Apparatus for treating work pieces

Abstract

An apparatus for treating work pieces in a closed space having a collapsible material. The treatment utilizes a period of subpressure and a period of pressure, in which cavities in the pieces are more or less filled with liquid. Prior to this the cavities are wholly or partially filled with a surface-tension reducing gas and/or solution.

What I claim is: 
     
       1. Apparatus for treating workpieces in an enclosed space, said apparatus comprising: .[.a..]. workpiece-supporting means having a workpiece-supporting surface;   .[.b. a rigid framework in proximity to and coextensive with edge portions of said workpiece-supporting surface, said framework having a side facing said workpiece-supporting surface;.].   .[.c..]. a collapsible material .[.secured to said framework.]. defining an enclosed space over the workpiece-supporting surface;   .[.d. a plurality of spaced posts secured to said framework; and.].   .[.e. wall members secured to and supported by said spaced posts extending continuously about said framework, said wall members together with said collapsible material defining between them a liquid-tight chamber..].   .Iadd.flexible sealing means between the edge portions of the workpiece-supporting surface and the side of the collapsible material facing said edge portions; and   a container disposed beneath said workpiece-supporting surface, said container extending beyond the sides of said workpiece-supporting surface, and a skirt member extending from the collapsible material into said container. .Iaddend. .[.   
     
     
       2.  Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 having flexible sealing means between the edge portions of the workpiece-supporting surface and the side of the framework facing said edge portions..]. .[.3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a container disposed beneath said workpiece-supporting surface, said container extending beyond the sides of said workpiece-supporting surface, and a skirt member extending 
     
     
        from the framework into said container..]. 4. Apparatus in accordance with claim .[.3.]. .Iadd.1 .Iaddend.wherein the said skirt member is secured to .[.the.]. .Iadd.a .Iaddend.framework .Iadd.disposed between said 
     
     
        collapsible material and said flexible sealing means.Iaddend.. 5. Apparatus in accordance with claim .[.3.]. .Iadd.1 .Iaddend.wherein the skirt member is secured directly to the collapsible material as an 
     
     
        extension therefrom. 6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 further comprising ejector means for evacuating the enclosed space and pipe means having one end connected to said ejector means and the end remote from 
     
     
        said ejector means extending into said enclosed space. 7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein the end of the pipe means remote from the 
     
     
        ejector means extends into the upper portion of the enclosed space. 8. Apparatus in accordance with claim .[.2.]. .Iadd.1 .Iaddend.further comprising .Iadd.means for forming a liquid-tight chamber about said collapsible material and .Iaddend.means for admitting liquid to the liquid-tight chamber whereby to apply pressure to the flexible sealing 
     
     
        means and to cause the enclosed space to be evacuated. 9. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in combination with a soft porous plate having a treating agent absorbed therein and a perforated plate cooperating with said porous plate for the concentrated treatment of selected portions of a 
     
     
        workpiece on the workpiece-supporting surface. 10. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the workpiece-supporting surface is provided with a recess disposed to coact with an enclosed space defined by the collapsible 
     
     
        material. 11. Apparatus for treating workpieces in an enclosed space, said apparatus comprising: a. workpiece-supporting means having a workpiece-supporting surface;   b. a rigid framework in proximity to and coextensive with edge portions of said workpiece-supporting surface;   c. collapsible material secured to said framework defining an enclosed space over said workpiece-supporting surface;   d. sealing means between said framework and said workpiece-supporting surface for sealing said enclosed space;   e. a plurality of spaced posts secured to said framework;   f. wall members secured to and supported by said said spaced posts extending continuously about said framework, said wall members together with said collapsible material defining between them a liquid-tight chamber surrounding said enclosed space;   g. suction means mounted on said collapsible material within the enclosed space;   h. external ejector means connected to said suction means for providing a subatmospheric pressure within said enclosed space;   i. pressurizing means and means connecting said pressurizing means to the enclosed space for providing a super-atmospheric pressure within said enclosed space;   j. liquid reservoir means;   k. liquid transfer means communicating with said liquid reservoir means and with said liquid-tight chamber and said enclosed space;   l. valve means connected to said liquid transfer means for selectively directing liquid from said reservoir means to said liquid-tight chamber or to said enclosed space; and   m. means for returning liquid from said liquid-tight chamber and enclosed   
     
     
        space to said reservoir means. 12. Apparatus in accordance with claim 11 wherein said liquid reservoir means comprises a pair of separate tanks for holding different treating liquids and said liquid transfer means comprises (a) separate pipe systems connecting each of said tanks with said liquid-tight chamber and said enclosed space, (b) pump means connected to said pipe systems for moving liquid from said tanks to said liquid-tight chamber and enclosed space, and (c) valve means connected in 
     
     
        said pipe systems for selectively directing flow of liquids. 13. Apparatus in accordance with claim 12 wherein the workpiece-supporting means is provided with vertical supports, said workpiece-supporting means is secured by said vertical supports inside a first of the tanks, and the second of said tanks is mounted under said workpiece-supporting means inside said first tank.