IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OR PROCESSES FOR PRESERVING METALS FROM CORROSION
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Carvalho de Medeiros, of Passy, near
Paris, Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MEANS OR PROCESSES FOR PRESERVING METALS FROM CORROSION."―A
communication.
Sealed the 11th November 1858, and dated the 1st August 1858.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said John Carvalho de
Medeiros at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition and Declaration, on the 1st August 1853, pursuant to
the 9th Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
I, JOHN CARVALHO DE MEDEIROS, of Passy, near Paris, Merchant,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MEANS OR PROCESSES FOR PRESERVING METALS FROM CORROSION," as
communicated to me abroad, to be as follows:-
It consists in applying mercury or quicksilver to any metallic surface.

page_text: which shall possess affinities for quicksilver; and it may be applied to
metals not having such affinities by means of an intermediate surface,
such as galvanized iron.
The process of applying it may be performed mechanically or by
machinery or other convenient manner, but the mode of application
preferred is by dissolving the salts of mercury, such as the biclorid or
any other of the oxides or salts of mercury in hydrocloric acid and
water, or in any other acid or menstruum in which these salts are
soluble, taking care that the specific gravity of the solution be such as
io act with energy on the metal, to be auralgamated, and which specific
gravity need never exceed 1.12, nor descend lower than 1.5, or 6. Into
a solution so prepared place the metal plates, whether of copper, zinc,
lead, tin, iron galvanized, or other metal or alloys of metal, and allow
them to remain until their surface is properly and equally amalgamated.
When so operated upon, take them out, and allow the mercury to set
on the surface.
If the plates be for ship's sheathing or iron ship building they must
be again dipped into a solution of arseniores acid prepared in the same
way as that for the mercurial solution; after a few moments immer-
sion in this bath they should be taken out and placed in a drying
oven or other apartment, whose heat need not exceed 300 Fahreuheit.
When dry, rub or brush the surface, after which the metals are fit
for usc.
When the metals are-for house roofing, or for telegraph wires, or
iron railing, the arsenical solution is dispensed with.
Having now described the nature of the Invention, and the processes
or means by which the improvements are effected, claim is made for
the Invention of the application of mercury or quicksilver to metals,
whether singly, such as copper, zine, lead, or other metal, or in alloy,
such as galvanized iron or Muntz's metal; and also is claimed the dis-
cevery that amalgams of mercury so applied with any other metals.
constitute a voltaic pile repulsive to sea animalcula, such as barnacle
or other shell fish, and also sea weed or other marine matter containing
animal or vegetable life, and prevents oxidation in excess in the propor-

page_text: tion of about 1 to 50 in copper in its normal state in sea water, and
1 to 1000 in common air.
In witness whereof, I, John Carvalho de Medeiros, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of July, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
Witness,
JOHN CARVALHO DE MEDEIROS. (L.S.)
JOSEPH MERLE,
Rue Vivienne, N° 18,
Paris.