US1285966A

US1285966A - Cathode structure for vapor-converters.

Info

Publication number: US1285966A
Application number: US6464115A
Authority: US
Inventors: Sidney W Farnsworth
Original assignee: Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: CBS Corp
Priority date: 1915-12-02
Filing date: 1915-12-02
Publication date: 1918-11-26
Anticipated expiration: 1935-11-26

Description

INVENTOR ATTORNEY S. W. FARNSWORTH.

CATHODE STRUCTURE FOR VAPOR CONVERTERS.

KPPLICATION FILE D DEC.2. I915.

Patented Nov. 26, 1918.

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SIDNEY W. FARNSVVORTH. OF PITTSBURGH. PENNSYLVANIA.

ASSIGNOR TO WESTING- HOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY. A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA.

CATHODE STRUCTURE FOR VAPOR-CONVERTERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 26, 1918.

Application filed December 2. 1915. Serial No. 64,641.

1 ball 1071 one it may concern:

Be it known that I. Smxnv W. FARNswon'rii. a citizen of the l nited States, and a resident of littsburglniu the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement: in Cathode Structures for Vapor-(onvertei-s. of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to metal-case converters provided with insulated reconstructing cathodes. and it has for its object to provide means whereby condensed cathode material may be cleansed from dirt and returned to a position for active use with little or no disturbance of the normal operation of the apparatus.

In the accompanying drawing. Figure 1 is a side view of a vapor converter. partially in section and partially in elevation, illustrating a preferred form of my invention; and Figs. 2 and 3 are detail views illustrating modifications of the device shown in Fig. 1.

In my copending application, Serial No. 870.079. filed Nov. 6, 1914, I have described and claimed a vapor converter of the metalcase type provided with a liquid cathode in contact with the bottom thereof, said converter being equipped with means for filtering out dirt from the condensed cathode material and for returning said material to the active portion of the cathode. By the present invention, I provide means whereby a similar function is performed in a converter provided with an insulated cathode. special means being provided for preventing the transfer of the are to the wall of the container.

Referring to the drawing for a more detailed understanding of my invention, the container of a converter of the metal-case type is shown at 4 and is provided .with an anode 5 projecting through and insulated from the cover thereof and .with a cathode 6 lying in the bottom thereof and insulated therefrom by tin-insulating cup 7. Current may be supplied to the cathode 6 by a conductor projecting thereinto but I prefer to employ conducting cooling tubes 8, projecting through the cover and into the body of the cathode 6, for conveying current thereto. The use of cooling tubes is desirable because the insulating cup 7 interferes with the transfer of heat from the cathode 6 to the exterior of the container. An opening 9 is provided in the side of the cup 7 above the surface of the cathodetl, and a spout to. pret crably constructed of refractory insulating material. extends therefrom to a point heneath the surface oi the cathode (3. The annular space surrounding the cup 7 is filled with a pool 11 ct cathode material to the level of the opening 9. and a pair of

filtering rings

12 and 13 project downwardly thereinto. being surmounted by a roof member 11. The entire cathode structure, including the cup 7 and the filtering rings, is firmly anchored to the bottom of the converter by anv suitable means, such, for example. as, holding-down screws 15. An are-retaining ring 16 is preferably placed within the cup 7 and rests upon the cooling coil.

Having thus described the construction of a converter embodying my invention. the operation is as follows. Upon breaking down the negative-electrode reluctance of the cathode 6 by any suitable means. not shown. a power are flows from the anode 5 to said cathode, current flowing from the cathode through the material of the tubes 8 to the exterior of the device. A large amount of material is thrown off by the cathode 6. in the form of mercury vapor and globules. and condenses upon the walls of the container whence it drips to the extreme outer portion of the pool 15, carry- 1112 with it such dirt as is coll cted from the walls of the container. The dirt is produced by a variety of causes, such as imperfect cleaning of the case prior to the closure thereof and to the destructive bombardment upon the anode and walls of the device. The level of the pool 11 rises because of said accretions of material until a globule is forced over the lip of the opening 9 and slides down the tube 10. coalescing with the material of the cathode proper. It will be noted that the returning cathode material must descend beneath the lower edge of the filtering ring 12 before reaching the opening 9. Substantially all the dirt accumulated remains floating on the surface of the pool 11 outside the ring 13. and such dirt as passes under the lower edge of said ring 13 tends to rise and become entrapped between the two filter ng rings. whereby an extremely efiicient filtering action is produeed.

In impact of globules of returning cathode material upon the surface of an active cathode tends to disturb the action thereof, and it will be noted that, by my structure, the returning globules coalesce with the material of the cathode 6 within the tube or spout '10 where the disturbance of the cathode surface is absolutely shielded from the action of the are and, furthermore, cathode material is ejected from said spout exterior to the arc-retaining ring 16, whereby even less disturbance of the normal operation of the device is permitted.

Referring to the form of my device shown in Fig. 2, the various parts shown are denoted by the same characters as in F 1g. 1 and, instead of providing a spout 10, I form an integral member 17 upon the wall of the cup 7 for the return of the cathode material. By said construction, I provide a compact structure that is not liable to breakage.

I may, if desired, obtain a filtering action, similar to that produced in Fig. 1 by the

rings

12 and 13, by extending the integral member 17 over and doWn outside the cup 7 to a point beneath the pool 11, as shown in Fig. 3.

In this application, I am not claiming broadly the feature of returning condensed cathode material to an insulated cathode in the form of globules, as such action is described and claimed in U. S. Patent No. 1,101,665, issued to the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company on June 30, 1914, on an application filed by Yasudiro Sakai, but I make provision for effectively filtering and shielding said cathode material,

While I have shown my invention in its preferred form. it will be-obvious to those skilled in the art that it is susceptible of various minor changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof. and I desire. therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a vapor converter, the combination with an insulating cathode receptacle, of a reconstructing cathode therein. a body of cathode material exterior to said receptacle and arranged to receive condensed cathode material, means for shielding a portion of the cathode surface from the arc, and means for transferring cathode material from said exterior body to a point below said shielded cathode surface.

2. In a vapor converter, the combination with an insulating cathode receptacle, of a reconstructing cathode therein, a body of cathode material exterior to said receptacle and arranged to receive condensed cathode material, and means for transferring cathode material from said exterior body to a portion of said active cathode beneath the surface thereof without electrically connecting said two bodies of cathode material and for shielding said transferred material from the are until it has coalesced with the body of the active cathode.

3. In a vapor converter, the combination with an insulating receptacle, of a reconstructing cathode therein,a body of cathode material exterior to said receptacle and arranged to receive,condensed cathode matcrial. and means for transferring cathode material from said exterior body to a shielded portion of the surface of said active cathode in the form of separate globules. whereby the formation ,of a conductive bridge between said exterior body and said active cathode is prevented.

4. In a vapor converter, the combination with an insulating cathode receptacle, of a reconstructing cathode therein, a body of cathode material exterior to said receptacle and arranged to receive condensed cathode material, and means for transferring cathode material from a point beneath the surface of said exterior body to a point beneath the surface of said active cathode without electrically connecting said two bodies of cathode material.

5. In a vapor converter, the combination with an insulating cathode receptacle, of a reconstructing cathode therein, a body of cathode material exterior to said receptacle and arranged to receive condensed cathode material, means for shielding a portion of the surface of said cathode, and means for transferring cathode material in the form of 10a separate globules from a point beneath the surface of said exterior body to said shielded surface of the active cathode.

6. In a vapor converter, the combination with an insulating cathode receptacle, of a 10;,

reconstructing cathode therein, a body of cathode material exterior to said receptacle and arranged to receive condensed cathode material, and means for providing a closed insulating chamber extending from said ex- 110 terior body to a point beneath the surface of said cathode, said condensed cathode material returning to the active cathode through said chamber in distinct globules.

7. In a vapor converter, the combination 115 with an insulating cathode receptacle, of a reconstructing cathode therein, a body of cathode material exterior to said receptacle and arranged to receive condensed cathode material, and means for providing a closed 120 chamber from a point in said exterior body beneath the surface thereof to a point in said cathode beneath the surface thereof.

8. In a metal-case vapor converter, the

combination with an insulating receptacle, 12a

of a reconstructing cathode therein, a refractory insulating ring partially submerged in the material of said cathode for limiting the action of the are to a portion only of the cathode surface, and means for we returning condensed cathode material to said cathode exterior to said ring.

9. In a metal-case vapor converter, the combination with an insulating receptacle, of a reconstructing cathode therein, a refractory insulating ring partially submerged in the material of said cathode for limiting the action of the arc to a portion only of the cathode surface, means for causing condensed cathode material to collect exterior to said receptacle, and means for intermittently returning said cathode material to said cathode at a point beneath the surface thereof and exterior to said ring.

10. In a metal-case vapor converter, the

combination with an insulating receptacle, of a reconstructing cathode therein, a refractory insulating ring partially submerged in the material of said cathode for limiting the action of the are to a portion only of the cathode surface, means for causing condensed cathode material to collect exterior to said receptacle, and means for intermittently returning said cathode material to said cathode at a point beneath the surface thereof and exterior to said ring.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 29th day of Nov.,

SIDNEY W. FARNSW'ORTH.