Improvements in Apparatus for the Electro-deposition of Metals.
Year: 1897

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by FREDERICK WILLIAM ZINGSEM, of New York,
United States of America.]
Improvements in Apparatus for the Electro-deposition of Metals.
I, JOHN EBORALL HARTLEY, of 13, Saint Paul's Square, Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for the electro deposition
of metals and more particularly applicable to the treatment of small articles.
Apparatus for this purpose has already been in use for some years, consisting
broadly of a tank for the solution, said tank being provided with suitable bearings
for carrying a revolving, shaft upon which is mounted a reticulated or perforated
drum within which the articles to be plated are placed-and a conducting wire
connected, with the interior of the drum, by which the electric current passes
from the anodes through the solution &c. to the articles to be plated, which latter
form the cathodes of the bath, and then through, the shaft back to the source of
the electricity, and it is in connection with such apparatus that I make these
my present improvements.
Instead of making the barrel or drum of the usual circular shape, I make it of
an oblong or flattish oval shape, or it may be of a triangular shape so that
the articles therein may have a comparatively slow movement during part of the
revolution, followed by a more sudden falling forward and disturbance of the
articles than is now attained. I further provide that the said drum as a whole
may intermittently be submitted to a sudden jerk or forward movement in order
to more perfectly ensure the disturbance of the articles from continuously covering
each other and thus preventing equalization of the deposition. This may be done
by providing a cam at each end of the shaft, just outside the tank which shall
ride upon a roller beneath, the said shaft being free in its bearings to rise and
fall according to the variation in the cams. These cams are similar in shape
and position so as to ensure a parallel even rising and falling of the drum. In
some cases when the shaft is made to pass continuously through the drum, the
ends of the said drum may have slotted holes in which square or like parts upon
the shaft may movably fit, so that as the shaft revolves, the drum is revolved,
but when the latter reaches a point when the slots are approaching the vertical,
it suddenly slides forward upon the shaft with a jerk. The shaft may be con-
tinuous or in some cases the ends of the drum may be connected to short lengths
of shaft which shall extend therefrom to the ends of the tank &c. so that no
chaft occunies the centre of the barrel.

page_text: In some cases however I connect the two inside surfaces of the said ends non-
conductively to each other, by a wooden shaft or other suitable frame which may
be of any desirable shape upon which anodes may be fixed, which, as the barrel
revolves shall come in contact with the solution. Preferably this frame is of a
cylindrical shape having the metal forming the anode upon its surface. It is
preferred also that this central device shall be readily removable as a whole. The
shaft is preferably of metal but in some cases it may be more convenient to make
it of wood and sheath it with metal at those parts which form the bearings.
In some cases instead of making the circuit direct through the shaft to the
wire which leads to the articles I prefer to fix rigidly upon the shaft a collar, say
of brass or copper or the like, from which the wire passes to the articles. To this
collar I now connect the conducting wire (from the source of electricity). This
may be done by means of a loose or stationary collar which is placed by the side
of the collar fixed on the shaft so as to form contact, and to which the said wire
may be connected, or by a plate bearing upon such shaft collar or otherwise.
The body of the drum is preferably built up of longitudinal strips-com-
paratively wide-with narrow openings between, and is further provided with a
sliding door which preferably extends from one end to the other end of the said
drum.
In some cases however where the articles are light and not likely to injure the
drum I may make the barrel of perforated enamelled sheet metal in order to
protect the same from electro deposition; also instead of the longitudinal sliding
door I may make the drum in two parts hinged together longitudinally.
Dated this 9th day of Feburary 1897.
CHARLES T. POWELL,
Applicant's Agent.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Electro-deposition of Metals.
I, JOHN EBORALL HARTLEY, of 13, Saint Paul's Square, Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for the electro deposition
of metals and more particularly applicable to the treatment of small articles.
Apparatus for this purpose has already been in use for some years, consisting
broadly of a tank for the solution said tank being provided with suitable bearings
for carrying a revolving shaft upon which is mounted a reticulated or perforated
drum within which the articles to be plated are placed-and a conducting wire
connected with the interior of the drum, by which the electric current passes
from the anodes through the solution &c. to the articles to be plated, which latter
form the cathodes of the bath, and then through the shaft back to the source of
the electricity, and it is in connection with such apparatus that I make these
my present improvements.
In order to more clearly explain this my invention I have appended hereunto
illustrative drawings upon which are figures and numbers of reference similar
numbers referring throughout the several views to the same thing or part, and
in which
Fig. 1, is a front elevation, and Fig. 2, a plan view of this my invention.
Fig. 3, is a sectional end elevation on line A-B.
..

page_text: an
Fig. 5, is a sectional part view showing the interior centre which carries
anode.
Fig. 6, shows a method of carrying the drum shaft by which a rising and
falling motion may be given thereto.
8, is the drum or cage which is made non circular the oval shape being much
preferable, or I may make it of a triangular shape. The purpose of this is that
during rotation the articles within it have a comparatively slow movement during
a part of the revolution, followed by a more sudden falling forward and disturb-
ance of the articles than is now attained. This may be accelerated by using the
oval pulley
by which the drum is driven. This oval pulley however I do not
claim as part of my invention. In Fig. 6, however I have shown upon the
shaft 10 of the drum (see also dotted lines in Fig. 2) a cam 11, one of which may
be placed at each end of the said shaft. Beneath these cams and carried upon
the framework of the bath 12, are rollers 13, so that as the shaft revolves it is
raised and suddenly falls say once (or more) during a revolution, the bearings 14
being made to accommodate this.
The shaft 10, may be continuous but I prefer to remove its mid portion, and
connect the two ends to the ends 15, 15 of the drum, see Fig. 5. Between such
two ends of the drum I now support the frame 16, upon which is carried the
anode 17. In order to quickly remove this frame when desired I attach the ends
of the shaft 10, by means of four screws 18, at each end, two of which secure
them to the drum ends only, and the other two pass also into and secure the
said frame, so that by removing the said two screws at each end the frame
may be removed without separating the shafts from the drum. The lower side
of the anode 17, is always immersed in the solution. The shaft is preferably of
metal, but it may be made of wood and sheathed with metal at those parts which
form the bearings &c.
I conduct the current to the anode 17, by the current wire 19, which is connected
to the collar 20, which latter is prevented from rotation by the jaw like piece 21.
This collar then further communicates by the wire 22, to the anode, see Fig. 1, 2
& 5. The current wire 23, conducts the current to the anodes 24, by means of
metallic bars 25, and rod 26. The current is conveyed to the cathodes within
the drum by the wire 27, and non-rotative loose collar 28, thence through the
shaft to wire 29, to wires 30 which are well distributed over the interior surface
of the drum. Other similar means may however be used.
The body of the drum is preferably built up of longitudinal strips 31,-com-
paratively wide-with narrow openings 32 between, and is further provided with
a sliding or hinged door at 33, which preferably extends from one end to the
other end of the said drum.
In some cases however where the articles are light and not likely to injure the
drum I may make it of perforated sheet metal, enamelled, in order to protect same
from electro deposition, or it may be of wickerwork.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In apparatus for the electro deposition of metals, the employment of an oval
drum or cage in which are carried the articles &c. substantially as set forth and
shown.
2. In apparatus for the electro deposition of metals, the carrying of the anode 17,
upon a removable central frame 16, as set forth and shown.
3. In apparatus for the electro deposition of metals, the combination with the
drum shaft of the cams 11, 11, carried upon rollers 13, 13, substantially as set
forth and for the purposes specified.
4. The combination with the shafts 10, 10, of the loose non-rotative collars 20, 20,
with their current wires arranged substantially as set forth and shown, and for
the purposes specified.

page_text: 5. The general combination and arrangement of parts constituting this my
improved apparatus constructed and arranged as described and shown upon the
drawings.
Dated this 4th day of November 1897.
CHARLES T. POWELL,
Applicant's Agent, 12, Cherry Street, Birmingham.