An Improved Process for the Electro-deposition of Metal upon the Surface of Glass, Porcelain, China, Earthenware, and other Materials.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Oct.,* 1891
Complete Specification Left, 27th Jan., 1892-Accepted, 8th Oct., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process for the Electro-deposition of Metal upon the
Surface of Glass, Porcelain, China, Earthenware, and other
Materials.
A communication to me from abroad by HENRI POTTIER, of Avenue de la
Republique, Paris, in the Republic of France, Artist.
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I, ARTHUR STEPHEN FORD, of 155, Fenchurch Street, in the City of London,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Hitherto it has been found difficult or impossible to effect by means of electricity
a satisfactory deposit of silver, gold, or other metal, upon surfaces such as glass, porce-
lain, china, earthenware, or other non-metallic substances, and the present invention
has for its object a novel process by which the electro deposition of the desired
metal or alloy of metals upon such surfaces can be easily, cheaply, and effectually
accomplished, the deposit being properly adherent, of any desired thickness, and
capable of being subsequently treated in any of the ordinary ways, by polishing,
burnishing, and the like.
In order to put the invention in operation, I use a glaze or compound consisting
of borate of lead obtained by the ordinary process of precipitation or by other
means. This substance is carefully ground upon a glass plate or other suitable
surface, with a suitable sufficiently inoxidizable metal, preferably silver, in a very
fine state of division, and with a little essence of turpentine. An oily or greasy
essence is added afterwards in sufficient quantity which gives the necessary fluidity
to the mixture. The borate of lead, or other equivalent glaze, is in the proportion
of about 25 to 30 per cent., preferably the latter, but I do not confine myself
to any precise proportion. It serves to fix the metallic deposit upon the surface
of the glass or other material to be treated, when heated in a suitable muffle or
other furnace.
The metallic mixture is applied to the surface of the glass or other material to
be treated, which is then placed in the muffle or other furnace and heated in the
usual way.
The articles thus prepared are then removed and suspended by a
copper or other conducting wire in a depositing bath of gold, silver, or other metal
or metals, which is deposited upon them by electricity in the ordinary well known
way and to any desired thickness, and the coating thus obtained is perfectly
adherent and can be polished and otherwise treated in the ordinary ways used for
electro plated goods.
I do not confine myself to the precise materials used, nor to their relative
proportions, or the method of applying them the invention consisting essentially
in the preparation of the surface of glass, porcelain, china, earthenware, and other
materials, in such manner that a subsequent metallic coating electrically deposited
upon them, is firmly adherent and similar to such deposit as ordinarily obtained in
electro-plating upon metal surfaces.

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30.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process for the Electro-deposition of Metal upon the
Surface of Glass, Porcelain, China, Earthenware, and other
Materiāls.
ARTHUR STEPHEN FORD 155 Fenchurch Street London EC.Gentleman a
..communication from abroad from one Henri Pottier of Avenue de la Republique
Paris France 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:-
.
Hitherto it has been found difficult or impossible to effect by means of electricity
a satisfactory deposit of metals such as silver and gold upon the surfaces of glass
porcelain china earthenware or other non-metallic substances and the present
invention has for its object a novel process by which the electro-deposition of any.
desired metal or alloy of metals upon such surfaces can be easily cheaply. and
effectually accomplished of any desired thickness and capable of being subsequently
treated in any of the ordinary ways of commerce by polishing burnishing and
the like.
:
In order to put the invention into operation I use a glaze or covering compound
made up of the following constituents.
Borate oftlead twenty-five to thirty. parts.
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Metallic silver (in a fine powder) seventy to seventy-five parts.
The details of the manufacture of the glaze are as follows:-
The borate of lead is obtained preferably by the ordinary process of precipitation:
It is then carefully ground upon a glass plate with the metallic silver in a very
fine state of division a little essence of turpentine being used to facilitate and ensure
a thorough mixing," When a homogeneous mixture has been obtained an oily or
greasy. essence preferably an animal oil such as neat's foot is added in sufficient
quantity to give the necessary fluidity to the mixture the amount necessary for the
proportions as above described being about 10 parts. This mixture is: then ready
to be applied to the surface of the glass chiba te article to be treated which may
be done by a brush or other means whole surfaces being covered or sketches and
designs only being delineated."<
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The articles so treated are then stored for a sufficient time to allow of the glaze
drying or this operation may be expedited by placing them in a hot air water or
.gas-oven.
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The next and final step is as follows and consists in the subjection of the coated
articles to the intense heat obtained by preference in a muffled or oupola furnace.
The articles are heated to such a degree that the borate of lead contained in the
coating composition is caused to flow and fusing into the glass china etc. remains
firmly embedded therein whilst the powdered silver also in the composition presents
a conducting surface.
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It is obvious that if the articles are then suspended by a wire or other similar
means in an electro plating bath metal will be deposited upon the conducting
surface as aforesaid and when the desired thickness of the coat has been; obtained
the articles can be withdrawn and finished in any desired manner.
I wish to state that I do not limit myself to the precise constituents of the
glaze as before described the essential point of the invention being, the constitution
of a pottery and fusible glaze containing the proper amount of some sufficiently
inoxidisible metal in a fine state of division which glaze under the influence of an
intense heat in a muffled or other similar furnace will flow or melt and blind the
metal into and upon the surface of the glass china etc. by which means a con-
ducting surface is obtained to receive a metallic coating by electro-deposition in an
electro-plating bath, and

page_text: Having now described the nature and scope of my invention and having
detailed the best means known to me for carrying out the same which I what to
claim and secure to myself by Letters Patent is
1. The constitution of a glaze or varnish for rendering the surface of glass
porcelain china earthenware and similar substances electrical conductors by the
addition of a suitable quantity of some non-oxidisable metal in a fine state of division
to a suitable glaze which is subsequently caused to melt by subjection to the heat
of a furnace of high intensity.
2. The method of electro-plating the surface of glass porcelain china earthen-
ware and similar substances by the deposition of the metallic covering upon a
coating of a varnish or glaze consisting of a suitable quantity of some sufficiently
non-oxidisable metal incorporated with a pottery glaze which melts under the
influence of the heat of a muffled or similar furnace of high intensity and which
by its flowing fuses the metal used into and upon the surface of the article coated.
Dated this 25th day of January 1892.
ARTHUR-S; FORD.