Improvements in Apparatus for the Electrolytic Decomposition of Metallic Salts.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Dec., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 29.h Jan., 1894-Accepted, 3rd Mar., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Electrolytic Decomposition of
Metallic Salts.
I, CARL KELLNER, of Wasagasse 39, Vienna I, Austria, Doctor of Philosophy,
General Manager of The Kellner Partington Paper Pulp Company Ltd., do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for the electrolytic decomposition of metallic
salts in which mercury is employed as a cathode.
According thereto the mercury, in a state of rest, is arranged to form a thin,
horizontal layer covering the porous bottom of one or more cells or reaction
vessels situated between or over the anodes.
By this means the mercury cathode, or each cathode where there are several is
protected from direct contact with the electrolyte and during the progress of the
decomposition can take up through the said porous bottom the metal (in its
metallic condition) separated as a cation, subsequently yielding it to a reaction
fluid brought in contact with the mercury; the resting of the reaction fluid on the
horizontal layer of mercury also serves to preserve the latter from injury.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 shows in vertical cross-section electrolytic apparatus constructed
according to this invention; and
Fig. 2 represents in cross section a portion of a modified form of such
apparatus.
As will be seen, the apparatus comprises a trough L of wood or other suitable
material such as earthenware or slate, and is made water-tight in the usual.
manner.
The cover L of this trough, which also serves as the bottom of a collecting
vessel, is provided with a water seal to produce a tight joint and also with holes of
suitable form and size for the insertion of the reaction vessels R. These reaction
vessels consist of clay or earthenware cells whose sides are glazed both externally
and internally, the bottoms R' being left porous; and they serve for the reception
of water or any other fluid to which the cation is to be delivered.
&
thin
The porous bottom R' of each of these vessels R is covered with
horizontal layer of mercury which forms the cathode and takes up through the
said porous bottom, the metal separated from the electrolyte in the trough L.
The anodes A, which may be made of any desired suitable conducting material,
such as carbon, capable of withstanding the action of the anion set free therein,
are arranged in such a manner with reference to the reaction vessels that they are
situated either at the side of mercury cathode K as in Fig. 1, or underneath the
same as in Fig. 2. In the latter case deflecting plates G, arranged louvre-wise
after the manner of a Venetian blind and which may advantageously be constructed
of glass, are inserted between each anode and the bottom of the correspondingly
reaction vessel R. These plates serve, during the electrolytic decomposition, to

page_text: deflect the gas, (for example chlorine) liberated at the anodes, from the porous
bottom of the reaction vessel. The liberated gas rises through the electrolyte,
and is conducted out of the trough L by means of the opening C (Fig. 1).
The anodes are connected in a known manner with one another and with the
positive pole of an electric generator, the mercury cathodes being connected with
each other and with the negative pole of such generator. If it be desired to
obtain a current available for outside work, this may be accomplished in certain
cases by immersing an additional electrode E in each reaction-vessel R. By this
means a secondary cell is formed having mercury as the second electrode, and by
connecting the electrodes E with a conductor Ď, the electrical energy produced
by the chemical reaction between the cation and the reaction liquid can be
conveyed where desired.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Electrolytic Decomposition of
Metallic Salts.
I, CARL KELLNER, of Wasagasse 39, Vienna I, Austria, Doctor of Philosophy,
General Manager of The Kellner Partington Paper Pulp Company Ltd., 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:-
This invention relates to apparatus for the electrolytic decomposition of metallic
salts in which mercury is employed as a cathode. According thereto the mercury, in:
a state of rest, is arranged to form a thin, horizontal layer covering the porous
bottom of one or more cells or reaction-vessels situated between or over the anodes.
By this means the mercury cathode, or each cathode where there are several, is
protected from direct contact with the electrolyte and during the progress of the
decomposition can take up through the said porous bottom the metal (in its metallic
condition) separated as a cation, subsequently yielding it to a reaction-fluid brought
in contact with the mercury; the resting of the reaction-fluid on the horizontal
layer of mercury also serves to prevent any loss of the latter.
In the drawings filed with my Provisional Specification,
Fig. 1 shows in vertical cross-section electrolytic apparatus constructed according.
to this invention; and
Fig. 2 represents in cross-section a portion of a modified form of such apparatus.
As will be seen, the apparatus comprises a trough L of wood or other suitable
material such as earthenware or slate, and is made water-tight in the usual
manner.
The cover of this trough, which also serves as the bottom of a collecting
vessel, is provided with a water-seal to produce a tight joint, and also with holes of
suitable form and size for the insertion of the reaction-vessels R. These reaction-
vessels consist of clay or earthenware cells whose sides are glazed both externally
and internally, the bottoms R' being left porous; and they serve for the reception
of water or any other fluid to which the cation is to be delivered.
The porous bottom R' of each of these vessels R is covered with a thin horizontal
layer of mercury which forms the cathode and takes up through the said porous
bottom, the metal separated from the electrolyte in the trough L.
The anodes A, which may be made of any desired suitable conducting material,.
1

page_text: such as carbon, capable of withstanding the action of the anion set free therein, are
arranged in such a manner with reference to the reaction-vessels that they are
situate either at the side of the mercury-cathode K as in Fig. 1, or underneath the
same as in Fig. 2. In the latter case deflecting plates G, arranged louvre-wise
alter the manner of a Venetian blind and which may advantageously be constructed
of glass, are inserted between each anode and the bottom of the corresponding
reaction vessel R. These plates serve, during the electrolytic decomposition, to
deflect the gas, (for example chlorine) liberated at the anodes, from the porous
bottoms of the reaction-vessel. The liberated gas rises through the electrolyte,
and is conducted out of the trough L by means of the opening C (Fig. 1).
The anodes are connected in a known manner with one another and with the
positive pole of an electric generator; the mercury-cathodes being connected with
each other and with the negative pole of such generator. If it be desired to obtain
a secondary current available for outside work, this may be accomplished in certain
cases by immersing an additional electrode E in each reaction-vessel R. By this
means a secondary cell is formed, having mercury as the second electrode, and by
connecting, the electrodes E with a conductor D, the electrical energy produced
by the chemical reaction between the cation and the reaction liquid, can be conveyed
where desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In apparatus for the electrolytic decomposition of metallic salts, a mercury
cathode K held in a state of rest and so as to form a horizontal layer, the said
cathode being separated from the anode-space by a porous partition R' and being
covered by the reaction-fluid substantially as described.
2. In electrolytical decomposition apparatus provided with mercury cathodes
arranged as referred to in the preceding claim, deflecting plates G, arranged
louvre-wise between each anode A and cathode K for the purpose of deflecting from
the cathodes the gas set free at the anodes substantially as described.
3. In apparatus for the electrolytic decomposition of metallic salts, a glazed
clay or earthenware vessel R having a porous bottom R', and serving for the
reception of the horizontal mercury cathode K and of the reaction-fluid, substantially
as described.