US3900376A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Cleaning of metal surfaces
Assignee: Electricity Council
•
Filing: 1973-11-06
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Granted: 1975-08-19
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Expires: 1993-11-06
Abstract
Abstract Elongate metal articles such as rods, bars strip and wire are cleaned by passing them through an electrolyte such that a gas e.g. hydrogen is evolved at the metal surface, a high voltage being applied between the article and an inert anode such that the surface of the article in the electrolyte is completely covered by gas and vapour through which a discharge passes, the operation being carried out in the region of the current minimum of the current/voltage characteristic which occurs beyond the normal electrolysers regime as the voltage is increased.
Inventors
- 👤 Mervyn John Copsey
- 👤 Brian Hanson Wilby
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 23:16
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23G; C23G5/00; C25; C25F; C25F1/00; C25F7/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
121 words
A METHOD OF CLEANING A SURFACE OF AN ELONGATE METAL ARTICLE IN A CONTINUOUS PROCESS COMPRISING THE STEPS OF MOVING THE SURFACE OF THE ARTICLE THROUGH AN ELECTROLYTE WHICH DOES NOT REACT CHEMICALLY WITH THE METAL TO BE CLEANED OR ANY SURFACE CONTAIMINAT ON THE ARTICLE SO THAT SUCCESSIVE REGIONS OF THE SURFACE AREA TO BE CLEANED ARE COVERED BY THE ELECTROLYTE AND APPLYING AN ELECTRIC VOLTAGE BETWEEN THE ARTICLE AND AT LEAST ONE OTHER ELECTRODE ELECTRICALLY IN CONTACT WITH THE ELECTROLYTE, SAID VOLTAGE BEING SUFFICIENTLY HIGH THAT LAYER OF GAS OR VAPOUR COVERS THE SURFACE TO BE CLEANED AND A DISCHARGE OCCURS THROUGH THIS LAYER BETWEEN THE ELECTROLYTE AND THE SURFACE, THE ELECTROLYTE BEING STATIC OR CAUSED TO FLOW SUFFI-
Claim 2
Independent Claim
121 words
A METHOD OF CLEANING A SURFACE OF AN ELONGATE METAL ARTICLE IN A CONTINUOUS PROCESS COMPRISING THE STEPS OF MOVING THE SURFACE OF THE ARTICLE THROUGH AN ELECTROLYTE WHICH DOES NOT REACT CHEMICALLY WITH THE METAL TO BE CLEANED OR ANY SURFACE CONTAIMINAT ON THE ARTICLE SO THAT SUCCESSIVE REGIONS OF THE SURFACE AREA TO BE CLEANED ARE COVERED BY THE ELECTROLYTE AND APPLYING AN ELECTRIC VOLTAGE BETWEEN THE ARTICLE AND AT LEAST ONE OTHER ELECTRODE ELECTRICALLY IN CONTACT WITH THE ELECTROLYTE, SAID VOLTAGE BEING SUFFICIENTLY HIGH THAT LAYER OF GAS OR VAPOUR COVERS THE SURFACE TO BE CLEANED AND A DISCHARGE OCCURS THROUGH THIS LAYER BETWEEN THE ELECTROLYTE AND THE SURFACE, THE ELECTROLYTE BEING STATIC OR CAUSED TO FLOW SUFFI-
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the voltage is maintained within + or - 10 volts of the potential giving a current minimum at the higher voltage end of the unstable regime.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the applied potential is a direct potential with the article to be cleaned as the cathode.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 and wherein said other electrode is of substantially greater surface area than the area of the article immersed in the electrolyte.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 and for cleaning an elongate article of round or square section wherein the article is rotated about its axis as it is fed through the electrolyte.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
54 words
A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the article is fed horizontally and only partially immersed in the electrolyte to leave its upper surface exposed, the speed of rotation being such that any point on the surface of the article makes more than one complete rotation as it passes through a treatment cell.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2307928A
Cited
US2313422A
Cited
US2437474A
Cited
US2556017A
Cited
US2480845A
Cited
US2615840A
Cited
US3507767A
Cited
US3627654A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-08-18 | 1979-02-17 | 1979-08-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-08-18 | 1983-02-17 | 1983-08-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-08-18 | 1987-02-17 | 1987-08-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |