PATENTS GRANTED In the Metal Finishing Field Printed copies of patents are furnished by the Patent and Trademark Office for $3.00 each Address orders to: Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks, Washington, D.C. 2023 I.

Vacuum Coating Apparatus U.S. Patent 5,538,560. July 23, 1996 J. Zejda and J. Henrich, assignors to Leybold AG, Hanau, Germany

Vacuum coating apparatus for applying a thin coating to a plurality of substrates, said apparatus comprising an entry cham- ber where substrates are loaded; a treat- ment chamber where said substrates are coated, a closed cylindrical housing defin- ing a transport chamber; and carrier means rotatable about an axis in the treatment chamber.

Method for Cleaning Aluminum U.S. Patent 5,538,561. July 23, 1996 M.D. Brown and SF! Lambden, assignors to He&e/ Corp., Plymouth Meeting, Pa.

A can washing process comprising pass- ing initially soiled aluminum cans through a precleaner washing stage in which the initially soiled aluminum cans are washed with a precleaner washing solution and a subsequent acid cleaner stage in which the aluminum cans are washed with an acid cleaner washing solution, wherein the pre- cleaner washing solution consisting essen- tially of water, sulfuric acid, and both of a component of polyalkoxylated straight or branched chain alcohol surfactant and a component of polyalkylene glycol-abietic acid surfactant, maintained during the pro- cess in a ratio from 0.4: l-3.0: 1.

Desmutting Aluminum Alloys U.S. Patent 5,538,6&I. Ju/y 23, 1996 f!B. Schub and A.L. Askin, assignors to Aluminum Co. of America, Pittsburgh

A method of forming a highly-reflective surface on aluminum alloys, comprising cleaning a body formed from an aluminum alloy; electrobrightening the body; and promptly thereafter desmutting the surface of the freshly-brightened body in a bath, comprising 15-95% by volume nitric acid; l-85% acetic acid; l-40% total water; and a source of fluoride ions supplying at least 35 g/L of fluoride.

Cathodic Sputtering System U.S. Pafent 5,538,609. Ju/y 23, 1996 R. Hinterschuster et al., assignors to Leybold AG, Hanau, Germany

A magnetron cathode sputtering appara- tus for coating a substrate, comprising an evacuable chamber comprising a chamber wall and a cathode bearing a target to be sputtered, said target facing an anode; a high frequency power supply; a magnet assembly; and a cup-like shield.

Vacuum Coating System U.S. Patent 5,538,610. July 23, 1996 R. Gesche et al, assignors to Leybold AG, Hanau, Germany

A vacuum coating system with a hous- ing in which several processing stations are provided, at least one of these stations be- ing equipped with a sputter cathode, the system also having transport carts, each carrying at least one substrate holder on or parallel to the plane of motion, into which at least one substrate can be inserted and which, in the area of the substrate, has an opening exposing the area to be coated, wherein a plate-shaped high-frequency in- put electrode is permanently installed on one side opposite an anode plate to create a sputter-etching station.

Process for Copper Plating U.S. Patent 5,538,616. July 23, 1996 K. Arai, assignor to Fujitsu Ltd., Kawasaki, Japan

A process for plating a wiring board with copper, comprising preparing a wiring board including an aluminum conductor as at least a part of conductors in the wiring board, said aluminum conductor having a portion exposed on the wiring board; sub- jecting to a treatment for removing an ox- ide film and to a nickel substitution treat- ment with an acidic solution, which has a pH value of not higher than I; subjecting to electroless nickel plating as a pretreatment; and then electroplating with copper.

Tin Plating U.S. Patent 5,538,617. July 23, 1996 R.N. Steinbicker et al, assignors to Bethlehem Steel Corp.

A method for minimizing the effect of dissolved iron in high-speed tin electroplat- ing using a weakly acidic plating bath so- lution free of ferrocyanide comprising add- ing to a halogen plating bath containing a conductive electrolyte, soluble ferrous

ions, ferric ions, and stannous ions, an addi- tive selected from the group consisting of para-aminobenzoic acid, gallic acid, catechol, resorcinol, salicylic acid, citric acid, oxalic acid, formic acid, acetic acid, tartaric acid, glycine, diethyl hydroxylamine, mixtures of citric acid and hydroquinone, and mixtures thereof in an amount sufficient to substan- tially inhibit soluble ferrous ions, ferric ions, and stannous ions from reacting, to minimize the formation of stannic tin.

Maintaining a Stable Autodeposition Bath U.S. Patent 5,538,644. July 23, 1996 W.G. Kozak and B. M. Ahmed, assignors to Henkel Corp., Plymouth Meeting, Pa.

A method for removing metal ions and contaminants from a bath of coating com- position used in an autodeposition system, said autodeposition including a first tank for containing deionized water, a second tank for containing fresh regenerant chem- ical, a third tank for containing once used regenerant chemical, a fourth tank for con- taining said coating composition compris- ing a latex solution containing charged la- tex particles and having an acidic pH, a waste port from which waste products are discharged, and a column containing ion exchange material.

Composition for Cathodic Deposition U.S. Patent 5,539,026. July 23, 7996 W. Kann et al, assignors to Herberis GmbH, Wuppertal, Germany

An aqueous solution or dispersion of a vehicle for an aqueous cataphoretic coating material, the solution or dispersion contain- ing one or more acid-neutralized, basic, film forming resins, an organic solvent, and one or more cross linking agents for the film forming resins.

Powder Coating Primer U.S. Patent 5,539,031. July 23, 1996 W.J. van Ooji, assignor to Armco Inc., Middletown, Ohio

An organic powder composition for pro- tecting metal from corrosion, comprising a homogeneous powder mixture of a thermo-

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