An Improved Method of Electro Plating Wire.
Year: 1891

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of Electro Plating Wire.
LEICEST
I THOMAS LYNCH HEMMING of 96 New John Street West Birmingham in the
County of Warwick Electrical Engineer and Electro Metallurgist do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to an improved method of electro plating wire and has for
its object the continual movement of the wire during the operation.
Thus admitting of a large amount of wire being operated upon at one time and
ensuring that all parts of the wire shall be equally exposed to the action of the
electric current.
1 accomplish this object by the devices hereinafter described and my invention
consists in the construction and various combination of such devices for the
purposes and in the manner as hereinafter stated.
In order that my invention may be fully understood I will more particularly
describe it making reference to the drawings which accompany my Specification.
Figure (1) is a front elevation of the slides and half bearing.
Figure (2) is a similar view of the other sliding part to form bearing.
Figure (3) is a similar view of the whole bearing & slides.
Figure (4) is a side elevation of driving spindle and pulleys.
Figure (5) is a front view of toothed wheel.
Figure (6) is a side elevation of swift or drum.
Fig. (7) is an end elevation of swift or drum showing hinged or sliding pieces.
Fig. (8) is the chain belt.
Fig. (9) is a full view showing arrangement of the mechanism.
I effect my object in the following manner I provide brackets consisting of two
parts one sliding into the other as shown in drawing Fig. (1).
Fig. (1) is fixed in any suitable manner to the inside of the plating tank,.as
shown in full on drawing Fig. 9.
Fig. 2 is then slipped down the slides thus forming a central hole or bearing.
The plate a Fig. 3 is to secure the bearing thus formed being held rigidly
together.
A drum or swift is next provided and may be variously constructed that shown
in the drawing Fig. 6 in side view and in section Fig. 7 being very simple and
effective and consisting of a disc of wood or other suitable material into which are
fixed staves of a suitable length and connected to another disc of a smaller diameter
at the opposite end thus forming a swift or drum.
On the small end of swift or drum small sliding or hinged pieces are then
secured. The object of this construction is to enable the operator to depress_the
sliding or hinged pieces, slip the wire upon the swift or drum which when after-
wards raised prevents the wire slipping off.
The swift thus formed is mounted upon a spindle as shown at e Fig. 6 upon
which is fixed a toothed driving wheel as shown in drawing in full view at
Fig. (5).
The means I employ for making an electric connection with the wire are as
follows; upon the largest disc forming the swift I fix a metal ring. I also
connect metal strips running the whole length of the swift or drum to the metal
ring. When the wire is put on the swift it is in connection with the strips and the
metal ring thus establishing metallic connection between the ring the strips and
the wire.
A copper or other suitable conducting rod is arranged across the top of the
plating tank as shown in drawing at d Fig. 9 upon this rod is fixed a metal holder

page_text: into which is clamped a strip of metal arranged to press firmly upon the metal ring
of drum thus conveying the electric current to the wire as shown in drawing at E
Fig. 9.
The mechanism to convey the rotary motion to the swift may be variously
constructed that shown in the drawing Fig. 4 being very simple and effective and
consisting of a bracket which may be fixed upon the outside of tank as shown in
drawing at F Fig. 9 or any other suitable position.
A spindle runs through this bracket upon which are arranged driven and driving
pulleys to impart the motion to the spindle of the swift.
A loose pulley is also provided to stop it.
A toothed wheel is fixed to this spindle and arranged in line with the toothed
wheel on the spindle of the swift.
These two toothed wheels are connected by means of a chain belt as shown in
drawing at Fig. 9 when the spindle outside of tank is driven it imparts through
the chain belt the motion to the swift.
A spring is arranged to press upon the spindle so as to prevent the wire
uncoiling too rapidly.
Having now lined the vat with suitable anodes one of which is shown in drawing at y
Fig. 9 the wire having been cleaned by scouring or dipping in the usual manner in
all electrolytic operations I arrange the swifts in their place as hereinbefore described
and shown in drawing at Fig. 9 one facing the other and the coil of wire is slipped
on and the end secured to the swift. The other end of coil of wire is fixed to the
opposite swift or drum which is empty. The empty swift or drum is then revolved
which transfers the wire from one swift to another at the same time allowing a
single strand of wire or wires to be exposed to the action of the electric current.
This continual moving of the points of contact admits of a more regular and
rapid deposit.
And the whole coil of wire being immersed in the solution on the drum or swift
and in contact with the electric current allows of any quantity being done at one
time which is determined only by the size of the plant.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed what claim is
The process of electro plating wire by revolving drums or swifts immersed in
the plating liquid.
An electro plating tank in combination with the movable slides and the fixed
driving mechanism as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.
The bearings or movable slides forming bearings as hereinbefore described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
The swift or drum with metal conductors for conveying the electric current to
the wire under operation with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 30th day of March 1891.
THOMAS LYNCH HEMMING.