US3959110A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for silver recovery
Assignee: Hydrospace Industries Inc
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Filing: 1974-04-08
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Granted: 1976-05-25
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Expires: 1994-04-08
Abstract
Abstract Silver is electrolytically recovered from photographic solutons, such as spent hypo, by feeding such a solution to a precollecting or measuring vessel where the solution collects until a predetermined volume has been received, at which time it is automatically dispensed, by a self-triggering siphon, into an electrolysis chamber of larger volume than the pre-collecting vessel and direct current is automatically turned on for a predetermined flow between an anode and a cathode in the chamber to plate out the silver on the cathode. An agitator, preferably a magnetic agitator, is also automatically energized to keep the solution homogeneously mixed during electrolysis, for maximum silver recovery efficiency.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth G. Burgess
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 04:25
CPC Classifications
C; C25; C25C; C25C1/00; C25C1/20; C02; C02F; C02F1/00; C02F1/46; C02F1/461; C02F1/467; C02F1/4676; C02F1/4678; C25C7/00; C25D; C25D21/00; C25D21/16; C25D21/20; C02F2103/00; C02F2103/34; C02F2103/40; C02F2201/00; C02F2201/46; C02F2201/461; C02F2201/46105; C02F2201/4612; C02F2201/4615; C02F2301/00; C02F2301/02; C02F2301/024; C02F2301/026
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
302 words
An apparatus for recovering silver from a photographic solution which comprises (a) an electrolysis vessel having an electrolysis chamber therein; (b) a carbonaceous anode in said chamber; (c) a metallic cathode in said chamber; (d) a rotary impeller for circulating electrolyte within said chamber into contact with the cathode; (e) a self-triggering siphon for intermittently feeding to the electrolysis chamber a given volume of the photographic solution from which silver is to be recovered; and (f) means responsive to the feedings of a plurality of said measured volumes of feed solution to the chamber, for passing a direct plating current of electricity between said anode and cathode and through a solution of electrolyte in said electrolysis chamber containing said measured volumes of feed solution, in predetermined quantity to plate out silver on the cathode in an amount which is from a substantial proportion to all of the silver recoverable by plating from the plurality of said measured volumes of feed solution fed to the electrolysis chamber, which means is activated by contacts with a plurality of the measured volumes of feed solution as the feed solution is fed to the electrolysis chamber and which includes electronic means for counting the number of volumetric discharges and actuating means to pass sufficient electricity between the electrodes to plate out the silver from the number of measured volumes of feed solution so fed to the electrolysis chamber, said electronic means for counting the number of volumetric discharges including a sensor connected to electronic circuitry capable of distinguishing between dripping and continuous flowing of feed solutions from the siphon and of initiating electric current flow between the electrodes by means of the actuating means in response to said continuous flows of feed solution from the siphon and not in response to drippings of such solution therefrom.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
302 words
An apparatus for recovering silver from a photographic solution which comprises (a) an electrolysis vessel having an electrolysis chamber therein; (b) a carbonaceous anode in said chamber; (c) a metallic cathode in said chamber; (d) a rotary impeller for circulating electrolyte within said chamber into contact with the cathode; (e) a self-triggering siphon for intermittently feeding to the electrolysis chamber a given volume of the photographic solution from which silver is to be recovered; and (f) means responsive to the feedings of a plurality of said measured volumes of feed solution to the chamber, for passing a direct plating current of electricity between said anode and cathode and through a solution of electrolyte in said electrolysis chamber containing said measured volumes of feed solution, in predetermined quantity to plate out silver on the cathode in an amount which is from a substantial proportion to all of the silver recoverable by plating from the plurality of said measured volumes of feed solution fed to the electrolysis chamber, which means is activated by contacts with a plurality of the measured volumes of feed solution as the feed solution is fed to the electrolysis chamber and which includes electronic means for counting the number of volumetric discharges and actuating means to pass sufficient electricity between the electrodes to plate out the silver from the number of measured volumes of feed solution so fed to the electrolysis chamber, said electronic means for counting the number of volumetric discharges including a sensor connected to electronic circuitry capable of distinguishing between dripping and continuous flowing of feed solutions from the siphon and of initiating electric current flow between the electrodes by means of the actuating means in response to said continuous flows of feed solution from the siphon and not in response to drippings of such solution therefrom.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
49 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the anode and cathode are readily removable from the electrolysis vessel, the anode is substantially centrally located in the vessel, the cathode is located about the anode and the impeller is driven by means of a motor which is magnetically coupled therewith.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
94 words
An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the anode is of graphite, the cathode is of stainless steel, the electrolysis vessel is of solution-resistant synthetic organic polymeric material and the means for intermittently volumetrically feeding the photographic solution feed to the electrolysis chamber is a precollecting vessel of solution-resistant synthetic organic polymeric material in which there is located a siphon os such a material, which siphon feeds from a predetermined volume of feed from the pre-collecting vessel to the electrolysis chamber intermittently as the pre-collecting vessel is charged to its determined capacity with feed.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
134 words
An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the electrolysis chamber, defined by the vessel wall, is of vertical cylindrical shape, the anode is a hollow cylinder of graphite centrally positionable coaxially with the cylindrical electrolysis chamber, the cathode is a stainless steel sheet coated with silver on a face thereof, shaped to conform to the inner wall of the electrolysis vessel and adjacent thereto, with the silver coating on the face nearer to the anode, readily removable from the chamber by bending to a smaller diameter cylinder and lifting and the impeller is located in the electrolysis chamber below the anode and operates to direct a flow of electrolyte over the interior surface of the cathode and to draw feed solution into it and discharge it into electrolyte directed into contact with the cathode.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
232 words
An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the precollecting vessel is atop the electrolysis chamber and contains the self-triggering siphon therein, said pre-collecting vessel and the anode being fastened to a mounting plate through which electrical connections are made to the anode and through which electrical connection is made to the flow sensor, the mounting plate being restable or readily removably mountable on the top of the chamber wall, the self-triggering siphon discharges to the hollow interior of the anode, the cylindrical anode wall is sufficiently imperforate so as to limit liquid circulation therein to slow the mixing of feed discharge from the precollecting chamber to the body of the electrolyte, the electrolysis vessel wall defining the electrolysis chamber has an overflow discharge opening therein through which a volume of electrolyte equal to that of feed charged is intermittently discharged, the electrolysis chamber wall is otherwise imperforate and the magnetic coupling of the impeller and drive motor is at the bottom of the electrolysis chamber, includes magnetic discs composed of pluralities of curved magnets fitted together with like poles in contact, a spindle on the bottom of the electrolysis chamber about which the magnets and the impeller rotate, such a magnet being held to the impeller and another such magnet being held to a rotating shaft of driving means, said driving means being located intermediate a drive motor and the electrolysis chamber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
147 words
An apparatus according to claim 5 which is self-contained and may be locked to prevent unauthorized access to it and wherein a hinged top and a hinged front electronic panel section are provided, the panel section includes banana contact receptors, the anode has a banana contact communicated to a plurality of positions thereon, which contact, when positioned in one of the receptors, conducts direct current to the anode, as desired, the cathode is connectable via a banana connector with an appropriate banana receptor on the electronics panel section and the flow sensor is similarly connectable, means are provided for feeding photographic solution from which silver is to be removed through the top of the apparatus to the pre-collecting chamber, rectifying means are located below the electrolysis chamber to convert alternating current utilized to direct current for plating out of the silver and transformer means are similarly located.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
124 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the electrolysis chamber is of vertical cylindrical shape open at the top thereof and having an opening in the cylindrical wall for the removal of electrolyte from the chamber and the cathode is an incomplete cylinder inside the chamber and conforming to the inner side wall thereof, removable therefrom by bending it into a smaller cylinder and pulling it directly upwardly, the electrode being of such a size as to form a substantially complete cylinder having a vertical opening between vertical ends thereof when in position against the inner chamber wall, which electrode is positioned so as to allow passage of electrolyte through the opening between the electrode ends and through the opening in the chamber wall.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
121 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 including, as the means for intermittently volumetrically feeding solution to the electrolysis chamber, a self-triggering siphon comprising a container having a bottom, a side wall and an outlet tube for the discharge of fluid from the container, which tube extends upwardly and has an opening at the top thereof, and an enclosing tube having a side wall, a closed top and an open bottom, so positioned on the discharge tube as to form a passageway for fluid to move upwardly annularly between the tubes, across an end space between them and downwardly through the inner tube, in which the surface tension of the fluid passed prevents the non-siphoning flow of liquid through the inner tube.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
161 words
An apparatus for recovering silver from a photographic solution which comprises (a) an electrolysis vessel having an electrolysis chamber therein; (b) an anode in said chamber; (c) a cathode in said chamber; (d) means for circulating electrolyte within said chamber into contact with the cathode; (e) self-triggering siphon means for intermittently feeding to the electrolysis chamber a given volume of the photographic solution from which silver is to be recovered; and (f) means responsive to the feedings of a plurality of said volumes of feed solution to the chamber, for passing a plating current of electricity between said anode and cathode and through a solution of electrolyte in said electrolysis chamber containing said measured volumes of feed solution, in a predetermined quantity to plate out silver on the cathode in an amount which is from a substantial proportion to all of the silver recoverable by plating from the plurality of said measured volumes of feed solution fed to the electrolysis chamber.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
161 words
An apparatus for recovering silver from a photographic solution which comprises (a) an electrolysis vessel having an electrolysis chamber therein; (b) an anode in said chamber; (c) a cathode in said chamber; (d) means for circulating electrolyte within said chamber into contact with the cathode; (e) self-triggering siphon means for intermittently feeding to the electrolysis chamber a given volume of the photographic solution from which silver is to be recovered; and (f) means responsive to the feedings of a plurality of said volumes of feed solution to the chamber, for passing a plating current of electricity between said anode and cathode and through a solution of electrolyte in said electrolysis chamber containing said measured volumes of feed solution, in a predetermined quantity to plate out silver on the cathode in an amount which is from a substantial proportion to all of the silver recoverable by plating from the plurality of said measured volumes of feed solution fed to the electrolysis chamber.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
64 words
An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the electric current is a direct current and the means for passing the current between the anode and the cathode and through the solution of electrolyte in the electrolysis chamber in predetermined quantity is activated by contacts with a plurality of the measured volumes of feed solution as the feed solution is fed to the electrolysis chamber.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
127 words
An electrolytic apparatus which comprises an electrolysis chamber, an anode and a cathode in the chamber, impeller means for circulating electrolyte within said chamber, first magnetic means in said chamber and in operative communication with said impeller means, which first magnetic means includes a magnet covered with electrolyte-resistant material and of a plurality of circular segments with adjacent ends thereof having the same magnetic polarities, driving means external to said chamber and out of communication with electrolyte therein and second magnetic means in operative connection with said driving means, external to said chamber and in magnetic connection with the first magnetic means, thereby operatively communicating with the impeller, the first and second magnetic means being of flat cylindrical shapes with flat faces thereof opposed to one another.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
127 words
An electrolytic apparatus which comprises an electrolysis chamber, an anode and a cathode in the chamber, impeller means for circulating electrolyte within said chamber, first magnetic means in said chamber and in operative communication with said impeller means, which first magnetic means includes a magnet covered with electrolyte-resistant material and of a plurality of circular segments with adjacent ends thereof having the same magnetic polarities, driving means external to said chamber and out of communication with electrolyte therein and second magnetic means in operative connection with said driving means, external to said chamber and in magnetic connection with the first magnetic means, thereby operatively communicating with the impeller, the first and second magnetic means being of flat cylindrical shapes with flat faces thereof opposed to one another.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
238 words
An apparatus for recovering silver from a photographic solution which comprises (a) an electrolysis vessel having an electrolysis chamber therein; (b) an anode in said chamber; (c) a cathode in said chamber; (d) impeller means within the electrolysis chamber for circulating electrolyte within the electrolysis chamber into contact with the cathode, which impeller means is magnetically connected to driving means by means of flat magnets, at least one of which, located in the electrolysis chamber, is circular, and which magnets have their flat faces opposed, said magnets each being of ceramic material composed of barium carbonate and iron oxide, magnetized on a flat surface thereof with a plurality of north and south poles and with poles of like sign adjacent to one another; (e) means for intermittently feeding to the electrolysis chamber a given volume of the photographic solution from which silver is to be recovered; and (f) means responsive to the feedings of a plurality of said measured volumes of feed solution to the chamber, for passing a plating current of electricity between said anode and cathode and through a solution of electrolyte in said electrolysis chamber containing said measured volumes of feed solution, in a predetermined quantity to plate out silver on the cathode in an amount which is from a substantial proportion to all of the silver recoverable by plating from the plurality of said measured volumes of feed solution fed to the electrolysis chamber.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
238 words
An apparatus for recovering silver from a photographic solution which comprises (a) an electrolysis vessel having an electrolysis chamber therein; (b) an anode in said chamber; (c) a cathode in said chamber; (d) impeller means within the electrolysis chamber for circulating electrolyte within the electrolysis chamber into contact with the cathode, which impeller means is magnetically connected to driving means by means of flat magnets, at least one of which, located in the electrolysis chamber, is circular, and which magnets have their flat faces opposed, said magnets each being of ceramic material composed of barium carbonate and iron oxide, magnetized on a flat surface thereof with a plurality of north and south poles and with poles of like sign adjacent to one another; (e) means for intermittently feeding to the electrolysis chamber a given volume of the photographic solution from which silver is to be recovered; and (f) means responsive to the feedings of a plurality of said measured volumes of feed solution to the chamber, for passing a plating current of electricity between said anode and cathode and through a solution of electrolyte in said electrolysis chamber containing said measured volumes of feed solution, in a predetermined quantity to plate out silver on the cathode in an amount which is from a substantial proportion to all of the silver recoverable by plating from the plurality of said measured volumes of feed solution fed to the electrolysis chamber.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
223 words
An apparatus for recovering silver from a photographic solution which comprises (a) an electrolysis vessel having an electrolysis chamber therein; (b) an anode in said chamber; (c) a cathode in said chamber; (d) means for circulating electrolyte within said chamber into contact with the cathode; (e) means for intermittently feeding to the electrolysis chamber a given volume of the photographic solution from which silver is to be recovered; and (f) means responsive to the feedings of a plurality of said measured volumes of feed solution to the chamber, for passing a direct plating current of electricity between said anode and cathode and through a solution of electrolyte in said electrolysis chamber containing said measured volumes of feed solution, in a predetermined quantity to plate out silver on the cathode in an amount which is from a substantial proportion to all of the silver recoverable by plating from the plurality of said measured volumes of feed solution fed to the electrolysis chamber, which means is activated by contacts with a plurality of measured volumes of feed solution as the feed solution is fed to the electrolysis chamber and which includes electronic means for counting the number of volumetric discharges and actuating means to pass sufficient electricity between the electrodes to plate out the silver from the feed solution so fed to the electrolysis chamber.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
223 words
An apparatus for recovering silver from a photographic solution which comprises (a) an electrolysis vessel having an electrolysis chamber therein; (b) an anode in said chamber; (c) a cathode in said chamber; (d) means for circulating electrolyte within said chamber into contact with the cathode; (e) means for intermittently feeding to the electrolysis chamber a given volume of the photographic solution from which silver is to be recovered; and (f) means responsive to the feedings of a plurality of said measured volumes of feed solution to the chamber, for passing a direct plating current of electricity between said anode and cathode and through a solution of electrolyte in said electrolysis chamber containing said measured volumes of feed solution, in a predetermined quantity to plate out silver on the cathode in an amount which is from a substantial proportion to all of the silver recoverable by plating from the plurality of said measured volumes of feed solution fed to the electrolysis chamber, which means is activated by contacts with a plurality of measured volumes of feed solution as the feed solution is fed to the electrolysis chamber and which includes electronic means for counting the number of volumetric discharges and actuating means to pass sufficient electricity between the electrodes to plate out the silver from the feed solution so fed to the electrolysis chamber.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
170 words
An apparatus for recovering silver from spent photographic solutions comprising an electrolysis chamber of vertical cylindrical shape open at the top thereof and having an opening in a cylindrical wall for the removal of electrolyte from the chamber, a flat metal sheet first electrode inside the chamber and conforming to the inner side wall of the chamber, which is removable therefrom by bending it into a smaller cylinder and pulling it directly upwardly, which electrode is of such a size as to form an incomplete cylinder when in position against the inner chamber wall and substantially forms such a cylinder, having a vertical opening between vertical ends of the sheet, which incomplete cylindrical electrode is positioned so as to allow passage of electrolyte through the opening between the electrode sheet ends and through the opening in the chamber wall, a second electrode in the electrolysis chamber located within the incomplete cylinder of the first electrode and sources of electricity of opposite signs communicating with both the first and second electrodes.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
170 words
An apparatus for recovering silver from spent photographic solutions comprising an electrolysis chamber of vertical cylindrical shape open at the top thereof and having an opening in a cylindrical wall for the removal of electrolyte from the chamber, a flat metal sheet first electrode inside the chamber and conforming to the inner side wall of the chamber, which is removable therefrom by bending it into a smaller cylinder and pulling it directly upwardly, which electrode is of such a size as to form an incomplete cylinder when in position against the inner chamber wall and substantially forms such a cylinder, having a vertical opening between vertical ends of the sheet, which incomplete cylindrical electrode is positioned so as to allow passage of electrolyte through the opening between the electrode sheet ends and through the opening in the chamber wall, a second electrode in the electrolysis chamber located within the incomplete cylinder of the first electrode and sources of electricity of opposite signs communicating with both the first and second electrodes.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
71 words
An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the first electrode is a flat stainless steel sheet cathode contacting the chamber inner side wall adjacent thereto, without electrical connections through said side wall to said electrode, and said electrode is communicated with a source of electricity by an electrical connection at the top of the electrode above the opening in the cylindrical wall for the removal of electrolyte from the electrolysis chamber.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-05-25 | 1979-11-24 | 1980-05-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-05-25 | 1983-11-24 | 1984-05-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-05-25 | 1987-11-24 | 1988-05-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |