Improvements in the Manufacture or Production of Bands and Strips of Copper and other Metals by Electrolysis on Rotary Mandrels.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Apr., 1899-Accepted, 14th Apr., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture or Production of Bands and Strips
of Copper and other Metals by Electrolysis on Rotary Mandrels.
I, WILLIAM EDWIN HEYS, of 70, Market Street, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
In the Specifications of Letters Patent No. 16360 dated the 31st day of August
A.D. 1895, and No. 2709 dated the 2nd day of February A.D. 1897, for inventions
communicated by my foreign correspondent, there is described a system of electro-
deposition of copper and other metals with the aid of "impregnators," on rotary
mandrels, whereby a smooth homogeneous deposit is obtained. The metal has
the primary form of a tube, which, after it has been removed from the mandrel,
may be cut by mechanical means into sheets strips and the like. In the cases
where bands and strips of the deposited metal are required, this necessity for
mechanically cutting up the tubes involves a considerable expense and loss of
time which it is the object of the present invention to avoid.
For this purpose there is formed in the rotary surfaces of the mandrels, helical
grooves of such pitch width and depth in each case as may be required and as
will be governed by the dimensions of the bands or strips to be produced. The
helical grooves are then filled up with a suitable substance such as cement,
paraffin wax, indiarubber, gutta-percha, or resinous compound, which is a bad
conductor or non-conductor of electricity. The mandrel thus prepared is
employed in the ordinary manner as described in the specifications herein before
referred to, for the deposition thereon of the metal by electrolysis. The metal,
owing to the action of the "impregnators," is deposited very evenly upon the
conducting surface of the mandrel, whilst none, or very little, will be deposited
upon the insulating material which fills the helical groove or grooves. There
is thus obtained on the mandrel, one or more spirals of the metal which may be
drawn off or unwound therefrom. Owing to the flexibility of the membranes
which compose the " impregnators," and which makes their action felt in all
the sinuosities and recesses of the metallic deposit, the surfaces of the strips or
bands thus obtained are smooth and their edges are sufficiently regular.
The homogeneous and ductile nature of the deposit enables the produced strips
or bands to be regularised by rolling or drawing, even in the cold state.
By the use on the mandrel of the filled in helical grooves having a relatively
small or suitable pitch, and an appropriate duration of the deposit, there may
easily be obtained in the manner hereinbefore described, a very long strip very
nearly rectangular or almost square in cross section, and, thanks to the action
of the "
'impregnators," not presenting any acute or rough angles. This
peculiarity permits the strip to be readily passed through a draw plate. The
drawing is very regular and a few passes suffice to obtain a homogeneous wire
of circular or other cross section.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
The hereinbefore described manufacture or production of bands or strips of
copper or other metal by electrolysis on rotary mandrels, which consists in forming
helical grooves on the mandrels, filling the grooves with a suitable insulating
substance, and thereafter depositing the metal on the rotating mandrel with the
aid of "
impregnators," substantially as set forth.
Dated this 14th day of Avril A 1) 1899