Surface-treatment plant

Details Surface-treatment plant Surface-treatment plant

1999-11-16

2001-10-30

Gorgos, Kathryn (Department: 1741)

Chemistry: electrical and wave energy

Apparatus

Electrolytic

Reexamination Certificate

active

06309518

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a surface-treatment plant, particularly for galvanic treatments, comprising at least one tank for holding a treatment bath in which the pieces to be treated are immersed.
BACKGROUND ART
Known systems for the surface treatment of pieces such as metal pieces comprise a series of tanks containing baths, for example, electrolytic or chemical baths, arranged in succession in a manner such that the pieces coming out of one bath are immersed in the next bath. For processes for cleaning pieces, baths, for example, degreasing baths, washing baths, pickling baths, etc., are arranged in succession.
Surface-treatment plants having the features outlined above are known from U.S. Pat. No. 1,368,357 and U.S. Pat. No. 1,819,603.
For electroplating processes, nickel-plating baths, galvanizing baths, or baths for similar processes for the surface application of metallic coatings are provided in addition to cleaning baths.
In order to immerse the pieces to be treated in the series of baths provided for the treatment, the pieces are first placed in containers which are then moved from one tank to another by means of overhead transfer devices which immerse the containers in the various baths and remove them therefrom according to the predetermined cycles of the process.
However, known transfer devices have the disadvantage of requiring a large amount of space since the containers can be moved by the overhead devices from one tank to another only if the tanks are arranged adjacent one another, generally at a single level or in a single working plane. Moreover, the insertion of the pieces to be treated in the containers and their removal therefrom upon completion of the treatment take place manually so that operators are required for these operations.
The success of the treatment on these pieces may be compromised by vigorous rolling of the pieces to be treated by the structure of the containers.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
In order to overcome these problems, the subject of the invention is a plant of the type indicated above.
By virtue of this concept, it is possible to produce plants for the surface treatment of pieces in which the pieces can be supplied to the plant and discharged therefrom completely automatically. Moreover, the tanks of the plant can be arranged at different levels so as to take up less space and to facilitate the extraction of gases and vapours liberated during the treatment processes. Moreover, the pieces treated advantageously undergo relative movements during their transfer by conveyor means so that the treatment process can be performed more effectively and over the entire surfaces of all of the pieces treated.
According to a preferred characteristic of the invention, the conveyor means are constituted by a belt or plate conveyor which has a series of translating elements extending transverse the direction of advance of the conveyor and driven relative to a surface for supporting the pieces in order to transfer the pieces into the corresponding tank and from one tank of the plant to another.
It is thus possible to ensure the correct transfer of the pieces even along considerably inclined ramps of the conveyor.
According to a particularly advantageous characteristic of the invention, a sheet-like element such as a cloth, a flexible sheet or a net is arranged bearing on the active pass of the conveyor so as to engage for sliding on the tops of the translating elements and to form a respective loop between each pair of adjacent translating elements, each of these loops being intended to house at least one piece to be treated; the sheet-like element is restrained relative to the tanks so that the pieces are rolled and moved forward on top of the sheet-like element as a result of the advance of the translating elements beneath the flexible sheet-like element.
This ensures that the pieces roll continuously during their treatment in the various baths, which considerably improves the overall reliability of the treatment performed and reduces the time spent by the pieces in the baths.


REFERENCES:
patent: 1368357 (1921-02-01), Scholtz
patent: 1819603 (1931-08-01), Hughes
patent: 5755935 (1998-05-01), Jackson et al.
patent: 5810987 (1998-09-01), Opitz

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