Improvements in the Production of Pure Zinc.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 18th .ec., 1888
Complete Specification Left. 12th July, 1889 Accepted. 17th Aug.. 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Production of Pure Zinc.
I CHARLES ANTHONY BURGHARDT, of 35 Fountain Street, in the City of Man-
chester Analytical Chemist do hereby declare the nature of my Invention to be as
follows
My Invention relates to the production of zinc in a pure or so called pure state,
that is to say in a state of freedom from admixture with lead or other metals or foreign
matters. I obtain the pure zinc as an electro deposit upon a cathode using an anode
consisting of scrap zinc or of spelter or of impure zinc in any suitable form the
bath consisting of a solution of zincate of sodium or of potassium that is to say a
solution obtained by acting upon zinc with caustic soda or caustic potash. The
electric current may be derived from a Dynamo machine or be otherwise obtained.
By preference the cathode consists of a sheet or of sheets of pure zinc. The bath
may be prepared by treating zinc or carbonate of zinc with the caustic alkali or by
boiling in a solution of such salt, but I consider the following described procedure
to be the most suitable. I prepare a solution of the caustic alkali and use it as a bath
with a cathode of any suitable kind and an anode of zinc. The electric current is
maintained until a deposit of pure zinc has been formed upon the cathode. The bath
will then be in a working condition. When using scrap zinc it may be placed in a
cage or perforated box or chamber. The bath can be used until from the accumu-
lation of sodium carbonate or from other causes it is necessary to restore it. The
sodium carbonate may be crystalised out from the concentrated bath or be otherwise
removed.
Dated this 17th day of December 1888
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James Square, Manchester, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Production of Pure Zinc.
I CHARLES ANTHONY BURGHARDT of 35 Fountain Street, in the City of Man-
chester, Analytical Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, that is to say :-
My Invention relates to the production of zinc in a pure or so called pure state,
that is to say in a state of freedom from admixture with lead or other metals or
foreign matters. I obtain the pure zinc as an electro deposit upon a cathode using
an anode consisting of scrap zinc or of spelter or of impure ziue in any suitable
form the bath consisting of a solution of zincate of sodium or of potassium that is to
say a solution obtained by acting upon zinc with caustic soda or caustic potash.
The electric current may be derived from a Dynamo machine or be otherwise
obtained. By preference the cathode consists of a sheet or of sheets of pure zinc.
The bath may be prepared by treating zinc or oxide of zinc with the caustic alkali
or by boiling in a solution of such salt, but I consider the following described
procedure to be the most suitable. I prepare a solution of the caustic alkali and use
it as a bath with a cathode of any suitable kind and an anode of zinc. The electric
current is maintained until a deposit of pure zinc has been formed upon the cathode.
The bath will then be in a working condition. When using scrap zinc it may be
placed in a cage or perforated box or chamber. I have not been able to obtain all
the zinc as a firm deposit upon the cathode as a part of the deposit is thrown down
in a pulverulent condition. This coherent deposit can however be readily converted

page_text: into melted zinc by compressing the deposit into blocks and entirely immersing
such blocks in melted zinc. The bath can be used until from the accumulation of
sodium carbonate or from other causes it is necessary to restore it by removing such
accumulation. This may be effected by concentrating the bath until the sodium
carbonate will crystalise and so separate itself from the bath. I do not however
confine myself to this method of procedure for the extraction of the sodium carbonate.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
(1) The process for the production of pure zine from scrap or impure zinc con-
sisting in using the zine as an anode in a bath of zincate of sodium or potassium
solution and obtaining the pure zinc as an electro-deposit upon a suitable cathode
substantially as set forth.
(2) The process for the production of pure zinc from scrap or impure zinc con-
sisting in the obtaining of the pure zinc as an electro deposit upon a cathode of pure
zinc or upon a suitable cathode using as a bath a solution of caustic soda or potash
and using the scrap or impure zinc as an anode substantially as set forth.
Dated this 11th day of July 1882-
100
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James Square, Manchester, Agents.
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James Square, Manchester, Agents.