IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF METALLIC TUBES, AND IN COATING OR PLATING METALS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Weems, of Johnstone, in the County of
Renfrew, North Britain, Tinsmith, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF METALLIC TUBES, AND IN COATING OR PLATING
METALS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Weems at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd November 1861.
I
1
I, JOHN WEEMS, of Johnstone, in the County of Renfrew, North-Britain;
Tinsmith, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF METALLIC TUBES, AND IN COATING OR PLATING
METALS," to be as follows, that is to say:
.
This Invention relates, firstly, to the manufacture of metal tubes, with a
view of producing a cheap substitute for brass or other similar tubing. Under
one-modification zinc tubes are formed by passing the metal strips-through
dies or rollers, and the overlapping or contiguous edges of the metal are
brazed or soldered with the aid of the blowpipe, or other equivalent means.
The tube may then bei passed through a.die, or other suitable aperture, in'
order to impart a smooth finish thereto. The tube is then to be coated with
copper, either by. means of a galvanic. battery, or by immersion in cold or
heated solutions of the salts of copper suitable for precipitating the metallic
base upon the surface of the tube. These tubes may also be coated or plated
with compound solutions of metals, so as to deposit a metallic alloy upon the
surface of the tube; or its surface may, if preferred, be coated with tin and
its alloys, or bronzed or lacquered
In some cases it:may also be desirable. to plate the primary coating with

page_text: another metal, as for example, with tin or silver; in this way also tubes formed
of zinc, or zinc alloyed with another metal, or of lead, either pure or alloyed,
may be manufactured and coated with other metals, so as to serve as a sub-
stitute for tubes formed of a more expensive metal. Sheets of zinc or its
alloys, or articles formed of these materials, are also coated by one or other of
the modes herein-before referred to; and in this way metalliccisterns or vessels
for holding acids, oils, chemical liquors, and for other purposes, may be coated
with a metal which is not affected by the liquid contained therein, and thus
economise the use of a more expensive metal.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Weems in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd May 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
WEEMS, of Johnstone, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain, Tinsmith,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant.unto
me, the said John Weems, Her special license that I, the said John Weems,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Weems, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree.
with, and no others, from time to time and all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF METALLIC TUBES, AND IN COATING OR PLATING METALS," upon the
-condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Weems, my executors_or_
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, or under
the hand and seal of one of them, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was.to..
be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office.
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Weems, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement, that is to say -
My said Invention relates, firstly, to the manufacture of metal tubes, with
a view of producing a cheap substitute for brass or other similar tubing.
-Under-one modification zinc tubes are formed by passing the metal strips
through dies or rollers, and the overlapping or contiguous edges of the
metal are brazed or soldered with the aid of the blowpipe, or other equivalent
means. The tube may then be passed through a die or other suitable aper-
ture in order to impart a smooth finish thereto. The tube is then to be coated
with copper, either by means of a galvanic battery, or by immersion in cold
or heated solutions of the salts of copper suitable for precipitating the
metallic base upon the surface of the tube. These tubes may also be coated
or plated with compound solutions of metals, so as to deposit a metallic alloy
upon the surface of the tube; or its surface may, if preferred, be coated
with tin and its alloys, or bronzed or lacquared.
In some cases it may also be desirable to plate the primary coating with
another metal, as for example, with tin or silver; in this way also tubes
formed of zinc, or zinc alloyed with another metal, or of lead, either pure or
alloyed, may be manufactured,and coated with other metals, so as to serve as
a substitute for tubes formed of a more expensive metal. Sheets of zinc, or
its alloys, or articles formed of these materials,are also coated byone or other
of the modes herein-before referred to; and in this way metallic cisterns or
vessels for holding acids, oils, chemical liquors, and for other purposes,may be
coated with a metal which is not affected by the liquid contained therein,
and thus economise the use of a more expensive metal.
And in order that my said Invention of "Improvements in the Manufac-
ture of Metallic Tubes, and in Coating or Plating Metals," may be properly
understood, I shall now proceed to describe my said improvements in detail,
for the purpose of showing in what manner the same may be judiciously
carried out in practice.
The first part of my present Invention has reference to the manufacture
of metal tubing, which may be used as a substitute for more expensive metals,
and so as to admit of being largely employed for various purposes of utility
and decorative art. In the manufacture of tubing according to my improve-
ments,I prefer to use zinc,as a cheap and strong material suitable for forming
the tube; or this metal may be alloyed with one or more metals with a view
of obtaining increased strength,or of reducing the prime cost of the article.
The metal to be used for the purpose is, under one modification, made into
sheets:by the ordinary'meaus, and afterwards cut into slips suitable for pro-
."

page_text: ducing the tubing required. The strips of metal are then passed through
dies or rollers to impart to each strip a cylindrical figure, the strips of metal,
as well as the dies or rollers, being used either in the ordinary state or heated
with a view of imparting greater pliability to the metal. It is preferred to
form these tubes with the aid of the dies or rollers in such manner that the
longitudinal edges of the metal are brought closely together, so that the two
edges may be brazed or soldered together with the aid of a gas blowpipe, or
other equivalent contrivance; or the edges may be bevilled off, so as to
slightly overlap, and then be brazed or soldered. The object in either case is
to produce a smooth and perfectly uniform tube; or these tubes may be
drawn or rolled solid, by first annealing the metal blocks or cylinders to make
them pliable, and subsequently passing them through suitable dies or rollers
to form the tubes. In either mode of forming the tubes, the dies, rollers, or
mandrels, as well as the metal itself,are by preference kept in a heated state
during the manufacturing process, either by means of steam, heated air, or gas
applied in any convenient manner to the several parts of the apparatus. The
tubes thus formed are subsequently coated or plated with metal, which is done
by immersing them in suitable chemical solutions, and precipitating the
metal or metals with the aid of a galvanic battery. Zinc tubes formed in
this manuer perfectly smooth and cylindrical, and subsequently plated with
copper, tin, brass, or other metal, are applicable to numerous purposes in the
arts for which copper and brass have heretofore alone been used, and to which
zinc has not hitherto been applied. These tubes may also be plated with
silver or gold, or be otherwise decorated with transparent colours, either by
the stencilling or printing processes, so as to be available for various decora.
tive purposes, as for example, balustrades, parts of metal bedsteads, picture
rods,and many other purposes where metal tubing forms the principal or
secondary portion of the constructive details.
The second part of my Invention has reference to the coating or plating
of zinc mouldings,beadings, astragals, brackets, and other struck work,so.as.to
render such details far more largely available than at present, as well as being
impervious to atmospheric influence, and admitting of greater scope in artistic
decoration. In the manufacture of these constructive details I prefer to have
the zinc annealed, or to work it in a heated state, so as to render it as pliable as
practicable. In the subsequent treatment of these details the surfaces may
be plated with different metals, and these, with the combination of colour,
afford a wide scope to the decorative artist. These plated or coloured details,.
are also applicable to the decoration of furniture, picture, frames, gasaliers
and, other generally similar purposes, in lieu o fl (quered or ormolu work.

page_text: These improvements are also applicable to the production of highly orna-
mental window blinds, and other generally similar purposes, in place of the
wire gauze now ordinarily employed. Instead of gauze, I prefer to use finely
perforated sheet zinc, but wire gauze may be used for the purpose, if preferred.
This perforated zinc or gauze is immersed in a suitable solution of silver or
gold, and plated with the aid of a galvanic battery; and a diversified or
damaskeen character may be given to the surface by gilding one portion of
the surface and. silvering the other, and also by combining colour with the
metallized surfaces. In this way a vast variety of beautiful-designs.of.an.eco-_
nomical and durable character may be produced in a manner and style
altogether different from. what is at present in use. For ordinary purposes,
where durability is the principal point, the perforated zinc or gauze may be
simply coated with copper, brass, or tin, and subsequently bronzed or other-
wise ornamented. Large sheets of zinc may also be coated with any desired
metal, and be applied in the construction of cisterns and a variety of other
useful purposes; so as to resist both chemical and atmospheric influences.
The third part of my present Invention consists in the manufacture of
chemical and other vessels of zinc, or of a zinc alloy, which are subsequently
rendered acid-proof by coating them with any of the metals, or metallic alloys
which arecapable of being precipitated by galvanic agency or other equivalent
means. In this way many of the articles which are now manufactured of
expensive metals may be replaced by vessels comparatively inexpensive, and at.
the same time as efficient in practical use. In all cases where desirable I coat
the article with a transparent varnish,, with a view of protecting the plated
surfaces, so to prevent the tarnishing of the metallized surface; this protective
coating is of course more generally applicable to articles of a decorative cha-
racter, and is not intended to apply to those the surfaces of which are subject
to severe abrasion. I also prefer to coat articles förmed of zinc, and which are
not intended to be plated with this protective varnish, which effectually pre-
vents it from being influenced by air or moisture.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that what I consider novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent, is,―
First, the system or mode of annealing the zinc blocks or cylinder pre-
paratory to forming the same into tubes, and with a view of rendering the
metal ductile, as herein-before described..
Second, the system or mode of manufacturing zinc tubes either by drawing

page_text: or rolling the primary block or cylinder, or forming the said tubes from sheets
either with or without the assistance of heat, as herein-before described.
Third, the system or mode of finishing these tubes by plating or coating
them with tin, copper, brass, or other metal, so that they may serve as a sub-
stitute for tubes formed of more expensive materials, as herein-before
described.
Fourth, the system or mode of manufacturing ornamental metallic details
which are formed of zinc or of an alloy of zinc, and subsequently plated or
coated with a metal or metals, and otherwise decorated or not, as may be
required, and also the application and use of these ornamental details in lieu
of brass or other more expensive material, as herein-before described.
Fifth, the system or mode of producing ornamental blinds and other gene-
rally similar articles by plating or coating perforated zinc or wire gauze with
one or more metals in combination or not with colour, as herein-before
described.
Sixth, the system or mode of manufacturing sheet or perforated zinc, and
coating the same with copper, tin, brass, silver, or other metal, so as to render
these prepared sheets useful for a variety of purposes in the arts, as herein-
before described..
Seventh, the system or mode of manufacturing chemical and other vessels
of zinc or an alloy of zinc, and subsequently plating or coating them with a
suitable metal or combination of metals, as herein-before described.
Eighth, the system or mode of protecting the surfaces of articles formed
of zinc, or of zinc coated with other metals or materials, by means of a trans-
parent varnish, for the purposes of protecting the metal from chemical action
and preserving the brilliancy of the coated surfaces, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof I, the said John Weems, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of May, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-two.
JOHN WEEMS. (L.S.)