An Improved Apparatus for Producing Galvanic or Electrolytic Depositions.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 29th May, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 26th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 10th Apr., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Producing Galvanic or Electrolytic
Depositions.
A communication by the ELEKTRA GALVANOPLASTISCHE ANSTALT, H. FEITH
and A. FLOECK, of No. 21 Aachenerstrasse, Cöln on the Rhine, in the
Empire of Germany, Electricians.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool and 6 Bank Street, Manchester
both in the County of Lancaster, 118 New Street, Birmingham in the County of
Warwick and 322 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists in an improved apparatus for producing galvanic or
electrolytic depositions of metal on metal goods or articles covered with a con-
ductive coating. The goods or articles to be covered or coated with the galvanic
deposition are put into a drum receiving a rotary motion; the inside surface of the
drum is lined with sheets or plates of the metal to be precipitated. The said drum
is immersed into the electrolyte, which enters into the drum and freely circulates
therein. The metal sheets or plates inside the drum are insulated from each other
and from the sides of the drum. The current is so distributed to the plates or
sheets of metal within the drum, that those plates or sheets which, during the
rotation of the drum, form for the time being the bottom of the drum, receive the
negative current, and those plates or sheets, which form for the time being the upper
half of the drum, receive the positive current.
Apparatus for producing galvanic depositions on. metal goods placed on the
bottom of a rotating drum, is known and has been used before; the present
invention has for its object to provide an improvement in apparatus of such
kind.
The principal features of this invention consist in constructing the drum with
inside plates or sheets of metal insulated from each other and from the sides of the
drum, and of distributing the current to the said plates in such a manner, that,
during the rotation of the drum, those plates, which, at any time, are down, are
connected to the negative pole of the battery, and those plates which, at any time
are uppermost, receive the positive current. It will be seen then that, while the
drum is turning, the metal plates inside the same alternately change their function,
serving as negative electrodes while they are down and as positive electrodes while
they take the upper half of the drum. The articles or goods to be coated with a
metallic deposition of the metal employed are placed in the drum through a
suitable door and are loosely spread on the bottom of the drum, where they roll as
the drum is turning. By the rolling motion, the said articles will constantly
present fresh portions of their circumference to the action of the fluid, and, being
in metallic contact with the conductive plates receiving the negative current, the
said articles or goods being of conductive metal or covered with a conductive
matter, will themselves become or act as cathodes, the metal plates in the upper
part of the revolving drum serving as anodes. While the metal plates in the drum

page_text: alternately serve as cathodes and as anodes, as described, the goods or articles to
be treated are in contact only with the bottom plates or cathodes, and thereby are
covered on the whole of their surface with the metallic deposition.
The distribution of current in the manner described is obtained by means of a
commutator, consisting of segments carried by the revolving axis of the drum.
The said segments enter into contact with fixed contacts in connection with the
poles of the source of electricity.
Dated this 27th day of Mov 1806
An Improved Apparatus for Producing Galvanic or Electrolytic
Depositions.
A communication by the ELEKTRA GALVANOPLASTISCHE ANSTALT, H. FEITH
and A. FLOECK, of No. 21 Aachenerstrasse, Cöln on the Rhine, in the
Empire of Germany, Electricians.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, 118, New Street Birmingham in
the County of Warwick and 322, High Holborn in the County of Mid llesex, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
This invention relates to an improved apparatus for producing galvanic or
electrolytic depositions of metals on metal goods or articles covered with a con-
ductive coating. The goods or articles to be covered or coated with the galvanic
deposition are put into a drum receiving a rotary motion; the inside of the drum
is lined with sheets or plates of the metal to be precipitated. The said drum is
immersed in the electrolyte, which enters into the drum and freely circulates
therein. The metal sheets or plates inside the drum are insulated from each other
and from the sides of the drum. The current is so distributed to the plates or
sheets of metal within the drum, that those plates or sheets which, during the
rotation of the drum, form for the time being the bottom of the drum, receive the
negative current, and those plates or sheets, which for the time being form the upper
half of the drum, receive the positive current.
Apparatus for producing galvanic depositions on metal goods placed on the
bottom of a rotating drum is known and has been used before; the present
invention has for its object to provide an improvement in apparatus of such
kind.
An apparatus constructed according to the present invention is illustrated in the
accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section and Figure 2 a
cross section of the saine; Figure 3 is an end view of the drum and the device for
distributing the current.
The principal features of this invention consist in constructing the drum b,
which, preferably, has a polygonal shape and consists of a suitable non-conductive
material, such as wood, with inside plates or sheets c, of such metal, of which the
galvanic or electrolytic deposition is to be formed. The said plates or sheets c,
are secured to the inside surface of the drum b, in such a manner that they can be
readily removed and exchanged, when worn out by use, or when another metal is

page_text: desired to be precipitated. The said sheets or plates c are insulated from each
other by ledges or bars d2 of insulating material, and from the ends of the drum by
insulating layers d³, and a further layer d' of insulating material separates the
said sheets or plates c from the inside surface of the drum. The said drum bis
arranged to turn within a suitable tank or casing a, the ends of which are
provided with stuffing boxes k, through which the trunnions of the drum project, as
clearly shown in Figure 1. The said tank or reservoir a, contains the electrolyte,
which covers the drum b, and freely enters the same through apertures / provided
in the ends of the drum. By this means the electrolyte has ready access to the
interior of the drum and circulates within the same. The gas developed within
the drum by the chemical process of electrolysis, readily escapes through the same
apertures .
The goods or articles to be covered with a metallic deposition, are charged into
the drum through a suitable door, not shown in the drawings, they are loosely
spread upon the bottom of the drum where they remain and roll over and over, as
the drum is rotating. The electric current is distributed to the metal plates or
sheets c, in such a manner, that, during the rotation of the drum, those plates c,
which, at any time, are down, i.e. form the lower part of the revolving drum, are
connected to the negative pole of the battery, while those plates or sheets c, which,
at any given time, are up or form the upper part of the drum, receive the positive
current. It will be readily understood, then, that, while the drum b, is turning,
the metal plates c, inside the same constantly change their function, serving,
alternately, as negative electrodes, while they are down, and as positive electrodes,
while they take the upper half of the revolving drum. By their rolling motion,
the articles contained in the drum will constantly present fresh portions of their
circumference to the action of the fluid, and as the said goods are in metallic contact
with the conductive plates c receiving the negative current, as before described, the.
said articles or goods will themselves become or act as cathodes, while the metal
plates c, forming the upper part of the drum and receiving the positive current,
simultaneously serve as anodes. The goods, being in contact only with the cathodes
on the bottom of the drum, are thereby covered with the metallic deposition over
the whole of their surface.
To distribute the current to the upper and lower half of the drum, namely to
the metal plates c, therein contained, a commutator, such as F, may preferably be
employed, the said commutator F, consisting of segments g, carried by the
revolving axis of the drum, while the fixed contacts h, consisting of brushes or the
like, are connected to the terminals of the source of electricity, which contacts,
alternately, enter into engagement with the said segments g, thus carrying the
positive current to the upper plates c, of the revolving drum b, and the negative
current to the lower or bottom-plates of the drum. The said segments g, insulated
against each other, are connected, respectively, to the plates c, by conducting
wires e, secured to the segments by binding screws i.
Instead of employing contacts h, of brushes or of springy metal, mercury contacts
may be used, and in order to increase the useful surface of the metal-plates c, the
said plates may be corrugated, or formed with ribs, webs or other suitable
projections to increase their surface.
Having now particularly. described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
Apparatus for producing galvanic or electrolytic depositions on goods or articles
formed of metal or covered by a conducting coating, consisting of a drum having
its inside surface lined with sheets or plates of the metal to be precipitated, the
said plates or sheets being insulated from each other and so connected to the
terminals of a source of electricity, that those plates or sheets, which, at any time
during the rotation of the drum, are in the lower part of the drum, receive the
negative current and serve as cathodes, whilst at the same time those plates or

page_text: sheets, which for the time being are in the upper part of the drum, receive
the positive current and act as anodes, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
Dated this 25th day of February 1897
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.