AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING NICKEL AND COBALT.
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT, to Henry Wiggin, and Henry Arthur Wiggin, and Alfred
Smeaton Johnstone, and Walter William Wiggin, trading as Henry Wiggin
and Company, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturers, for
an Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING NICKEL
AND COBALT.".
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Wiggin, Henry
Arthur Wiggin, Alfred Smeaton Johnstone, and Walter William Wiggin at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th March 1880.
HENRY WIGGIN, and HENRY ARTHUR WIGGIN, and ALFRED SMEATON JOHNSTONE,
and WALTER WILLIAM WIGGIN, trading as Henry Wiggin and Company, of
"AN IMPROVEMENT OR
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturers.
IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING NICKEL AND COBALT."
Nickel and cobalt as ordinarily manufactured are not so ductile and malleable
as is desirable with respect to the manufactures to which they are or may be
applied.
Our Invention has for its object to render nickel and cobalt so malleable and
ductile that they can be readily rolled, pressed, stamped, and drawn.
In treating nickel and cobalt according to our Invention we add to the nickel or
cobalt in a state of fusion metallic manganese, the said manganese being added in
small portions at a time, the melted nickel or cobalt being well stirred during the
addition of the manganese. The quantity of manganese required to be added varies
in different samples of nickel and cobalt, but we find in practice that five parts by
weight of manganese to one hundred parts by weight of nickel cobalt answers
well. We do not however confine ourselves to any particular proportions. After
the commotion which the addition of the manganeso to the molten nickel or cobalt
causes has ceased we cast the nickel or cobalt into ingots or other forms, or alloy
them in the ordinary way.
The nickel and cobalt treated with metallic manganese, as described, are very
ductile and malleable, and can easily be rolled, pressed, stamped, or drawn.
The metallic manganese employed need not be pure. The manganese obtained
by reducing the native oxides answers the purpose, although it is alloyed with iron.
The nickel and cobalt to be treated according to our Invention may be operated
upon immediately they are made and while still fused; or they may be melted.
specially to be treated as herein described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Wiggin, Henry Arthur Wiggin, Alfred Smeaton Johnstone,
and Walter William Wiggin in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th
September 1880.
HENRY WIGGIN, and HENRY ARTHUR WIGGIN, and ALFRED SMEATON JOHNSTONE,
and WALTER WILLIAM WIGGIN, trading as Henry Wiggin and Company, of
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturers. "AN IMPROVEMENT OR
IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING NICKEL AND COBALT."
Nickel and cobalt as ordinarily manufactured are not so ductile and malleable
as is desirable with respect to the manufactures to which they are or may be
applied.
Our Invention has for its object to render nickel and cobalt so malleable and
ductile that they can be readily rolled, pressed, stamped, and drawn.
In treating nickel and cobalt according to our Invention we add to the nickel or
cobalt in a state of fusion metallic manganese, the said manganese being added in
small portions at a time, the melted nickel or cobalt being well stirred during the
addition of the manganese. The quantity of manganese required to be added varies
in different samples of nickel and cobalt, but we find in practice that five parts by
weight of manganese to one hundred parts by weight of nickel or cobalt answers
well. We do not however confine ourselves to any particular proportions. After
the commotion which the addition of the manganese to the molten nickel or cobalt
causes has ceased we cast the nickel or cobalt into ingots or other forms, or alloy
them in the ordinary way.
The nickel and cobalt treated with metallic manganese, as described, are very
ductile and malleable and can easily be rolled, pressed, stamped, or drawn.
The metallic manganese employed need not be pure.
The manganese obtained by reducing the native oxides answers the purpose,
although it is alloyed with iron.
The nickel and cobalt to be treated according to our Invention may be operated
upon immediately they are made and while still fused, or they may be melted
specially to be treated as herein described.
Having explained the nature of our Invention we will proceed to describe the
manner in which the same is to be performed.
We first melt the nickel or cobalt to be operated upon either in a coke or gas
furnace, and when the whole of the said nickel or cobalt has been thoroughly
melted we add thereto the metallic manganese or manganese alloy, either all at
once, or preferably in portions at a time. During and after the addition of the
manganese or manganese alloy we stir the melted nickel or cobalt so as thoroughly
to mix the manganese or manganese alloy therewith. We effect the stirring by
means of an iron rod. After the addition of the manganese or manganese alloy the
melted nickel or cobalt is violently agitated and has the appearance of being in a
state of ebullition. When the commotion in the melted nickel or cobalt has ceased
and is not renewed on further stirring of the metal, which result occurs in from
five to ten minutes, the action of the manganese on the nickel or cobalt is complete,
and the melted metal may be poured from the melting pot into an iron or other
ingot or other mould.
The metallic manganese may be used in a state of ordinary purity, that is, as
obtained by reducing oxide of manganese. The metallic manganese so obtained
contains iron.
Instead of metallic manganese alone an alloy of metallic manganese with iron
may be employed. The alloy known in commerce as ferro-manganese answers well.
The composition of the said ferro-manganese varies in different samples, the rich
qualities containing about eighty per cent. of metallic manganese, while poor

page_text: qualities contain only about thirty three per cent. of metallic manganese. When
using metallic manganese of ordinary purity from two to five parts by weight of
the said manganese may be added to every one hundred parts by weight of nickel
or cobalt. For ordinary purposes two parts by weight of metallic manganese to
every one hundred parts by weight of nickel or cobalt is sufficient, but when a
maximum degree of ductility and malleability is required the quantity of metallic
manganese may be increased to five parts by weight to every one hundred parts by
weight of nickel or cobalt. Any addition of manganese beyond the proportion last
indicated has but little, if any, useful effect.
When we use ferro-manganese instead of manganese alone we employ as a
minimum quantity three parts by weight of the rich quality, or from five to six
parts by weight of the poor quality to every one hundred parts by weight of nickel
or cobalt, the proportion of the ferro manganese being increased when more than
ordinary ductility and malleability are required in the ratio herein before indicated
with respect to metallic manganese.
As the native oxides of manganese are frequently spoken of as manganese, we
wish it to be particularly understood that by manganese we do not mean oxide of
manganese, but manganese in the reguline or metallic state, either alone or in alloy
with iron.
We also wish it to be understood, that although we have described the best
methods with which we are acquainted of carrying our Invention into effect, that
is by the use of metallic manganese or of metallic manganese alloyed with iron, yet
other metallic alloys consisting essentially or largely of metallic manganese may be
employed with like effect.
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, we wish it to be understood that we do not limit
ourselves to the precise details herein described, as the same may be varied without
departing from the nature of our Invention;
But we claim as our Invention of "An Improvement or Improvements in Treating
Nickel and Cobalt,"-
..
Adding to melted nickel or melted cobalt metallic manganese or metallic
manganese alloyed with iron, or otherwise alloyed, substantially as and for the
purpose herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Smeaton Johnstone, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty fourth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
37, Temple Street,
Birmingham.
ALFRED SMEATON JOHNSTONE. (L..S)