Continuous plating apparatus

A continuous plating apparatus for plating a planar article comprising:

• a plating bath compartment having a first wall and a second wall;
• a slit provided liquid-tightly in the first plating bath compartment wall;
• a rail having V-shaped cross-section;
• a cathode;
• a plurality of rotational rollers and a plurality of drive rollers, said plurality of rotational rollers and said plurality of drive rollers being positioned vertically and disposed on opposite sides of said rail, wherein a part of each of the plurality of rotational rollers and the plurality of drive rollers forms a surface of an electric feeding roller, the electric feeding roller in contact with the planar article allowing current to flow from the cathode, and the surface of the electric feeding roller being formed of a film material that is harder than a subject plated film;
• means for peeling a plated layer adhered to the surface of the electric feeding roller, said means being brought into contact with the surface of the electric feeding roller;
• an anode in the plating bath compartment;
• a shield plate in the plating bath compartment;
• a cylinder in operative communication with the anode;
• and
• a slit provided in the second wall liquid-tightly positioned to send out the planar article.

A continuous plating apparatus for plating a planar article having opposite side faces comprising:

• a plating bath compartment having at least a first wall and a second wall;
• a slit provided liquid-tightly in the first wall;
• a rail having a V-shaped cross-section for vertically placing the planar article thereon, wherein the rail is divided into a plurality of pieces having a suitable length, each divided rail being movable up and down with a rotatable shaft fixed thereon, and each said divided rail having a convexly curved upper edge, which contacts first with the planar article being conveyed;
• a plurality of rotational rollers and a plurality of drive rollers for conveying the planar article while clamping on both side faces thereof, said plurality of rotational rollers and said plurality of drive rollers being positioned vertically and disposed on opposite sides of said rail, wherein each said divided rail is provided with at least one of said plurality of rotational rollers and said plurality of drive rollers at opposite sides thereof,
• an anode in the plating bath compartment;
• a shield plate in the plating bath compartment;
• a cylinder in operative communication with the anode;
• a slit in the second wall positioned to send out the planar article, said slit being provided in the second wall liquid-tightly.