Coating method and apparatus

Abstract

Abstract THERE IS DISCLOSED A METHOD AND AN APPARATUS FOR APPLYING A COATING MATERIAL, SUCH AS CHROMIUM TO A SUBSTRATE, SUCH AS A RAZOR BLADE. THE METHOD PREFERABLY UTILIZERS A DRUM UNIT HAING A PLURALITY OF DRIVE HUB ASSEMBLIES, EACH OF WHICH SUPPORTS CARRIER MEANS FOR CARRYING A LARGE NUMBER OF RAZOR BLAKDES AND IN WHICH THE HUBS ARE DRIVEN, FOR EXAMPLE, BY AN EPICYCLIC GEAR OR CHAIN MECHANISM, SO AS TO EXPOSE DESIRED PORTIONS OF THE BLADES, IN A DESIRED TIMED RELATION, TO THE COATING MATERIAL WHICH CAUSED TO EMANATE FROM A FIXED SOURCE. THE SOURCE COMPRISES A SOCALLED SPUTTERING MODULE INCLUDING A HOUSING HAVING, AT THE TOP PART THEREOF, A PAIR OF ANGLED TARGET PLATES FROM WHICH THE COATING MATERIAL IS TAKNE, AND THE BOTTOM THEREOF, AN OPENING PAST WHICH THE CARRIERS ARE MOVED BY THE DRUM. THE COATING MATERIAL IS REMOVED FROM THE TARGET PLATES AND DEPOSITED ON THE BLADES BY A SO-CALLED "RF SPUTTERING," PROCESS. IN THIS PROCESS, WITH THE APPARATUS AND MATERIALS IN A VERY HIGH VACUUM, A HIGH RADIO FREQUENCY (R.F.) IS IMPRESSED ACROSS TWO ELECTRODE PLATES, EACH OF WHICH IS DISPOSED IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE TARGET PLATES. THEREAFTER, A NORMALLY INERT GAS SUCH AS ARGON IS INTRODUCED INTO THE AREA BETWEEN THE PLATES AND IONIZED BY BOMBARDMENT WITH A HIGH VELOCITY ELECRONS. THE RESULTING POSITIVE IONS IN THE GLOW DISCHARGE ARE THEN ACCELERATED AND STRIKE THE TARGET PLATES EJECTING OR "SPUTTERING" SUBSTANTIALLY ELECTRICALLY NEUTRAL PARTICLES OF COATING MATERIAL THEREFROM, WHICH ARE THEN DEPOSITED ON THE EXPOSED SURFACES OF THE SUBSTRATE AND FIRMLY ADHERE THEREON TO FORM A COATING OF EXTREME SMOOTHNESS AND ADHESION.

Inventors

• 👤 Lawrence F Herte
• 👤 Frank F Kloss
• 👤 George C Lane
• 👤 James R Skinner

Bibliographic Details