Multiple chamber silver extraction system

In combination with apparatus for recovering metal from a body of electrolytic liquid conducting plating current therethrough between at least two electrodes, including voltage adjusting means connected to one of the two electrodes for changing said plating current supplied thereto from a voltage source, resistor means connected in series with the electrodes for establishing a potential on the other of the electrodes dependent on resistance characteristics of the liquid and reference voltage selection means connected to said source for producing a reference potential, the improvement residing in power control means, comprising regulating means connected to both of said electrodes and the reference voltage selection means for regulating the reference potential, and driver means connected to one of the electrodes and the voltage adjusting means for varying the plating current in accordance with the regulated reference potential.

In combination with apparatus for recovering metal from a body of electrolytic liquid conducting plating currents therethrough between a primary cathode and anode and between a secondary cathode and anode, a container enclosing the liquid having a partition separating two compartments within which the primary and secondary cathodes and anodes are suspended, respectively, resistor means connected in series with the cathodes for establishing potentials thereon dependent on resistance characteristics of the liquid, reference voltage selection means for producing primary and secondary reference potentials, means respectively connected to the primary and secondary cathodes and the reference voltage selection means for regulating said reference potentials, power adjusting means respectively connected to the regulating means for controlling the plating currents in accordance with the regulated reference potentials and feedback means connected to the secondary cathode for modifying the regulated primary reference potential.

An electrolytic device having an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte to be processed, including a power source, controller means coupling the power source to the anode for applying a plating voltage across the anode and the cathode and calibrating means connected to the power source for establishing a reference potential selected to correspond with the electrolyte to be processed, the improvement comprising means connected to the cathode and the calibrating means for regulating the reference potential, and driver means connected to the regulating means and the controller means for adjusting the plating voltage in accordance with the regulated reference potential.

In combination with a multi-chamber type of electrolytic metal recovery apparatus having a plurality of chambers through which an electrolyte passes in sequence and a pair of electrodes respectively positioned within each chamber, a source of voltage, current control means connected to said source for applying plating voltages across each pair of the electrodes, selectively calibrated means connected to said source for generating reference potentials corresponding to the electrolyte in the chambers, driver means connected to the electrodes and the selectively calibrated means for adjusting the plating voltages through the current control means in accordance with the reference potentials and feedback means responsive to current conducted through the electrolyte between the electrodes in one of the chambers for modifying the reference potential adjusting the plating voltage in another of the chambers until the current in said one of the chambers approaches zero.