Title of Invention

A METHOD OF MANUFACTURE OF FUEL TANKS OF MOTORCYCLE

Abstract

1. A method of manufacture of fuel tanks of motor cycles, according to this invention, comprises the steps of fixing a plurality of said tanks to Jigs suspended from an overhead conveyor; sealing the openings in the tanks airtight/before carrying the said tanks over pretreatment and CED baths, the conveyor causing the tanks to dip in the baths at predetermined points; and providing counter forces to the forces of buoyancy exerted by the bath liquid on the sealed tanks, by attaching weights to the said jigs.

Full Text

This invention relates to fuel tanks of vehicles and a method of manufacture thereof. The term "motor cycles", m this specification is not confmed to motor cycles as popularly so called, but includes other motor vehicles also to which this invention is applicable. So also the term "fuel tanks ofvehioles" is not confmed to fuel tanks as popularly so called but includes other components of motor vehicles to which this invention is applicable. It is common knowledge that fuel tanks of motor cycles are first pretreated and then subjected to cathodio electrodeposition (hereinafter called CED) for the purpose of treating the surfaces of the said tanks. While carrying out the pretreatment and CED processes, a plurality of fuel tanks are fixed to an overhead conveyor which conveys the said tanks over the respective baths of the pretreatm ent and CED processes. At certain points the conveyor causes the tanks to dip into the baths to acquire the necessary coating of chemicals thereon. However the drawbacks with the conventional system are that the bath liquids are likely to enter the openings in the tank, thus contaminating the interior of the tanks. Secondly whenever the tanks are dipped into bath liquid, the buoyancy of the tanks results in the said tanks bobbing up and down, giving rise to an unstable movement in the bath liquid. It is the object of this invention therefore to propose a method as aforesaid to eliminate the above mentioned drawbacks. The method of manufacture of fuel tanks of motor cycles, according to this invention, comprises the steps of fixing a plurality of said tanks to jigs suspended from an overhead conveyor; sealing the openings in the tanks airtight, before carrying the said tanks over pretreotm ent and CED baths, the conveyor causing the tanks to dip in the baths at predeterm ined points; and providing counter forces to the forces of buoyancy exerted by the bath liquid on the sealed tanks, by attaching weights to the said jigs. This invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate in Fig. 1 a known overhead conveyor arrangement and m Fig.2 the conveyor arrangement according to one ol possible embodiments of this invention shown by way of exemplification and not by way of limitation. As in the case of the known overhead conveyor arrangement (Fig. 1) this invention (Fig.2) has a plurality of tanks T fixed to jigs J suspended from an overhead conveyor C. However in the method proposed herein the openings in the tanks are sealed airtight e.g. by plugging the openings to prevent the bath liquids from entering the tanks and contaminating the interior of the tanks. As in the known arrangement (Fig.l) and in the arrangement proposed herein (Fig/2), the tanks T are carried over the pretreatm ent and CED baths, the conveor C m thebaths B atpredetermined pomts. As the openings in the tanks T are sealed, as aforesaid, the tanks, while T while dipping in the baths, act like floats, and arre therefore buoyant. The tanks T are thus unstable in the bath liquids and therefore disturb the pretreatm ent and CED processes. These forces of buoyancy are countered by attaching weights W to the lower ends of said jiggs. These weightits keep the jiggs, and the tanks, stable whenever dipped in the liquids in the pretreatment and CED baths. The terms and expressions in this specification are of description and not of limitation since various other embodiments of this invention are possible without departing from the scope and ambit of this invention. We Claim: 1. A method of manufacture of fuel tanks of motor cycles, according to this invention, comprises the steps of fixing a plurality of said tanks to Jigs suspended from an overhead conveyor; sealing the openings in the tanks airtight/before carrying the said tanks over pretreatment and CED baths, the conveyor causing the tanks to dip in the baths at predetermined points; and providing counter forces to the forces of buoyancy exerted by the bath liquid on the sealed tanks, by attaching weights to the said jigs. 2. A method of manufacture of fuel tanks of motor cycles substantially as herein described and illustrated with reference to Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings. 3.Apparatus for carrying out the method as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims comprising an overhead conveyor for conveying a plurality of the tanks fixed to jigs suspended from the conveyor, the openings in the said tanks being sealed airtight and the said jigs being provided with weights to counter the forces of buoyancy acting on the tanks. 4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the openings in the tanks are sealed by plug. 5. Apparatus for carrying out the method of manufacture of fuel tanks of vehicles as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims substantially as herein described and illustrated with reference to Fig, 2 of the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

0337-che-2005 abstract.pdf

0337-che-2005 claims.pdf

0337-che-2005 correspondence-others.pdf

0337-che-2005 description(complete).pdf

0337-che-2005 form-1.pdf

0337-che-2005 form-18.pdf

0337-che-2005 form-26.pdf

337-CHE-2005 ABSTRACT.pdf

337-CHE-2005 CORRESPONDENCE OTHERS.pdf

337-CHE-2005 CORRESPONDENCE PO.pdf