AN IMPROVED METALLIC COMPOSITION FOR ROOFING, LININGS, PIPES, AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for
Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED METALLIC COMPOSITION
FOR ROOFING, LININGS, PIPES, AND OTHER PURPOSES."-A communication
from abroad by David Johnson Millard, of Clayville, in the State of
New York, United States of America.
.
Sealed the 25th April 1871, and dated the 7th November 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton.
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 7th November 1870.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED METALLIC COMPOSITION FOR
ROOFING, LININGS, PIPES, AND OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in
metal composition for roofing, linings, pipes, either made or cast from
the sheet, and other purposes, and consists in combining certain well-
known metals, and thereby forming a composition metal, which when

page_text: rolled into sheets suitable for roofing, linings, and all similar purposes,
or cast or made into pipe, résists the action of salt water and most of the
acids, and does not perceptibly expand and contract from heat and cold.
To this end lead, tin, bismuth, and aluminium are employed, or the
lead, tin, and bismuth without the aluminium, and with or without the
bismuth, according to the use for which the metal is intended.
These metals are used in various proportions. An alloy composed of
lead, one hundred pounds; tin, sixteen pounds; and bismuth, one ounce,
with from three to five pounds of aluminium. added, is best adapted for
roofing and most other purposes. As the purposes are various the
proportions named may be accordingly varied, and the aluminum may
be entirely dispensed with where it is not desired to furnish a very fine
quality of metal, and the bismuth may be dispensed with, or either
aluminum or bismuth may be dispensed with.
In preparing the metal, first fuse the lead in an iron vessel, and
then add the block tin, taking care that the lead is not at so high a
temperature as to burn or vaporize the tin. When the tin has been.
fused and thoroughly mingled with the lead introduce about half a
pound of tallow to the hundred pounds of metal to cleanse the combined
metals from all impurities, which may be skimmed from the surface.
The bismuth is then introduced, and also the aluminum. When the
composition has been thoroughly stirred it is ready to be poured into the
moulds, and thus formed into ingots or slabs. After being perfectly
cooled, the ingots or slabs are ready for the rolling mill.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 4th May 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special

page_text: licence that I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, admi-.
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Edward
Newton, 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
"AN IMPROVED METALLIC COMPOSITION FOR ROOFING, LININGS, PIPES, AND OTHER
PURPOSES," being a communication to me from abroad by David Johnson
Millard, of Clayville, in the State of New York, United States of
America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Edward Newton, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 William Edward Newton, 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 relates to certain new and useful improvements in
metal composition for roofing, linings, pipes, either made or cast from
the sheet, and other purposes, and consists in combining certain well-
known metals, and thereby forming a metallic composition or alloy,
which (when rolled into sheets suitable for roofing, linings, and all
similar purposes, or cast or made into pipe) resists the action of salt
water and most of the acids, and does not perceptibly expand and con-
tract from heat and cold. To this end lead, tin, bismuth, and aluminum
are employed, or the lead, tin, and bismuth, without the aluminum, and
with or without the bismuth, according to the use for which the metal
is intended.
These metals are used in various proportions according to the use for
which the alloy or compound is designed. An alloy composed of lead,
one hundred pounds; tin, sixteen pounds; and bismuth, one ounce,
with from three to five pounds of aluminum added, is well adapted for
roofing and most other analogous purposes. As the purposes are various
the proportions named may be accordingly varied, and the aluminum

page_text: may be entirely dispensed with where it is not desired to furnish a very
fine quality of metal, and the bismuth may sometimes be dispensed with,
or either aluminum or bismuth may be dispensed with.
In preparing the metallic alloy, first fuse the lead in an iron vessel,
and then add the block tin, taking care that the lead is not at so high a
temperature as to burn or vaporize the tin. When the tin has been fused
and thoroughly mingled with the lead, introduce about half. a pound of
tallow to the hundred pounds of metal, in order to cleanse the combined
metals from all impurities, which may be skimmed from the surface;
the bismuth is then introduced and also the aluminum when bismuth and
aluminum or either of them is used. When the composition has been
thoroughly stirred it is ready to be poured into the moulds, and thus
formed into ingots or slabs. After being perfectly cooled the ingots or
slabs are ready for the rolling mill.
This metallic composition can be cast and rolled without cracking,
and no mechanical or other difficulties are met with in rolling it to
extreme thinness, or making a most tough and tenacious sheet admirably
adapted for roofing, for lining barrels, for holding petroleum, mineral
waters, and all similar fluids, sheathing vessels, water-tight floors, damp
walls, and various other purposes. No acids affect it which will not
destroy gold and silver.
The advantages and value to the public of this metal are many, and
must be obvious to all.
Having now described the Invention which has been communicated
to me by my foreign correspondent, I claim as the Invention secured to
me by Letters Patent as aforesaid, the above-described process for
forming a metallic composition or alloy applicable for the purposes
herein set forth, or any analogous purposes.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Fourth day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.