US716559A

US716559A - Deposition of metals on earthenware articles.

Info

Publication number: US716559A
Application number: US11203702A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gerald William Laybourn
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1902-06-17
Filing date: 1902-06-17
Publication date: 1902-12-23
Anticipated expiration: 1919-12-23

Description

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GERALD WILLIAM LAYBOURN, OF STOKE-UPON IRENT, ENGLAND.

DEPOSlTION OF METALS 0N EARTHENWARE ARTICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 716,559, dated December 23, 1902.

Application filed June 17, 1902. Serial No. 112,037. (No specimens.)

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, GERALD I/VILLIAM LAY- BOURN, a subject of the King of England, residing at Stoke-upon-Trent, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to the Deposition of Metals on Earthenware Articles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the deposition of metals or metallic coatings on domestic, ornamental, sanitary, or other earthenware articles or bodies.

The chief object of the invention is to deposit metals or metallic coatings on the articles when in the biscuit or porous state by means of electrolysis; and the invention consists in the process or method for this purpose hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

According to this invention the article or body after biscuit baking or firing is placed in this condition in a water-bath,and the conductivity of the Water contained in the pores or channels of the body greatly assists the deposition of the metal. WVhen the article is thoroughly soaked or steeped,it is removed and dusted or coated over with an electrical conducting medium, such as plumbago, and is then placed in an electroplating-bath containing the metal to be deposited on its surface or surfaces.

Instead of applying the electrical conducting medium to the body after it has been fired I may incorporate it with the body in the course of manufacture.

The body is composed of definite proportions of clays, silica,and similar materials and is fired or heated in a suitable oven or stove in order to impart to it the requisite degree of porosity without causing it to be rotten or easily broken.

I do not wish to limit myself to the use of any special materials or to the proportions in which these may be employed, as they may be varied to suit requirements; but I have found the following materials used in the proportions stated give satisfactory results: ball-clay, 260.5 parts; china-clay, two hundred and fifty-four parts; oxid of silicon or flint, three hundred and fifteen parts; stone, 170.5 parts.

The body constituted as above stated is baked or fired for a period usually lasting for forty-eight to fifty-four hours, during which it is subjected to a temperature of approximately 1,500 Fahrenheit. The period occupied in firing the body is in accordance with its composition and is also regulated by the requirements of such body for the subsequent deposition of the metal. This firing period may be varied and is not of so great importance in the process as is the temperature to which the body is subjected. The temperature must be obtained very gradually, and when the desired limit has been reached the temperature is maintained at this point for some hours, during which the body soaks in the heat and becomes thoroughly baked, thereby attaining the highly porous condition necessary. For this purpose I may employ any temperature which is sufficient to impart to the body the requisite porosity.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The process of depositing metals on earthenware articles which consists in steeping the article in water, applying to it an electrical conducting medium and then depositing the metal on the body by electrolysis.

2. The process of depositing metals or metallic coatings on earthenware articles which consists in steeping the article when in the biscuit state in water applying to it an electrical conducting medium and then placing it in an electroplating-bath.

3. The process of depositing metals on earthenware articles composed of definite proportions of clays, silica and similar materials which consists in firing it to a temperature sufficient to render it highly porous then steeping it in water then applying to it an electrical conducting medium and then depositing the metal on the article in an electroplating-bath.

4. The process of depositing metals or metallic coatings on earthenware articles which consists in firing the body in a gradually-increasing temperature allowing the body to soak in the heat at the maximum temperature then steeping it in water then applying to it an electrical conducting medium and depositing the metal by means of electrolysis.

5. As a manufactured article, an earthenware body which has been electroplated by applying to it an electrical conducting medium, steeping the body in water and then placing it in an electroplating-bath, Substantially as described.

6. As a manufactured article an earthenware body which hasbeen electroplated by being steeped in water when in the biscuit state and having an electrical conducting medium applied to it and a metal deposited on the article by means of electrolysis.

7. As a manufactuared article an earthenware body which has been electroplated by a process which consists in firing the body in a gradually-increasing temperature allowing the body to soak in the heat at the maximum temperature then steeping it in water then applying to it an electrical conducting medium and depositing the metal by means of electrolysis.

8. The process of promoting electrolytic deposition of metals on earthenware articles to which a conducting substance is added, which consists in soaking such articles in water while they are in a porous condition and