Improvements in Apparatus for Electrolysing Chloride Solutions.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 1st June, 1895-Accepted, 6th July, 1895
.COMPLETE. SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Electrolysing Chloride Solutions.
We, EUGENE HERMITE, EDWARD JAMES PATERSON, and CHARLES FRIEND
COOPER, all of Pownall Road, Dalston, in the County of London, -Electrical
Engineers, 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. 6497 of 1894 we have described apparatus for
electrolysing chloride solutions for the production of 'disinfecting liquid.
Our present invention relates to apparatus of a simple and inexpensive kind for
this purpose and automatic regulating apparatus as we shall describe referring to
the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of an electrolysing battery according to our present
invention and Fig. 2 is an elevation partly in section of the automatic regulating
apparatus which may be applied, as shewn, to the new electrolysing battery or to
others such as those described in our Specification No. 6497 of 1894 above
referred to.
The battery consists of a number of tubes A of glass, ceramic or other insulating
material which is not attacked by the liquid operated on. Within each tube A is
placed a zinc tube a constituting the cathode and in the centre is placed a wire a¹
of platinum or a copper wire coated with platinum forming the anode. Each
tube A is closed by plugs a² at the top and the bottom and through the plugs pass
the ends of bent glass tubes B communicating from the bottom of each cell to the
top of the next in order, except in the case of the first and last cells A of the row.
The first cell on the left is supplied with the chloride solution from a supply pipe D,
this solution being sea water where that is available or a solution of sodium chloride
with a little magnesium chloride. From the top of the first cell the liquid flows
to the top of the second from the bottom of which it flows to the top of the third
and so on until it reaches the last cell from the bottom of which it flows to the
tank or other recipient of the electrolysed solution. By wires C leading to and
from a dynamo machine or other source of electricity, the cells are connected in
series the anode of each being connected to the cathode of the next throughout
the row.
Instead of arranging the cells in a row they might obviously be arranged
circularly or otherwise.
The apparatus shewn in Fig. 2 determines automatically the flow or stoppage of
the liquid, and of the electrical current.
For this purpose, V being the vessel receiving from the battery the electrolysed
solution which may be drawn off from time to time by the cock J or otherwise, we
provide in it a float d attached to a vertically sliding rod e, which is guided between
rollers and carries two tappets g and g¹. On a pivot k is mounted a bell crank
lever, one of its arms i carrying a roller h, the other arm j loaded with a tumbling
weight and carrying a striker m. On the same pivot k is mounted a three armed
lever two of its arms n and o terminating in cushions to receive the blow of the
striker m; the stroke of the arms n and o is limited by fixed stops q and r. The
third arm p is jointed to the levers of a switch c and is connected by a chain z
passing over guide pulleys t and u to a lever v which operates a valve of the
supply pipe D.
In the position of the parts shewn the valve a is closed and the switch c does
not close the circuit. When the float d descends the tappet g³ depresses the
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page_text: roller causing the weight to rise until it passes the position vertically over the
pivot k, whereupon it falls over to the left, its striker m causing the arm n to move
over against the stop q; by this movement the arm p causes the switch c to turn
partly round and close the circuit; also the chain z¹ being loosened, the lever v
(which may be loaded) descends opening the valve a. Liquid is now supplied to
the electrolysing battery which is also in circuit with the source of electricity, and
the vessel V becomes filled with electrolysed solution until the float d so far rises
that it brings back the parts of the regulating mechanism to the position shewn,
the supply of liquid and of electricity being so cut off.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. An electrolysing battery, substantially as described with reference to Fig. 1.
2. An automatic regulator of the supply of liquid and electricity to an
electrolysing battery, substantially as described with reference to Fig. 2.
Dated this 1st day of June 1895.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for Applicants.