Improvements in Electrolytical Apparatus.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Oct., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 19th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 22nd Jan., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrolytical Apparatus.
We, RICHARD HEATHFIELD, of No. 1 Leadenhall Buildings, in the City of
London, Metal Merchant, and WILLIAM STEPNEY RAWSON, of No. 21 Greycoat
Gardens, Victoria Street, in the County of London, Electrical Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In our Specification No. 5537 of 1894 we described electrolytical apparatus
Consisting of a perforated barrel of wood or other non conducting material mounted
so as to revolve partly immersed in electrolyte liquid and containing, as cathode,
pieces of metal on which zinc or other metal was deposited, and, as anode, an
inner perforated or network cylinder concentric with the barrel, and containing
pieces of the zinc or other metal that was dissolved, this cylinder and its contents
having in some cases substituted for them discs of the metal to be dissolved fixed
on a central shaft. Our present invention relates to a novel construction and
arrangement of apparatus of this kind, which is as follows. Instead of employing
a perforated barrel of non conducting material partly immersed in the electrolyte
liquid, we employ a heimctically closed barrel containing the electrolyte liquid,
preferably more than half filling it, and we cause this to revolve by 1esting flanges
at its ends on rotating rollers.
The barrel may be made of cast iron lined with caoutchouc, gutta percha or
with Roman or like cement, when the electrolyte is a solution of zinc or other
metal in liquid such as caustic alkalı which does not act upon iron or cement of
this kind, and in this case also the anode cylinder may be of perforated or network
iron. When an acid electrolyte is employed, we make the barrel of material that
is not attacked by the acid and may line it with caoutchouc gutta percha or
bituminous cement or like material which can be made to adhere to and insulate
the barrel and which is not acted on by the solution. In this case the anode
consists of a set of discs of the metal to be dissolved fixed ou a central shaft. At
the side of the barrel we provide for changing and discharging the cathode pieces
an opening which can be tightly closed by a suitably packed door, and opposite
to this door we provide for running in and out liquid a hole which can be tightly
plugged. A valve is also arranged for escape of gas. For convenience of
manufacture and for giving free access to the interior, wo make the barrel in
halves dividing it in the plane of the axis and bolting together flanges projecting
laterally from the halves of the barrel. We also make the anode in halves, its
ends being bolted to the ends of the barrel but insulated therefrom, the bolts also
being insulated. The bolts which pass insulated through one end of the barrol
to fix the anode are extended beyond the end and carry a metal disc, made in
halves, which revolves in a trough of mercury connected with the + terminal of a
source of electricity. On the interior of the barrel are fixed at intervals, as
described in our former specification above referred to, longitudinal metal bars,
preferably of half round section, which are insulated from the metal of the butel
and passing through one end of the barrel are bent and led into a revolving trough
containing mercury that covers the ends of those bars only which for the time
have the cathode pieces of metal rolling over them. The mercury is connected
to the terminal of the source of electricity.
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page_text: Thus, while the barrel evolves, the pieces of metal ioll over the longitudinal
bars in its lower part, being thus put in electrical connection with the revolving
mercury trough and the terminal as cathodes, while the inner cylinder or
revolving discs are in connection with the terminal as anode.
Dated this 22nd day of October 1895.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in Electrolytical Apparatus.
We, RICHARD HEATHFIELD, of No. 1 Leadenhall Buildings, in the City of
London, Metal Merchant and WILLIAM STEPNEY RAWSON, of No. 21 Greycoat
Gardens, Victoria Street, in the County of London, Electrical Engineer, 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 .-
In our Specification No. 5537 of 1894 we described electrolytical apparatus
consisting of a perforated barrel of wood or other non-conducting material mounted
so as to revolve partly immersed in electrolyte liquid and containing as cathode,
pieces of metal on which zinc or other metal was deposited, and, as anode an inner
perforated or network cylinder concentric with the bariel and containing pieces of
the zinc or other metal that was dissolved, this cylinder and its contents having in some
cases substituted for them discs of the metal to be dissolved fixed on a central
shaft. Our present invention relates to a novel construction and arrangement of
apparatus of this kind as we shall describe referring to the accompanying diawings.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section, Fig. 2 is a transverse section, Fig. 3 is an elovation
of one end.
Instead of employing a perforated barrel of non conducting material partly
immersed in the electrolyte liquid, we now employ a hermetically closed barrel A,
containing the electrolyto liquid, preferably more than half filling it, and we cause
this barrel to evolve by resting flanges at its ends on rotating rollers a.
The bairol may be made of cast iron lined with caoutchouc, gutta percha or
with Roman or like cement when the electrolyte is a solution of zinc or other metal
in liquid such as caustic alkali, which does not act upon iron or cement of this
kind, and in this case also the anode cylinder B may be of perforated or notwork
iron When an acul electrolyte is employed, we make the barrel A of material
that is not attacked by the acid and may line it with caoutchouc gutta percha or
bituminous cement or like material which can be made to adhere to and insulate
the inner surface of the barrel and which is not acted on by the solution. In this
case the anode consists of a set of discs of the metal to be dissolved fixed on a central
shaft, as described in the Specification No. 5537 of 1894 above referred to.
At the side of the barrel we provide for changing and discharging the cathodo
pieces an opening which can be tightly closed by a suitably packed door D and
opposite to this door we provide for running in and out liquid a hole H, which
can be tightly plugged, a valve is also arranged for escape of gas. For convenience
of manufacture and for giving free access to the interior, we preferably make the
barrel in halves dividing it in the plane of the axis and bolting together flanges F
projecting laterally from the halves of the barrel, We also preferably make the
anode in halves, its ends being bolted to the ends of the barrel but insulated
therefrom, the bolts also being insulated. The bolts which pass insulated through
one end of the banel to fix the anode are extended beyond the end and carry

page_text: a metal diso M, made in halves, which revolves in a trough of mercury m connected
with the terminal of a source of electricity.
On the interior of the barrel are fixed at intervals, as described in our former
specification above referred to, longitudinal metal bars E, preferably of half round
section, which are insulated from the metal of the barrel and passing through one
end of the barrel are bent and connected by insulated wires e to insulatod blades G
which revolve in a trough containing mercury N. The blades G are so arranged
in relation to the bars E in such a way that only those of the blades that are
connected to the bars which have the cathode pieces of metal rolling over them
as indicated at Z are for the time dipping in the mercury N which is connected
to the terminal of the source of electricity.
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Thus, while the barrel revolves, the cathode pieces of metal Z roll over the
longitudinal bars E in its lower part, being thus put in electrical connection with
the mercury N and the terminal, while the inner cylinder B containing the
anode pieces Y, or the revolving discs, are in connection with the + terminal.
Although we have described the contacts as being made by metal discs dipping
in mercury obviously they may be made by brushes bearing on insulated rings or
segments.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:-
Electrolytical apparatus consisting of a revolving barrel containing electrolyte
liquid and cathode metal to receive deposit; a central anode insulated from the
barrel but connected to the + terminal of a source of electricity, conducting bars
arranged at intervals around the interior of the barrel insulated therefrom and
connected to the terminal of the source of electricity, constructed and operating
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
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Dan 100 to of Aroust 1906
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.