US3345282A

US3345282A - Portable barrel plating unit

Info

Publication number: US3345282A
Application number: US388432A
Authority: US
Inventors: Carl W Jenks
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-08-10
Filing date: 1964-08-10
Publication date: 1967-10-03
Anticipated expiration: 1984-10-03

Description

0d. 3, 1967 w, JENKS 3,345,282

' PORTABLE BARREL PLATING UNIT I Filed Aug. 10, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR CARL vv JENKS AT TO RNEYS Oct. 3, 1967 c. w JENKS PORTABLE BARREL PLATI NG UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 10, 1964 FIG-4 I v Q United States Patent 3,345,282 PURTABLE BARREL PLATING UNIT Carl W. Jenks, 1131 Gstrander, La Grange Park, 111. 60525 Filed Aug. 10, 1964, Ser. No. 388,432 Claims. (Cl. 204213) My invention relates to a portable barrel platting unit, and more particularly, to an electroplating barrel unit that comprises a self-contained portable electroplating barrel or cylinder device which may be utilized in connection with standard barrel plating equipment.

Barrel plating units of the type to which the invention relates generally comprise a frame in which the plating barrel or cylinder is rotatably mounted, with the unit as a whole, when in use, being suspended within a plating tank so as to dispose the barrel in a submerged position in the plating liquid.

These units have conventionally included several contact arms that are fixed to the frame for contact with a cathode bar disposed at one side of the tank.

It frequently happens that one or the other of these contact arms does not make good contact with the cathode bar, and also, cathode bars may be at different elevations with respect to the tank rim in different installations in which the portable barrel units may be used, with the result that the barrel unit frame may be cocked off its desired vertically disposed operating position with accompanying adverse results.

A principal object of my invention is to provide a portable barrel plating arrangement in which the desired vertically disposed operating position and desired contact of both contact arms are assured in spite of the varied cathode bar positions that may be encountered in practice.

Another principal object of the invention is to provide a contact arm arrangement for portable barrel plating units that permits the same unit to be used for both forward and center or overhead contact arrangements.

Still other objects of the invention are to provide a simplified unitary framearrangement for portable barrel plating units, to provide a unique barrel journalling arrangement for portable barrel unit frames'that permits the barrel to be readily removedfrom the unit, and to provide a portable barrel plating unit that is economical of manufacture, convenient and efiicient in use, and readily adapted for application to existing plating installations.

Other objects, uses and advantages will be obvious or become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description and the application drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a specific embodiment of the portable barrel comprising my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmental cross-sectional view taken along line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmental side elevational view of the unit shown in FIGURE 1, taken from the right hand side of FIGURE 1, and showing diagrammatically how the unit may be applied to cathode bars of different heights;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 3, but showing the unit employed in a center or overhead contact arrangement;

FIGURE 5 is similar to FIGURE 4, but shows the unit of FIGURE 4 suspended within a conventional plating liquid tank; and

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 3, but shows the unit applied to a conventional plating tank in connection with a forwardcontact arrangement.

' However, it is to be understood that the specific drawplating unit ing illustrations provided are supplied primarily to comply with the requirements of 35 U.S.C. 112, and that the invention may take other specific embodiments.

Reference numeral 10 of FIGURE 1 generally indicates a specific embodiment of my portable barrel plating unit invention, which comprises a frame 12 journaling a plating barrel or cylinder14 for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis, a contact assembly 16 comprising a pair of contact bars 18 pivoted to frame 12 as by pins 20, and a suitable drive arrangement generally indicated at 22 for rotating the plating barrel or cylinder 14.

In accordance with this invention, the contact bars 18 are pivoted as at 20 to the frame 12, and are provided with contact notches or areas 24 at like ends 26 to provide electrical contact in the forward contact position shown in FIGURES 3 and 6.

Also, contact bars 18 are joined together at their contact forming ends 26 by resiliently flexible cross bar member 28 which is in the form of a U-shaped member defining depending ends 30 that are applied to the ends 26 of the cross bars 18 to extend outwardly of the respec tive cross bars in the manner shown in FIGURES 1 and 36.

The ends 30 and the cross bar ends 26 define contact notches or areas 32 that in accordance with my invention adapt my unit for the central or overhead contact arrangement shown in FIGURE 4, this being done by merely pivoting the contact assembly 16 to the position of FIGURE 3 and hooking the ends 26 over the cathode bar.

Frame 12 generally comprises a pair of spaced

side frames

40 and 42 of rectangular configuration joined together at the

ends

44 and 46 of the unit by cross tie members or bars 48.

The lower ends of the side frames 40 may be flanged as at 50 to provide adequate fioor bearing surface when the frame 12 is resting on the floor or the like, and the upper ends 52 may be flanged as at 54 to serve as a support for a cover 56 (see FIGURE 1) of a suitable motor housing 58 that is built into frame 12 between the side frames 4 and 42 to support and house motor device 22.

The

side frames

40 and 42 and cross tie member 48 are preferably fabricated from steel bars or the like to define an integrally united framework that is provided with a suitable coating 60 (see FIGURE 2) that is electrically insulating and plating liquid-resisting in characteristics.

The plating barrel or cylinder 14 is conventional in construction and is journalled in any appropriate manner, as by conventional tubular bearing devices 61, in end panels 62 for rotation under the driving action of motor device 22, which drives same through appropriate gearing of a conventional type that is generally indicated at 64. Gearing 64 meshes with agear 66 that is fixed to one end of the barrel or cylinder 14.

As indicated in the drawings, end panels 62 are preferably secured to the vertical barv members 68 of the

respective side frames

40 and 42 by suitable bolts 70 which extend into the end panels from the outwardly facing surfaces 72 of the side frame vertical bars 68. This permits the entire barrel unit including the end panels 62 to be removed from frame 12 by merely detaching the bolts 70 of both of the end panels 62.

The respective contact bars 18 are pivotally secured to the respective cross tie members 48 of frame 12 (see FIGURE 2) by journalling them on a threaded stud (see FIGURE 2) that forms pin 20 and is received through an electrically insulating sleeve or bushing 82 mounted in an appropriate opening 84 formed in the respective cross tie members 48.

Also received over each stud 80 is an electrical contact dangler lug 86 of cable 88 that leads the respective hearing devices 61 to the respective electrodes within the a rel or cylinder 14.

A nut 90 turned up against insulating Washer 92 completes the pivot assembly for the respective contact arms or bars 18.

The insulating sleeve or bushing 82 and washer 92 may be formed from any suitable electrical insulating material.

Bars or arms 18 are formed from a good electrical conductive material such as copper or the like and preferably have substantially the shape indicated in the drawings to define the

notches

24, 32 and perforation 94 through which the threaded stud 80 passes.

The cross bar 28 is likewise formed from copper and is fixed to the respective contact bar ends 26 in any suitable manner, as by Welding.

The contact assembly 16 comprising the contact bars or arms 18 and the cross bar 28 is preferably covered with a'suitable electrical insulating coating, such a olyvinyl chloride, except in the areas of

notches

24 and 32 and at the contact positions 96 where lugs 86 make contact with the respective contact bars or arms 18. These latter positions are left bare for good electrical contact purposes.

It may be added that the pivotal connection arrangement shown in FIGURE 2 is identical at the left hand side of the unit as shown in FIGURE 1.

As indicated, the cross bar member 28 of the contact assembly 16 is applied to the ends 26 of contact bars or arms 18 at an angle on the order of 45 degrees with respect to the plane of the bars 18 to define the contact area 32.

In operation, if the unit 12 is to be applied to the forward contact position of FIGURE 6, after the barrel or cylinder is appropriately filled and closed, through the usual door 100, the unit is picked up and lowered over a plating liquid tank 102 (see FIGURE 6) so that the frame 12 enters the liquid and the contact arms or bars 18 extend more or less horizontally over the

edges

104 and 106 of the tank, with the contact area or notch 24 substantially aligned with the cathode bar 108 of a suitable apparatus that is indicated in blocked diagram form as a whole at 110.

The unit is then lowered until the ends 27 of the contact bars 18 rest on the tank edge 106 and the notches 24 of ends 26 rest on the cathode bar.

After the anode device is appropriately applied to tank 102, the plating unit may be operated in the usual conventional manner, rotation of the barrel or cylinder 14 being achieved by using appropriate switch arm 112 to actuate motor device (after the latter has been connected to a suitable source of power).

The resiliently flexible nature of cross bar 28 permits the weight of the unit to firmly seat both contact areas or notches 24 of contact bars or arms 18 against the cathode bar.

Furthermore, the pivotal connection between the contact bars or arms and the unit frame 12 insures that the frame 12 will be disposed in its desired vertical position even though the cathode bar might be at different heights with respect to the upper edge of the plating liquid tank, as depicted in FIGURE 3. In the broken line position of FIGURE 3 it is assumed that the contact bars or arms at their ends 27 are held by a suitable supplementary support 114, but in any event it will be noted that the frame 12 will have its desired vertically disposed position in either position of the contact assembly 18.

In the event that the device 10 is to be applied to a center contact situation in which the cathode bar 108A (see FIGURES 4 and 5) is positioned over the plating tank 102A, it is only necessary to pivot the contact assembly to substantially the vertical position of FIGURES 4 and 5 and then hook the contact assembly over the cathode bar 108A to suspend the entire unit within tank 102A with the barrel immersed in the liquid. The plating o eration may then proceed in the usual and customary manner.

It will therefore be seen that I have provided a novel portable barrel plating unit incorporating a contact assembly that is readily adapted to both center and forward contact situations, and that insures that good contact with the cathode bar will be made by both contact arms and that the barrel frame will be in its proper vertically disposed operating position.

The unitized frame is of simplified and efficient design and permits ready application thereto of the end panels in which the plating barrel or cylinder is journalled. And, as already indicated, the plating barrel is readily removed as a unit from the frame by merely detaching the end panels from the unit side frame members.

The foregoing description and the drawings are given merely to explain and illustrate my invention and the invention is not to be limited thereto, except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, since those skilled in the art who have my disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. An electroplating barrel unit comprising:

an electroplating barrel,

frame means for journalling said barrel for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis,

and a contact assembly secured to said frame means,

said contact assembly comprising:

a pair of contact arms pivotally secured to said frame inter-mediate their respective ends on either side of said frame means for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal axis,

said arms each having a forward electrical contact area formed thereon at like ends of each,

and a flexible mem ber connecting said ends of said arms together.

2. In an electroplating barrel unit of the type including a barrel journalled in a frame for rotational movement about a substantially horizontal axis, which barrel in its operative position is suspended in the plating solution, the improvement wherein:

said unit includes a contact assembly secured thereto for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal axis,

said contact assembly comprising:

a pair of contact arms pivotally secured to said frame on either side of said frame for pivotal movement about the last mentioned horizontal axis,

said arms being secured to said frame intermediate their respective ends,

said arms having a sufiicient length so that when horizontally disposed, both ends of each project outwardly of said frame,

said arms each having a forward electrical contact area formed at like ends of each arm for contact with a cathode bar,

and a flexible tie [member connecting said ends of said arms together,

whereby said barrel may be suspended in a container of plating liquid by resting said contact arm contact areas on a cathode bar at one side of the container and resting the other ends of the bars on the other end of the container.

3. The improvement set forth in claim 2 wherein:

said contact arms at said like ends thereof are formed with hook means defining electrical contact areas for contact with a cathode bar positioned above the container,

whereby said unit may be suspended in the liquid by hanging same from the last tmentioned cathode bar.

4. In an electroplating barrel unit of the type including a barrel journalled in a frame for rotational movement about a substantially horizontal axis, which barrel in its operative position is suspended in the plating solution, the improvement wherein:

said frame comprises a pair of spaced side frames joined together at each end of the frame by a cross tie member,

an end frame member extending across each end of the frame below the respective cross tie members,

said end frame members being secured to the respectibe side frames at each end of the frame,

said barrel being journalled in said end framm for rotation about said axis,

a pair of contact arms each pivotally secured to the respective cross tie members for pivotal movement about an axis paralleling said horizontal axis,

said arms being secured for said pivotal movement intermediate their respective ends,

said arms each having a length such that when they are aligned with said cross ties, both ends of each project outwardly of said side frames,

said arms each having a forward electrical contact area formed at like ends of each for contact with a cathode bar,

and a flexible tie member connecting said ends of said arms together,

5. The improvement set forth in claim 4 wherein:

whereby said unit may be suspended in the liquid by hanging same from the last mentioned cathode bar,

6. The improvement set forth in claim 4 wherein:

means for detachably securing said end frame members to said side frames whereby said end frames and barrel may be removed from said frame as a unit.

7. The improvement set forth in claim 4 wherein:

said side frames and said cross tie members are integrally united together.

8. The improvement set forth in claim 5 wherein:

said flexible tie member comprises:

a U-shaped member formed from a resiliently flexible material,

with the legs of said U-shaped member being secured to the respective contact arm ends to define said hook means.

9. The improvement set forth in claim 7 wherein:

said side frame members and said cross tie members having a coating of electrically insulating material covering same except at said contact areas.

10. The improvement set forth in claim 4 wherein:

said contact arms are pivotally mounted on said cross ties by electrically insulating bushings.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 10/ 1957 Italy. 11/ 1963 Great Britain.

JOHN H. MACK, Primary Examiner.

W. VAN SISE, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. AN ELECTROPLATING BARREL UNIT COMPRISING: AN ELECTROPLATING BARREL, FRAME MEANS FOR JOURNALLING SAID BARREL FOR ROTATION ABOUT A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL AXIS, AND A CONTACT ASSEMBLY SECURED TO SAID FRAME MEANS, SAID CONTACT ASSEMBLY COMPRISING: A PAIR OF CONTACT ARMS PIVOTALLY SECURED TO SAID FRAME INTERMEDIATE THEIR RESPECTIVE ENDS ON EITHER SIDE OF SAID FRAME MENS FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ABOUT A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL AXIS, SAID ARMS EACH HAVING A FORWARD ELECTRICAL CONTACT AREA FORMED THEREON AT LIKE ENDS OF EACH