US3922208A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of improving the surface finish of as-plated elnisil coatings
Assignee: Ford Motor Co
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Filing: 1974-03-06
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Granted: 1975-11-25
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Expires: 1994-03-06
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus is disclosed for electrolytically depositing a nickel-silicon carbide dispersion onto an epitrochoid surface of a rotor housing for a rotary internal combustion engine. The electrolyte contains a high concentration of said silicon particles which must be uniformly distributed in the dispersion and be free of debris for achieving high wearresistance if the dispersion is to serve as a functional part of said engine. A unique filtering system is employed having a first screening barrier enclosing the anode assembly and a trap containing a second screening barrier located in the electrolyte remote from said anode assembly. Each of said barriers have a mesh size effective to prevent passage of anode debris but to permit passage of the desirable silicon carbide particles. The electrolyte is drawn through the first barrier into the anode assembly and then separated for introduction to the trap for return to the electrolyte after passing through said second barrier. Air agitation is used to scrub said second screening barrier for promoting a continuous operation. Means may also be employed to separate another portion of the electrolyte which is then mixed with the other separated solution for introduction together to said second screening barrier; a unique baffle is employed to set up a tortuous path for electrolyte entering said means to prevent clogging under continuous operation, such as from air bubbles. To increase plating speed, a further modification may be employed utilizing forced turbulant electrolyte between the anode and cathode.
Inventors
- 👤 Leonard G Cordone
- 👤 William A Donakowski
- 👤 John R Morgan
- 👤 Karl Roemming
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 19:33
CPC Classifications
C; C25; C25D; C25D15/00; C25D15/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
203 words
A METHOD FOR IMPROVING THE SURFACE CONDITION OF AN ELECTROPLATED METAL COMPOSITE CONTAINING FINE INERT PARTICLES, SAID COMPOSITE BEING ELECTROLYTICALLY DEPOSITED UPON A CATHODICALLY CONSTITUTED ARTICLE JUXTAPOSED A SEMI-CONFORMING FORAMINOUS ANODE, BOTH SAID ANODE AND CATHODE ARTICLE BEING IMMERSED IN A PLATING SOLUTION, THE METHOD COMPRISING: A. SURROUNDING SAID ANODE WITH AN INERT SCREEN HAVING A MESH SIZE GREATER THAN THE AVERAGE PARTICLE SIZE OF SAID INERT PARTICLES, BUT EFFECTIVE TO TRAP DEBRIS EMMINATING FROM SAID ANODE, B. PROVIDING A REMOVABLE FORAMINOUS TRAP IN SAID SOLUTION AT A LOCATION REMOTE FROM SAID ANODE AND HAVING A MESH SIZE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO OR SMALLER THAN THE MESH OF SAID SCREEN BUT LARGER THAN THE SIZE OF SAID INERT PARTICLES, C. POSITIVELY DRAWING SAID PLATING SOLUTION THROUGH SAID SCREEN IN A DIRECTION TOWARD THE INTERIOR OF SAID ANODE AND THENCE SEPARATING SAID DRAWN SOLUTION, D. POSITIVELY PASSING SAID SEPARATED SOLUTION THROUGH SAID TRAP IN A DIRECTION FROM THE INTERIOR OF SAID TRAP TO THE SURROUNDING SOLUTION, SAID PASSING BEING CARRIED OUT WHILE BUBBLING GAS THROUGH SAID TRAP TO SCRUB THE SEPARATED SOLUTION AS IT PASSES THROUGH THE TRAP WHEREBY ANODE DEBRIS IS CONTINOUSLY PREVENTED FROM CLOGGING SAID TRAP INSURING THE PASSAGE OF SAID INERT PARTICLES.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
203 words
A METHOD FOR IMPROVING THE SURFACE CONDITION OF AN ELECTROPLATED METAL COMPOSITE CONTAINING FINE INERT PARTICLES, SAID COMPOSITE BEING ELECTROLYTICALLY DEPOSITED UPON A CATHODICALLY CONSTITUTED ARTICLE JUXTAPOSED A SEMI-CONFORMING FORAMINOUS ANODE, BOTH SAID ANODE AND CATHODE ARTICLE BEING IMMERSED IN A PLATING SOLUTION, THE METHOD COMPRISING: A. SURROUNDING SAID ANODE WITH AN INERT SCREEN HAVING A MESH SIZE GREATER THAN THE AVERAGE PARTICLE SIZE OF SAID INERT PARTICLES, BUT EFFECTIVE TO TRAP DEBRIS EMMINATING FROM SAID ANODE, B. PROVIDING A REMOVABLE FORAMINOUS TRAP IN SAID SOLUTION AT A LOCATION REMOTE FROM SAID ANODE AND HAVING A MESH SIZE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO OR SMALLER THAN THE MESH OF SAID SCREEN BUT LARGER THAN THE SIZE OF SAID INERT PARTICLES, C. POSITIVELY DRAWING SAID PLATING SOLUTION THROUGH SAID SCREEN IN A DIRECTION TOWARD THE INTERIOR OF SAID ANODE AND THENCE SEPARATING SAID DRAWN SOLUTION, D. POSITIVELY PASSING SAID SEPARATED SOLUTION THROUGH SAID TRAP IN A DIRECTION FROM THE INTERIOR OF SAID TRAP TO THE SURROUNDING SOLUTION, SAID PASSING BEING CARRIED OUT WHILE BUBBLING GAS THROUGH SAID TRAP TO SCRUB THE SEPARATED SOLUTION AS IT PASSES THROUGH THE TRAP WHEREBY ANODE DEBRIS IS CONTINOUSLY PREVENTED FROM CLOGGING SAID TRAP INSURING THE PASSAGE OF SAID INERT PARTICLES.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as in claim 1, in which the mesh of said screen is in the range of 60-100.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1, in which the mesh of said trap is in the range of 80-120.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method as in claim 1, in which said gas is air and is introduced at a plurality of predetermined statious located throughout the bottom horizontal zone of said solution effective to agitate the entire bath as well as agitate the separated solution passing through said trap.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as in claim 1, in which said trap is arranged as a rigid foraminous basket immersed in the upper horizontal zone of said solution and having the top thereof open and exposed to the surrounding atmosphere.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method as in claim 1, in which said anode is comprised of a foraminous anodically inert enclosure containing a plurality of anodically active metal pieces, said enclosure being effective to pass current to said anode pieces for purposes of dissolution.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method as in claim 1, in which said anode is constituted of a titanium basket having a plurality of nickel pieces stacked in intimate contact within said basket.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method as in claim 6, in which said anode pieces are comprised of nickel.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method as in claim 1, in which the separated solution is joined with another separated portion of the solution drawn from a location in the solution remote from the anode, said joined separated solutions being introduced together into said trap.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
216 words
In an apparatus for conducting coelectrodeposition of a metal and uniformly distributed inert particles, the apparatus having a tank containing a nickel sulfamate type plating solution into which is immersed an article to be coated, the improvement comprising: a. a hollow foraminous anodically constituted assebmly substantially conforming to the shape of said article to be coated and having a perforate barrier disposed between the exterior of said assembly and said solution, said perforate barrier having a mesh size greater than the Average particle size of said inert particles, but effective to trap debris generated within said anode assembly, b. a metallic foraminous barrier immersed in said solution at a location remote from said anode, said remote barrier having a mesh size effective to permit the passage of said silicon carbide particles but trap anode debris, c. means for positively drawing said solution through said first barrier into the interior of said hollow anode assembly and thence separated from said solution, d. means for introducing said separated solution to said second barrier before migration back into said solution whereby said debris generated within said anode assembly is trapped within said second barrier for ease of removal, and e. means for agitating the separated solution passing through said second barrier for maintaining said barrier free of clogged debris.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
216 words
In an apparatus for conducting coelectrodeposition of a metal and uniformly distributed inert particles, the apparatus having a tank containing a nickel sulfamate type plating solution into which is immersed an article to be coated, the improvement comprising: a. a hollow foraminous anodically constituted assebmly substantially conforming to the shape of said article to be coated and having a perforate barrier disposed between the exterior of said assembly and said solution, said perforate barrier having a mesh size greater than the Average particle size of said inert particles, but effective to trap debris generated within said anode assembly, b. a metallic foraminous barrier immersed in said solution at a location remote from said anode, said remote barrier having a mesh size effective to permit the passage of said silicon carbide particles but trap anode debris, c. means for positively drawing said solution through said first barrier into the interior of said hollow anode assembly and thence separated from said solution, d. means for introducing said separated solution to said second barrier before migration back into said solution whereby said debris generated within said anode assembly is trapped within said second barrier for ease of removal, and e. means for agitating the separated solution passing through said second barrier for maintaining said barrier free of clogged debris.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus as in claim 10, in which said first barrier is particularly comprised of a flexible cloth surrounding said anode assembly, said cloth having a mesh size of about 80.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus as in claim 10, in which said anode assembly is particularly comprised of an anodically inert basket having a collection of anodically active pieces interengaged therein.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus as in claim 12, in which said anode pieces consist essentially of nickel and said anodically inert material is comprised of titanium having a titanium oxide coating thereon.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus as in claim 10, further comprising means to positively draw a portion of the solution from a remote location from said anode assembly and thence to mix said drawn portion with said first separated solution when introduced to the second barrier.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
86 words
The apparatus as in claim 10, in which said means for maintaining agitation is comprised of at least one conduit disposed substantially in the bottom horizontal zone of said solution and having a plurality of minute perforation therealong whereby air is conducted and introduced to the solution, said air being released through said perforations to generate a predetermined pattern of bubbles effective to effect eddy currents in said solution preventing laminar conditions, at least some of said bubbles being directed to migrate through said second barrier.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
90 words
Apparatus for filtering an electroplating system having a foraminous anode assembly and a remote screen comprising: a. means regulating the degree of foraminous openings in said anode assembly so as to insure the retention of anode debris within the assembly while permitting the entrance of solution containing fine particles therethrough, b. means for drawing the solution of said system into, upwardly and out so as to be separated from said solution, reintroduced to said solution through said screen, and c. means for agitating the separated fluid passing through said screen.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
90 words
Apparatus for filtering an electroplating system having a foraminous anode assembly and a remote screen comprising: a. means regulating the degree of foraminous openings in said anode assembly so as to insure the retention of anode debris within the assembly while permitting the entrance of solution containing fine particles therethrough, b. means for drawing the solution of said system into, upwardly and out so as to be separated from said solution, reintroduced to said solution through said screen, and c. means for agitating the separated fluid passing through said screen.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus as in claim 14, in which said means drawing a portion of said solution has a baffle covering the entrance thereto creating a tortous path for solution drawn thereinto to prevent clogging and air blockage.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-11-24 | 1979-05-26 | 1979-11-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-11-24 | 1983-05-26 | 1983-11-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-11-24 | 1987-05-26 | 1987-11-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |