Continuous contact plater method

#The field of the invention includes electrolytic treatment apparatus often found classified in Class 204; and a process of exchanging metal on a workpiece often found classified in Class 204 as well.

#The prior art is exemplified in U.S. Pat. Nos. 936,472; 3,661,752; and 3,904,489; and also in French Pat. No. 331,930 and Patents in Great Britain Patent specification Nos. 760,016 and 18,643 (the latter published in 1899).

#In the prior art type devices, rotary members for light frictional engagement with the cathode are shown. Moving contact is also shown for purposes of wiping away bubbles, electrodeposition, and the like, so that the electric plating action will proceed without contamination or film barriers on the surface to be plated. The prior art, however, fails to deal with the modern problems of gold plating, particularly as applicable to the plating of contact points on a curvilinear surface. In the plating of such contact points, the prior art techniques have involved dipping in the anode, and therefore plating portions of the contact which do not require plating. Where precious metals such as gold are employed in the plating, this overplating even to the extent of 100%, doubles the cost of material which is a significant cost in the gold plating of any product. Also because the prior art involves dipping, there is no way of discreetly determining the specific area to be plated, much less determining the exact thickness to be plated on the discreet area.

#Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

#FIG. 1 is a perspective partially broken rear view of the subject continuous plater.

#FIG. 2 is an enlarged partially broken view illustrating the feed guide for delivering a plurality of bandolier secured contact points to the opposed driving belts.

#The method for continuous contact plating of a curvilinear contact point presupposes contacts 51 in a bandolier 50 as shown in FIG. 9. The contact points are positioned so that the bandolier is essentially perpendicular to the contact point. Thereafter the contact points and bandolier are oriented to pass the same along a longitudinal axis. A roller having an absorbent peripheral surface is positioned for driving rotatably with its long axis in parallel relationship to the bandolier, and its longitudinal axis. An electrolytic bath is provided for fluid contact with an absorbent surface on the roller. The bandolier and its contained contact points are then moved along the axis parallel to the axis of the roller with the contact points in tangential contact with the absorbent surface. The resultant action is to follow a helical path along the absorbent surface of the roller with the contact points energized as a cathode, and the electrolytic solution electrically energized, particularly as to the absorbent portion of the roller, as an anode. The method also contemplates means in pressure relationship to the absorbent surface of the roller to control the amount of plating solution that is passed thereabout for purposes of plating.

#The continuous plater 10 is shown in rear elevation, and perspectively, in FIG. 1. There it will be seen that the continuous plater 10 includes a main frame 11, and a plurality of carrier belts 12. The carrier belts 12 include an upper belt 18 and lower belt 19, which are positioned to tangentially engage each other and pass through the jaws 14 which orient the same for tangential helical trace contact with an anode roller 15. A plating solution tray 16 is positioned beneath the anode roller 15, and provided with an electrolytic solution for purposes of plating, usually plating gold to the contact points. The entire continuous plater 10 presupposes a treatment to the contact points prior to entering the same, and thereafter. It is therefore a continuous plater 10, as a part of a total processing apparatus for contact points.

#To be noted in FIG. 1 is the drive motor 20 for the anode roller 15. A feed guide sprocket 21 is provided immediately adjacent the feed point 60, the same being the point where the upper belt 18 and the lower belt 19 first come into contiguous contact for the feeding of the contact points.