Improvements in Electrolytic Baths.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Aug., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 18th Apr., 1900-Accepted, 19th May, 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrolytic Baths.
We, WILLIAM WALKER, the younger, of No. 36, Gillott Road, Edgbaston,
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Electrician, and FRANK RICHARD
WILKINS, of No. 2, Deptford Bridge, Greenwich, in the County of Kent, Gentle-
man, and JABEZ LONES, of "Lansdowne," South Road, Smethwick, in the County
of Stafford, Manufacturer, and JOSEPH LONES, of 93, Regent Street, Smethwick,
aforesaid, Analytical, Metallurgical and Consulting Chemist, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
-
Our invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in elec-
trolytic baths and has for its principal object the rapid and economical pro-
duction of zincate of potash and zincate of soda, that is, the rapid and economic
production of solutions of oxide of zinc in a solution of caustic potash or caustic
soda.
Our invention is founded on an invention for which Letters Patent have
already been granted numbered respectively 23,007 of 1892, 10,942 of 1893 and
646 of 1894 and consists essentially in the following modifications of the elec-
trolytic cell or voltaic battery described, represented and claimed in the speci-
fications of the said patents.
outer
an
Between
the
We dispense with the porous earthenware pot or cell and substitute therefor,
a diaphragm of a material or materials more porous than the said earthenware
pot or cell for example as woollen cloth or asbestos. We support the
thickly perforated slate.
porous material by
asbestos and the outer perforated slate we pack granular carbon made prefer-
ably from well burned wood charcoal or from gas retort carbon and in the
said granular carbon we insert a thin sheet or plate of perforated nickel, the
said plate of nickel acting as a collector and conductor of the electricity evolved
or generated during the formation and solution of zinc oxide. The cell con-
taining the zinc and potash or soda solution is preferably made with a depres-
sion or trough in its bottom which depression or trough is filled with mercury.
The lower end of the zinc plate or rod dipping into the mercury the zinc is kept
constantly amalgamated.
The zinc and porous carbon form with the alkaline solution a voltaic com-
bination by short circuiting which, that is, by connecting the zinc and the
collecting nickel plate by a short thick copper wire, the rapid formation
and solution of oxide of zinc in the alkaline solution is effected.
Atmospheric air has free access to the highly porous carbon constituting the
negative element of the voltaic combination and the nascent hydrogen evolved
at the said carbon combining with the oxygen of the air, polarization is pre-
vented and the oxidation of the zinc and the solution of the oxide with alkaline
solution in the closed voltaic circuit takes place with great rapidity.
Where it is thought necessary or desirable the oxidation of the zinc may be
accelerated by applying to the cell a further current derived from another cell
or other cells or from a dynamo or other source of electricity.

page_text: The solution of zincate of potash or soda obtained may be employed for the
production of sulphide of zinc or for such other purposes as an alkaline solution
of zinc is or may be applied to.
Although we have only described the use of an electrolytic bath constructed
according to our invention as applied to the production of zincate of potash
or zincate of soda for which purpose it is especially applicable, yet we wish
it to be understood that electrolytic baths constructed according to our inven-
tion may be used for various other purposes analogous to that to which we
have described its application.
Dated this Nintly dose of
1000
Improvements in Electrolytic Baths.
We, WILLIAM WALKER, the younger, of No. 36, Gillott Road, Edgbaston,
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Electrician, and FRANK RICHARD
WILKINS, of No. 2, Deptford Bridge, Greenwich, in the County of Kent, Gentle-
man, and JABEZ LONES, of "Lansdowne," South Road, Smethwick, in the County
of Stafford, Manufacturer, and JOSEPH LONES, of 93, Regent Street, Smethwick,
aforesaid, Analytical, Metallurgical and Consulting Chemist, do hereby declare
the nature of our invention and in what manner the same is to be performed
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in elec-
trolytic baths and has for its principal object the rapid and economical pro-
duction of zincate of potash and zincate of soda, that is, the rapid and economic
production of solutions of oxide of zine in a solution of caustic potash or caustic
soda
Our invention is founded on an invention for which Letters Patent have
already been granted numbered respectively 23,007 of 1892, 10,942 of 1893 and
646 of 1894 and consists essentially in the following modifications of the elec
trolytic cell or voltaic battery described, represented and claimed in the speci
fications of the said patents.
We dispense with the porous earthenware pot or cell and substitute therefor
a diaphragm of a material or materials more porous than the said earthenware
pot or cell such for example as woollen cloth or asbestos. We support the
porous material by an outer thickly perforated slate. Between the woollen or
asbestos and the outer perforated slate we pack granular carbon made prefer-
ably from well burned wood charcoal or from gas retort carbon and in the
said granular carbon we insert a thin sheet or plate of perforated nickel, the
said plate of nickel acting as a collector and conductor of the electricity evolved
or generated during the formation and solution of zinc oxide. The cell con-
taining the zinc and potash or soda solution is preferably made with a depres-
sion or trough in its bottom which depression or trough is filled with mercury.
The lower end of the zinc plate or rod dipping into the mercury the zinc is kept
constantly amalgamated.
The zinc and porous carbon form with the alkaline solution a voltaic com-
bination by short circuiting which, that is, by connecting the zinc and the
collecting nickel plate by a short thick copper wire the rapid formation
and solution of oxide of zinc in the alkaline solution is effected.

page_text: Atmospheric air has free access to the highly porous carbon constituting the
negative element of the voltaic combination and the nascent hydrogen evolved
at the said carbon combining with the oxygen of the air, polarization is pre-
vented and the oxidation of the zinc and the solution of the oxide with alkaline
solution in the closed voltaic circuit takes place with great rapidity.
Where it is thought necessary or desirable the oxidation of the zinc may be
accelerated by applying to the cell a further current derived from another cell
or other cells or from a dynamo or other source of electricity.
The solution of zincate of potash or soda obtained may be employed for the
production of sulphide of zinc or for such other purposes as an alkaline solution
of zinc is or may be applied to.
Although we have only described the use of an electrolytic bath constructed
according to our invention as applied to the production of zincate of potash
or zincate of soda for which purpose it is especially applicable, yet we wish
it to be understood that electrolytic baths constructed according to our inven-
tion may be used for various other purposes analogous to that to which we
have described its application.
Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawing represent respectively in front
elevation and plan and Figure 3 in cross section an electrolytic bath constructed
according to our invention.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of
the drawing.
The bath is constructed as follows:-A slab a of slate constitutes the base or
bottom of the bath. On the middle part of the base a a bar a² of slate is placed
the said bar having in cross section a ✓ shape at top. In the underside of the
bar is a series of cross channels a¹. Perforated slates b, b are arranged on the
opposite sides of the bar a² and on the outer sides of the slates b, b sheets of
asbestos or woollen cloth e, care stretched. Outer and thicker perforated slates d, d
and unperforated end slates e, e form the sides and ends of the bath respectively
the whole of the parts being preserved in position and bound together by screw
bolts and nuts f, f.
The side receptacles h, communicate with each other by the passages a¹ in
the underside of the part a² and constitute the outer cell of the bath.
The inner cell or vessel y constitutes the receptacle for the solution of caustic
postash or caustic soda or other electrolyte and the outer cell or vessel h is
packed with granular carbon, fine carbon being in contact with the sheets of
asbestos or woollen cloth c, c and coarser grains of carbon being on the inner
sides of the outer perforated slates d, d. Strips i of nickel or perforated plates
of nickel are arranged in the granular carbon to act as collectors of the electric
current when the bath is in action. The carbon in the parts h constituting the
outer vessel is sealed at top as is represented in Figure 3.
Suspended from a metallic rod k running from end to end of the bath is a
series of thick bars of amalgamated zinc the ends of which dip into mercury m
occupying the bottom of the inner vessel or trough of the bar a² the said bars
of zinc being thereby preserved in a state of perfect or nearly perfect amal-
gamation as before fully explained.
One of the end slates is provided with a pipe near its bottom by which
liquid accumulating in the bottom of the outer vessel may be drawn off from
time to time.
The terminals of the nickel strips or plates i, i and the terminal of the rod k
are connected together by a bar preferably of copper, as will be best seen in
the plan Figure 2.
Although we have described and prefer to make the outer and inner walls d
and b of glate we wish it to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to the
use of slate for the said outer and inner walls as other non-metallic non-con-
ducting materials may be substituted for the slates.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:
An electrolytic bath consisting essentially of two cells, an inner cell for
containing the electrolyte in which the zinc element is suspended and an outer
cell containing granular carbon, the said cells being separated by a porous
partition of asbestos, woollen cloth or the like, the several parts being con-
structed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawing.
Dated the Eleventh day of April 1900.
WILLIAM WALKER, JUNR..
FRANK RICHARD WILKINS,
JABEZ LONES,
JOSEPH LONES.