Improvements in the Manufacture of Copper and other Metal Tubes, Sheets, Wire, and the like by Electrolysis.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Aug.; 1895
Complete Specification Left, 27th Sept., 1895-Accepted, 14th Dec., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.,
Improvements in the Manufacture of Copper and other Metal Tubes,
Sheets, Wire, and the like by Electrolysis.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK REDFERN, of the Firm of G. F. Redfern & Co., The
General Patent Office, No. 4, South Street, Finsbury, in the County of London,
Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication
to me by Emilien Dumoulin, of 36, Rue des Petits Champs, Paris, in the Republic
of France, Gentleman) to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of tubes, sheets,
wire and the like of copper and other metals by electrolysis.
Copper or other metal which is obtained in a pure state by electro deposition
has always a crystalline structure and irregular surface. To overcome these
defects and to deposit the metal at once in the finished form, such as for example,
as in the production of tubes, sheets, bars, wire, etc., I prevent the molecules from
gradually grouping themselves on the roughnesses or projections of the surface of
the cathode, whereby the formation of an irregular surface is avoided.
If, before causing the electric current to pass, the roughnesses of the surface of
the cylinder have been insulated, or if the deposit has been prevented at these
points by the interposition of a very thin diaphragm, then the molecules will be
deposited around the said irregularities in the hollow parts as long as the said
irregularities remain insulated, or if the deposit is simply retarded at these points
the molecules. will be deposited on the neighbouring parts so that, when the
insulating material or the diaphragm is removed on the filling up of the cavities
or hollows to the level of the roughnesses, the latter will be covered in their turn.
In carrying out the invention 1 place in contact with the upper part of the
cathode a body impregnated with fatty matters more or less adherent and insulating
and so composed that they easily yield up this insulating material without becoming
disintegrated, that is to say, the fatty and insulating matters are only removed by
the roughnesses of the cylinder when they pass the same. The roughnesses are
thus impregnated or coated in the same manner as type is inked in printing.
This impregnation or coating will take place each time the roughnesses come in
contact with the impregnating material until in consequence of the said impreg-
nation or of the retardation of the deposit the hollows next the roughnesses have
been filled to the level of the latter. These materials which are either animal or
fatty become gradually oxidized in the bath or wiped off and removed by the
impregnator as soon as they cease to be scraped by the roughnesses which
gradually disappear as the surface of the cylinder rises.
As the impregnation of the roughnesses can be regulated by the pressure put
upon the impregnating bodies the quantity of insulating material which adheres to
the projections or roughnesses of the cathode can be regulated in the same way.
The insulating material so to say filters the molecules and the latter are deposited
in a fine state of division which explains the qualities of homogeneity possessed by
the metal obtained.
The materials which are most suitable for the impregnating body are organic
and fatty animal, vegetable or mineral or bodies which contain the same; as
examples I may mention animal membranes or their extracts (albumen, fibrine, etc.)
muscles, intestines, bladder and the like.

page_text: The impregnators are preferably operated to move longitudinally in order that
all the parts of the cathode can be impregnated; this movement must be
independent of that of the cathode.
A suitable apparatus for use in manufacturing metal sheets and the like according
to this invention is as follows:-
A vessel or tank is placed between two cast standards each of which carries a
shaft of brass which is adapted to actuate the mandrel and to conduct the current
to the saine. One end of each of these shafts is provided with an end fly wheel
and the other end is provided with a screw head; the said shafts pass into the
vessel or tank through stuffing-boxes which are allowed necessary play in the vessel.
Of these two shafts which slide freely in the standards one is free and the other
strikes against an adjustable stop carried on two supports fixed to one of the
standards.
This shaft carries a bevel wheel which is driven by another bevel wheel fixed
to step pulleys adapted to drive the mandrel at three different speeds; the said
pulleys are driven by step pulleys keyed to the driving shaft.
The mandrel consists of a steel tube provided at its ends with brass heads
provided with axial holes which are screwed to receive the ends of the two screwed
shafts. In cases where the said heads are situated at some distance apart, as for
instance in the manufacture of tubes, I provide in the axis of the mandrel or tube
a metal rod connecting the two heads, the said rod being a good conductor which
distributes..the current evenly along the length of the tube by means of copper
wires.
The apparatus is employed as follows.-The ends of the tube are placed opposite
the two shafts and are screwed to the same by means of the fly wheels, the stop is
then put in position and the apparatus is ready to work.
'
For the purpose of moving the impregnators to-and-fro, I arrange on the
standard which carries the mechanism for actuating the mandrel a small shaft which
carries a step pulley which is actuated from another step pulley keyed to the
driving shaft. To the ther end of this shaft I attach a grooved plate in the
groove of which the head of a connecting rod slides. This connecting rod is
fixed at the other end to a slide which moves in a guide so as to ensure the rod
sliding in a straight line; this movement is transmitted to the bar which carries
the impregnators and is supported by the frame.
By this means the movement is effected quite regularly; the standards which
are independent of the tank and the stuffing-boxes have no metal deposited on
them which would very soon render them useless. The mandrel is fixed to the
shafts by the screw-thread but the said shafts are protected against deposit by a
ring of india-rubber which covers the end of the mandrel and is firmly clamped
by rings of insulating material.
Dated th
1905
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Fiusbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Copper and other Metal Tubes,
Sheets, Wire, and the like by Electrolysis.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK REDFERN, of the Firm of G. F. Redfern & Co., The
General Patent Office, No. 4, South Street, Finsbury, in the County of London,
l'atent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication
to me by Emilen Dumoulin, of 36, Rue des Petits Champs, Paris, in the Republic

page_text: of France, Gentleman,) and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be f
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of tubes, sheets, wire
and the like, of copper and other metals by electrolysis.
...i
Copper or other metal which is obtained in a pure state by electro deposition has..
always a crystalline structure and irregular surface. To overcome these defects
and to deposit the metal at once in a finished condition for example, in the form of
finished tubes, sheets, bars, wire etc., I prevent the molecules from gradually
grouping themselves on the roughnesses or projections of the surface of the cathode
whereby the formation of an irregular surface is avoided.
If, before causing the electric current to pass, the roughnesses of the surface of
the cylinder have been insulated or if the deposit has been retarded at these points
by the interposition of a very thin diaphragin then the molecules will be deposited
around the said irregularities in the hollow parts as long as the said irregularities
remain insulated, or if the deposit is simply retarded at these points the molecules
will be deposited on the neighbouring parts so that when the insulating material
or the diaphragın is removed on the filling up of the cavities or hollows to the
level of the roughnesses, the latter will be covered in their turn.
In carrying out the invention I place in contact with the upper part of the
cathode a body impregnated with fatty matters more or less adherent and insulating
and so composed that they easily yield up this insulating material without becoming
disintegrated, that is to say, the fatty and insulating matters are only removed by
the roughnesses of the cylinder when they pass the same. The roughnesses are
thus impregnated or coated in the same manner as type is inked in printing..
This impregnation or coating will take place each time the roughnesses come in
contact with the impregnating material until in consequence of the said impreg-
nation or of the retardation of the deposit the hollows next the roughnesses have
been filled to the level of the latter. These materials which are animal or fatty
become gradually oxidized in the bath or wiped off and removed by the impreg
nator as soon as they cease to be scraped by the roughnesses which gradually
disappear as the surface of the cylinder rises.
As the impregnation of the roughnesses can be regulated by the pressure put
upon the impregnating bodies the quantity of insulating material which adheres to.
the projections or roughnesses of the cathode can be regulated in the same way.
The insulating material, so to say, filters the molecules and the latter are
deposited in a fine state of division which explains the qualities of homogeneity
possessed by the metal obtained.
as
The materials which are most suitable for the impregnating body are organic
and fatty animal, vegetable or mineral or bodies which contain the same:
examples I may mention animal meinbranes or their extracts (albumen, fibrine,.
etc.) muscles, intestines, bladder, and the like.
The impregnators are preferably operated to move longitudinally in order that
all the parts of the cathode can be impregnated: this movement must be indepen-
dent of that of the cathode.
In the accompanying drawing I have shewn by way of example an apparatus
adapted for use in manufacturing metal sheets according to this invention. For
the manufacture of tubes the apparatus is the same except that the mandrel is
longer and of less diameter.
Fi
igure 1 is a longitudinal section of the apparatus :
Figure 2 is an end view, and,
Figure 3 a plan of the same.
c is a vessel or tank placed between two cast standards b, beach of which
carries a shaft e, e of brass which is adapted to actuate the mandrel and to conduct
the current to the same. One end of each of these shafts is provided with a hand
wheel, and the other end is provided with a screw head e', e'; the said shafts.
pass into the vessel or tank through stuffing boxes f, which are allowed necessary

page_text: play (about one centimeter) in the vessel c as shewn at u, v. Of these two shafts
which slide freely in the standards h, b one is free and the other strikes against an
adjustable stop d carried on two supports s. s fixed to one of the standards b.
This shaft carries a bevel wheel which is driven by another bevel wheel fixed
to the step pulleys i adapted to drive the mandrel at three different speeds: the
said pulleys are driven by the step pulleys keyed to the driving shaft t.
The mandrel consists of a steel tube a provided at its ends with brass heads w,' w
provided with axial holes which are screwed to receive the ends e¹, el of the two
screwed shafts. In cases where the said heads are situated at some distance apart,
as for instance in the manufacture of tubes. I provide in the axis of the mandrel
or tube a a metal rod connecting the two heads, the said rod being a good conductor
which distributes the current evenly along the length of the tube by means of
copper wires arranged in bunches (en tête de loup).
The apparatus is employed as follows:-The ends of the tube a are placed
opposite the two shafts e, e and are screwed to the same by means of the hand
wheels e, e, the stop d is then put in position and the apparatus is ready to
work.
a
For the purpose of moving the impregnators to-and-fro I arrange on the
standard which carries the mechanism for actuating the mandrel
smail shaft u, u
which carries a step pulley k which is actuated from another step pulley m keyed
to the driving shaft. To the other end of this shaft u I attach a grooved
plate n, n in the groove of which the head of a connecting rod P slides. This
connecting rod is fixed at the other end to a slide o, o which moves in a guide g', g¹
so as to ensure the rod y sliding in a straight line this movement is transmitted
to the bar which carries the impregnators and is supported by the frame g..
By this means the movement is effected quite regularly: the standards b, b
which are
not connected with the tank and the stuffing boxes have no metal
deposited on them which would very soon render them useless. The mandrel is
fixed to the shafts by the screw thread el but the said shafts are protected
against deposit by a ring of india rubber g which covers the end of the mandrel
and is firmly clamped by rings of insulating material z, z.
It will be obvious that a tube manufactured according to my invention may be
cut spirally to form a long strip which may be subsequently drawn in the usual
manner to form wire.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said mven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declure that what I
claim is :-
A process for depositing metals regularly by electrolysis in which insulating
materials are kept in contact with the cathodes during the process in such
manner that only the projecting or rough parts of the cathode are conted by the
insulating material, the insulating particles, removed in this way by the projections
in the same way as ink is removed by the type in printing, becoming oxidized in
the bath or wiped off and re-taken up by the impregnators when the projections
have disappeared by the rising of the surface of the cathode substantially as herein.
before described.
Dated the 27th 1.- of Santambn 1905
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.