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. 20231.

CORROSION INHIBITOR FOR ALUMINUM

U.S. Patent 5,951,747. Sept. 14, 1999 K.J. Lewis and J. Aklian, assignors to Courtaulds Aerospace, Burbank, Calif.

A nonchromate, corrosion-inhibit- ing coating composition for metal surfaces comprising a synergistic amount of at least one compound selected from the group consisting of boric acid, borate dipotassium monohydrogen phosphate, cal- cium dihydrogen phosphate, am- monium dihydrogen phosphage, sodium dihydrogen phosphate, potassium dihydrogen phosphate, sodium pyrophosphate, calcium or strontium phosphosilicate, cal- cium, strontium, or zinc phospho- silicate, tetrasocium orthosilicate; and mixtures thereof; a synergis- tic amount of sodium titanium ox- ide; a synergitic amount of at least one compound selected from the group consisting of zinc phos- phate, zinc cyanamide, and mix- tures thereof; and an efective film-forming amount of a carrier capable of placing the inhibitors in proximity with the metal sur- face.

DEVICE FOR TRANSPORTING WORKPIECES TO BE GALVANIZED

U.S. Patent 5,951,765. Sept. 14, 1999 H. Naujokat, Bottrop, Germany, assignor to Balcke Diirr GmbH, Ratigen, Germany

A device for moving workpieces to and from a zinc bath and lifting and lowering the workpieces out of and into the zinc bath compris- ing transport carriages riding on a support rail in a transport direc- tion and having lifting devices; transverse beams from which the

workpieces are suspended; the transverse beams connected by the lifting devices to the transport carriages; wherein each one of the transverse beams comprises a vertically movable doctor blade arrangement at a leading end thereof in the transport direction along the support rail for remov- ing contaminants from the sur- face of the zinc bath.

MEI’ROD PASSIVATING FERRITE STAINLESS STEEL

U.S. Patent 5,951,787. Sept. 14, 1999 T. Ohmi, and S. Miyoski, assignors to Tadahiro Ohmi, Miyagi-ken, Japan

A method of forming an oxide- passivated film on ferrite-based stainless steel comprising electro- lytically polishing a surface of the ferrite-based stainless steel; bak- ing in an inert gas so as to remove moisture from the surface; and heat treating in a temperature range of 300 to 600°C in a mixed gas atmosphere of an inert gas and 500 ppb to 2% of H,O gas, whereby an oxide passivated film having a layer made of chromium oxide free from iron oxide on the outermost surface is formed.

ANODIZING APPARATUS

U.S. Patent 5,951,833. Sept. 14, 1999 K. Yamagata, assignor to Canon, Tokyo

An apparatus for anodizing a sub- strate in an electrolytic solution comprising a pair of opposing electrodes; and a holding unit for holding a portion of one surface of a substrate by suction between the electrodes, wherein the hold- ing unit comprises an annular member for holding a substrate

by suction and the suction mem- ber is arranged along an inside of an outer peripheral portion of a substrate to be held.

AROMATIC HVDROKY COMPOUNDS

AND THEIR USE AS BRIGHTENERS

U.S. Patent 5,951,841. Sept. 14, 1999 T. Wehlage et al., assignors to BASF, Ludeigshafen, Germany

An acid electroplating bath for the deposition of metallic layers onto shaped articles comprising one or more metal salts; one or more brighteners; optionally, one or more conductive salts; and, op- tionally, one or more auxiliary brighteners, wherein the acidic electroplating bath comprises, as the brighteners, at least one com- pound selected from the group consisting of aromatic hydroxy compounds.

METHOD FOR MINIMIZING WASTEWATER DISCHARGE

U.S. Patent 5,951,874. Sept. 14, 1999 J. Jangbarwala and C.F. Michaud, assignors to Hydromatix Inc., Santa Fe Springs, Calif

A method for minimizing waste- water discharge generated in an ion exchange regeneration system activated after flow of a service solution is discontinued.

CONVERSION COATING FOR MECALS

U.S. Patent 5,952,049. Sept. 14, 1999 C.E. Tomlinson, assignor to Natural Coating Systems, LLC, Martinsuille, Ind.

A process for coating a metal or other solid surface with a Group IV-A oxide matrix yielding envi- ronmental and corrosion protec- tion comprising applying an aque-

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