Improvements in or Connected with Means and Apparatus for the Deposition or Obtainment of Metals by Electrolysis.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Dec., 1386
Complete Left, 3rd Oct., 1887
Complete Accepted, 4th Nov., 1887
Improvements in or Connected with Means and Apparatus for the
Deposition or Obtainment of Metals by Electrolysis.
I FRANCIS EDWARD ELMORE of 359 Clapham Road in the County of Surrey
Electrician do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the obtainment of a solid metallic deposit from
solutions or fused salts of or containing the metal under treatment as hereinafter
described.
The Invention consists in applying means whereby the metal deposit is so acted
upon that the deposit is rendered solid and smooth owing to the metal as it is
deposited being compacted or pressed into a dense form and the gas being dissipated
as it is formed.
According to my Invention I arrange in proximity to the Cathode or cathodes
pressing or burnishing devices to press against and consolidate smoothen and burnish
the metal as it is deposited and rubbing devices or means for forcing a spray against
the metal as it is deposited in such manner as to dissipate the gas as it is formed
and prevent the formation of bubbles of gas in the metal which gives it a spongy
character-I cause the cathodes to move against the pressers burnishers or rubbers or
the pressers burnishers or rubbers to move against the cathodes and in using a spray
I cause either the cathodes or the spraying devices to move so as to cause the spray
to act on the whole of the deposited metal, or both the cathodes and the adjacent
devices may move-By treatment according to my Invention I obtain a plate of
metal which is free from the spongy character or foliated form which have been the
characteristics of some of the deposited metals hitherto obtained.
The cathodes are preferably in the form of discs mounted upon a revolving shaft
but they may be of any other suitable form as for instance they may be in the form of
a rod band or cylinder.
The invention may be applied to apparatus for the electro-deposition of metals or
the obtainment of metals by electrolysis generally but in the electro deposition of zinc
especially the deposited metal is very liable to occlude gas to be granular and of a
non-metallic character and to foliate or give out feelers extending from plate to plate,
and to prevent this my Invention is particularly applicable as by the action of the
rubbers or the spray the gas which is generated at the cathode in the depositing bath

page_text: is dissipated, thus reducing the back Electro motive force and by the action of the
pressers or burnishers the particles of deposited metal are brought into intimate
contact with each other, thus ensuring a solid homogeneous deposit which will be
capable of being melted with the minimum of loss. The following is a description of
a convenient form of apparatus instancing by way of example the application of the
pressing or burnishing and rubbing or spraying devices to the treatment of an
electro-deposition of zinc-but it is to be clearly understood that the improvements are
not restricted to the treatment of that metal as the same apparatus in principle applies
generally to other metals capable of being deposited or obtained by electrolysis The
cathodes consist of discs mounted on a shaft with a sufficient space between such disc
and in such space the anodes may be hung or placed one on either side of the shaft,
such shaft passing out at the ends of the containing vessel through a stuffing box
fitted to one end thereof and outside such stuffing box the shaft is provided with
suitable gear to impart to it a rotary motion-The level of the electrolyte in the vessel
which contains it should be above the top of the cathodes. A rod is placed along the
top of the said vessel and parallel with the shaft the said rod being capable (by
operating gear attached thereto) of being raised and lowered in unison with and
proportional to the number of revolutions of the shaft. Fixed to the said rod is a
pair of arms or burnisher carriers for each cathode so arranged that each arm of each
pair shall be parallel, or nearly so, to each surface of each cathode such arms having
attached to or near to their extremities a burnishing stone or presser the stone or
presser of each arm resting on the cathode exactly opposite the stone or presser of the
other arm on the opposite side of the same cathode these stones or pressers being
made to bear against the surface of the cathode with more or less pressure which may
be effected by means of a spring having a screw to regulate the amount of pressure of
the pressers or burnishers on the said cathodes-Close to the rod carrying these arms
and parallel thereto is a pipe with short branches running between the revolving
cathodes These branch pipes are perforated on the sides forcing the cathodes. When
this apparatus is put in operation, that is when a suitable current of electricity is
passed through the electrolyte from anode to cathode after such cathode has been
prepared to receive a non-adhesive deposit in the usual manner the cathodes are
caused to revolve and liquor rich in metal which it is intended to deposit is supplied
to and forced out of, the branch pipes and made to impinge against the revolving
cathodes and the arms carrying the pressers or burnishing points are made to raise
and lower from the centre to the periphery of the cathode plates and back again,
when it will be found that the cathodes receive a solid homogeneous deposit of metal,
as the spray, besides keeping the surfaces of the cathodes supplied with rich liquor
immediately dissipates any gas bubbles that may form whilst the pressers or
burnishers keep the surface of the metal bright and enable the metal to be deposited
in any thickness of a perfectly metallic character.
In place of a spray, rubbers in the form of brushes or the like may be employed to
break the gas bubbles and dissipate the gas.
Dated this 3rd day of December 1886.
J. HENRY JOHNSON,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the said F. E. Elmore.

page_text: VUMIDELE OF ECIFICATION.
Improvements in or Connected with Means and Apparatus for the
Deposition or Obtainment of Metals by Electrolysis.
I, FRANCIS EDWARD ELMORE of Cockermouth in the County of Cumberland
Electrician, 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 has for its object the obtainment of a solid metallic deposit from
solutions or fused salts of or containing the metal under treatment as hereinafter
described.
The Invention cousists in applying means whereby the metal deposit is so acted
upon that the deposit is rendered solid and smooth owing to the metal as it is
deposited being compacted or pressed into a dense form and the gas being dissipated
as it is formed.
According to my Invention I arrange in proximity to the Cathode or Cathodes
pressing or burnishing devices to press against and consolidate, smoothien and burnish
the metal as it is deposited and rubbing devices or means for forcing a spray against
the metal as it is deposited in such manner as to dissipate the gas as it is formed and
prevent the formation of bubbles of gas in the metal which gives it a spongy character.
I cause the cathodes to move against the pressers burnishers or rubbers, or the pressers
burnishers or rubbers to move against the cathodes or the spraying devices to move
so as to cause the spray to act on the whole of the deposited metal or both the
cathodes and the adjacent devices may move. By treatment according to my
Invention I obtain a plate of metal which is free from the spongy character or foliated
form which have been the characteristics of some of the deposited metals hitherto
obtained.
The Cathodes are preferably in the form of discs mounted upon a revolving shaft
but they may be of any other suitable form as for instance they may be in the form of
a rod band or cylinder.
The invention may be applied to apparatus for the electro deposition of metals or
the obtainment of metals by electrolysis generally but in the electro deposition of zinc
especially the deposited metal is very liable to occlude gas, to be granular and of a
non-metallic character and to foliate or give out feelers, extending from plate to plate
and to prevent this my Invention is particularly applicable as by the action of the
rubbers or the spray the gas which is generated at the Cathode in the depositing bath
is dissipated, thus reducing the back electro motive force and by the action of the
pressers or burnishers the particles of deposited metal are brought into intimate
contact with each other thus ensuring a solid homogeneous deposit which will be
capable of being melted with the minimum of loss. The following is a description of
a convenient form of apparatus instancing by way of example the application of the

page_text: pressing or burnishing and rubbing or spraying devices to the treatment of an electro-
deposition of zinc, but it is to be clearly understood that the improvements are not
restricted to the treatment of that metal as the same apparatus in principle applies
generally to other metals capable of being deposited or obtained by electrolysis.
The Cathodes consist of discs mounted on a shaft with a sufficient space between
such discs and in such space the anodes may be hung or placed one on either side of
the shaft such shaft passing out at the ends of the containing vessel through a stuffing
box fitted to one end thereof and outside such stuffing box the shaft is provided with
suitable gear to impart to it a rotary motion. The level of the electrolyte in the vessel
which contains it should be above the top of the Cathodes. A rod is placed along the
top of the said vessel and parallel with the shaft the said rod being capable (by
opperating gear attached thereto) of being raised and lowered in unison with and
proportional to the number of revolutions of the shaft. Fixed to the said rod is a
pair of arms or burnisher carriers for each cathode so arranged that each arm of each
pair shall be parallel or nearly so to each surface of each Cathode such arms having
attached to or near to their extremities a burnishing stone or presser the stone or
presser of each arm resting on the Cathode exactly opposite the stone or presser of
the other arm on the opposite side of the same Cathode these stones or pressers being
made to bear against the surface of the Cathode with more or less pressure which may
be effected by means of a spring having a screw to regulate the amount of pressure of
the pressers or burnishers on the said Cathodes. Close to the rod carrying these arms
and parallel thereto is a pipe with short branches running between the revolving
Cathodes. These branch pipes are perforated on the sides facing the Cathodes.
When this apparatus is put in operation that is when a suitable current of electricity
is passed through the electrolyte from anode to cathode after such Cathode has been
prepared to receive a non-adhesive deposit in the usual manner the Cathodes are
caused to revolve and liquor rich in metal which it is intended to deposit is supplied
to and forced out of the branch pipes and made to impinge against the revolving
Cathodes and the arms carrying the pressers or burnishing points are made to raise
and lower from the centre to the periphery of the Cathode plates and back again when
it will be found that the Cathodes receive a solid homogeneous deposit of metal as
the spray besides keeping the surfaces of the Cathodes supplied with rich liquor
immediately dissipates any Gas bubbles that may form whilst the pressers or
burnishers keep the surface of the metal bright and enable the metal to be deposited
in any thickness of a perfectly metallic character. In place of a spray rubbers in the
form of brushes or the like may be employed to break the gas bubbles and dissipate
the gas.
As an instance of the application of the burnishing pressing or impacting device to
a revolving cylindrical cathode the burnishing pressing or impacting face or faces may
be placed parallel to the axis of the cylindrical cathode and may be equal in length to
the length of the cathode so that at each revolution of the cathode the whole of the
surface of such cathode shall have been submitted to the action of the burnisher or
burnishers presser or pressers Impacter or Impacters, such burnisher Presser or
Impacter may be made of one piece of glass, agate, stone or a like material, or it may
be made of a number of pieces of glass agate or the like placed edge to edge so as to
form a continuous length or the separate pieces may be made to overlap one another,
or it may be made of one piece and made to travel from end to end of the
cylindrical cathode parallel to the axis of said cathode.
The speed of rotation of the cylindrical Cathode and the speed of lineal traverse of
the burnisher presser or impacter should be so proportioned as to cause the whole
of the Cathode surface to be submitted to the action of the burnishing pressing or
impacting device during one traverse of such device from one end to the other end of
the cylindrical cathode. I wish it to be clearly understood that the burnishing
pressing or impacting device may be of any form and may be either stationery or
moving or moveable.
The form and motion given to the burnishing pressing or impacting
depend to a great extent upon the form and motion of the Cathode.
device will
In fact my

page_text: improvements consist of a burnishing pressing, impacting, rubbing or spraying device
of any form to the surface of a deposit during the electrolysis of an Electrolyte for the
obtainment of metals of quality which may be melted.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention I claim :-
Firstly. In the deposition or obtainment of metals by electrolysis, from metallic
solutions or from fused salts of or containing metal, the process of burnishing,
compacting, pressing, spraying, or rubbing the metal of the cathode as it is being
deposited and dissipating the gases evolved as and for the purpose herein set forth.
Secondly. In the obtainment of metal from metallic solutions or from fused salts of
or containing metal the use of the burnishers, impacters, pressers, spray or sprays, or
rubbers acting upon the surface of the cathode or cathodes for dissipating the evolved
gases and reducing polarization in the electrolytic bath as and for the purpose herein
set forth.
Thirdly. The combination of moving or stationary cathodes, with stationary or
moving burnishers, pressers, impacters rubbers, and spray or sprays of liquid as and
for the purpose herein set forth.
Fourthly. The perforated pipes and branches for the supply of liquor rich in the
metal intended to be deposited, to the surface of the cathode or cathodes as and for
the purpose herein set forth.
Dated 2nd Ondaha- 1007
WALTER A. BARLOW,
6, St. Paul's Churchyard, London, E.C.,
Agent for F. E. Elmore.