Diaphragm type electrolytic cell

Claim 1

A DIAPHRAGM TYPE ELECTROLYTIC CELL SERIES COMPRISING A RECTANGULAR BOX LIKE CELL HOUSING HAVING AN ACID RESISTANT INNER SURFACE, A REMOVABLE COVER MADE OF CHLORINE RESISTANT MATERIAL, SAID HOUSING HAVING CORRESPONDINGLY DISPOSED SLOTS IN OPPOSITE SIDE WALLS OF SAID HOUSING, MEANS INCLUDING A PASSAGEWAY EXTENDING THROUGH THE WALL OF SAID HOUSING AND INTO SAID SLOTS NEAR THE BOTTOM OF SAID HOUSING FOR WITHDRAWING CAUSTIC FROM SAID CELL, MEANS FOR WITHDRAWING HYDROGEN FROM THE UPPER PART OF SAID CELL, A PLURALITY OF BIPOLAR ELECTRODE ASSEMBLIES MOUNTED IN SAID SLOTS, EACH OF SAID ASSEMBLIES INCLUDING A BACKER PLATE HAVING GRAPHITE ANODE BLOCKS EXTENDING THEREFROM AND A CATHODE COMPARTMENT HAVING FORAMINOUS CATHODE POCKET ELECTRODES EXTENDING THEREFROM, SAID CATHODE ELECTRODES CARRYING A FLUID PERMEABLE DIAPHRAGM, THE SLOTS IN SAID HOUSING BEING SO DISPOSED THAT ASSEMBLIES MOUNTED THEREIN HAVE THE ANODE BLOCKS OF ONE ASSEMBLY INTERLEAVED WITH THE FORAMINOUS CATHODE POCKET ELECTRODES OF THE NEXT ADJACENT ASSEMBLY, AND A HALF CELL IS DISPOSED ADJACENT TO EACH SIDE WALL OF SAID CELL, ONE OF SAID HALF CELLS HAVING ANODE BLOCKS EXTENDING THEREFROM TO INTERLEAVE WITH THE CATHODE POCKET ELECTRODES OF THE BIPOLAR ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY WHICH IS ADJACENT THERETO, AND THE OTHER OF SAID HALF CELLS INCLUDING A CATHODE COMPARTMENT WHICH HAS CATHODE POCKET ELECTRODES EXTENDING THEREFROM TO INTERLEAVE WITH THE ANODE BLOCKS OF AN ADJACENT BIPOLAR ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY, MEANS FOR CONDUCTING CAUSTIC AND HYDROGEN FROM SAID HALF CELL HAVING THE CATHODE COMPARTMENT AND FROM SAID ELECTRODE ASSEMBLIES TO SAID WALL SLOTS, MEANS FOR WITHDRAWING CHLORINE FROM SAID CELL, AND MEANS FOR APPLYING SUITABLE ELECTRICAL POTENTIALS TO SAID HALF CELLS.