Electrolytic apparatus

Claim 1

ELECTROLYTIC APPARATUS FOR BULK ELECTROPLATING OF A MASS OF SMALL METAL PARTS, COMPRISING A CONTAINER FOR PLATING ELECTROLYTE; A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL ROTATABLE BARREL FOR CONTAINING SUCH MASS OF PARTS, SAID BARREL HAVING TWO END PLATES DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO THE BARREL AXIS; MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID END PLATES FOR ROTATION ABOUT SAID AXIS; A PLURALITY OF STRUT MEMBERS EXTENDING BETWEEN AND FIXEDLY MOUNTED UPON SAID END PLATES; A FORAMINOUS EXTERNAL BARREL WALL MOUNTED ABOUT SAID STRUT MEMBERS AND FORMED OF A NON-CONDUCTIVE WOVEN-FILAMENT MATERIAL; MEANS DEFINING AN OPENING IN SAID BARREL STRUCTURE FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING THE BARREL; A COVER MEMBER DETACHABLY SECURED TO CLOSE SAID OPENING; A PLURALITY OF RIB MEMBERS DISPOSED AGAINST SAID WALL WITHIN SAID BARREL AND EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY THEREOF, SO THAT UPON ROTATION THE BARREL LOAD ADJACENT THE WALL IS HELD SUBSTANTIALLY AT REST RELATIVE THERETO; AT LEAST ONE FIRST ELECTRODE DISPOSED WITHIN THE BARREL; A PERFORATE NON-CONDUCTING SLEEVE CLOSELY SURROUNDING SAID FIRST ELECTRODE AND SHIELDING SAME FROM DIRECT CONTACT WITH SAID MASS WITHIN SAID BARREL; AT LEAST ONE SECOND ELECTRODE BETWEEN SAID PERFORATE NONCONDUCTING PERIPERAL WALL AND SAID PERFORATE NONCONDUCTING SLEEVE FOR CONTACTING SAID MASS WITHIN SAID BARREL; AT LEAST ONE SOLUBLE THIRD ELECTRODE LOCATED IN SAID CONTAINER OUTSIDE OF SAID BARREL; AND ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS TO SAID ELECTRODES.