US742131A - Apparatus for electroplating. - Google Patents

Description

c. T. PRATT, APPARATUS FOR ELEGTROPLATING.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented October 20, 1903.

PATENT OFFIC CHARLES T. PRATT, OF FRANKFORT, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO PRATT CHUCK COMPANY, OF FRANKFORT, NEW YORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 742,131, dated October 20, 1903.

,' Application filed July 6, 1903. Serial No. 164,320. (No model.)

To a, lUl'bOTTl/it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES T. PRATT, of Frankfort, in the county of Herkimer and State of New York, have invented certain new 5 and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Electroplating; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to 7 make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide I electroplating apparatus particularly intended for conveniently and expeditiously plating slip-nipples with zinc, with the bulk of the deposit on the interior surface.

Figure 1 of the drawings shows a vertical section of the bath-tank of the apparatus with the anode and a portion of the cathode-holder in position therein, the cathode-holder being shown in section, taken on the dotted line of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 shows a plan view of a portion 2 5 of the bath-tank in connection with the anode and cathode, the figure being broken to show various parts of the apparatus.

Referring to the reference letters and figures in a more particular description, 1 indi- 0 cates the bath-tank, which is provided with the positive and negative current conductors .2 and 3, extending along the upper edge of its oppositesides. The anode-rack 4 consists of a number of parallel bars extending across 3 5 the tank with connecting-bars at each end and supported in the tank by means of hangers 5 and 6. The hangers 5 and 6 are provided with hooks or turns at their upper ends adapted to engage with the edge of the tank, and

more particularly with the electrical conductors extending along the edge of the tank, and, as shown in the drawings, the anode-rack 4 is placed in the electrical connection with the positive conductors 2 by hanger 5 and is held out of electrical connection with the negative means of a small bolt, so that they can be readily replaced after being dissolved or so reduced in size as to be ineffective.

Directly on top of the anode-rack is placed a spacingboard 9, of insulating material, as hard rubber or wood. This board is provided with large openings which surround the anodes, respectively, having the anodes located centrally therein; 1 On top of the board 9 there is secured a sheet of metal 11, which has an opening corresponding with those in the board, but of smaller diameter. The projecting edge of the sheet 11 at the openings mention'ed'is preferably slitted or notched, so'as to make a spring edge surrounding the opening. These openings are adapted to receive the ends of the slip-nipples A, which wedge in between the spring edges, and thereby become electrically connected with the sheet 11. The sheet 11 is electrically connectedwith the conductor 3 by means of the arm or hanger 12, which has a hook end engaged with the conductor.

In operation the tank is filled with asuitable bath or solution to' a point so-that its surface will stand above the tops of the anodes. Electrical current is supplied by a suitable generator to the conductors 2 and 3. The slip-nipples are placedin position by inserting them in the holes in the sheet 11, where they occupy a position around'the up per portion of the anodes and at a sufficientlyremoved distauce from the anode-frame to obviate short-circuiting at'this point. The anodes will of course dissolve and be deposited mostly on the interior surface of the'slipnipples, although some deposit will be found on the exterior surface, with an intermediate quantity of deposit directly on the ends or edges of the slip-nipple.

In this apparatus the nipples can readily be placed in position and removed or reversed in their position in the holder. The anoderack and cathode-holding device can be readily removed from the tank for examination and for applying new anodes; but in the regular cperation the nipple will be placed and removed without removing the racks from the bath.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination in a plating apparatus of the bath-tank positive and negative electric conductors, a rack suspended in the tank, having upwardly-projecting, suitably-spaced anodes mounted thereon,and electrically connected with the positive conductor, and a metal plate electrically connected With the negative conductor, having nipple-receiving openings positioned to receive the anodes cen trallytherein, and supported above the anodeframe and intermediate of the height of the anodes, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination in a plating apparatus of the bath-tank, positive and negative electrical conductors, a rack supported in the tank, having upwardly-projecting, suitablyspaced anodes mounted thereon and electrically connected with the positive conductor, and a board above the anode-rack, having enlarged openings receiving and surrounding the several anodes, and a metal plate electrically connected With the negative conductor, having nipple-receiving opening, with surrounding edges projecting beyond the edges of the opening in the said board, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have aflixed my signature, in presence of two Witnesses, this 30th day of June, 1903.

CHARLES T. PRATT.

Witnesses:

W. J. MILLARD, MILO BROWN.

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