Patent ID: 8715481

Claim:
An electroplating apparatus for electroplating a portion of each of a plurality of processed products other than a head of the processed products, the processed products each having the head, a lower part and a constricted part between the head and the lower part, the processed products each also having a center of gravity at the lower part, the electroplating apparatus comprising: a pair of stationary rails having an opening between the stationary rails narrower than the head and broader than the constricted part and including electrodes arranged thereon; a plating bath positioned below the stationary rails and having electrode plates arranged in a plating solution in the bath; a feeder device to arrange the processed products such that the constricted part is placed in the opening between the stationary rails, the head is positioned above the pair of stationary rails, and the lower part is positioned below the pair of stationary rails; and pushing elements passing through the opening of the pair of stationary rails from above the pair of stationary rails and sliding the processed products on the pair of stationary rails, in contact with the electrodes, by contacting and pushing each of the processed products at a position lower than the center of gravity of the processed product, each of the pushing elements being a separate piece from a corresponding processed product.