This invention relates to an improved grounding system for fixtures supporting elements in a processing line and particularly for coating of small parts.
Various items and parts are processed through an electrically conductive fluid medium for treating, coating or otherwise acting thereon. In a practical system for processing, and in particular for coating or painting parts and particularly small parts, the parts are placed in an apertured container, such as a barrel, which is supported for placement in a series of separate treating containers or tanks for pretreating, coating and finally curing of the coated parts. Various systems have been proposed in which the small parts are placed in apertured barrels. The barrels are mounted in a processing line for sequential immersion in a series of tanks including liquids for treating of the parts prior to applying a desired coating and a subsequent curing of the coating. An automated processing system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,918 issued May 7, 1991. The patents illustrate application to individual large parts, but has been now applied to barrel processing by providing of a rotating barrel structure specially supported for passing through the line, as more fully developed hereinafter.
The processing system provides for stepped movement through a coating apparatus of a series of in-line processing tanks. As generally disclosed in the above patent, a series of like-mounted barrels are mounted to a support and passed in steps through the system. The tanks are spaced such that a series of the supported barrels are moved a corresponding length, moving between stations during each cycle. During each cycle, selected barrels or all barrels may be lowered into the aligned tank for appropriate treatment for a fixed period after which the barrels are raised, moved another step into alignment with a subsequent processing tank. Thus, the barrels are releasably mounted within a stepped conveyor with appropriate means to lower and raise the barrels as they are aligned with the respective stations. The processing apparatus provides for removing of the barrels at the exit end during one treating cycle and providing for the addition of a new load at the entrance end during the same treating cycle.
The system thus provides for the continuous stepped in a line operation and treating of parts in the barrels.
With present technology in certain coating processes the barrels must be connected to common ground within the processing apparatus.
Presently, the barrel must be specially constructed to provide for grounding of the barrel at each station or selected stations for immersion within the liquid such as for electrotreating, electroplating, and for electrocoating of the parts. The barrel are presently connected through a special ground connection.
Various grounding systems are presently available. For example, a gear train secured to the shaft with an outer gear connected to a ground path. A hollow shaft with a grounded wire secured within the shaft in sliding engagement therewith has been proposed. A prior art coating support assembly or unit has been constructed including a rotating conductive shaft with a non-conductive chain and sprocket unit secured to one end support and a separate conductive bushing unit connected as a second support. The bushing unit is shorter than the non-conducting chain support and located above the first end. A cup-shaped portion or member on the part to be coated is aligned with and covers the conductive bushing unit and as the assembly is lowered into the liquid, an air cavity is created about the bushing unit and prevents liquid engaging of the bushing unit, and maintaining the ground connection. Other suggested systems have included exposing a part of the barrel above the liquid and applying a grounding shoe. The shoe would require a rough surface to insure grounding through paint on the barrel, which would cause potential wear of the shoe and barrel. It could also scratch paint off which would fall into the e-coat tank. However, all such units when immersed in the paint, require frequent and costly cleaning, paint removal and general maintenance.
In current practice for coating small parts, the parts are placed in barrels or baskets which are removed from the system for curing to avoid coating of the barrel or basket.
The present invention is particularly directed to a direct grounding of a rotating electrically conductive fixture for support work to be processed without the necessity of a special dedicated grounding system such as presently used. In accordance with the present invention, the fixture is rotatably suspended by an electrically conductive rotating support unit including a flexible belt-like suspension assembly which is electrically conductive and which is directly conductively connected to system ground of the apparatus and to the fixture. The fixture included a supporting shaft unit for holding the work, which may be an individual item, a container such as a barrel or basket holding a plurality of parts or other assembly to be rotated. Generally, the conductive suspension belt-like unit is supported on a rotating drive member which is connected to electrical ground, and includes a rotating and electrically conductive member secured to the fixture unit shaft unit to produce a direct rotational support and a drive connection with an electrically conductive path to ground.
The support unit is preferably a grounded chain system which rotatably supports the fixture shaft through the suspension unit and a conveyor system to electrical ground without the necessary gear train or other interposed connections of the prior art. The sprockets of the chain system are preferably mounted to the shafts with a highly conductive inner fixed attachment which on mounting forms an integral sprocket fixedly and tightly engaging the shaft to create a strong and electrically conductive connection.
The chain drive is preferably constructed to provide a self-cleaning chain unit formed on a conductive metal and connected directly by suitable sprockets to the rotating support shaft and to a barrel shaft unit. The load frame unit is connected directly to ground through the support structure thereof and thereby connects the chain and barrel to ground. A preferred self-cleaning chain creates a consistent and totally effective ground connection, with minimal initial costs as well as minimal subsequent replacement and/or maintenance.
Although the barrel is generally a metal member of good conductivity, the present grounding system is applicable to any electrically conductive barrel with a conductive supporting shaft structure.
In the preferred construction, in the raised transport position, the barrel unit includes a rotating drive which moves through the line without any rotation of the barrel. In the lowered position of the frame and barrel units into the treating tank, the barrel rotation drive is established through an actuated coupling to a barrel rotating mechanism.
In particular, in a preferred system construction, the load bar unit is moved through a slide bar conveyor such as disclosed in the previously identified patent. A rack unit for engaging a drive sprocket on each or selected support shafts is secured to move with the slide bar unit. In the movement of one station to the next, the rack and drive on the shaft move as a unit thereby providing for the movement of the barrel without rotation thereof. The rack is then actuated to rotate the shaft and the suspended barrel. The load bar unit or the rack may be constructed without providing for barrel rotation at any selected station.
In summary, the present invention provides at least one rotating suspension member which is a electrically conductive member with rotating members fixed to the rotating shafts to provide a grounded rotating support of a rotating fixture and having a frame connected within the conveyor which is connected to ground.
The present invention with the separate load bar assembly and chain or like belted mounting also provides a very convenient and effective structure for maintenance of the barrel and its supporting structure. Thus, the unit can be exposed at the end of a line and the load bar with barrel attached removed as a unit for maintenance and replacement. Alternatively, by raising only the barrel, it is released from the chain support and the barrel itself may then be removed for separate processing or maintenance.
The present invention is shown for a conventional barrel with an outer enclosure wall with connection to end walls. As noted previously, the ground support system may advantageously be applied to any fixture which needs to be reoriented for venting and draining of the part or parts within an immersing liquid or atmosphere for coating and/or treating of the work.
Although particularly applicable to a grounded barrel for e-coating of parts, the apparatus may be applied for other applications with an electric charge. The parts are electrically conductive and for e-coating are generally formed of metal which is compatible with a coating paint, generally cationic and anionic patents.
The present invention provides a very highly effective and lower maintenance for processing line including a rotating fixture or other like functioning supported unit.
The drawings provided herewith disclose a preferred construction of a treating apparatus including rotating barrels constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
In the drawings:
a is an enlarged pictorial view of the chain links shown in
Referring to the drawings and particularly to
In the several processing tanks 4 of line 1a, the barrels 3 are immersed within a treating solution or other atmosphere and rotated to sequentially properly clean, treat and finally coat the parts 2 through an electrocoating process which requires providing the treating liquid with a positive charge and the barrels with a negative charge which is created by grounding the barrel.
Referring particularly to
The barrel 3, shown with parts broken away, is a metal member including an outer shell 6 with end walls 7 and 7a. The barrel may be of any suitable cross-section and is shown as a hexagon with flat side walls, one of which is formed as a cover 8, releasably secured within an outer frame 8a. The parts 2 are placed within the barrel 3 and are free to rotate and move therein. Shafts 9 and 9a are secured to the end walls 7 and 7a and project on a common axis of rotation. The shafts 9 and 9a are welded or otherwise firmly affixed physically and conductively to the end walls to form a proper and strong support and with an electrically conductive connection to the barrel 3.
In the preferred construction, the barrel 3 is mounted to a load bar assembly or unit 12 (
The support of each barrel 3 through the line 1a is such as to avoid the need for any additional or special grounding system such as presently required by the prior art.
In particular, as shown in
More particularly, as shown in
The cross members 18 and 19 specifically establish a rigid, strong bearing support for the rotatable driven shaft 13 and the coupling thereof to the barrel 3 by the drive chain units 14 and 14a, similarly secured to the opposite end barrel shafts 9 and 9a, as follows.
Referring to drive chain unit 14 (FIGS. 4-5), bearing unit 22 and 22a are secured within the cross members 18 and 19 with the shaft 13 extending therethrough and journaled therein for rotation. In the preferred construction, the bearings 22 and 22a are a high temperature conductive bearing such as provided by a carbon bearing or other suitable material.
A chain sprocket 23 is fixedly secured to the shaft 13 and receives a chain 24 of the drive chain unit 14. The sprocket 23 and the chain 24 are aligned with an appropriate sprocket 25 which is secured to the barrel shaft 9. The chain 24 engages sprocket 25 and directly supports the barrel, appropriately suspended and supported upon the driven shaft 13. The sprockets 23 and 25 and the chain 24 are all formed of electrically conductive metal elements which establish the shaft as a ground connection of the barrel to the load carrier which in turn is formed of metals to form a ground connection to the conveyor unit. The total mounting and connecting system includes electrically conducting components and serves to ground the barrel 3 through the grounded conveyor. The chains are preferably of a self-cleaning construction, such as a spreader chains and as, shown in
A particularly satisfactory heavy duty steel chain is illustrated in
The chain unit is a self-cleaning unit establishing a firm reliable electrical connection between the sprockets on the rotatable shaft 13 and the barrel shaft 9.
In addition, a rigid guide member 26, is shown journaled on the shaft 13 and extends downwardly with a lower slotted end 27 extended into guided support over the extended end of the barrel shaft 9. The slotted end 27 which may include a wear resistant liner 28 to accommodate rotational interengagement with the rotating shaft 9. The member 26 functions to maintain the barrel appropriately located on the load bar assembly or unit 12.
In the illustrated and preferred embodiment, the opposite end of the load bar unit 12 and the opposite barrel shaft 9a is connected by a like chain drive unit 14a to the bearing unit 22a on shaft 13 as well as having a similar guide member 26a extending from the driven shaft 13 and telescoped over the outer end portion of the shaft 9a.
Although shown with separate shaft members 9 and 9a, a single shaft may be used to support the barrel. Further, although two separate drive chain assemblies are shown and preferred, a single drive connection may be used with other suitable support at the opposite end of the barrel.
In addition, a driven spur gear 29 is fixedly secured to the load bar rotatable shaft 13, axially outwardly of the guide member 26. The spur gear 29 is fixed to the shaft 13 in any suitable manner for establishing selective rotation of the shaft 13 as hereinafter described, and thereby selective rotation of the barrel 3. In a preferred system, the spur gear 29 is a conventional spur gear having a connecting hub 30 securing of the gear to the shaft 13. The spur gear 29, as hereinafter described, is selectively driven during the immersion of the barrel 3 in a tank 4 to provide rotation of the barrel within the liquid or other fluid which is connected to an electrically positive conductive member, not shown, which is immersed within the liquid in the tank 4. The rotation of the barrel 3 establishes a tumbling of the parts within the barrel during the coating of the parts.
The spur gear 29 is shown driven in the preferred illustrated embodiment through mating with a rack 31 forming a part of a slide rail conveyor system (FIGS. 7-10), as hereinafter described.
The load bar unit 12 thus provides a reliable conductive support of its barrel 3 as well as providing for controlled rotation thereof. In addition, the chain units and the barrel shaft in combination with the frame structure which is mounted to a slide rail unit 32a (
More particularly, as shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, the slide rail conveyor 32a includes a process track 33, with the slide bars 32 moveably mounted within track 33. A hydraulic or motorized push member 33a (
As noted previously and also described in the prior art, load bar unit 12 with a barrel 3 in place (as shown in
As shown in
In particular, the load bar unit 12 in the illustrated embodiment is mounted within the conveyor system including draw tubes 35 (
As most clearly shown in
Similar slide rail units 32a, one on each side of the conveyor, is provided for each of the side mounted load bar unit 12 with corresponding hydraulically actuated push units 33a. Each of the slide rails, and more particularly as shown in
The process rack 31 is extended throughout the entire length of the process track 33 and thus throughout the length of the processing line or stations. Referring to
In summary, the process rack stroke is operated in accordance with a program system during the immersion time of the cycle. This results in appropriate rotation of all barrels 3 coupled to the rack 31, and provides the desired treatment of each barrel 3 and the parts 2 at each station. If for any reason, a barrel should not be rotated at a particular tank, the rack may be constructed with the drive teeth removed, as by removal sections or other means for each selected tank.
Referring to the drawings and particularly to
The legs are mounted on springs 52 and 53 and held in place by threaded bolts 54 extended through the legs and springs and the cross beams supporting the rack assembly 39 to the slide rail unit 32a, with a nuts 55 at each end to establish a controlled pressure engagement of the slide plate 47 to the grounded frame 49.
A similar ground unit is mounted at each tank or station 4 to establish a firm ground connection of the load bar assembly 12 to the grounded conveyor support structure 49, and thereby the load shaft 13, the chain 14, sprockets 23 and 25 and the barrel 3.
During the immersion cycle, the system operates a hydraulic transfer unit 56 at the end of line 1a to transfer a load unit 57 from the end of line 1a to the entrance of line 1b. A hydraulic push unit 58 at the entrance end then operates to step line 1b and move a finished load 59 to the end of line 1b in alignment with a lift unit 60.
More particularly, with the system fully loaded as shown in
The finished load assembly 59 in line 1b is lowered by a lift unit 60 and aligned for transfer to the slide rail conveyor unit 32a. When the process track 33 is lifted to the up position, the conveyor unit 32 is then again stepped to move all slide bars and barrels ahead one station.
Once the slide bars and barrel move ahead one station, the process track 33 lowers the finished part 59 onto transfer unit 34 and also all other barrel 3 into tanks. The transfer unit 34 retracts and transfers the same to conveyor 1c for unloading or return to line 1a to be passed through the apparatus line for another coating.
The several lifts 34, 22a, 57 and 60 are thus operated in interrelated sequence with the proper movement and transfer of the various load bar units 12 and attached barrels 3 and synchronized to permit continuous and successive operations by providing transfers during the cycle processing in lines 1a and 1b.
The illustrated embodiment discloses a preferred construction in which the frame unit is connected to ground and grounds the suspension unit. Any other system may be used which connects the suspension unit to ground. For example, a ground connection directly to the shaft 13, which may be otherwise separate from a ground connection may be provided.
Although the suspension system preferably includes a self-cleaning chain system, and particularly a chain unit which functions as that shown, any other flexible suspension system may be used which includes a direct conductive shaft connections with a direct effective electrical grounding and rotational drive of the fixture, without use of separate bearing units at the fixture shaft. For example, a flexible belt which is conductive may be suspended on suitable conductive roller units which are connected to a drive unit and to the fixture shaft assembly respectively, the roller units and belt preferably incorporate means to maintain the belt and roller units free of the paint or other materials which may interfere with the grounding. Further, although shown with the belt suspension unit to each side of the barrel or other fixture, a single conductive unit may be provided to one side and any other suspension system or other suitable support on the opposite side of the barrel or other fixture. In summary, the present invention may be applied to any fixture by providing a suspension system which includes a conductive endless member electrically coupled by rotating members fixed to a grounded shaft and to the rotating fixture.
Although shown in a preferred system with various hydraulic operative units for positioning and moving various elements, other operating systems such as pneumatic or other motorized drives may be used.
Further, although shown in a preferred in-line system, the novel support may be advantageously applied to other systems which require processing of product within a rotating barrel or other rotating supported work units. For example, a programmed hoist on a monorail conveyor system, powered walking beams, free conveyor units and other applications which require selective grounding of a rotating barrel. The structure is shown applied to an e-coating line. The system may be applied in any system where the work is lowered into a liquid or other atmosphere which is electrically activated for applications to elements to be immersed and treated thereby, with rotation thereof.
In summary, the present invention provides a direct rotational drive with a conductive suspension belting unit coupled to ground and to a drive shaft and directly connected to the rotary support for a barrel or other fixture. The system not only avoids the complex and costly prior geared drives but permits more convenient and less costly repair and maintenance.
The illustrated embodiments discloses a preferred and unique construction. Other systems may be used with the illustrated conveyor or other conveyor systems which include a rotating support for coupling a fixture by a conductive suspension system.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20030094363 A1 | May 2003 | US |