provements in the Production of Coppar by Electrolysis, and in Apparatus employed therein.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Dec., 1894
.Complete Specification Left, 12th Sept., 1895-Accepted, 12th Oct. 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Improvements in the Production of Coppar by Electrolysis, and in
Apparatus employed therein.
A communication from abroad by LA SOCIÉTÉ L'ELECTROLYSE, of 27 Faubourg
Poissonière, Paris, France, Manufacturers.
I, JOHN CLAYTON MEWBURN of 55 and 56 Chancery Lane in the County of
London, Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows
-
It has not been possible up to the present to make cheaply and commercially by
electrolysis copper directly and immediately usable, because it has been necessary
to employ weak electric curients of an intensity not exceeding sixty to eighty
ampères per square metre of electrodes By using stronger curients the copper
which is obtained does not adhero to the cathode; moreover it is pulverulent
without cohesion and settles in a muddy state at the bottom of the vessel. This
arises from polarization which shows itself with strong currents; whilst on the
contrary it is inappreciable and without effect when the current is weak.
It will be understood that the polarization being due to the accumulation on the
cathode of a great quantity of hydrogen, there soon exists in the apparatus an
electromotive force which acts contrary to the electrolytic action, the copper
which arises from the decomposition of the sulphate of copper by the current 16
then submitted to two opposite actious, the one which tends to convey it to the
cathode, the other watch tends to detach it from the cathode. It is under the
influence of these two contrary actions that the copper falls in a muddy stato
(partly oxydised) to the bottom of the vessel.
To overcome this objection which renders the production of copper electro-
lytically impossible on a commercial scale or in considerable quantities economically
by causing to act on the electrolyte strong ements, the present invention has, for
abject means of preventing polarization, and this is effected by stopping 'the
accumulation of hydrogen at the cathode.
With this object the cathode is made of cylindrical form and is not completely
immersed in the electrolyte, and the cylinder is caused to turn in such a way as to
bring successively in contact with the oxygen of the air the different parts of the
copper cylinder. The rotation of the cylinder further produces a constant friction
of the surface of the cylinder of the cathode against the liquid electrolyte which
assists in the removal of the hydrogen.
In order to ensure the removal of the bubbles of hydrogen the cylinder of copper
8 rubbed or wiped as it emerges from the electrolyte.
A greater acceleration as the cuticut is stronger 18 given to the cylinder which
constitutes the cathode, the more energetic the current the greater is the amount
of hydrogen given off, and the more necessary it is to renew the surfaces of the
cathode exposed to the an, the more the liquid rubs against the cylinder and wipe-
from it, the gas..which is at its circumference; finally there is also a more abundant
deposit of copper. This deposit of copper electrolytically on a rapidly turning
cathode takes place without crystallization, because the surfaces of the cathode
which are in presence of the anodes are continually renewed

page_text: The apparatus for carrying the invention into effect may be constructed as
follows
A vessel lined with lead and containing the liquor is provided with two partitions
inside, and which do not reach the bottom, but which support the bearings in which
rotates the spindle of the cylinder forming the cathode The bearings should be
of a material that cannot be acted on by the liquor, lignum vitæ by way of
example
The spindle of the cylinder cartes at one end a bevelled pinion engaging with.
another pinion carted by a conical shaft which is 10tated by bevel gearing fiom a
driving shaft
Inside the vessel are fixed on a suitable frame bands of copper (the number
depending on the length of the vessel) and on these are placed the bais o ingots
of copper constituting the anodes. The bands of copper are connected with a bar
which receives the current from the positive pole of the generato
The cathode
cylinder is connected with the negative pole by means of a suitable brush fixed to
a bar which is insulated from the lead vessel
The electrolyte is admitted to the lead vessel by a pipe and the liquid passes out
at the botton by another pipe which leads to a reser von hom which it is taken back
again by a pump into the vessel so as to ensure a continuous enculation. Care
should be taken to regulate the level of the quid in the vessel in such a manner
that the cathode cylinder has part of its surface uncovered.
When it is dested to remove the cylinder from the vessel its upper bearings are
released icin retaining devices
Above the cyhnde are means for cari yang rubbers which may be of wood
covered with buff, and a to and fio movement is communicated to them along the
cylinder
This rubbing removes the liquid adhering to the metal and the bubbles
olgas, the copper is made bare and there is an absence of gas bubbles. This to
and fro movement to effect the rubbing can be given in any convement manne
Dated this 27th day of December 1894.
J. C MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56 Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents
Improvements in the Production of Copper by Electrolysis, and in
Apparatus employed therein.
A communication from abroad by LA SOCIÉTÉ L'ELECTROLYSE, of 27 Faubong
Poissonide, Paris, France, Manufacturers.
I, JOHN CLAYTON MEW BURN of 55 and 56 Chancery Lane in the County of
London, Chartered Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
aceitained in and by the following statement.—
It has not been possible up to the present to make cheaply and commercially by
electrolysis copper duectly and immediately usable, because it has been necessary
to employ weak electric curients of an intensity vot exceeding 60 to 80 amperes
per square metre of electrodes. By using stronger currents, the copper which is
obtamed does not adhere to the cathode, moreover it is pulverulent without
cohesion and settles in a muddy state at the bottom of the vessel 'This arises from
polarization, which shows itself with strong currents, whilst on the contrary it is
inappreciable and without effect when the current is weak. It will be understood
that the polarization, being due to the accumulation on the cathode of a great
quantity of hydrogen, there soon exists in the apparatus an electro-motive force
which acts contrary to the electrolytic action; the copper which arises from the

page_text: decomposition of the sulphate of copper by the current is then submitted to tw
opposite actions, the one which tends to convey it to the cathode, the other which
tends to detach it from the cathode It is under the influence of these two contrary
actions that the copper falls in a muddy state (partly oxidized) to the bottom of
the vessel.
To overcome this objection, which renders the production of copper electro-
lytically impossible on a commercial scale or in considerable quantities economically
by causing to act on the electrolyte strong currents, the present invention has for
object means of preventing polarization, and this is effected by stopping the
accumulation of hydrogen at the cathode. With this object the cathode 15 made
of cylindrical form and is not completely immersed in the electrolyte and this
cylinder is caused to turn in such a way as to bung successively in contact with
the oxygen of the an the different parts of the copper cylinder. The rotation of
the cylinder further produces a constant friction of the surface of the cylinde
of the cathode against the liquid electrolyte, which assists in the removal of the
hydrogen
In order to ensure the removal of the bubbles of hydiogen, the cylinder of
copper is rubbed or wiped as it emerges from the electrolyte
T'hie cylinder which constitutes the cathode has given to it a greater acceleration
as the current 18 stronger; the more energetic the current the greater is the
amount of hydrogen given off, the more necossary it is to renew the surfaces of
the cathode exposed to the air, the more the liquid rubs against the cylinder and
wipes from it the gas which is at its oircumferouce, finally there is also a mole
abundant deposit of copper. This deposit of copper electrolytically on a rapidly
turning cathode takes place without crystallization, because the surfaces of the
cathode which are in presence of the anodes are continually renewed.
The accompanying drawings will serve to represent the apparatus which is
employed for carrying the invention into effect.
Figure 1 of the said drawings is a longitudinal section,
Figure 2 a plan,
Figure 3 a section on the line M-N of Figue 1, and
Figure 4a transverse section on the line P-Q' of Figure 1.
A is a vessel lined with lead and containing the liquoi; it is provided with two
partitions B B inside which do not reach the bottom, but which support the
beatings CC in which rotates the spindle D of the cylinder forming the
cathode The beatings C should be of a material that caunot be acted on by
the liquot, lignum vitæ by way of example
The spindle of the cylinder carries at one end a bevelled pinion G engaging with
another pinion II carried by a comical shaft 1 which is rotated by bevel gearing J J
from a driving shaft K with driving pulley L
Inside the vessel are fixed on a suitable frame bands M M of copper (the
number depending on the length of the vessel) and on these are placed the bars or
Ingots of copper N constituting the anodes The bands of copper M are connected
with a bat which receives the current from the positive pole of the generator.
The cathode cylinder E is connected with the negative pole by means of a suitable
bush Phxed to a bar Q which is insulated from the lead vessel
The electrolyte 18 admitted to the vessel by the pipe R and the liquid passes out
at the bottom by another pipe S which leads to a reservoir from which it is taken
back again by a pump into the vessel so as to ensure a continuous circulation,
Care should be taken to regulate the level of the liquid in the vessel in such a
manner that the cathode cylinder lins part of its surface uncovered
When it is desired to remove the cylinder from the vessel, the retaining devices b
are caused to pivot on a to release the blocks which may then be lifted vertically
out together with the upper portions of the respective beatings C C.
し
Above the cylinder E is arranged a bar T carrying rubbers U, which may be of
wood covered with buff, and a to and fro movement 18 communicated to this bat
along the cylinder. This rubbing removes the liquid adhering to the metal aud

page_text: the bubbles of gas; the copper 18 made'baie, and there is an absence of gas bubble-.
This to and fro movement to effect the rubbing can be given in any convenient
manner, for example as shown by a connecting rod b' and lever I actuated by a
cam c¹
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the sund inven-
tion as communicated to me and in what manner the same to be performed
I declare that what I claim IS
-
1. The process substantially as heroinbefore descubed of economically producing
by electrolysis homogeneous uncrystallized copper capable of direct utilization,
which process consists in causing the copper resulting from the decomposition of
the electrolyte by a current of great intensity to be deposited upon a cylindrical
cathode, such cathode 'being caused to rotate rapidly in relation to the anodes, and
during such rotation to emerge from the electrolyte, with or without supplementary
wiping of the surface of the cathode, whereby the hydrogen which would otherwise
produce the polarization due to the great intensity of the current employed is at
once removed by the exposure to the air of the successive surfaces of the cathode
and by the friction of the surface of the cathode against the liquid.
2. The apparatus substantially as and for the purpose herembefore descitbed and
as represented in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 12th day of September 1895.
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents