Improved Apparatus for the Electro-deposition of Metals.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Mar., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 1st Aug., 1896-Accepted, 12th Sept., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for the Electro-deposition of Metals.
We, ALFRED SIDNEY SMITH, THOMAS ALFRED SMITH, ROLAND JOHN
SMITH, and SYDNEY SMITH, all of Charles Street Works, Walsall, in the
County of Stafford, Manufacturers, and THOMAS DEAKIN of 93 Raileigh Street,
Walsall aforesaid, Electro Plater, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention pertains to an improved apparatus to be used in the electro-
deposition of metals, and which said apparatus is designed with the object of o
rendering the articles upon which the metal is deposited being brought out of the
solution in a highly finished state.
In the electro deposition of metals by the ordinary apparatns, the articles upon
which the metal is precipitated come out of the solution dull and require to be
polished by an independent process.
Now by our improved apparatus the articles, while exposed to the solution for
electro-deposition, are gradually and effectively polished or burnished, so that
when the same are taken from the solution no secondary or polishing process
is required; thus considerable saving is effected both in time and labour.
Our improved apparatus consists of a revolving hollow barrel, drum, or the like,
mounted upon a central long sleeve or hollow hub, adapted to rotate upon a bar
rod or carrier, arranged as hereinafter described. This said hollow barrel or drum,
into which the work or articles to receive the metallic deposit are inserted, is
preferably made of an octagonal shape and from wood or earthenware, and is
perforated or pierced throughout its entirety to allow of the liquid solution to
throughly circulate through the same, and act upon the work contained therein.
The long sleeve or hub to which the barrel or drum is made fast is provided at
equi-distant points in its length with copper circuit switch arms or contacts,
distanced by wood or earthenware rings which cover-up and protect the metallic
sleeve or hub from the action of the solution.
The said long sleeve or hub, and the barrel or drum carried by it, is mounted to
freely rotate upon the metallic bar rod or carrier, as aforesaid, which is supported
within metallic bracket bearings in a suitable manner, but which said bracket
bearings are insulated from the liquid by being clothed in wood or other suitable
material.
The hollow barrel or drum is driven by a band from a shaft suitably supported
in bearings and which is in communication with some motive power, and speed
pullies are used for determining the velocity of the hollow barrel or drum.
The apparatus is then suspended or supported within the vat or bath containing
the solution, and the anodes are placed in their usual positions around the sides of
the vat or bath and connected to the positive wire of the generator, whilst the
negative wire is connected in a suitable manner to the rod bar.or carrier upon
which the drum or barrel rotates.
It is obvious that the details for the carrying out of our invention can be modified
to suit various work under operation, but it is necessary that the hollow barrel.or
drum should not contain anything breakable, or its speed of rotation limited, as the
work must be allowed to freely roll, no matter at what speed the barrel revolves,
without ininry

page_text: Our improved apparatus works as follows:-Assuming the work to be placed
within the hollow barrel or drum and the latter put into position within the vat or
bath containing the solution, rotary motion is then imparted to the barrel or drum
in the manner before described, and a current sent into or through the solution,
which latter then percolates and circulates through the hollow interior of the barrel
and acts upon the articles contained therein, and, at the same time as the deposit of
the metal is taking place, the rotation of the barrel causes the work to receive a
beautiful polish or finish, the current of electricity passing out through the
negative wire by way of the contacts or switch arms, as before described, the
said arms being so arranged that the current is never broken.
. Dated this 6th day of March 1896.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
11 Burlington Chambers, New Street, Birmingham,
Agents for Applicants.
We, ALFRED SIDNEY SMITH, THOMAS ALFRED SMITH, ROLAND JOHN
SMITH, and SYDNEY SMITH, all of Charles Street Works, Walsall, in the
County of Stafford, Manufacturers, and THOMAS DEAKIN of 93, Raileigh Street,
Walsall, aforesaid, Electro Plater, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to he performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to an improved apparatus and process for the electro-.
deposition of metals upon various articles, and the object of our invention is to
"bright-plate" the said articles so that no subsequent process is required to give
them the desired brilliant and mirror-like surface. Hitherto, articles upon which
a deposit of metal has taken place have been brought out of the electrolytic bath
in a dull or unpolished condition, and then subjected separately to another process
for polishing or burnishing them.
Now by our invention the articles to be treated are placed within a revolving
barrel, hollow drum, or container, suspended or supported within the electrolytic
bath and, during the time that the deposition of the metal is taking place,
subjected to a rolling over and over or shaking process which gradually, effectively,
and completely polishes brilliant their surfaces. The revolving barrel, hollow
drum, or container, which is mounted centrally upon a long insulated metal sleeve,
is made of non-conducting material, and its walls are perforated or pierced in such
a manner as to entirely allow the solutions to freely circulate through the same,
and to act upon the work contained therein. The said long sleeve with the barrel
or drum carried by it, as aforesaid, is fitted to a central metal (preferably copper)
rod, bar, or carrier, suitably supported within metallic bearing brackets clothed in
wood or other suitable insulating material, and fitted at equi-distant points in its
length with copper contact arms, which latter are mounted in such a manner as to
be in intimate contact with the articles contained within the barrel or drum, so as
to act as channels for the passage of the electric current to the negative pole of
the generator.
In order to particularly describe our invention and the manner in which the
same is to be performed we annex herewith a sheet of drawings made upon a
small scale from a full sized working model.
In this sheet Fig. 1 illustrates a longitudinal vertical section of an electrolytic
bath constructed, arranged, and fitted, for the deposition of nickel according to our
invention, the apparatus being supported therein so that its operative portion (and
preferably the whole) is within the solution.

page_text: This view clearly illustrates the perforated and revolving barrel, hollow drum,
or container, wherein the work is placed, suitably mounted and insulated by wood
coverings, and also the means for rotating or driving the same. It will be observed
that the anodes are slung upon their supporting rods around the inside walls of the
vat or tank in the ordinary manner, and that nothing is contained within the
interior of the barrel or drum to interfere with the continued rolling over and
over movement of the articles placed within.
Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section taken upon the dotted line A, Fig. 1,
illustrative only of the revolving barrel or drum and its cognate parts.
Fig. 3 represents an end elevation of Fig. 2, and
Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7, are views showing, respectively, one of the copper contacts,
and the insulating distance pieces.
The same letters of reference are used to indicate corresponding parts in the
whole of the figures of the sheet of drawings.
The vat or tank a for containing the solution is composed or built up of sides a²,
ends a³, and bottom or base a', in the ordinary manner, and is provided with anode
supporting rods b, one only of which is illustrated.
The anodes, which are marked b2, are suspended to the rods b in the ordinary
manner by hooks 63, the positive wire being also connected thereto by a
terminal Suspended by means of rods, chains, or their equivalents from
suitable pullies, through the intervention of hooks c², or otherwise supported, is a
horizontally disposed metallic rod d, having connected at its extreme ends hangers
or brackets d, for supporting a horizontal rod, bar, or their equivalents f, around
and upon which a barrel, drum, or container g is placed, and revolves as hereinafter
described.
These hangers d³, which are adjustably connected to the rod d, are constructed
from copper, and those parts of them which are immersed in the solution are
covered up by wooden sheaths e, each of which is made in two halves to allow of
easy fitting. The lower parts d³, of each of these hangers d', are fashioned into
bosses, and are fitted with a screwed hole d', for the purpose of accommodating
like screwed ends of a copper rod, bar, or their equivalents f, around and upon
which the barrel, drum, or container g revolves. This said barrel, hollow drum, or
container g, within which the articles to be nickelled are placed, is made octagon
in cross sectional shape, and built up of a number of wooden staves g', connected
to ends 9³.
C
Each of these wooden staves has holes or perforations 9 at equi-distances apart
throughout its entire surface, and one of them, 9, is made removable for the
putting in and taking out of the articles under treatment, thumb nuts and
screws being provided for the purpose. A wooden partition is fitted cross-
wise within the interior of the barrel to prevent the work contained therein
from getting crowded at either end, and the said barrel is fixedly connected to
and carried by a metallic tube or long sleeve h, through the intervention of
metallic fittings h, insulated from the solution by wooden bosses A³.
The long sleeve or tube h, which constitutes a hub to the barrel or drum g, is
made to fit over the central rod f, and is provided at equi-distances in its length
with copper contacts i, spaced by insulating pieces m. These copper contacts i are
made in the form of a ring, with an extended portion 3, the first-named part
being fitted into a recess m², made to receive it in the side of the insulating distance
piece m, and the said contacts i are loosely fitted on to the tube or sleeve h, and
constitute channels for the return of the electric current to the generator, the
greater part of them always being in contact with the work or articles contained
within the barrel or drum. A band n, for rotating the drum g, works around the
outside of the same, and over the sheave of a pulley o, driven by another band p,
through the intervention of a pulley q, the said pullies being supported from the
horizontal carrier rod d by depending brackets s, 32, the band p coming from some
motive power. A terminal t, for the connection of the negative wire t³, is fitted to
the carrier rod d. The drum g containing the articles under treatment rotates at

page_text: various speeds, according to the size of the drum, and the class of. work under
operation, and to effect this speed pullies or other means may be employed.
OPERATION.
The articles to receive the deposit of metal or to be. "bright-plated." are
prepared for plating in the ordinary manner, and are placed within the hollow
interior of the barrel or drum g, by way of the removable stave g, at a time when
the same is lifted from the vat by the suspending means c. The drum or barrel is
then placed in the solution, and a revolving movement communicated to it by the
bands p and n. The current is then sent through the solution and back to the"
generator by means of the contacts i, sleeve h, rod, hangers d³, rod d, and negative
wire 12.
It will be seen that our invention can be easily and at small expense applied to
existing electrolytic vats, and that all kinds of articles capable of rolling over,
and over upon themselves in a drum can be effectively operated upon; the details
of the apparatus being modified to suit their size, shape, and character.
Instead of the drum y and its cognate parts being suspended in the electrolyte,
(as shown in the drawings) the same may be supported upon the sides of the vat
by extending the rod d, as shown in dotted lines, whilst a gyratory, oscillating..
or other movement, may be compounded with the rotation of the said drum to
effect the purpose.
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:
First. In an electrolytic tank furnished with anodes, the use of a perforated,
revolving, horizontal drum, cylinder, or the like, to contain the articles to be
plated, the said articles being brought into the effective electric circuit, so as to
receive a deposit, by contact (either directly, or through one another, or through,
metallic contact arms, or their equivalents,) with the axis which forms the negative
pole.
Second. In combination with an electrolytic tank furnished with anodes, a
perforated revolving container, drum, or cylinder g, mounted upon a stationary
axis, fitted and provided either directly or indirectly with movable contact
arms or fingers i, the parts being supported and insulated as and for the purpose
described and set forth.
Third. The general arrangement, combination, and fitting of the parts as set
forth.
Dated this 31st dor of July 1896
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 11, Burlington Chambers, New Street, Birmingham,
Agents for the Applicants.