US1864490A - Electrolytic apparatus - Google Patents

Description

June 2 1932- H. c. HARRISON I ELECTROLYTIC APPARATUS Filed Aug. 25, 192.6 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 r m U .r. n a 3 f LLJ/ a June 21, 1932. H. c. HARRISON 1,864,490

ELECTROLYTIC APPARATUS I I Filed Aug 25, 1926 v 2 Sheets-Shem; 2

Jmnntoc HERBERT cmuarron HARRISON, or LocKroBr, NEW yoamrnonnncn M. nanmsom der pressure considerably higher than that Patented 21, 1932 nnrrsn s'r Tss rA ENroFFIcE ARTHUR BRIDGES BRANFIL HARRISON, AND WILLIAM WHITMORE CAMYBELL .EXECUTOBS AND TRUSTEES OF SAID HERBERT CHAMPION HARRISON, DECEASED ELECTROLYTIC APPARATUS Application filed August 23,

This inventionrelates to the art of electrolytically depositing metal, such as copper, of good physical quality, at a high rate of speed.

In my prior patent 1,768,358 dated June 24:, 1930, I have disclosed a process and an apparatus in which an electrolyte is circu lated in contact with a cathode, in a cathode compartment of an electrolytic cell, under pressure higher than atmospheric, or higher than that outside of said compartment, while constantly renewing the richness or concen tration of the electrolyte by a body or bodies of the metal to be deposited maintained in contact with or submerged in the circulating electrolyte. Stated specifically, it was contemplated in the process and apparatus of said prior application to make use of soluble anode material occupying one or more compartments of an electrolytic cell; another compartment containing the cathode being completely separated from the anode material by a non-conducting partition permeable to the electrolyte, and also, when saturated with electrolyte, permeable to the electric -current.. The cathode compartment was to be completely closed except for an inlet and an outlet for the passage of the electrolyte and a continuously moving cathode. Elecv trolyte was to be flowed through the cathode compartment in a rapidly moving stream unexisting in the anode compartment or compartments. In the practice of said prior process a small proportion of the electrolyte forced into the cathode compartment passed through the permeable partition into the anode chamber or chambersfand thence into ,a collection reservoir where it joined with the electrolyte from the cathode compartment to be again circulated through the cell. In the cell shown in said application,

the electrolyte flowed through the cathode and anode compartments substantially horizontally, the cathode'c'om artment being in the nature of a tunnel of ut slightly larger cross section than, and of form similar to, the

cathode, which was caused to travel therethrough. I

. The earlier process and apparatus referred 1926. Serial in; 130,994.

to have yielded excellent results at extremelyhigh current densities. By their use copper has been deposited on a travelling ribbon cathode at a currentdensity of 1000 amperes and more per square foot. But in order to get these high current densities" a voltage of 12 to 14, volts per cell was required, and 1 able. In that cell the actual spacing of the anode material from the cathode was approximately one inch. This spacing was determined by the thickness of the layer of high pressure electrolyte between the cathode and the porous partition, plus the thickness of the porous partition, plus the average distance of the soluble anode material fromthe:

low pressure sideof the partition. This one inch spacing corresponded to the resistance of a considerably greater spacing, because the resistance of the porous plate itself was from three to five times that of the electrolyte.

(2) The speed of the electrolyte in the high pressure cathode compartment was restricted. .The current density permissible de-. pends primarily upon the speed of the electrolyte relative to the surface of the cathode, and if suiu'cient pressure existed in the cathode compartment, and if this com artment. were made long for the purpose 0 getting a fairly thick de osit with fair speed of movement of the cat ode, thereby presenting considerable resistance to flow, an abnormal portion of the electrolyte passed through the porous partition, and so reduced the speed of the high pressure electrolyte at the exit end ofi thepompiartment.

In the improvement which is the'subject of this application, I also provide a compartmented cell and cause a body of electrolyte to circulate through it.- The resistance withinthis cell is reduced by utilizing an anode,

disposed close to the cathode, of a substance.

in electrolyte flowing under lower pressure.

The streams of electrolyte flowing from the eral body of circulating electrolyte.

As the partition defining the cathode compartment is impervious, the speed and pressure nearthe exit end thereof is not reduced by diversion of electrolyte through the par tition into the other compartment,'so that more'rapid renewal of the electrolyte in contact with the cathode surface may take place,

making possible the use of much higher current densities.

.The employment of a neutral or insoluble anode raises the initial voltage required for the cell, as compared with a cell using soluble anodes, because the insoluble anode polarizes. For example, a cell with a soluble anode that would operate'normally witha voltage of .3 volts, would require nearly 2 volts if the soluble anode were replaced by an insoluble one, as of lead, this amount of pressure bein requiredflto cause-any current flow throug the layer of gas collected on the anode. At first consideration, therefore, use of an insoluble anode would seem to present no advantage; but this not so, for the reason 40 that the difference in voltage required with the closely lying insoluble anode does not va with the current density employed, as it id in the prior practice described; the initial difference is preserved, but as the current density increases, very. little additional voltage is required to operate the cell. This follows because the insoluble anode may-be 55 gether'with-that necessary to be overcome -to effect electrolysis with a'given; insoluble.

anode.

uniformly about ;th. of an inch from the cathodefallows operation of the cellfwith a ,current density of 500 amperes to the sqiiare foot and a pressure of approximately '3 volts.

It could be operated with a current density.

of 1000 amperes to the square fodt witha l5 pressureof about 4 M5 volts. Thus the cathode and anode chambers unite in the gen- The use of impervious lead anodes'spaced increase in current density bears no such relation'to increase'of voltage as it does in a cell having a resistance interposed between the electrodes consisting of a non-conducting ment has the further advantage that, asthe conductivit of the electrolyte is a practically negligible actor since the layer is only t of an inch thick, 9. highly conductive electrolyte need not be chosen, but a solution, as v of copper, low in free acid and of high copper concentration, may be used, which, althou h a oor conductor, is a good solution for o taming sound deposits at high current density.

Although an insoluble anode, as of lead, appears to cause violent polarization at the anode surface, and the electrolyte is discharged from' the cathode chamber full of gas, yet the physical structure of copper deposited and the surface of the deposited layer, instead of showing signs of deteriora- Y tion, appear to be improved in comparison with results obtained by the prior described practice.

The new apparatus used in the practice of this improved process comprises a cell in tower for, divided vertically into tunnel-likecompartments by one or more partitions of insoluble anode material, for example, lead,

Duriron or carbon, one of said compartments surrounding the cathode, and the other or others containing pieces of metal of the kind to be deposited on the cathode,'for example copper shot. The electrolyte is forced intothe upper end ofthe cathode tunnel or com partment under high pressure, said tunnel being closed except at the top and bottom -ends where the electrolyte enters and leaves I it. Inthe contemplated practice the cathode may consist of a-metallic ribbon, as of copper caused {to move continuously through the cathode chamber, preferably from bottom to top, in a. direction opposite to that of .the

. 1 t fl placed very close to the cathodeaS clo a e ec y ow The copper shot, or other pieces of metal of the kind to be deposited, immersed in the circulating electrolyte for the purpose of keeping up the. strength of the bath, may be placed in.- the compartment or compartments separatedfroi'n the cathode by the par- I tition or partitions of anode material. Electrical connection with the anode is preferably made throughthese pieces, because thus the current may be more evenly distributed to the insoluble anodepartitions, and also promote the disshlutionof. the metal pieces to kee up the metal concentration of the electro yte. Portions of the electrolyte are ca'usedto flow through the compartments outside of the cathode compartment, under lower pressurei It is preferred to immerse; the terminals of an apparatus adapted to practice this in vention; 4

Fig.2 is a view at right anglesto that shown in Fig. 1, of a fragment of theapparatus at its lower end;

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on the plane indicated by a line 3-3 in Fig. 2;

- Fig.4 is a central vertical section through an electrolyte tank, which has two compartthe upper portion of the cell illustrated in Fig. 1, taken substantially in the plane of the ribbon cathode; and

Fig. 5 is a transverse .section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

The Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 are shown on a larger scale than Fig. 1 in order to clarify,

details of construction.

Certain parts of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1, it will be understood, are somewhat diagrammatic, but illustrate the mode of operation intended. j

Numeral 10 (Fig. 1) indicates generally an electrolytic cell disposed in substantially vertical position, and it may be here termed an electrolytic tower, because of its towerlike form. This tower may be supported on frame-work 11, from which the tower is insulated by suitable insulatingmaterial 110 2) In the illustrated embodiment the tower is supported by the frame-work above ments, 12 and 13. The compartment 12 receives electrolyte discharged from the oathode compartment of the cell, as will be later described. The electrolyte received into compartment 12 may flow over a weir 14, into the main compartment 13, which also receives the electrolyte flowing from other 'compart ments in' the cell directly into it, as will be more fully set forth hereinafter.

A pipe 15 extends from the compartment 13 to'a tank 16, disposed at any desired height above the level of the upper end of. the tower.

tank 16 by means of any suitable pump, indicated conventionally in Fig. 1 by numeral 17. From the elevated tank 16,3. pipe 18 conveys electrolyte into the upper'end of the tower. Said pipe 18 may have a valve 19 to control the flow, as desired.

The cathode used in this apparatus is in-' tended to be of ribbon form, and ma be, as shown in the drawings, an endless ri bon, moved continuously at any suitable rate of speed, through a cathode compartment in the tower. The cathode ribbon which may be composed of copper, is indicated by the numeral 20. It may be caused to travel through the cathode compartment in either directi-on, but it is preferred to have it travel upward, in a direction counter to that of the flow of the electrolyte. For the purpose of supporting and moving the cathode, there is shown, somewhat diagrammatically, a drum 21, supported above the tower with its periphery tangent to the axis of the cathode chamber. From the drum 21 the oathode ribbon may, extend between two winding spools, 22, which are intended to function as strippers in case the deposited metal isto be separated in sheets or ribbons from the cathode. Associated with the spools 22 there maybe a pair of doctors or lifting wedges 23, the thin ends of which are arranged to engage the cathode ribbon and assist in separating therefrom the layers, which are being wound up on the spools 22. The ribbon 20 denuded of its deposits then passes over an idler guide pulley, 24. 25indicates a cathode surface treating apparatus, specifically, a

gas-containing tank, inclined as shown, having slits in its opposite ends in substantial registration witheach other, through which the cathode 20 is guided in order that it may acquire a surface from which the deposit may be stripped. The lower end of the tank 25 is penetrated by one or more pipes 26,.which communicate with a supply. of gas, (not shown), such as ammonium sulphide, which reacts within the tank with the surface of the ribbon, thus forming on it a sulphide or other suitable coating, designed to promote free stripping of the deposited layers.

. A guide, 28, embraces the ribbon 20 after it leaves tank 25. This guide 28 may consist.

of a pair of flat boards or other platelike members, and. may have layers of felt or the like, 29, in contact with the ribbon, for the purpose of cleaning and smoothin the layer formed upon the ribbon in the tan 25.

After leaving guide 28, the ribbon passes into a container 30, said container having a nozzle-like extension 31 at its lower side, through which the ribbon passes. This nozzle-like extension is lined, also, with felt or other soft material, serving to reduce the flow of liquid through the extension and] to clean the surfaceof the ribbon as it passes out into the compartment 12 and around a guide roll 32, the periphery of which is tans gent to the'axis of the cathode chamber, so that the ribbon may be stretched in the oath ode chamber and maintainedmidway of it, as it proceeds to and around the upper drivin drum 21. I

order to drive the spools 22 which wind up the stripped layers from the cathode 20, said spools are geared together so as to rotate in opposite directions, and they may be driven in the proper direction by any suitable connection with the cathode-driving drume21,

at the proper peripheral speed. It will beunderstood that the means for. imparting movement to thecathode ribbon is shown diagrammatically only, and that the proper speed ratios and adjustment will. be made as required by conditions.

The tower 10 may be of any desired height found practicable. For v convenience of manufacture it is made of a plurality of sections assembled'together with suitable packing material between the joints; In Fig. 1 the tower is shown broken away between its ends indicating that any desired number of sections may be assembled as needed. The tower'is divided longitudinally into compartments by partitions 33, which serve as anodes; said anode partitions are impervious to, and insoluble in, the electrolyte used, and are good conductors of electricity. They may be made of a plurality of assembled plates of lead, carbon, Duriron or other suitable material in good conductive relation. The said partitions extend from the bottom of the tower substantially to the top; they are spaced from eachother and form between them a tunnel-like compartment open only at its ends, said compartment conforming incross section substantially to the cross section of i the cathode, and having its inner walls uni- I .toward their lower ends.

of the tower there is a special section 35,

formly spaced from the cathode a slight distance, say not over ith of an inch. At the lower end of the tower the anode partitions are preferably provided with extensions 34:, which project down into the electrolyte compartment 12, said anode extensions diverging At the lower end which is closed at its bottom except to provide for the entrance of the cathode and for e the extension of the anode partitions;

Embedded inthe inner faces' of the anode plates which make up the said partitions 33, are bars or rods.36, of some insulating mathese rods project slightly from the .inner terial' insoluble in the electrolyte, such as glass, porcelain, or the" like. The faces of surfaces of the anode v partitions, whereby they serve to center the'travelling cathode ribbon and prevent it from coming lnto contact anywhere with the anode.

1t is desirable 'to arrange said rods 36 in positions inclined -to the direction of movement of the cathode and of the electrolyte, for the better protection of the cathode .surface. preferably inclined'in opposite directions in order to avoid any tendency ofthe flowing electrolyte to crowd toward one edge of the compartment.

' At opposite edges of the cathode'compart- Rods imbedded in opposite plates are e ment, insulating material is imbedded in the anode plates upon opposite sides of the edge portions of the cathode. This serves to prea vent a heavy deposit upon the edges of the cathode strip, which would interfere with proper separation of the deposited sheet from the cathode. In practice, the said means forpreventingthe flow of current such as would increase the thickness of the deposit at the edges, serves also to space the anode plates from each other and to guide the edges of the ribbon; said insulating, spacing and guiding means is indicated by the nu meral 37, and consists'of two pairs of bars for each plate, said bars having smooth and flat surfaces 38 in contact .with each other,

and other surfaces 39 spaced apart sufliciently to permit the edges of the cathode strip to be guided between them. Said opposing bars 37' thus serve to guide the edges of the cathode strip, to prevent excess deposit on said edges,

and to space the plates the required distance from each other.

On each side of the cathode compartment, H

completely separated therefrom by the impervious, insoluble anode partitions, are chambers 40, which, in -practice, are filled with pieces of metal of the kind that is to be deposited from the .electrolyte upon the cathode strip; inthe practice of copper deposition these pieces of metal may be'coppershot, and are indicated in the drawings by the numeral 41. The chambers 40 are closed" at the bottom by the bottom plate of special section 35, butcommunicate with small ports 42 which allow electrolyte to drain from said chambers into an annular passage 43, from ice.

which it flows through a spout or short pipe 44 into the main compartment 13, of the lower electrolyte tank.' i As a matter of practical construction, outward flaring conoidal ports 42 are formed in a plug 45, seated'in a tapered hole 46 made in the outer walls of chamber 40, as shown in Fig. 3. I Said plugs are properly packed and held inposition by locking devices which bear upon tangs 48 projecting from the plug. One of said plugs is secured by a lock-plate 47 seated on a gasket on shoulder.

49, formed in athreaded orifice 50, extending through the outer wall of lower section 35'.

' Said lockI-plateis held inplace by a threaded and the two compartments for holding copper shot, or the like, referred to, the cell or tower has a vertical passage 53 outside of and adjacent each compartment 40. These passages communicate at their lower ends. with the passage 43, (Fig. 1) which receives elec-- trolyte from the lower ends of compartments 40, At their extreme upper ends, compartments 4O communicate with the passages 53 by means of small orifices 54. Theorifices 54 tend to maintain the electrolyte at a substantially definite level in the compartments 40, excess flowing through the orifices and into the drainage passages 53, whence it proceeds downward into passage 43 and to the compartment 13 of the lower electrolyte tank.

A special section 55 projects upward above the upper end of the described chambers'of the cell. Section 55 has passages 56, diverging. upward, communicating at their upper ends with atmosphere, and at their lower .ends with the compartments 40, which con 'tain copper shot or 'the like, and are thus maintained at atmospheric pressure.

-ihrough these passages the metal fragments may be charged into said chambers. Said section 55. also has a passage 57,between passages 56, communicating with the upper end of the cathode compartment. This passage is of the same cross sectional area as the cathode chamber' where it communicates with said chamber. From there it expands upward as indicated at 58, the large upper end of this tapering portion being in side com-;

munication with pipe 18 which conducts electrolyte into it. It constitutes a high speed nozzle. immediately abovethe entrance of width suficient only to permit free travel of the cathode ribbon. Above the narrowed portion is a considerably edlarged chamber, in which there is mounted a pair ofbafie rolls 59 preferably covered with rubber orequivalent material, in engagement with 0p.- posite sides of the cathode;;

In the enlarged space of passage 57 above rolls 59, is a pair of contacts 60, constituting terminals of a conductor 6l, for the purpose of conducting current to the cathode.

The contacts are preferably bars with smooth curved surfaces arranged" one slightly above ing upon the head used. Electrolyte escap-" ing upwards from the tapered .entrance 58 will be baflled by the rolls 59; it .willrise beneficial. pipe 18 the said passage isnarrowed'to a above the contacts 60, so that said-contacts will be submerged in a cooling liquid thereby preventing injuriously heating the thin cathode, and preventing sparking at the con tact surfaces Passage 57 communicates with passages 56 through ports 62, thus allowing electrolyte to flow into chambers 40 slowly, under atmospheric pressure only, and preventing over-flow over the top of the tower.

Electrical contact is made with the cathode not only through the contacts 60 at the upper end of the tower, but also through contacts 63, which are immersed under a liquid,

referably water, in the previously descrlbed ontainer 30, near the lower end of the tower, through which the cathode ribbon travels Said contacts 63 are preferably rollers disposed in the same relation to the cathode as are the bars 60. Rollers 63 are in electrical communication with the walls Water may be led in a small stream through a pipe 64 into container 30, and may be maintainedat the required level in said container by an over-flow orifice communicating with pipe 65, which discharges into the compartment 12 of the electrolyte tank. The water,

besides preventing sparking at the contact 'sur'facesand undue heating of the cathode,

serves to wash and condition the coatin on the cathode. The addition of this slight amount of water to the electrolyte does not weaken the solution because it replaces. evaporation or other losses of water incident to the normal operation of the cell and is rather i 1% The flaring lower terminals 34 of the anode partitions provide space for the entrance of the advancing cathode strip into the cathode chamber. Asthese ends dip into the electrolyte in said chamber 12, and as the electrolyte flowing from the lower end of the cathode chamber comes betweenthe cathode and said extensions34, deposition is initiated in the space between the extensions so that when the cathodestrip has entered the actual cathode chamber of the cell, there is already started on the strip a minute deposit, which .is deemed advantageous in the operation.

Conductors 66 carry current to theanode partitions. Each conductor 66 terminates in -1 ng a shoulder in a counterbore'd. opemng I formed in projection 7 0, {cast on theparticular tower section through which anode contact is made. A hollow screw-threaded plug 71, bearing upon the outer face of flange 69, holds the plug in-place, with its inner end protruding slightly into the chamber 40, in electrical contact with the copper shot or other metal pieces therein. Current is con-' ducted from the plugs 67 to and through the metal ieces and to the anode partitions 33. By this arrangement current is conducted uniformly and distributed with facility throughout each anode partition. 'Theoverflowing electrolyte in drain passages 53tends to cool the plugs, s

The electrolytic tower illustrated may be built of sectionsof cast ferrous metal alloy containing about 14% of silicon commonly known as Duriron, which has the property of resisting attacks of the electrolyte and its acid ingredients. Two of the sections, as shown,

are constructed to receive electrical contacts for the anodes. These two are preferably the purpose may be inserted, as-required.

Each of the described sections 35, 72, 74,

73 and 55, is composed of two halves divided longitudinally or vertically, and each half has longitudinal flanges 78, through which may be passed bolts 79, to secure the halves together, as is plainly indicated in the drawings. Thehalves of said sections clamp between them, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 5, the spaced anode partitions 33, thereby forming, when all sections are assembled, a cell having the cross sectional appearance indicated in said last mentioned figures. Spaces between the flanges 78 and the edges of plates 33, and around the bolts may be filled with any suitable cement. For this purpose I prefer to use a sulphur cement,which may be rendered fluid and poured into the cavities to be filled, where it will solidify and form a most excellent filling material. This cement may alsofunction as the packing material. in the space between the circumferential flanges V 76 not occupied by the gaskets. The same material serves excellently as a material from which to form the central member in which are the passages 56 and 57 of the special section 55.

, In operation a cathode ribbon, say of copper, ofsuitable gauge, may be threaded through the tunnel-like compartment constituting the cathode compartment. If the cathode is to be in the form of an endless band, the ends of this strip may be united, after having been directed around the drivingand guide drums, through the coating tank and cleansing gluide, between the stripping devices (if suc be used), and between the electrical contacts provided for it. Chambers 40 are assumed to have been'filled with copper shot or other metal of the kind to be deposited from the electrolyte. A suitable body of electrolyte may be poured into I the compartments 12 and 13 of the lower electrolyte tank. ,It copper isto be deposited, the electrolyte may be a fairly concentrated solution of copper sulphate, with little free acid. With the cathode in place and chambers 40 filled with metal, the electrolyte may be started in circulation by pump 17. Conductors 61 and 66 being then connected elec-' trically with a source of electrical energy, and drum 21 being caused to revolve, as y electric motor 80, the cell is in o eration...

The electrolyte flows continuously rom the elevated head or tank 16 through pipe 18 into the tapered inlet 58, under relatively high pressure considerably above atmospheric.

From said tapered inlet 58, a major portion of the electrolyte flows at high speed downward throu h the cathode chamber on each side ofthe ribbon cathode, spurting from the lower end between the anode extensions 34 into the compartment 12 of the lower electrolyte tank. Owing to the position of the extensions 34, which project into the bath in compartment 12, the kinetic energy of the stream is quickly destroyed. Overflow from the compartment 12 intocompartment 13 takes place quietlyover the weir 14. A minor part of the electrolyte forced into the entrance 58,-flows upward thr ough the narrow slot above this entrance on each side of the cathode. The baflierollers, 59, revent any great turbulence'in the upward owing electrolyte, and hold down its volume. The electrolyte wells upward from the bafile until it reaches the ports 62, through which it flows into each of the compartments 40. These ports 62 prevent the electrolyte from flowin over the top of the upper section 55. Should the electrolyte passing through the small orifices 42 in the plugs at the bottom of chambers 40 be insufficient to carry away all that flows into them through upper ports 62, the excess will overflow through the small upper ports 54, into the drain passages 53, and so into the substantially horizontal passage 43 in the lower section, whence it will flow through the spout or discharge pipe 44 having joined with that which flows from the orifices 42, into the compartment 13. By this-arrangement, the streams. flowing from the chamber separated by the anode partitions are so Spaced that no electric current can flow from one to the other, to rob the cell of any of the current needed for electrolysis. Electrolyte flows at high speed throu h the cathode chamber under a pressure higher than atmospheric, and flows through the other chambers within the cell at slow speed under atmospheric pressure, so that there exists in the chambers, a difference of pressure gonsiderably in favor ofthe cathode cham- Thus it will be apparent that high current densities produced at relatively low electrical pressure, may be caused to flow opposed by low resistance, across the thin layer of' electrolyte which is interposed between the cathode and the insoluble anodes.

Although I have described and illustrated, as required-by the patent laws, one embodiment of an apparatus involving the principles go of my invention, it is not intended that I shall be limited to the specific embodiment shown, since other forms may-be constructed without departing from the principles of the invention. v

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: a

1. A tower-like electrolytic cell in combination with means for circulating electrolyte through said cell from top to bottom thereof and means for continuously moving a cathode into and through said cell, in a direction opposite the direction of flow of the electrolyte. 2. An electrolytic cell having a cathode, and means for causing it to move through said cell, conducting means terminating in solid contact means, acontainer outside of the cell in which said contact meansis disposed, and

, means for guiding said moving cathode in engagement with said contact means, said cons 4o tainer being adapted to receive a liquid covering the area of contact.

3. An electrolytic cell having a cathode and means for causing it to move through said cell, conducting means terminating in solid as contact means, a container outside the cell adapted to receive liquid in which said con tact means is disposed, means for guiding said cathode in engagement with said contact means, said container having an opening in 5a the bottom to permit the passage of the cathode, said opening being lined with wiping material adapted to substantially close the space around the cathode and to wipe the cathode. v

4. An electrolytic cellin theform of a tower, a cathode and means for causing it to travel therethrough, means for circulating an electrolyte through said cell, electric conducting means terminating in contacts engaging so the cathode atboth ends of the tower, the contact at the-upper end being eifected under the electrolyte, a container at the lower end outside thecell, the lower contact means bering disposed within said container, which is adapted to receive a liquid, and means for guiding the cathode through said liquid in engagement with said contact means.

5. An electrolytic cell divided into compartments by a partition of impervious, in-

soluble anode materiahone of said compart ments containing the cathode and another tank a gaseous fluid capable of reacting superficially, with the cathode.

7. An electrolytic apparatus comprising a cell, an impervious partition constituting an insoluble anode dividing said cell into compartments, a cathode in one-compartment, and metal of the kind to be deposited from the electrolyte in another, means for circulating electrolyte in separate streams through said compartments, and -means whereby said streams are mingled after leaving the com- 'partments.

8. An electrolytic apparatus as defined in claim 7, in which'the electrolyte circulating means causes the electrolyte stream flowing through the cathode compartment to move at a higher rate of speed than that flowing through the other compartment.

- '9. Anelectrolytic apparatus as defined in claim 7 in which the electrolyte circulating means causes the electrolyte stream to move through thecathode compartment under pressure higher than atmospheric.

10. An electrolytic cell liaving a cathode, a cathode-containing compartment of tunnel form, defined by partitions of impervious, in-.

soluble anode material, completely closed ex- K cept at opposite ends, said compartment having a cross section similar to that of the cath-,

ode, the surfaces of the cathode being uniformly-spaced slightly from the anode partitions another compartment containing metal of the kind to be deposited, means for circulating electrolyte through said compartments in separate streams, and means for uniting the'streams after theyhave left the compartments.

11. An electrolytic cell having a travelling ribbon cathode. and a cathode compartment of tunnel form, defined by partitions uniformly spaced slightly from the cathode and having insulating material interposed between their opposing edge portions and the edges of thecathode, I p

12. An electrolytic cell having a cathode compartment of tunnel form defined by parti- I tions of material constituting anodes, the extremities of said anodes projecting divergently from one end of the cell, means for circulating electrolyte through said cell, and means for causing a cathode to enter said com- 'partmentbetween the divergent anode ex-' insulating material serving to prevent contact between the cathode and the wall. I

14. An electrolytic cell as defined in claim 13, wherein the insulating bars are arranged obliquely to the direction of travel of the cathode.

15. An electrolytic'cell having a travelling ribbon cathode and a cathode compartment of tunnel form composed of spaced partitions having bars of hard insulating material arranged obliquely in the inner surface of each partition, the bars in one partition being oppositely inclined with respect to the opposite bars in the other partition.

16. Anelectrolytic cell having a cathode chamber comprising two-partitions of impervious, insoluble anode material said partitions being spaced at their edges by bars of hard insulating material having grooves in which the edges of a ribbon cathode are adapted to be guided, the spacing bars at one edge of the chamber being separated from the spacing bars at the other edge a distance but slightly greater than the width of the cathode, whereby both edges of the cathode are guided in the grooves of said bars.

17. A tower-like electrolytic cell having a travelling ribbon cathode, and a cathode compartment oftunne1like form open only at its upper and lower ends, said cell having an extension above the cathode compartment, there being an inlet into said extension which is in communication with said compartment and with a source of supply of electrolyte said extension having a narrow slot above the inlet in the plane of thecathode compartment, through which the ribbon cathode moves; bailiing devices above the narrow slot in contact with said cathode, and means for circulating the electrolyte under, pressure. 7

18. Means as defined in claim 17, in combination with electrical conducting means and contacts disposed above the baflles, within the extension, said contactsbeing in engagement with the cathode and so disposed as to be'submerged in the electrolyte rising above the bafiles.

19. A tower-like electrolytic cell having a travelling ribbon cathode a cathode compartment of tunnel-like form, open only at its up-' 4 13. An electrolytic cell having a travelling ijiiea aeo per and lower ends, and a compartment adapted to receive metal of the kind to be de,.

posited from the electrolyte; an extension 'with the metal containing compartment an with the atmosphere at the upper end of the extension; said extension also having a central vertical passageway including a big speed nozzle, communicating wlth the cat ode compartment, and a lateral orifice in thenozzle portion communicating with a pipe leading from a source of electrolyte under ressure; said central passageway being re- -ricted above the entrance of electrolyte into the nozzle portion so that the cathode may freely pass; bafiiing means to restrict the upward movement of electrolyte; there being a port above thebafiiing means communicating s:

between thecentral passage and the passage leading to the metal-containing compartment, whereby electrolyte can be supplied to the latter.

20. An electrolytic tower comprising a cathode compartment open only at its upper and lower end other compartments adapted to contain metal of the kind to be deposited; means for forcingelectrolyte under pressure into the cathode compartment, a chamber above the entrance of electrolyte having a re stricted bottom opening through which the cathode passes, said restrictedopening communicating with the entering electrolyte,

means for checking without preventing the rise of electrolyte in the chamber, there being passages leading from the chamber above.

ice

said checking means into the compartments for containing metal.

21. A tower-like electrolytic cell, having a travelling ribbon cathode; impervious, 1n-

, soluble partitions of anode material separating the .cell into compartments, one of which incloses the cathode and another contains metal of the kind to be deposited from the electrolyte; an extension above the said com partments provided with passages communicating with the respective compartments; means for circulating an electrolyte and forcing it under pressure into that passage in the extension which communicates with the cathode compartment, there being a communication near the upper end of the extension between the passages leading to -the cathode and other compartments.

22. Means as defined in claim 21, with the addition of drainage conduits extending lengthwise of the tower, and having communication at their upper ends with the chambers containing metal whereby the level of the electrolyte in said chambers may be maintained.

23. A tower-like electrolytic cell, divided vertically into compartments by an 'impervious, insoluble partition constituting an anode, one of said compartments inclosing a cathode and the other metal of the kind to the edges of the lpartitions clamped between be deposited from the electrolyte; means for them and a har ened elastic cement circulating electrolyte through said compartthe space between the flanges not occuple ments from top to bottom in separate streams by the partltions.

which unite after leaving said compartments; In testimony whereof, I aflix m s1 ature. 70

a drainage conduit, said metal containing HERBERT CHAMPION HA R ON. compartment having means substantially level with the upper end of said anode artition for permitting overflow of electro yte 10 into the drainage conduit in order to main- 75 tain the level of the electrolyte at the level of the upper end of the anode partition.

24. An electrolytic cell composed of sections divided longitudinally, two partitions constituting impervious insoluble anodes,'di- 80 viding said cell into compartments, insulating means disposed between the edges of said partitions, said insulating means spacing said partitions so as to provide a cathode compartment between them, the edges of said par- 35 titions being disposed between the sections; and means for securing the sections together with the edges of the partitions clamped between them. 25. An electrolytic cell composed of sections divided transversely and longitudinal ly, parallel, slightly spaced apart partitions divlding said cell into compartments the edges of said partition being disposed between the longitudinal edges of the sections, 95

means for securing the ends of said sections one to another, and'means for securin the side edges of said sections to ether witfi the edges of the partition clamlpe between them. 3 26. A tower-like electro ytic cell having 11 cathode tunnel open at the top and bottom, a conduit in closed communication with the opening at the top of said tunnel, means for forcing electrolyte thru said conduit into and 40 thru said tunnel under pressure higher than atmospheric, and means for moving a flexible cathode into and thru said cathode tunnel. 27. An electrolytic cell having a cathode, means for causing the cathode to move 4 through said cell, conducting means terminating in solid contact means, a container in which said contact means is disposed, and means for guiding said cathode 1n engagement with said contact means; means for l causing liquid to flow into said container,

said container having a liquid level maintaining means adapted to maintain the level of the liquid therein, means for circulating electrolyte including a reservoir for receivin 55 electrolyte from the cell, said liquid leve maintaining device consisting of an overflow conductor arranged to discharge into the electrolyte reservoir. -28. An electrolytic cell composed of sections divided longitudinally, the side ed es of said sections having flanges; para el slightly spaced apart partitions dividing said cell into compartments, the edges of said partitions being disposed between the sections, 65 means for securing the sections together with

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