Electrolytic material removal wherein the current-voltage relationship is in the kellogg region

Claim 1

AN ELECTROLYTIC METHOD FOR REMOVING MATERIAL FROM AN ANODIC WORKPIECE THROUGH THE USE OF A HOLLOW TOOL HAVING A DIELECTRIC WALL ENCASING AN ELECTRICAL CATHODE, THE TOOL TERMINATING IN AN ELECTROLYTE DIRECTING NOZZLE, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: POSITIONING THE TOOL AND THE WORKPIECE ONE OPPOSITE THE OTHER; CONTACTING THE CATHODE WITH AN ELECTROLYTE; DIRECTING THE ELECTROLYTE FROM THE CATHODE THROUGH THE NOZZLE IN A CHARGED ELECTROLYTE STREAM TOWARD AND IN CONTACT WITH THE ANODIC WORKPIECE ACROSS AN EQUILIBRIUM GAP; CONCURRENTLY APPLYING AN ELECTRICAL POTENTIAL OF SUFFICIENT INTENSITY THROUGH THE ELECTROLYTE STREAM SO THAT THE CURRENT PASSED BETWEEN THE CATHODE AND THE WORKPIECE BY THE POTENTIAL PRODUCES IN THE ELECTROLYTE STREAM A CONDITION AT LEAST AN INCIPIENT GLOW WHEREIN THE CURRENT-VOLTAGE RELATIONSHIP IN THE ELECTROLYTE IS AT LEAST IN THE "KELLOGG REGION"; AND THEN MOVING THE TOOL AND THE WORKPIECE ONE TOWARD THE OTHER AT A RATE EFFECTIVE TO MAINTAIN AT LEAST AN INCIPIENT GLOW, THEREBY REMOVING MATERIAL PROGRESSIVELY FROM THE WORKPIECE AND THE REGION AGAINST WHICH THE STREAM OF ELECTROLYTE IS DIRECTED.