US3339525A - Apparatus for the application of stain - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 5, 1967 F. D. ROBERTS 7 3,339,525

APPARATUS FOR THE APPLICATION OF STAIN Filed April 28,. 1966 4 sheets sheet 1 v z I 5 IE:

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' 'INVENTQR. FRANK D. ROBERTS AT'T ORNE YS Sept. 5, 1967 F. D. ROBERTS APPARATUS FOR THE APPLICATION OF STAIN Filed April 28, 1966 v 4 Sheets-Sheet FRANK D. ROBERTS INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Se t. 5, 1967 F. D. ROBERTS 3,339,525

I APPARATUS FOR THE APPLICATION OF STAIN Filed April 1 6 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 IFlI Q, 4

lFllGo 5 FRANK D. ROBERTS INVENTOR.

m. BY 32% ATTORNEYS Sept. 5, 1967 F. D. ROBERTS 3,339,525

APPARATUS FOR THE APPLICATION OF STAIN Filed April 28, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG 6 FRANK D. ROBERTS INVENTOR BY K ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,339,525 APPARATUS FOR THE APPLICATION OF STAIN Frank D. Roberts, 751 S. Michigan St., Seattle, Wash. 98108 Filed Apr. 28, 1966, Ser. No. 546,048 6 Claims. (Cl. 118-63) The invention relates to apparatus designed especially for the application of liquid stain or the like to boards and manufactured lumber such as flooring, ceiling, siding or the like, which is usually delivered in flat elongated strips of uniform widths and thicknesses. It relates also to apparatus as above stated, that is readily adaptable to or may be modified for the staining or treating of longitudinally grooved, abraded, sanded or unsanded, plywood or other panels of substantial width.

Specifically stated, the present invention comprises an apparatus for the endwise and guided advancement of siding boards, panels or the like between paired coacting rolls, brushes or other types of applicators whereby one or both of the opposite surfaces of each board or panel may, in passing through the machine, be evenly effectively and economically treated with a selected stain.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a simple and elfective apparatus through which manufactured lumber may be advanced endwise and in rapid succession, for the application of a selected stain to their surfaces, in such a manner as to eliminate waste of the substance being applied.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for the above stated purpose that may be easily and readily adjusted to accommodate the advancement therethrough of boards, strips and panels of different widths, thicknesses and lengths including beveled and contoured top surfaces.

Further objects and advantages of this invention reside in the use of rotatably driven brushes for the cleaning and clearing of grooved surfaces, especially the tongued and grooved edges of the lumber of all foreign material and any excess of stain. applied thereto, for its return and for reuse.

In accomplishing the above mentioned and other objects and advantages of the invention, I have provided the improved details of construction of a stain applying machine, the presently preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein FIG. 1 is a plan or top view of an apparatus embodied by the present invention as used for the application of stain or the like to the surfaces of elongated boards, panels or strips as advanced in succession therethrough;

FIG. 2 is a near side elevation of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a central, longitudinal section of the present apparatus, as seen on line 3-3 in FIG. 1;.

FIG. 4 is an elevation of the apparatus of FIG. 2 as seen from its discharge end;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional detail of the stain applying rollers, showing the stain delivery tubes at one side thereof and the groove clearance air blade at the other side;

FIG. 6 is a detail elevation view showing one feature of this invention; and

FIG. 7 and 8 are views taken along the lines 7-7 and 8-8, respectively, in FIGURE 6.

Whatever the applied substance may be, whether paint, stain or other treating solution, it will hereinafter be designated as the stain.

Before going into the detailed description of the present apparatus, it will. be explained, in brief, that the elongated boards, strips or panels to be stained or otherwise treated are advanced, as best shown in FIG. 3, endwise and in succession through the apparatus between paired,

3,339,525 Patented Sept. 5, 1967 horizontally spaced longitudinal guides. Said guides are located at opposite ends of the main housing or tub in which paired, coacting and rotatably drive rolls, brushes and stain applicators operate for the reception and advancement of the boards between them, for the application of the selected stain thereto.

The advancement of articles to receive the stain, whether boards, strips of panels or the like, is eifected by the driving of the paired coacting stain applying rolls between which the articles are initially received. The stain used is pumped from a storage vessel and is discharged through one or more pipe lines onto the coacting stain applying draw rolls and board and is banked and spread thereby over the board surfaces and against the rolls as the boards are advanced through the apparatus.

The invention also anticipates the use of novel equipment for the application of the stain, as presently explained, for the powering and lateral adjusting of the board or strip feed or draw rolls and edge cleaning brushes, for the pumping and spreading of the stain on the board surfaces and for the recovery of run-01f or excess stain for reuse.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

The equipment of the present invention, as herein illustrated, comprises what I have designated as the main tub 10 which is shown to be an open-topped, rectangular sheet metal housing or tank-like enclosure with parallel opposite ide walls 10a and 10b, opposite ends, and a bottom 10:: which is downwardly shaped to serve as a shallow drainage pan for catching the excess stain from the boards and for draining it to and discharging it through a central drainage opening 12 in the pan bottom 10s, as shown in FIG. 3, into a sump 11.

This main tub 10 is supported at a suitable and convenient elevation above a supporting floor surface 1 by vertical angle iron legs 13 that are fixed thereto at its four corners. Directly below the tub 10 is a sump 11, which is positioned to receive through a top screen 11', the drainage from the bottom opening 12 of the tube. This sump 11 may be of any suitable or convenient form of construction but preferably is designed separately from the tub 10 for its easy movement to or from its normal receiving position of FIGS. 2 and 3.

Contained within the hub 10, as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, at the same horizontal level, somewhat above that of the bottom 10c and near each of its opposite ends and mediallyof the opposite side walls, are paired, complemental, laterally spaced guide bars 1515. The paired bars at opposite ends of the tub 10 are disposed in longitudinal spacing and are adjustable in their lateral spacing for the easy reception and guided endwise advancement between them of the pieces of flooring and the like of staining. In FIGS. 1 through 3, the pieces being advanced for staining are designated by reference letter B, which would apply to articles of different widths and lengths.

It has been shown in plan view in FIG. 1 that the paired guide bars 1515 at opposite ends of the tub 10 are supported at the same horizontal level from squared crossshafts 16-16 that are fixed in and extend horizontally and transversely between the opposite side walls of the tub as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3; each guide bar 15 is supported by a vertical hanger 17 extending downwardly from a sleeve 18 that is fitted slidably for endwise adjustment on the corresponding cross-shaft 16. After paired bars 1515 have been positioned in proper spacing for the boards being advanced, the sleeves 18 are secured in positions against shifting by clamp screws 19 associated therewith, to clamp and secure them against the companion cross-shaft 16 to hold the spacing.

I have shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, for explanatory purposes, relatively narrow boards B such as siding, ceiling or the like, as advanced in succession end to end, through the tub for staining. It is to be noted that the boards B are being advanced into and from the machine on successions of fixedly mounted conveyor rolls 20 and are advanced through the paired guides 15 at the receiving end of the tub between the coacting draw or feed rolls and brushes, shown in FIG. 3 and presently to be described, and finally are received between the coacting guides 1515 at the discharge end of the tub. As the boards approach the discharge end, they are received upon a horizontal supporting plate 21 and guided thereby between the paired guides 1515 at that end onto the conveyor rolls that conduct them from the machine to storage or place of use.

Located in the receiving end portion of the tub 10 immediately adjacent the inner ends of the guide bars 1515 at that end, are vertically spaced parallel cross-shafts 2222 by which paired coacting rubber covered feed rolls 23 and 23' of substantial diameter are mounted, to receive the guided incoming boards or strips B between them for frictional advancement thereby. The cross-shaft 22' which mounts the lower roll 23' is rotatably driven by means presently to be described.

Likewise, mounted on parallel cross-shafts 2424 that are rotatably mounted in and across the discharge end portion of the tub, see FIG. 3, are paired cylindrically arranged bristle brushes 2525. The axis of the upper roll brush 25 can be made non-parallel for beveled or contoured lumber.

The two rubber-covered feed rolls 2323' are mounted axially parallel in the same vertical plane across the entering end portion of the tub and the paired brushes 2525' are likewise mounted in the discharge end portion. Thus, when the boards B are advanced into the apparatus from between the first pair of guides 1515, they are directed thereby between the draw rolls 2323' from which they are subsequently received between the paired brushes 25-25' and thence are directed into the guideway provided by the paired bars 1515 at the discharge end of the tub.

When a board enters the tub 10 between the paired guides 15-15 at its receiving end, it is guided thereby between the rubber-coated feed rolls 23 and 23'. The lower roll 23', as seen in FIG. 3, is driven clockwise. The board B in passing between the rolls 2323 is advanced by the frictional contact of the driven lower roll therewith which transmits counterclockwise rotation to the upper roll 23. The axle or shaft 22 which mounts this upper roll extends through vertical slots 26 in the opposite side walls of the tub and at its ends is mounted in bearing blocks 27 that are slidable in guides 27 and against which blocks coil springs 28 act to yieldably urge the top roller downwardly against the advancing board.

The lower roller 23 is driven as seen in FIG. 2 by a sprocket chain belt 29 operating, respectively, about a sprocket wheel 30 fixed on its shaft 23' and a sprocket 30' on a drive shaft 32' of a gear reduction mechanism 32 driven by an electric motor 33.

It is to be noted by reference to FIG. 3 that from between the rubber-covered cylindrical feed rolls 2323', the advancing boards B first pass edgewise between a pair of laterally spaced, rotatably driven, vertical driven brushes 3535 and thence between the horizontal brushes 2525 and are then received across plate 21 and between the guides 1515 at the discharge end of the tub. The brushes 3535 are shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 as being axially vertically disposed and are laterally adjustable on a cross-shaft 36 that is fixed at its opposite ends in opposite side walls of the housing 10. Each brush 35 has a flexible driving shaft 37 extended through a bearing 38 mounted on the cross-shaft 36 for lateral adjustment of the brushes to position them properly for brushing the tongue and grooved edges of the advancing boards free of stain or foreign material. The driving shafts 37 of these two brushes extend to opposite sides of the housing or tub 10 and are connected for driving, respectively, to motors designated at 3939. The two cylindrical rubber-covered rollers 23 and 23' are spirally grooved from end to end as seen in FIG. 1; the convolutions being quite closely spaced and designed to feed the stain as delivered onto the rolls across the full width of the pieces being delivered through the machine.

It has been shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 that the stain is delivered to the machine through two flexible tubes or hoses 4040 that are held at their discharge ends in openings 41' of cross bars 41-41 fixed across the housing 10, above and below the entering boards, to discharge against the rollers 2323 and boards B as has been shown in FIG. 3.

If it is desired to stain only one flat surface, the delivery of stain to the other surface may be shut off.

From the rubber-covered draw rolls 23--23', the advancing boards B are passed edgewise between the brushes 3535 and thence between the paired brushes 2525; these latter brushes being rotatably driven by a belt 44 that is applied about a driven belt wheel 45 on an electric motor 46 mounted on the discharge end of housing 10, the belt being extended downwardly and about a belt wheel 47 fixed on the end of shaft 24 and also engaging in driving contact with a belt wheel 48 fixed on an end of shaft 24. It is also to be noted that the two brushes 25 and 25' are enclosed by a housing 49 and splash plates to prevent throwing of liquid stain from the machine.

An important feature of this machine is shown in FIG. 5 to comprise what I have designated to be an air blade which is, in effect, a transverse manifold 50 forming a converging passage 51 leading to a slit 52 that extends to the full length of the roller 23. An air tube 53 supplies air under pressure to the passage under control of an adjustable valve 54 to regulate the flow and pressure of air discharged. Discharged air operates to forcibly drive liquid stain back into the longitudinal grooves of the boards or panels into the banked-up supply of stain delivered against the front side of the roller as noted at 55 in FIG. 5. This air blade is supported transversely of the tub between the top roller 23 and brushes 3535, closely adjacent the advancing board B.

The air blade support structure is shown in FIGS. 6-8 as comprising a pair of inverted L-shaped support frames 56 and 57 which have horizontal legs connected to the air blade manifold and have vertical legs connected to the roll shaft 22 by means of flange blocks 58 and 59. Torque eliminators in the form of bars 60 and 61 extend from the sides of the air blade manifold to the tub sides 10a and 10b to prevent the rotation of shaft 22 from turning the air blade. Bars 60 and 61 ride in vertical slots provided by parallel spaced bars 62 and 63 so that the air blade can move up and down with the roll 23 under the influence of spring 28.

In the use of the apparatus for board or panel staining :1 supply of stain may be contained in the sump 11 and pumped therefrom through a pipe line 64 by a pump 65 and discharged through hose line or lines 40 and 40 to the forward sides of rolls 23 and 23' for distribution thereby to the board surfaces. Excess of the liquid stain is caught by housing 10 and flows to the base opening 12 of the housing and is screened and returned to the sump 11 for reuse. If the surfaces of the panels being stained are not grooved or otherwise patterned, then the air blade may not be necessary but may be used if desired, leaving the regulation of stain to the pressure adjustment of the spring-loaded rollers 23 and 25.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for'the application of liquid to the horizontal surface of boards, said apparatus comprising a housing with guideways mounted in opposite ends thereof for the guided endwise advancement of the boards therethrough, paired driven draw rolls mounted transversely in the receiving end portion of said housing to receive said boards flatwise between them, means for the delivery of liquid onto the roll that engages the top surfaces of the boards, an air delivery manifold with means for supplying air under pressure thereto, said manifold having a discharge slit extending to the length of the roll for discharge of air forcibly against the surface of the board at the contact line of roll and board counter to the direction of rotation and movement of the board.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 including also paired vertical brushes engageable with the longitudinal edges of the boards and means for the driving of said vertical brushes for the removal from the board edges of excess liquid.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 including also paired, rotatably driven horizontal brushes mounted for reception of said boards between them to brush the surfaces free of excess liquid.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said driven draw rolls are rubber-coated and spirally grooved for the distribution of the liquid stain, as applied to their grooved surfaces, along the rolls; said liquid delivery being at the contact lines of the rolls and incoming boards to induce the banking of the stain against the roll surfaces and boards at their receiving sides.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said paired driven draw rolls are mounted on parallel shafts, and including means for mounting said manifold on the shaft of the upper of said paired driven draw rolls.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the manifold mounting means comprises a pair of support frames connecting the ends of said manifold to the upper draw roll shaft, and torque elimination means for preventing rotation of said manifold as a result of rotation of said upper draw roll shaft.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 778,709 12/ 1904 Robertson 118224 1,510,465 10/1924 Dittmar 1l81 18 X 2,001,339 5/1935 Wood. 2,007,015 7/ 1935 Hafner. 2,176,093 10/ 1939 Merrill 1186 3 X 2,274,179 2/ 1942 Wysong ll8-6 3 2,366,926 1/ 1945 Melton 118-63 2,653,566 9/ 1953 Worden 118-63 2,981,223 4/ 1961 Olszowka 118--63 3,061,457 10/1962 BrOWn 118-111 3,186,861 6/1965 Smith et a1. 118-118 X CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

R. 1. SMITH, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. APPARATUS FOR THE APPLICATION OF LIQUID TO THE HORIZONTAL SURFACE OF BOARDS, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING A HOUSING WITH GUIDEWAYS MOUNTED IN OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF FOR THE GUIDED ENDWISE ADVANCEMENT OF THE BOARDS THERETHROUGH, PAIRED DRIVEN DRAW ROLLS MOUNTED TRANSVERSELY IN THE RECEIVING END PORTION OF SAID HOUSING TO RECEIVE SAID BOARDS FLATWISE BETWEEN THEM, MEANS FOR THE DELIVERY OF LIQUID ONTO THE ROLL THAT ENGAGES THE TOP SURFACES OF THE BOARDS, AN AIR DELIVERY MANIFOLD WITH MEANS FOR SUPPLYING AIR UNDER PRESSURE THERETO, SAID MANIFOLD HAVING A DISCHARGE SLIT EXTENDING TO THE LENGTH OF THE ROLL FOR DISCHARGE OF AIR FORCIBLY AGAINST THE SURFACE OF THE BOARD AT THE CONTACT LINE OF ROLL AND BOARD COUNTER TO THE DIRECTION OF ROTATION AND MOVEMENT OF THE BOARD.

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