Plating apparatus and method for rotary engine housings

Claim 1

AN APPARATUS FOR UNIFORMLY ELECTRODEPOSITING A WEARRESISTANT COATING ONTO EPITROCHOIDAL RADIAL WORKING SURFACES OF A PLURALITY OF ROTARY ENGINE HOUSINGS SIMULTANEOUSLY, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: A NONCONDUCTIVE SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSED BOX-LIKE ENCLOSURE FOR CONTAINING A VERTICAL STACK OF ABUTTING AND REGISTERED ROTARY ENGINE HOUSINGS HAVING ALIGNED EPITROCHOIDAL INNER WORKING SURFACES FORMING A PASSAGEWAY HAVING AN EPITROCHOIDAL CROSS SECTION, A FLAT METAL PLATE ON THE TOP OF SAID HOUSING STACK, A FLAT METAL PLATE ON THE BOTTOM OF SAID HOUSING STACK, EACH OF SAID FLAT METAL PLATES HAVING A MAJOR SURFACE IN CONTACT WITH SAID STACK AND HAVING AN EPITROCHOIDAL OPENING THEREIN CONGRUENT WITH SAID ALIGNED INNER SURFACES, TOP AND BOTTOM WALLS ON SAID ENCLOSURE ADJACENT SAID METAL PLATES WITH EACH WALL HAVING AN EPITROCHOIDAL OPENING THEREIN CONCENTRIC WITH AND SMALLER THAN THE EPITROCHOIDAL CROSS SECTION OF SAID PASSAGEWAY, AN INSOLUBLE ANODE HAVING A GENERALLY EPITROCHOIDAL TRANSVERSE OUTER PERIPHERY AND AN INTERIOR SPACE, SAID ANODE COAXIALLY EXTENDING THROUGHOUT SAID PASSAGEWAY PARALLEL TO SAID RADIALLY SPACED INWARDLY FROM SAID ALIGNED INNER SURFACES, SAID ANODE BEING RADIALLY CLOSER TO SAID CONCENTRIC EPITROCHOIDAL OPENINGS IN SAID ENCLOSURE TOP AND BOTTOM WALLS THAN TO SAID ALIGNED INNER SURFACES, SAID ANODE HAVING A PLURALITY OF RADIALLY ARRAYED OPENINGS THROUGHOUT SAID PASSAGEWAY THAT COMUNICATE SAID ANODE OUTER PERIPHERY WITH SAID ANODE INTERIOR SPACE, MEANS FOR PREVENTING SAID SOLUTION FROM ENTERING SAID ANODE INTERIOR SPACE EXCEPT THROUGH SAID ANODE OPENINGS IN SAID PASSAGE WAY, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID ENCLOSURE IN A TANK OF ELECTROPLATING SOLUTION WITH SAID ENCLOSURE COMPLETLY IMMERSED IN SAID SOLUTION, AND MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY WITHDRAWING SAID SOLUTION FROM SAID ANODE INTERIOR SPACE AND RECIRCULATING IT TO SAID TANK DURING ELECTRODEPOSITION OF SAID WEAR-RESISTAND COATING ONTO SAID ALIGNED INNER SURFACES.

Claim 2

AN APPARATUS FOR UNIFORMLY ELECTRODEPOSITING A WEARRESISTANT COATING ONTO EPITROCHOIDAL RADIAL WORKING SURFACES OF A PLURALITY OF ROTARY ENGINE HOUSINGS SIMULTANEOUSLY, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: A NONCONDUCTIVE SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSED BOX-LIKE ENCLOSURE FOR CONTAINING A VERTICAL STACK OF ABUTTING AND REGISTERED ROTARY ENGINE HOUSINGS HAVING ALIGNED EPITROCHOIDAL INNER WORKING SURFACES FORMING A PASSAGEWAY HAVING AN EPITROCHOIDAL CROSS SECTION, A FLAT METAL PLATE ON THE TOP OF SAID HOUSING STACK, A FLAT METAL PLATE ON THE BOTTOM OF SAID HOUSING STACK, EACH OF SAID FLAT METAL PLATES HAVING A MAJOR SURFACE IN CONTACT WITH SAID STACK AND HAVING AN EPITROCHOIDAL OPENING THEREIN CONGRUENT WITH SAID ALIGNED INNER SURFACES, TOP AND BOTTOM WALLS ON SAID ENCLOSURE ADJACENT SAID METAL PLATES WITH EACH WALL HAVING AN EPITROCHOIDAL OPENING THEREIN CONCENTRIC WITH AND SMALLER THAN THE EPITROCHOIDAL CROSS SECTION OF SAID PASSAGEWAY, AN INSOLUBLE ANODE HAVING A GENERALLY EPITROCHOIDAL TRANSVERSE OUTER PERIPHERY AND AN INTERIOR SPACE, SAID ANODE COAXIALLY EXTENDING THROUGHOUT SAID PASSAGEWAY PARALLEL TO SAID RADIALLY SPACED INWARDLY FROM SAID ALIGNED INNER SURFACES, SAID ANODE BEING RADIALLY CLOSER TO SAID CONCENTRIC EPITROCHOIDAL OPENINGS IN SAID ENCLOSURE TOP AND BOTTOM WALLS THAN TO SAID ALIGNED INNER SURFACES, SAID ANODE HAVING A PLURALITY OF RADIALLY ARRAYED OPENINGS THROUGHOUT SAID PASSAGEWAY THAT COMUNICATE SAID ANODE OUTER PERIPHERY WITH SAID ANODE INTERIOR SPACE, MEANS FOR PREVENTING SAID SOLUTION FROM ENTERING SAID ANODE INTERIOR SPACE EXCEPT THROUGH SAID ANODE OPENINGS IN SAID PASSAGE WAY, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID ENCLOSURE IN A TANK OF ELECTROPLATING SOLUTION WITH SAID ENCLOSURE COMPLETLY IMMERSED IN SAID SOLUTION, AND MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY WITHDRAWING SAID SOLUTION FROM SAID ANODE INTERIOR SPACE AND RECIRCULATING IT TO SAID TANK DURING ELECTRODEPOSITION OF SAID WEAR-RESISTAND COATING ONTO SAID ALIGNED INNER SURFACES.

Claim 3

An apparatus for uniformly electrodepositing a chromium coating onto epitrochoidal radial working surfaces of a plurality of rotary engine housings simultaneously, said apparatus comprising: a nonconductive closed box-like enclosure for containing a vertical stack of abutting and registered rotary engine housings having aligned epitrochoidal inner working surfaces forming a passageway having an epitrochoidal cross section with a major dimension of about 1 - 12 inches, flat metal plates about 0.1 - 0.2 inch thick contacting the top and bottom of said housing stack, with each plate having an epitrochoidal opening therein congruent with said aligned inner surfaces, flat top and bottom walls on the interior of said enclosure adjacent said flat metal plates with each wall having an epitrochoidal opening therein concentric with and having a major dimension of about 1 - 1.5 inch smaller than said passageway major dimension, an insoluble anode having a generally epitrochoidal transverse outer periphery and an interior space, said anode coaxially extending throughout said passageway parallel to and radially spaced inwardly from said aligned inner surfaces, said anode transverse outer periphery having a major dimension about 1.5 - 2.0 inches smaller than said passageway major dimension, said major dimension of said concentric epitrochoidal openings in said enclosure top and bottom walls being larger than said anode major dimension by about 2/3 of the difference between said anode and said passage major dimensions, a tank having a bottom wall and containing a solution for electrodeposition of chromium, means for supporting said enclosure in said tank completely immersed in said solution and spaced above said tank bottom wall wherein said solution can enter said passageway through said enclosure top and bottom openings, said anode having a plurality of openings radially arrayed throughout said passageway by which said solution can enter said anode interior space from said passageway, means for preventing said solution from entering said anode interior space except through said anode openings in said paSsageway, and means for continuously withdrawing said solution from said anode interior space and recirculating it to said tank during electrodeposition of said chromium coating onto said aligned inner surfaces of said housings.

Claim 4

An apparatus for uniformly electrodepositing a chromium coating onto epitrochoidal radial working surfaces of a plurality of rotary engine housings simultaneously, said apparatus comprising: a nonconductive closed box-like enclosure for containing a vertical stack of abutting and registered rotary engine housings having aligned epitrochoidal inner working surfaces forming a passageway having an epitrochoidal cross section with a major dimension of about 1 - 12 inches, flat metal plates about 0.1 - 0.2 inch thick contacting the top and bottom of said housing stack, with each plate having an epitrochoidal opening therein congruent with said aligned inner surfaces, flat top and bottom walls on the interior of said enclosure adjacent said flat metal plates with each wall having an epitrochoidal opening therein concentric with and having a major dimension of about 1 - 1.5 inch smaller than said passageway major dimension, an insoluble anode having a generally epitrochoidal transverse outer periphery and an interior space, said anode coaxially extending throughout said passageway parallel to and radially spaced inwardly from said aligned inner surfaces, said anode transverse outer periphery having a major dimension about 1.5 - 2.0 inches smaller than said passageway major dimension, said major dimension of said concentric epitrochoidal openings in said enclosure top and bottom walls being larger than said anode major dimension by about 2/3 of the difference between said anode and said passage major dimensions, a tank having a bottom wall and containing a solution for electrodeposition of chromium, means for supporting said enclosure in said tank completely immersed in said solution and spaced above said tank bottom wall wherein said solution can enter said passageway through said enclosure top and bottom openings, said anode having a plurality of openings radially arrayed throughout said passageway by which said solution can enter said anode interior space from said passageway, means for preventing said solution from entering said anode interior space except through said anode openings in said paSsageway, and means for continuously withdrawing said solution from said anode interior space and recirculating it to said tank during electrodeposition of said chromium coating onto said aligned inner surfaces of said housings.

Claim 5

An apparatus for uniformly electrodepositing a chromium coating onto epitrochoidal radial working surfaces of a plurality of rotary engine housings simultaneously, said apparatus comprising: a frame for supporting workpieces to be electroplated in a tank containing chromium electroplating solution, a horizontal first flat nonconductive plate on said frame, a vertically oriented tubular nonconductive member with open upper and lower ends, the lower end of which is sealed on and encloses an upper surface portion of said first nonconductive plate, a first horizontal flat metal plate on said enclosed upper surface portion within said tubular member for contact with the bottom of a vertical stack of abutting and registered rotary engine housings within said tubular member, said housings having aligned epitrochoidal inner working surfaces forming a vertical passageway of epitrochoidal horizontal cross section, a second horizontal flat metal plate within said tubular member for contact with the top of said stack of rotary engine housings, a second horizontal flat nonconductive plate on top of said second metal plate, and substantially closing the upper end of said tubular member, said first and second flat metal plates each having an epitrochoidal opening therein congruent with said aligned inner surfaces of said rotary engine housings, said first and second flat nonconductive plates each having an epitrochoidal opening therein concentric with and smaller than said metal plate openings through which said electroplating solution in said tank can enter top and bottom ends of said passageway, a vertical tubular insoluble anode having an epitrochoidal horizontal outer periphery concentric with and smaller than said nonconductive plate openings coaxially disposed in said housing passageway and uniformly radially spaced inwardly from said aligned inner surfaces, the radial spacing between said anode and said passageway being about two to three times greater than the radial spacing from said nonconductive plates, said anode extending upwardly along the entire length of said passageway and through said second plate opening to a level above them, a nonconductive coating covering all anode portions outside said passageway and anode waist portions within said passageway, and said anode having a closed bottom end and a plurality of uniformly radially arrayed openings therein along its length through which electroplating solution from said passageway can pass within said tubular anode and be recirculated to said tank during electroplating.

Claim 6

An apparatus for uniformly electrodepositing a chromium coating onto epitrochoidal radial working surfaces of a plurality of rotary engine housings simultaneously, said apparatus comprising: a frame for supporting workpieces to be electroplated in a tank containing chromium electroplating solution, a horizontal first flat nonconductive plate on said frame, a vertically oriented tubular nonconductive member with open upper and lower ends, the lower end of which is sealed on and encloses an upper surface portion of said first nonconductive plate, a first horizontal flat metal plate on said enclosed upper surface portion within said tubular member for contact with the bottom of a vertical stack of abutting and registered rotary engine housings within said tubular member, said housings having aligned epitrochoidal inner working surfaces forming a vertical passageway of epitrochoidal horizontal cross section, a second horizontal flat metal plate within said tubular member for contact with the top of said stack of rotary engine housings, a second horizontal flat nonconductive plate on top of said second metal plate, and substantially closing the upper end of said tubular member, said first and second flat metal plates each having an epitrochoidal opening therein congruent with said aligned inner surfaces of said rotary engine housings, said first and second flat nonconductive plates each having an epitrochoidal opening therein concentric with and smaller than said metal plate openings through which said electroplating solution in said tank can enter top and bottom ends of said passageway, a vertical tubular insoluble anode having an epitrochoidal horizontal outer periphery concentric with and smaller than said nonconductive plate openings coaxially disposed in said housing passageway and uniformly radially spaced inwardly from said aligned inner surfaces, the radial spacing between said anode and said passageway being about two to three times greater than the radial spacing from said nonconductive plates, said anode extending upwardly along the entire length of said passageway and through said second plate opening to a level above them, a nonconductive coating covering all anode portions outside said passageway and anode waist portions within said passageway, and said anode having a closed bottom end and a plurality of uniformly radially arrayed openings therein along its length through which electroplating solution from said passageway can pass within said tubular anode and be recirculated to said tank during electroplating.

Claim 7

A method of uniformly electrodepositing a wear-resistant coating onto epitrochoidal working surfaces of a plurality of rotary engine housings simultaneously, said method comprising the steps of: vertically stacking a plurality of rotary engine housings having epitrochoidal inner working surfaces in alignment to form a passageway having an epitrochoidal cross section, stacking metal plates at the top and bottom of the housing stack with the metal plates each having an epitrochoidal opening therein congruent with said passageway, substantially enclosing said stack of housings and metal plates in a nonconductive container having top and bottom epitrochoidal openings therein adjacent the stack that are concentric with and smaller than the epitrochoidal cross section of said passageway, coaxially positioning a tubular insoluble anode having a hollow interior and a generally epitrochoidal cross section within said passageway, with said anode paralleling the entire length of said passageway and spaced radially inwardly therefrom about two or three times its radial spacing from said container openings, said anode having radially arrayed opeNings throughout said passageway communicating said passageway with the anode interior, completely immersing said container and said anode in an electroplating bath so that electroplating solution can enter said container through said top and bottom openings, preventing electroplating solution from entering the anode interior except through said radially arrayed openings, applying a negative potential to said housing stack and a positive potential to said anode, and while applying said potentials, continuously withdrawing said electroplating solution from said anode interior and recirculating it back to said tank.

Claim 8

A method of uniformly electrodepositing a wear-resistant coating onto epitrochoidal working surfaces of a plurality of rotary engine housings simultaneously, said method comprising the steps of: vertically stacking a plurality of rotary engine housings having epitrochoidal inner working surfaces in alignment to form a passageway having an epitrochoidal cross section, stacking metal plates at the top and bottom of the housing stack with the metal plates each having an epitrochoidal opening therein congruent with said passageway, substantially enclosing said stack of housings and metal plates in a nonconductive container having top and bottom epitrochoidal openings therein adjacent the stack that are concentric with and smaller than the epitrochoidal cross section of said passageway, coaxially positioning a tubular insoluble anode having a hollow interior and a generally epitrochoidal cross section within said passageway, with said anode paralleling the entire length of said passageway and spaced radially inwardly therefrom about two or three times its radial spacing from said container openings, said anode having radially arrayed opeNings throughout said passageway communicating said passageway with the anode interior, completely immersing said container and said anode in an electroplating bath so that electroplating solution can enter said container through said top and bottom openings, preventing electroplating solution from entering the anode interior except through said radially arrayed openings, applying a negative potential to said housing stack and a positive potential to said anode, and while applying said potentials, continuously withdrawing said electroplating solution from said anode interior and recirculating it back to said tank.