US1504700A

US1504700A - Electroplating apparatus

Info

Publication number: US1504700A
Application number: US582337A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mujica Jose Luis
Original assignee: U S Galvanizing & Plating Equi
Current assignee: U S Galvanizing & Plating Equi; U S Galvanizing & Plating Equipment Corp
Priority date: 1922-08-17
Filing date: 1922-08-17
Publication date: 1924-08-12
Anticipated expiration: 1941-08-12

Description

Aug. 12, 1924.

J. L. MUJICA ELECTROPLATING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 17, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet I' Aug. 12, 1924. 1,504,700

. J. MUJICA ELECTHOPLAT ING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 17 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 vemtoz QjLa Aug. 12 1924. 1,504,700

J. L. MUJICA ELECTROPLATING APPARATUS Gite -2131 y Patented Aug. 12, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,504,700 PATENT OFFICE.

JOSE LUIS MUJICA, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO U. S. GALVANIZIhTG & PLATING EQUIPMENT CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

ELEOTROPLATING APPARATUS.

Application filed August 17, 1922. Serial No. 582,337.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J osii LUIS MUJICA, a citizen of Chile, residing at 32 Stockton Street, Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electroplating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for liquid treatment of articles and particularly to apparatus in which articles to be treated are suspended on traveling carriers and conveyed through the liquid bath, forinstance, a cleaning or coating liquid or electrolyte.

The objectof the invention is to provide improved apparatus for conveying the articles through the bath, and when the articles are to be electroplated, supplying current thereto and maintaining a constant uniform elficiency of the bath.

1 Further objects of the invention particularlyv inv improved mechanism for support,

ing and driving the conveying means will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the invention illustrating 1t in-connection with a so called one man tank.

W a Fig. 2 is an elevational side view of the same.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are sectional elevational views taken on lines 33, 4.-4 and 5-5 respectively of Figs. 1 and2. 7

Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views of the carrier hook.

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view on line 77 of Fig. 1, and

Fi 9 is a side elevation similar to Fig. 2'

but i lustrating a modification.

In the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7 the liquid bath is contained in a tank 10. The articles to be treated are suspended in the liquid and moved therethrough by endless conveying means comprising a track 11 on which slide carriers 12 (see Figs. 6 and 7) provided with depending hook portions 13 on which are hung the articles or the baskets containing the articles. In the specific apparatus shown the articles are to be electroplated and the track 11 is a cathode conductor and the anodes 14 (see Fig. 9) are sus ended-from anode tubes or bars-15 exten ing along each side of the path of the articles. Stirrers 16 are provided fofthe electrolyte to keep it constantly in motion in such manner as to avoid any excessive agitation of the electrolyte and at the same time to ensure a rapid and even deposit of the plating metal on the articles. Each stirrer 16 (see Figs. 3, 4;, 5) is a horizontal bar pivoted to parallel bell cranks 17 1:7 oscillated by a reciprocating rod 18 linked to a crank drive 19 on shaft 20. Preferably there are a plurality of these stirrers arranged along the sides of the tank 10 in pairs, and with the members of each pair moving in opposite directions. Thus when A one stirrer is rising the other member of the pair is moving downward and vice versa.

The drive for the articles slides the car riers 12 along the track 11 and comprises an endless chain 25 running on sprockets 21, 26 at each end of the machine and preferably guided at its straight portions in the channels 27 (Fig. 3). Certain links of the chain carry projecting pins 28 engaging in recesses 29 in the carriers 12 so as to draw the carriers along the track 11. As will be noted from Figs. 6 and 7 there is opportunity for relative movement between the carrier and chain due to shifting of the pin 28 in recess 29. This avoids all danger of jamming the carrier or chain and permits the carrier to easily ride over any inequalities of .the track.- The carrier may act as a sup ort for the chain or the latter may be in ependently sustained by the sprockets and uides as shown. Preferably the chain .90 will he insulated from the carriers by the' cup sl30 between the pins and carriers.

e driving and conveying apparatus is supported from the tank sides by

cross members

31, 32, 33 and 34. The cross member 31 (see Fig. 5) carries at its center the vertical belt or spindle35 to the lower end of which is fastened the semi-circular end 36 of the track 11. 'Above the track and concentric therewith is mountedthe drive sprocket 21 connected to turn with the wormwheel 22 driven by the worm 23 of shaft 20 driven in turn from pulley 24 through the reduction changespeed gearing 4C0 permitting the speed of the drive to e changed with rela- 5 tlonto the pulley s eed. The cross members-32, 33 (Fig. 39am supports for the, trackll and anode bars 15. Thecross member 34 (Fig. 8) carries the idler sprocket 26 on a stud 41 mounted on an adjustable bracket 42 so that the sprocket may be moved longitudinally to control the tautness of the chain and take up wear. Concentric with the sprocket 26 on stud shaft 41 is the semicircular segment 43 of the track 11 an adjustable sliding fit 14: being provided between the track and segment.

In Fig. 9 a modified form of tank is shown in which the driving and conveying mechanism instead of being supported from the tank 10. is suspended from a superstructure S which in turn may be hung from overhead support. The cross members 31, 32',33', 34:, which support the track 11 sprockets 21, 26 and anode bars 15, are fastened to the longitudinal beam members 45 connected into a frame by the cross pieces 46, the whole being supported from above.

In using the apparatus of this invention the operator standing at some convenient -part of the tank hooks the articles onto carriers 12 as they pass to his right and re moves the treated articles as they return at his left. The current enters by the bus rod 50 connected to the anode bars and passes from the anodes through the solution to the articles and thence to the track and cathode bus rod 51 (Fig. 4:).

The conveying means carries the articles smoothly around the tank as many times as desired before removal and where the articles are to be electroplated they are con tinuously supplied with current due to the even, constant contact between the carrier and track attained by the flexible connection to the conveyor chain. Fresh electrolyte is also continuously supplied to the articles in smooth and even manner by the stirring means, which maintains a balanced density of the bath, and when used in conjunction with the electric current will tend to remove jar from the articles being plated. The result is a thorough, eificient plating action at all times and a. perfect deposit of the metal on the articles.

I claim 1. In apparatus for liquid treatment of articles,-the combination with a tank, of endless means for supporting and moving the articles around the tank, and means for supporting said conveying means from the tank comprising a series of cross members and an adjustable connection permitting the length of said article supporting and conveying means to be varied.

2. In apparatus for liquid treatment of articles, the combination with a tank for an electrolyte, of means for supporting and conveying the articles around the tank, means for supporting said conveying means comprising a series of cross members and means for suspending said cross-members from a support above said tank.

3. In apparatus "for liquid treatment of articles the combination with a tank, of

stirring means comprising pairs of horizontal stirrers and means for moving said stirrers up and down parallel with each other.

4. In apparatus for liquid treatment of articles the combination with a tank, of stirring means comprising pairs of horizontal stirrers and means for moving said stirrers up and down in alternation with each other.

5. In' apparatus for liquid treatment of articles the combination with a tank, of stirring means comprising pairs of horizontal stirrers and means for moving said stirrers up and down in alternation with each other and maintaining said stirrers substantially parallel to each other.

6. In apparatus for liquid treatment of articles adapted to move the articles through the treating liquid, a hook adapted to slide along a supporting trackway and having means for suspending the articles and means unconnected with said hook and adapted to engage the same and to move it along said trackway.

7. In apparatus for liquid treatment of articles adapted to move the articles through the treating liquid, a hook adapted to slide along a supporting trackway and having means for suspending the articles, the center of gravity through the point of suspension passing vertically through said trackway and means unconnected with said hook and adapted to engage the same and to move it along said trackway.

8. In electroplating apparatus the combination with anodes vertically adjustable and horizontally adjustable at variable distances from the cathode.

9. In apparatus for liquid treatment of articles, the combination with a tank for the electrolyte, of conveying means for supporting and moving the articles around the tank, and worm gearing for driving said conveying means comprising change speed gearing foryarying the rate of travel of said conveying means.

10. In electroplating apparatus for liquid treatment of articles, the combination with a tank, of an endless conveyor for supporting and moving the articles therethrough, and means for adjusting the length of said conveyor.

11. In apparatus for liquid treatment of articles, the combination withv a tank, of an endless track for supporting the articles in the electrolyte, means for moving said articles, and means for adjusting the length of said track.

12. In apparatus for liquid treatment of articles, the combination with a tank, of an endless conveying means comprising a track, supports for the articles adapted to slide along said track, means for moving said supports along said track, and means for simultaneously adjusting said track and moving means.

:13. In apparatus for liquidtreatment of articles, the combination with an endless track, of supports for the articles adapted to slide along said track, and an endless conveyor separate from said supports and adapted to engage said supports to move them along said track.

14. In apparatus for liquid treatment of articles, the combination with a track, of a support for the articles to be plated comprising a slide portion and a depending hook portion, said slide portion being provided with a socket for engagement by a movable member to slide said support along said track.

15. In electroplating apparatus for liquid treatment of articles, the combination with a track, of means for conveying the articles to be plated along said track oomprising a support member having a slide portion fitted to said track and adapted to be engaged by a movable conveyor member to slide said vsupport along said track.

16. In electroplating apparatus the combination with a track, of means for conveying the articles to be plated along said track comprising a support member having a slide portion adapted to be engaged by a movable conveyor member to slide said support along said track, said support being a separate detachable member adapted to be removed from said track.

17. In electroplating apparatus the com bination with a track, of means for conveying the articles to be plated along said track comprising a support member having a slide portion adapted to be engaged by a movable conveyor member to slide said support along said track, said support being a'separate detachable member adapted to be removed from said track and conveying means.

JOSE LUIS MUJICA.