US2142829A - Plating machine - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 3, 1939.' J. F. TRUDEAU PLATING MACHINE Filed Jan. 13, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. @Uffa/dean( f BY ATTORNEYS Jan. 3, 1939.` J F, TRUDEAU 2,142,829 Y PLATING MACHINE i Filed Jan.. 13, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. \/o77n 704646( ATTORNEYS. A

Patented Jan. 3, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PLATING MACHINE John F. Trudeau, Detroit, Mich., assignor toI Udylite Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Indiana Application January I3, 1936, Serial No. 58,903

6 Claims.

carriers. It is an object of this invention to provide aconveyer and Work-carrier arrangement in which the spacing of the work-carriers one from the other may be very readily achieved both when the machine is running as well as when it is not running.

It is also an object of this invention to produce av plating machine which will run very easily and efficiently under full loads, achieved by so arranging the conveyer, Work-4 carrier, and conveyer track so that no binding will .occur between the conveyer and its track during operation of the machine under load. This object has also been achieved by arranging the conveyer. and work-carrier so that they are self-adjusting on the straightawayas well as the curved portions of the track.-

It is another object of this invention to produce a plating machine which is simple in structure and efficient in operation. This object has been achieved by making a single rail serve both as thel cathode rail and conveyer support rail upon which the work-carriers travel having a sliding fit so that the Work-carriers continuously wipe the cathode rail to; effect a good contact between the cathode rail and Work-carriers.

In the drawings: Y

Fig. 1 is a perspective showing the complete plating machine. l

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section through the machine. Y

Fig, 3 is a fragmentary detail showing the conveyer and work-carrier i'n self-adjusted relation with a curved portion of the cathode rail.

Fig. 4 isV a detail of the Work-carrier. Fig. 5 is a detail showing the manner in which the work-carriers may be spaced and coupledwith the conveyer chain.

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view through the conveyer and work-carrier showing the conveyer and work-carrier adjusted laterally oi the conveyerl This object has beenA (Cl. ZIM- 5) tank I for the plating solution, an anode rail 2 carried by, land insulated from, the tank I for supporting thesoluble metal anodes, an anode lead 3, a cathode rail l2, a cathode lead 5, a work conveyer generally -designated 6, and a driving mechanism generallydesignated 1.

Ihe driving mechanism 'I and conveyer 6 may be supported upon the tank by any suitable support. As shown, this support comprises a pair of angle irons 8 supported at one end of the tank by the member 9 and by the support members 4D. The angle irons 8 in turn support the depending members I Il which carry the crosswise support members II upon which is mounted the cathode 4rail I2.f As shown, the cathode rail I2 is preferably a solid copper rod which is circular in crosssection and which forms'an endless loop along which the work travels. as the cathode rail in the cathodic .portionof the plating circuit, the cathode rail also servesl an additional function, namely, as a rail 'or track along which the Work-carriers and conveyer chain travel and upon which they are supported.

The work conveyer comprises the endless chain I3 and the Work-carriers I4. -The endless chain I3, as shown, comprises a plurality of links and is mounted over an idler sprocket I5 at one end of the plating tank I and over a driving sprocket I6 at the other end of the plating tank. The sprocket I5 is journaled in suitable support bearing carried by the angle irons 8.- The driving mechanism 'I may be of any suitable make and comprises an electric motor and gear reduction transmission Which are connected-in driving relation with the sprocket I6 in any of the well known ways.

The endless chain I3 comprises a plurality of 'links I1 which are swivelly connected by the hollow studs 4I and bushings I8 so that the chain is fdexible.4 The hollow studs 4I have a press t connection with the outer link members I'I and the bushings I8 have a press fit with the inner link members Il. The bushings I8 are freely rotatable about the studs 4I. The chain is unguided and unsupported except through the work- M carriers I4. The work-carriers I4 comprise a' head portion 23 and a hook portion 28 for en gagement with the work, either directly, or indirectly through an additional work-carrier.- The underside of the head portion 23 forms a bearing surface I9 which is curved and preferably cylindrical or arcuate in form so that it will contact throughout its entire area with the cylindrical surface of the cathode rail I2. The upper face of the head 23 forms a rbearing surface 20 In addition to serving upon which the conveyer chain I3 is supported. The head 23 also carries a pin 2l which is arranged to project into an axial. opening 22 in the hollow stud li of the chain. The pin 2i preferably has a oating t in the opening 22 and to this end a small clearance of about -116 of an inch is provided between the pin 2l and opening 22.

As shown in Fig. 2, the work 2d will normally be supported on the hook 23 so that a vertical plane passing through the point at which the work is supported upon the hook 28, the longitudinal axis of the cathode rail I2, and the vertical longitudinal axis of the pin 2l Will bisect the bearing I9 so that one half of the bearing I9 will lie on each -side of the longitudinal axis of the cathode rail I2. In Fig. 6, for illustrative purposes, the work 215 is mounted on the end 2li of. the work-carrier hook 2B thereby swinging the work-carrier Id ,several degrees in a counterclockwise direction about the cathode rail I2, but

since the 4hearing Ill has a cylindrical surface there will be no binding between the bearing surface I9 and the cylindrical surface of the cathode rail I2. Although inA actual practice the work 2A would not be mounted on the end'25 of the work-carrier Il, the showing in Fig. 6

illustrates the fact that the work-carrier canbe swung about the cathode rail I2 through several degrees due to the flexibility of the chain I3 and at the same time no binding will occur between the work-carrier bearing I9 and the cathode rail I2. In those instances where the work swings the work-carrier but a few degrees more or less, the floating t permitted by the clearance between the pin ZI and socket 22 will permit this swing without flexing the chain I3.

Hou/ever, where the Work swings the holder through several degrees, the pin 2l will contact the face yof the socket 22 and thereby flex or cant the chain I3, as shown in Fig. 6. However, it will be noted that this canting of the chain will not in anywise cause any binding between the fixed cathode rail I2 and the bearing surface I9 of the holders Ill. In the fabrication of a long rod such as the cathode rail I2, it is difficult to make itperfectly straight. Also during the operation of the plating machine while traveling around the curved ends of. the cathode rail the workcarriers have a tendencyto swivel about the cathode rail. As the chain I3 leaves either of the sprockets I5 or I6, it has a tendency to follow the sprocket or move inwardly of -the cathode rail thus again causing the work-carriers to swivel about the cathode rail I2. The floating mounting of the work-carriers Id upon the cylindrical cathode ran-I2 prevents any binding due to any of the above-mentioned conditions obtaining in this type of a plating machine.

As shown in Fig. 5, the carriers Il can be very easily coupled or uncoupled with the chain I3 both while the chain I3 is in motion as well as when it is at resfl by merely raising the chain upwardly and inserting the pin 2i into the socket 22 or removing the pin 2l from the socket 22. This simple coupling relation between the carriers I4 and the chain I3 permits the operator to very easily space one carrier from the other whatever distance required or desired depending upon the nature of the work being plated.

Since the cathode rail I2 also serves as a support rail for, the carriers Il and the chain I3, the structure of the machine is simplified in that the need for an additional cathode rail and contact for the work-carriers is obviated. At the same timethe work-carriers I4, as they slide along the aiaaeae rail, wipe its surface and continuously effect an excellent electrical contact with the rail.

It will be noted that the work-carriers I4 are the sole support and guides for the chain I3. The carriers I4 in effect serve as shoes which support the chain I3 and slide along the cathode rail I2. Due to the fact that the bearing surface I9 is cylindrical or arcuate' to conform to the cylindrical surface of the cathode rail I2, the chain is kept in alignment with, and above, the cathode rail I2 and this arcuate bearing contact between the cathode rail and work-carrier head 23 prevents lateral displacement of the chain I3 to one or the other side of the rail I2. The length of the bearing surface I9 will be determined by Various factors, one in'particular of which is the radius of the arc of any curve in the cathode rail I2 which the bearing I9 must negotiate. Of necessity, the length of the bearing I9 should be sufficiently short so that when it travels along a curve, as shown in Fig. 3, it will not dig in to the inside face of a curve in the cathode rail I2. Preferably, as shown in Fig. 3, the head 23 of the work support is curved rearwardly fromits leading point or edge 26 and inwardly as at 21. The leading point or edge 26 is in a plane which bisects the arcuate bearing surface I9. Thus, as the carrier travels in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 3, the portion of the bearing vsurface I9 on the inside portion of the curve on the cathode rail will not dig in.

I claim: y l ll In an electroplating machine, a rail, a -plurality of work-carriers supported upon, and arranged to travel along, the said rail, a flexible chain for moving the said work-carriers along the said rail, said chain being freely movable upwardly from said rail, and a coupling between the work-carriers and the chain freely disconnectable by moving thel chain upwardly from the said rail. 1

2. In an electroplating machine, a rail, a plurality of work-carriers supported upon, and arranged to travel along, the said rail, a iiexible chain for moving the said work-carriers along the said rail, said chain being freely movable upwardly from said rail, a pin and socket coupling between the said work-carrier and chain whereby the work-carrier can be easily .disconnected from the chain by moving the chain upwardly from the f rail to withdraw the pin from the said socket.

\3. In an electroplating machine, a rail, a plurality of work-carriers 'supported upon, and arranged to travel along, the said rail, a flexible chain for moving the said work-carriers along the said rail, said chain being freely movable upwardly and away from said rail, a pin carried by the said Work-carrier, and a socket in the said chain arranged to receive the said pin whereby the said pin is operatively connected in driving relation with the said work-carriers and freely disconnectable by moving the chain upwardly.

4. In a plating machine, a rail, a work-carrier slidably mounted upon the said rail and freely movable transversely of said rail, a flexible chain supported by the said work-carrier for propelling the work carried along the said rail, said chain being freely movable upwardly from said rail, and a oating separable connection between the said chain and work-carrier whereby the said work-carrier can swing laterally about the said rail within the limits of the floating connection without canting the said conveyer chain and said chain can be disconnected from said work carrier by moving the chain upwardly.

5. In an electro-plating machine, a rail, a exible chain mounted above the said rail and freely movable upwardly from said rail, a plurality of work-carriers slidably mounted upon the said rail between the chain andrail, disconnectable pin and socket connections between the said chain and work-carriers whereby the chain propels the Work-carriers along the rail, the said chain being ilexibie whereby the same can be raised above the said rail to disconnect the pin and socket connections between the said work-'carriers and chain and permit the work-carriers to be moved along the said cathode rail to change their spacings, the movement of the chain back toward the rail serving to reconnect the pin and socket connections between the chain and the work-carriers.

6. In an electroplating machine, a rail, a flexible chain mounted above the said rail comprising a plurality of links and pins for swivelly connecting the said links, each of said pins having an opening therein, a plurality of work-carriers slidably mounted upon the said rail between the chain antNhe rail for supporting the said chain, each of the said work-carriers having a pin arranged to engage an opening in one of the pins of the said chain whereby the said chain can be moved away from the said support rail to withdraw the work-carrierv pin from the opening in the said chain and thereby permit the spacing between the carriers to be changed, the movement of the chain toward the rail serving to reinsert the work-carrier pin in an opening in one of the chain pins to reconnect the carrier and the chain.

JOHN F. TRUDEAU.

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