Improvements in and Apparatus for the Manufacture of Copper, Zinc, and other Metal Sheets, Strips, or Wires Electrically.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Feb., 1895
Complete Specification Lef, 11th Dec., 1895-Accepted, 8th Feb.,
1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Apparatus for the Manufacture of Copper,
Zinc, and other Metal Sheets, Strips, or Wires Electrically.
We
SYNDICATE
LIMITED of
THE CowPER COLES GALVANIZING
39 Victoria Street in the City of Westminster and SHERARD OSBORN COWPER-
COLES of 16 Adam Street Manchester Square in the County of London Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide means whereby copper zine, or other
metal, sheets, strips, or wires, can be produced by electro-deposition, in a ready
manner and in any desired length continuously. According to this invention a
vessel is provided for containing the electrolyte and in this the anode or anodes is,
or are, placed in such manner that the cathode can be caused to pass in a continuous
manner in proximity to the anode or anodes. The cathode is in the form of an
endless sheet, belt, or band, which is mounted upon, or passed over, rollers, in such
a manner that it can be caused to pass along through the electrolyte and in
proximity to the anode or anodes. The cathode may be made of any suitable
material which will enable the metal to be deposited upon it from the anode, or
anodes; for example it may be a sufficiently flexible sheet or band of copper or
other metal or a band of non-metallic material covered with plumbago or other
matter which will receive the electrolytically deposited coating of metal. The
coating of metal deposited upon the travelling cathode is removed therefrom when
formed and this may be effected by attaching it to a roller or other equivalent
device which draws off the sheet of deposited metal from the travelling cathode
or the sheets of deposited metal if it be deposited on both sides of the travelling
cathode.
The travelling cathode may be caused to pass, if desired through a bath of a
material which will prevent the undue adherence of the deposited metal thereto.
If wires or strips be desired they may be produced from the sheet or sheets of
deposited metal by passing it or them through rolls which will divide the sheet
longitudinally and at the same time give them any desired form and this form, for
example when round wires are desired, may be protected by means of draw plates
or the like through which the severed portions are passed.
Dated this 11th day of February 1895.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Apparatus for the Manufacture of Copper,
Zinc, and other Metal Sheets, Strips, or Wires Electrically.
THE
CowPER-COLES GALVANIZING
We
SYNDICATE LIMITED of
39 Victoria Street in the City of Westminster and SHERARD OSBORN COWPER-
COLES of 16 Adam Street Manchester Square in the County of London Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
'
1

page_text: be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The object of this invention is to provide means whereby copper, zinc, or other
metal, sheets, strips, or wires, can be produced by electro-deposition in a ready
manner and in any desired length continuously. According to this invention a
vessel is provided for containing the electrolyte and in this the anode or ano les is
or are placed in such manner that the cathode can be used to pass in a continuous
manner in proximity to the anode or anodes. The cathode is in the form of an
endless sheet, belt, or band, which is mounted upon or pissed over, rollers, in such
a manner that it can be caused to pass along through the electrolyte and in
proximity to the anode or anodes. The cathode may be made of any suitable
material which will enable the metal to be deposited upon it from the anode, or
anodes; for example it may be a sufficiently flexible sheet or band of copper or
other metal or a band of non-metallic material covered with plumbago or other
matter which will receive the electrolytically deposited coating of metal. The
coating of metal deposited upon the travelling cathode is removed therefrom when
formed and this may be effected by attaching it to a roller or other equivalent
device which draws off the sheet of deposited metal from the travelling cathode or
the sheets of deposited metal if it be deposited on both sides of the travelling
cathode.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing represents, diagrammatically, in
longitudinal section, an apparatus by means of which this invention can be
performed.
A, is a vessel, containing the electrolyte, and furnishel with anodes B, connected
with one pole of the generator of clectricity. C is the cathode, consisting of an
endless band, made of conductive metal, or of a flexible non-conducting material
covered with a conductive material, such as plumbago. The said cathode passes
over rollers D, to which motion can be imparted by any suitable means so that the
cathode passes slowly through the bath in proximity to the anodes. The other
pole of the electric generator is electrically connected with the said cathode by any
suitable means, such, for instance, as a brush E, bearing on the said cathode.
Fare rollers by which the deposited metal can be removed from both sides of the
cathode after emerges from the bath by first connecting the ends of the deposited
metal to the said rollers.
The travelling cathode if of a nature which would be likely to prevent the
deposited metal being readily removed therefrom may be caused to pass through a
bath of a material which will prevent the undue adherence of the deposited metal
thereto. If wires or strips be desired they may be produced from the sheet or
sheets of deposited metal by passing it or them through rolls which will divide the
sheet longitudinally and at the same time give them any desired form and this
form, for example when round wires are desired, may be perfected by means of
draw plates or other formers through which the severed portions are passed.
The endless band may be of any desired length and it may pass over any desired
number of rollers or even over one roller or drum only in which case it could constitute
really the periphery of the drum. An example of such an arrangement is shewn
diagrammatically in Figure 2 where the parts corresponding to those shown in
Figure 1 are marked with the same letters of reference.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
1. The manufacture of copper, zinc, or other metal, sheets or strips, by passing
an endless sheet, belt, or band, or the equivalent thereof constituting a cathode,
through the electrolyte in an electrolytic vat and in proximity to the anodes, and
then removing the deposited metal; substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. The manufacture of copper, zinc, or other metal, wires, by passing an endless
sheet, belt, or baud, or the equivalent thereof constituting a cathode through an

page_text: electrolyte in an electrolytic vat & in proximity to the anodes, & then removing
& severing the deposited metal longitudinally, & passing the severed lengths
through dies, or formers, to give the said lengths the required sectional form
substantially as herein before described.
3. An apparatus for use in the manufacture of copper, zinc, or other metal,
sheets, or strips consisting of an electrolytic vat with a cathode formed of an
endless sheet, belt, or band or the equivalent thereof & provided with means for
supporting the said cathode, & causing it to travel through the vat, & with anodes
supported in proximity to the path of the said cathode & means for removing the
deposited metal, substantially as herein before described.
4. An apparatus for use in the manufacture of copper, zinc, or other metal
sheets, or strips consisting of an electrolytic vat with a cathode formed of an
endless sheet, belt, or band or the equivalent thereof and provided with means for
supporting the said cathode, and causing it to travel through the vat, and with
anodes supported in proximity to the path of the said cathode, and means for
removing the deposited metal, and dividing it longitudinally, and dies, or formers,
through which the divided lengths are passed to give the required sectional form,
thereto; substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated 11th day of December 1895.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.