US1609771A - Process and apparatus for electrolytic refining - Google Patents

Description

, F. F. POLAND PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR ELECTROLYTIC REFINING Dec. 7 1926. I 1,609,771

Filed August 11, 1925 l EMF- 1 L L M; I;JDVENTOR L L L L L L BY I L ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 7, 1926.

UNITED STATES'P'ATENT OFFICE.

FRANK F. POLAND, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLANDQASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN SMELTIN G AND REFIN'ING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.. A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR ELECTROLYTIC REFINING.

Application filed August 11, .1925. Serial No. 49,515.

The present invention relates to process of electrodepositing metals and further relates to spacers for electrodes by the use of which adjacent electrodes may be spaced apart at minimum distances thereby attaining a saving in the amount of space necessary to treat a given number of electrodes, in the amount of metal necessarily suspended in solution at all times during the process, in the electrio power necessary to carry on electrolysis, and in the cost of operation.

According to the method of my invention means are provided between adjacent anode and cathode sheets which will permit said sheets to be mounted close together but which will keep the thin cathode starting sheets from buckling and contacting with the anode and will also prevent short circuiting between the sheets by sprouts or trees and at the same time will automatically provide for increased thickness of the cathode by corresponding diminution in thickness of the adjacent anode.

The spacers of my invention may be made of wood or any suitable material having suitable insulating characteristics and may be formed to provide one or more members which extend across an electrode face. They may comprise a supporting member which may engage the top of the electrode on which it is mounted. If desired aach supporting member may carry a pair of spacing members, one for each side or face of the electrode on which it is mounted. Adjacent anodes and cathodes may both carry spacers but in this case the spacing mem bers may be interspaced with respect to each other to permit the close positioning of the electrodes.

and novel features of operation and the new and original arrangements and combina tions of steps in the process hereinafter described and more particularly set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown for purposes of illustration forms of electrode spacers with certain modifications thereof embodying the invention, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view illnstratin an embodiment of my invention in whic a spacer having a slot extending within a short distance of one end is mounted upon a cathode blank;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of an anode joined by a spacing block.

The invention further consists in the new having mounted thereon pairs of separator strips which extend along both faces of anode and which are held together by a conngctor-bar which rests on the top of the ano e; Fig. 3 's an elevation view and an end view of t e cathode spacer strip shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4' is a front elevation view and side elevation view of the anode spacer'shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an alternative embodiment of the anode spacer of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is another alternative embodiment.

As shown in Fig. 1 cathode sheetA has the bifurcated spacer 7 mounted thereon either from the top or the bottom of the cathode and serves both to stiffen the cathode and to separate it from theadjacent electrode. Upon the building up of the cathode to increased thickness the spacers are removed, but if desirable other spacers having greater width between the two elements thereof may be substituted either in the same location orin diiferent locations with respect to the face of the electrode.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 4 anode B may have mounted across the face thereof separating strips 7, 7 which are held together by connecting bar 8 which rests on the top of the anode. As shown in F ig.,5 the pairs of separators 9, 9 can be formed of separate strips Any required number of pairs may be mounted on the anode as desired.

In Fig. 6 is shown a separator comprising a single longitudinal strip 10 having formedat the top thereof a hook 11 for engaging the top of the electrode.

The material used in the separators of my invention is preferably wood, but other insulating materials can be used, such for example. as aluminum which is oxidized electrolytically in the manner well known in 100 the art to form an insulating coating there for. Such a separator isoarticularly useful because of the small space which it occupies. The oxide coating on the aluminum is of high insulating value as compared to the 105 voltages used between electrodes in electrolytic processes.

In the use and practice of my invention the anodes and spacers are utilized to prevent buckling of the thin cathode sheets.

.and thickness of the deposit, the spacers may be shifted in position so that they will cover in whole or in part the faces of the sheets that have received deposition of metal and expose previously covered portions of the sheet to the action of the electrolyte. When the cathode has become sufficiently rigid to prevent warping or buckling, these strips may be entirely removed so that the deposition of metal may proceed uniformly over the entire surface of the cathode.

Although I have shown and described and have pointed out in the annexed claims certam novel features of my inventlon, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the several steps of my process and in its operation and in the form and details of the apparatus illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit-of the invention. a

I claim i 1. The process of electrodepositing metals which consists in arranging the anodes and cathodes alternately spaced from each other at a distance less than the distance normally measured by the irregularities produced in the starting sheet by the action of the electrolytic current and interposing spacing means between the anodes and the starting sheet having insulating properties and of sufficient rigidity normally to prevent bucklin of said starting sheet, permitting the cat lode sheets to build up between said in: sulating means until the sheets have acquiredosufiicient rigidity to prevent buckling and then removing said spacin means.

2. The process of'electrodepositing metals which consists in arranging the'anodes and cathodes contiguous to each other and interposing insulating spacing means between the anodes and the starting sheet, permittin I the cathode sheets to build u between said insulating means until the s eets have ac- 3. In the electrodeposition of metals from anodes on to thin starting sheets, the method of preventing buckling of the sheets and. of reducing the ohmic resistance between the anodes and sheets which consists in providing a plurality of insulating spacers between the anodes and sheets and holding the sheets and intermediate spacers securely between successive anodes.

6. In the process of electrodeposition of metals from anodes on to thin cathode sheets, the method of preventing buckling of the sheets and of reducing the ohmic resistance between the anodes and sheets which, consists in providing insulating strips upon the anodes and the sheets, said strips being interspaced to provide a strip near each edge of the sheet and at least one stri intermediate the edges of the sheet and ho ding the elec trodes and intermediate strips securely together.

7. In the electrodeposition of metals from anodes on to thin cathode sheets, the method of preventing buckling of the cathode sheets which consists in providing insulating spacing members between the anodes and cathode sheets and utilizing successiveanodes to hold the spacers in buckling preventing position, and removing the spacers after suflicient metal has been deposited to make the sheets rigid.

8. In combination, in an electrodepositing cell, anodes, thin cathode sheets, and spacing members therebetween, said electrodes being mounted tightly against the s acers whereby the blanks are held against uckling.

9. In combination, in an electrodepositing cell, anodes, thin cathode sheets, and spacing members therebetween, said electrodes being mounted tightly against each other whereby the sheets are held against buckling, and whereby the ohmic resistance between the anodes and-cathodes is at a given minimum. i

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

- FRANK F. POLAND.

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