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US3718552A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method and apparatus for electrolytically recovering metals

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1970-12-21
•
Granted: 1973-02-27
•
Expires: 1990-12-21
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Abstract

Abstract A depositer for electrolytically recovering metal from the bed of a body of water includes a submersible housing with a closed top end and an open bottom end and is operable to lodge by walls defining the sides of the housing within the bed to form a closed chamber containing a portion of the bed and water. The housing serves as the anode of the depositor and is electrically connected with an energy source for supplying direct current thereto. A plurality of rods depending from the top end extend into the chamber, serve as the cathodes, and are also connected with the energy source. Mounted on the inside wall of the chamber are a plurality of sieves adapted to hold a dissolvable chemical used to increase the conductivity of water captured in the chamber. A pump agitator suspended from the top and positioned within the chamber draws material from the bed and circulates it within the chamber to thoroughly mix the chemical with the captured water and bed to more readily ionize the metal to be recovered. As a suitable electric potential is applied between the anode and cathodes, the ionized metal confined within the chamber deposits upon the cathode rods.

Inventors

  • 👤 C Mortell

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 07:59
CPC Classifications
C; C25; C25C; C25C1/00; C25C1/20; C25C7/00

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 14 words
A depositor as defined in claim 1 in which said housing is the anode.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 189 words
An electrolytic depositor for removing metals from the bed of a body of water, said depositor comprising a submersible housing with a closed top end and sidewalls and an open bottom end, said housing being operable when dropped into the body of water to lodge by its sidewalls in the bed forming a chamber containing water and a portion of the bed, means for connecting said housing to a source of electrical energy whereby said housing constitutes the anode of the depositor, a plurality of cathodes disposed within said housing, means electrically interconnecting said cathodes with each other and connecting one of said cathodes to said source of electrical energy, means supporting said cathodes within said housing while electrically insulating the cathodes from the housing whereby the cathodes form depositors for collecting the metals when a suitable electric potential is applied between said anode and the cathodes, an agitating means operable to stir material containing the metal Loose from the bed to circulate within said chamber, and a chemical depositing means operable to deposit chemicals within said chamber to increase the conductivity of the water contained within said chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 63 words
A depositor as defined by claim 3 wherein said agitating means comprises a pump for sucking material containing the metal from the bed and expelling the material in the upper end of the chamber so that it circulates through the chamber, said pump being suspended within said chamber and connected to a suitable energy providing means which is operable to activate said pump.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 41 words
A depositor as defined by claim 3 wherein said cathodes are elongated vertical rods and the lower ends of said cathodes terminate within said chamber at a position even with the bottom edge of said sidewalls to lodge within said bed.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 31 words
A depositor as defined by claim 5 wherein said supporting means detachably connects said cathodes to said top to permit the cathodes to be easily removed to strip deposited metal therefrom.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 29 words
A depositor as defined in claim 3 including means communicating between said chamber and the atmosphere above the body of water to permit gases to escape from said chamber.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 116 words
A method of recovering metals contained in material on the bed of a body of water, said method comprising the steps of submerging an electrolytic depositor in the body of water, said depositor including at least one positive electrode and at least one negative electrode, drawing material containing the metal to be removed from the bed, circulating the material within the depositor, applying a chemical to increase the conductivity of the water and cause dissolved metal to deposit on the negative electrode upon the application of a suitable electric potential, and applying a suitable electric potential to the depositor to draw the metals to the negative electrode from the water and the material on the bed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 34 words
The method as defined in claim 8 wherein the depositor includes a housing, one of said electrodes being a portion of said housing, and the circulating of said material being done within said housing.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3072577A Cited
US3560366A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1976-02-27 1976-08-28 1977-02-27 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1980-02-27 1980-08-28 1981-02-27 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1984-02-27 1984-08-28 1985-02-27 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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