitated gold and silver em-
broideries fringes nets cords and other fabrics, consisting in
a) the treatment of the articles with steam.
b) Cleansing the same by means of solution of soda
c) by Panama bark
d) by hydrochloric acid.
Polishing by means of hair brushes tartaric powder, and metal brushes
galvanic silvering or gilding.
2. For performing this process.
a) A steam generator A covered with a perforated plate and having a steam
chamber B for receiving the articles to be steamed and a condensor C for obtaining
the distilled water.
b) A trough F with partitions adapted to be separated from one another by
slides f¹ff for washing the articles.
c) A wire grating H to support small articles suspended from or laid on the
same or a wire grating serving to allow articles laid between frames i i¹ to be easily
turned or a stationary wire grating P and a wire grating Q adapted to be moved
upward and downward to put articles between of great length the metal threads of
which are not contiguous or are torn, or a wire stand K to hang cords over or a
wire grating L L or apparatus U adapted to be introduced into the baths, the
frames or wires of which grating or apparatus conduct the galvanic current to the
single metal threads of the articles.
d) The retouching brush consisting of metal bristles v and a metal plate V. con-
necting these bristles galvanically, for silvering or gilding such metal parts by hand
which may have remained without effect in the baths.
e) A hollow brush consisting of two concave halves X X, with bristles set in
caoutchouc for polishing by hand.
f) The contrivance for machine polishing consisting of two rollers y¹ y³ covered
with wire bristles and a roller y. provided with steel points, for polishing an article
twice on one side in contrary directions as in Fig. 15, or once on each side as shown
in Fig. 10 in the same direction.
Dated this 26th day of May 1886