Electrolytic cathode assembly with protective covering and injected seal

Abstract

An electrolytic cathode assembly includes an electrically conductive hanger bar, a deposition plate attached along an upper end to the hanger bar to define a joint, and a protective covering generally surrounding the hanger bar and a portion of an upper end of the deposition plate so as to substantially enclose the joint. The protective covering may be die formed from bending a sheet of material. A corrosion resistant material is injected into a channel between the protective covering and the hanger bar to form a substantially continuous seal extending around the hanger bar, thereby to at least hinder fluid flow into the protective covering.

1 . A method of manufacturing an electrolytic cathode assembly, comprising:
 attaching a deposition plate along an upper end to an electrically conductive hanger bar to define a joint;   forming a protective covering comprising a lateral edge;   arranging the protective covering to generally surround the hanger bar and a portion of the upper end of the deposition plate so as to substantially enclose the joint; and   injecting a corrosion resistant material into a channel between the protective covering and the hanger bar to form a substantially continuous seal extending around the hanger bar, thereby to at least hinder fluid flow into the protective covering at the lateral edge.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of forming comprises forming the channel in the protective covering generally adjacent to the lateral edge. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of forming comprises forming the protective covering from a sheet of material. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the step of forming comprises bending the sheet of material to form sidewalls that define a central cavity for receiving the hanger bar. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the step of forming comprises bending the sheet of material so that the sidewalls of the protective covering are spaced apart to receive the hanger bar in siding fit. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the step of arranging comprises bending the sidewalls to generally engage the hanger bar. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the step of forming comprises bending the sheet of material so that longitudinal edges of the protective covering are spaced apart to receive the deposition plate in sliding fit. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the step of arranging comprises welding the longitudinal edges to the deposition plate. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the step of injecting comprises injecting the corrosion resistant material into at least one access port in fluid communication with the channel. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the step of forming comprises forming the at least one access port in the protective coating. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the step of forming comprises forming the at least one access port in a top side wall of the protective covering in registration with the channel. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the disposing at least one supporting element internally with the hanger bar. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising attaching the deposition plate to the hanger bar by at least one weld, and attaching the protective covering to the deposition plate by at least one weld. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the corrosion resistant material comprises an epoxy. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising forming the deposition plate and protective covering from stainless steel. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising forming the hanger bar from copper. 
     
     
         17 . An electrolytic cathode assembly manufactured According to the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         18 . An electrolytic cathode assembly, comprising:
 an electrically conductive hanger bar;   a deposition plate attached along an upper end to the hanger bar to define a joint;   a protective covering comprising a lateral edge, the protective covering arranged to generally surround the hanger bar and a portion of the upper end of the deposition plate so as to substantially enclose the joint; and   a corrosion resistant material disposed in a channel between the protective covering and the hanger bar to form a substantially continuous seal extending around the hanger bar, thereby to at least hinder fluid flow into the protective covering at the lateral edge.   
     
     
         19 . The electrolytic cathode assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the channel is formed in the protective covering adjacent to the lateral edge. 
     
     
         20 . The electrolytic cathode assembly of  claim 19 , further comprising at least one access port in fluid communication with the channel. 
     
     
         21 . The electrolytic cathode assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the at least one access port is formed in the protective covering. 
     
     
         22 . The electrolytic cathode assembly  claim 21 , wherein the at least one access port is formed in a top side wall of the protective covering in registration with the channel. 
     
     
         23 . The electrolytic cathode assembly of  claim 22 , further comprising at least one supporting element disposed internally within the hanger bar. 
     
     
         24 . The electrolytic cathode assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the deposition plate is attached to the hanger bar by at least one weld, and the protective covering is attached to the deposition plate by at least one weld. 
     
     
         25 . The electrolytic cathode assembly of  claim 24 , wherein the corrosion resistant material comprises an epoxy. 
     
     
         26 . The electrolytic cathode assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the deposition plate and the protective covering are formed from stainless steel. 
     
     
         27 . The electrolytic cathode assembly of  claim 26 , wherein the hanger bar is formed from copper. 
     
     
         28 . An electrolytic cell, comprising:
 a tank containing an electrolytic bath;   an anode assembly contained within the electrolytic bath;   the cathode assembly of  claim 17  contained within the electrolytic bath; and   a power source electrically connected to the anode assembly and the cathode assembly to form the electrolytic cell.   
     
     
         29 . A method of electro-refining or electro-winning a metal in an electrolytic cell, the method comprising:
 providing a tank containing an electrolytic bath;   providing an anode assembly in the electrolytic bath;   providing the cathode assembly of  claim 17  in the electrolytic bath;   providing a power source;   electrically connecting the power source to the anode assembly and the cathode assembly to form the electrolytic cell; and   applying a sufficient amount of current to the electrolytic cell to cause metal ions from the electrolytic bath to be deposited onto a surface of the deposition plate of the cathode assembly.   
     
     
         30 . A method of forming a protective covering for an electrolytic cathode assembly, the electrolytic cathode assembly comprising an electrically conductive hanger bar, and a deposition plate attached along an upper end to the hanger bar to define a joint, the method comprising:
 providing at least one sheet of material; and   bending the sheet of material to form sidewalls that define a central cavity for receiving a hanger bar of the electrolytic cathode assembly,   wherein sidewalls of the protective covering are spaced apart to receive the hanger bar in sliding fit.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the step of bending comprises at least one die forming operation. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising arranging the sheet of material to generally surround the hanger bar and a portion of the upper end of the deposition plate so as to substantially enclose the joint. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the step of arranging comprises bending the sidewalls of the sheet of material to generally engage the hanger bar. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the step of arranging comprises welding longitudinal edges of the sheet of material to the deposition plate. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising forming a channel in the sheet of material, and injecting a corrosion resistant material into the channel between the protective covering and the hanger bar to form a substantially continuous seal extending around the hanger bar. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the step of forming comprises at least one die forming operation. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising producing at least one access port in the sheet of material in fluid communication with the channel, and the step of injecting comprises injecting the corrosion resistant material into the at least one access port. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the step of producing comprises at least one die forming operation. 
     
     
         39 . (canceled)