US312814A

US312814A - Heney e

Info

Publication number: US312814A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1885-02-24
Anticipated expiration: 1902-02-24

Description

m E R OASSEL APPARATUS FOR TREATING METALS BY MEANS OF ELEUTROLYSISK Patentedfeb. 24', 1885.

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MTED Srnrns nrenr OFFICE.

'HENRY R. OASSEL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING METALS BY MEANS OF ELECTROLYSIST SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 312,814, dated February 24, 1885.

Arplication filed June 1?, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY R. CASSEL, a citizen of the United States, residing in New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Separating Metals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a process and apparatus for separating metals by electrolysis, by means of which base bullion [is dissolved, the deposition of the dissolved metals upon the cathode prevented, and the precipitation and separation of the metals effected in one and the same operation.

In the accompanying drawings,which show a convenient arrangement of parts for carrying out the objects of my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an anode inclosed in a bag. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the anode-bag.

A dissolvingtank, A, preferably lined with lead, is filled or partially filled with a slightlyacidulated solution of sulphate of copper, and conducting copper wires or I), connected, respectively, with the positive and negative poles of a dynamo-electric machine or other source of electricity, are arranged at the top of the tank on either side thereof.

Anodes B, composed of the base metal to be dissolved, are suspended in the tank by means of hooks or eyes (1 and transverse copper rods c,which latter rest upon or connect with the positive wire a. A cathode or cathodes, G, of eopper,are also suspendedin a similar manner by means of hooks or eyes e and transverse copper rods j, which latter rest upon or connect with the negative wire I). The cathodes, which alternate with the anodes, hang into cathode-cells, such as D,whieh latter are also suspended upon the rod f by means of hooks or eyes The walls of the cathode-cell are composed of a dense porous non-conducting substance or other suitable dialysing material which permits the passage of the electric current and the hydrogen, but prevents the dissolved metals of the anode from reaching and being deposited upon the cathode.

Instead of cathodecells suspended as aforesaid, the tank may be divided into anode and cathode cells, and the anodes and cathodes separated from each other by means of transverse vertical partitions of dialysing material fitted to the tank.

A reservoir or supply-tank, E, for the copper solution is connected with the cathode-cell by means of the pipe F, which extends into and discharges near the bottom of said cell.

The walls of the cathode cell or partitions which separate the anode and cathode cells are provided near the top with holes h,through which the solution may pass from the cathodecell to the anode cell or compartment.

Pieces 13 of copper are placed in the anodecompartments, and copper plates or strips i" are suspended against the sides thereof, but in such a manner as not to come in cont-act with the anode itself, or be connected with any pole. or to interfere with the current passing to the cathode. 7

To catch any free gold that may be liberated from the anode and prevent its falling to the bottom and there mixing with the silver, the anode is inclosed in a bag, G, of textile material which is sufficiently porous to allow of the passage of the current. This bag is composed of horse-hair or asbestus, because this material is not affected by the sulphuric acid of the solution. vided with a frame, m, composed of a narrow strip of some suitable metal not dissolved by the solvent .used, which frame extends along or constitutes the bottom and ends of the bag. This metallic frame is connected with the anode, and serves to redissolve any precipitate of silver which may come from the anode.

A precipitating-tank, H, receives the solution from the anode-cell, it being drawn therefrom'by means of a cock, j, or a siphon. This tank is divided by a transverse vertical partiti0n, 7c, into two compartments, H H The copper solution accumulates in compartment H until it nearly fills the same, and thence passes through a hole near the top of partition is into the compartment H The compartment H contains scraps of copper O in the bottom thereof, and plates 0, of copper, may also be suspended in any suitable manner in the tank. These plates or pieces of copper tend to precipitate any silver that may remain in the solution after it leaves the distuted for the injector. I

The operation is as follows: The anodes and cathodes being suspended in their respective This bag may be procells, and the dissolving and precipitating tanksA H and reservoir E being filled or partially filled with a suitable solution, such as a slightly-acidulated solution of sulphate of copper, the electric circuit is closed and the injector or pump started. By tlie action of the electric current copper is deposited upon the cathode from the solution in the cathode cell and the metals ofthe anode dissolved into the solution in the anode-compartment.

The silver dissolved from the anode forms sulphate of silver, which coming in contact with the pieces of solid copper placed in the anode-cell is immediately precipitated and falls to the bottom of the tank in, a pure metallic state. If gold be present in the anodes, it is notdissolved, but is liberated and caught in the bag surrounding the anode, as before stated. \Vithout the bag the liberated gold would fall to the bottom in the form ofblack slime and miX with the silver. It is the func tion of the bag to prevent this admixture. If any silver in the form of precipitate be within the bag, it is redissolved on coming in contact with the metallic frame.

' I have found that to dissolve the sulphate ofIsilver formed in the operation it is necessary to supply continuously a fresh solution to the anode. By the deposit of copper upon the cathode the densityof the solution in the cathode-cell is changed. and the lighter and freer portions of said solution rise to the top and thence pass to the anode compartment or cell at the level of the solution through the holes provided in the dialysing partition, or through siphons.

- The solution is drawn off from the bottom of the anode-cell, and is preferably passed through the precipitating tank containing solid copper as a matter of precaution, in order that any sulphate of silver,.if any remains in thesolution after it leaves the anodecell, may be entirely precipitated. The injector or pump raises the solution from the precipitatingtank to the reservoir, whence it is conducted to the bottom of the cathodecell to again perform its function as before.

If due precaution is taken, all the silver may be precipitated in the dissolving-tank, and a precipitating-tank may be dispensed with. it will therefore be seen that the acids contained in the solution are notlost, but are used over and over again in a continuous operation.

v The arrangement may be changed by making the cell hereinbefore described as the cathode-cell the anode-cell, and vice versa, care being taken to change the induction and eduction pipes. Any number of cells may be placed or formed in the same tank, and any desired number of tanks may be placed in the same circuit;

What is claimed as the invention is-- 1. The process of separating metals by electrolysis, which consists in subjecting the anodes and cathodes while separated by a partition of dialysing material to the action of an electric current in an a'cidulated solution, said solution being in continuous circulation, substantially as set forth. 7o

2. The combination of anode and cathode cells for containing an acidulated solution separated by a partition of dialysing material provided with holes or slots near its top, or with a siphon, an anode and cathode suspended, respectively, in said cells, suitable electric connections, and means for effecting a continuous circulation of the solution, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of a dissolving-tank containing an acidulated solution provided with a dialysing partition and electric conductors, an anode and cathode suspended in saidtank on opposite sides of said partition,

a precipitating-tank containing copper scraps 8 5 or plates, a pipe or siphon connecting said dissolving and precipitating tanks,a reser voir, pipes connecting said reservoir with said tanks, and means for inducing a circulation of the solution through said tanks and reservoir,substantially as set forth.

4. In an apparatus 'for separating metals,

a dissolvingtank having separate anode and cathode cells formed by partitions of dialysing material, the anode-cell containing copper 5 for precipitating the silver, substantially as set forth.-

5. In an apparatus for separating metals by electrolysis, an anode composed of the metals to be separated, provided with a covroo ering or bag of asbestus or its described equivalent for retaining the free gold, substantially as described.

(3. In an apparatus for separating metals by electrolysis, an anode composed of the metals to be separated, provided with a covering or bag having a metallic frame, substantially as described.

7. The process of separating compounds of metals or alloys, which consists in placing I [0 said alloys within an anode-cell constructed in part of porous material and in part of non-porous conductive material charged with a solution which is a solvent of the baser metals of the ores or alloys, and subjecting 11 them to'electrolytic action, whereby the insoluble metals are precipitated 'or deposited within said anode-cell, while the soluble metals are dissolved and withdrawn in the form of a solution, substantially as described.

8. An anode-cell for containing material to be subjected to electrolytic action, constructed in part of porous material and in part of nonporous conductive material, substantially as described.

9. An 'anodecell for containing material to be subjected to electrolytic action, the body of which is composed in part of porous material, and the bottom of non-porous conductive material.

HENRY R; GASSEL. Witnesses:

F. G. SoMEs, F. A. Onasn.