Improvement in Metallio Letters, Figures, and Signs for Advertising Purposes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Nov., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 8th Feb., 1895-Accepted, 9th Mar., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Metallio Letters, Figures, and Signs for Advertising
Purposes.
ALBERT JOHN EVES HILL 10 Palmer Crescent Kingston-on-Thames Art
Decorator, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
--
The object of my invention is to provide a letter figure or sign, of an
untarnishable nature, and very light, by depositing one of the noble metals on one.
of an inferior but pliable nature.
For this purpose I may either deposit copper by the aid of an electric battery on
suitable moulds, or may for greater simplicity stamp, press, or mould, the letter,
sign, or figure from thin sheets of such metals as an alloy of aluminium and lead,
copper, brass or zinc.
The letter, sigu or figure thus deposited, moulded, stamped or pressed is then
carefully cleaned, and electro plated with gold or silver in the ordinary manner.
By this means I got a letter, figure, or sign, of extreme lightness, yet permanent,
the ordinary method of gilding by leaf gold being unsatisfactory from its
susceptibility to marking and damage by careless handling. To give greater
rigidity the article thus formed may be filled with a suitable composition such as
rosin wax and red lead.
Dated this First day of November 1894.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Metallic Letters, Figures, and Signs for Advertising
Purposes.
ALBERT JOHN EVES HILL 10 Palmer Crescent Kingston-on-Thames Art
Decorator, 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 :—
The object of my invention is to provide letters signs or figures of a light` but
untarnishable nature.
This is effected by depositing one of the noble metals on one of an inferior but
pliable nature by means of electrical power, such as au electric battery; instead of
the usual method at present adopted, of gilding with gold leaf and an adhesive.
The letter, sign or figure, in the case of elaborate or intricate designs, such as
trade marks tablets, or any letter of highly decorative modelling, I prefer to
form by depositing by electrical means, from solutions of such metals, as copper,
silver, nickel, lead or zinc, or alloys deposited from mixed solutions of these
metals on suitable moulds; as now in usual practice in electro metallurgy.
The letter sign or figure is formed in the first instance from wood, or modelled
in wax clay or other plastic material from which the negative mould on which the
letter sign or figure is to be deposited. This is made in the manner in general
practice, in plaster of Paris indiarubber gelatine or wax and phosphorus, and
[Price St.]

page_text: rendered conductive by any of the ordinary means, such as graphite, bronze
powder, nitrate of silver exposed to light & reduced by a solution of persulphate
of iron. On the mould thus formed the letter, or-by suitably connecting-words,
are deposited from solutions of metals as before stated, but I prefer the use of
copper, deposited from a solution of sulphate of copper.
The letter, sign or figure thus formed is then electro plated with gold, silver or
platinum to render more permanent, but I prefer the use of gold deposited from a
solution of the double cyanides in the ordinary manner.
In the case of letters of forms easily raised by means of dies, I may stamp,
mould or press from thin sheets of such metals as nickel, aluminium, copper, zinc,
tio or iron, or preferably alloys suitable to be readily plated by electrical means
I prefer the use of copper or gilding metal owing to the case of plating.
The letter sign or figure thus formed is as in the case of depositing, plated
in the usual manner with an electric battery or other source of power, from a
solution preferably of the double cyanides of gold or silver in the usual manner.
In the case of a black letter being required, the letter is platinised by means of
an electric battery from a solution of tetrachloride of platinuin, dissolved in water,
containing its weight of nitric acid; to render more effective, parts of the letter
thus formed may be gilded by stopping off where not required with copal
varnish.
To give greater rigidity to the letter, a lining may be given of a mixture of wax,
resin & Venetian red, or plaster, copal varnish and white lead.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
I. Letters, signs or figures deposited from metallic solutions, which aro
afterwards protected from the action of the weather by means of electro plating
with gold, silver or platinum substantially as described.
11. Letters signs or figures, stamped moulded or pressed from thin sheets of
aluminium, nickel zinc, or copper or alloys of these metals, afterwards electro
plated with gold silver or platinum as hereinbefore described.
III. Letters signs or figures deposited or stamped platinised by electrical means
or part gilded & part platinised as hereinbefore described.
IV. The use of a filling where greater rigidity is required, such as Venetian rod
wax & resin.
Dated this Fifth day of February 1895.