An Improved Electrode.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 5th June, 1886
Complete Left, 5th Apr., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 6th May, 1887.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Electrode.
We, JOHN GIBSON of the University of Edinburgh, in the County of Midlothian,
North Britain, Doctor of Philosophy and FRANCIS MAITLAND GIBSON of the same
place, Science Student do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This Invention has for its object the employment of carbon in lumps or fragments
which are held together in a mass of metal or alloy run in the liquid state around the
said lumps or fragments so as to hold them together and in perfect electrical connection
with each other, the conducting wires being connected with the mass of metal.
In order to preserve the surface or surfaces of the metal from the action of the
liquid in which it is immersed or of the products of the electrolysis of the liquid, the
saine surface or surfaces of the said metal are subsequently coated with an inert
substance which, unlike the metal, is not readily acted upon by the substances, to
the action of which it is exposed, and which substance moreover does not conduct
electricity.
For the purposes of this Invention the carbon may be in the form of coke and the
metal may be lead or some fusible alloy.
ST. JOHN V. DAY,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow,
Applicants' Agent.

page_text: An Improved Electrode.
We, JOHN GIBSON of the University of Edinburgh, in the County of Midlothian,
North Britain, Doctor of Philosophy and FRANCIS MAITLAND GIBSON of the same
place, Science Student 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:-
Our Invention has for its object the employment of carbon in lumps or fragments
which are held together at one end in a mass of metal or alloy run in the liquid state
around the said lumps or fragments so as to hold them together and in perfect
electrical connection with each other, the conducting wire or wires or "leads" being
connected with the mass of metal. For the purposes of this Invention the carbon
used may be rough, irregular lumps or fragments of coke.
In order to preserve the surface or surfaces of the metal from the action of the
liquid in which it is immersed or of the products of the electrolysis of the liquid, the
surface or surfaces of the said metal are coated with an insulating substance which,
unlike the metal, is not readily acted upon by the electrolyle or the products of the
electrolysis.
For the purposes of our Invention the metal used may be lead or other metal or an
alloy.
In order that our Invention may be properly understood and readily carried into
effect we will now proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
On the annexed sheet of drawings, Figure 1, shews in section the construction of
an improved electrodo made according to our Invention and Figure 2, is a plan of the
same.
The pieces marked A represent fragments of coke or other sufficiently suitable and
cheap form of carbon which are held together by the mass of metal B.
In constructing an electrode according to our Invention, a simple and effective way
of doing so is to embed the pieces of carbon in sand a short length of each such piece
being left projecting above the sand. A hollow or depression surrounding these
projecting ends is left in the sand and into this molten lead or other suitable metal
is poured so that it closes around the free ends of the pieces of carbon and when
solidified, firmly holds the several pieces of carbon in it as represented by the
drawings. As it is necessary to insulate the lead or other metal this portion of the
electrode is covered with any suitable insulating or non-conducting substance and
a substance which we find to fulfil this purpose is a coating composed of sand or
calcined or pulverised stone in boiled linseed-oil, such as is sometimes used by builders
for coating surfaces exposed to the action of the weather. Another substance which
may be used for this purpose is what is commonly known
as Asbestos paint." The
outer lines a, b, on Figures 1, and 2, represent the position which such coating would
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$6

page_text: In place of forming the electrode with the pieces of carbon situated with the
greatest length vertically as in Figures 1 and 2, these pieces of carbon may be
disposed as shewn in Figures 3 and 4 and for the purpose of effectually making
connection with the conducting wires or leads, I have found it convenient to employ
a metallic bolt R, secured into the metal of the electrode by the solidifying of the
molten metal. This bolt is connected to the wires or leads at the bottom and the
upper secured part forms a convenient means of attaching it to the bottom or side of
the tank in which it is used, the screw bolt being passed through a hole formed in the
bottom or side of the tank, and tightened by means of a nut, the joints being made
secure by elastic or other washers.
In using our improved electrode it is to be understood that such electrodes may be
used separately, that is to say, contained in an ordinary tank such as are used in
electrolysing liquids or solutions, or the tank or vessel itself may be formed wholly as
the electrode by the bottom and sides being constructed of metal enclosing or holding
the pieces of carbon.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is :-
The improved electrode constructed as hereinbefore described and shewn upon the
annexed sheet of drawings.
ST. JOHN V. DAY.
Applicants' Agent.