The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 28, 1984
Filed:
Sep. 23, 1983
Frank Little, Au Gres, MI (US);
Harshaw/Filtrol Partnership, Cleveland, OH (US);
Abstract
A barrel loading and unloading station that includes a barrel support stand 10 for supporting a plating barrel 18 in predetermined positions and a door handling apparatus 14 for releasing and separating a barrel access door 16 from the plating barrel. The door handling apparatus 14 includes a door assembly 40 mounted for reciprocating motion towards and away from the plating barrel by a pair of trackways 42 that are mounted to an elevator mechanism 44 that is operative to raise and lower the trackways to increase accessibility to the barrel after the access door has been removed. One embodiment of the door handling assembly 40 includes a pair of rotatable spindles 56 operative to engage and rotate locking knobs 220 on the barrel access door 16 and a slide mechanism 120 for unlatching the door from the barrel. Another embodiment of the door handling assembly 40' includes a plurality of clamp engaging spreader arms 366 operative to spread and release resilient clamps 352 from the plating barrel. Improved barrel door constructions are also disclosed that facilitate the operation of the door handling apparatus. In one embodiment, the improved barrel access door 16 includes a pair of latch members 214 overlying the outer face of a perforate closure panel 212 which are moved towards and away from each other to release and engage locking structure 208 forming part of the plating barrel. Locking knobs 220 are provided for fixing the position of the latch members relative to the closure panel. In another embodiment, the barrel access door 16' includes resilient clamps 352 fastened to a perforate closure panel 400, each clamp including structure 293 engageable by the door handling assembly 40'.