Improvements in and relating to Vessels for Electrolytical Purposes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Oct, 1894-Accepted, 10th Nov., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Vessels for Electrolytical
Purposes.
1, PETER JENSEN, of 77 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agent,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication to me from
abroad by Hans Cappelen and Diderik Cappelen of Gjemso Kloster near Skien,
Norway, Landowners and Manufacturers) and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The vessels used for electrolytical purposes have heretofore been made of costly
materials such as porcelain, and also of materials such as slate and the like.
The object of this invention is to provide a material which can be somewhat
easily joined together of pieces to form tight and durable vessels of the desired
form and which at the same time shall resist the action and penetration of liquids
and gases and shall have little conductivity for electricity. The materials heretofore
applied have not been quite satisfactory in these respects and this invention is the
esult of extensive experiments with wood as a material for such vessels Wood
15 cheap and easily worked, and it is therefore a very easy matter to produce
vessels for electrolytical purposes of this everywhere obtainable material; but
wood has not the other qualities stated which are absolutely necessary
If the
wood is wet it is not a bad conductor, and it will furthermore under the influence of
the electical current and the chemicals present be so injured that the vessel
becomes useless.
If such a wooden vessel is painted over with some kind or other of vainish, then
that will only avail for a short time, as the ordinary varnishes also perish under
the influence of the electro-chemical processes The communicators therefore made
experiments in mixing various materials which it was reasonable to suppose might
resist the effects of the electite cument and at the same time would be able to
adhere on the wood as a durable water resisting varnish
They then found that both black japan and water glass have properties which in
some degree render them suitable for the pm pose, but that these materials separately
do not answer the purpose so far that wooden vessels painted with one of them
can be advantageously employed, but experiments have shewn that a mixtue of
them forms a varnish, which wholly satisfies the requiements Black Japan will
not dissolve in water glass but must be mixed therewith to as even a mixture as
possible by stiring. The black japan must exceed in quantity Thus a mixture
of 9 parts of black japan and 1 part of water glass has proved satisfactory. This
mixture has the consistence of thick sour cream and can be easily smeared on in au
even layer. It then hardens to an even glasslike skin, 3 or 4 coats should be put
on, also by preference a coat on the outside When thus applied excellent wooden
electrolysing vessels are obtained which are both tight and durable and are inferioi
conductors of electricity. Instead of the black japan of commerce other asphalt
compositions may of course be applied if of suitable consistence and otherwise
answering the purpose.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim 18.
1 The application and use as a coating medium for wooden vessels used for
electrolytical purposes for protecting the wood against the influence of electrolytical

page_text: processes and rendering it impervious to liquids and gases and non-conducting to
electricity of an intimate mixture of water glass and black japan (or other
suitable asphalt composition) the latter exceeding in quantity.
2. The manufacture and use of wooden electrolytical vessels coated inside, and
it may be also outside, with a mixture as firstly claimed.
Dated this 5th day of October 1894.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, WC, Patent Agents.