Improvements in Apparatus for Electro-plating Pins and other Small Objects.
Year: 1898

page_text: PATIONAL DI MUITICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Electro-plating Pins and other Small
Objects.
I, JAMES STEEL MORRISON, of 11, Clifton Street, Latchford, in the County of
Lancaster, Electroplater, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its principal object an apparatus for tinning or nickel-
ling pins and other small objects.
It consists in a rotating perforated drum of vulcanite or other non-conducting
material rotating horizontally or nearly so in the solution. This drum has strips
of copper arranged longitudinally on its inner surface and these strips have pins
projecting from them. The strips are insulated from the axle and from the bearing's
which latter are in the sides of the tank and are connected to a ring of copper
insulated from the shaft by vulcanite and round which the conducting wire or a
hook therefrom is placed. The shaft and bearings are preferably coated with
india-rubber. The conducting wire passes down to the copper disc through
a vulcanite sleeve made watertight on the shaft, the shaft rotating in
water-tight bearings in the sleeve. The conducting wire therefore is
not in the solution at all. It will thus be seen that with the excep-
tion of the strips and pins there is no metallic surface in contact
with the cathode except the pins etc. to be electro-plated. The drum revolves
slowly partially or wholly immersed in the solution and thus the articles to be
plated are continually being exposed to the liquid in motion. The end is open
and the articles can be taken out by the removal of a disk head.
Dated the 15th day of March 1808
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Electro-plating Pins and other Small
Objects.
I, JAMES STEEL MORRISON, late of 11, Clifton Street, Latchford, but now of
277, Knutsford Road, Latchford, in the County of Lancaster, Electroplater, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to

page_text: be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to an apparatus for tinning or nickelling pins and other
small objects and has for its principal object to prevent any part of the apparatus
becoming tinned or nickelled while the process of electro-plating the pins or
other articles is going on.
Referring to the drawings,
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section partly in elevation of my improved apparatus;
Figure 2 a cross section thereof.
In these A is a rotating perforated drum of vulcanite or other non-conducting
material rotating in the solution on a substantially horizontal axis. This drum
has strips B of copper or other conducting material arranged longitudinally on
its inner surface and these strips have pins C projecting from them. D is a ring
of copper or other conducting inaterial insulated from the shaft by a block E of
vulcanite, and F is a conducting wire or strip in contact with the ring D pre-
ferably engaging it like a hook. G are two pins or bolts attached to the ring D
and in contact with a disc H of conducting material. I, Figure 2, is a strip of
conducting material in contact with the ring 1, itself in contact with the strips B
on the inside of the cylinder A. The axle J is coated with any suitable non-
conducting material. The conducting wire or strip F passes down to the ring D
through a vulcanite sleeve or chamber K made water tight on the shaft, con-
sequently such wire is not in the solution at all. It will thus be seen that with
the exception of the strips and pins there is no metallic surface in the solution
in contact with the cathode except the pins etcetera to be tinned or electro-plated.
The drum A revolves slowly partially or wholly immersed in the solution and thus
the articles to be plated are continually being exposed to the liquid in motion. The
end A of the cylinder is removable so that the articles can be taken out when
required. L are bent pieces of iron resting on the tank containing the solution.
In operation the current passes from the anode immersed in the tank to the
articles contained in the drum, thence to the pins C, thence along the strips B,
the strip I, disc H, pins G, ring D and wire or strip F to the dynamo.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
:-
1. In apparatus for electro-plating pins and other small objects, the combination
of a cylinder of vulcanite having a rotary movement in the electrolyte, the
strips and pins connected with the cathode and a connection between these strips
and pins with the cathode wire by means of a projecting sleeve insulated from the
shaft and from the electrolyte substantially as described, the shaft being also
insulated from the electrolyte by non-conducting material, whereby there is
hardly any metallic surface in contact with the cathode except the pins etc. to be
electro-plated.
2. The general arrangement of electroplating apparatus with its pins, strips and
conducting devices substantially as herein described and illustrated.
Dated this 15th day of December 1898
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Patent Agents, of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham & London.