Electroplating barrel with internal anode and cathode

Claim 2

An electroplating barrel for plating work parts comprising: a plating drum having at least one plating chamber for containing said parts, means for placing parts in and removing parts from each chamber, cathode and soluble anode means within said drum adjacent each chamber with said anode means exposed for contact by plating solution in the chamber aNd said cathode means exposed for contact by both plating solution and work parts in the chamber, said cathode and anode means being rigidly fixed to and forming structural elements of the drum; means for shielding said anode means of each chamber against contact by work parts in the chamber; electrical terminals connected to said cathodes and anode means and accessible externally of said drum for connection to a d-c voltage source; and means supporting said drum for rotation.

Claim 3

An electroplating barrel according to claim 1 wherein: said anode and cathode means of each chamber are mounted on walls of the chamber.

Claim 4

An electroplating barrel according to claim 1 wherein: each chamber has radially inner and outer walls relative to the rotation axis of said drum; and the inner and outer walls of each chamber mount said anode and cathode means, respectively, of the chamber.

Claim 5

An electroplating barrel according to claim 3 wherein: said inner and outer walls extend about said axis; said anode means of each chamber comprises a metallic sleeve fixed to the inner chamber wall; said shielding means of each chamber comprises one electrical insulating sleeve between said anode sleeve and the chamber; and said cathode means of each chamber comprises metallic contacts fixed to and projecting into the chamber from the outer chamber wall.

Claim 6

An electroplating barrel according to claim 1 including: means for circulating plating solution through each chamber including passages through the chamber walls.

Claim 7

An electroplating barrel according to claim 1 wherein: said drum contains a plurality of said plating chambers.

Claim 8

An electroplating barrel according to claim 6 wherein: said chambers are concentric annular chambers.

Claim 9

An electroplating barrel according to claim 7 wherein: each chamber has radially inner and outer walls mounting said anode and cathode means, respectively, of the chamber.

Claim 10

An electroplating barrel according to claim 8 wherein: said anode means of each chamber comprises a metallic sleeve fixed to and concentric with the inner chamber wall; said shielding means of each chamber comprises an electrical insulating sleeve between said anode sleeve and the chamber; and said cathode means of each chamber comprise metallic contacts fixed to and projecting into the chamber from the outer chamber wall.

Claim 11

An electroplating barrel for plating work parts comprising: a rotary plating drum having an axis of rotation, radially spaced annular wall members concentrically surrounding said axis, and wall members joined to the ends of said annular wall members to define a central plating solution passage within the inner most annular wall member and annular plating chambers between the adjacent annular wall members, metallic bearing shafts secured to and extending coaxially from said endwall members, closure means which may be opened to place parts in and remove parts from said chambers, and passages extending longitudinally through said shafts to said central passage and radially through said annular wall members for circulating plating solution through said chambers; a frame having bearings receiving said shafts to support said drum for rotation on said axis; said innermost annular wall member comprising a pair of radially spaced electrical insulating sleeves and a metallic sleeve between said insulating sleeves; each remaining annular wall member comprising a central electrical insulating sleeve, a radially inner electrical insulating sleeve, metallic bars extending endwise of said drum between and spaced circumferentially about the latter sleeves, metallic contacts fixed to said bars and extending radially inward through the adjacent inner insulating sleeve into the adjacent plating chamber, and a metallic sleeve about said central sleeve; each remaining annular wall member which separates two adjacent plating chambers further comprising an eleCtrical insulating sleeve about the respective metallic sleeve; each endwall member comprising a central metallic end plate electrically joined to the adjacent barrel shaft and electrical insulating plates enclosing said metallic plate; said metallic sleeves comprising soluble anodes and said bars and contacts forming cathodes; means electrically joining one metallic end plate to said anodes; means electrically joining the other metallic end plate to said cathodes; electrical terminals for connection to a d-c voltage source; and means electrically connecting said terminals and shafts, respectively.

Claim 12

An electroplating barrel for plating work parts comprising: a rotary plating drum having an axis of rotation, radially spaced annular wall members concentrically surrounding said axis, and wall members joined to the ends of said annular wall members to define a central plating solution passage within the inner most annular wall member and annular plating chambers between the adjacent annular wall members, metallic bearing shafts secured to and extending coaxially from said endwall members, closure means which may be opened to place parts in and remove parts from said chambers, and passages extending longitudinally through said shafts to said central passage and radially through said annular wall members for circulating plating solution through said chambers; a frame having bearings receiving said shafts to support said drum for rotation on said axis; said innermost annular wall member comprising a pair of radially spaced electrical insulating sleeves and a metallic sleeve between said insulating sleeves; each remaining annular wall member comprising a central electrical insulating sleeve, a radially inner electrical insulating sleeve, metallic bars extending endwise of said drum between and spaced circumferentially about the latter sleeves, metallic contacts fixed to said bars and extending radially inward through the adjacent inner insulating sleeve into the adjacent plating chamber, and a metallic sleeve about said central sleeve; each remaining annular wall member which separates two adjacent plating chambers further comprising an eleCtrical insulating sleeve about the respective metallic sleeve; each endwall member comprising a central metallic end plate electrically joined to the adjacent barrel shaft and electrical insulating plates enclosing said metallic plate; said metallic sleeves comprising soluble anodes and said bars and contacts forming cathodes; means electrically joining one metallic end plate to said anodes; means electrically joining the other metallic end plate to said cathodes; electrical terminals for connection to a d-c voltage source; and means electrically connecting said terminals and shafts, respectively.

Claim 13

An electroplating barrel according to claim 10 including: means including a motor on said frame for driving said drum in rotation.

Claim 14

An electroplating barrel for plating work parts comprising: a plating drum having a plurality of plating chambers for containing said parts, means for placing parts in and removing parts from each chamber, cathode and anode means within said drum adjacent each chamber with said anode means exposed for contact by plating solution in the adjacent chamber and said cathode means exposed for contact by both plating solution and work parts in the adjacent chamber; means shielding said anode means of each chamber against contact by work parts in the chamber; electrical terminals connected to said cathodes and anode means and accessible externally of said drum for connection to a d-c voltage source; and means supporting said drum for rotation.

Claim 15

An electroplating barrel for plating work parts comprising: a plating drum having a plurality of plating chambers for containing said parts, means for placing parts in and removing parts from each chamber, cathode and anode means within said drum adjacent each chamber with said anode means exposed for contact by plating solution in the adjacent chamber and said cathode means exposed for contact by both plating solution and work parts in the adjacent chamber; means shielding said anode means of each chamber against contact by work parts in the chamber; electrical terminals connected to said cathodes and anode means and accessible externally of said drum for connection to a d-c voltage source; and means supporting said drum for rotation.

Claim 16

An electroplating barrel according to claim 12 wherein: said chambers comprise concentric annular chambers.