Improvements in Electrodes suitable for Electrolytic Apparatus.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Nov., 1895
Complete Specification Left 15th Aug., 1.96-Accepted, 25th Sept., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrodes suitable for Electrolytic Apparatus.
I, CARL KELLNER, of No. 29 Wasagasse, Vienna IX, Austria, Doctor of
Philosophy, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
For many arrangements of electrolytic apparatus, electrodes made of carbon are
generally sufficient; but, notwithstanding the low price of carbon, the use of such
electrodes in apparatus of the kind referred to becomes costly, because the carbon
must be frequently renewed, and such renewals entail stoppage of work, whilst
moreover the products resulting from the electrolysis are rendered impure.
It is therefore advisable when working on a commercial scale to employ
platinum. iridium-platinum in particular. in spite of its high first cost, because by
its use the above mentioned di-advantages are completely obviated. But the
electrodes in the form of thin sheets of platinum heretofore usually employed, are
not suitable for technical electrolysis on a large commercial scale, because they are
not sufficiently rigid, and therefore get torn or distorted during the absolutely
necessary cleaning operations.
Now the present invention relates to an electrode designed to fulfil all the
requirements of a good electrode in practical factory work, and which at the same
time entails comparatively small cost of manufacture.
This electiode consists of a tube made of thin platinum which is preferably
provided with lateral rib-like projections, and is carried by a metallic body which
is inserted or cast in the platinum tube so as to lie close up against it on all sides,
and which serves for supplying or conducting the electric current.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figs. 1 and 2 are longitudinal sections showing two arrangements of such
electrodes, whilst Fig. 3 shows a number of such electrodes connected together to
form a frame or grating.
Fig. 4 illustrates the arrangement of such electrodes for bi-polar connection.
As shown in Fig. 1, a rigid metal rod, wire or cable a preferably of copper, is
placed in a platinum tube 6 of slight thickness of wall. The cross sectional area of
the metal b dy is to be determined in accordance with the strength of the current
to be passed through, and also so as to correspond with the clear internal cross
sectional shape of the tube b, so that the metal body, which serves to conduct the
current to the electrode along the entire length of the latter, will be in all places
in close contact with the wall of the tube.
"
The platinum tube of slight thickness of wall, may, as shown in Fig. 2, be
provided with lateral b-like projections &' which are preferably serrated at their
edges with the object of intensitying or increasing the "point-action between two
such electrodes when arranged opposite to or facing each other, and of producing
greater intensity or potential of current.
In order to enable the platinum tube to fit still more closely up against its
metallic support, the former may be filled or lined with a metallic alloy, and the
current-conducting cable be inserted into the said alloy. A number of such
electrodes may (as is shown in Fig. 3 for the two arrangements illustrated in
Figs. 1 and 2,) be connected together so as to form a framework or grating, by
soldering the metallic supports a to a conducting rod or bar c.
Gratings or frameworks of this kind may be employed as well for vertical, as for
horizontal apparatus; the choice of one or the other construction of the electrodes
being determined by the current potential to be produced.

page_text: In order to avoid damaging the platinum tubes when inserting them into, or
taking them out of, the frame that keeps the electrodes in the apparatus, the
electrodes herein before described are preferably arranged to dip with their ends
into short tubes or shallow cups d (shown at one place in Fig. 3) which are filled
with paraffin or other substance such as will not be acted upon by the products of
the electrolysis.
The framework or grating-like groups of clectrodes are advantageously arranged
in alternate order in the electrolyte-receptacles; and furthermore, in the case
of apparatus for producing bleaching liquors or chlorates, the cathodes, (usually
made of zine), are composed of similar platinum tubes for the purpose of allowing
of change of poles.
For bi-polar connection, electrodes of this kind may also be arranged with
advantage in the manner described in the Specification of my Patent No. 9285,
dated May 10th, 1894, by causing them, as shown in Fig. 4, to extend through a
wall or partition f of non-conducting material (such as glass, porcelain, ebonite) and
to make a tight joint therewith, thus dividing each electrode into two halves which
are in two electrically opposite senses.
In order then to save platinum, the metal core may itself be utilized as the
cathode, in which case the platinum tube encloses only that portion of the metal
body that is situated on one side of the non-conducting partition; the platinum
tube extending in a fluid-tight manner through the partition and terminating near
the latter, so that that portion of the metal body which is situated on this side of
the partition, is exposed, and can act as a cathode.
Dated this 21st day of November 1895
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.
1, CARL KELLNER, of No. 29 Wasagasse, Vienna IX, Austria, Doctor of
Philosophy, 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 :-
For many arrangements of electrolytic apparatus, electrodes made of carbon are
generally sufficient; but, notwithstanding the low price of carbon, the use of such
electrodes in apparatus of the kind referred to becomes costly, because the carbon
must be frequently renewed, and such renewals entail stoppages of work, whilst
moreover the products resulting from the electrolysis are rendered impure.
It is therefore advisable when working on a commercial scale to employ platinum,
iridium-platinum in particular, in spite of its high first cost, because by its use the
above mentioned disadvantages are completely obviated. But the electrodes in the
form of thin sheets of platinum heretofore usually employed, are not suitable for
technical electrolysis on a large commercial scale, because they are not sufficiently
rigid, and therefore get torn or distorted during the absolutely necessary cleaning
operations.
Now the present invention relates to an electrode designed to fulfil all the
requirements of a good electrode in practical factory work, and which at the same
time entails comparatively small cost of manufacture.
This electrode consists of a tube made of thin platinum which is preferably
provided with lateral rib-like projections, and is carried by a metallic body which
is inserted or cast in the platinum tube so as to lie close up against it on all sides,
and which serves for supplying or conducting the electric current.

page_text: Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings filed with my Provisional Specification are
longitudinal sections showing two arrangements of such electrodes, whilst Fig. 3
shows a number of such electrodes connected together to form a frame or
grating.
is
Fig. 4 illustrates the arrangement of such electrodes for bi-polar connection.
As shown in Fig. 1, a rigid metal rod, wire or cable a preferably of copper,
placed in a platinum tube of slight thickness of wall. The cross sectional area of
the metal body is to be determined in accordance with the strength of the current
to be passed through, and also so as to correspond with the clear internal cross
sectional shape of the tube b, so that the metal body, which serves to conduct the
current to the electrode along the entire length of the latter, will be in all places in
close contact with the wall of the tube.
The platinum tube of slight thickness of wall, may, as shown in Fig. 2,
be provided with lateral rib-like projections 6' which are preferably serrated at
their edges with the object of intensifying or increasing the "point-action" between
two such electrodes when arranged opposite to or facing each other, and of producing
greater intensity or potential of current.
In order to enable the platinum tube to fit still more closely up against its
metallic support, the former may be filled or lined with a metallic alloy, and the
current-conducting cable be inserted into the said alloy.
A number of such electrodes may (as is shown in Fig. 3 for the two arrangements
illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2), be connected together so as to form a framework or
grating, by soldering the metallic supports a to a conducting rod or bar c.
Gratings or frameworks of this kind may be employed as well for vertical, as for
horizontal apparatus; the choice of one or the other construction of the electrodes
being determined by the density of the current to be obtained.
In order to avoid damaging the platinum tubes when inserting them into, or
taking them out of the frame that keeps the electrodes in the apparatus, the
electrodes herein before described are preferably arranged to dip with their free
ends into short tubes or shallow cups d (shewn at one place in Fig. 3) which are
filled with paraffin or other substance such as will not be acted upon by the products
of the electrolysis.
The framework or grating-like groups of electrodes are advantageously arranged
in alternate order in the electrolyte-receptacle; and furthermore, in the case of
apparatus for producing bleaching liquors or chlorates, the cathodes, (usually
made of zinc), are composed of similar platinum tubes for the purpose of allowing
of change of poles.
For bi-polar connection, electrodes of this kind may also be arranged with
advantage in the manner described in the Specification of my Patent No. 9285
dated May 10th 1894, by causing them, as shown in Fig. 4, to extend through a
wall or partition of non-conducting material (such as glass, porcelain, ebonite)
and to make a tight joint therewith, thus dividing each electrode into two halves
which are in two electrically opposite senses.
In order then to save platinum the metal core may itself be utilized as the
cathode, in which case the platinum tube encloses only that portion of the metal
body that is situated on one side of the non-conducting partition; the platinum
tube extending in a fluid-tight manner through the partition and terminating near
the latter, so that that portion of the metal body which is situated on this side of
the partition, is exposed and can act as a cathode.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Electrodes consisting of thin-walled platinum tubes b in which are inserted or
cast accurately fitting metal bodies a that serve to conduct the current and also as
supports for the tubes.

page_text: 2. An electrode of the kind referred to in Claim 1, wherein a thin-walled
platinum tube b is provided with one or more lateral rib-like projecting
prominences b¹ serrated or not.
Dated this 15th day of August 1896.
F. WISE HOWORTH,
Agent for the Applicant.