Glossary
Image: Introduction to Patent and Harcourt’s Specification, Castors for Furniture. Patent AD1839 No 8240. An example the front page of this patent for brass castors for furniture.
[Image from: Birmingham Central Library, Local Studies and History]
Brass | An alloy of copper and zinc, usually in the ratio of 60-80% copper and 40-20% zinc. |
Calamine | Zinc carbonate (ZnCO3), an ore of zinc found in carboniferous limestone regions, such as Derbyshire and Cornwall. |
Calamine Brass | Produced by smelting calcined calamine with broken or granulated copper, it has a maximum of 28% zinc content. |
Cementation Process | The heating together of zinc ore and copper to produce brass. |
Crock-brass | The term used for the copper lead alloy which is used mainly for the casting of domestic pots. |
Gun-metal | An alloy made up of 80% copper, 9% yellow brass, 10% tin and 1% lead, although the mixture can vary. |
Latten | An old name for brass encompassing that used for medieval church brasses |
Paktong | Originating in China, this alloy of zinc, copper and nickel was used as a cheap alternative to silver (which it resembled) in eighteenth century England. |
Patent | An official document giving inventors the right to an income for a term of years from those who may wish to use their invention. |
Pot-metal | An alloy of copper and lead |
Spelter | An old name for zinc |
Yellow Brass | Old name for foundry brass, often containing up to 3% lead to aid casting and machining. |
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