Device for electrodeposition of aluminum

In a device for electrodepositing of aluminum from an aprotic, oxygen-free and water-free aluminum electrolyte, said device comprising an electroplating tank having an annular vat containing the electrolyte and anode plates, a hood closing the vat from the outside, forming a protective chamber over the electrolyte and having means for charging the chamber with a protective atmosphere, support means for contacting and holding a workpiece holder being disposed in the tank, said support means being rotatable around a vertical axle and having a plurality of fork-shaped brackets extending radially from said axle in a horizontal plane, said brackets having receptacles for receiving horizontal rods of the workpiece holders to suspend the workpiece holder in the vat for rotation in a curved path, said tank including a first lock means for forming a charging lock for introducing workpiece holders into the tank without contaminating the protective atmosphere, and second lock means for removing processed workpiece holders from the tank without contaminating the protective atmosphere, each of said lock means including a liquid lock and conveyor means for engaging the workpiece holders and passing them through the liquid lock during loading and unloading of the brackets of the support means, the improvements comprising the vat being subdivided into a plurality of annular sub-cells concentrically arranged relative to one another, each bracket having receptacles for each sub-cell and the conveyor means of each of the lock means being designed to convey a workpiece holder for each of said sub-cells simultaneously through the lock means as the brackets of the support means are being loaded and unloaded.