Processes of regenerating chemical nickel plating solutions

Claim 1

THE PROCESS OF REGENERATING A DEPLETED AQUEOUS CHEMICAL NICKEL PLATING SOLUTION CONTAINING DESIRABLE NICKEL CATIONS AND HYPOPHOSPHITE ANIONS AND UNDESIRABLE PHOSPHITE ANIONS, COMPRISING TREATING THE DEPLETE PLATING SOLUTION TO PRODUCE AN AMMONIACAL SOLUTION THEREOF IN WHICH ALL OF THE NICKEL CATIONS THEREIN ARE IN THE NICKELAMMONIA COMPLEX, THEN ADDING TO THE AMMONIACAL SOLUTION ALKALINE EARTH HYDRROXIDE SO AS TO PRECIPITATE THEREIN ALKALINE EARTH PHOSPHITE WITHOUT PRECIPITATING THEREIN ANY SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNTS OF ALKALINE EARTH HYPOPHOSPHITE OR OF ANY NICKEL COMPOUND, SAID ALKALINE EARTH HYDROXIDE ADDITION TO SAID AMMONIACAL SOLUTION BEING SUFFICIENT TO EFFECT THE REMOVAL THEREFROM OF A SUBSTANTIAL PROPORTION OF THE PHOSPHITE ANIONS THEREIN, REMOVING THE PRECIPITATED ALKALINE EARTH PHOSPHITE FROM THE RESULTING SOLUTION, THEN REMOVING AMMONIA FROM THE RESULTING SOLUTION TO BREAK THE NICKEL-AMMONIA COMPLEX THEREIN, AND THEN ADDING TO THE RESULTING SOLUTION THE REQUIRED NICKEL CATIONS AND HYPOPHOSPITE ANIONS AND HYDROGEN IONS TO PRODUCE A PLATING SOLUTION OF DESIRED COMPOSITION.