Chemistry: electrical and wave energy – Apparatus – Electrolytic
Patent
1994-03-30
1995-07-18
Valentine, Donald R.
Chemistry: electrical and wave energy
Apparatus
Electrolytic
204300EC, 204299EC, 204275, C25D 700, C25D 1720, C25D 1728
Patent
active
054338344
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a national phase of PCT/DE93/00122 filed 10 Feb. 1993 and based in turn on German national application P42 05672.1 filed 25 Feb. 1992 under the International Convention.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus for electrolytically coating small parts that are electrically conductive, in particular metal parts. More particularly the invention relates to an apparatus comprising a bath of electrically conductive liquid coating agent connected to one pole of a DC power source (the cathode or the anode), whereas the material that is to be coated is electrically connected to the other pole (anode or cathode) of the DC power source.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Electrophoretic enamelling is performed with known apparatuses in which a coating agent is deposited cathodically or anodically on small metal parts. This apparatus can consist of a closed drum in which the small metal parts are placed.
In addition, the coating agent is also placed in the drum; the inside of the drum is made so as to be electrically conductive and is connected to one pole of a power source, whereas the coating agent is connected to the other pole of the power source.
During operation of the drum, the small metal parts assume the same potential as the drum, so that the coating agent with the opposite potential is deposited on the small parts. The process for coating such small parts is extremely costly because the drum must first be filled with the small parts, and then the coated or electrophoretically enamelled small parts have to be removed from the drum once again. Using the prior art, only a discontinuous mode of operation is possible, so that the production rate per unit time of small parts is confined to narrow limits.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
It is the object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which, for a small outlay, permits a high throughput rate of small metal parts for purposes of electrophoretic enamelling.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This object is achieved in accordance with the invention in that the apparatus comprises a screw conveyor that has electrically conductive contacts inside its conveyor tube, these contacts being connected to one pole of the DC power source; and in that part of the cross section of the screw conveyor is located in a dipping bath that is connected to the other pole.
Because of this configuration, it is possible to plate small metal parts in a continuous throughput process using electrophoretic enamelling while achieving a high throughput of material for low personnel outlay.
The small parts can be fed to the screw conveyor using a conventional conveyor system. In the same way, the coated small parts can be removed by using a conveyor system that follows the screw conveyor.
The screw conveyor can be configured as a ribbon-type screw conveyor.
Such screw conveyors are known in the prior art; in these, a ribbon-type screw conveyor in the form of a helical ribbon is rotatably supported within a stationary tube, and this ribbon effects the throughput of the small parts.
It is a disadvantage that in such a screw conveyor there are interior supports and that the objects that are being moved can become jammed or cause stoppages because of the movement of the ribbon-type conveyor relative to the tube that surrounds it.
For this reason, it is preferred that the screw conveyor have a rotating conveyor tube forming the supporting element for the small parts and a ribbon-type conveyor be secured to the inside periphery as the thrust organ, with the open ends of the conveyor tube forming the small-part feed and the small-part removal openings.
Such screw conveyors are also known in the prior art. The advantage of these screw conveyors is that there are no interior supports and, because of the fixed arrangement of the ribbon conveyor on the rotating tube, there can be no jamming or blockages.
It is also an advantage that the material can be introduced and removed at the ends of the tube. Here, too, suit
REFERENCES:
patent: 4210497 (1980-07-01), Loqvist et al.
patent: 4227986 (1980-10-01), Loqvist et al.
patent: 5164056 (1992-11-01), Loeck
Belz Hans
Engels Hans Gunter
Flamme Burkard
Schauf Werner
Dubno Herbert
Ewald Dorken AG
Valentine Donald R.
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