Apparatus for surface treatment of vehicles or vehicle parts

An apparatus for surface treatment of components, in particular for treating the structure of a vehicle by complete immersion in treatment baths contained in treatment tanks, said apparatus comprising:

• two or more treatment tanks for containing treatment baths positioned in series with one another along a path for treating the structure of a vehicle, said treatment tanks comprise opposite longitudinal sides and opposite transverse sides, respectively extending longitudinally along said path and transversely to said path;
• a plurality of trolleys, each trolley of said plurality of trolleys being suitable for hooking, supporting and transporting the structure of a vehicle to be treated;
• first chain drive means for moving said trolleys in a forward run along said path in a longitudinal advancement direction from an upstream station to a downstream station of input and, respectively, of output of said trolleys from said treatment path;
• second drive means for moving said trolleys in a return run from said downstream station to said upstream station,
• wherein said trolleys are:
• selectively hookable in engagement with said first chain drive means in said upstream station to be moved along said path in said forward run, and
• are selectively releasable from the association in engagement with said first chain drive means,
• wherein
• said trolleys comprise:
• a first portion engageable integrally in translation with said first chain drive means in a releasable manner, and
• a second portion that, during the movement of the trolley along said path, extends in a transverse direction to said longitudinal advancement direction and is connected integrally in rotation to said first portion of said trolleys by means of first hinge means able to allow a rotation of said second portion with respect to said first portion around an axis of transverse rotation extending in said transverse direction, said second portion of said trolleys being a part suitable for hooking, supporting and transporting the structure of a vehicle to be treated,
• the apparatus comprises opposite support and sliding guides extending axially along said path near an upper end of said longitudinal sides of said treatment tanks to support and/or guide opposite transverse ends of said trolleys, and
• said second portion of said trolleys comprises an engagement portion that, when in said path, is engaged with cam-slider-coupling with cam elements arranged along said path to bring about a complete revolution around said transverse rotation axis extended in said transverse direction of said trolleys in correspondence with one or more of said treatment tanks during the advancement of said trolleys along said path, an overturning of said second portion of a trolley causing a complete immersion in the treatment bath of an underlying treatment tank of the structure of a vehicle hooked, supported and transported by said second portion of said trolley.