US1600257A - Manufacture of copper strips or bars - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 21 1926.

C. K. TOPPING MANUFACTURE OF COPPER STRIPS 0R BARS Filed May 29, 1925 ATTORNEYS produced by electro ing form and is continuously stripped froml Patented Sept.I 21, 1926.

UNITED 'STATES 1,600,257 PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES K. TOPPING, OF NEWBUBGH, NEW YORK, .ASSIGNOR TO CHILE EXPLORA- .TION COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION F NEW JERSEY.

MANUFACTUBE OF COPPER STRIPS OR BARS.

VApplication illed Hay '29? 1925. lSerial No. 33,661.

manufacture of metallic articles resulting from thev practice of the improved metho of the invention.

In accordance with the invention, metallic (and more particularly copper) plates, sheets, strips, bars, or the like, are produced by the electrodeposition of the metal, such as copper, upon an appropriate metallic starting blank. The metallic starting blank is also preferably made of, electrodeposited metal. The invention thus contemplates the electrodeposition of a thinlayer of metal, such as copper, upon an appropriateform. The thin layer of electrodeposited metal is then stripped from the form and'progressively passed through an-electrodeposlting apparatus. While passing through the electrodepositing apparatus, the starting' blank or initial layer of electrodeposited metal is built up to the desired thickness by electrodeposition, and ,the resulting plate of electrodeposited metal is progressively with-` drawn from the electrodepositing apparatus.

The improved method of the invention thus comprises two steps, in the first of which a starting blank is produced, preferably by electrodeposition, and in the second` step of which the starting blank is built up of electrodeposited metal to a desiredfthickness. In the preferred practice of the invention, the starting blank is continuously eposition upon a rotatthe form and wound on a spool, or otherwise, appropriately disposed of. In this manner, an electrodeposited vstarting blank of aniyl appropriate width and of any desired lengt may be advantageously produced. The startin blank is then rogressively passed throu an electrodeposlting apparatus durino' w ich passage electrodeposition of metal takes place until `a suiiicient thickness of electrodepo'sited metal has been obtained. The progress of the starting blank through the electrodepositing apparatus is so regulated that this desired thickness of' electrodeposited metal is obtained during the time any portion of the starting blank is passin v between the entrance and exit ends ofl the electrodepositing apparatus.

The invention is particularly applicable for making bus-bar copper, that is, the bars or laminas for building up copper bus-bars for conducting electric current of relatively high amperage. Heretofore, it has been customary to make the copper bars or laminae for bus bars by rolling. The rolling operation is relatively expensive and necessitates the provision of a copper rolling mill. Bus bars or laminae of electrodeposited copper can be economically and advantageously manufactured in accordance with the present invention. Moreover the electrical conductivity of the electrodeposited metal is,`

in most cases, higher than that of the rolled metal. v

' The novel features of the invention and my present preferred mode of practicing the invention will be best understood'froml the following descriptionl taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawin s. I

will hereinafter particularly describe t e in' vention as applied to the manufacture of copper plates, sheets, strips', bars, or the like, but it is to be understood that the principles of the invention are applicable to the production of articles of this general character made of metals other than copper.

In the accompanyin drawings, Fig. lis a sectional end elevation, and Fig. 2 is a sectional figont elevation of an a aratus for forming a starting blank, and ig. 3 is a sectional elevation 'ofan electrodepositing apparatus for carrying out the aforementioned second step of the invention.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is diagrammatically illustrated an electrolytic tank 5 of wood, concrete or other appropriate material. The tank has a substantially semi-cylindrical lining 6 of lead, or other appropriate material resistant to the action of the .acid electrolyte. Where the lining 6 is of lead.

itmay serve as the anode and is electrically i connected to the positive terminal rof an appropriate source of direct current energy. The tank is provided with an inlet pi e 7 for introducing freshl electrolyte an an overiiow or outlet pipe 8 for withdrawing electrolyte from the tank. A perforated pipe 9 is provided near or on the bottom of-the tank through which air or other appropriate gas may be introduced into the electrolyte for the purpose of agitation.

.A cylindrical form is rotatably mounted Within the tank 5. This form is built up of a pluralityof metallic rings 10 spaced apart by relatively -thin disks 11 of insulating material. The 'rings 10 and disks 11 are clamped or otherwise appropriately secured together on a metallic shaft 12 Journaled 1n the ends of the tank 5. The end rings 10 are covered with disks of insulating material 11. The rings 10 may conveniently be made of copper and have a smooth or polished cylindrical surface. This cylindrical surface is preliminarily treated with some appropriate dopef7 such as rack grease, salammoniac and mercury, for preparlng the surface for the electrodeposition of copper thereon and the stripping ofthe electrodeposited copper therefrom.

A\pulley 13 is secured to the shaft 12 and' is connected to any appropriate source. of power for slowly rotating the cylindrlcal form (1O--11).` 'In practice, this form makes approximately one complete revolution in 24 hours, although it is to be understood that the form may be rotated at a different rate, depending upon the particular conditions of electrodeposition existing o r desired.

A slip ring 14 is secured to the shaft 12'. A stationary brush 15 contacts with the slip ring 14 and is electrically connected to the negative terminal of the source of direct current energy employed for the electrodepositing operation. Thus, the rings 10 are electric-ally connected together and to the` brush 15 and constitute the cathode of the electrolytic apparatus. l

The lower half o f the cylindrical form 10-11 is submerged in an appropriate cops per electrolyte in the tank 5. This electrolyte may conveniently be of the following composition:

35 grams of copper per liter 100 grams sulfuric acid per liter 0.03 grams of chlorine per liter.

Mounted above the tank 5 are a plurality of rotatable spools 16 upon which arewound the electrod'eposi-ted starting blanks stripped from the form 1'0-11. In the operation of the apparatus illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 o f the drawings, the copper "electrolyte is passed throughthe tank 5 and is appropriately agitated while in the tank in order to provide an electrolyte of substantially uniform composition. Copper is continuously electrodeposited upon that portion of the rotating cylindrical form which is submerged in the electrolyte. In the appartus illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, live separate strips of copper are simultaneously electrowithdrawn deposited. As the rotation of the cylindrical form, in the direction of the arrows in Figs 1 and 2, carries the thin layer of electrodeposited copper out of the electrolyte, the ele^trodeposited copperv is stripped from the formand wound on the spools 16. This stripping of the electrodeposlted copper from the form and winding on the spools may be done manually and fromtime to time as necessary. In this manner, there is continuously formed strips, sheets, or the like, of appropriate thickness, say one-thirty-second of an inch, andof any desired length, which serve as starting blanks in the second step of the improved method of the invention.

The electro-depositing apparatus of Fig. 3 comprises a long tank. 17 of wood, concrete or' other appropriate material. This tank is lined with lead, mastic, or the like, to resist the corrosive action of the acid electrolyte. The electrolyte is continuously supplied near the bottom of the tank and through an inlet pipe 18 and continuously overflows through an outlet pipe 19. Oneor more perforated a 'tating pipes 20, adapted to be supplied wit compressed air, are provided near the bottom of the tank 17.

.The spools of starting blanks 21 (initially formed and wound. u on the spools 16 as hereinbefore described) are appropriately mounted` for rogressive and continuous passage throug the' copper electrolyte in the tank 17. To this end, the starting blanks pass over guide rolls 22 and enter one end of the tank 17 A liquid seal 23 is-provided in the end of the tank 17 for each starting blank, so that the blanks may freely pass through the end of the tank while the escape of electrolyte from the tank is substantially inhibited.

Within the tank 17 the starting blanks are arranged in superposed horizontal planes. Each starting blank passes between two horizontally disposed lead anode plates 24. The lead anode connectedtogether and to the positive terminal of an appropriate lsource of direct current energy, as diagrammatically indicated by reference. character 25 in Fig. 3, The copper starting blanks are similarly electrically connected together and to the negative terminal of the source of direct current energy employed for the electrodepositing operation, as diagrammatically in-` dicated by reference character 26 in Fig. 3.

The `finished plates of electrodeposited copper are progressively and continuously through the exit end of the tank 17. To this end, the superposed plates of electrodeposited copper pass vthrough liquid seals 27 in the end of the tank 17 and. are clamped to a yoke 28. The yoke 28 is connected in any appropirate manner, as, for example, by a block and tackle 29, to an appropriate source of power (not shown) for plates are electrically lated so that a depositfof the desired thickness is obtained by the time the blank reaches the exitend of the tank. The copper electrolyte is preferably of the same composition as hereinbefore described. v

When the spools of starting blanks 21 have been completely `unwound, a fresh spool may be j'oined thereto by riveting, crimping, welding, bra'zing, or in any other 'approriate manner. Similarly, when a desired ength of finished copper plate onsheet has been discharged through the exit end of the tank, the plates or sheets may be cut and the yoke again fastened tothe plates or sheetsprojecting through the exit end ofthe tank.

In this nanner theoperation of building up the copper plates or sheets is substantially continuous, and plates or sheets of any desired length may be produced.

In makin bus-bar copper, the rings 10, of the formlng cylinder, vmay conveniently be ten inches in width and fifty inches in diameter. Approximately 100 feet of starting blank may be Wound on the. spools 16. The tank 1 7 may conveniently be about 100 feet long, 16 inches high and 20 inches Wide. The plates or sheets withdrawn from the tank 17 may be one-fourth inch, or more, as desired, in thickness. Preferably, 4these withdrawn plates or sheets are cui'l in lengths of about 100 feet. These particular dimensions are given'merely as illustrative of the invention and are in no sense to be regarded as restrictive.

In the appended claims I'have used the term plate to designate a plate-like article, and `intend to include therein sheets, strips, barsl and the like.

1. The method of manufacturing metallic kplates or the like which comprises forming a metallic starting blank, and progressively passing said starting blank through an electrodepositin'g apparatus in the course of which there is built up on said blank an electrodepositl of metal of a desired thickness.

2. The method of manufacturing metallic plates or the like which comprises electrodepositing a thin layer of. metal upon an appropriate form, stripping the layer of electrodeposited metal from said form and thereby producing av metallic starting blank, and progressively passing said starting blank through an electrodepositing apparatus in the course of which there is built up on said blank/an electrodeposit of metal-'ofi' .a desired thickness..

3, The method of manufacturing copper plates or the like which comprises forming a` metallic starting blank, and progressively '-70 passing said starting blank through a copper electrodepositing apparatus in the course of which there is built up on said blank an ele'ctrodeposit of copper of a'de- 7 sired thickness. i V l 4. The method .of manufacturing copper plates or the-like which comprises'electrodepositing a thin layer of copper upon an appropirate form, stripping the resulting lay/er of electrodeposited copper from said form and thereby producing a copper starting blank, and progressively passing said starting (blank through a copper electrodepositing apparatus in the courseV of which there is built up on' said blank an electrodeposit of copper of a desired thickness.

- 5. The method of manufacturing copper plates or the like which comprises electro-AV depositing a thin layer of cop r upon an appropriate form, stripping t e resulting layer of electrodeposited copper from sai form and thereby producing a copperl starting blank, progressively passing said starting blank through an electrodepositing apparatus and 4electrodepositing copper thereon to a desired thickness, and progressively withdrawing the resulting plate offelectrodeposited copper from said-apparatus.

6. 'The method of manufacturing copper plates or the like which comprises electrodepositing a thin layer of copper upon an appropriate rotating form, continuously stripping the resulting la er(y of electrodeposited copper from saidy orm as the vform rotates and thereby producing a copper starting blank of any desired length, and progressively passing said starting blank through a. copper electrodepositing ap-. paratus in the course of which there isfbuilt upon said blank an electrodeposit of copper of a desired thickness.y l 7. The method of manufacturing copper plates or the like which comprises electro-4 depositing a thin layer of copper upon an appropriate rotating form, j continuously stripping the resulting layer of electrodeposited copper from rsaid formas the form rotates and y thereby producing a copper starting blank of any desired lengt-h, progressively passi-ng said starting blank through an electrodeposifting apparatus and electrodepositing copper thereon to a desired thickness, and progressively withdrawing the resulting plate of electrodeposited copper from said apparatus.

8. The method of manufacturing copper plates or the like which comprises electrodepositing a thin layer of copper upon an appropriate rotating cylindrical form partially submerged in a' copper electrolyte, continuously stripping the resulting 'layer of electrodeposited copper from said form as and When the rotation of the form carries the electrodeposited copper out ofthe elec- 5 trolyte and thereby producing a copper starting blank' of any desired length, progressively passing said starting blank through a copper electrolyte and electrodepositing copper thereon to a desired thickness, and progressively withdrawing the resulting plate of electrodeposited copperv from said apparatus.

CHAs. K. ToPPiNG.

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