Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
140 words
A METHOD FOR ELECTROLYTICALLY POLISHING A HOLLOW NOIBIUM STRUCTURE HAVING AT LEAST ONE OPENING THEREIN COMPRISING THE STEPS OF A. PARTIALLY IMMERSING THE HOLLOW NIOBIUM STRUCTURE IN AN AQUEOUS ELECTROLYTIC BATH CONTAINING SULPHURIC ACID AND HYDROFLUORIC ACID, B. ORIENTING SAID STRUCTURE SO THAT AN INTERIOR VAPOR SPACE IS PROVIDED IN SAID STRUCTURE ABOVE SAID BATH COMMUNICATING EXTERIORLY THEREOF, C. INSERTING AN ELONGATED CATHODE INTO SAID STRUCTURE AND DISPOSING IT SO THAT GASES GENERATED AT SAID CATHODE WILL PASS DIRECTLY INTO SAID VAPOR SPACE WITHOUT CONTACTING THE IMMERSED SURFACES OF SAID STRUCTURE, D. ROTATING SAID STRUCTURE STEPWISE THROUGH SUCCESSIVE ANGULAR DISPLACEMENTS SO THAT THE SEPARATE PORTIONS OF THE ENTIRE INTERIOR SURFACE OF THE STRUCTURE ARE SUCCESSIVELY IMMERSED IN SAID BATH E. MAINTAINING SAID STRUCTURE AT REST FOR A PRESELCTED TIME INTERVAL BETWEEN EACH STEPWISE MOVEMENT THEREOF AND DURING EACH SAID INTERVAL
Claim 2
Independent Claim
140 words
A METHOD FOR ELECTROLYTICALLY POLISHING A HOLLOW NOIBIUM STRUCTURE HAVING AT LEAST ONE OPENING THEREIN COMPRISING THE STEPS OF A. PARTIALLY IMMERSING THE HOLLOW NIOBIUM STRUCTURE IN AN AQUEOUS ELECTROLYTIC BATH CONTAINING SULPHURIC ACID AND HYDROFLUORIC ACID, B. ORIENTING SAID STRUCTURE SO THAT AN INTERIOR VAPOR SPACE IS PROVIDED IN SAID STRUCTURE ABOVE SAID BATH COMMUNICATING EXTERIORLY THEREOF, C. INSERTING AN ELONGATED CATHODE INTO SAID STRUCTURE AND DISPOSING IT SO THAT GASES GENERATED AT SAID CATHODE WILL PASS DIRECTLY INTO SAID VAPOR SPACE WITHOUT CONTACTING THE IMMERSED SURFACES OF SAID STRUCTURE, D. ROTATING SAID STRUCTURE STEPWISE THROUGH SUCCESSIVE ANGULAR DISPLACEMENTS SO THAT THE SEPARATE PORTIONS OF THE ENTIRE INTERIOR SURFACE OF THE STRUCTURE ARE SUCCESSIVELY IMMERSED IN SAID BATH E. MAINTAINING SAID STRUCTURE AT REST FOR A PRESELCTED TIME INTERVAL BETWEEN EACH STEPWISE MOVEMENT THEREOF AND DURING EACH SAID INTERVAL
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
APPLYING A CONSTANT VOLTAGE BETWEEN SAID CATHODE AND SAID STRUCTUR AS AN ANODE TO CAUSE DAMPED CURRENT OSCILLATIONS TO BE SUPERIMPOSED ON THE ELECTROLYTIC CURRENT,
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
APPLYING A CONSTANT VOLTAGE BETWEEN SAID CATHODE AND SAID STRUCTUR AS AN ANODE TO CAUSE DAMPED CURRENT OSCILLATIONS TO BE SUPERIMPOSED ON THE ELECTROLYTIC CURRENT,
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
7 words
DISCONNECTING SAID VOLTAGE BEFORE SAID OSCILLATIONS CEASE,
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
7 words
DISCONNECTING SAID VOLTAGE BEFORE SAID OSCILLATIONS CEASE,
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
In the method of claim 1 advancing the hollow niobium structure in its stepwise rotation through preselected angles so that during the entire polishing operation all parts of the interior surface are immersed in the electrolyte for about the same time.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
7 words
disconnecting said voltage before said oscillations cease,
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
7 words
disconnecting said voltage before said oscillations cease,
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
continuing said structure at rest until any oxide layer formed on said immersed portion of said structure is dissolved.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
continuing said structure at rest until any oxide layer formed on said immersed portion of said structure is dissolved.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
In the method of claim 2 maintaining the axis of rotation of said structure in the plane of the electrolyte bath.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
CONTINUING SAID STRUCTURE AT REST UNTIL ANY OXIDE LAYER FORMED ON SAID IMMERSED PORTION OF SAID STRUCTURE IS DISSOLVED.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
CONTINUING SAID STRUCTURE AT REST UNTIL ANY OXIDE LAYER FORMED ON SAID IMMERSED PORTION OF SAID STRUCTURE IS DISSOLVED.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
In the method of claim 3 each stepwise rotation is through an angle deviating from 180* by a few degrees.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
In the method of claim 4 when polishing a rotationsymmetrical hollow niobium body the axis of rotation coincides with the symmetry axis.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
In the method of claim 4 during the dissolution of the oxide layer the electrolyte is pumped through the hollow niobium body to facilitate said dissolution.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
38 words
In the method of claim 1 for the electrolytic polishing of a hollow niobium body having an outside surface coated with another metal which may be attacked by the electrolyte, covering said outside metal with an electrolyte-resistant enclosure.