A NEW OR IMPROVED ANALGAN FOR THE BETTER INITATION OF SILVER
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Keene, of Scott's Yard, Bush Lane,
Cannon Street, in the City of London, Certificated Special Pleader
and Foreign Jurist, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED
ANALGAN FOR THE BETTER INITATION OF SILVER."—A communication from
abroad by Madame Pirch Baudvin, residing in the Rue des Marais,
Paris, in the Republic of France.
Sealed the 13th May 1878, and dated the 8th March 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Keene at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on tho
8th March 1873.
I, JOHN KEENE, of Scott's Yard, Bush Lane, Cannon Street, in tho
City of London, Certificated Special Pleader and Foreign Jurist, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED
AXALGAN FOR THE HETTER IMITATION OF SILVER," a communication to me from
abroad by Madame Pirch Baudvin, residing in the. Rue des Marais,
Paris, in the Republic of France, to be as follows:-
The object of the present Invention is to produce a metal or alloy
more resembling silver than any hitherto produced in color, weight, or
specific gravity, maleability, ductility, ring, and in general charac-
teristics.
'

page_text: The method by which I effect or attain the above object of the said
Invention I now proceed to describe.
I take the following metals or materials, or some or all of them, as for
These metals or materials I fuse or molt in suitable pots or crucibles,
and generally treat them similarly to the process used in melting and
refining silver. When the amalgamation is thoroughly effected the new 1
metal or substitute for silver may be run into ingots for future use, or
be manufactured at once into any articles for which silver or its counter-
feits have been hitherto used.
The relative quantities of the several metals or materials may be
varied to some extent according to the articles or uses to which the
finished amalgam is to be applied.
The introduction of cobalt or its oxido into the said amalgam enables
mo to depart considerably from the usual proportions of the metals
generally used in imitation of silver, and even to dispense with some of
those mentioned herein, or to vary their proportions as the several 2
qualities of hardness, ductility, malcability, and color are more or less
desired.

page_text: of London, Certificated Special Pleader and Foreign Jurist, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of March, in the year
5 of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Keene, Her special licenso
that I, the said John Keene, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said John Keene, my executors, adminis-
O trators, 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 "A NEW OR IMPROVED
5 AMALGAK FOR THE BETTER INITATION OF SILVER," a communication to
me from abroad by Madame Pirch Baudvin, residing in the Rue
des Marais, Paris, in the Republic of France, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Keene, my exccutors 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 John Keene, do horoby declaro
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to bo
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by tho
following statement thereof, that is to say :—
This Invention has for its object the production of a metal or metallic
> alloy resembling silver moro closely than any alloys heretofore produced
in color, specific gravity, malleability, ductility, ring, and general
characteristics.
The method by which I effect the above object I now proceed to
describe. I combine in suitable proportions the following metals :-
3 copper, nickel, tin, zinc, cobalt, and iron, to which may be added in some
cases aluminium.
Titherto it has been generally supposed by persons practically

page_text: engaged in or acquainted with the manufacture of German silver or
metallic alloys of a similar character that the presence of cobalt in
metallic mixtures intended to form such alloys is detrimental, as it
has been found to render such alloys unsound or what is technically
called "spilly."
Now this Invention is chiefly based upon the discovery of the fact
that cobalt may be beneficially employed with the other metals above
mentioned. I find that where it is used in proportions of from about
half per cent. to two per cent. of the alloy it gives good results, enabling
a smaller proportion of nickel to be used than is usually employed in
forming German silver or other like alloys, and so economising the use
of an expensive metal and producing a good alloy very similar to silver
and capable of being readily worked. If cobalt be used in excessive
proportions greater than about 2 per cent. its action becomes detrimental
as the alloy becomes too hard. The following proportions are suitable
and produce a serviceable alloy.

page_text: color is not considered of the first importance. The superiority of this
alloy over other silver like alloys depends mainly upon the influence of
the cobalt; if the cobalt be omitted from the alloy it will cease to have
a silver like appearance. The iron and the tin although both useful are
not altogether indispensable.
.
What I claim is the manufacture of the silver-like metal or alloy
manufactured substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Keene, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.