Apparatus for electroplating wire

Abstract

Abstract IN APPARTUS FOR ELECTROPLATING WIRE, IN WHICH THE WIRE IS ADVANCED LONGITUDINALLY THROUGH A PLATING TANK, THE WIRE PASSES OVER ELECTRICAL CONTACT MEMBERS MOUNTED EXTERNALLY OF THE PLATING TANK ADJACENT ITS WIRE ENTRANCE AND WIRE EXIT ENDS. THE CONTACT MEMBERS ARE ROTATABLY DRIVEN BY SEPARATE ADJUSTABLE TORQUE MOTORS SO AS TO MAINTAIN THE WIRE UNDER TENSION AND THEREBY MAINTAIN GOOD ELECTRICAL CONTACT BETWEEN THE WIRE AND THE CONTACT MEMBERS. IN ORDER THAT THE TENSION IN THE WIRE, AND THUS THE PLATING CURRENT FLOWING IN THE SYSTEM, WILL BE MAINTAINED AT SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM VALUES, THE MGNITUDE OF FRICTION VARIABLES IN THE SYSTEM IS REDUCED BY FIXEDLY MOUNTING EACH CONTACT MEMBER ON A CANTILEVERED PORTION OF A DRIVE SHAFT OF ITS RESPECTIVE MOTOR, AND BY FEEDING ELECTRICAL CURRENT INTO EACH CONTACT MEMBER THROUGH A SINGLE CONTACT BRUSH ENGAGEABLE THEREWITH AT ITS AXIS OF ROTATION.

Inventors

• 👤 Philip E Lawler

Bibliographic Details