Improvements in and Apparatus or Means for Electroplating.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Sept., 1886.
Complete Left, 3rd June, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 8th July, 1887.
Improvements in and Apparatus or Means for Electroplating.
I ROBERT KIRK BOYLE of 15 St. Stephens Avenue Shepherds Bush in the County
of Middlesex Electrician do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as
follows:-
My Invention relates to a new and improved method of and means for electro
plating According to my Invention I include the article to be plated and the metal
to form the plating in an electric circuit and give rapid make and break between the
said article and metal whereby the plating is effected.
Whilst not limiting myself to the precise means whereby I may carry out my
Invention in practice I give the following as suitable with the view of explaining
more clearly the nature of my Invention.
In the circuit of an electric generator 1 include in the line from one pole of the
generator a movable piece carrying the metal to form the plating and in the line from
the other pole of the generator I arrange a carrier or support for the article to be
plated so that when the article to be plated and the metal to form the plating are
brought into contact the current passes and when they are moved apart the current is
interrupted this must be effected very rapidly and I find that I can obtain the
necessary movement by means of an electro magnet in the line and in proximity to it
and under its influence a stretched wire which acts on the movable piece carrying the
metal to form the plating. Thus when the article to be plated and the metal to form
the plating are brought into contact the circuit between them and through the electro
magnet is completed and the wire is drawn aside and removes the piece carrying the
plating metal so that the current is interrupted and the electro magnet is demagnetized
and allows the wire to return to cause the circuit to be established again. These
02

page_text: movements take place very rapidly the wire vibrating at a high speed-A rotatory
make and break could be used in place of the magnet and wire if the requisite high
speed be attained.
The apparatus can be adapted to the plating of articles or portions of articles
without removing them from their position by making portable the portion of the
apparatus which carries the metal to form the plating and the means for moving it to
make and break contact the opposite pole of the generator being attached to the
article or the portion of the article to be plated.
When it may be necessary or desirable I may apply any suitable chemical to the
surface to be plated to prevent oxidation or otherwise facilitate the coating.
Dated this 4th day of September 1886
J. HENRY JOHNSON,
Agent for the said R. K. Boyle.

page_text: Improvements in and Apparatus or Means for Electroplating.
I ROBERT KIRK BOYLE of 15 St. Stephens Avenue Shepherds Bush in the County
of Middlesex Electrician 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 :-
My Invention relates to a new and improved method of and means for electro
plating and by it I am enabled to plate not only with such metals as gold and silver
or those usually employed for plating but I can also plate with metals which have not
hitherto been capable of being used for plating or the use of which for plating has
been attended with considerable difficulties for example plating with iridium can be
effected and plating with aluminium is facilitated by the use of my Invention.
According to my Invention I include the article to be plated and the metal to form
the plating in an electric circuit and give rapid make and break between the said
article and metal whereby the plating is effected as a dry process as distinguished
from deposition by means of a bath.
And in order that my Invention may be well understood I will now proceed to
describe with reference to the accompanying diagrams the system mode or manner in
or under which the same is or may be carried out in practice premising that I do not
limit myself to the precise details hereinafter described and illustrated as the same
may be varied without departing from the nature of my Invention. Figure 1
illustrates the application of my Invention wherein I use an electro-magnet for
producing the movements for the rapid make and break.
In the circuit of a generator A of electric current or impulses in one direction
I include in the line from one pole of the generator a moveable spring piece B
carrying the metal C to form the plating and in the line from the other pole of the
generator I arrange a conductive carrier or support D for the article E to be plated
so that the article to be plated and the metal to form the plating are brought into
contact and separated again in a series of very rapid makes and breaks. I obtain this
rapid action by means of the electro-magnet F in the line and in proximity to the
moveable piece B carrying the metal C to form the plating. Instead of attaching
the wire to the support D it may be connected to the article to be plated when the
support D may be of nonconducting material. The magnet may act directly upon
the piece B which is shewn as a spring piece secured at one end to a fixed support so
that it is drawn away from the article E by the electro-magnet and returned thereto
by its spring action so as to give rapid make and break between the article E and
metal C; or the electro magnet may act upon the piece B through the intervention of
another part such for instance as a stretched wire caused to vibrate by the said electro
magnet and bearing upon the piece B-The makes and breaks take place in either
case very rapidly as the piece B is vibrated at a high speed. A rotary or equivalent
make and break arrangement can be used in place of the electro magnet if desired the
requisite high speed being given thereto. Figure 2 represents such an arrangement

page_text: diagrammatically where the ribbed or toothed wheel F2 is rapidly rotated by any
suitable motor and acts mechanically on the piece B. The other parts are the same as
in Figure 1 and are marked with the same letters of reference.
The apparatus can be adapted to the plating of articles or parts of articles without
moving them from their position or to the production of inscriptions or designs on
metals by making portable the portion of the apparatus which carries the metal to
form the plating and the means for moving it to make and break contact, the
conductor from the opposite pole of the generator being attached to or brought into
electrical contact or communication with the article or the portion of the article to be
plated. Figure 3 illustrates an arrangement according to this plan adapted for
writing in the plating metal upon other metals. The plate E is stationary upon the
support D and the wire from one pole of the generator is fixed to it. The wire from
the other pole is led around the electro-magnet F and thence to the spring piece B so
as to complete the circuit through the plating metal C and plate E. The magnet is
covered with an insulating covering, to a projection G from which the end of the
spring piece B is affixed. The core of the magnet F causes the piece B to move
rapidly to make rapid makes and breaks between the metal C and plate E as herein-
before described. The magnet F can be grasped by the hand so that the metal C can
be moved in any desired direction to trace the required writing or design.
The positive pole of the generator should be connected with the article to be plated
and the negative pole with the plating metal. When it may be necessary or desirable
I may apply any suitable chemicals to the surface to be plated to prevent oxidation
or otherwise facilitate the coating such for instance as a solution of borax and
sol-ammoniac or dilute sulphuric acid, ammonia aqua regia or phosphorous.
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.
First. Electro-plating by the hereinbefore described dry process by including the
article to be plated and the iridium or other metal to form the plating in an electric
circuit and effecting rapid makes and breaks between the said article and metal
substantially as hereinbefore described.
Second. Apparatus for electro-plating as described consisting of or including a
vibrating carrier for the plating metal, an electro magnet or a mechanical motor,
a generator of electricity, and conductors for the current from the generator to the
plating metal and article to be plated respectively substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the accompanying Diagrams.