A very beautiful new alloy, intended to replace brass in various
ornamental uses, especially in window and door furniture, has been
invented by W. A. Hopkins, of Paris. The alloy is composed of copper,
tin, spelter, or zinc and lead, which metals are manipulated. A
crucible is placed in the furnace and fired to red heat, and into the
crucible thus heated the metals are placed in the proportions of--tin
1-1/8 (say) 1 oz., spelter or zinc 1/2 oz., lead 5/16 of an ounce. These
are the proportions he prefers to use, as he has found them to give
excellent and satisfactory results, but he does not intend to confine
himself rigidly to the precise proportions named, as they may,
perhaps, be slightly varied in some particulars without materially
detracting from the beautiful color of the alloy which it is
intended to produce. The molten metals are kept well stirred, and
any impurities therein should be removed. When thoroughly mixed,
this alloy, which is termed the first alloy, is poured off into ingot
moulds and left to cool. Copper, in the proportion of eight parts to
one of this first alloy, is then placed in the crucible and brought
to melting heat, when the tin or first alloy is added and intimately
mixed with the copper, for which purpose the molten mass must be well
stirred for several minutes; it is then poured into ingot moulds for
sale in the form of ingots, or it may be poured into pattern moulds so
as to produce the articles required. This is the mode of manipulation
which it is preferred to employ, as an opportunity is thus afforded of
removing any impurities from the first alloy before mixing it with the
copper; but all the metals may, if preferred, be mixed together in the
proportions given and melted at one operation. By this means an alloy
is obtained of great strength, and of a very beautiful appearance, and
which is particularly suitable for small work, such, for instance, as
window and door furniture and other house furniture which is usually
made in brass or other alloy of copper, though it is not intended to
confine its use to such articles.
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