US1963363A - Plating fixture - Google Patents

Description

June 19, 1934. P, P. HALE 1,963,363

PLATING FIXTURE Filed Jan. 7, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l y 1, I. i 1| 'lll/IIIA 7 lll/gill!! a IVTTI' 10 ZO L# 'L INVEN-roR I .4 Z 4 Z5 Philip PM@ ATTORNEYS P. P. HALE PLATING FIXTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 19, 1934.

Filed Jan. 7, 1932 INVENTOR Patented June 19,A 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PLATING FIXTURE Application January 7, 1932, Serial No; 585,182

Claims. (Cl. 2044-5) My invention relates to elctroplating and more particularly to xtures for supporting the articles to be plated in an electrolyte.

- The main object of my invention is to provide means for facilitating the electroplating of a plurality of diiferent articles without an individual fixture for each article.

Another object is toprovide a fixture of this A type wherein the insulators are free from attack l0 by the electrolyte.

Objects relating to details and economies of my invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims. Y

A structure which is. a preferred embodiment oi my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary vertical section illustrating a fixture embodying my invention-in use.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section taken on a line corresponding to lille 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on a lille corresponding to line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on a line corresponding to line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. l, illustrating a modification of the fixture, and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged horizontal section on a line corresponding to line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Numeral 1 indicates a negative bus bar while numeral 2 indicates a positive bus bar. The bus bars are disposed in a horizontal plane and in spaced relation to each other above the tank 3 containing the electrolyte 4, the upper surface of '.35 which is indicated by numeral 5.

Myimproved article-supporting fixture 6 con sists of a cathode hanger 7 which depends from the negative bus bar 1 into and terminates within the electrolyte 4; The anode hanger 8 similarly depends from the positive bus bar 2 but terminates above the surface 5 of the electrolyte 4, it being relatively short as compared to the cathode hanger 7. y

The anode hanger 8 is provided with a plate 9 '45 of insulating material which depends therefrom and terminates above the surface of the electrolyte for supporting the strap 10 of conducting material which depends therefrom into and terminates within the electrolyte atA about the same level as the end of the cathode hanger 7. The strap 10 is secured to the insulator 9 by rivets 11 in spaced relation to the lower end of the anode hanger 8, as clearly illustrated by Fig. 2.

The cathode hanger 7 is similarly provided with a laterally extending plate 12 of non-conducting material which is fixed thereto by the rivets 13. The insulator 12 is provided for connecting the upper cross bar 14 to, but insulated from, the cathode hanger 7. The cross member 14 is of conducting material and is connected at one end to the insulator 12 by rivets 15 in spaced relation to the cathode hanger 7 and at the other end to the anode hanger 8 by rivets 16 which also extend through and secure the insulator 9 thereto. Bolts, screws, clamps, or the like may of course be used in lieu of rivets.

The lower ends of the metal strap` 10 and the cathode hanger 7 are provided with a lower cross member or cathodeholder 17 which is detachably secured thereto by bolts 18. The lower cross member or cathode holder 17 is o f metal or other conducting material and is provided with an oiset 19 near the center thereof for coaction with the strap 10. The clamping member 20 is secured to the cross member 17 by bolts 22. 75

The flattened lower end 23 of the cathode 24 is removably clamped in place on the lower cross member 17 by the clamping member 20 and bolts 22, the cathode 24 extending upwardly from the cross member. It will be appreciated that a plurality of cathodes may b'e clamped very conveniently to the cathode holder at different distances apart, and the device may be used over and over again for different cathodes of varying shapes and sizes.

'I'he anode 25 of cylindrical form is disposed in concentric relation 4to the cathode 24 and is supported by the metal hanger strap 26 which is detachably secured to the upper cross member by the bolt 27. The anode hanger strap 26 is provided with an offset'29 therein for positioning the anode 25 directly above the lower cross member 17 as illustrated.

The anode 25 may be of any desired shape such as square, flat, elliptical, or the like, depending upon the cathode, and the anodes may be secured to the upper cross member in any suitable manner and by any convenient means.

The hangers, straps, and cross members are provided with a plurality of bolt holes Vfor facilitating the positioning of the parts of the fixture and the anode and cathode relative to each other. With this arrangement, a plurality of anodes and cathodes of varying shapes and sizes may be supported by the device in the same or different plating operations. The flxture'is of standard construction, yet it is adaptable with no or only slight changes to universal application. 'Ihe parts being standard may be economically renewed from stock, required.

From the description above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the anode 25, the

-cathode 24, and the lower cross member 17 are not only readily interchangeable with other similar parts, but are adaptable to support articles of dif-l insulators were immersed in the electrolyte they were attacked by the acid and the xture became loose, resulting in inaccurate work.

The cathode, of course, constitutes the article.

to be electroplated, and with my improved xture the lower supporting member 17 is adapted to support diierent articles, and the lower cross member 17 itself is readily interchangeable with other cross members which are adapted to be supported by the lower ends of the cathode hanger 7 and the metal hanger strap 10.

'Referring to Figs.`5 and 6, the cathode hanger 25 30 extends down into the electrolyte 31 and is provided with a plurality or" holes 32 for attaching cathode supports, such as 33 by bolt 34. The support 33 holds the cathode 35 in proper position relative to the lead anode 36 which is secured to the strap 37 by solder. 'I'he upper cross bar 38 is provided with a series of spaced holes 40 for receiving the bolt 42. The cross bar 38 unites the cathode hanger 30 and the anode hanger 43 to form a rigid plating fixture, which may be used as many times as desired for different shapes and sizes of work, and for a plurality .of anodes and cathodes at the same time.

In all cases, itis not essential that the anodes and cathodes be secured to the holders, as described, because if desired the anodes and/or cathodes maybe reversed or interchanged relative Vto the holders without affecting the invention.

While I prefer to-use fiber or bakelite for the insulating members, and copper for the conducting members of my fixture, it is of course to be understood that any conducting material and any insulating material of 4suiiicient strength to insure against breakage may be used for theseparts.

It is obvious that various changes and modications `may be made in the details of 'construction and design ofthe above specifically described embodiments of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A xture comprising a cathode hanger depending from a negative bus bar into and adapted to terminate within an electrolyte, an anode hanger depending from a positive bus bar and adapted to terminate above an electrolyte, a plate of insulating material xed to and depending from said anode hanger and adapted to terminate above an electrolyte, a strap of conducting material fixed to and depending from said plate of insulating material into and adapted to terminate within an electrolyte, a plate of insulating material xed to and extending laterally from said cathode hanger and adapted to be above an electrolyte, an upper cross member of conducting material xed to said last named plate of insulating material arid said anode hanger and adapted to be above an electrolyte, a lower cross member of conducting material detachably secured to the depending ends of said cathode hanger and strap, an anode'detachably secured to and adapted to depend from said upper cross member into an electrolyte, and a cathode detachably secured to said lower crossmember for coacting with said anode through an electrolyte.

2. An article supporting fixture comprising cathode and anode hangers depending from bus bars, an upper cross member of conducting material secured to said hangers and adapted to be above an electrolyte, means insulating said upper cross member from said cathode hanger above an electrolyte, an anode adapted to depend from anode hanger and adapted to be above an electrolyte, a lower cross member of conducting material secured to the lower ends of said cathode hanger and said strap .and adapted to be Within an electrolyte and removable for interchangeability, and a cathode extending from one of said cathode members for coaction with said anode and removably clamped in place.

3. In a plating fixture, the combination with a pair of spaced anode and cathode hangers, of a removable anode holder rigidly secured to said hangers and having a plurality of spaced holes for connecting anodes thereto, means insulating said anode holder from said cathode hanger, and a removable cathode holder rigidly secured to said cathode hanger and having a plurality of spaced holes for connecting cathods thereto.A

4. In a plating xture, the combination with a pair of spaced anode and cathode hangers, of a removable cross piece rigidly secured to and unit- 'ing said hangers, means insulating said cross piece from said cathode hanger, said cross piece having a plurality of spaced holes, a removable anode holder rigidly secured to said cross piece in one of said holes for depending into an electrolyte, and a removable cathode holder rigidly secured to said cathode hangerfor depending into the electrolyte, said holders having spaced holes for securing anodes and cathodes thereto in accurate position relative to each other.

5. In a plating fixture, the combination with a pair of spaced anode and cathode hangers, of a removable cross piece rigidly secured to and uniting said hangers, means insulating said cross piece from said cathode hanger, a removable anode holder rigidly secured to said cross piece for depending into an electrolyte, and a removable cathode holder rigidly secured to said cathode hanger for depending into the electrolyte, said holders having spaced holes for securing anodes and cathodes thereto in accurate position relative to each other.

PHILIP P. HALE.

Images