US1779934A - Galvanizing-rack centrifuge - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 28, 1 930. c. A. GIBLIN 1,779,934

GALVANIZING RACK CENTRIFUGE Filed Aug. 15, 1928 INVEN'EOR Uluzi-les rd. zblcn ATTORNEY i Patented out. 28, 1930 UNITED srArEs ATEN OFFICE CHARLES A. eIBLrnonwEsTrIELn, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO HENRYB; NEWHALL CORPORATION, or een-woonnnw annsnvjA CORPORATION on NEW JERSEYf' GALvAnIzING-nAcK: CENTRIEUGE,

Application 'filed August 15, 1928. Serial No. 299,845.

I My present invention'relates to a method f of, and apparatus for, coating and has particular reference to a method of, and apparatu's for, galvanizing and centrifuging objects 50f varied shapes. I

It has been cus'tomary to galvanize iron articles, en masse', by immersing them into a zinc bath while in contact with one another.

After this immersion the articles, such as screws, bolts and the like, are usually sub jected to centrifugal action, in" a perforated metal basket, in order to remove the excess zinc from them, and thusleave' themuniformly coated. i I

It often occurs that articles to be galvani'zed and centrifuged for the removal of ex"- cess coating are too large for such mass treatment, which is satisfactory for small arti; cles, and, therefore, such larger articles must have separate treatment in isolated condition, but in plural quantities to satisfy commercial output requirements, including smooth evencoating; {rapidity nd continuity of process and economy of'ihaterial and cost; 7 i I have devised a new process and appara, tus forcoating articles and to accomplish the foregoing'objects by removing excess coating from the coated articles, in which the articles at no time contact with a basket or each other '30 during the coating or subsequent treatment steps.

- My method, in addition, is applicable to articles of complex shape,fsuch as uniform, or irregularly contoured castings having "a plurality of apertures therein, which ordinarily wouldbeexceedingly difiicult to treat in the usual dipping and centrifuging processes as heretofore practiced.

Aecordinglymne of the main objects of my p'resent'invention is to provide a method of, and apparatus for, coating articles in which a plurality of articles of complex or simple shape a-nd bulk may be coated or hot-dipped in galvanizing bath, and then subjected to centrifugal action to remove excess metal,

the coating and centrifugingsteps being ac,

V complishedspeedily"and without the articles touching oneanother, each article of the l group being coatedor centrifuged apart from "5 the others of said group, thereby producingafterthe articles and rack areremoved from galvanized articles of the larger bullrwith a more uniform'coating than has hitherto been j Another object the inventionis topro vlde an apparatusffor galvanizing and sub; sequently removing excess metal by centrifugalforcain which a portable rack is used in the clipping step, as the article-supporting means during the centrifugal treatment, thus I insuring efiicient and speedy. movements between steps, said'rack being adapted for rapid cooperative engagement with a centrifugal machine driving spindle immediately the zinc pot. I v

I Still another object of the invention is to provide a galvanizing bath or pot and cen} trifugal apparatus in close proximity to one another, and by the provision of a rack lift-' ing means associated therewith to enable the operator to transfer, with' ease, the-loaded article-supporting rack, after dipping the loaded rack into and, out of the zinc pot to the centrifugalapparatus. Thus, the rack 'may be quickly mounted upon the centrifuge articles being coated in isolated positions and not contacting with one another during the hot-dipping stepv and successive treatment, and has, further, the provision of means to enableithe rack to be' positioned in driving position relative to av centrifugal machine stud, whereby when the stud is rotated the articles and rack rotate with it. e

Other objects of the invention are to im-v prove generally thesimplicity-and efi'iciency l of such devicesand to provide a device orapparatus of this kind which is economical, durable and reliable in operation, and economical to manufacture. v

The inventive features for the accomplish-i herein "in connection with an improved ment of these and other objects are shown 'method of, and apparatus for, hot-dipping articles in non-contacting position with each other, and then subjecting the articles to centrifugal force to remove excess coating, the articles remaining in non-contacting position during the centrifugal step, which method and apparatus comprise mounting the articles to be coated in suspended noncontacting position with each other on a portable rack, then immersing the rack and suspended articles in a coating bath which is in close proximity to the rack point loading, then removing the rack from the bath and moving it over a centrifugal machine mounted close to the rack, the transfer being effected with the articles and rack in the same relative positions as obtained during the dipping step.

i The movement is effected by a lifting device mounted in close proximity to both the bath and centrifugal machine. then lowering the rack into the machine, there being a ro-' tatable rack engaging stud located in the machine, said stud and loaded rack being driven by a source of power. A surrounding protective casing is arranged about the entire apparatus, the lower end of the casing opening into a spelter receiving trough, the upper end being open forthe entry of the loaded rack, the casing having a clean-out and inspection door therein, the rack driving stud and rack being provided with interengaging means whereby when the rack is lowered into the machine it is engageable with the driving stud and rotatable therewith, and finally rotating the stud and rack whereby the excess metal is removed from the articles asthey rotate, the articles remaining in non-contacting position during such rotation, the removed excess metal impacting against the surrounding casing and dropping into the aforesaid trough.

A plurality of article-supporting racks may be furnished to the apparatus herein disclosed. whereby the racks may be loaded in advance of the dipping operation, and

after the centrifuging be moved away loaded, to cool, be emptied and again sent through the cycle of treatment.

.Many of the features of the invention may be used without employing all of them, as some of those which are not essential may be omitted, without departing from the spirit of the invention, though such omission may affect the quality of the result.

Moreoven'the apparatus in this invention is capable of.receiving various-mechanical expressions without departing from the spirit of the invention itself. I

For the purpose of describing the invention, there is illustrated in the accompanying drawing the preferred form of apparatus in which drawings:

Fig. 1 is a rear elevation, partly in longitudinal section, of the centrifugal machine,

showing the article supporting rack operatively positioned therein.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation, partly in section of the zinc pot, lifting crane and centrifugal mechanism, showing the article supporting rack in position over the bath.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the article supporting rack.

Fig. 4 is a front and side elevation of an article of complex shape, to be coated.

, Fig. 5 is a section of the rack taken on the line 55, Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrow.

In the practical application of m invention, and referring particularly to Fig. 2, the coating bath is denoted generally by 1. Specifically a base 2 supports thereon a pot 3, which contains therein the coating material 4. This material may be metal, paint or lacuer, depending on what is to be coated and t 1e process employed. The process disclosed herein is particularly adapted for galvanizin g objects and therefore it will be understood that the material 4 is molten zinc.

A heating burner 5, disposed in the fire pot 6 serves to' maintain the zinc in molten condition. A waste gas stack 7 connected to the fire pot Gefi'ectively removes the combustion gases.

In close proximity to the bath is a rack lifting crane 8, pivoted on a base 9, and manually rotated by a pair of handles 9*. The bases 2, 9 and 10 may be a common base, or separate. The base 10, upon which the centrifugal machine is mounted is in close proximity to the bath and crane, thereby rendering the transfer of the rack, denoted by 11, fromthe bath to the centrifugal machine, a simple task, readily performed by unskilled laborers.

The article supporting rack 11 is raised, lowered and held in fixed suspended position by a block and fall or chain lift mechanism 12, the pulley rope 14 lazing manually attachable,

in Fig. 2, to a cleat 13. 1

Referring now to Figs. 1, 3 and 5, the rack or spindle 11 comprises a hollow-cylindrical member 15 having ositioned therein a series of laterally exten ing brackets 16, having each theshape ,of an inverted knee- These brackets may be integral with the rack or they may be secured thereto in any well known manner, such as welding etc. The said brackets 16 are spaced from each other in such a manner that articles may be suspended therefrom out of contact with each other and the rack 15. The said brackets 16 may be arranged in any desired radial positions about the rack spindle 15.

A rack cap 17, having a lifting eye 18 is secure to the rack spindle 15, which is open at its lower end 20. Thus, the book 19, of the block and tackle 12, supportably engages the rack 11, when the hook is passed through the eye 18 for lifting the rack and load. The bore 21 of the rack spindle 15 is of square cross secrack spindle, "15.

' The centrifuge. or centrifugal machine is mounted on the base 10, and the square drivlng centrifuge stud 42 receives therack 11,

when the latter "islloweredldown over it, A

' circular pedestal casing. 22, aflixed to .the base 10, supports an annular trough 24 upon,

- The casing 26 has spaced supportinglugs 2'Zintegral therewith. The lugs 27 are bolted to the bell portion and thus space the bottom of the casing free from the spelter receiving trough 24. The bottom of the casing 26 isopen "andflared, as at 28, thereby facilitating the fiowof excess chilled spelter from the casing into the trough A door 29, moved. The rack and articles are then placed in the usual quenching medium ticles removed when cooled.

hinged 'as'at 30- to thecasing'26, maybe opened by a knob 31, to inspect and clean the interior of the casing, as desired.

, A combined vertical motor base and pedestal 32, has bolted thereto a motor 33, which is connected to acurrent source; by a circuit closing switch 34; A spur pinion 36 mounted on the shaft of the motor 33 meshes 3 with a gear37, which is housed within the bell-shaped portion of the trough 24. The

gear 37 is aflixedyto a shaft 41 rotatably mounted in the bearing 32, withathrust collar 39 positioned therebet-ween. The gear 37' also supports on it a turntable 38 which'serves as a cover for the bell-shaped portion 25,

andthus prevents the thrown-off metal from being spattered over the driving mechanism,

. disposed below the casing 26. The rack driving spindle42, which is a continuation of the shaft 41, projects through the gear hub 40, whereby the parts 37,38, 40, 41 and 42'are in fixed driving assembly.

It will now be seenvthat when the loaded rack 11 is lowered over the driving spindle 42, the former will easily slide down upon the latter until the end 20 of the member 15 of said rack 11 contacts with the hub 40. The

stud or driving spindle 42 is of a square cross" I to first suspend the empty rackll from the lifting hook 19. Inthis position the articles 43 are suspended from the rackhooks 16 in position as shown in Fig; 2. These articles 'may be pipe fittings, cup shaped castings and articles of irregular and complex shape, as shownby 43, Fig. 4. It should be noted that when positioned on the hooks 16, they a are not only in non-contacting position with each other, butthey donot touch the member s 15 of said rack 11.

The rack is then lowered into the zinc pot .4 by means of the block and tackle. After remaining a desired period in the molten zinc bath, the rack is raised out ofthe bath. The

crane is theniswung by handle 9 to shift the loadedrack over the driving spindle 42.

The rackis then lowered upon the stud or 1 .onthe hub 40.. The hookis removed and the switch 34 closed. Through-the :medium of motor 33, gears 36 and 37, the stud 42-is rotated and, with the latter, the articles43. As thejspeed of rotation increases, the articles assume a lateral position 44as shown in Fig. 1, at right angles to their normal suspended position.

' Excessremoved metal from the surfaces of articles impacts against the interior walls of After centrifuging vthe loaded rack is re- It will "thus be seen that I have devised an efficient and quick method of coating and removing excess coating from comparatively bulky articles of simple or complex shape,

casing 26,and falls into the receiving trough "as V in which the article supporting means retains the articles in non-contacting position with one anotherjduring the coating and'excess' removingsteps, and" which means is adapted forrapidoperative connection with a centrifugal: machine to of the articles.

been givenyfor clearness of understanding, hence, no unnecessarylimitation should be understood. Further, the appended claims should be construed as broadly aspermissible in view of the prior art, since many and various changes may be made" without departing from the scope ofthe inventionfas defined in the broader claims.

I claim:

- 1. The method of galvanizing metal arti cles ofirregular shape consisting in first re The foregoing detailed description has i effect the whirling 7 its 11o volvably suspending said articles froma support outof contact with each other and 'ina way topermit thein to be swung or turnedon their supports away from the plane of suspension and the axis of revolution thereof, then; immersing said articles with their sup port in a bath of zinc, then removingsaid articles with their support fromsaid bath and rapidly revolving said support with said articles thereon around said axis, thereby-*allowing said articles torbe swung radially outward by centrifuged force'towardsflthe plane of revolution'of their points of support during the revolution-thereon} whereby a uni-. form distribution of zinc is effected and sur-" described V rotary motion to said rack, members on said and for guiding the same from the interior rack for suspending therefrom said articles of said casing into thesaid trough.

out of contact with each other and in a way Siied at Westfield, 1n the county of Union to permit said articles to be swung or turned and tate of New Jersey, this sixth day of 5 with relation to said rack away from the July, A. D. 1928. a

plane of suspension and axis of revolution CHARLES A. GIBLIN. thereof towards the plane of revolution of the points ofsuspension of said articles, and a means associated with said rack, whereby 10 said rack and the articles suspended therefrom may be dipped into a coating bath.

3. In a machine of the character described a rack, for suspending therefrom articles to be galvanized, a means for imparting a rapid rotary motion to said rack,brackets, having so each the shape of an inverted knee, positioned on said rack, for suspending therefrom said articles out of contact with each other and in a way to permit said articles to be swung .or turned with relation to said rack away s5 from the plane of suspension and axis of revolution thereof towards the plane of revolution of the points of suspension of said articles, and a means associated. with said rack, I 25 whereby said rack and the articles suspended 90 therefrom may be dipped into a coating bath.

4. In amachine of the character described a base, a centrally positioned crane revolvably mounted thereon, a coating bath adjacent c 30 thereto, a centrifugeadjacent to said crane on the opposite side from said bath, a rack, for suspending therefromarticles to be coated, detachably mounted on said centrifuge I V i and a meanslon 'said crane for alternately turning it from saidbath to said centrifuge 1 and towards said bat-h again, whereby said l crane may be employed in rapid succession for lowering said rack with said articles thereon into said bath, thereupon to lift said 49 rack from said bath and deposit it for mount- I05 ing the same-on said centrifuge, for removing surplus coating from'said articles, thereupon to lift said rack from said centrifuge, for placing the same with said articles thereon in a quenching medium and thereupon to H0 return said rack with other articles thereon to the said bath. a

5. In a machine of the character described a vertically positioned and revolvably mounted centrifuge spindle, a meansfor revolving the same, an annular drip trough encompassing the same, a substantially vertically disposed rack, for suspending therefrom articles to be coated, detachably secured to said a e I a 5 spindle for centrifuging said articles there-* I I 126 by, an impact casing for intercepting the excess of coating material removedduring the centrifuging process, said casing being positioned over said trough and the lower end of said casing being open, whereby the excess 5 coating intercepted by the interior surface of said casing may be directed by gravity to saidtrough, and a means forshielding said a. revolving means from said excess coating i 13o

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