Process for electroplating nickel over stainless steel

Claim 2

A process for electroplating a stainless steel part comprising essentially the steps of: (a) cleaning the surface of the part; (b) treating the surface of the part by immersing it in an electrolytic bath, sid electrolytic bath consisting of sulfuric acid, the concentration of said sulfuric acid being about 10% by volume, with the part connected to be anodic, such that DC current flows from the part through the bath to a separate cathode in the electrolytic bath; (c) rinsing the sulfuric acid off the part; (d) electroplating nickel upon the surface of the part by immersing it in an electrolytic, nickel solution; whereby the nickel plating will strongly adhere to the surface of the part without destroying the red rust resistance of the stainless steel part.

Claim 3

A process as defined in claim 1, and with the current density, during the surface-treating step, being between about 45-55 amps per square foot, with the voltage between about 3-4 volts.

Claim 4

A process as defined in claim 2, and with the surface treatment applied to the part for between about 5-90 seconds.

Claim 5

A process as defined in claim 2, and with the surface treatment applied to the part for between about 10-30 seconds.

Claim 6

A process as defined in claim 1, and with the nickel electroplating including first applying a nickel strike to the surface of the part by immersing it in acid nickel chloride, i.e. a Woods nickel strike bath, and thereafter, electroplating the part in a bright nickel bath.

Claim 7

A process as defined in claim 5, and including the step of chrome plating the part following nickel plating the part.

Claim 8

In a process for electroplating a stainless steel workpiece, including essentially the steps of cleaning the workpiece, surface-treating the workpiece by immersing it in an electrolytic bath, electroplating the surface of the workpiece with nickel, and electroplating a chrome plating upon the nickel-plated workpiece, the improvement comprising: in the electrolytic bath surface-treating step, applying a DC electrical current to the workpiece while the workpiece is immersed in the electrolytic bath consisting of sulfuric acid having a concentration of about 10% by volume, with the workpiece being anodically connected so that current flows from the workpiece, through the electrolytic bath, to a separate cathode in the electrolytic bath; whereby the nickel plating will strongly adhere upon the surface of the workpiece which is made of a bright, annealed stainless steel so that the workpiece may be nickel-chrome plated and wherein the process does not substantially adversely affect the red rust resistance of the stainless steel.

Claim 9

In a process for electroplating a stainless steel workpiece, including essentially the steps of cleaning the workpiece, surface-treating the workpiece by immersing it in an electrolytic bath, electroplating the surface of the workpiece with nickel, and electroplating a chrome plating upon the nickel-plated workpiece, the improvement comprising: in the electrolytic bath surface-treating step, applying a DC electrical current to the workpiece while the workpiece is immersed in the electrolytic bath consisting of sulfuric acid having a concentration of about 10% by volume, with the workpiece being anodically connected so that current flows from the workpiece, through the electrolytic bath, to a separate cathode in the electrolytic bath; whereby the nickel plating will strongly adhere upon the surface of the workpiece which is made of a bright, annealed stainless steel so that the workpiece may be nickel-chrome plated and wherein the process does not substantially adversely affect the red rust resistance of the stainless steel.

Claim 10

In a process as defined in claim 7, and wherein the density of the electrical current is roughly between about 10-55 amps/square foot of workpiece surface, at a voltage of roughly between about 3-4 volts, with the workpiece treated a predetermined time of roughly between 5-90 seconds.

Claim 11

In a process as defined in claim 1, and wherein the bath temperature is maintained generally at about room temperature.