Uncovering the Mystery of WGL's Cantaba Alloy

In summary, through online research and a book titled "Abridgment Of United States, British And German Patents On Alloys", it was found that British Patent 16,324 of 1884 was registered by Lecomber. This patent describes a non-oxidizable and ductile alloy made of gold, silver, and copper, with possible additions of nickel, cobalt, chromium, or palladium. This alloy was considered suitable for electric resistance purposes and ignition points for spark plugs and magnetos. However, due to its expensive nature, it likely fell out of use quickly. Further research is needed to determine if this patent is related to the Cantaba alloy created by William Godfrey Lecomber, a copper alloy used in
  • #1
Steve Crook
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I'm trying to learn more about this alloy and there is scant little on Google. William Godfrey Lecomber created a copper alloy for use in frictionless bearings and apparently huge amounts were sold to America and South Africa. WGL called the alloy Cantaba and named his farm in Ruthin (which he built in 1915) Cantaba after this alloy. WGL’s engineering businesses were Thomas Ryder & Co and Allen Harrison & Co which were in Commercial Street, Knott Mill, Manchester. Allen Harrison & Co operated out of the Cambridge Works in Commercial Street. Any information gratefully received.
 
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  • #2
:welcome:

I too can't find cantaba with searches. However, I did find this.
[QUOTE+"https://www.copper.org/publications/newsletters/discover/1997/Ct83/bronzes.html"]Cast and sintered bronzes perform an important anti-friction function in millions of American homes, automobiles and trucks, and in virtually all heavy industrial equipment. A familiar example is the common kitchen food processor. These machines use bronze bearings to smooth the motion of their whirling blades.

For centuries, bronzes have played a major role in combating friction. And bronze bearings continue to hold their own, in spite of long-time competition from ball, sleeve and roller bearings made of steel - and even those bearings may require bronze retainer rings.[/QUOTE]

I wonder if cantaba is bronze in some other language. I tried several languages on translate.google.com without luck. In Welsh, bronze is efydd.
 
  • #3
Google translates, from Spanish, the phrase 'La rana cantaba debajo del agua' to 'The frog sang under the water.'
Where Cantaba translates to Song.

p.s. Above result found by entering 'cantaba' in the DuckDuckGo search engine, then having Google translate one of the results.
Looks an awful lot like a dead end. :frown: Google claimed Spanish and returned the singing frog!

[EDIT] There was another hit on DuckDuckGo that found 'cantaba' in in US Patent 1987650 for a variable pitch airplane propeller. That was another dead end. The find was from an OCR (optical character recognition) of the scanned patent (page 7, line 42 of the scan) and the character recognition converted 'can take' to 'cantaba'.

Cheers,
Tom
 
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  • #4
Thanks for those. I too feel that this enquiry is about to hit the buffers!
 
  • #5
Tom.G said:
DuckDuckGo

Good man @Tom.G . The most discerning Internet users prefer DuckDuckGo. :wink:
 
  • #6
Where did you get the original reference information? - you show considerable details. Note that bronze alloys are legion and many have been in use for thousands of years. So instead of a patent, (in the US at least) manufacturers create brand names, which they can copyright. Cantaba seems more like 'Big Mac' than 'double hamburger with cheese and gorp' to me anyway. Patents at this point seem unlikely.

British patent law notwithstanding, it is possible we are all barking up the wrong tree.
 
  • #7
Useful reply, thanks.

To be honest, I'm trying to help a surviving member of the Lecomber family to shed some light on 'Cantaba'. It was this person who supplied the information which formed the basis of this thread.

Your note on bronze alloys being legion and many and the effect this has on copyrighting makes a lot of sense.
 
  • #9
Thanks for that. As it happens, we are familiar with that site, the current enquirer being partly responsible for the content.

Good point you make regarding the Cambridge connection.
 
  • #10
Finding a patent for the Cantaba alloy registered by Lecomber would help. I got close, but probably won't win a coconut.
A book titled … "Abridgment Of United States, British And German Patents On Alloys Covering The Production Of Platinum Substitutes Including Alloys Having Certain Of The Properties Of Platinum". Compiled in1918 by MOCK & BLUM, Patent Lawyers, 220 Broadway, New York, N. Y.
An archive copy from; https://ia600309.us.archive.org/14/items/abridgmentofunit00mock/abridgmentofunit00mock.pdf

Lists under Class 3-A. … alloys considered suitable for electric resistance purposes and for ignition points for spark plugs and magnetos. …
British Patent 16,324 of 1884, Lecomber.
"Non-oxidizable or difficultly oxidizable hard alloys, consist of 9 parts of gold, 1 of silver and 14 of copper, or 3 parts of gold, three of iridium, and 4 of platinum. Nickelcobalt, chromium, or palladium may be added. These alloys are very ductile."

Since this is a very expensive alloy it will have quickly fallen out of use. Being a high copper alloy may have confused it with anti-friction bearing materials. It is unlikely but possible that it was the proverbial Cantaba. If the meta data such as the patent attorneys can be identified, then it may lead to other patents.

Early British patents are in the Archives at Kew. If someone would care to search the UK Government Web Archive for a reference to British patent 16,324 of 1884 they may find Lecomber refers to WG Lecomber at the age of about 14, or more probably his father, WW Lecomber.
 
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  • #11
Many thanks for that.
 

1. What is WGL's Cantaba Alloy?

WGL's Cantaba Alloy is a unique metal alloy developed by the WGL corporation for use in various industrial and technological applications. It is known for its exceptional strength and durability, making it a valuable material for a wide range of purposes.

2. How was WGL's Cantaba Alloy discovered?

The discovery of WGL's Cantaba Alloy was the result of years of research and experimentation by WGL's team of scientists and engineers. They combined various elements and conducted numerous tests to find the perfect composition for the alloy's desired properties.

3. What makes WGL's Cantaba Alloy special?

WGL's Cantaba Alloy has several unique properties that make it stand out from other metal alloys. These include its high strength, resistance to corrosion and wear, and its ability to withstand extreme temperatures. It is also lightweight and can be easily molded into different shapes and forms.

4. What are the main applications of WGL's Cantaba Alloy?

WGL's Cantaba Alloy has a wide range of applications in various industries. It is commonly used in aerospace and defense technologies, automotive and transportation, construction, and electronics. It is also being explored for potential use in medical devices and renewable energy technologies.

5. Is WGL's Cantaba Alloy environmentally friendly?

WGL's Cantaba Alloy is considered to be relatively environmentally friendly compared to other metal alloys. It is recyclable and has a longer lifespan, reducing the need for frequent replacements. It also has a lower carbon footprint in its production process compared to other alloys.

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