Electroplating apparatus
First Claim
1. Apparatus for electroplating articles, which comprises:
- (a) a support structure which defines a floor and a ceiling;
(b) a non-linear array of treating tanks mounted on the floor, at least one of the treating tanks comprising a rinse tank;
(c) means for shower rinsing articles located in the rinse tank with rinse water; and
(d) means for moving the articles between the treating tanks, the moving means including a hoist apparatus fixedly mounted above the treating tanks and having a downwardly depending hoist cable which is attachable to the articles being treated, and wherein the moving means further has means for traversing the hoist cable in two degrees of freedom over the area defined by the treating tanks to enable the hoist cable to reach each of the treating tanks.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved electroplating apparatus comprises a nonlinear array of treating tanks having a central rinse tank. A hoist motor is located on a fixed support structure above the rinse tank. A traversing guide engages a hoist cable to move the cable around the array of treating tanks. An insulating canopy surrounds the array to conserve waste heat given off by any heated treating tanks. A plurality of shower nozzles is located around the rinse tank for rinsing off any articles carried thereto by the hoist cable. The rinse water is heated by the waste heat conserved by the insulating canopy. The rinse discharge from the rinse tank can be conducted to a concentrating device for concentrating any contaminants contained in the rinse discharge.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. Apparatus for electroplating articles, which comprises:
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(a) a support structure which defines a floor and a ceiling; (b) a non-linear array of treating tanks mounted on the floor, at least one of the treating tanks comprising a rinse tank; (c) means for shower rinsing articles located in the rinse tank with rinse water; and (d) means for moving the articles between the treating tanks, the moving means including a hoist apparatus fixedly mounted above the treating tanks and having a downwardly depending hoist cable which is attachable to the articles being treated, and wherein the moving means further has means for traversing the hoist cable in two degrees of freedom over the area defined by the treating tanks to enable the hoist cable to reach each of the treating tanks. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An improved apparatus for electroplating a plurality of articles, which comprises:
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(a) an array of treating tanks at least one of which is a rinse tank; (b) means for heating at least some of the treating tanks; (c) means for shower rinsing articles contained in the rinse tank with a cleaning fluid; (d) means for moving the articles between the treating tanks; and (e) means for conserving waste heat given off by the heating tanks during an electroplating operation, the conserving means being located in a heat exchange relationship with a cleaning fluid supply line for the rinsing means, whereby the cleaning fluid sprayed thereby will be heated. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification