FR2816327A1 - Installation for the chemical treatment by dipping of metal components incorporating two lines of treatment tanks for the preparation, chemical treatment and finishing operations - Google Patents

Abstract

An installation for the chemical treatment of metal components by immersion in a tank (9, 11) containing a chemical treatment bath, the components being submitted to a prior preparation treatment and a finishing treatment in other tanks, consists of the different treatment tanks being arranged in two parallel lines separated by an alley (3) allowing access to the tanks. A first line (1) incorporates a charging/discharging device (4) at one of its ends along with the preparation tanks (5 - 8, 10) whilst a second line (2) incorporates two chemical treatment tanks (9, 11), functioning alternately, and some finishing tanks (14 - 18). A longitudinal transfer manipulator is provided for each line and a transverse transfer device is provided to connect the two lines.

Description

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The present invention relates to the design and production of a chemical treatment installation for dipping parts contained in cages, or other containers, such treatment involving immersion in a tank containing a treatment bath. It applies in particular to installations in which the chemical treatment proper is a manganese phosphating treatment implemented on parts of motor vehicles. It also applies to any similar installation, knowing that in essence chemical soaking treatments use relatively polluting baths.

 The current manganese phosphating installations include a series of tanks arranged in line one behind the other in which a preparation treatment is first carried out comprising in particular a degreasing step and alkaline rinsing steps, the chemical treatment proper comprising a phosphating step, optionally preceded by a refining step, and a finishing treatment comprising in particular steps of acid rinsing, drying and cooling. All the tanks where these different treatments are carried out are arranged in a line at the entrance of which there is a loading device in the installation, an unloading device being provided at its outlet, at the other end. Each cage containing the parts to be treated traverses the entire line.

It is transferred from one tank to the next in the series by a manipulator which circulates along the line to take each cage in turn from one tank and place it in the next.

 Such an installation has a significant length which poses problems of space. In addition, the processing capacity can only vary to a small extent, which does not make it possible to adapt to very different production rates. Furthermore, it is not known how to avoid major service interruptions, as they are necessary due to the presence of a tank which must be cleaned frequently, as is often the case with tanks where treatments are carried out.

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 chemicals, and in particular that of phosphating tanks. In practice, the presence of this type of soaking chemical treatment tank has created a great need to improve working conditions for workers who are responsible for monitoring and maintaining the installations and who must be able to circulate safely. in the vicinity of the tanks.

 Conventionally in installations of the type considered here, the parts to be treated are placed in containers, or cages, which come from other manufacturing units and which are then returned to the chain. To guarantee the cleanliness of these containers, they must be completely submerged in the various tanks, in particular in the phosphating tank to avoid a phosphate bath / atmosphere interface and in the degreasing or pickling tanks to thoroughly clean all container. To ensure this without excessively increasing the volume of the baths, the containers are placed at the bottom of the tanks. We can not avoid that the manipulators used to move the containers from one tank to another are in contact with the different baths and undergo alterations. And, with the exception of the drying stages, it cannot be avoided that the manipulator leaving a bath with his load entrains liquid which risks dripping onto neighboring equipment, hence additional difficulties for maintaining the purity of the various baths and for the safety of workers.

 The present invention aims to propose an installation for chemical treatment by immersion dipping in a tank containing a chemical treatment bath, for parts constituting fillers contained in containers or cages which, in other tanks, are also subjected to a pre-preparation treatment and a subsequent finishing treatment, which is much more compact as regards its size, which has flexibility of use making it possible to adapt to very different capacities and the maintenance of which is easy. More generally, it aims to resolve the various difficulties faced by manufacturers in this area, including those which have been highlighted above.

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 The installation according to the invention is particularly remarkable in that the tanks of the various treatment stations are arranged on two parallel lines separated by an aisle allowing access to the tanks, a first line comprising a device for loading and unloading at a of its ends and of the preparation tanks, and a second line comprising two chemical treatment tanks which are used alternately and finishing tanks, in that a longitudinal transfer manipulator is provided in each line, for taking turns role each load in a tank and deposit it in another, and in that it comprises transverse transfer means ensuring the connection between the two lines, in the forward direction and in the return direction.

 Preferably, the loading and unloading device, which is unique because at only one of the ends of the first line, comprises several load receiving cells, to each receive a load at the entrance or at the exit of the installation.

 The fact of providing two parallel lines of treatment tanks makes it possible to obtain a compact installation whose length is very reduced compared to current installations.

The aisle between the two tank lines allows maintenance personnel to easily access all the tanks. In addition, chemical treatment baths, which are particularly polluting, are used only on the second line, the first being reserved for operations that can be described as clean. And since there are two tanks operating alternately for the chemical treatment stages, the downtime for cleaning can be considerably reduced, or even eliminated entirely, and the overall capacity of the installation can be doubled. Among other additional advantages due to the invention, the fact of providing a single station in which the loading and unloading of the parts to be carried out makes it possible to further reduce the size of the installation and that the installation can more easily be integrated into a production line, since the parts to be treated return to the same place after their treatment.

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 The invention is embodied in various embodiments of the installation, which may in particular vary depending on whether the envisaged application leads to favor or not the possibility of involving workers on a stationary chemical treatment tank while the the other is in operation as well as the rest of the various equipment of the installation. In all cases, the circulation of the cages containing the charges to be treated can advantageously be organized so as never to pass a cage emerging from a polluting bath over a bath to be kept clean and circumscribed around the tanks. chemical treatment of the areas on which they may drop drops of liquid or other soiling. This avoids having to equip the tanks of the so-called clean areas with covers and sealing devices for the passage of the cages.

 According to a first preferred embodiment of the invention, the two chemical treatment tanks are each arranged at one end of the second line and different finishing tanks are associated with them, respectively between the corresponding tank and a central zone of the installation between the two lines. It is then advantageously in this central zone that the means for transferring the charges from one line to the other are arranged.

 A single manipulator can be used for this purpose, as long as it includes the means giving it the degrees of freedom necessary for it to be operative both in the forward direction to bring the charges to a chemical treatment tank (phosphating for example ), in the return direction to resume them at the outlet of the last corresponding tank (finishing tank).

According to a secondary characteristic, the installation according to the invention comprising three rinsing tanks used in the context of the preparation treatment, one of these tanks is placed in each line while the third is placed between the two lines, in the 'central aisle, the three tanks being aligned in a transverse direction so as to produce an H-shaped arrangement of all the tanks.

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 According to other advantageous embodiments, the transverse transfer means comprise two separate manipulators, this solution being particularly preferred when the two chemical treatment tanks used alternately are grouped side by side on the second line. In this case, on the other hand, it will generally be preferable to adopt a so-called U-shaped configuration, consisting in placing these means of transfer of connection between the two lines at one end of the installation, common to the two lines, rather than in an area. median as before. Said means then advantageously comprise, by placing themselves in the context of a phosphating installation of metal parts, a first link transfer manipulator disposed at a tank of the final station of the preparation treatment and passing a cage of the first line to the second line and a second link transfer transfer manipulator disposed at a tank of the final station of the finishing treatment and passing a cage from the second line to the first line.

 The design according to the invention advantageously makes it possible to use tanks having a symmetry with respect to their axis or to their center so that each tank can be placed in a line or in the other; just turn it 180 degrees. On the side of the tank which is adjacent to the central aisle, there is everything relating to the power circuits, in particular the heating resistors, so that a single energy supply line is used. On the other side, which is located outside, the control and regulation circuits are placed. In particular, in the case where the chemical treatment tanks, for example phosphating tanks, are arranged at the end of the line, they are accessible on three of their sides, which greatly facilitates the maintenance and cleaning of these chemical treatment tanks. . In all cases, the aisle separating the two lines makes it possible to obtain an intermediate position of the transverse transfer means in which the two longitudinal manipulators can move over all of their respective lines.

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 According to another characteristic of the invention, each cell of the loading / unloading device can receive a trolley with its load and this trolley is immobilized in the cell until the return of its load, that is to say the whole pieces contained in the same cage. This arrangement guarantees that the loads do not remain during processing, since the trolley remains trapped until the load is returned. In addition, the operators' work is reduced to a minimum since their only actions are to get the carriages in or out of the cells, the loads then being moved by the manipulators. In particular, it is no longer necessary to push or pull stacks of baskets, which makes it possible to simplify the trolleys, which can be constituted by a simple rolling table.

 The fact of providing several cells in the loading and unloading device also makes it possible to provide for other modes of supplying loads such as wire-guided carriages or conveyors, the various modes of supply being able to "coexist" and be used interchangeably during a treatment.

 Advantageously, the installation according to the invention is produced in the form of pre-assembled modules comprising the loading / unloading device or tanks with their support and their vapor extraction device and at least part of the manipulator support. This modular structure, which for example consists of six or seven modules which are delivered pre-assembled and assembled at the place of use, makes it possible to minimize on-site operations.

 According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the load is constituted by a U-shaped cage containing the parts to be treated and there is provided, in each loading / unloading cell, an intermediate support which provided with a horizontal wall upper forming a cover and on which the cage remains hung throughout the duration of the treatment, the intermediate support being grasped by the manipulators and placed on each

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 tank in such a way that the cage is suspended in the tank and completely submerged in the treatment bath.

 The fact that the cage is suspended and not placed in the tank allows a much better circulation of the bath and improves the treatment of the parts placed in the bottom of the cage. Furthermore, the intermediate support makes it possible to obtain total immersion of the cage while protecting, thanks to its cover, the manipulator from any contact with the baths. In addition, the supports receiving the intermediate support are out of the bath, which makes it easy to carry out their initial adjustment for horizontal alignment. Finally, these supports are closer to the manipulator so that there is no problem of centering of the latter.

 According to one embodiment of the invention, the cage comprises, at its upper part, horizontal rods which are perpendicular to the direction of translation of the longitudinal manipulators and which cooperate with hooks arranged at the lower part of the intermediate support, the attachment or detachment of the cage on the intermediate support being obtained, in each cell, by a small horizontal displacement followed by a lifting movement of the longitudinal manipulator of the first line.

 Advantageously, the intermediate support includes measurement devices and / or a data storage device in which the monitoring of the processing is recorded. In particular, it is possible to equip the intermediate supports with on-board temperature probes and record, for each load, monitoring of the treatment times and temperatures. This information will be read in the loading / unloading device and will be recorded on a support accompanying the parts processed in the rest of the production chain.

 It is also advantageous, in the second line, to add a refining tank to each chemical treatment tank. This arrangement allows, when only one tank is used, to use the other tank as a bath preparation tank or "premix" tank.

In addition, the space taken by the second refining tank

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 does not increase the length of the installation, because the location it occupies is useful to allow the release of the manipulator and thus avoid an overflow above the second treatment tank when it is in maintenance.

l'installation comporte des cuves de rinçage en cascade disposées de manière adjacente dans une ligne, sur le côte de chaque cuve de rinçage, on prévoit une première cloison siphoïde parallèle à la ligne, qui se raccorde à une cloison complète perpendiculaire à la ligne pour former, avec la paroi latérale et la cloison amont de la cuve, une zone d'arrivée d'eau et une deuxième cloison siphoïde perpendiculaire à la ligne qui se raccorde à une cloison complète parallèle à la ligne pour former avec la paroi latérale et la paroi aval de la cuve, une zone d'évacuation d'eau, les parois amont et aval comportant, dans les zones d'arrivée et d'évacuation d'eau, une échancrure supérieure dont la partie inférieure est sensiblement au niveau du bain de rinçage. L'alimentation en eau de rinçage se fait donc sur le côté des cuves et les cloisons siphoïdes permettent de faire circuler l'eau de rinçage tout autour de la charge avant qu'elle ne soit évacuée. According to yet another characteristic of the invention,

the installation comprises cascade rinsing tanks disposed adjacent to each other in a line, on the side of each rinsing tank, a first siphon wall is provided parallel to the line, which is connected to a complete wall perpendicular to the line for form, with the side wall and the upstream partition of the tank, a water inlet zone and a second siphon partition perpendicular to the line which is connected to a complete partition parallel to the line to form with the side wall and the downstream wall of the tank, a water evacuation zone, the upstream and downstream walls comprising, in the water arrival and evacuation zones, an upper notch, the lower part of which is substantially at the level of the rinsing. The rinsing water supply is therefore made on the side of the tanks and the siphoid partitions make it possible to circulate the rinsing water all around the load before it is discharged.

 Preferably, the upper part of the siphoid walls is crenellated in such a way that the supernatants of the rinsing bath also circulate in the tank, passing over the siphoid partitions.

 Advantageously, the water inlet and outlet zones are arranged on the outer sides of the line. In this way, these areas are accessible without having to enter the internal aisle separating the two lines, outside the generally provided side protective curtains.

 The area between the two water inlet and outlet areas constitutes a measurement and sampling area for the bath. This zone is in direct communication with the bath surrounding the load, and it is therefore possible to carry out measurements of the conditions for processing the load.

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 In addition, the water drainage zone constitutes a bath level control zone. The level measurement in this zone advantageously controls the water supply to the first tank.

 According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the lower part of the first siphon partition is curved in the direction of the downstream wall of the tank. The resulting constriction makes it possible to adjust the "flushing" of the rinsing water, that is to say the proportion of rinsing water which passes under the siphoid tank and that which passes over it.

- la figure 2 est une vue de dessus d'un deuxième mode de réalisation de l'invention ; - la figure 3 est une vue de dessus d'un troisième mode de réalisation de l'invention ; - la figure 4 représente, en perspective une cage en"U" ; - la figure 5 représente en vue de côté, une cage, son support intermédiaire et le dispositif de préhension ; - la figure 6 est une vue de côté du support intermédiaire ; - la figure 7 est une vue de dessus de trois cuves de rinçage juxtaposées ; - les figures 8 à 10 sont des coupes selon les lignes VII-VII, VIII-VIII et IX-IX de l'ensemble de cuves de la figure 7 ; - la figure 11 est une coupe partielle de la première cloison siphoïde ; - la figure 12 est une vue en coupe transversale montrant les deux manipulateurs longitudinaux ; et Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the following description, of embodiments of the invention provided by way of illustration but in no way limitative, with reference to the attached drawings in which: - Figure 1 is a top view of a first embodiment of the invention;

- Figure 2 is a top view of a second embodiment of the invention; - Figure 3 is a top view of a third embodiment of the invention; - Figure 4 shows, in perspective a cage in "U"; - Figure 5 shows in side view, a cage, its intermediate support and the gripping device; - Figure 6 is a side view of the intermediate support; - Figure 7 is a top view of three juxtaposed rinsing tanks; - Figures 8 to 10 are sections along lines VII-VII, VIII-VIII and IX-IX of the set of tanks in Figure 7; - Figure 11 is a partial section of the first siphon wall; - Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view showing the two longitudinal manipulators; and

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 - Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view showing the transverse link manipulator.

 Figure 1 shows, schematically in top view, a first embodiment of an installation according to the present invention which is intended for a manganese phosphating treatment of parts of the automotive industry, for example sprockets gearbox.

 The various treatment tanks are arranged contiguously on two parallel lines 1 and 2 which are separated by a central aisle 3. The first line 1 comprises a device 4 for loading and unloading of charges which comprises several adjacent cells 20 which can receive a cart carrying containers containing the parts to be treated. Following this loading and unloading device 4 are two cooling tanks 5 and 6, then a drying tank 10, a first alkaline rinsing tank 7 and a degreasing tank 8. The second line 2 has each of its ends a phosphating tank 9 and 11, and to each of the two phosphating tanks, there is associated an adjacent refining tank 12 and 13.

 After the refining tank 12 located in the vicinity of the loading and unloading station 4, there are three adjacent acid rinsing tanks 14, 15 and 16, then a drying tank 17 similar to the drying tank 10 of the line. 1. The two drying tanks 10 and 17 are aligned in a direction perpendicular to the two lines. A third alkaline rinsing tank 18 is placed adjacent to the drying station 17, after which are located the refining tank 13 and the phosphating tank 11. A second alkaline rinsing tank 19 is placed in aisle 3 , in transverse alignment with the first rinsing tanks 7 and third alkaline rinsing 18, these three tanks being adjacent to each other. We therefore obtain an "H" arrangement of all of the components of the installation.

 The displacement of the loads in the first line 1 is carried out by means of a first longitudinal manipulator with two axes capable of carrying out translational movements parallel to the

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 first line 1 and lowering or lifting movements of the load. A second longitudinal manipulator with two axes is provided for moving the loads in the second line 2. There is also provided a transverse manipulator for connection with three axes, which can carry out translational movements parallel to the lines of a rinsing tank with a drying tank, transverse translational movements between the three rinsing tanks and lifting or lowering movements of the loads.

 Advantageously, the various constituent elements of the installation are assembled according to pre-assembled modules, which are assembled in the factory and which are assembled together on the work site. Each of these modules comprises one or more tanks, or the loading / unloading device with the tank support device and the vapor extraction device (not shown), as well as part of the support on which the manipulators circulate.

 In the embodiment shown, a first module comprises the loading / unloading cells 20 with a first part of the support for the longitudinal manipulator of line 1, a second module consists of the two cooling tanks 5 and 6 with their support and their vapor extraction device. A third module comprises the three alkaline rinsing tanks 7, 18 and 19 with the assembly of the transverse link manipulator as well as a part of the support of the transverse manipulator of line 1 and a part of the support of the longitudinal manipulator of line 2 A fourth module comprises the degreasing tanks 8 as well as part of the support for the longitudinal manipulator of line 1, a fifth module comprises the phosphating and refining tanks 12, a sixth module comprises the three acid rinsing tanks 14 to 16, and the seventh module comprises the phosphating tank 11 with its associated refining tank 13. These last three modules comprise part of the support for the transverse manipulator of line 2.

 Figure 2 shows a variant of the installation of Figure 1. There are a number of components

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 of the installation of FIG. 1 with the difference that the two drying tanks 21 and 22 are arranged following the acid rinsing tanks 14 to 16 with which they constitute a module. Furthermore, the two cooling tanks 23 and 24 are placed at the location of the drying tanks 10 and 17 of the installation of FIG. 1. This embodiment only has six modules instead of seven in the installation. in FIG. 1, a new module grouping together the three alkaline rinsing tanks and the two cooling tanks 23 and 24 and the two drying tanks 21 and 22 being grouped in the acid rinsing module 14 to 16.

 Figure 3 shows another embodiment of the invention. We find there the loading and unloading device 4 with its cells 20, following which are successively arranged the degreasing tank 8 comprising two cells, the first alkaline rinsing tank 7, the second alkaline rinsing tank 19, and the tank third alkaline rinse 18, in which the last step of the preparation treatment is carried out. This tank 18, which is therefore the final tank for the preparation treatment, extends over the entire width of the installation, that is to say on lines 1 and 2 and on aisle 3.

 A first link transfer manipulator, which passes from the first line 1 to the second line 2, is disposed at this final tank 18. It is constituted by a transfer carriage 25 which moves longitudinally in the tank 18 and which receives loads which are deposited there by the longitudinal transfer manipulator of the first line 1 and which are taken up by the longitudinal transfer manipulator of the second line 2. It is therefore a simple manipulator with an axis of displacement.

 In the second line 2, there is, starting from the final preparation tank 18, a refining tank 12, the first phosphating tank 9 comprising three cells, the second phosphating tank 11, the first acid rinsing tank 14 , the second acid rinse tank 15, the third acid rinse tank 16 and the two drying tanks 17 and 10.

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 The cooling tank 5 is arranged in the aisle 3, at the end opposite to the device of the loading and unloading device 4, just after the final preparation tank 18. On either side of this cooling tank 5 , provision is made in each of lines 1 and 2 for a maintenance station 26 and 27 of the line longitudinal transfer manipulator.

 A second link transfer manipulator 29 is provided, which is also constituted by a transfer carriage and which transfers back from the second line 2 to the first line 1.

 In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the two link manipulators are constituted by a single manipulator with three displacement axes 63 which, as described elsewhere, carries out the forward passage from the first line 1 to the second line 2 at the alkaline rinsing tanks 7, 19 and 18 and the return passage from the second line 2 to the first line 1 at the drying tanks 17 and 10 in the case of FIG. 1 and at the cooling tanks 23 and 24 in the case of FIG. 2.

 The embodiment of FIG. 3 comprises five modules, in addition to the loading and unloading device 4. The first module comprises the degreasing cells 8, the first alkaline rinsing 7 and the second alkaline rinsing 19. The second module groups the cell refining 12 and the phosphating cells constituting the first phosphating tank 9. The third module comprises the second phosphating tank with three cells 11. The fourth module comprises the first, second and third acid rinsing tanks 14 to 16 and the drying station comprising the tanks 17 and 10. Finally, the fifth module consists of the third alkaline rinsing tank 18 and the cooling station 5.

 Each of the cells 20 of the loading and / or unloading device 4 can receive a carriage on which is placed a container constituting a basket in which the metal parts to be treated are placed. In accordance with the invention, the containers intended to receive the parts to be treated are in fact constituted by

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 a kind of "U" shaped cage with a bottom and two vertical side walls. This basket structure allows very good circulation of the treatment baths around the parts to be treated.

 Such a cage is shown in Figure 4. It has a bottom 31 and two opposite vertical side walls 32. When a cage is in position in a cell 20, the side walls 32 are parallel to the direction of the line of the tanks. Each upper wall has two rods 33 which are perpendicular to the line of tanks and which cooperate with hooks arranged at the lower part of an intermediate support capable of being gripped by a transverse manipulator or the link manipulator.

 5 shows in section such a cage 30 above which is an intermediate support 34, which can be grasped and transported by a manipulator 35. The intermediate support 34, which is shown in cross section in Figure 5, has hooks 36 which are arranged in a plane parallel to the lines of tanks at the bottom of the support 34.

These hooks 36 are fixed on horizontal transverse bars 37 arranged at the upper part of the intermediate support 34. Below these bars 37 is a plate 38 forming a cover, which is inclined relative to the horizontal as can be seen on the Figure 5, and which is folded along a transverse axis, so as to have the shape of a very open "V" directed upwards.

The bars 37 can be gripped by the manipulator 35 by means of horizontally displacing clamps.

 In FIG. 6, the intermediate support 34 is shown in its rest position in a cell 30. The ends of the bars 37 rest on supports 39 of the loading and unloading cell.

 FIG. 7 represents, in top view, the three acid rinsing tanks 14, 15 and 16, which are arranged one behind the other in the line of the installation. In this figure, we can

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 observe vapor extraction ducts 41 which are arranged above the tanks. We can also see in the first rinsing tank 14, a load constituted by an intermediate support 34 and a cage 30. The whole of this cage and its intermediate support is suspended above the bath, the cage 30 being completely submerged and hung on the intermediate support 34; the ends of the bars 37 of the intermediate support 34 rest on supports 42, arranged on the edge of the tank, which have in section the shape of a "V".

 These three acid rinsing tanks 14 to 16 are arranged and arranged in such a way that the water which arrives upstream via a line 28 circulates successively in the third rinsing tank 16, the second rinsing tank 15 and the first rinsing tank. 14, to then reach a discharge area from which the residual water is recovered, for example by means of a pump, and sent to the phosphating tanks. This is possible because we are in line 2, in an acidic treatment set.

 The different tanks are separated from each other by total partitions, that is to say partitions which are connected to the bottom of the tank, but these partition walls 44 and 45 have, on the left side, a notch allowing the cascading from one tank to another.

 According to the invention, the cascade circulation of the bath water is carried out by means of siphoid partitions which are arranged according to a particular arrangement. A first siphon partition 46 is disposed in the left part of the tank, parallel to the axis 50 of the tank line 2. This siphon partition is connected on the one hand to the upstream partition of all the tanks, and d on the other hand, to a total partition 48 which is perpendicular to the axis 50 and is connected to the left side wall 49 of the set of tanks. In the downstream part of each tank is a siphon partition 51 which is perpendicular to the axis 50 and which is connected to the side wall 49 on the one hand and, on the other hand, to a total wall 52 which is connected - even at the downstream wall of the

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 tank, namely the partition wall 44 or 45 or a wall 53 separating the first rinsing tank from the discharge zone.

 This arrangement is found in each of the tanks and each of the siphoid partitions 46 and 51 have at its upper end passages, in the form of slots, the bottom of which is substantially at the level of the bath of the tank. Each time, the walls 46 and 48 delimit a water inlet zone and the walls 51 and 52 delimit a water discharge zone. In each tank, between these two water inlet and water discharge zones, a zone 54 is in direct and complete relation with the rest of the tank. This zone is used to carry out measurements to determine the operating conditions of each of the rinsing tanks 14 to 16.

 We also see in the figure electrical resistors 55 which are used to heat the water of the third rinsing bath 16, as well as the supports 42 in the shape of a "V" on which the intermediate support 34 is placed. On the sections of the figures 8 to 10, there is shown in the tank 14 a load consisting of the cage 30 hung on the intermediate support 34. We can also see, in particular in Figure 10, the openings 65 in the form of slots of the siphoid walls.

 FIG. 11 is a partial section showing a siphoid wall 51, parallel to the line of the tanks, and a partition wall, for example, the wall 53. We can see on this section, which is a section in a plane parallel to the second line 2 in the left part of the tanks, the opening 56 arranged in the total wall 53 and the niche 65 which is arranged in the upper part of the siphon partition 51. The bottom of the opening 56 corresponds substantially to level 57 of the bath in the tank when the latter is empty and the bottom of the slots 65 corresponds substantially to the level 58 of the tank when a charge is introduced.

 According to the invention, the siphoid wall 51 is curved in its lower part, in the direction of the wall 53, so as to create a constriction which determines the "flush" of evacuation of the water from the tank when one introduces a charge into the latter. Advantageously, the depth and the shape of

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 this curvature are determined to obtain an evacuation of the bath water at 90% below the siphon partition 51 and 10% above it through the slot 65.

 We also see in these figures 8 to 10 a tube 60, arranged at the bottom of each tank transversely and centrally, which is used to effect stirring of the bath by sending air bubbles. This makes it possible to obtain a good mixing of the bath under the loads and in the zones of arrival and discharge of water, with the exception of zone 34 in which there is no disturbances and it is possible to carry out measurements as well as bath samples.

 FIG. 12 is a cross-section view through the refining and degreasing tanks 8. We can see the charges shown in broken lines and resting on the "V" supports 42 as well as the heating resistors 29. Also seen in this figure is the manipulator 61 of line No. 1 and the manipulator 62 of line No. 2 in the raised position so as to be able to circulate above all of the tanks.

 FIG. 13 is also a cross section through the alkaline rinsing tanks 7, 18 and 19. It can be seen in particular that the transverse connecting manipulator 63 is also in the high position so as to be able to flow transversely over the three rinsing tanks 7.18 and 19.

 The installation which has just been described operates in the manner which will now be specified.

 Trolleys, constituted by simple tables on casters, receive loads and they are brought into one of the cells 20 of the loading / unloading device 4. The feeding can be done manually or by automatic systems, for example those which use so-called wire-guided carriages, which move on a predefined circuit.

 The first operation consists in associating an intermediate support 34 which is assigned to each of the cells 20 to each of the charges constituted by a cage 30. First, the

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 manipulator 61 comes to grip the intermediate piece 34 which rested on the supports 39, then it makes a lifting movement to release the intermediate support 34 from the supports 39. The longitudinal manipulator of line 1 is brought into the cell considered in a position such that its hooks 36 are slightly offset relative to the attachment rods 33. A downward movement is then carried out so that the hooks 36 are below the level of the attachment rods 33. A slight translational movement is then carried out in the axis of the tank line so that the hooks are located just below the hooking rods, and we end with a lifting movement so that the rods 33 are gripped by the hooks 36. This gives a load, constituted by the cage 30 and the intermediate support 34, which will be moved throughout the installation and immersed in the various tanks.

 The charge obtained is therefore sent to the various treatment stations. In a first phase, the manipulator 61 brings the load successively into the three degreasing tanks 8, then into the first alkaline rinsing tank 7. Each time, the manipulator 61 is released from the intermediate support 34 and places the latter on the V-shaped supports 42. During the processing of a load, the manipulator 61 can handle other loads to pass them through different tanks.

 The transverse link manipulator 63 then grasps the load in the tank 7 to pass it successively through the second rinse tank 19 and the third rinse tank 18. This link manipulator 63, when it is not used, is positioned above the second rinsing tank 19 so as to allow free passage for the other two longitudinal manipulators 61 and 62, these being able to move along their entire line.

 The load is then taken by the longitudinal manipulator 62 of the second line, transported from the rinsing tank 18 to a refining tank, corresponding to the phosphating tank which is in operation, for example the refining tank 12. The charge is

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then brought into the phosphating tank 9, then into the three acid rinsing tanks 14, 15 and 16. After the acid rinsing, the load is brought to a drying station 10 or 17 then to the cooling station 6 or 5. When the treatment is finished, the load returns to its cell, where its carrying cart awaits, which can then bring it back into the production line.

Obviously, the installation simultaneously processes several loads, which are handled by one of the three manipulators 61 to 63. The manipulator 63 moreover has an intermediate position, namely above the second alkaline rinsing tank 19, where it allows the free movement of the two other transverse manipulators 61 and 62 over the entire line 1 or 2.

 The installation can operate with an active phosphating tank and a phosphating tank during cleaning, which makes it possible not to interrupt the operation of the installation for tank cleaning operations. This cleaning is further facilitated by the fact that each of the phosphating tanks 9 and 11 is accessible on three of its sides.

 In the case where only one of the tanks is in operation, it is advantageous to use the refining tank associated with the other tank during cleaning as a "premix" tank, that is to say as a tank in which one prepares the bath intended for the refining tank in operation.

 The cleaning operation of a phosphating tank is carried out in complete safety due to the fact that a partition is interposed between it and its refining tank so as to prevent any access to the phosphating tank during cleaning.

 In the embodiment of FIG. 3, all the preparation treatment stations are arranged in the first line 1 which is therefore a "clean" line, that is to say that the charges circulate in the line without danger of droplets of droplets comprising a chemical when they pass over other charges placed in a treatment station. Only the

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 third alkaline rinse tank 18 also extends over aisle 3 and second line 2.

 The second line 2 includes all the finishing treatment stations, with the exception of the cooling station 5 which is located in aisle 3, and the chemical treatment, refining 12 and phosphating tanks 9 and 11. This second line can be considered as a "dirty" line because charges comprising a chemical can circulate above other charges during treatment.

 In the two lines, the different tanks are arranged in the order of the stages of treatment starting from the loading and unloading device 4, in the first line 1, and in the opposite direction, starting from the tank for the third alkaline rinsing. 18, in the second line 2.

 In this way, any risk of fallout of droplets of phosphating product is avoided during the transfer of charges above the charges being treated. Indeed, each charge travels the entire line 2 passing through one of the phosphating tanks 9 or 11 and returns to the dry state, therefore without risk of falling droplets, passing over all the tanks to reach the level of the second link manipulator 29 which passes it into the cooling enclosure 5, then into the first line 1. The load is then taken up by the transverse manipulator of line 1 and transferred into its cell from the loading and reload 4.

 The operation in cascade of the acid rinsing tanks will be explained with reference to FIGS. 7 to 10. The level in the different tanks is regulated by means of a level measurement device placed in the zone 43 which is not turbulent and which acts on the flow rate of the clear water supply device 28. When there is no charge in a tank, the passage of the clear supply water in the third rinsing tank 16 is carried out simply below the siphon partition 46. When a charge is introduced, into the tank 16 for example, the level rises as indicated in FIG. 10 and the passage of the first bath of

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 rinsing in the tank 15 is then done 90% below the siphon partition 46 and 10% above by the slots 65; in particular the supernatants are then removed from the water supply zone towards the tank 16.

 The water sent to the tank 16 circulates in the latter, being stirred by the air bubbles sent by the pipe 60 and the bath comes out in the zone 54 to pass, still 90% below the siphon partition 51.10. % of the bath passing over the slots with the supernatants. The same phenomenon occurs for tanks 15 and 14, which ensures complete circulation of the bath, and the contaminated water located in zone 43 is evacuated, for example by a pump, and sent to a phosphating tank. This makes it possible to limit the water consumption of the installation as much as possible, to arrive at a very reduced consumption which is for example less than two liters of water per m2 of surface of the treated room.

 Thanks to the use of the intermediate support 34, the cages 30 are, each time, completely immersed in the baths, which makes it possible to avoid any interface between a bath and the external atmosphere which would risk creating damage to the cage. . In addition, it is completely cleaned in the rinsing and degreasing tanks. It can therefore be reused and returned to the production line.

 The cover 38 provides total protection for the manipulators. In addition, it collects and evacuates outside the tanks the condensates that can form above them.

 Advantageously, the intermediate supports 34 are provided with measurement devices, such as temperature sensors, as well as with data recording devices which make it possible to make a recording of the monitoring of the complete treatment, with in particular indication of the temperatures and durations of each treatment. At the end of the processing, in the loading and unloading station 4, the corresponding data

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 can be picked up and sent to an information medium accompanying the parts in the rest of the manufacturing stations.

 It can be seen that the invention makes it possible to obtain an extremely compact installation compared to current on-line installations. The fact of using two chemical treatment tanks makes it possible to obtain great flexibility in the capacity and the rate of operation of the installation. In fact, when one of the two phosphating tanks 9 or 11 is considered to be soiled and requires cleaning, the second tank is used, which makes it possible not to interrupt the operation of the installation which is only stopped when the second tank is also soiled in order to clean the two tanks. In the case of the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2 where the two treatment tanks are arranged at one end of the second line and can be isolated, the tanks can be maintained without stopping the operation of the installation.

 The arrangement of the different tanks along two lines with a central aisle makes it easy to carry out the necessary maintenance and monitoring operations.

 The use of the intermediate support makes it possible to have containers which are not damaged during treatment and which can therefore be reused. They can, in particular, be put back into service in the production line.

 The fact of providing a refining tank associated with each of the chemical treatment tanks allows, when a tank is being cleaned, to use its refining tank as a premix tank for the other chemical treatment tank, which is it active, which increases the operating rate.

 In a practical embodiment of the invention, eleven loading cells are provided, the complete treatment cycle lasts 42 minutes and a load displacement is carried out every four minutes. We can then process 4.5 tonnes per hour of phosphating parts.

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 It is understood, however, that these indications are only there to provide an example of a practical case of implementation of the invention. It should also be retained from all of the above that the invention is not limited to the modes of implementation which have been specifically described in the course of the examples above and that it extends on the contrary to any variant passing through equivalent means.

 In particular, provision may be made for the two cooling tanks to be arranged in the loading and / or unloading device in a variant according to which two additional loading / unloading cells are provided so as to obtain three cells accessible to the load carrying carriages. The other cells, including the two comprising a cooling tank, are closed and they only have supports which can receive the intermediate supports. The fact of providing three loading / unloading cells makes it possible to group the movements of the manipulator, which leaves more time for the operator who must store the empty carriages corresponding to the closed cells in the vicinity of the installation.

 Furthermore, it can be provided that the hooks of the intermediate support are directed in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the two lines and that the hooks arranged on one side of the support, for example the hooks arranged on the outside of the line, are offset from the other two hooks, a corresponding offset is provided for the rods for attaching the cage.

In this way, the first attachment rods of the cage, which are made in the form of rings, pass next to the external hooks of the intermediate support and are placed in the other two hooks. When the carriage is fully engaged in the cell, the rods are in their corresponding hooks a little above the bottom of the hooks, so that the grip of the cage is obtained by a single lifting movement of the manipulator.

Due to the axial symmetry of the arrangement of their rods, the cages can be introduced from any side, the rods being always positioned for correct positioning in the cell.

Claims (14)

 1. Installation for chemical treatment by soaking of parts contained in cages, by immersion of each cage in a tank (9,11) containing a chemical treatment bath, the parts being subjected in other tanks to a preliminary preparation treatment and in a subsequent finishing treatment, characterized in that the tanks of the various treatment stations are arranged on two parallel lines (1,2) separated by an aisle (3) allowing access to the tanks, a first line (1) comprising a single loading and unloading device arranged at one of its ends, as well as preparation tanks (7,8,18,19), and a second line (2) comprising two chemical treatment tanks (9,11) , used alternately, and finishing tanks (10,14-16, 17,21, 22), in that a longitudinal transfer manipulator (61,62) is provided in each line (1,2) to make pass each cage individually from one tank to another of the has the same line, and in that it comprises transverse transfer means (25; 63) ensuring the connection between the two lines to pass the cages from one to the other in the forward direction and in the reverse direction.  2. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that said loading and unloading station comprises several load receiving cells, each receiving a determined load at the entrance to the installation and the same load at the exit, each cell ( 20) of the loading and unloading device being advantageously capable of receiving a carriage supporting the load which is kept immobilized in the cell until the return of its load.  3. Installation according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said chemical treatment tanks (9, 11) are each arranged at one end of the second line, and in that said transverse transfer means (63) are arranged in a middle position between said two lines (1, <Desc / Clms Page number 25>  2), and advantageously constituted by a single manipulator placed at the level of a rinsing tank for the preparation treatment.  4. Installation according to claim 3, characterized in that it comprises three rinsing tanks for the preparation treatment, one arranged in each line (7.18) and the third (19) disposed between the two lines, in the aisle (3), the three tanks being aligned in a transverse direction so as to produce an "H" arrangement of all the tanks.  5. Installation according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said chemical treatment tanks (9, 11) are grouped in neighboring positions on the second line, and in that said transfer means comprise a first manipulator disposed at a tank (19; 18) of the final preparation treatment station and passing a cage from the first line (1) to the second line (2), and a second link transfer manipulator (29; 63) arranged at a tank (15; 10,17) of the final station of the finishing treatment and passing a cage from the second line (2) to the first line (1).  6. Installation according to claim 5, characterized in that a tank (19; 18) of the final preparation treatment station is disposed between the two lines (1,2), in the aisle (3), so as to extend over the entire width of the installation, and in that the first link transfer manipulator (25) is constituted by a transfer carriage circulating transversely in said final preparation tank (18).  7. Installation according to any one of claims 5 and 6, characterized in that the final station of the finishing treatment comprises an enclosure (5) disposed between the two lines <Desc / Clms Page number 26>  (1, 2), in the aisle (3) at the opposite end to the loading and unloading device (4), in that the second link transfer manipulator (29) between the two lines (1,2 ) is arranged at this final finishing enclosure (5), and in that each line (1, 2) has a maintenance station for its longitudinal transfer device (61, 62), these two maintenance stations for the device longitudinal transfer (61,62) being arranged on either side of said final finishing enclosure (5).  8. Installation according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that all the preparation tanks (8, 7,19, 18) are arranged in the first line (1), in the order of treatment, from of the loading and unloading device (4), and in that all the finishing tanks (14-16,17,10) are arranged in the second line (2), in the order of treatment, starting from the two chemical treatment tanks (9,11) going to the loading and unloading device (4).  9. Installation according to claim 2, optionally combined with any one of claims 3 to 8, characterized in that the load consists of a cage (30) in the shape of "U" containing the parts to be treated and in that an intermediate support (34) is provided for each cell of the loading and unloading device (4) which is provided with an upper horizontal wall (38) forming a cover and on which the cage remains hung for the entire duration of the treatment, the intermediate support being gripped by the manipulators and placed on each tank so that the cage is suspended in the tank and completely submerged in the treatment bath.  10. Installation according to claim 9, characterized in that the cage (30) comprises, at its upper part, horizontal rods (33) which are perpendicular to the direction of <Desc / Clms Page number 27>  translation of the longitudinal manipulator and which cooperate with hooks (36) arranged at the lower part of the intermediate support, the attachment or detachment of the cage on the intermediate support being obtained, in each cell, by a small horizontal displacement followed by a lifting movement of the longitudinal manipulator of the first line.  11. Installation according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the intermediate support comprises measurement devices and a data storage device in which the monitoring of the processing is recorded.  12. Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, in the second line (2), a refining tank (12,13) is added to each chemical treatment tank (9,11).  13. Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises cascade rinsing tanks (14-16) disposed adjacent in a line (2), in that, on the side of each rinsing tank, a first siphon partition (46) parallel to the line is provided which is connected to a complete partition (48) perpendicular to the line to form, with the side wall (49) and the upstream partition (47,44, 45) of the tank, a water inlet zone, and a second siphon partition (51), perpendicular to the line, which is connected to a complete partition (52) parallel to the line to form, with the side wall (49) and the downstream wall (44,45, 53) of the tank, a water discharge zone, the upstream and downstream walls (47,44, 45,53) comprising, in the arrival zones and water outlet, an upper notch (56) the lower part of which is substantially at the level of the rinsing bath, said arrival zones e and of water evacuation being advantageously arranged on the outside of the line, said siphoid partitions (46, 51) advantageously having slots (55) in their upper part while the lower part of the second partition <Desc / Clms Page number 28>  The siphoid (51) is advantageously curved in the direction of the upstream wall (53) of the tank (14, 15, -16).  14. Installation according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the zone (54) between the two water inlet and outlet zones constitutes a zone for measuring and withdrawing the bath and in that the zone drain is a bath level control area.