Process of Electro-glazing Tile Sections to Form a Plate for Windows and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 13th July, 1897-Accepted, 4th Sept., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Process of Electro-glazing Tile Sections to Form a Plate for Windows
and the like.
I, JOIN MEIGGS EWEN, of No. 1129 The Rookery, Chicago, County of Cook,
State of Illinois, United States of America, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My invention relates to electrolytic processes and devices as applied particularly
to securing tile sections of prismatic glass in the metallic frame intended therefor.
I will here specify simply one particular purpose for which my improvements are
applicable, though it will be obvious that they may be otherwise applied and used
in connection with other matters.
In the mounting of prismatic glass sections to complete or form an entire sheet
or section of glass for a window, it has been my practice to arrange such sections
in a frame-like construction of thin metallic strips ribbons or wires and then to
immerse the same in the bath. The current being then applied there will be an
electro deposit along and about such wires and frame pieces and between them
and the glass sections until finally a complete grid or frame will be constructed
or formed and the glass or tile sections be firmly secured together in one sheet.
In applying my invention particularly to large pieces it becomes necessary of
course, to have deep tanks or in other words, to immerse the lower portion of the
part to be treated far below the surface of the liquid, or to a point where the liquid
is much denser than it is at the top. Again, where the frame portions upon
which the deposit is to be put are so thin and small in cross sectional area as is
commonly the case with these prismatic frames, that exposure of such frame to
the action of a large plate or a mass of copper widely extended, leads to disastrous
results, the deposit takes place in such manner as to be very fragile, and instead
of building up a strong and perfect frame, the result is to make a very weak and
inefficient one. Without going elaborately into the causes of these several diffi-
culties, I would say that I find that I can overcome the last mentioned difficulty
by opposing the part to be built up to a grid-like body of metal having somewhat
the same configuration as that of the frame whose portions are to be treated, and
the first mentioned difficulty is cured in part, where it is necessary to cure it, by
forcing fluid into the lower part of the tank thus keeping its contents stirred, and
reducing, so to speak, the specific gravity or varying the density of the liquid in
the lower part of the tank.
I have illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawing wherein,
Figure 1 is a plan view of the frame with tile sections ready to be treated.
Figure 2 is a view of a similarly shaped metal grid to be used as the anode.
Figure 3 shows a somewhat similar arrangement wherein the anode consists
only of a series of wires or strips of metal suitably connected at the top.
Figure 4 is a cross section through the tank showing the part to be framed and
showing one of the opposed anode wires or strips, and showing also the means

page_text: for introducing fluid at the bottom to stir and vary the density of the liquid in
the lower part of the tank.
I do not intend to be understood as attempting to exhibit here all the different
forms or arrangements of the parts.
The object, broadly stated, is to deposit upon the members of the grid or frame,
particularly when they are associated with tile sections, a coating of metal, pre-
ferably copper, so as to complete such frame and secure the tile sections firmly
together by a uniform deposit of strongly adhering and firmly united metallic
particles so as to produce a finished frame, which shall be uniform in appearance
and strength, and the cross sectional areas of the completed frame, parts of which
shall be substantially uniform so far as that is possible in view of the irregularities
in cross sections of the spaces in which they lie.
The particular means by which I accomplish this are, first, the placing in
opposition to such grid so as to be formed into the frame of the anode grid of a
series of bars, wires or strips somewhat approximating in shape, and arrangement
and appearance of the grid to be formed into the frame as distinguished from the
anode, presenting a broad flat surface, and, second, when desired or thought
necessary, to stir the liquid and vary its density in the lower part by forcing
thereinto a quantity of fluid, preferably air.
A A are tile sections in this case shown as prismatic glass sections which are
surrounded and temporarily held together in any desired manner and by any
desired form of grid comprising strips or ribbons or wires B B, C C, and this
frame is arranged so that it can be held by the hooks D on the cathode conductor E.
F F are members of a grid-like body; G G are wires connected together at the
top by the conductor H or provided each with a hook J; K is the tank; L the
fluid supply pipe; M the discharge portion of such pipe.
When the parts are arranged in this manner and placed in opposition to each
other in the tank and the current is applied, it will be found that the grid sections
of the frame to be formed are much more evenly, firmly and satisfactorily developed,
than when exposed to an anode plate.
The disadvantage in the usual practice in electroplating of using a plate or
sheet of metal for the anode in forming the electro deposit on the prismatic glass
frame lies in electrolytic disproportion of the area of anode exposed to the decom-
posing action of the current in the solution as compared with the minimum surface
of the cathode deposit between the prisms of glass.
The best practical size lenses now in use is approximately four inches square.
The cathode exposed surface which receives the deposit upon one square foot of
these assembled lenses is about 4 square inches on one side of the glass frame as
opposed to 144 square inches of the usual anode plate surface.
Under such conditions the electrolytic conditions are entirely thrown out of
balance. The result is a crystaline powdery deposit between the edges of the
prisms, that has neither strength or rigidity, and can be brushed off by the
friction of the fingers. It is therefore necessary to have the anode of such a size
in its exposed area to the action of the solution that it will be approximately
equivalent to the area of the cathode foundation ribbons which receive the deposit
between the edges of the glass.
In practice I have found that inch round anode rods placed at 12" centres,
6" away from the face of the cathode gives the best average result with the lenses
and frames as I am now using them.
A grid made up of anode wires of the equivalent in form and distance of the
cathode surfaces to be deposited upon can also be used.
As the frames or window openings are usually of great size, it is necessary to
have a solution of great depth in the tank. The solution is therefore very dense
in its lower depth. If the solution remains quiet the tendency of the electrolytic
action is to deposit more heavily out of the upper region of the solution and less
in the lower. With the small amount of space between the frame of glass and
anode it is not possible to satisfactorily agitate the solution by mechanical means.

page_text: I therefore pass one or more lead pipes to the bottom of the solution, the outlets
of same being distributed equally over the area of the solution. Compressed air
is then forced through these pipes, and upon being released at the bottom of the
solution rapidly rises to the top by reason of the great difference between the
solution and the air in their respective specific gravities.
This has the same effect upon the solution of the action of boiling water, and the
body of it is thus kept at a uniform density. A further advantage accruing by
reason of this agitation is that it stops all tendency towards an irregular deposit
upon the foundation cathode skeleton frame between the lenses.
This is very
essential from the decorative point of view in the finished product. The deposit
is also much tougher.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. The process of forming tile sections and surrounding framing grids into com-
plete finished sheets which consists in exposing the framing grid with the tile
sections loosely held therein, in an electrolytic bath as a cathode in opposition to
an anode comprising a grid-like body consisting of a series of strips or wires
opposed to the strips of the framing grid as distinguished from an anode plate
having an extended surface.
2. The process of forming tile sections and surrounding framing grids into
complete finished sheet, which consists in exposing the framing grid with the tile
sections loosely held therein, in an electrolytic bath as a cathode in opposition
to an anode comprising a grid-like body of substantially the same form as the
framing grid of the tile sections, and injecting a fluid into the lower portion of
such bath to vary the density of the liquid.
3. The process of forming sections and surrounding framing grids into com-
plete finished sheets which consists in exposing the framing grid with the tile
sections loosely held therein, in an electrolytic bath as a cathode in opposition
to an anode comprising a grid-like body consisting of a series of strips or wires
opposed to the strips of the framing grid as distinguished from an anode plate
having an extended surface, and injecting a fluid into the lower portion of such
bath to vary the density of the liquid.
Dated this 13th day of July 1897