US680408A - Apparatus for use in electrodeposition of metals. - Google Patents

Description

Patented Aug. I3, |90I. S. 0. CD-WPEH-COLES.

(Application led Apr. 8, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

APPARATUS FUR USE IN ELECTRODEPOSITION 0F METALS.

(No Model.)

N0. 680,408. Patented Aug. I3, |90I. S. 0. GWPER-CLES. APPARATUS FOB USE IN ELECTRODEPDSITION 0F METALS.

(Application led Apt. 8, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

1f (D GD .0. Y i J l/I' F 141 6 Q Q) Z ,UNITEDl STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SHERARD OSBORN COWPER-COLES, OF IVES'IMINSTER', ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR USE IN ELECTROPEPOSITION OF M ETALS.

SPECIFICATION' formingpart of Letters Patent N o. 680,408, dated August 13, 1901.

. Application tiled April 8, 1901.

To all whom if may concern:

Beit known that I, SHERARD OsBoRN COW- PER-COLES, engineer, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 26 and 27 Grosvenor Mansions,Victoria street, in the city of IVestminster, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Use in the Electrodeposition of Metals; and l do hereby declare the following .to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it. appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates t0 the process of electrodeposition of metals forming the subjectmatter of Letters Patent No. 644,029, dated the 20th day of February, 1900, granted to me, wherein the electrodeposition of metals is effected while a high speed of rotation is imparted to the cathode, as set forth'in the specification of the said Letters Patent; and the object of my present invention is to provide .an improved apparatus for use in the.said

process.

According to my invention the cathode is rotated in the depositing-vat by means of a wheel, against which the electrolyte is caused to impinge from suitable nozzles, the said electrolyte afterward passing from the depositing-vat and being returned to the nozzles with, if desired, intermediate regeneration and separation of impurities which it has taken up in the bleaching-vate or from the anodes.

A convenient construction of the apparatus is as follows; but I do not limit myself to thev precise details.

I will .describe the construction with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a vertical section, and Fig. 2 a plan.

I provide a suitabledepositing-vat Z, preferably a lead-lined vat, and projecting inward from the side toward the upper part thereof are injecting jets or nozzles, (I have shown:` three such jets or nozzles, marked B,) through which the electrolyte can be forced by a pump or other suitable means for applying the requisite pressure thereto and connected by a pipe and branch pipes with the said jets or nozzles. At the lower part of the depositingvat is an outlet z, by which the electrolyte is sena no. 54,878. (No modelo withdrawn by the pump for use again at the jets or nozzles B, as hereinbefore mentioned. The mandrel or the like (indicated at E) upon which the coatiugis to be formed is secured to a central shaft e, which may be done by providing the shaft e with al disk e2, to which the mandrel E is secured by screws es, the lower end of the mandrel having screwed into it a disk e4, carrying a screw e5, on which fit-s a cap or nutl e to secure a baffle e7 in place, a bale es being also secured around the upper end of the mandrel, as shown, these baf- Iles eT and e8 serving to prevent the formation of trees or nodules; but I do not limit myself to this wayof securing the mandrel to the said shaft. The shaft e is suspended from au overhead bearing-bracket F, the said shaft being provided with a disk G,'secured to the shaft, as shown. A bearing-disk H, carried by a piece or plate h, with a spherical lower side, rests in a corresponding recess in the bracket F, so that the shaft and cathode are free to swing somewhat. The disks G and II are gro'oved to receivel ball or roller bearings g, upon which the disk G rotates with the shaft and cathode. secured a water wheel'or turbine A, which maybe of the Felton-wheel type, so situated that it is opposite the jets or nozzles B, projecting through the side of the depositing-vat. This wheel or turbine A can be secured by the screws e3 to the disk e2, the saidscrews also serving to secure the ba'le e8 by pinching it between the top of the mandrel E and the rim of the wheel A. The lower one of the rings H2, supporting the anodes surrounding the mandrel E, is supported upon an insulating footstep-piece I, one conductor from lthe dynamo or source of electricity being connected at J with this anode, while the other conductor is'connected at K to brushes 7c, which are carried by the arm k2 and bear upon the shaft e, (carrying the mandrel E, which forms the cathode,) preferably at the upper end, protruding from the bearing, as shown. The anode is preferably formed of anumber of radially or tangentially disposed plates carried by the rings 1I and with spaces between. them to allow free passage of the electrolyte. The anodes thus arranged act as baffles for the electrolyte. By thel tangential projection of the To the shaft e is IOO electrolyte upon vthe wheel or turbine VA the shaft e and mandrel E carried by it are rotated at the high rate of speed required for securinga good and adherent deposit of metal 5- upon the cathode or mandrel.

Ale or to the formation of superposed deposits of- The invention may be applied to the for'- mation of deposits composed entirely of one kind of metal-as, for example, copper deposited from an electrolyte of a copper saltdiierent kinds of metal-such, for example, as for the manufacture of Sheield plate by depositing a layer of copper upon a layer -of silver. y

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention and in what manner the saine is to be performed, I

' declare that what I 'claim .is-

1. In apparatus for the electrodeposition of zo metals, a vat, a revolnbly-mou nted cathode in the vat, a turbine located in the upper part of the vat for rotating the cathode, and means for projecting the electrolyte against the said and provided with a turbine, and means for projecting the electrolyte against the said wheel' or turbine so as to .rotate the cathode substantially as hereinbefore described.

4. Apparatus for the electrodeposition of metals consisting of a vat having an outlet for the electrolyte, anodes mounted in said vat so as to leave av space between them for the passage of theelectrolyte, jets or nozzles adapted te project the electrolyte into the vat, a vertically-disposed shaft, a support ing-bracket on the vat, a plate having an approximately spherical bottom resting against said bracket, ball-bearings interposed between the plate and shaft, a mandrel or cathode on the shaft, and a turbine associated with the mandrel and its'shaft and adapted `to be acted upon by the electrolyte projected into the vat to rotate the mandrel.

45. In apparatus for the electrodeposition of metals, a vat, a revolubly-mounted cathode in said vat, aturbine associated with the cathode, means for projecting the electrolyte into the vat against the turbine so as to rotate the at intervals about the cathode adapted to act as bales for the electrolyte and allow it to pass between them. v

In testimony whereof I atix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SHERARD OSBORN COWIER-COLES. Witnesses:

E. G. WOOLDRIDGE D. COLLIER.V

` cathode, and a Vplurality of anodes disposed

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