US3513808A - Paint spray device - Google Patents

Description

May 26, 1970 P. MORTIMER ET AL 3,513,808

PAINT SPRAY DEVICE Filed 001'.. 30, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Il, fl' l 5.25 l 'fg fj@J7 if?) P53724 /f i 5394 I N VEN TORS.

May 26, 1970 P, MORTIMER ET AL PAINT SPRAY DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet z Filed Oct. 50, 1967 INVENTORS. /a/mf M zff/V BY /Qfff/P #apr/Ms? United States Patent O 3,513,808 PAINT SPRAY DEVICE Peter Mortimer, North Haledon, and Thomas W. Olsen,

Wayne, NJ., assignors to Modern Decorating Company, Passaic, NJ.

Filed Oct. 30, 1967, Ser. No. 679,022 Int. Cl. Bc 5 /00 U.S. Cl. 118--9 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A paint spray device including a spray booth, mounted on a base around which a periodically indexed doublechain conveyor with article carrying fixtures is arranged, so that the articles to be sprayed are moved along the front of the booth, and chain drives in front of the booth for rotating the article carrying fixtures in opposite directions consecutively during the spraying period.

Background of the invention The invention relates to paint spraying devices, particularly to such devices in which articles to be painted by spraying are moved along in front of spray guns.

Prior art discloses devices for painting, varnishing or coating articles, in which these articles are loaded on trays or suspended from a chain or hung on hooks on such chains. The chains are part of a conveyor system and thus the articles can be passed along in front of one or more spray guns, which may be located in front or in the rear of the chain, or in both places. However, in most cases the articles to be sprayed are not flat but rather three-dimensional, for example round or cylindrical. In such cases a uniform coating may not always be attained unless special spray gun arrangements are made. The problem of an even and uniform coating on such three-dirnem sional articles is solved by the invention in an improved yet quite simple manner.

Summary The invention consists in such novel features, construction arrangements, combination of parts and improvements as may be shown and described in connection with the apparatus herein disclosed by way of example only and as illustrative of a preferred embodiment. The inventive idea is to provide a novel machine which not only comprises structural arrangements for spraying the articles from all sides uniformly and evenly but also a device which offers the advantages of a continuous work operation. Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereafter and in part will be obvious herefrom or may be learned by practicing the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

It is an object of the invention to provide contrivances for a continuously operating article spraying device.

A further object of the invention is to provide a chain conveyor with freely rotatable article holding fixtures mounted thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide for power operated spray gun fixtures which are adjustable and which optionally may or may not be moved vertically up and down.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide power ice operated drive systems for rotating the article holding fixtures in front of the spray guns alternately in one direction and then in the opposite direction while the conveyor is forwardly indexed in timed sequences.

Furthermore, it is an object to provide for a compact machine of the kind described which may be simply and safely operated for an economic production'.

Various further and more specific purposes, features and advantages will clearly appear from the detailed description given below taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which forms part of this specification and illustrates merely by way of example one embodiment of the device of the invention.

Brief description of the drawing In the following description and in the claims, parts will be identified by specific names for convenience, but such names are intended to be as generic in their application to similar parts as the art will permit. Like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawing, in which FIG. l shows in a schematical manner a plain view of the device of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows in more detail a cross-section along the line 2--2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a portion of the conveyor chain with the freely rotatable article holding fixtures, partly broken away;

FIG. 4 shows a detail View of the vertically movable spray gun fixtures, taken in the direction of the arrow 4 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 shows an isometric view of the conveyor chain drive; and

FIG. 6 shows a modification of an adjustable belt dev1ce.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring now in more detail to the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment by which the invention may be realized, there is shown in FIG. 1 a rectangular tablelike base structure 11 on which a spray booth 12 is mounted. An endless double-chain conveyor 13 is laid around table structure 11 in such manner that it is guided over the corners of table structure 11 by sprockets 14, 15, 16, 17 and supported by intermediate sprockets 18 which are shown in FIG. 2. Bearing housings 19 are arranged at every chain link, acting at the same time as vertical spacers for the conveyor 13. Freely running vertical shafts 20 are mounted in ball bearings (not shown in the drawing) which are located in housings 19. Vertical shafts 20 eX- tend upwardly in such manner that they serve as receiving and supporting means for articles to be processed, as it will be described below. Each shaft 20 has a free end extending downwardly below housing 19, on which end a roller chain sprocket 21 is fastened.

In front of booth 12 and at the same horizontal level as sprockets 21 of shafts 19 are two roller chains 22, 23. Sprockets 21 engage in successive order chains 22 and 23, when conveyor 13 is moving around table structure 11. Chains 22 and 23 are driven by an electric motor 24 by way of gear box 25. Center sprockets 26, 27 have spur gears (not visible in the drawing) which mesh with one another so that chain 23 rolls in the opposite direction of chain 22. By this arrangement shafts 20 are 3 rotated in opposite directions in front of booth 12 in successive order.

A spray gun device 30 is placed in front of booth 12 outside of conveyor chain 13, as shown in FIGS. l and 2. The device is shown in a larger scale in FIG. 4. The device consists of a horizontal beam 31 on which two upright posts 32, 33 are erected. Each post 32, 33 supports two horizontally extending brackets 34, 3S which can be adjusted vertically, horizontally and rotatably about their posts. Each bracket 34, 35 carries two spray guns 36, 37 in such manner that they can be rotatably adjusted about their fixing screw 38. Beam 31 serves also as a distributor for the iiuid which is to be sprayed by guns 36, 37, and carries to that extent the necessary hose connecting iixtures 39 and valves 40. Feed lines 41, 42 with main valves 43, 44 carry the fluid to beam 31. Supported by a crossbrace 45 is a support block 46 on which a double-acting air cylinder 47 is fastened. The upper end 48 of the piston of air cylinder 47 is attached to beam 31, and a vertical guide rod 49 is arranged parallel to air cylinder 47. By this construction, beam 31 and everything that is attached to it can be moved vertically upward and downward, so that the spray of spray guns 36, 37 may cover the entire height of an article supported by shafts 20.

The main drive 50 for chain conveyor 13 is shown in FIG. 5. Sprocket 14 is mounted on a vertical shaft 51 which has a gear 52 on its lower end. Gear 52 meshes with gear 53 which is Iiixed on the vertical shaft 54 of an indexing device S (not shown in more detail since it is a known commercial de-vice). Indexing device 55 is driven by the main drive motor 56 over a speed reducing gear 57 which at the same time is built as a gear shifting device. Between motor 56 and speed reduced 57 is an electro-magnetic clutch and brake device 58.

The operation of the machine may be described as follows:

Main motor S6 is switched on and the operating cycle is started. Clutch 58 is engaged and brake is released. Chain conveyor 13 with articles loaded on shafts 20 is indexed forward. When indexing device 55 has finished its indexing movement, a microswitch is operated by it, releasing clutch 58 and engaging the brake. At the same time a timing device 65 is started while motor 24 is continuously running. Shafts carrying the articles to be sprayed are rotated so that spray guns 36, 37 can apply an even and uniform coating on the articles. Obviously the vertical movement of beam 31 with the guns can be operated at the same time, if necessary. When timing device 65 has run its pre-set time, guns 36, 37, and air cylinder 48 are stopped; timing device is re-set, clutch 58 is energized again and the brake is released. Thus the operating cycle starts again.

Obviously, there is suflicient time alloted for drying of the sprayed coating, and the -iinished articles can be taken off and new articles placed on shafts 20. It is understood that any kind of dryer, infra-red, gas or electric can be applied to the chain conveyor path, if it is so desired. But such drying equipment is optional and is not claimed as new.

FIG. 6 shows a modified drive of the device for changing the speed of the conveyor chain 13. In lieu of gears 52, 53, there may be provided interchangeable sprockets or V-belt sheaves 59, 60 and the belt `61 can be tightened by mounting the motor 56 and gear box 55 on a base plate 62 which is slidable in slots l63 of a mounting plate "64. -By changing the diameters of the pulley 59 and 60, it is readily seen that the speed ratio can be modified.

From the foregoing it is apparent that there is herein provided a device for coating in a continuous process articles by spraying comprising a spray both 12, a horizontally disposed endless conveyor 13 surrounding the booth, means for driving conveyor 13 continuously, a plurality of bearing housings 19 vertically mounted on conveyor 13, vertically upwards extending shafts 20 freely rotatably journalled in housings 19 adapted to carry the articles to be sprayed, the shafts carrying circular members 2.1, endless bands 22, 23 arranged in front of booth 12, the bands 22, 23, being driven in opposite directions engaging members 21 for rotating shafts 20 and thus the articles thereon to be sprayed in opposite directions in a consecutive order, and spray gun apparatus 30 located in front of booth 12, conveyor 13 carrying shafts 20 being located between apparatus 30 and booth 12, whereby the articles may be sprayed during their rotation in one direction and then during their rotation in the other direction, while conveyor 13 is forwardly indexed in timed sequences by the indexing means.

While the invention has been described and illustrated with respect to a certain preferred embodiment which gives satisfactory results, it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the principle of the invention that various other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is intended therefor in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device for coating in a continuous process articles by spraying, said device having a spray booth, a horizontally disposed endless conveyor surrounding said booth, means for driving said conveyor, a plurality of bearing housings vertically mounted on said conveyor, vertically upwards extending shafts freely rotatably journalled in said housings adapted to carry yarticles to be sprayed, said shafts carrying circular members substantially on their lower end; spray gun apparatus located in front of said booth, said conveyor carrying said rotatable shafts |being located between said apparatus and said booth, two endless bands arranged in front of said spray booth, Said bands having connecting gear means for being driven in opposite directions engaging said members for rotating said shafts in opposite directions in a consecutive order, whereby said articles may be sprayed during their rotation in one direction and then during their rotation in the other direction, and a timing device on said driving means for controlling the sequence of operations of said device.

2. A device according to cliam 1, wherein said conveyor comprises a chain having links, said housings mounted on said links, said circular members comprise sprockets, and said endless bands comprise chains engaging said sprockets.

3. A device according to claim 2, said spray gun apparatus comprising a horizontal beam, `at least two upright posts spaced apart from one another on said beam, at least two adjustable horizontally extending brackets on each one of said posts, adjustable spray guns attached to said brackets and a fluid power operated motor having a double-acting piston, said piston attached to said beam for periodically moving said beam vertically up and down.

4. A device according to claim 1, said spray gun apparatus comprising a horizontal beam, at least two upright posts spaced apart from one another on said beam, at least two adjustable horizontally extending brackets on each one of said posts, adjustable spray guns Iattached to said brackets and a iiuid power operated motor having a double-acting piston, said piston attached to said beam for periodically moving said beam vertically up and down.

5. A device according to claim 1, and variable speed drive means for said conveyor, said drive means comprising an indexing device for intermittently indexing said conveyor and a clutch and brake device on said drive means for starting and stopping said conveyor.

6. A device according to claim 1, said apparatus comprising adjustable spray guns.

7. In a device for coating in a continuous process articles by spraying having a spray booth, a horizontally moving endless conveyor at the front of said booth, rotatable article holding -iixtures on said conveyor, spray gun apparatus disposed in front of said fixtures; indexing means on said conveyor, a timing device connected with said indexing means, and power operated drive means for rotating said fixtures alternately in one direction and then 2,210,187v 8/ 1940 Ross 118-322 X in the opposite direction while said conveyor is forwardly 2,461,657 2/ 1949 Paasche 118-326 X indexed in timed sequences by said indexing means. 2,560,270 7/1951 Bird 118-416 X 8. A device according to claim 7, said drive means 2,808,343 10/ 1957 Simmons 118-321 X comprising endless bands arranged in front of said con- 5 2,838,025 6/ 1958 Miller et al. 118-322 veyor, and connecting gear means for driving said bands in opposite directions, said bands engaging said fixtures. WALTER A- SCHEEL, Primary Examiner References Cited I. P. MCINTOSH, Assistant Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 U.SA Cl. X.'R.

1,124,858 1/1915 Caruso et al. 118-326 X 118-321, 322, 326, 314 2,081,442 5/ 1937 Willshaw et al 118-321

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