Improvements in Apparatus for Manufacturing Tubes by Electrolytic Deposit.
Year: 1896

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Manufacturing Tubes by
Electrolytic Deposit.
I, ALEXANDER STANLEY ELMORE, of Knostrop Old Hall, Leeds, in the County of
York, Electrometallurgist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to the manufacture of tubes of comparatively small diameter
by electrolytic deposit, by means of an apparatus of the following description.
A depositing tank of U section is provided at intervals along its length with
partitions dividing it into compartments in some of which are fixed suitable means
of making electrical contact with a mandrel which is mounted in the tank and
rotated and also moved to and fro longitudinally between burnishers which are also
supported in the said compartments.
In the other compartments, alternating with those mentioned, are fixed crude
plates of copper or such other metal as is to be deposited, to act as anodes which
surround or nearly surround the mandrel. The tank is longer than the mandrel
which is extended at each end by a piece of non-conducting material such as hard
wood, these pieces passing through stuffing boxes at the ends of the tank.
Electrolyte liquid is forced in large quantity in at one end of the tank, and, after
passing, through suitable openings in the partitions, between the mandrel and the
anodes, it flows out at the other end to be pumped back. I prefer to close the tank
by a tight cover, so that the liquid can be pumped into it under pressure in order to
give it rapid flow.
Two or more tanks with their mandrels may be arranged in line, each separated
from the next in order by a compartment of insulating material, and each mandrel
having its non-conducting end joined up to that of the next. In this case no stuffing
boxes are required for the mandrels except at the beginning of the first tank and
the farthest end of the last.
I electrically connect the anodes of each tank to the mandrel of the next in order
the two ends being respectively connected to the positive and negative terminals
of a suitable source of electricity.
Electrolyte liquid is caused to circulate through the whole series of tanks at a
rapid rate. The liquid from the last tank is allowed to flow alternately into the two
sides of a "rocking tank" from which it falls into a tank connected to the suction
of a pump which returns it to the inlet of the first tank.
The mandrel of the last tank with deposit on it may be removed; the other
mandrels advanced so as to bring the next to the last into the last tank, and a fresh

page_text: mandrel may be put in the first tank, and this may be repeated at suitable intervals,
so as to give, as it were, a continuous production of tubes in succession.
Dated this 2nd day of April 1896
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Apparatus for Manufacturing Tubes by
Electrolytic Deposit.
I, ALEXANDER STANLEY ELMORE, of Knostrop Old Hall, Leeds, in the County of
York, Electrometallurgist, 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 manufacture in a rapid and continuous manner of
tubes of compartively small diameter by electrolytic deposit by means of an
apparatus which I shall describe referring to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1
is a longitudinal section and Figure 2 is a sectional plan, Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 are
transverse sections respectively on the line 3-3, 4-4, 5-5, and 6--6 of Figure 1.
A depositing tank A of U section is provided at intervals along its length
with partitions B dividing it into compartments, in some of which are fixed
rubbers C, making electrical contact with a mandrel D which is mounted in the tank
and rotated and also moved to and fro longitudinally between burnishers E, which
are also supported in the said compartments.
In the other compartments, alternating with those mentioned, are fixed shells F
of crude copper, or such other metal as is to be deposited, to act as anodes which
surround or nearly surround the mandrel D.
The tank is longer than the mandrel which is extended at each end by a piece G
of non-conducting material such as hard wood, these pieces passing through stuffing
boxes H at the ends of the tank. Electrolyte liquid is forced in large quantity in at
one end of the tank, and, after passing, through suitable openings, through the
partitions, between the mandrel and the anodes, it flows out at the other end to be
pumped back.
I prefer to close the tank by a tight cover K, so that the liquid can be pumped
into it under pressure in order to give it rapid flow.
Two or more tanks with their mandrels may be arranged in line, each separated
from the next in order by a compartment of insulating material, and each mandrel
having its non-conducting end joined up to that of the next. In this case no stuffing
boxes are required for the mandrels except at the beginning of the first tank and
the farthest end of the last.
I electrically connect the anodes of each tank to the mandrel of the next in order,
the two ends being respectively connected to the positive and negative terminals of
a suitable source of electricity.
Electrolyte liquid is caused to circulate through the whole series of tanks at a
rapid rate. The liquid from the last tank is allowed to flow alternately into the two
sides of a "rocking tank" from which it falls into a tank connected to the suction
of a pump which returns it to the inlet of the first tank.
The mandrel of the last tank with deposit on it may be removed; the other
mandrels advanced so as to bring the next to the last into the last tank, and a fresh
mandrel may be put in the first tank, and this may be repeated at suitable intervals,
so as to give, as it were, a continuous production of tubes in succession.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. Apparatus for manufacturing tubes by electrolytical deposit, comprising a
U shaped tightly covered tank divided into compartments, a cathode mandrel rotating
and longitudinally reciprocating in the tank, in some of the compartments
electrically conducting rubbers and also burnishers bearing against the mandrel, in
the alternate compartments anode shells of the crude metal to be deposited nearly
surrounding the mandrel, a source of electricity to which the rubbers and the shells
are connected, and a suitable pump for circulating through the tank a large volume
of the electrolyte liquid, substantially as described.
2. The combination of several tanks and mandrels, such as those above referred
to, arranged in line, the successive mandrels being connected together by non-
conducting material, and conductors connecting the anode shells of each tank to the
rubbers on the cathode mandrel of the next tank in order, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
Dated th: 904L 1
1000
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.