Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
  • C25C—PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC PRODUCTION, RECOVERY OR REFINING OF METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
  • C25C7/00—Constructional parts, or assemblies thereof, of cells; Servicing or operating of cells
  • C25C7/06—Operating or servicing
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T29/00—Metal working
  • Y10T29/49—Method of mechanical manufacture
  • Y10T29/49002—Electrical device making
  • Y10T29/49117—Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T29/00—Metal working
  • Y10T29/53—Means to assemble or disassemble
  • Y10T29/53274—Means to disassemble electrical device

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a method for separating a suspension bar from an electrode which is suspended vertically by this bar and which comprises, in addition to this bar, an electrolytic plate and one or more suspension loops fixed to the plate, the bar of suspension passing through these loops, according to which we first release the suspension bar from the weight of the plate by resting it on a support and then we change the position of the bar relative to the position of the plate so to separate the bar from the rest of the electrode.
• a method is described in US Pat. No. 3,499,207.
• the electrode is brought from the vertical position to an inclined position and maintains it in this position by resting the upper part of the electrode, i.e.
• the bar is set in motion by striking on one of its ends using a striking device, mounted on one side of the inclined face aforementioned, and it is kept in motion by means of an extractor roller mounted on the other side of the aforesaid inclined face.
• the bar is supported by the above-mentioned extractor roller and by several support rollers mounted on the inclined face between the striking device and the extractor roller.
• the suspension bar When the suspension bar is thus separated from the rest of the electrode, the lower support is pivoted and the electrode stripped of its suspension bar falls on a discharge conveyor.
• the suspension bar In order for this known process to lead to the expected result, namely the separation of the bar from the rest of the electrode, the suspension bar, when the electrode reaches the aforementioned inclined position, must be engaged with the extractor roller and exposes one of its ends to the striking device.
• the object of the present invention is to provide a method as defined above which avoids the drawback of the method known above.
• the electrode in order to free the suspension bar from the weight of the plate, the electrode is brought from its vertical position to a substantially horizontal position in which its plate is placed on the support and, while the electrode in the substantially horizontal position, it is kept suspended by its suspension bar so that this bar occupies a predetermined position when the plate is rested on the support and the electrode is therefore no longer suspended by his bar.
• the bar is advantageously retained while the support is moved with the plate parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bar, which makes it possible to form easily with the electrodes , from which the suspension bars have been separated, very stable batteries, as will be explained below.
• the bar is preferably retained by one of its ends while the support is moved with the plate so as to make it pass in front of the other end of the bar.
• the present invention also relates to an apparatus for separating a suspension bar from an electrode which is suspended vertically by this bar and which comprises, in addition to this bar, an electrolytic plate and one or more suspension loops fixed to the plate, the suspension bar crossing these loops, comprising
• the apparatus according to the invention which makes it possible to implement this method, is characterized in that the means for depositing the plate of the electrode on the support are adapted to bring the electrode into a substantially horizontal position and comprise means for supporting the electrode suspension bar so that this bar occupies a predetermined position when the plate is deposited on the support.
• FIG. 1 represents a schematic plan view of an installation for washing and stacking cathodes, in which is incorporated an apparatus according to the invention for stripping the cathodes of their suspension bar after their washing and before their stacking.
• FIG. 2 represents an enlarged vertical section through the installation of FIG. 1, made along the line II-II of FIG. 1.
• FIG. 3 represents a side elevation view of a device for transporting cathodes in the installation of FIG. 1.
• FIG. 4 represents a front view of the device of FIG. 3.
• FIG. 5 represents a side elevation view of the washing station of the installation of FIG. 1.
• FIG. 6 represents a cross section through the washing station of FIG. 5.
• FIG. 7 represents a horizontal section through the washing station of FIG. 6, made along the line VII-VII of FIG. 6.
• FIG. 8 represents an enlarged and detailed plan view of a station for preparing the stacking of the installation of FIG. 1.
• FIG. 9 represents a side elevation view of the stacking preparation station of FIG. 8.
• FIG. 10 represents a front view of the entrance to the stacking preparation station of FIG. 8.
• FIG. 11 illustrates the detachment of a cathode from the transport device of FIG. 3 in the stacking preparation station of FIG. 10.
• FIG. 12 illustrates the deposition of an off-hook cathode in the stacking preparation station of FIG. 10.
• FIG. 13 represents an enlarged and detailed plan view of a part of the stacking preparation station of FIG. 8, this part being a pivoting clamp for removing the suspension bars from the cathodes.
• Figure 14 shows a front view of part of the clamp of Figure 13 in the loading position.
• Figure 15 shows a front view of the clamp of Figure 13 in the unloading position.
• FIG. 16 illustrates the way in which the cathodes are stacked near the outlet of the stacking preparation station of FIG. 8.
• the installation represented in FIG. 1 comprises an endless monorail 1, provided with a number of carriages 2 with individual drive and control.
• Monorail 1 successively serves:
• washing station 4 in which the cathodes suspended from the carriages 2 are washed by spraying
• a first stacking preparation station 5 in which the washed cathodes are removed from the carriages 2, deposited on a conveyor, stripped of their suspension bars and turned, and
• a second station 6 for stacking preparation which comes into action when the first station 5 is down.
• the cathodes which have been prepared for stacking at station 5, are stacked in 7 and 7 'and the formed batteries are removed in 8 and 8'.
• the cathodes, which have been prepared a. stacking at station 6 are stacked in 9 and 9 'and the formed piles are evacuated in 10 and 10'.
• a cathode 11 consists of a metal plate 12 provided with two suspension loops 13 through which a suspension bar 14 passes.
• the loading station 3 shown in FIG. 2 comprises two pairs of conveyor chains 15 and 16 provided with a non-represented motor advancing the chains step by step in the direction of the arrows 17 and 18.
• the cathodes 11 to be washed coming from the electrolysis room are deposited in groups by the spreaders 19 and 20 on the pairs of chains 15 and 16, which bring the cathodes 11 to the walking beam systems 21 and 22.
• the latter raise the cathodes 11 one by one of the chains 15 and 16 and suspend them from the hooks 23 of a carriage 2 (see FIGS. 3 and 4), which bring them to the washing station 4.
• the washing station 4 comprises a washing compartment 24 and a rinsing compartment 25. These compartments 24 and 25 are equipped with a series of nozzles 26 arranged so as to water the two faces of the cathodes 11 which are brought into these compartments by the carriage 2
• the nozzles 26 of the rinsing compartment 25 are connected to a source of hot water.
• the rinsing water produced in the rinsing compartment 25 is collected in the reservoir 27, from where it overflows at 28 to arrive via the siphon 29 in the reservoir 30, which is connected by a pump not shown to the nozzles 26 of the compartment wash 24 and which collects the wash water produced in this compartment.
• the tank 30 is provided with a weir 31 and the washing water which overflows therein is discharged to a neutralization installation.
• the compartments 24 and 25 are sealed by pairs of flexible V-shaped elements 32 and 33 (FIGS. 6 and 7).
• the stacking preparation station 5 comprises: - two pairs of conveyor chains 34 and 34 ', - a release device 35 for removing a pair of cathodes 11 washed from a carriage 2 and to deposit them horizontally, one on the pair of chains 34 and the other on the pair of chains 34 ′,
• the release device 35 comprises a first pair of arms 39 fixed to a shaft 40 and a second pair of arms 39 'fixed to a shaft 40'.
• the shafts 40 and 40 ' are mounted in bearings 41 and 42, parallel to the longitudinal axis of the suspension bar 14 of the cathodes 11 which are brought into the station 5 by a carriage 2.
• the shaft 40 is fixed to a toothed wheel 43 and the shaft 40 'to a toothed wheel 44, which is engaged with the toothed wheel 43.
• the toothed wheel 43 is connected to a lever 45, which is actuated by the cylinders 46 and 47. The movement of the lever 45 therefore causes the pairs of arms 39 and 39 'to move in the opposite direction according to the arrows 48 and 48' (see FIG. 10).
• each of the arms 39 and 39 ' is provided with a working arm 51, which is equipped with a lifting hook 52 and three support hooks 53 (see FIG. 11).
• This working arm 51 is connected to its carrying arm 39 or 39 'by two articulated couplings 54 and 55 and by a cylinder 56, which brings the working arm 51 to the working position P4 when its rod 57 is extended and which brings it back in standby position P5 when its rod is retracted.
• the clamp 36 ′ comprises a fixed jaw 58 and a movable jaw 59, connected to the fixed jaw 58 by the pivot 60 and actuated by the cylinder 61.
• the fixed jaw 58, the movable jaw 59 and the cylinder 61 are mounted together on a shaft 62, which is housed in a bearing 63 and fixed to a lever 64.
• the lever 64 is actuated by the cylinder 65.
• the device 37 'for evacuating the suspension bars recovered at 36' comprises a vertical conveyor 68 provided with hooks 69 and a horizontal conveyor 70 leading to a central conveyor 71 (see FIGS. 10 and 15).
• the device 37 is the image of the device 37 '.
• the pairs of conveyor chains 34 and 34 ' are mounted on frames 72 and 72' (see Figures 8, 10 and 12) and driven by motors 73 and 73 ', which move them step by step in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the suspension bar 14 of the cathodes 11 which are brought into the station 5 by a carriage 2.
• the different parts of the station 5 for preparing the stacking, which have just been described, are mounted on a frame 74 (see Figures 8, 9 and 10).
• FIG. 1 further comprises detection devices known per se and not shown for detecting the arrival of an empty carriage 2 at the loading station 3 and the arrival of a carriage 2 loaded at the washing compartment 24, to the rinsing compartment 25, to the first station 5 for stacking preparation and to the second station 6 for stacking preparation, the detection device associated with the latter station only coming into action when the first station 5 is broken.
• detection devices known per se and not shown for detecting the arrival of an empty carriage 2 at the loading station 3 and the arrival of a carriage 2 loaded at the washing compartment 24, to the rinsing compartment 25, to the first station 5 for stacking preparation and to the second station 6 for stacking preparation, the detection device associated with the latter station only coming into action when the first station 5 is broken.
• its motor 75 stops for a predetermined time T, for example for 5 seconds.
• the device operates as follows. When an empty carriage 2 is detected at the loading station 3, it stops and the transfer devices 21 and 22 come into action and suspend a pair of cathodes 11 from the carriage 2. After a time T, the loaded carriage 2 leaves the loading station 3 to go to the washing station 4. When the loaded trolley 2 is detected in the washing compartment 24, it stops and the nozzles 26 in this compartment come into action. After a time T, the nozzles 26 cease their action and the carriage 2 passes to the rinsing compartment 25. When the carriage 2 is detected in the rinsing compartment 25, it stops and the nozzles 26 from this compartment come into action. After a time T, the nozzles 26 of the rinsing compartment 25 cease their action and the carriage 2 passes to the station 5 for stacking preparation.
• the cathodes 11 remain suspended by their suspension bars 14 from the hooks 52 while their plates 12 rest on the hooks 53 until that the plates 12 are deposited on the chains 34 - 34 '(see Figure 12). Since the cathodes 11 are held suspended by their suspension bar 14 until the time of depositing the cathodes, this suspension bar always occupies the same position at the aforementioned time; in this position the bar 14 is, in the present case, oriented as it was when the cathode 11 was still suspended vertically from a carriage 2 in the station 5.
• the cathodes 11 are thus deprived of their suspension bars, which are tightened at 36 and 36 '.
• the rods 66 of the cylinders 61 retract, the clamps 36 and 36' open and the suspension bars 14 run aground in a hook 69 of the vertical conveyors 68 of the devices 37 and 37 ′, which transport the bars 14 via the central conveyor 71 to an apparatus for manufacturing starting cathodes.
• the rods 67 of the cylinders 65 come out and the clamps 36 and 36 'are returned to their loading position ( Figure 14).
• the washing and stacking of symmetrical cathodes has been described above, that is to say -to say cathodes whose suspension bar has an identical section over its entire length.
• asymmetric cathodes are used in electrolysis, that is to say cathodes with a suspension bar, one end of which is twisted at an angle of 90 ° relative to the rest of the bar, and that these cathodes are then implemented in groups of left cathodes and in groups of right cathodes, a left cathode having the twisted end of its suspension bar situated to the left of its electrolytic plate and a right cathode having the twisted end of its bar of suspension located on the right of its electrolytic plate. It is obvious that a left cathode can be transformed into a right cathode, for example by rotating it by an angle of 180 ° around its vertical axis, and vice versa.
• FIG. 9 is therefore suitable for treating straight cathodes, the clamp 36 being situated to the right of the deposited cathode (see FIG. 8).
• the groups of the left cathodes are previously transformed into right groups.
• FIG. 9 it is also possible to adapt the installation of FIG. 9 so that it can treat left cathodes as well as right cathodes.
• the right clamp 36 and the left clamp must be mounted so that they can be brought from a rest position away from the chains 34 to a position working near chains 34 and vice versa.
• To treat a group of left cathodes we then use the left clamp and the right wing of the pair of chains 34 and, to treat a group of right cathodes, the right clamp 36 and the left wing of the pair of chains 34.
• the installation can be easily adapted to treat, instead of two cathodes at the same time, cathode by cathode. This modification significantly reduces the investment costs, but also the productivity of the installation.
• washing station 4 instead of providing in the washing station 4 a separate washing compartment 24 and rinsing compartment 25, it is possible to use a single compartment for washing and rinsing provided that there are provided in this single compartment washing nozzles and rinsing nozzles or nozzles adapted to spray washing liquid and rinsing liquid alternately.
• the monorail 1 and the carriages 2 can be replaced by a transport chain provided with hooks, but it is obvious that this modification seriously reduces the flexibility of the installation.
• the rotating clamps 36 and 36 ' can be replaced by fixed clamps, if the suspension bars of the cathodes to be treated have little or no tendency to stick to the suspension loops of these cathodes.
• the chains 34 and 34 ' can be provided with cams to facilitate the transport of the cathodes 11 by these chains.
• the suspension bar (14) is first released from the weight of the plate (12) by bringing the electrode (11) into a horizontal position in which its plate (12) is placed on a support (34 or 34 ' ).
• the position of the bar (14) is then changed relative to the position of the plate (12) by moving the support (34 or 34 ') with the plate (12) in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bar (14) while retaining it.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Electrochemistry (AREA)
• Materials Engineering (AREA)
• Metallurgy (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Electrolytic Production Of Metals (AREA)
• Separation, Sorting, Adjustment, Or Bending Of Sheets To Be Conveyed (AREA)

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• 1981
  • 1981-12-24 LU LU83857A patent/LU83857A1/fr unknown
• 1982
  • 1982-12-22 WO PCT/BE1982/000025 patent/WO1983002289A1/fr not_active Ceased
  • 1982-12-22 DE DE8383900174T patent/DE3269767D1/de not_active Expired
  • 1982-12-22 JP JP58500259A patent/JPS58502153A/ja active Pending
  • 1982-12-22 US US06/520,209 patent/US4577401A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1982-12-22 EP EP83900174A patent/EP0097679B1/de not_active Expired

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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