Production of Sheet Copper by Electro Deposition.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Oct., 1887
Complete Left, 29th May, 1888
Complete Accepted, 29th June, 1888
Production of Sheet Copper by Electro Deposition.
I, BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS carrying on business under the firm or
style of Harris and Mills, of 23 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, a communication to me
from abroad by Elisha Emerson of Providence, Rhode Island, in the United States
of America, to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object the production of sheet metal by electro deposition,
and it consists of an apparatus whereby the metal is deposited in a perfectly uniform
manner and free from flaws of any kind.
The apparatus consists essentially of a revolving cylindrical cathode provided with
a smooth surface to which the deposit will not cohere.
The cathode may be mounted upon suitable axes in the ordinary electro depositing
vats and provided with mechanism for rotating it during the deposition. The cathode
consists preferably of a hollow copper cylinder made water tight so that it will float
or nearly float in the electrolyte. A sliding copper brush secured to the vat and
The copper
bearing on the cylinder maintains electrical connection therewith.
cylinder should be coated with wax and graphite, or silvered, or otherwise prepared
so as to prevent the deposit from cohering to it, and a longitudinal strip may be
covered with pitch or wax to prevent the deposit forming a complete cylinder, so as
to facilitate the ready removal of the sleet.
The anodes are disposed in the usual manner on both sides of the tank and as the
cylinder is constantly rotating it will be seen that no part will receive any thicker
deposit than any other part. The cylinder is immersed just deep enough to allow the
electrolyte to come within a few inches or so of the top, so that the deposit is con-
tinually passing out of the liquid where it can be readily inspected and any impurities
removed. With such an apparatus perfectly pure copper of uniform thickness and
free from streaks, flaws, or imperfections may be obtained.
Deted this 90th dore of October 1887
B. J. B. MILLS.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings,
Agents.

page_text: Improvements in Means or Apparatus to be Employed in the
Production of Sheet Copper by Electro Deposition.
1, BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS carrying on business under the firm or
style of Harris and Mills of 23 Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, a communication to
me from abroad by Elisha Emerson of Providence, Rhode Island, in the United'
States of America, and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention has for its object the production of sheet metal by electro deposition,
and it consists of a novel apparatus whereby the metal is deposited in a perfectly
uniform manner, the result being a sheet free from flaws of any kind.
The apparatus consists essentially of a revolving cylindrical cathode provided with
a smooth surface to which the deposit will not cohere, the said cathode being mounted
upon suitable axes in the bath and provided with mechanism for giving it a slow
rotary movement.
Every part of the surface of the deposit coming in turn opposite the anodes and
then rising up above the surface of the bath, it is evident that no accumulative local
deposits can forin, nor can any impurity become lodged in the deposit without being
visible to the attendant.
In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section of the
apparatus. Figure 2 shows a transverse section thereof, and Figure 3 is a perspective
view of the cathode separately with the deposit partially stripped off.
The electrolytic vat 1 is provided with two transverse and removeable partitions 2. 2.
and through these partitions are passed the axes, 3. 3. of the cylindrical cathode 4.
The cathode is preferably made hollow so as to float, or nearly float, in the electrolyte
thereby relieving the journals of most of the strain.-
The convex surface of the cylinder is formed of a smooth copper sheet 5 suitably
coated with graphite or other suitable material for preventing the cohering of the
deposit. The surface may be silvered to effect this same result.
6. 6. are the anodes and 7 represents the source of electricity, connection being
maintained with the cathode by means of a sliding copper brush 8.
A shaft 9 communicates motion to the cathode by means of friction gearing 10.
The partitions 2 slide within guides as shown and when the deposit has reached the
proper thickness, the cathode together with the partitions may be lifted free from the.
bath, (the shaft 9 being first removed) and then by supporting the partitions on
the vat the deposited sheet may be easily stripped off.
To facilitate the stripping a space 11 may be left coated with wax or other non-
conductor so as to divide the cylindrical sheet from end to end.
The cathode being of. even curvature and inflexible, together with the constant
change of position of every part of the surface ensures a deposit of perfect smooth-
ness, and free from perforations, streaks, or other imperfections.

page_text: 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 :-
1. In an apparatus for forming sheet metal by electro-deposition, the combination
of the vat, the smooth cylindrical cathode having a surface to which the deposit will
not adhere mounted in the vat, and mechanism for rotating said cathode during the
deposition.
2. The combination of the cylindrical rotating cathode and the partitions holding
the same, said partitions being removeable with the cathode from the bath.
3. In an apparatus for forming sheet metal, the combination of the vat and the
cylindrical rotating cathode therein, the said cathode having a surface to which the
deposit will not adhere.