Improvements in Alloys and Compositions for use in Covering or Coating Surfaces of Iron and Steel, and the Surfaces of other Materials, in order to Prevent Corrosion and Fouling thereof when Submerged.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Oct.. 1890
Complete Specification Left. 5th June, 1891-Accepted, 11th July, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Alloys and Compositions for use in Covering or
Coating Surfaces of Iron and Steel, and the Surfaces of other
Materials, in order to Prevent Corrosion and Fouling thereof
when Submerged.
1 JAMES OCTAVIUS DAY of Arreton Blackheath in the County of Kent
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in the
manufacture of alloys and compositions for use in covering or coating the bottoms
of ships and the surfaces of other structures and articles in order to prevent
corrosion and fouling thereof when submerged.
In manufacturing an alloy for the said purpose according to my invention
I melt together zinc and antimony or zinc and copper or zinc and antimony and
copper in such proportions that the alloy when used as a covering or coating
for iron or steel and so applied thereto as to be in contact therewith or otherwise
in metallic connection therewith will preserve the surface thereof from corrosion
and fouling when submerged.
In manufacturing a composition for the said purpose according to my invention
I reduce an alloy made as hereinbefore described to powder and mix the powder
with a suitable fluid medium.
In applying the said alloy in the solid form to the surface to be protected
I form the said alloy into sheets and secure the said sheets to the said surface
by means of rivets or otherwise.
In applying the composition manufactured as hereinbefore described to the
surface to be protected I spread the said composition on the said surface in the
same manner as ordinary paint is spread or in any other convenient manner.
Dated the 10th day of October 1890.
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Alloys and Compositions for use in Covering or
Coating Surfaces of Iron and Steel, and the Surfaces of other
Materials, in order to Prevent Corrosion and Fouling thereof
when Submerged.
1 JAMES OCTAVIUS DAY of "Arreton Blackheath in the County of Kent
Manufacturer 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:-
My invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in the manu-
facture of alloys and compositions for use in covering or coating the bottoms
of ships and the surfaces of other structures and articles in order to prevent
corrosion and fouling thereof when submerged.
In manufacturing an alloy for the said purpose according to my invention I melt
together zine and antimony or zinc and copper or zinc and antimony and copper in
such proportions that the alloy when used as a covering or coating for iron or steel
and so applied thereto as to be in contact therewith or otherwise in metallic
connection therewith will preserve the surface thereof from corrosion due to
galvanic action and from fouling when submerged.

page_text: In manufacturing a composition for the said purpose according to my invention
I reduce an alloy made as hereinbefore described to powder and mix the powder
with a suitable fluid medium.
In applying the said alloy in the solid form to the surface to be protected 1 form
the said alloy into sheets and secure the said sheets to the said surface by means of
rivets or otherwise.
In applying the composition manufactured as hereinbefore described to the
surface to be protected I spread the said composition on the said surface in the
same manner as ordinary paint is spread or in any other convenient manner.
I am aware that alloys of zinc and copper have been used for coating and
sheathing ships and other structures to prevent fouling thereof when submerged
but the use of such alloys as heretofore made for the said purpose has been attended
by the objection that bare surfaces of steel or iron in contact therewith rapidly
corrode or decompose whereas by the use of alloys manufactured according to my
invention not only is fouling prevented but any bare or exposed surface of steel or
iron in contact with the said alloys is preserved from corrosion or decomposition.
These effects or results are produced by galvanic action consequent on contact of
the alloys with iron and steel when submerged. And the different effects or results
produced as hereinbefore stated by the use of the two kinds of alloys is due to
the difference of the galvanic relations between the iron or steel and the respective
alloys the said relations in the case of the alloys heretofore used being such that
when they are in contact with iron or steel the iron or steel is positive and the
alloy negative whereas in the case of my alloys when they are in contact with
iron or steel the iron or steel is negative and the alloy positive. And this
difference of galvanic relations is due to the different proportions in which
the metals are present in the respective alloys by variation of which proportions
alloys may be formed which are positive to iron and others which are negative
to iron and others which are inert i.e. neither positive nor negative in relation
to iron and the use of which in contact therewith is consequently unattended by
any appreciable galvanic action.
I have ascertained that alloys consisting of copper of the quality known as
"best selected copper" and zine of the kind known as "foreign zine of the
purest quality and best "star" antimony in the proportions hereinafter stated are
practically inert or not subject to any appreciable amount of galvanic action
when in contact with iron of moderate hardness and submerged. The said
proportions are as under:
ALLOY OF ZINC AND ANTIMONY AND COPPER.
Zine 40 to 45 parts by weight.
Antimony 10 parts by weight.
Copper 20 parts by weight.
The above alloys are slightly positive with soft steel and slightly negative with
hard iron. Alloys containing less proportions of zinc are decidedly negative to
both iron and steel and the less the proportion of zine the more strongly negative
are the alloys in relation to iron and steel. On the other hand alloys containing
greater proportions of zine are decidedly positive to both iron and steel and the

page_text: greater the proportion of zinc the more strongly positive are the alloys and the
more rapidly do the said alloys decompose or exfoliate.
In the alloys of zinc and copper heretofore ordinarily used the proportion of
zinc relatively to the proportion of copper has been less than that above stated.
In manufacturing alloys according to my invention I use the zinc in proportions
greater than those above stated but I do not limit myself to any particular pro-
portions as the proportion of zinc (above those hereinbefore stated) which it is
advantageous to use in any given case is entirely dependent on the degree of
decomposition or exfoliation which the alloy is required to undergo within a given
time the said alloys being required in some cases to exfoliate comparatively
rapidly and in others comparatively slowly.
In the foregoing statement of proportions I have referred to particular kinds
of zinc and antimony and copper because the proportions required to produce inert
alloys are to some extent dependent on the purity of the metals selected for use
and without reference to some particular kinds of the said metals it would be
impossible to furnish a statement of proportions. I do not however confine myself
to the use of metals of the said particular kinds as others may be used provided
due allowance be made for difference of quality thus if the zinc be not pure the
proportion thereof must be varied according to the amount of impurity the metal
contains and the nature of the impurity. For instance if the zinc contain antimony
or any similar metal or lead the amount of zinc must be increased the extent of
increase in any given case being dependent on the amount of impurity present in
the zinc. Where the impurity in the zinc consists of copper a greater increase
in the proportion of zinc is required than where a like amount of antimony or
similar metal is present.
Where any incertainty exists respecting the quality or purity of the metals
selected for use in the manufacture of alloys according to my invention it is
desirable to prepare small samples of alloys of various proportions and test them
in order to ascertain their galvanic relation to iron or steel. This may be readily
done by immersing a plate of the sample alloy and a plate of iron or steel in a
suitable fluid and connecting them through the coils of a galvanometer. By
this means the proportions necessary for the production of an alloy having the
required positiveness to iron or steel may be readily determined whatever be the
quality of the metals available for use in the production of the alloy.
For the purpose of producing the composition the alloys may be reduced
to powder by grinding under mullers or in any suitable crushing machine or
apparatus.
The fluid media suitable for mixture with the powder in the manufacture of the
said compositions are any bituminous or resinous varnish or drying oil.
The proportions in which the powder and the fluid media are mixed together
depend on the consistence which the resulting composition is required to have.
The mixture of the powder and fluid media may be effected in the same manner
as in the preparation of ordinary paint.
The alloys may be formed into sheets by rolling while at a dull red heat.
In applying the said sheets as a sheathing to ships and other structures 1 secure
the sheets in place by means of rivets or bolts. In the case of the ordinary yellow
metal sheathing sheets of felt or other imperfect conductor of electricity are
ordinarily placed between the sheathing and the surface to which it is to be applied.
In the case of my alloy the sheets thereof should be secured in direct contact with
the surface to be protected.
my said
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that I
claim:
First Alloys for the purposes hereinbefore described consisting of zinc and
copper or zinc and antimony or zinc and autimony and copper in such proportions
that the said alloys when in contact or in metallic connection with the surfaces of

page_text: iron and steel and submerged will prevent corrosion due to galvanic action and
fouling of such surfaces.
Secondly-A composition consisting of an alloy or alloys of the kind referred to
in the preceding claim reduced to powder and mixed with a suitable fluid medium
substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
Dated this 4th day of June 1891.
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicant.