Ultrasonic agitator

An ultrasonic agitator for exposing a workpiece to a turbulent fluid flow, said workpiece moving along a preestablished path of travel, said agitator including:

• an overflow bath, said overflow bath having a pair of end walls, said end walls being formed with openings through which the workpiece is introduced into and removed from said overflow bath when the workpiece is moved along the path of travel, said end walls being shaped so that the workpiece moves along the path of travel without substantially contacting said end walls;
• a fluid adapted to be disposed in said overflow bath, said fluid being of a sufficient volume to substantially immerse the workpiece and flow out of said overflow bath through said end wall openings;
• at least one transducer secured to said overflow bath to ultrasonically vibrate said fluid therein;
• a collecting bath located below said overflow bath and positioned to receive said fluid that flows out of end wall openings of said overflow bath;
• and
• a pumping system connected between said collecting bath and said overflow bath for returning said fluid from said collecting bath to said overflow bath, said pumping system having a discharge port positioned to discharge said fluid so as to continually immerse the workpiece in said fluid.

An ultrasonic agitator for exposing a workpiece to a turbulent fluid flow, including:

• an overflow bath having a pair of end walls, said end walls being formed with at least one indentation through which the workpiece is introduced into and removed from said overflow bath, said end wall being shaped so that said workpiece is introduced into and removed from said overflow bath without substantially contacting said end walls;
• a fluid adapted for disposal in said overflow bath, wherein in operation of the agitator, the workpiece is immersed in said fluid;
• a collecting bath located below said overflow bath and positioned to receive said fluid drained from said overflow bath;
• a transducer connected to said overflow bath so as to be in mechanical communication with said fluid, said transducer being configured to produce ultrasonic waves in said fluid;
• a transducer drive system connected to said transducer to vibrate said transducer;
• and
• a pumping system connected between said collecting bath and said overflow bath for returning said fluid from said collecting bath to said overflow bath, said pumping system having a discharge port positioned to discharge said fluid into said overflow bath so that said workpiece is immersed in said fluid.

A method of subjecting an elongated metal workpiece to a turbulent fluid flow, including the steps of:

• immersing the workpiece in an electrolytic solution, moving the workpiece through said solution along a preselected path of travel, and removing the workpiece from the solution;
• generating ultrasonic waves in said electrolytic solution as the workpiece travels through said solution, said ultrasonic waves being generated so as to converge toward at least one point along said workpiece path of travel and further being generated to have a frequency of at least 500 kHz;
• and
• creating a potential between the workpiece and an electrode in contact with said electrolytic solution so as to electropickle the workpiece.

A method of subjecting an elongated metal workpiece to a turbulent fluid flow, including the steps of:

• immersing the workpiece in an electroplating liquor, moving the workpiece through said electroplating liquor along a preselected path of travel, and removing the workpiece from the electroplating liquor;
• generating ultrasonic waves in said electroplating liquor as the workpiece travels through said solution, said ultrasonic waves being generated so as to converge toward at least one point along said workpiece path of travel and further being generated to have a frequency of at least 500 kHz;
• and
• creating a potential between the workpiece and an electrode in contact with said electroplating liquor so as to electroplate the workpiece.