Apparatus for surface treatment of articles, and treatment process feasible by said apparatus

Apparatus for surface treatment of articles, comprising:

• a plurality of trays each carrying one or more piece-holding spindles;
• a plurality of work stations distributed along a movement path extending according to a closed line, wherein said plurality of work stations comprises at least a first work station and at least a second work station configured each for the execution of a respective treatment on articles arranged on the one or more piece-holding spindles;
• a transport guide slidably engaging said trays and extending along the movement path;
• movers for moving the trays along the transport guide, through the work stations;
• wherein said movers comprise a programmable electronic control unit, configured to modulate the translation speed of the individual trays along the transport guide so that each tray, while passing through the first work station during the execution of the treatment, moves at a different speed with respect to a moving speed of the trays in the second work station,
• wherein the movers further comprise:
• a primary transporter configured to removably engage the trays and transfer the trays along the transport guide;
• and
• an additional transporter configured for taking each tray from the primary transporter, moving the tray at said first work station, and engaging the tray again to the primary transporter [transport group],
• wherein the additional transporter comprises a carriage slidingly guided parallel to the movement path,
• the apparatus further comprising a control actuator carried by the carriage and detachably engageable with a drag pin, for translating the drag pin between the first working position and second working position,
• wherein the control actuator has a housing undercut configured to receive a perimetral shoulder of the drag pin, said perimeter shoulder being slidingly insertable into the housing undercut along a sliding direction parallel to the movement path.

Apparatus for surface treatment of articles, comprising:

• a plurality of trays each carrying one or more piece-holding spindles;
• a plurality of work stations distributed along a movement path extending according to a closed line, wherein said plurality of work stations comprises at least a first work station and at least a second work station configured each for the execution of a respective treatment on articles arranged on the one or more piece-holding spindles;
• a transport guide slidably engaging said trays and extending along the movement path;
• movers for moving the trays along the transport guide, through the work stations;
• wherein said movers comprise a programmable electronic control unit, configured to modulate the translation speed of the individual trays along the transport guide so that each tray, while passing through the first work station during the execution of the treatment, moves at a different speed with respect to a moving speed of the trays in the second work station,
• wherein the movers comprise:
• a primary transporter configured to removably engage the trays and transfer the trays along the transport guide;
• an additional transport unit configured for taking each tray from the primary transporter, moving the tray at said first work station, and engaging the tray again to the primary transporter [transport group],
• wherein the primary transporter is configured to transfer the tray according to a step-by-step motion through a plurality of stopping locations distributed along the movement path,
• wherein said step-by-step motion comprises steps of simultaneous advancement of the trays engaged to the primary transporter, intercalated with steps of simultaneous stop of the same trays, and
• wherein the additional transporter is configured to pick up each tray at one of said stopping locations.