Year: 1888

page_text: I, WILLIAM HENRY BECK, of 115 Cannon Street, in the City of London, Consulting
Engineer and Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The improved method or process forming the subject of this invention is intended
to replace the galvanic battery, or dynamo-electric machine, for the purpose of
covering the baser metals with a coating of more precious or less oxydizable metal,
or for the purpose of extracting metals from their salts whether in solution or not.
The use of the galvanic battery, or dynamo-electric machine, is always costly and
requires considerable attention, besides which they neither of them act satisfactorily
when it is desired to coat a large number of small objects which require costly
attachments to enable them to be placed in the solution.
The present process enables objects to be easily and rapidly covered with metal, and
is applicable to the electrolysis of almost all the metals, especially of aluminium and
magnesium. It is based upon double decomposition, and the operation depends upon
the same reaction for all metals. Taking nickel, for example, the process and reaction
are as follows:-'
An iron or copper object, previously pickled, is placed in a solution of double or
single chloride of nickel, being suspended therein by a zinc wire immersed in the
liquid. The zinc is attacked and the object is very rapidly covered with a coating of
nickel which increases so long as the zinc continues to be attacked. The wire may
be replaced by any other form of zinc or other analagous metal. Acidulated solutions
are preferable, but in some cases alkaline solutions are necessary. Simple or complex-
chlorides are preferable for this process, but one or other of the numerous salts
suitable for the purpose may be employed. The solutions may be used hot or cold
according to circumstances.

page_text: In order to establish the contact between the zinc and the objects intended to
receive the deposit, various means may be employed; for example, the objects to be
coated may be put into an openwork box or cage turning on an axis in the solution,
and containing at the same time pieces of zinc of any suitable shape. Or, the solution,
the zinc, and the objects to be covered, may be enclosed in a watertight box turning
on an axis. Or again, the objects may be placed at random in the solution, along
with the pieces of zinc, the whole being stirred or agitated by suitable means, while
air, gas, or steam, for example, is blown into it.
Wires may be covered with metal by causing it to pass over zinc pullies immersed
in the solution.
To extract metal from its solution, the conductive material, on which the metal
is to be deposited, is immersed in the solution and connected to a suitable mass
of zinc also immersed, in the solution or in a separate exciting liquid.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method or Process for Depositing Metals from their
Salts.
I, WILLIAM HENRY BECK, of 115 Cannon Street, in the City of London, Consulting
Engineer and Patent Agent, 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, that is to say:-
The improved method or process forming the subject of this invention is intended
to replace the galvanic battery or dynamo-electric machine for the purpose of
covering the baser metals with a coating of more precious or less oxydizable
metal, or for the purpose of extracting metals from their salts whether in solution
or not.
The use of the galvanic battery or dynamo electric machine always costly and
requires considerable attention, besides which they neither of them act satisfactorily
when it is desired to coat a large number of small objects which require costly.
attachments to enable them to be placed in the solution.
The present process enables objects to be easily and rapidly covered with metal
and is applicable to the electrolysis of almost all the metals especially of aluminium
and magnesium. It is based upon double decomposition, and the operation depends
upon the same reaction for all metals. Taking nickel for example the process and
reaction are as follows:-
An iron or copper object previously pickled is placed in a solution of double or
single chloride of nickel being suspended therein by a zinc wire immersed in the
liquid. The zinc is attacked and the object is very rapidly covered with a coating
of nickel which increases so long as the zinc continues to be attacked. The wire
may be replaced by any other form of zinc or other analogous metal. Acidulated
solutions are preferable but in some cases alkaline solutions are necessary. Simple
or complex chlorides are preferable for this process but one or other of the
nuinerous salts suitable for the purpose may be employed. The solutions may be
nsed hot or cold according to circumstances.
In order to establish the contact between the zinc and the objects intended to
receive the deposit various means may be employed; for example, the objects to be
coated may be put into an openwork box or cage turning on an axis in the
solution and containing at the same time pieces of zinc of any suitable shape. Or
the solution, the zinc and the objects to be covered may be enclosed in a watertight
box turning on an axis. Or again, the objects may be placed at random in the
solution along with the pieces of zinc the whole being stirred or agitated by
suitable means while air, gas or steam for example is blown into it.
Wire may be covered with metal by causing it to pass over zinc pullies immersed
in the solution.
To extract metal from its solution the conductive material on which the metal is to
be deposited is immersed in the solution and connected to a suitable mass of zinc also
immersed in the solution or in a separate exciting liquid.

page_text: When it is desired to deposit a coating of nickel on wrought or cast iron, or steel,
copper may be substituted for zinc. For example, the articles to be nickeled may
be placed in a copper strainer immersed in the solution. Similarly copper articles
may be nickeled by placing them in an iron strainer immersed in the solution.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First The process of depositing metals by double decomposition as hereinbefore
described.
Second The improved method or process for depositing or extracting metals from
their salts which consists in decomposing simple or compound metallic chlorides, or
any metallic solution suitable for double decomposition, by means of zinc or other
metal acting in an analogous manner, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Third The application and use of the improved method or process herein before
described for the purpose of depositing aluminium, magnesium, and other such like
metals.