US1587303A - Electrolytic coating apparatus - Google Patents

Description

June l 1926. l 1,587,303

A. H. HART ELECTROLYTIC COATING APPARATUS Filed April 8, 1924 @OV y'frmfllw 1 I I LVL /0 hillml i l;

A TTOH/VEYS Patented June l, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.AUSTIN H. HART, OF MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO ROME RDIATION COM- PANY, INC., F ROME, NEW YORK, A. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELEGTBOLYTIC COATING APPARATUS. i

applicati mea apra s, 1924. serial No. 704,935.

The invention relates to ap aratlls for electrolytically depositing meta ie coatings upon the elements to be coated andmorc particularly to apparatus of this type adapted especially for covering radiator units with copper by electro-deposition before said units are assembled into a radiator. In apparatus of the indicated class, the electric current passing from the copper anode will travel more readily to the edges of the units or other elements than to the surfaces or sides thereof, so that the units or other elements would, under normal circumstances and with a strong current, have deposited around their edges much more copper than on their surfaces or sides. The object of the present invention is to provide a simple andv novel arrangement whereby an even deposition of copper over the entire exterior oit the unit or other element is secured and whereby high current density at the edges is avoi ed and the thickening of the deposit thereon is .prevented in an eilicient manner. Gther more specific objects of the invention will appear from the description hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, which show an example of the invention without defining its limits, Fig. 1 is a cross-section of the electric coating apparatus and Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section thereof on the line l---Q of Fig. 1.

As shown in the drawings the apparatus comprises a deposition tank 5 of suitable material and dimensions and arranged to contain the customary electrolytical bath adapted for the purpose at hand. One or more negative rods 6 are supported above said tank and extend transversely across the same as shown in Fig. 1; a strip 7 serves to support one end of said rod or rods 6i, the other end thereof extending over a negative bar 8 and being maintained in contact thereby by means of resilient devices shown at 9 in Fig. 1. Both the -strip 7 andthe bar 8 extend lengthwise of the tank 5, the bar 8 being in electrical connection with the negative pole of a source of electricity in any conventional manner. Supporting devices 10 are fixed upon the rod 6 at suitably spaced intervals for suspending therefrom the elements to be coated in the electrolytic bath of the tank 5; in the illustrated exam le these elements are radiator units 11 inten ed to be copper-covered before being assembled into aradiator.

Positive rods and 13 are mounted above the tank 5. and are sup orted at one end upon a strip 14 and at tie other cud upon a positive bar 15 which is in electrical con-4 consist in providing channeled shrouds 18y of U-shape and consisting of upright members a arranged to extend arallel with the vertical or side edges of yt e units 11 and horizontal connecting members b extending parallel with the lower edges thereof. The shrouds 18 are suspended from strips 19 suitably 'ixed in the tank 5 and in turn serve' to sup-port transverse shrouds 20, also channeled, which extend parallel with the upper edges of the units 11; the shrouds 18 and 19 are made of any suitable acid resisting dielectric material and are of such dimensions and so arranged as to be spaced from the units 11 to a predetermined extent.

These shrouds 18 and 20 avoid a high current density at the edges of the unit and thereby prevent an uneven and thickened deposit at said ed es and bring about an even deposition of t e copper over the entire exterior of the units 11. The thickness of the deposit along the edges of said units can be regulated by adjusting or constructing the shrouds in a manner to diminish or enlarge the distance between the edges of the shrouds and the units and by causing said shrouds to extend over the latter to a larger or smaller extent; the greater the distance between the edges of the shrouds and the units and the -less the latter roject into said shrouds the reater will e the amount of copper deposited on said edges.

The arrangement is simple in construction land installation and efficient in operation and may be uniformly used wherever a tendency to produce an uneven electrolytic deposit of metals upon given portions of an element exists. The improvement is particularly adapted for use in electroplating radiator units with copper. v

.Various changes in the specific form shown and described may be made within the scope of. the claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. In an electrolytical a paratus for the electro-deposition of a meta lic coating comvbe coated in said bat means for suspending a cathode and an anode therein, and adjustable inde endent channelled members enclosing t e peripheries of said elements adapted to regulate the deposition of metal `upon said peripheries.

3. In an clectrolytical apparatus for the electro-deposition of a metallic coating com rising a tank containing an electrolytic ath, means for suspending the elements to be coated in said bath, means for sus endin a cathode and an anode therein, BJI-)shape shrouds having channeled members extending parallel with portions of the peripheries of said elements and channeled, transverse `shrouds extending parallel with other p0rtions of said peripheries to re late the deposition of metal upon said perlpheries.

4. In an electrolyt1cal apparatus for the electro-deposition of a metallic coating comprising a tank containing an electrolytic ath, a negative rod for suspending a substantially rectangular radiator unit in said bath, positive rods upon opposite sides of said negative rod for respectively suspending a cathode and a copper anode in said bath upon opposite sides of said unit, a U- sha ed channeled shroud extending parallel to t e vertical and lower edges of said unit at predetermined distances and a channeled transverse' shroud bridgin said U-shaped shroud and extending para lel to the upper edge of said unit at a predetermined distance, said shrouds being of acid resisting and dielective material and arranged to regllate the deposition of copper upon said ges.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

AUSTIN H. HART.

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