Improvements in and in connection with Pickling and Preparing Iron for Galvanizing.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 11th June, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 11th Mar., 1890-Accepted, 12th Apr., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and in connection with Pickling and Preparing
Iron for Galvanizing.
1, THOMAS PARKER of Commercial Road Wolverhampton in the County of
Stafford, Electrical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
This Invention relates to the method or process of pickling and preparing iron for
galvanization.
Iron is commonly prepared for galvanization by being pickled in a bath consisting
of a solution of sulphuric acid. When this solution has done its duty in the bath, it
becomes a waste product which it is difficult to utilise and deal with commercially.
The object of this Invention is to secure a continuous regeneration of the bath and
consequently to avoid the before mentioned difficulty.
In carrying out my Invention, I divide the bath in which the pickling is carried on,
by means of a porous plate or septum, or I place in the bath a porons cell, or other-
wise provide a space separated from the bath by means of a porous separator or
diaphragm. In the cell or separated space there is placed an iron anode and in the
bath a carbon, lead, or other suitable inoxidisable anode. The bath consists of the
pickling solution and in the adjoining cell there may be some of the exhausted
pickling solution or a neutral saturated solution of sulphate of iron.
When the anodes are connected to the poles of a dynamo-electric machine or other
source of current, iron is deposited on the iron anode from the solution in contact
therewith and sulphuric acid (and chlorine, if chlorides of iron are present,) is set
free at the opposite pole.
Dated this 10th day of June A.1) 1889
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and in connection with Pickling and Preparing
Iron for Galvanizing.
1, THOMAS PARKER of Commercial Koad Wolverhampton in the County of Stafford,
Electrical 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 the pickling or preparation of iron for galvanizing.
Iron is commonly prepared for galvanizing in a bath consisting of a solution of
sulphuric acid. When this solution has done its duty in the pickling bath, it becomes
a waste product which it is difficult to utilize and deal with commercially.
The object of this Invention is to secure a continuous regeneration of the pickling
bath and consequently to avoid the before mentioned difficulty.
In carrying out my Invention, 1 divide the vessel or tank in which the pickling is
carried on into two compartments by means of a porous plate or septum, or I place in
the vessel or tank a porous cell, or I otherwise provide a cell or compartment
separated from the pickling vessel or tank by means of a porous separator or
diaphragm.
In the separated cell or compartment I place an iron cathode, and in the outer or
main vessel in which the pickling is carried on 1 place an anode which should be con-
structed of lead, carbon, or other suitable material which will not be acted on by the
solution in which it is immersed.

page_text: The solution in the outer vessel is the ordinary active pickling solution; the solution
in the separated cell or compartment containing the iron cathode may be some of the
exhausted pickling solution or it may be a neutral saturated solution of sulphate of
iron.
The anode and cathode are respectively connected by suitable conductors with the
opposite poles of a dynamo electric machine or with other source of electricity
capable of yielding a current under a pressure of about 2 to 5 volts in actual work.
When the current passes through the baths, iron is deposited on the cathode in
the separated cell, and sulphuric acid (and chlorine also, if chlorides are present in
the bath) is given off at the anode. The sulphuric acid so liberated, at once mixes
with the pickling bath which is thereby continuously regenerated and at the same time
an equivalent quantity of pure iron is deposited on the cathode. This cathode may
be removed from time to time as the iron accumulates thereon and is replaced by a
new one.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner "the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is―
The method or process for continuously regenerating a sulphuric acid solution
employed as a pickling bath in the preparation of iron for galvanizing and other
similar purposes, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 10th day of March A.D). 1890.
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.