IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF METALLIC ALLOYS."
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Keep of New Quay in the County of Cornwall
Chemist for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
METALLIC ALLOYS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Keep at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th December 1882.
WILLIAM KEEP, of New Quay, in the County of Cornwall, Chemist
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF METALLIC ALLOYS,"
My Invention has for its object the production of a non-corrosive metallic alloy
of increased whiteness and uniformity in colour throughout, thereby dispensing
with the need of any coating applied to the surface, being also more easily worked,
in manufacturing articles for use or ornament, than German silver or other similar
alloys at present in use.
And my invention consists in the first place in producing alloys composed of
the following metals, in the following proportions, or thereabouts, according to the
purposes for which the metal is required, and whether of higher or lower
analikv .
0
In order to render the nickel more readily fusible and thus avoid subsequent
loss by volatilisation of the other constituents, I make an alloy consisting of
75 per cent of copper and 25 per cent of nickel, first melting the copper and then
adding to it the nickel which has been already raised to a red heat. The surface
of the metal should be kept covered with powdered charcoal or other suitable

page_text: material to prevent oxidation, and the mixture stirred at intervals as required.
When completely melted, this alloy is poured into ingots and allowed to cool: the
actual per centage of each metal in the alloy may now be determined by analysis,
and when this has been done the alloy is fused again and more copper added to
reduce the alloy to the required relative proportions of copper and nickel
mentioned in the above formulæ. This is done at as low a temperature as possible,
and the surface covered as before with charcoal or other suitable material to
prevent oxidation. The other metals are now added in the order and proportions
in which they stand in the above formulæ, namely:-tin, cadmium, and lastly
zinc. The alloy being thoroughly stirred after the addition of each metal. A flux
is used for the introduction of the cadmium, and is preferably that known as
"Red Tartar."
In another method of producing my improved alloys, I employ Ferro-manganese
in substitution for the nickel herein before referred. The formula I prefer to use
consists of.
100-0
For this purpose I melt together equal parts of Ferro-manganese and copper at
a high temperature, the copper being first melted, and then the Ferro-manganese
(already raised. to a red heat) added, keeping the surface well covered with
powdered charcoal and borax to prevent oxidation, and from time to time stirring
as required. When completely melted I remove the alloy from the fire and
thoroughly skim the surface of the same in order to remove the iron as completely
as possible. This alloy is then poured into ingots. and allowed to cool. If
necessary the alloy may be. re-melted, the surface being kept well covered with
borax and powdered charcoal, and the skimming repeated to insure the removal of
any iron that, may be still present. When this alloy is again cooled, the
per centage of each metal therein is estimated by analysis, then the alloy is again
melted with the addition of a sufficient quantity of copper to reduce the alloy to
the required relative proportions.
The other metals are added to the molten alloy, at this stage, in the
proportions stated in the last mentioned formula, in the following order:―tin,
cadmium, and lastly zinc, as in the first process when nickel was used. The
ferro-manganese selected for the purpose should contain as little iron as possible,
in order to avoid difficulty in the separation.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Keep in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th June 1888.
WILLIAM KEEP of New Quay in the County of Cornwall Chemist
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF METALLIC ALLOYS
"
My Invention has for its object the production of a non-corrosive metallic alloy
of increased whiteness and uniformity in colour throughout thereby dispensing
with the need of any coating applied to the surface being also more easily worked
in manufacturing articles for use or ornament than "German Silver" or other
similar alloys as at present in use. And my Invention consists in the first place
in producing alloys composed of the following metals in the following proportions
or thereabouts according to the purposes for which the metal is required and
whether of higher or lower quality.
1.
In order to render the nickel more readily fusible and thus avoid subsequent
loss by volatilization of the other constituents I make an alloy consisting of
50 per cent of copper and 50 per cent of nickel first melting the copper and then
adding to it the nickel which has been already raised to a red heat. The surface
of the metal should be kept covered with powdered charcoal or other suitable
material to prevent oxidation, and the mixture stirred at intervals as required.
When completely melted this alloy is poured into ingots and allowed to cool
the actual percentage of each metal in the alloy may now be determined by
analysis and when this has been done the alloy is fused again and more copper
added to reduce the alloy to the required relative proportions of copper and nickel
mentioned in the above formulæ or such intermediate proportions as may be
found desirable. This is done at as low a temperature as possible and the
surface is covered as before with charcoal or other suitable material to prevent
oxidation.
The other metals are now added in the order and proportions in which they
stand in the above formulæ, namely, Tin, Cadmium and lastly Zinc the alloy
being thoroughly stirred after the addition of each metal-A flux is used for the
introduction of the Cadmium and is preferably that known as "Red Tartar."
In another method of producing my improved alloys I employ Ferro-Manganese
in substitution for the nickel hereinbefore referred to. The formulæ I prefer to
use in this case consist of

page_text: (already raised to a red heat) added keeping the surface well covered with
powered charcoal and borax to prevent oxidation and from time to time stirring
as required. When completely melted I remove the alloy from the fire and
thoroughly skim the surface of the same in order to remove the iron as completely
as possible. This alloy is then poured into ingots and allowed to cool. If
necessary the alloy may be remelted the surface being kept well covered with
borax, and powered charcoal and the skimming repeated to insure the removal of
any iron that may still be present.-When this alloy is again cooled the percentage
of each metal therein is determined by analysis then the alloy is again melted
with the addition of a sufficient quantity of copper to reduce the alloy to the
required relative proportions. The other metals are added to the molten alloy at
this stage in the proportions stated in the last mentioned formulæ in the following
order: Tin Cadmium and lastly Zinc as described in the first process when nickel
was used. The Ferro-Manganese selected for the purpose should contain as little
iron as possible to order to avoid difficulty in the separation.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed I hereby declare that what I. claim as, of my
Invention is:
First: The production of a noncorrosive metallic alloy of increased whiteness
and uniformity in colour throughout by means of the process substantially as
described under the first head of my Invention.
Secondly: The production of the alloy by means" of the process in which
Manganese is substituted for nickel substantially as described.
In witness whereof I the said William Keep have hereunto set my hand
and seal the 31st day of May in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty.three.