Electroplating drum for relatively large fasteners and the like
AssigneeTRW Inc.
InventorArthur S. Yamada
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Relatively large parts, such as large fasteners and the like, are mass electroplated in a plating drum rotatable in a plating solution, without damaging contact of the parts with one another, by confining the parts in separate plating cells of the drum containing openings for circulation of plating solution through the cells and electrodes between which the parts move back and forth during drum rotation to effect exposure of the entire surface area of each part to the electroplating action.
Claims19
Electroplating apparatus for electroplating relatively large parts, such as large fasteners and the like, comprising:
- an electroplating drum to be rotated in an electroplating solution and including a plurality of plating cells having openings for entrance of said plating solution into the cells;
- each plating cell containing a pair of spaced first electrodes of the same polarity and adapted to receive between said electrodes a single part to be plated for limited back and forth movement of the part between the electrodes during rotation of said drum in said solution to expose the entire surface area of the part to the solution;
- a second electrode of the opposite polarity adjacent each plating cell;
- and
- means for connecting said electrodes to a plating voltage source.
Work holding means for electroplating apparatus of the character described comprising:
- an elongate plating cell to be rotated in an electroplating solution and having openings for entrance of the solution into the cell;
- a pair of electrodes of the same polarity at the ends, respectively, and along the longitudinal axis of said cell;
- means for adjusting at least one of said electrodes along said axis to adjust the spacing between said electrodes, and
- said cell having a length greater than its major transverse dimension and being adapted to receive between said electrodes a single part to be plated for limited back and forth movement of the part between the electrodes during rotation of the cell in said solution to expose the entire surface area of the part to the solution.
Work holding means for electroplating apparatus of the character described comprising:
- a plating cell to be rotated in an electroplating solution and having openings for entrance of the solution into the cell;
- said cell containing a pair of electrodes of the same polarity and being adapted to receive between said electrodes a single part to be plated for limited back and forth movement of the part between the electrodes during rotation of the cell in said solution to expose the entire surface area of the parts to the solution;
- and
- said plating cell having flexible sidewalls which are separable to insert and remove a part into and from the cell.
An electroplating cell module for electroplating apparatus of the character described comprising:
- a frame;
- a plurality of elongate plating cells mounted side by side on said frame;
- and
- said cell module being adapted to be rotated in an electroplating solution and each plating cell containing a pair of spaced electrodes of the same polarity and being adapted to receive between said electrodes a single part to be plated for limited back and forth movement of the part between the electrodes during rotation of said module in said solution to expose the entire surface area of the part to the plating solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.