Improvements in the Manufacture of Metallic Alloys or Compounds.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Aug., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 7th May, 1894-Accepted, 16th June, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Metallic Alloys or
Compounds.
I, ROBERT HOWARTH, of 53 Goldthorn Terrace, Penn Road, Wolverhampton,
in the County of Stafford, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows :-
It relates to Improvements in the Manufacture of Metallic Alloys, or Compounds,
and has for its object, to produce an alloy or compound, of zinc with iron, copper,
manganese, chromium, tungsten, phosphorus, arsenic, or any two or more of these
metals, or metalloids, particularly adapted to be added to copper, or other alloys,
or metallic compounds, in order to produce metallic, alloys or compounds for the
use of founders engineers and others.
If iron, and various other metals, be immersed for a prolonged period in a bath
of molten zinc, the zinc will absorb a. certain percentage of them, and if such
absorbtion be allowed to continue to saturation, uniform alloys or compounds are
formed..
In the alloying of zinc with iron, or other alloys, or compounds, which have
a melting point much higher than that of zinc, a great difficulty exists, because
the zinc volatilizes and is lost if raised to a temperature much above its melting
point.
The percentage of metal, or alloy, or compound, absorbed by a zinc bath,
depends greatly upon its temperature, the point of maximum absorbtion being
the boiling point of zinc.
Now my invention consists in so employing the facts above stated, as to easily,
and cheaply produce a rich zinc alloy, or compound, which shall be more regular,
in quantity, and quality, than is otherwise obtainable by any known means.
To carry out the purpose of my invention, I procure a suitable crucible, and
in it place copper, iron, chromium, manganese, phosphorus, arsenic, or any two or
more of these metals, or metalloids, in just such proportion, that the addition of
sufficient zinc to make up the required zinc alloy, or compound, fills the crucible
or nearly so.
In order to prevent volatilization, or oxidation, to any serious extent, such
crucible is formed so as to receive a lid, or cover, which, whilst capable of easy
removal, is at the same time rigidly fixed in position, and the joint made airtight
by any known means, so as to resist pressure from within.
In this condition, the zinc within the closed crucible, is raised to a dull red
heat, thus forming a bath of molten metal, in which the contents are allowed to
remain, until thoroughly absorbed, or digested, by the zinc bath, the exact time
necessary to accomplish which, can only be determined by experiment.
A convenient plan, then, is to allow the zinc alloy to solidify before being turned
out of the crucible, and broken into smaller pieces, so that any proportion of it can
be added to copper, or other metallic alloys, or compounds, and remelted in a
closed crucible as described, in order to produce metallic alloys, or compounds, for
use by engineers, founders, &c., as will be well understood.
Dated this 7th day of August 1893.

page_text: Improvements in the Manufacture of Metallic Alloys or
Compounds.
I, ROBERT HOWARTH of 53 Goldthorn Terrace, Penn Road Wolverhampton,.
in the County of Stafford, Engineer, 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 :-
It relates to Improvements in the Manufacture of Metallic Alloys, or Compounds,
and has for its object to produce an alloy, or compound of zinc with iron, steel
copper, manganese, chromium, tungsten, phosphorus, arsenic, or any two or more of
these metals, metalloids, or compounds, particularly adapted to be added to copper,
or other alloys, or metallic compounds, in order to produce metallic alloys, or
compounds, for the use of founders, engineers, smiths, and others. If iron, or steel,
and various other metals, be immersed for a prolonged period in a bath of molten
zinc, the zinc will absorb a certain percentage of them, and if such absorbtion be
allowed to continue to saturation, uniform alloys, or compounds are formed. In the
alloying, or mixing, of zinc with iron, steel, or other alloys, or compounds, which
have a melting point much higher than that of zinc, a great difficulty exists,
because the zinc volatilizes and is lost if raised to a temperature much above its
melting point. The percentage of metal, or alloy, or compound absorbed by a zinc
bath, depends greatly upon its temperature, the point of maximum absorbtion being
the boiling point of zinc.
Now my invention consists in so applying the facts above stated, as to easily,
and cheaply, produce a rich zinc alloy, or compound, which shall be more
regular in point of quality, and quantity, than is otherwise obtainable by any
known means.
To carry out the purpose of my invention I procure a suitable crucible, and in it
place copper, iron, steel, chromium, tungsten, manganese, phosphorus, arsenic, or
any two or more of these metals, metalloids, or compounds, in just such proportion
that the addition of sufficient zinc to make up the required zinc alloy, or compound,
fills the crucible or nearly so.
In order to prevent volatilization, or oxidation, to any serious extent, such
crucible aforesaid is so formed as to receive a lid or cover, which although capable
of being easily removed is at the same time securely fixed in position and the joint
made air-tight by any known, or sufficient means, so as to resist external heat, and
pressure from within.
A convenient apparatus for this purpose is illustrated in the annexed drawing in
which similar letters refer to similar parts, A, is a crucible preferably of plumbago,
the upper portion of which is flanged outwards so as to receive and engage with a
strong metallic collar B. The lid or cover C, after being luted, or otherwise
prepared with a suitable jointing material such for instance as finely ground fire-
clay made into a thick paste with water, is placed in position covering the mouth
of the crucible and forming the joint E, the cottar D, passing through holes
prepared for it in the collar B, is forced forwards, and being taper bears with
considerable pressure upon the central projection G, holding the cover C, firmly in
position; the cavity F, within the collar B, can then be filled with sand and well
rammed so as in a measure to protect the joint E, and the cottar D, against the
action of fire as will be readily understood by reference to the drawings.
In this condition the zinc within the closed crucible is slowly raised to a dull red
heat, forming a bath of molten zinc, in which the contents are allowed to remain,
until thoroughly digested by the zinc bath, the exact time necessary to accomplish
which can only be determined by experiment.

page_text: If it is intended to further mix the zinc alloy thus obtained, with other metals,.
a convenient plan is then to allow the contents to slowly cool and solidify, before
being turned out of the crucible, to be broken or cut up into smaller pieces, so that
any proportion of it can be added to copper, or other metallic alloys, or compounds,
and remelted in a closed crucible as described, or otherwise, in order to produce
metallic alloys, or compounds, for use by founders, smiths, engineers and others as.
will be well understood.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-.
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
In the manufacture of zinc alloys, or compounds, which require that iron, steel,.
manganese, chromium, tungsten, phosphorus, arsenic, or any alloy, or compound, of
any two or more of these metals, metalloids, alloys or compounds, having a different.
melting point from that of zinc, shall be immersed, or digested, for a prolonged
period in a bath of molten zinc, to so arrange the crucible, or vessel, in which this
immersing, or digesting process is carried on, that the temperature of the zinc bath
aforesaid, can be raised with safety to the boiling point of zinc, without the escape
of fumes, or the admission of atmospheric air, substantially as hereinbefore.
described, and illustrated by the drawings annexed, whereby the zinc can be evenly
combined, or mixed with other metals, or alloys, or compounds, in exact and known
quantities as required.
Dated this 5th day of May 1894.