Improvements in Electrolytical Apparatus.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Dec., 1995
Complete Specification Left, 30th Sept., 1896-Accepted, 24th Dec., 1896
Improvements in Electrolytical Apparatus.
RICHARD HEATHFIELD of 1 Leadenhall Street E.C. Merchant and WILLIAM
STEPNEY RAWSON of 21 Greycoat Gardens S.W. Electrical Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to improvements in electrolytical apparatus & more
especially in the material the construction & arrangement of a rotating depositing
barrel such as we have described in a Patent granted to us & numbered No. 5537
of 1894.
In order to avoid too frequent renewals of the parts of the barrel such as the
staves which are acted upon by an alkaline solution of zinc such as zincate of
potash we make them of Portland cement moulded to the necessary form &
strengthened where necessary by iron about which the cement is moulded, the
combination of the two possesing the tensile strength which the cement alone lacks.
The openings in the staves may be moulded in the form of slots covered on the
outside by gauze such slots being so formed as to prevent as far as possible the
work falling onto the gauze during the revolution of the barrel.
The conducting rods may be of tubing formed so as to key tightly down into
the cement exposing only a small surface for contact.
At their ends they are soldered to a metal socket moulded into the cement &
covered with a rubber sleeve. The end of the insulated wire leading to the com-
mutator is provided with a corresponding plug & rubber sleeve so that this latter
may be rolled over that of the socket & a water tight joint quickly made.
In order to allow of different varieties of work being coated in a barrel at the
same time without being mixed the barrel may be divided into compartments
either by lugs on the staves or by rings being inserted & fitting against the staves
closely.
If required the conducting rods may be divided into sections, metal plugs being
suitably disposed so that the current may be disconnected from one or more of
these compartments by withdrawing the plugs. Thus the barrel may be worked
with one or more empty compartments without wasting zinc upon the conducting
rods.
In cases where it is preferable not to cover the anode with a louvre as shown in
our former patent we may arrange an electrical device which shall come into action
whenever a short circuit occurs inside the barrel. This consists of a weighted arm
arranged to be lifted by electro-magnetic action the instrument being in shunt to
the barrel. If a short circuit occurs the lever within the barrel falls by gravity
& in so doing cuts the barrel out of circuit & gives a suitable alarm.
The raising & lowering of the barrel may be made to automatically close & open
the circuit at the end & beginning of the operation of zincing.
Where the connections to either the positive or negative ends of the barrel pass
outside the end discs we carefully insulate them.
Dated this 31et dor of December 1895

page_text: Improvements in Electrolytical Apparatus.
We RICHARD HEATHFIELD of 1 Leadenhall Street E.C. Merchant and
WILLIAM STEPNEY RAWSON of 21 Greycoat Gardens S.W. 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:-
Our invention relates to improvements in electrolytical apparatus and more
especially in the material, the construction and arrangement of a rotating
depositing barrel operating as we have described in our Specification No. 5537
of 1894.
In order to avoid too frequent renewals of the parts of the barrel such as the
staves which when of wood are acted upon by an alkaline solution of zinc such as
zincate of potash, we make them of Portland cement moulded to the necessary
form and strengthened where necessary by iron.
Figure 1 is an external plan view of one of the cement staves.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section and Figure 3 is a transverse section on the
line X X of Figure 1.
The stave A consisting of cement is strengthened by an iron framing B
consisting of two parallel bars B and cross bars C near each end all partly sunk
into the cement. Bolts are passed between the cross bars C for fixing the stave to
the ends of the barrel.
.
The conducting bars are tubes D partly open so that they are filled with, as
well as sunk in, the cement, presenting only a small part of their surface internally
to the barrel. Instead of tubes angle bars indicated by dotted lines D¹ may be
employed.
The openings in the staves are moulded in the form of slots E covered on the
outside by wire gauze F each slot being formed with one side abrupt and the other
sloping so that as the barrel revolves in the direction of the arrow the articles
which are being galvanised roll clear of the gauze. The conducting tubes D have
their ends flattened and soldered to metal sockets G which are moulded into the
cement and covered with a rubber sleeve H. The end of the insulated wire I
leading to the commutator is provided with a plug J and rubber sleeve K which
can be rolled over the sleeve H making a water tight joint.
In order to allow of different varieties of work being coated in a barrel at the
same time without being mixed the barrel may be divided into compartments by
inwardly projecting rings and in this case the conducting bars may be divided into
corresponding sections united by metal plugs so arranged that the current may
be disconnected from one or more of these compartments by withdrawing the
plugs.
Thus the barrel may be worked with one or more empty compartments without
wasting zinc upon the conducting bars. In cases where it is preferable not to
cover the anode with a louvre as shewn in our former specification above referred
to we arrange an electrical device which shall come into action whenever a short
circuit occurs inside the barrel,
Also the lowering of a barrel into working position may be made to automatically
close the circuit at the beginning of the operation of zincing, as we shall describe
referring to Figure 4, which is a diagram shewing the devices and connections for
automatically closing the circuit when a barrel is lowered into position, and for
automatically opening the circuit through the barrel when a short circuit occurs
within it.

page_text: One terminal d of the dynamo is connected to one end of the coil of an electro
magnet e, to two mercury cups m m² and to one end 6 of the barrel. The other
terminal d' is connected it may be through external apparatus indicated by w, to
the other end 6 of the barrel, to other two mercury cups m¹ and m³ and to the
other end of the coil of e. A lever having on its one arm a conducting fork
arranged to dip into the cups m m³ and on its other arm an armature a presented
to the magnet e is held in the position shewn while the current passes through the.
barrel in the normal way, the magnet in that case being sufficiently excited to
hold down the armature a. But should short circuiting occur within the barrel,
then the magnet has not sufficient power to hold a down, and thereupon the fork.
of 1 drops into the mercury cups m m³ externally short circuiting the current, and
virtually opening the circuit through the barrel. When the barrel is not in.
position the fork of the lever is in the mercury cups m' m³ closing the external
circuit, but when a barrel is put in working position, its weight acting on the
lever raises the fork, thus opening the external circuit and closing the circuit.
through the barrel.
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 in respect of an electrolytical barrel operating in the manner set forth in our
Specification No. 5537 of 1894 is :-
1. The construction of the periphery of the barrel of staves made in cement.
each strengthened by iron and each having sunk in its inner face a conducting tube
or bar, substantially as described.
2. For passage of liquid, a slot in each stave covered externally with wire gauze
and shaped internally with the one side abrupt and the other side sloping
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. For closing the electric circuit when the barrel is in position for operating,.
the fork lever and the mercury cups m² m³ in combination with the barrel the
dynamo and the conductors to and from them, substantially as described.
4. For opening the electric circuit in the barrel when short circuiting occurs.
therein, the fork lever 1, the mercury cups mm² and the electro magnet e in
combination with the barrel, the dynamo and the conductors, substantially as.
described.
Dated this 30th day of Sentember 1896
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants..