Anode structure

Claim 1

AN ANODE STRUCTURE FOR USE IN CHROMIUM ELECTROPLATING A CYLINDRICAL CATHODE SURFACE IN A CHROMIC ACID ELECTROLITE, WHICH STRUCTURE INCLUDES A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED, ELECTRICAL CONDUCTING ANODE RIBS CAPABLE OF BEING SO DISPOSED AS TO ENCIRCLE A MAJOR PORTION OF SAID CATHODE SURFACE WHEN POSITIONED LONGITUDINALLY RELATIVE THERETO, SAID ANODE STRUCTURE BEING CHARACTERIZED BY: TWO CRESCENT-SHAPED SDE PIECES FORMED OF AN ELECTRICAL CONDUCTING MATERIAL THAT ARE DISPOSED ON OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID RIBS AND BONDED THERETO, SAID SIDE PIECES SERVING TO HOLD SAID RIBS IN SAID CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED RELATIONSHIP, AND COOPERATING WITH SAID RIBS TO INCREASE THE ANODE-CATHODE SURFACE RATIO TO MINIMIZE THE FORMATION OF TRIVALENT CHROMIUM DURING SAID ELECTROPLATING OPERATION, TWO PARALLEL SPACED SHAFTS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID END PIECES, TWO ROLLERS ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFTS, SAID ROLLERS ROTATABLY ENGAGING SAID CATHODE SURFACE AND SUPPORTING SAID ANODE RIBS AND SIDE PIECES AT A FIXED DISTANCE THEREFROM, AN ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID RIBS AND SIDE PIECES AND ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED TO SAID SIDE PIECES, TWO HORSESHOE-SHAPED SIDE SHIELDS FORMED FROM A NON-ELECTRICAL CONDUCTING MATERIAL THAT ABOUT AGAINST THE OUTER SURFACES OF SAID END PIECES, THE INNER EDGES OF WHICH SIDE SHIELDS ARE IN RUBBING CONTACT WITH SAID CATHODE SURFACE, WITH SAID SHIELDS LIMITING THE AREA OF SAID CATHODE SURFACE TO BE ELECTROPLATED, AND MEANS ON SAID SIDE SHIELDS THAT ENGAGE SAID SIDE PIECES FOR REMOVABLY HOLDING SAID SIDE SHIELDS ON SAID SIDE PIECES, SAID SIDE SHIELDS BEING SEPARATED FROM SAID SIDE PIECES BY DOWNWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID SIDE SHIELDS RELATIVE THERETO.