US850823A - Anode for electroplating-cells. - Google Patents

Description

No. 850,823. PATENTED APR. 16, 1907. G. M. ELLIOTT.

ANODE FOR ELECTROPLATING CELLS. IAPILIOATION FILED MAY 7, 190a.

Inventor:

, b y w Attyg which the following is a full, clear, and comout hereafter-in this specification.

correspond totthe size of the cell.

. from which are the series of teeth or columns 2 of the anode has also been necessar 1n ada ting previous cuit an .sim lo, and efficient manner.

fo lowing specification and to the accom- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

" GEORGE M. ELLIOTT, OFBELVIDERE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ZUOKER &

' LEVETT & LOEB COMPANY, OF NEW,'YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ANODE FOR .ELE CTHOPLATlNG-OELLS- Patented April 16, 1907.

To all whom it may concern: 4 Be it known that I, GEORGE M. ELLIOTT, a citizen" of the UnitedStates, residing at Belvidere, Boone county, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAnodes for Electroplating-Oells, of

plete disclosure.

The object of my invention is to provide an anode for cells used in electro lating processes, suchanode bein light 1n construction, inexpensive, readi y adaptable to different-sized cells, and of the best wearing qualities. 'Other' advanta es of mylimproved anode will be more efinitely pointed Heretofore in the construction inf-anodes for electroplating purposes it has usually been necessary to use a large quantity of metal, such as nickel, in order to obtain the necessary surface that is in contact with the electrolyte or electroplating solution.- It

forms of anodes to ce ls of erent sizes to provide se arate patterns for casting the anode, so t at the size af the anode htt as also been found that if the portion. of the anode in contact with the electrolyte be made too small the action of the electrolyte upon the anode causing the same to be eaten awayhas reduced the sizeof the anode, so that parts thereof have dropped off, thereby becomin disconnected from the electric ciralso tending to short-circuit the flow of current from theanode to the cathode or to the articles being electroplated. These difficulties I have overcome m a successful,

or a full, clear, and exact descri tion of m invention reference may be ha to the panying drawings, forming a part thereof, in

7-. .Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved anode. Figs. 2 to .5, inclusive, are cross-sectional views of different forms of Referring to Fig. 1, the numeral 1 indicates' a transverse bar or head,depending per-side of the ead or bar 1 are a plurality plroper. Attached to the upa plate either with of ears or lugs by which the anode may be suspended within the electro lating-cell. It s ouldbe noted that the teet or columns 2 of the anode are slightly tapering toward their lower ends, as indicated in Fi 1, the taper being shown in said figure sli tly exa gerated to more'clearl indicate 51c same.

T e cross-sectional outline of these teeth is shown in Fi 1 to be circular; but I do not .deslre to be imited to this form, as the crosssectlonal outline may be varied in accordance with the diflt'erent conditions of use and the choice of the erson employing the anode for electrop lating purposes. Of course it is understood that the circular form of teeth gives the smallest area for each individual tooth, although this is much greater than in the case-where the whole anode is made rectangular or in the shape of flat surfaces or corrugated surfaces. v

In .Figs. 2 to 5 I have shown in section different forms of teeth or columns which may be used in place of the circular form, these forms being triangular, octagonal, starshaped, and rectangular, respectively. These different forms of teeth give different amounts of surface in relation to the weight of the anode itself, althoughany of them when used in an anode having a plurality ofcolumns give much more surface than a plate or single prism havin plain or corru,

gated surfaces. All of the ifierent forms of these teeth, as illustrated in the different views just referred to, are made slightly tapering, as indicated .in Fig. 1. This tapering "feature allows the teeth of the anode to'be reduced in diameter by the action of the electrolyte without danger of having the teeth break or become detached at points interme-. diate. their lengths, which would permit. the parts so detached to drop into the bottom of the cell, and-thereby possibly short-circuit the current between the anode and the articles being plated, or at least make such detached parts inactive by being disconnected from the circuit. By connecting the teeth by the head or bar as indicated the width of the anode ma be decreased by simply cutting or breaklng of the required len th of the bar carrying a co'rresponding-num er of teeth, and any number of teeth may be added by simply lengthening the pattern for casting the anode by adding a piece carrying the requisite number of addltional teeth. This obviates the necessity of providing a se arate pattern for the different sizes of an- 0 es in differentcells. The construction just described not only cheapens the cost ofmanufacturing the anode, but also provides an anode which has many advantages over those already in use, as hereinbefore pointed out.

It isobvious that I should not be restricted to the use of a single transverse connectingbar, as a plurality of such bars may be used if it is desired to mcrease the strength of the portions connecting the teeth. It is also obvious that the columns or teeth may be cast hollow to permit of a still lighter construction, and they may be grooved within as well as on the exterior surfaces. They also could be perforated with a series of transverse holes. All of these features could be arranged in the pattern and cast in the anode. These different forms would not vary the principle of the teeth or slotted feature of the anode;

Other changes may be made by one fagrotect by Letters Patent of the United tates, is

An anode forelectroplating-cells, comprising a series of slightly-tapering teeth or columns, a severab e transverse bar connecting said teeth at one end, all of said parts being 1 I integral and composed of a pure metal to be deposited on the cathode or article to be plated.

In witness whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two witnesses, this 2d day of May, 1906.

GEORGE M. ELLIOTT.

Witnesses:

JAMES V. BROWN,

MAYME AsKIN.

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