US285895A - John holland - Google Patents

Description

JOIIN HOLLAND, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN IRIDIUIVI COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 285,895, dated October 2, 1853. Application filed October 3,1882. (No specimens.)

[[0 all whom it nmy concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN HOLLAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oincinnati, county of Hamilton, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Alloying Iridium, of which the following is a specification.

In the ,ensuing specification is described the alloying of various well-known metals with the metal resulting from the process described and claimed in Patent N 0. 241,216, granted to me May 10, 1881. This last-named metal is generally termed by chemists a low phosphuret or phosphide of iridium, though in commerce it is, and probably always will be, known as iridiumf and I have, therefore, designated it by both names in this specification.

The object of my invention is to alloy irid ium with the other metals for thepurpose of imparting the properties of hardness and noncorrosiveness of iridium, and to reduce the hardness of iridium or iridium-phosphide, and thus produce alloys that may be used for many purposes for which iridium or iridiumphosphide is too hard or too brittle.

I have discovered that alloys of iridium and iron can be made in any desired proportions, and used for many purposes for which highlyhardened steel is now used, and in all of these alloys in which the iridium forms not less than one-fourth, by weight, of the alloy, it possesses the noncorrosive properties of the iridium, and is not softened or annealed by heat.

My process of alloying iron and iridium is as follows: I first put the iridium, either pure or as found with its native alloys, in a crucible, and subject it to a high heat in a furnace. I then add to it about one-tourth its weight of phos phorus, as described in Patent N 0. 241,216, granted to me May 10, 1881.. When the iridium is thoroughly fused, I add the desired proportion of iron, depending upon the use for which the alloy is intended. I prefer to use cast-iron, which, in the shape of filings or turnings, I drop into the molten iridium and stir until thoroughly combined, when it may be poured into molds of any desired shape. In order to make the iron combine more readily with the iridium, I first melt the iron with a small proportion of sulphur, cast it in thin sheets, which are then broken into small pieces and dropped into the fused iridium. This is not, however, essential.

A good alloy for draw-plates, tools for turning and cutting hard substancessuch as steel, pearl, ivory, hard rubber, &c.and drills for various uses is made by combining the metals in the proportions of from seventy-five to ninety parts of iridium-to from twenty-five to ten parts of iron. \Vatch-jcwels and fine bearings may be made of this metal also; for these purposes I prefer to use an alloy of seventyfive to eighty-five per cent. of iridium. For journal-bearings, and cutting-edges for surgical and other instruments I use an alloy of equal parts of iridium and iron; but these proportions may be varied, and a much smaller -proportion of iridium used. Even one-fourth of iridium to three-fourths of iron make an alloy which is very hard and non-corrosive. I have alloyed iron and iridium in all proportions or nearly all proportions from one per -eent. up to ninety-nine per cent. of iridium,

and find that my process makes a perfect alloy of iron and iridium in any proportion desired. The proportions given in all the above formula are by weight, of course. I have also used the same process to alloy gold, silver, copper, nickel, and many other metals, with iridium or phosphuret of iridium, with complete sue cess. ver makes it much harder, more elastic, and less effected by acids than the pure silver. I have also alloyed gold with iridium, and find that one per cent. of iridium renders it much harder without affecting the color.

An exccllentalloy for draw-plates is made of ninety-five parts of iridium. with five parts of platinum. This alloy is harder than the ruby, and is very tough, and has a fine, close grain, and five per cent. of platinum or of silver with the iridium and iron improves the quality of the alloy used for surgical and other cutting instruments.

In all of these alloys the same process is used, only changing the metal or poi-portion of the metal or metals to be added to the irirb ium and phosphorus while they are in the fused state, and after they or either of them have combined with the iridium, molding the same in any shape desired.

One per cent. of iridium added to s'il-i high heat, then adding to it phosphorus, in about the proportion specified, and, when fusion of the iridium takes place, then adding one or more of the other meta-ls, in the desired proportion.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a metallic alloy or compound of which iridiumphosphide is a component part.

' JOHN HOLLAND.

\Vil' n esses:

ALFRED B. BENEDICT,

G120. J. h'IURRAY.

I have in the foregoing specification ref erred to iridium, incorporated with other wellknown metals by my process, as an alloy; and while the resulting article possesses the characteristics of a true alloy, it is deemed advisable to designate it in the claims as an alloy or compound.

\Vhat I claiin as new. and desire to secure I by Letters Patent, is 7 1. The above-described process of alloying or compounding iridium with other metals, which consists in first raising the iridium to a