GB1407122A - Plated elongate electrical components - Google Patents

Abstract

1407122 Electro-plating or electroless plating small components COMTELCO (UK) Ltd 18 Feb 1974 [20 Feb 1973] 8277/73 Headings C7B and C7F A plurality of conductive components e.g. reed switch contacts 3 are plated, e.g. with gold electrolytically or electrolessly, by loosely filling the components to lie in axial orientation in an insulating pot 1 e.g. of plastic with the surfaces to be plated 3B adjacent a perforate end 2A thereof retaining the components when facing downwards, lowering the pot first consecutively into a series of preparation baths then into a plating bath 4 to a depth to plate only the surface 3B to the desired thickness whilst vigorously agitating the components in a vertical direction, e.g. by a vibrator acting upon the pot or (as shown) a fluctuating magnetic field generated by an electromagnet 5 acting upon magnetic components, immersing the perforate end in at least one washing tank, and after lifting therefrom, opening the pot and removing the plated components. For electro-plating the pot is provided with a conducting surface 1 A, e.g. of Ni, Fe and/or Co, parallel with and spaced apart from the perforate end 2A, e.g. a mesh in a removable cap 2, by a distance greater than the components' length, and an external connector 6 joining the surface 1 A to the negative of current supply 8, each component making repeated contact with the conducting surface above during agitation. Holes 2B in the side wall of the cap 2 provide liquid access.