Electrolytic recovery apparatus

Claim 1

ELECTROLYTIC APPARATUS FOR ELECTROLYTICALLY RECOVERING A PRODUCT FROM AN ELECTROLYTIC SOLUTION, COMPRISING A PAIR OF PRIMARY ELECTRODES, MEANS INCLUDING AN AMPLIFIER HAVING ITS OUTPUT CONNECTED TO THE ELECTRODES FOR IMPRESSING A UNIDIRECTIONAL VOLTAGE ACROSS SAID PRIMARY ELECTRODES, A CONTROL ELECTRODE, AN EXTERNAL CONTROL CIRCUIT CONNECTING ONE PRIMARY ELECTRODE AND SAID CONTROL ELECTRODE INCLUDING AN EXTERNAL POTENTIAL SOURCE FOR IMPRESSING AN ALTERNATING VOLTAGE ACROSS SAID ONE PRIMARY ELECTRODE AND SAID CONTROL ELECTRODE WHEREBY AN ALTERNATING CURRENT FLOWS IN SAID CIRCUIT WHEN THE ELECTRODES ARE IMMERSED IN THE SOLUTION, AND SAID AMPLIFIER INCLUDING FEEDBACK MEANS FOR ALTERING THE OUTPUT VOLTAGE OF THE AMPLIFIER IN RESPONSE TO CHANGES IN THE ALTERNATING CURRENT FLOW IN SAID CONTROL CIRCUIT IN SUCH A WAY AS TO MAINTAIN THE POTENTIAL OF ONE PRIMARY ELECTRODE WITH RESPECT TO THE SOLUTION SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT AT A PREDETERMINED LEVEL.