IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING METALS FROM THEIR ALLOYS AND OTHER COMPOUNDS
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James John Shedlock at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th October 1883.
JAMES JOHN SHEDLOCK of Barnet in the County of Hertford.
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING METALS FROM THEIR ALLOYS
AND OTHER COMPOUNDS
"
This Invention has for its object, the electro-chemical treatment of metallic
compounds and alloys, for the separation and refining of the metals. And in order
that the said invention may be carried into effect, the alloy or compound is
immersed in a suitable solution, contained in a non-conductive, porous, inner vessel,
which is placed in an outer vessel also containing a suitable solution. If preferred
the porous inner vessel may be formed by walls or partitions of porous material,
placed across and securely attached to the sides of the outer vessel. The bottom of
the inner vessel is made non-porous and conductive, and both inner and outer
vessels must be composed of materials not acted upon by the solutions, or by the
electro-chemical action. Plates of metal or other conductive material, in close
proximity to the porous walls of the inner vessel, are suspended in the solution
contained in the outer vessel. The alloys or compounds of metals are connected to
the positive pole of a suitable source of electricity, thus becoming the anodes; and
the plates of metal or other conductive material suspended in the outer vessel are
connected to the negative pole of the same source of electricity and form the
cathodes. Any desired number of such combination of vessels may be coupled
together, the same current of electricity being made to traverse the entire series.
The solutions used in the inner and outer vessels may be acid or alkaline, or they
may contain oxides or salts of metals, according to the nature of the alloy or
metallic compound to be treated.
The solution is supplied to the outer vessel from a store tank, until the required
level is attained when the solution overflows into the porous inner vessel, until it
reaches the same level as in the outer vessel, when it passes off at apertures so
arranged that the solution is withdrawn therefrom near its lower part. The
solution overflowing from the porous inner vessel, is conveyed by means of pipes
or conduits to the first compartment of the depositing tank, which is subdivided
into as many compartments as are required by fixing porous walls or partitions
therein, the edges being made secure to the sides of depositing tank. The number
of the compartments of this tank is determined by the number of the metals
contained in the solution, and which it is desired to deposit, or separate therefrom.
In each subdivision and in close proximity to the porous walls or partitions are

page_text: placed one or more plates bars or sheets of metal connected at their upper ends to
a conductor which is also attached to similar plates bars or sheets of metal or other
conductors placed on the other side of, but in close proximity to the porous wall or
partition. The solution after having a metal deposited from it in the first com-
partment of the depositing tank, is removed into the second compartment in which
a second metal is deposited, and so on to the other compartments according to the
number of metals it is desired to separate.
In order to deposit the metals in the tank, the bars, plates or sheets of metal
placed therein must have a greater affinity for the solvent of the solution than the
metal combined with it has, and consequently the less soluble metals is thrown
down. In this interchange electricity is generated, which is utilized by causing it
to deposit in the next vessel the electro-chemical equivalent of the metal dissolved
in the first. The solutions in passing through the depositing tank, are heated to
the required temperature, by means of hot water or steam being made to pass
through pipes placed in the tank, or the bottom or sides of the tank may be
jacketted so as to form reservoirs to contain the hot water or steam. The solutions
after depositing their metals or such of them as desired, is removed from the
depositing tank to the store tank by a pump or other suitable contrivance from
whence it is drawn off as required to supply the outer vessel, thence overflowing
into the porous inner vessel and after acting upon, and dissolving the soluble
metals in the alloy or compound, it passes off by the pipes or conduits to the
depositing tank. The metals as removed from the depositing tanks are washed,
drained and pressed in order to remove any adhering solution after which they are
smelted and run into ingots in the usual manner. The apparatus being arranged
as described and a current of electricity being made to traverse it by suitable
conductors, the solution in contact with the anode (or the alloy to be operated
upon) will be decomposed and oxygen liberated which will combine with the
more oxidizable metals rendering them soluble in the solution. The less readily
oxidized metals will settle in the bottom of the porous inner vessel, from which
they may be either removed, or dissolved by introducing into the porous inner
vessel a more suitable solution. In some cases the alloys treated will contain so
large a proportion of the most readily dissolved metal that it will combine with
the whole of the solvent contained in the solution, and thus cause the other soluble
metals to fall with the insoluble ones. When this occurs the alloy or compound of
metals may be removed from the solution by a suitable mechanical contrivance and
an insoluble anode made to take its place care being taken that as one is with-
drawn the other replaces it. The insoluble anode is made to rest on the bottom of
the porous inner vessel and thus bring the metals therein into electrical contact
with it the soluble ones becoming acted upon and removed from the solution
leaving the insoluble metals in the vessel. In some cases it may be preferable to
cause the alloy anode itself to form electrical contact with the bottom of the
porous inner vessel and thus cause the deposited soluble metal to be acted upon by
the electric current and dissolved and removed by the solution. At the same time
that oxygen is liberated from the solution at the anode, hydrogen is liberated at
the cathode and when a metal is present in the solution surrounding it, that metal
will be deposited electro-chemically equivalent to the quantity of alloy dissolved in
the porous inner vessel. Any alloy or compound of metals may be treated by this
process for the separation and refining of the metals provided that suitable
solutions and cathodes be employed and the electric current be regulated to suit
the different alloys or compounds and the conditions to which they are to be 5
subjected.