Production of metals

Claim 1

IN AN ELECTROLYTIC CELL COMPRISING A RECEPTACLE ADAPTED TO CONTAIN AN ELECTROLYTE, THE COMBINATION INCLUDING: AN ANODE; A CATHODE; MEANS FOR SUPPLYING ELECTRIC CURRENT TO SAID ANODE AND CATHODE; MEANS TO FEED A VAPOROUS HALIDE OF A REFRACTORY METAL INTO SAID ELECTROLYTE ADJACENT SAID CATHODE TO FORM READILY DISPLACEABLE MASSES OF POROUS REFRACTORY METAL ON SAID CATHODE; STATIONERY CATHODE STRIPPING MEANS IN SAID CELL; MEANS ARRANGED TO MOVE SAID CATHODE INTO CONTACT WITH SAID STATIONERY STRIPPING MEANS TO SUCCESSIVELY STRIP MASSES OF POROUS REFRACTORY METAL FROM SAID CATHODE; AND METAL COLLECTING MEANS COMPRISING AN AIR-TIGHT COLLECTING-AND-STORAGE CHAMBER ARRANGED EXTERIORLY OF SAID CELL RECEPTACLE, A PASSAGE SEALED FROM THE ATMOSPHERE AND EXTENDING FROM A POINT IN SAID CELL BENEATH THE CATHODE AFTER MOVEMENT OF THE CATHODE INTO CONTACT WITH SAID STRIPPING MEANS TO SAID COLLECTING-AND-STORAGE CHAMBER, AND A BASKET MOVABLY MOUNTED IN SAID PASSAGE, SAID BASKET HAVING A HANDLE ARRANGED TO BE OPERATED FROM A POINT EXTERIORLY OF SAID CELL TO MOVE SAID BASKET IN SAID PASSAGE TO AND FROM A POSITION BENEATH THE CATHODE DURING MOVEMENT OF THE CATHODE INTO CONTACT WITH SAID STRIPPING MEANS, THEREBY TO RECEIVE THE REFRACTORY METAL STRIPPED FROM SAID CATHODE AND TO CARRY SAID METAL OUT OF SAID CELL RECEPTACLE INTO SAID AIR-TIGHT COLLECTING-AND-STORAGE CHAMBER.