Patent ID: 7396448

Claim:
A method for plating and grinding a roll extending along a longitudinal axis and having a cylindrical surface centrally surrounding the longitudinal axis, the method comprising the steps of: supporting the roll at opposing ends of the roll; positioning the roll in a plating tank containing a plating liquid with a longitudinally-extending non-soluble anode immersed therein, the plating liquid including copper sulfate and being in liquid contact with the roll; moving the anode to a juxaposed position adjacent the roll with the roll and the anode extending parallel to one another; rotating the roll while the roll is in liquid contact with the plating liquid; electrically energizing the roll as a cathode while being electrically connected to the anode and rotating the roll in the juxtaposes position with the anode so that the cylindrical surface is plated with copper sulfate; providing a grinding head and a grinding band, the grinding head disposed adjacent the roll and operative to move to and between a roll-engaged position and a roll-disengaged position, the grinding band fabricated from a flexible fabric member and disposed between the roll and the grinding head and operative to move relative to the grinding head and the roll, the grinding head having a flexible web structure supporting a longitudinally-extending electrode band; moving the grinding head from the roll-disengaged position to the roll-engaged position such the the grinding band is in pressing contact with the rotating roll in a manner that a portion of the grinding band in facial contact with the web structure and at least a portion of the web structure flex to conform to an arcuate portion of the roll with the portion of the grinding band in facial contact with the web structure contacting the arcuate portion of the roll to cause frictional grinding of the arcuate portion of the rotating roll; and electrically energizing the electrode band disposed adjacent the arcuate portion of the roll to cause electrolytic grinding of the rotating roll at a location near the energized electrode band.