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A vessel for contacting a plurality of objects with a fluid. An upwardly directed stream of fluid and a portion of the objects are confined in a conduit such that the fluid stream causes the objects to flow upward from a moving bed thereof to a disengaging position from where they fall onto a distri

A vessel for contacting a plurality of objects with a fluid. An upwardly directed stream of fluid and a portion of the objects are confined in a conduit such that the fluid stream causes the objects to flow upward from a moving bed thereof to a disengaging position from where they fall onto a distribution shield and move downward to a feed position. The vessel may be used for treating electrically conductive objects wherein the fluid is an electrolyte, an electrode is positioned to contact the moving bed, and a counterelectrode is positioned in spaced relation to the moving bed. The vessel may be fixed or portable.

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1. An apparatus for contacting a plurality of at least partially electrically conductive objects with an electrolytic fluid to coat the objects with a metal in the fluid, said apparatus comprising:a vessel having at least one bottom wall inclined downwardly from at least one sidewall toward a fluid

1. An apparatus for contacting a plurality of at least partially electrically conductive objects with an electrolytic fluid to coat the objects with a metal in the fluid, said apparatus comprising:a vessel having at least one bottom wall inclined downwardly from at least one sidewall toward a fluid inlet arranged to provide an upwardly directed stream of said fluid for causing said objects to flow upward from a feed position adjacent to said inlet to a disengaging position at which said objects are disengaged from said stream; a distribution shield mounted in said vessel and having an upper surface inclined downwardly and extending away from the vicinity of said disengaging position to a return position such that said disengaged objects fall on the upper surface of said distribution shield and move downwardly thereon away from said disengaging position to said return position, said return position being arranged above ail upper portion of said inclined bottom wall to deposit said disengaged objects onto the upper portion of said inclined bottom wall, and said inclined bottom wall being arranged to cause a bed of said deposited objects to move downward along said inclined bottom wall from the upper portion toward said feed position; and a conduit mounted in said vessel and arranged above said fluid inlet for receiving said upward flow of objects, said conduit extending upwardly to confine the flow of said objects from the vicinity of said feed position to the vicinity of said disengaging position; and an electrode positioned to contact said moving bed and a counterelectrode positioned in spaced relation to said moving bed and arranged to contact said fluid, said vessel being partially immersed in said fluid, said counterelectrode being located outside of and in proximity to an immersed portion of said vessel, and said vessel sidewall or bottom wall having at least one opening immersed in said fluid to allow a current flow between said objects and said counterelectrode. 2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said bottom wall has a conical shape and is substantially surrounded by said sidewall, and wherein an upper portion of said distribution shield is connected to an upper portion of said conduit.3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said conduit confines the flow of said objects from the vicinity of said feed position to at least the vicinity of said distribution shield and is arranged to cause said upward flow of objects to pass through an opening in said distribution shield.4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said electrode comprises a sheet or layer of electrically conductive material covering at least a portion of said bottom wall and arranged to contact said moving bed of objects.5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said electrically conductive material is textured to facilitate object movement.6. An apparatus according to claim 4 furhter comprising an insulating element made of a non-electrically conductive material and arranged to overlap an insulating element made of a non-electrically conductive material and arranged to overlap an upper portion of said sheet or layer, and wherein a gap is provided between said insulating element and the upper portion of said sheet or layer to reduce a density of electrical current in the vicinity of a lower edge of said insulating element.7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said opening is covered with a porous mesh, cloth or membrane to retain said objects within the vessel.8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said counterelectode is located under said distribution shield and includes means for preventing said objects from being retained on an upper surface of said counterelectrode.9. An apparatus according to claim 8 further comprising a deflecting member mounted below said counterelectrode so as to intercept objects carried upward by currents of said fluid and deflect them away from said counterelectrode.10. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said distribution shield and said counterelectrode are detachably suspended in said vessel and are removable to permit internal access to the said vessel.11. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said vessel includes fluid outlet means for discharging said fluid from said vessel; and wherein said apparatus further comprises means for sequentially supplying to said vessel inlet a plurality of fluids each from a corresponding source, and means for returning each of said fluids from said outlet means to said corresponding source from which the fluid was supplied.12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said sequential supply means comprises means for detachably mounting said vessel sequentially on each of a plurality of containers each of which constitutes the corresponding source of one of said fluids.13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said sequential supply means further comprises pump means for conveying to said vessel inlet fluid from the container on which said vessel is mounted, control valve means for controlling the flow of fluid from said mounting container to said vessel inlet, and a frame for supporting said vessel, said pump means and said valve means as a portable unit for transfer between said plurality of containers.14. An apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising detection means for detecting the presence of said vessel in each of said containers, and switch means responsive to said detection means for automatically operating said pump means when said vessel is present in a corresponding one of said containers.15. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said vessel is a portable structure comprising a fitting for connecting said inlet to a conduit for supplying said fluid to said vessel, wherein said mounting means is arranged to detachably support said vessel sequentially on each of said containers, and wherein each of said containers comprises a supply conduit, pump means for pumping fluid from said container to said supply conduit, and valve means for controlling the flow of fluid from said supply conduit to said vessel inlet.16. An apparatus according to claim 15 further comprising detection means for detecting the presence of said vessel in each of said containers, and switch means responsive to said detection means for automatically operating said pump means when said vessel is present in a corresponding one of said containers.17. An apparatus according to claim 11 further comprising a supply conduit connected to said vessel inlet, a bypass conduit connected to said supply conduit for recycling at least a portion of the fluid in said supply conduit to the corresponding source, and a control valve for controlling fluid flow in said bypass conduit so as to regulate the amount of fluid flow reaching said vessel inlet.18. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said fluid comprises a liquid and said vessel is open to the atmosphere, and wherein at least a portion of said vessel is immersed in said fluid, and wherein said outlet means comprises at least one opening in an immersed portion of said vessel.19. An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a plurality of containers each for containing a corresponding treating solution to be used in the treating of said objects, pump means for circulating said treating solutions, an inlet manifold for respectively connecting an output of said pump means to each of said containers, an outlet manifold for returning the corresponding solution from an outlet of said vessel to the corresponding container, remotely operable valve means for respectively connecting said inlet manifold and said outlet manifold with one of said containers at a time, and control means for operating said valve means from a location remote therefrom.20. An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a mesh screen positioned relative to said vessel inlet to prevent a discharge of said objects through said vessel inlet in the absence of said fluid stream, and a filter for filtering said fluid upstream of said mesh screen.21. An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a particle trap providing a tortuous flow path upstream of said vessel inlet to prevent a discharge of said objects through said vessel inlet in the absence of said fluid stream.22. An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a deflecting member mounted above said distribution shield and located in the vicinity of said disengaging position so as to intercept said upwardly flowing objects and deflect them away from said fluid stream.23. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said deflecting member has a concave surface for intercepting and deflecting the objects.24. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said bottom wall and said distribution shield are each inclined at an angle in the range of about 20° to about 50° from the horizontal.25. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fluid in said vessel is a mixture of a liquid and a gas, and wherein said distribution shield has a lower surface which is inclined upwardly away from an intermediate portion of said conduit and toward said sidewall to prevent an accumulation of the gas under said distribution shield.26. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said fluid in said vessel is a mixture of a liquid and a gas, and wherein vent means is provided to prevent an accumulation of the gas under said distribution shield by providing a flow path for said gas from below to above said distribution shield.27. An apparatus for electrolytically treating a plurality of objects with an electrolytic fluid while immersed in said fluid, said objects being at least partially electrically conductive and said apparatus comprising:a vessel having at least one bottom wall inclined downwardly from at least one sidewall toward a fluid inlet arranged to provide an upwardly directed stream of said fluid for causing said objects to flow upward from a feed position adjacent to said inlet to a disengaging position at which said objects are disengaged from said stream and from which said disengaged objects are deposited on an upper portion of said bottom wall, said bottom wall being arranged to cause a bed of said objects to move downwardly along said bottom wall away from the upper portion thereof toward said feed position; an electrode positioned to contact said moving bed and a counterelectrode positioned to contact said fluid, said vessel being at least partially immersed in said fluid, the counterelectrode being located outside of and in proximity to an immersed portion of said vessel, and the sidewall or bottom wall of said vessel having at least one opening immersed in said fluid to allow current a flow between said objects land said counterelectrode; pump means for conveying said fluid from a container to said vessel inlet; control valve means for controlling the flow of fluid from said container to said vessel inlet; and a frame for engaging said container and supporting thereon said vessel, said pump means and said valve means to provide a portable unit for transfer between a plurality of containers. 28. An apparatus according to claim 27 further comprising a distribution shield mounted in said vessel and having an upper surface inclined downwardly and extending away from the vicinity of said disengaging position to a return position above the upper portion of said inclined bottom wall, such that said disengaged objects fall on the upper surface of said distribution shield and move downwardly thereon to said return position from which they are deposited onto the upper portion of said inclined bottom wall and move downward along said inclined bottom wall toward said feed position.29. An apparatus according to claim 28 further comprising a conduit mounted in said vessel and arranged above said fluid inlet for receiving said flow of objects, said conduit extending upwardly to confine the flow of said objects from the vicinity of said feed position to at least the vicinity of said distribution shield and being arranged to cause said upward flow of objects to pass through an opening in said distribution shield.30. An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said distribution shield is detachably suspended in said vessel and is removable to permit internal access to said vessel.31. An apparatus according to claim 28 further comprising a deflecting member mounted above said distribution shield and located in the vicinity of said disengaging position so as to intercept said upwardly flowing objects and deflect them away from said fluid stream.32. An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said opening is covered with a porous mesh, cloth or membrane to retain said objects with the vessel.33. An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said electrode comprises a sheet or layer of electrically conductive material covering a portion of said bottom wall and arranged to contact said moving bed of objects.34. An apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said electrically conductive matrial is textured to facilitate object movement.35. An apparatus according to claim 33 further comprising an insulating element made on non-electrically conductive material and arranged to overlap an upper portion of said sheet or layer, and wherein a gap is provided between said insulating element and the upper portion of said sheet or layer to reduce a density of electrical current in the vicinity of a lower edge of said insulating element.36. An apparatus for contacting a plurality of objects with a fluid, said apparatus comprising:a vessel having at least one bottom wall inclined downwardly from at least one sidewall toward a fluid inlet arranged to provide an upwardly directed stream of said fluid for causing said objects to flow upward from a feed position adjacent to said inlet to a disengaging position. at which said objects are disengaged from said stream; a distribution shield mounted in said vessel and having an upper surface inclined downwardly and extending away from the vicinity of said disengaging position to a return position such that said disengaged objects fall on the upper surface of said distribution shield and move downwardly thereon away from said disengaging position to said return position, said return position being arranged above an upper portion of said inclined bottom wall to deposit said disengaged objects onto the upper portion of said inclined bottom wall, and said inclined bottom wall being arranged to cause a bed of said deposited objects to move downward along said inclined bottom wall from the upper portion toward said feed position; and, an electrode arranged to contact said moving bed and a counterelectrode arranged to contact said fluid, said fluid being a liquid electrolyte comprising a metal for coating said objects and said objects being at least partially electrically conductive, said vessel being at least partially immersed in said fluid and said counterelectrode being located outside of and in proximity to an immersed portion of said vessel, and the sidewall or bottom wall of said vessel having at least one opening immersed in said fluid to allow current to flow between said objects and said counterelectrode. 37. An apparatus for contacting a plurality of objects with a fluid, said apparatus comprising:a vessel having at least one bottom wall inclined downwardly from at least one sidewall toward a fluid inlet arranged to provide an upwardly directed stream of said fluid for causing said objects to flow upward to a disengaging position from a feed position adjacent to said inlet; a deflecting member located in the vicinity of said disengaging position for intercepting and disengaging said upwardly flowing objects from said fluid stream; a distribution shield mounted in said vessel and having an upper surface inclined downwardly and extending away from the vicinity of said disengaging position to a return position such that said disengaged objects fall on the upper surface of said distribution shield and move downwardly thereon away from said disengaging position to said return position, said return position being arranged above an upper portion of said inclined bottom wall to deposit said disengaged objects onto the upper portion of said inclined bottom wall, and said inclined bottom wall being arranged to cause a bed of said deposited objects to move downward along said inclined bottom wall from the upper portion toward said feed position; and, an electrode arranged to contact said moving bed and a counterelectrode aarranged to contact said fluid, said fluid being an electrolyte comprising a metal for coating said objects and said objects being at least partially electrically conductive, said vessel being at least partially immersed in said fluid and said counterelectrode being located outside of and in proximity to an immersed portion of said vessel, and the sidewall or bottom wall of said vessel having at least one opening immersed in said fluid to allow current a flow between said objects and said counterelectrode. 38. An apparatus according to claim 37 further comprising a conduit mounted in said vessel and arranged above said fluid inlet for receiving said flow of objects, said conduit extending upwardly to confine the flow of said objects from the vicinity of said feed position to at least the vicinity of said distribution shield and being arranged to cause said upward flow of objects to pass through an opening in said distribution shield.