A NEW OR IMPROVED PROCESS FOR OBTAINING ALUMINIUM
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Luigi Ferrari Corbelli, of Florence, in the Grand
Duchy of Tuscany, Commander of the Order of Malta, for the Invention
of "A NEW OR IMPROVED PROCESS FOR OBTAINING ALUMINIUM."―Partly a
communication from Vincent Riatti, of Modena.
10 ...
1
'the 26th March 1858, and dated: the 26th January 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Luigi Ferrari Corbelli at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th January 1858.
THE
I; LUIGI FERRARI CORBELLI, of Florence, in the Grand Duchy, of, Tuscany,
Commander of the Order, of Malta, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for. A NEW OR IMPROVED PROCESS, FOR OBTAINING ALUMINIUM," to, be
as follows:
This Invention of a new or improved process for obtaining aluminium, has
for its object to obtain this metal in a simpler and much more economical and
less costly manner than by the processes heretofore employed for the purpose.
The metal is obtained direct from argillaceous earth or clay, which after being
well washed and cleansed from extraneous matters, such as stones, sticks,
leaves, and such like substances, is submitted to the following process:-Take
100 grammes of the well washed clay and after, well drying it, dissolve it in
about six times its weight of concentrated sulphuric acid or, very strong
hydrochloric acid. Dry the clay. again and heat it in an earthen vessel up to
450 or 500 degrees centigrade, after which mix with, it 200. grammes of
yellow prussiate of potash, which should bo, quite dry and pulverized. The
quantity of this material-that should be added.to.the.clay,will depend in some

page_text: measure upon the quantity of siliceous matter contained in the clay. To this
mixture add 150 grammes of common salt and place all the ingredients when
intimately mixed together in a crucible, heat them up to a white heat, and
after the mass is cool the aluminium will be found at the bottom of the
crucible.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Luigi Ferrari Corbelli in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 24th July 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LUIGI
FERRARI CORBELLI, of Florence, in the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, Commander
of the Order of Malta, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Luigi Ferrari Corbelli, Her special license that I, the said Luigi Ferrari
Corbelli, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Luigi Ferrari Corbelli, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at 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 "A
NEW OR IMPROVED PROCESS FOR OBTAINING ALUMINIUM," being partly my own
Invention and partly a communication from Vincent Riatti, of Modena,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Luigi Ferrari Corbelli,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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
iinmediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Luigi Ferrari Corbelli, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed; to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement (that is to say):-
This Invention of a new or improved process for obtaining aluminium" has
for its object to obtain this metal in a simpler and much more economical

page_text: and less costly manner than by the processes heretofore employed for the
purpose.
By the improved process the metal is obtained direct from argillaceous
earth or clay, which after being well washed and cleansed from extraneous
matters, such as stones, sticks, leaves, and such like substances, is submitted
to the following process:-Take one hundred grammes of the well washed
clay, and after well drying it, dissolve it in about six times its weight of
concentrated sulphuric acid or 'very strong hydrochloric acid. Dry the clay
again and heat it in an earthen vessel up to four hundred and fifty or five
hundred degrees of the centigrade thermometer, after which mix with it two
hundred grammes of yellow prussiate of potash, which should be quite dry and
pulverized. The quantity of this material that should be added to the clay,
will depend in some measure upon the quantity of siliceous matter contained
in the clay. To this mixture add one hundred and fifty grammes of common
salt, and place all the ingredients when intimately mixed together in a
crucible. Heat them up to a white heat, and after the mass is cool the
aluminium will be found at the bottom of the crucible.
Having now described this Invention of "A New or Improved Process for
Obtaining Aluminium," and having explained the manner of carrying the same
into effect, I would observe that I am aware that some of the materials which
I I propose to employ in the improved process have been used in processes for
obtaining aluminium. I do not, therefore, mean or intend to claim the
exclusive right to use such substances; but that which I consider to be new
in the above described process, and desire to claim as the Invention to be
secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid, is the combination of operations
herein set forth, whereby I am enabled to reduce aluminium from earthy
matters containing it as a base, or when it exists in combination with other
matters. I claim particularly the application of the prussiate of potash to the
clay or earthy matters, and the treatment of such clay or earthy matters
with prussiate of potash in the presence of heat, substantially as above
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Luigi Ferrari Corbelli, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Tenth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
LUIGI FERRARI CORBELLI. (L.S.)