Method and apparatus for producing insulated electrical conductor

Claim 1

IN A METHOD OF PRODUCING AN INSULATED METAL CONDUCTOR BY THE OPERATION OF AN ELECTROLYTIC BATH AND AN ANODIC ELEMENT PARTIALLY SUBMERGED IN SAID BATH AND INCLUDING ELECTRICALY CONDUCTIVE MEANS AND ISOLATING MEANS, THE STEPS COMPRISING: INTRODUCING AN ELONGATED METAL STRIP CONTINUOUSLY INTO SIMULTANEOUS CONTACT WITH SAID BATH AND SAID ANODIC ELEMENT, WITH SAID CONDUCTIVE MEANS CONTACTING ONE SIDE OF SAID STRIP OVER AN AREA WHICH IS LARGE IN COMPARISON WITH THE CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA OF SAID STRIP, SAID ISOLATING MEANS CONTACTING THE SAME SIDE OF THE STRIP, SAID CONDUCTIVE MEANS AND PREVENTING SAID BATH FROM CONTACTING EITHER SAID CONDUCTIVE MEANS OR THE PORTION OF SAID STRIP IN CONTACT WITH SAID CONDUCTIVE MEANS, AND SAID BATH CONTACTING THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID STRIP; PASSING AN ELECRICAL CURRENT FROM SAID BOTH THROUGH THE THICKNESS OF SAID STRIP TO SAID CONDUCTIVE MEANS, WITH SUBSTANTIALLY NO ELECTRICAL CURRENT FLOWING FROM SAID BATH THROUGH SAID ISOLATING MEANS TO SAID CONDUCTIVE MEANS, THEREBY FORMING A THIN COATING OF INSULATING MATERIAL ONLY ON THE PORTION OF SAID STRIP WHICH IS NOT IN CONTACT WITH SAID CONDUCTIVE MEANS OR SAID ISOLATING MEANS; AND WITHDRAWING THE INSULATED STRIP FROM SAID BATH AND FROM CONTACT WITH SAID ANODIC ELEMENT.