US2142512A - Electrolytic etching machine - Google Patents

Electrolytic etching machine Download PDF

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Publication number
US2142512A
US2142512A US50721A US5072135A US2142512A US 2142512 A US2142512 A US 2142512A US 50721 A US50721 A US 50721A US 5072135 A US5072135 A US 5072135A US 2142512 A US2142512 A US 2142512A
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United States
Prior art keywords
cathode
bath
electrolyte
anode
plate
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Expired - Lifetime
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US50721A
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English (en)
Inventor
Hartel Ernest Gordon
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Individual
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Individual
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Publication date
Priority claimed from GB3384334A external-priority patent/GB447909A/en
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Publication of US2142512A publication Critical patent/US2142512A/en
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    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25F—PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC REMOVAL OF MATERIALS FROM OBJECTS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25F7/00—Constructional parts, or assemblies thereof, of cells for electrolytic removal of material from objects; Servicing or operating

Definitions

  • This invention relates to etching by electrolytic methods. It is concerned particularly with the etching of zinc plates but is also applicable to other metals. It will be mainly described as applied to flat plates but it will be recognized that it is applicable also to articles which are of approximately flat or regularly curved forms. The word "plate used in this specification is to be understood to extend to such forms unless the context indicates otherwise.
  • the plate In an electrolytic etching machine, the plate.
  • the object of the invention is to provide an etching machine in which such irregularities do not occur or do not pass beyond acceptable limits.
  • I make use of a form of cathode which is of open structure.
  • I intend to-inciude a structure such as a grid or a body having numerous perforations, which permits the free flow of liquid through it.
  • the cathode also is curved so as to lie nearer to the anode at the centre than at outlying parts thereof, and with such a cathode I combine means for producing a flow of electrolyte through it towards or away from the anode.
  • the means for propelling the electrolyte through the cathode may be combined with the cathode or arranged behind it.
  • the curved form of the cathode facilitates both of these arrangements.
  • Figures 1, 3 and 4 show lon- 10 gitudinal sections through electrolytic etching machines arranged for etching flat plates.
  • Figure 2 is a transverse section on the line 11-11 of Figure 1 and Figure 5 shows an end view of the cathode arrangement of Figure 4. 1
  • the control of the paths for the current through the electrolyte is effected both by the shape and disposition of the cathode and by the use of barriers.
  • it' is convenient to use strips which extend across the bath at a short distance below the surface of the electrolyte and lie under the extreme edge of each of two opp i e sides of the plate.
  • these sup- 26 ports are adjustable in position so as to deal with different, sizes of plates.
  • These barriers extend down- ,ward from the plate towards the cathode and exert a controlling influenceon the paths of the current on two sides of the plate. The effectiveness of these barriers depends, to a large extent, on the closeness. with which they approach the surface of the cathode.
  • a tank I which is about two-thirds full of electrolyte, up to the line 2, and has supports for the plate 3 arranged so as to hold this just below the surface of the electrolyte.
  • the tank also has,. running longitudinally through it, a rotary shaft 4 which carries means for producing agitation or circulation of the electrolyte.
  • the cathode is carried by and forms part of the agitating means.
  • the tank is made of or internally lined with insulating material.
  • the plate 3 which is being etched is of zinc
  • Other metal can be used but, in such cases, it should be coated with insulating material.
  • a carrier bar 5 supported at each end in a bracket 6.
  • These two bars serve as supports and guides for the two carrier strips 1 by which the plate 3 is held while being etched.
  • These strips extend over practically the whole width of the tank and can be caused to slide along the bars 5 so as to obtain the right spacing between them to accommodate the size of plate which is to be etched.
  • comparatively small plates are being dealt with so that the cathode is considerably greater than the anode.
  • These strips I extend downwards and have their horizontal lower edgeslocated a short distance from the upper part of the cathode. Theyform accordingly effective barriers to prevent excessive action on the edges of the plate 3 which rests on the support surfaces 8 of the strips.
  • the contact member 9 which consists of a disc in, of the same metal as the plate 3, and a casing of insulating material ll, serving. as a holder for the disc l0 and the end of the flexible connecting cable l2.
  • the disc "I is recessed in the centre part of the lower face. Effective contact is secured by the weight of the contact member. No mechanical connection is made between the contact and the plate, so that the member 9 can readily be lifted away from the plate and replaced as required in the manipulation of the plate during the process of etching.
  • the cathode is a perforated cylinder l3 carried on the shaft 4 by means of the end discs ll of insulating material. Electrical connection is made between the cylinder l3 and the shaft 4 by the flanged disc 15 which is placed adjacent to one of the discs l4. The remainder of the shaft within the tank is preferably enclosed in a covering of insulating material.
  • the shaft is carried in bearings in housings l6 and projects at the right hand end where it is driven through a pulley l1, mounted on it, and receives current through a slip ring l8, also mounted on it, and
  • which communicates with the interior of the cylinder I3 through holes 22 in the disc l4.
  • Each of these impellers is built up from a pair of discs mounted on the shaft 4 and a cylindrical ring carried between them and having a series of radial perforations 23 in it.
  • the impellers are made of insulating material.
  • the main portion of the upper surface of the bath is shut off from the end portions by walls 24 which extend downward from the top of the bath to a short distance below the level 2 of the electrolyte.
  • the space between each of these walls 24 and the adjacent end ,of the bath receives the upward discharge from the periphery of an impeller 2
  • the upper end of each of these narrow chambers is preferably enclosed but the enclosure is not necessar' ily complete, so that any gas liberated there can escape.
  • the cathode is also mounted on the shaft 4 so as to rotate and form part of the means for producing agitation or circulation.
  • the current is supplied to the cathode through the shaft 4 from slip ring l8, brush I9 and cable 20.
  • the cathode consists of a number of rings 25 of metal which are interleaved with rings 26 of insulating material. These two sets of rings are held between end discs 21 by means of bolts 28 which also serve to carry current from the shaft 4 to the cathode rings.
  • the circular form of the cathode is also mounted on the shaft 4 so as to rotate and form part of the means for producing agitation or circulation.
  • the current is supplied to the cathode through the shaft 4 from slip ring l8, brush I9 and cable 20.
  • the cathode consists of a number of rings 25 of metal which are interleaved with rings 26 of insulating material. These two sets of rings are held between end discs 21 by means of bolts 28 which also serve to carry current
  • the upstanding parts of the rings 26 between the cathode rings 25 serve as barriers and these also regulate to some extent the distribution of the current.
  • These rings 26 have radial perforations 29 which, in the arrangement shown in Figure 3, serve to produce the outflow of electrolyte radially from the cathode structure when the shaft 4 is rotated.
  • the electrolyte can come into the interior of the rings 25 and 26 through passages 30 in the end plates 21. By this means, a circulation of the electrolyte can be obtained.
  • an arrangement similar to that in Figure 1 could be adopted by connecting impellers, such as 2
  • the oathode is stationary, being formed as a grid structure consisting of bars 3
  • the grid is supported by brackets 34 carried on the end walls of the tank.
  • this simple form does not completely suflice for obtaining the desired control of the distribution of the current, it may be supplemented by stationary metal parts placed on each side of the circular body.
  • the bars 3! of Figure 5 may be extended sideways in an appropriate curvature.
  • Electrolytic etching apparatus comprising a bath, means for supporting an anode to be etched in said bath and a cathode in said bath, said cathode being constituted by a number of spacially separated parts each of circular form and all arranged upon an axis parallel with the plane of the anode, said circular parts being spaced apart by distances which increase progressively from the middle part of the length of the cathode towards each end thereof.
  • Electrolytic etching apparatus comprising a bath, means for supporting an anode to be etched in the upper part of said bath, a cathode in said bath below said supporting means, said cathode being a hollow body of revolution disposed with its axis approximately horizontal and having openings in its curved wall and means for rotating said cathode about its axis, said body also constituting means for causing flow of the electrolyte through 4.
  • Electrolytic etching apparatus comprising-a bath, means for supporting an anode to be-etched in said bath, a cathode in said bath, said cathode being constituted by a number of, parts all of circular shape and arranged coaxially and side by side and spaced apart, and rotary means acting-on the electrolyte on the concave side of said parts to move the electrolyte past the said parts and through the space between cathode and anode.
  • Electrolytic etching apparatus comprising a bath, means for supporting an anode to be etched in said bath, a cathode structure in said bath, said cathode structure being built up of circular rings of conducting material and concentric rings of non-conducting material disposed about the same axis, said non-conducting rings being perforated radially for permitting a flow of electrolyte through them, the radius of the first-mentioned rings decreasing progressively from the middle of the length of the cathode towards each end thereof and means for rotating the cathode about its axis.
  • Electrolytic etching apparatus comprising a bath, means for supporting an anode to be etched in said bath, a cathode in said bath, said cathode having anexternal conducting surface of circular curvature with'openings distributed over it, and rotary means surrounded by said surface and co-axial therewith for causing electrolyte to flow through the openings in the surface and substantially perpendicular to the anode.
  • Electrolytic etching apparatus comprising a bath, means for supporting an anode to be etched in said bath, a cathode in said bath in the form of a grid with parallel curved bars convex towards the anode, said bars being more closely spaced to each other adjacent that portion of the cathode opposite the center portion of the anode, rotary impelling means located adjacent to said grid on the concave side thereof for causing a positive flow of electrolyte through the grid substantially perpendicular to the anode.
  • Electrolytic etching apparatus comprising a bath, means for supporting an anode to be etched in said bath, a cathode in said bath, said cathode being of an open structure and being curved in general contour so as to be nearer the anode at the center thereof than at outlying parts thereof, the radius of curvature of the cathode being less than the radius of curvature of the anode and rotating propelling means placed on the side of the cathode opposite to that on which the anode is located for propelling the electrolyte through the cathode and toward the anode and substantially perpendicular to the anode.
  • Electrolytic etching apparatus comprising a bath, a cathode provided with distributed openings so that the electrolyte can flow through it and of curved form disposed in said bath so as to be convex upwardly, means substantially surrounded by and located within the concave side of the cathode and acting on the electrolyte therein to cause it to flow through said cathode and in substantially vertical paths thereabove, means for supporting an anode horizontally in said bath above the cathode, said supporting means comprising two bearers having ledges on which the edges of the anode may rest and be protected from excessive etching thereby.
  • Electrolytic apparatus comprising a bath
  • cathode in said bath below said supporting means, said cathode being a hollow body of revolution disposed with its axis approximately horizontal and having openings in its curved wall directed toward the anode and means located axially within the said wall for propelling electrolyte through the openings in the cathode.
  • Electrolytic etching apparatus comprising a bath, means for supporting an anode to be etched in said bath, a cathode structure in said bath in operative relation to said supporting means, the outer surface of said cathode structure comprising an arc, the are being such that it is nearest to the anode in the central region thereof, and gradually recedes therefrom in passing from the center towards the outlying parts thereof, openings in the outer surface of said cathode structure through which electrolyte can flow, and means substantially surrounded by the cathode and acting directly on the electrolyte therein to cause it to flow radially through the openings in the cathode and substantially perpendicularly to the anode.
  • Electrolytic etching apparatus comprising a bath, means for supporting an anode to be etched insaid bath, a cathode structure in said bath in operative relation to said supporting means, the outer surface of said cathode structure being of arcuate cross section in one plane and circular in a plane at right angles to the '--flrst-mentioned plane, the arrangement being

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Electrochemistry (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Electrolytic Production Of Metals (AREA)
US50721A 1934-11-24 1935-11-20 Electrolytic etching machine Expired - Lifetime US2142512A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB3384334A GB447909A (en) 1934-11-24 1934-11-24 Improvements in electrolytic etching machines
GB1678735A GB451001A (en) 1934-11-24 1935-06-11 Improvements in electrolytic etching machines

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US2142512A true US2142512A (en) 1939-01-03

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Family Applications (3)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US50721A Expired - Lifetime US2142512A (en) 1934-11-24 1935-11-20 Electrolytic etching machine
US189796A Expired - Lifetime US2172158A (en) 1934-11-24 1938-02-10 Electrolytic etching
US190406A Expired - Lifetime US2224667A (en) 1934-11-24 1938-02-14 Electrolytic etching machine

Family Applications After (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US189796A Expired - Lifetime US2172158A (en) 1934-11-24 1938-02-10 Electrolytic etching
US190406A Expired - Lifetime US2224667A (en) 1934-11-24 1938-02-14 Electrolytic etching machine

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (3) US2142512A (de)
BE (1) BE412395A (de)
DE (2) DE656233C (de)
FR (1) FR798052A (de)
NL (1) NL44583C (de)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2473290A (en) * 1944-10-21 1949-06-14 George E Millard Apparatus for plating journals of crankshafts
US2560966A (en) * 1947-07-31 1951-07-17 Revere Copper & Brass Inc Method of electroplating copper clad stainless steel cooking vessels
US2798846A (en) * 1953-04-28 1957-07-09 Norton Co Method and apparatus for the electrolytic erosion of work pieces
US3267017A (en) * 1962-01-31 1966-08-16 Ibm Apparatus for producing magnetic recording materials
US20030188965A1 (en) * 2002-04-05 2003-10-09 3M Innovative Properties Company Web processing method and apparatus

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2463711A (en) * 1943-04-08 1949-03-08 Perry I Nagle Electrolytic method of etching metals with stencils
US2848401A (en) * 1953-05-07 1958-08-19 Olin Mathieson Method of electrolytically rifling gun barrels
US3082164A (en) * 1961-03-13 1963-03-19 Titanium Metals Corp Electrolytic pickling apparatus
US4127459A (en) * 1977-09-01 1978-11-28 Jumer John F Method and apparatus for incremental electro-polishing

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2473290A (en) * 1944-10-21 1949-06-14 George E Millard Apparatus for plating journals of crankshafts
US2560966A (en) * 1947-07-31 1951-07-17 Revere Copper & Brass Inc Method of electroplating copper clad stainless steel cooking vessels
US2798846A (en) * 1953-04-28 1957-07-09 Norton Co Method and apparatus for the electrolytic erosion of work pieces
US3267017A (en) * 1962-01-31 1966-08-16 Ibm Apparatus for producing magnetic recording materials
US20030188965A1 (en) * 2002-04-05 2003-10-09 3M Innovative Properties Company Web processing method and apparatus
US6991717B2 (en) 2002-04-05 2006-01-31 3M Innovative Properties Company Web processing method and apparatus
US20060116268A1 (en) * 2002-04-05 2006-06-01 3M Innovative Properties Company Web processing method and apparatus

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE653448C (de) 1937-11-24
DE656233C (de) 1938-02-01
FR798052A (fr) 1936-05-08
NL44583C (de)
US2224667A (en) 1940-12-10
BE412395A (de)
US2172158A (en) 1939-09-05

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