Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for the Electro- deposition of Copper and other Metals.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Feb., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Nov., 1897-Accepted, 15th Jan., 1888
Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for the Electro-
deposition of Copper and other Metals.
I, WILLIAM EDWIN HEYS, of 70, Market Street, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to Apparatus used in the Electro-Deposition on rotary
mandrels, of Copper and other metals, and has been designed with the object of
effecting a more perfect control of the circulation of the current and of the
electrolyte.
I will describe the said Invention, as communicated to me by my Foreign
Correspondent, as applied to an installation consisting of one or more series of
depositing vats. The current on leaving the generator, arrives at a switch fixed
near to or upon the side or framing of the first vat of the series. A similar switch
is arranged in connection with each vat and suitable resistances are combined with
it. By the operation of this switch, and its resistances, the whole or any part of
the current may be conducted through the vat to which it is connected, and
conversely, the whole or any part of the current may be diverted to the next vat.
The switch consists of a cum, a part of which is recessed, and which can be turned
by hand. This cam can work against a contact piece on a stem connected with
one of the conductors, and against one or both of two spring bolts, according as
the cam may be brought with its recessed part opposite to, or with its solid part in
contact with, one of the bolts. The two bolts are connected by branch conductors
with the main. The switch can have any one of four positions. 1. The cam does
not touch the contact piece and the whole current passes through the vat. 2. Tho
cam touches one of the bolts only, and puts its branch conductor in circuit with
the main. The cam on connection with the bolts, puts their branches in
connection with the main. 4. The cam puts the branch in connection with the
main. The resistances are intercalated in the branches.
The circulation, and at the same time, the warming or cooling of the electrolyte
may be effected according to this Invention, by arranging each vat in connection
through suitable branch pipes with a main supply pipe and a main overflow pipe
respectively. It is preferred that the electrolyte shall enter the vat_through_a
longitudinal perforated pipe so as to break up the entering liquid into threads,
from a reservoir having a sufficient elevation to ensure the flow of the liquid. The
main overflow pipes ends in a sumph from which the liquid is raised by a pump
into the before mentioned reservoir if desired, but it is preferred to pump it into
an intermediate reservoir from which it passes to filters which remove suspended
matlers. From the filters the liquid can pass to a cistern or cisterns in which it
can be cooled or heated as may be required, and thence to the elevated reservoir,
to which it may be lifted by a second pump.

page_text: It is desirable to so arrange the circulation of the liquid that a practically
constant level is maintained in the vats. For this purpose, there is arranged at
the side of each vat, a cistern containing a vertical partition the upper edge of
which is about level with the desired level of the liquid in the vat. 'The outlet
from the vat is at the bottom and communicates with a depositing chamber or 5
still well, which in turn communicates with the partitioned cistern through a pipe
entering below the top of the partition. From the other side of the partition there
is an outlet from the cistern through a descending pipe, joined to the before
mentioned branch overflow pipe. This descending pipe may be connected through
a bye-pass with the ascending pipe, so that by opening a valve in the bye-pass, the
vat may be emptied for cleaning or other purposes.
Dated this 1st day of February A.D. 1897.
Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for the Electro-
deposition of Copper and other Metals.
I, WILLIAM EDWIN HEYS, of 70, Market Street, Manchester, in the County of
Laucaster, Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion, 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 used in the electro-deposition on rotary
cathodes or mandrels of copper and other metals and it has been designed with the
object of effecting a more perfect control of the circulation of the current and of
the electrolyte.
I will describe the said Invention as communicated to me by my foreign corre-
spondent and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings as applied to an
installation consisting of a multiple series of depositing vats.
In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a longitudinal and Figure 2 a transverse
sectional elevation, and Figure 3, a plan of part of the installation. Figure 4
represents a longitudinal section, Figure 5 a plan, Figure 6 an end clevation and
Figure 7 a transverse section of a single cathode vat. Figures 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12
represent details drawn to a larger scale.
The electric current arrives from the generator at a switch T, fixed near to or
upon the side framing of the vat A, being the first of the series. A similar switch
may be arranged in connection with each vat. By the operation of this switch
and of resistance combined therewith the whole or any part of the current may be
conducted through the vat with which it is connected or the whole or any part of
the current may be diverted to the next vat.
The switch T, is shewn in Figure 7 and is represented on an enlarged scale by
the sectional elevation Figure 10 and by the cross section Figure 11. It consists
of the supports, bolted to the vat carrier and a cam c, a part , of which is
recessed, and adapted to be turned on its axis by hand. This cam, when turned,
is brought into and out of contact with a contact piece on the flexible stem w,
which is electrically connected with the main conductor . The normal course of
the current is from the conductor, through the flexible stem a, the conductor
the anode supports S, the electrolyte, the cathode B, the cathode axis, the vat
framing, and the switch support which is electrically connected with the
conductor leading to the next vat in the series. Below the cam c, and parallel
with its axis there are arranged two bolts b, which are insulated from the
supports and the heads of which are capable of longitudinal movement in the

page_text: recesses within which they are shewn by Figure 11 to be contained. Between
the heads of these bolts and the bottoms of their recesses spiral springs are
arranged with a tendency to force the heads of the bolts towards each other. The
amount of this motion can be limited by adjusting the nuts on the outer ends of
the bolts. To the outer end of each bolt there is electrically connected a circuit d
or Each of these circuits contains a resistance which may be constant or
variable according to the conditions of each case, and is connected at its other end
to the conductor a,, Figures 7 and 11. In the supports there is also arranged a
bolt e, the head of which is within a recess, between the bottom of which and the
bolt head there is a spiral spring. The opposite end of the bolt is connected
with the flexible stem which is thus normally drawn towards the
support s. The bolt e must be insultated either from the support or from the
flexible stem, but preferably from the flexible stem as indicated.
The came may have one of four positions and produce any one of four different
results. Thus: -
I. The cam touches neither the contact nor either of the bolts bb. The whole
of the current passes through the anode and cathode in its normal course as
hereinbefore described.
II. The cam is turned so that one of its faces is in contact with the bolt b; the
recessed part of its other face being opposite to but not touching the head of
the bolt Ashunt circuit is thus established through d, and the circuit through
the vat will have its current reduced by the quantity passing through the shunt,
which quantity is controlled by the permanent or variable resistance in the
derived shunt circuit.
II. The cam is further turned so that its two faces come into touch with both the
bolts bb. Two shunt circuits are thus established from a to bh, and sto 13: and
a further quantity of the current is deviated.
IV. The cam is turned out of contact with the bolts and into contact with
only. The vat is now short-circuited and the current passes from a through the
switch direct to the next vat in the series.
The circulation, and at the same time the cooling, of the electrolyte may be
effected as and by the means illustrated by the drawings or by analogous means,
It is known that owing to the internal resistance of the electrolytic bath the
electrolyte becomes heated, and since it is necessary, when organic matters are in
contact with the cathode or electrolyte, to keep the temperature at or below
about 60° F. so as to prevent the premature dissolution or disintegration of the
organic matters, means should be provided in such cases for the regulation of the
temperature of the electrolyte. It is also necessary to provide means for getting
rid of any of the organic matters which may come into solution or suspension in
the electrolyte. This may be accomplished by the injection of air which oxidises
any organic matter and ensures its subsequent separation by sedimentation or
filtration or both. Incidentally, the injection of air may also be utilised for, or
as an aid in, the cooling of the liquid.
9
In connection with each vat there may be arranged an inlet pipe ƒ which com-
municates with the main pipe g, and an outlet pipe à which communicates
through hp with the main pipe i It is preferred that the electrolyte shall enter
cach at through a longitudinal perforated pipe f₂, Figure 3, so as to break up
the entering fluid into threads and to ensure its uniform diffusion_through_and
mixture with the electrolyte already in the vat. The main outlet pipe ends in
a sumph or well k, from which the electrolyte can be elevated by a pump or liquid
elevator, into the elevated tank in, whence it can flow through the pipe into the
filter o, through which it can pass to the reserve tank p. There may, of course,
be more than one filter arranged in series or in parallel. A series arrangement of
filters is shown in sectional elevation by Figure 12. Each filter consists of a tank o₁
in one end of which there is an inclined transverse filtering medium which may be
composed of a suitable woollen fabric o, stretched upon a wooden framing. On
its passage through the tank, the fluid has to pass from the under to the upper

page_text: side of the filtering medium, so that solid matters separate on the under side and
fall therefrom wholly or in part to the bottom of the tank. As the passage of the
liquid through the tank from the inlet to the outlet nor is slow, the separation
of the solid matters will be aided by sedimentation. The liquid can be arranged
to pass through the vats in series as indicated by Figure 12 and so that any
individual vat may be cut out by a bye-pass or otherwise for cleansing or repairs
when necessary. Any excess of liquid raised into the tank m flows back through
the pipe, to the well . The injection of air into the liquid can be effected,
when necessary, whilst it still remains in the tank p or in the communicating
reserve tank when the latter exists. Since however, the injection of air may
bring insoluble matters into suspension in the liquid, it is manifestly advisable to
inject the air into the electrolyte before it reaches the filters. From the second reserve
tank P₁ the liquid may be raised through the pipes by the pump to the
second clevated tank m, which also is provided with an overflow pipe. The
liquid flows by gravity from the tanks mm through the pipes y ff into
the depositing vats A, by the perforated pipes f
It is important to so arrange the circulation of the electrolyte that a perceptibly
constant level can be maintained in each working vat. For this purpose there
may be arranged alongside each vat (see Figures 8 and 9), a cistern 7 containing
a vertical partition the upper edge of which is about level with the desired
level of the liquid in the vat. The outlet is arranged in the bottom of the vat
and communicates with a depositing chamber r, which in turn communicates
with a pipe entering the cistern below the top of the partition From the
other side of the partition there is an outlet pipe, which is connected with the
main pipe as herein before described. (See Figure 3). The pipes and, may
be connected by a bye-pass which is normally closed by the valve, so that the
vat may be emptied by opening the bye-pass valve for cleaning and for other
purposes.
In the type of machine to which these improvements are represented as being
applied in the annexed drawings, the rotary mandrel is carried by the bearings CC,
and has in light contact with the deposited metal thereon, animal membranes I),
attached to a carrier E on the rod E, which, with a second parallel rod E, is fixed
at its ends in two sliding brackets F, on the guide blocks G G₁. These brackets
and consequently the membranes D), are reciprocated through the agency of a
connecting rod H attached to the crank H, on the disc J which is rotated by a band
from the pulley J, on the first motion shaft I, from which shaft the mandrel is
also rotated.
The anode support bearers S, have flanges which rest on the vat sides. They
are shaped to the contour of the cathode, have open tops and may be provided with
perforated walls or sheets S S₁, leaving a space between them for the reception of
the anode metal. All the metallic parts of the anode supports may be constructed
of aluminium.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my Foreign Correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:--
1. In apparatus for the electrodeposition of copper and other metals, a switch
constructed and operating substantially as herrinbefore described with reference
to the accompanying drawings.
2. The hereinbefore described system of and apparatus for circulating and
controlling the temperature and condition of an electrolytic fluid, substantially as
herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
3. In apparatus for the electrodeposition of copper and other metals, a partitioned
cistern having the top edge of its partition level with the normal electrolyte level,
having one side in communication with the bottom of the depositing vat and its
other side in communication with the circulation pipe, and having or not having
a bye-pass connection between the up-flow and down-flow pipes; constructed

page_text: substantially as and for the purpose herein before described and as illustrated by
the accompanying drawings.
4. In apparatus for the electrodeposition of copper and other metals, a series of
filtering tanks for the purification of the electrolyte, constructed arranged and
operating substantially as herein before described with reference TO
accompanying.drawings.
the