GB428488A - Improvements in or relating to electro-plating - Google Patents

Abstract

428,488. Roller-conveyer apparatus for electroplating. HEATH, A. R. N., Rowans, Hartington Road, Chiswick, and TAPP, T. C., 70, Drayton Gardens, Fulham Road, both in London. Feb. 8, 1934, No. 4145. [Class 41] Metal sheets are passed to a plating bath H, Fig. 1, over a roller B, preferably of aluminium, serving as the electric connection ; means are provided to bend the sheet round the roller so as to make contact over a substantial area. The bending should not be sufficient to deform the sheet permanently. The means shown comprise feed-rollers E between which is mounted a member F carrying a number of subordinate rollers. Similar feeding and connecting arrangements are provided at the exit from the bath, from which the sheets are led to a washing bath L and removed therefrom in a similar manner. The arrangement must be such that each sheet makes contact with the exit roller before its rear end leaves the entrance roller. From the bath L the sheets are delivered between squeegee rollers E<2>, E<3> to a delivery shoot S. A11 of the rollers E and the roller E<2> are driven by a single chain G. The plating bath H is provided with anodes H<1>, H<2> which are shaped conformably to the hanging sheets and are provided with guides H<3> between which the sheets move. The guides H<3> are discontinuous in the direction of motion to permit access of fresh electrolyte to the sheets. Inclined glass guides L<1> are provided in the bath L. The main rollers B, C of the plating bath are connected to the current supply at at least two points spaced along the axis. In one form the spindles B<1>, Fig. 7, of the rollers are provided with partly spherical extensions K engaged by similarly shaped brushes K<1> connected together by a hoop-like bus-bar K<2>. The anodes are connected to the currentsupply at each lateral extremity. Electrolyte is pumped through the cell H at right angles to the direction of motion of the sheets from a pipe M<3>, leaving by a sill at one end and passing through a filter M<4> containing purifying or regenerating material back to the reservoir M. The speed of flow should be such as to change the body of electrolyte at least five times per minute. Washing liquid is supplied to the bath L by pipes N<3> having perforations arranged to direct the liquid on to the sheets ; the liquid returns through filters N<5> to a reservoir N'.