Abstract:
A material supply for a material application system such as a powder coating application system includes a feed hopper in the form of a duct. The duct is connectable to negative pressure during a color change process and is disconnected from the negative pressure during a spray application process. The negative pressure can be provided from a powder overspray recovery system such as an after filter blower. Dampers are provided to control air flow through the hopper duct and to allow the duct to be at ambient pressure during a supply mode of operation. The hopper duct also includes a suction interface for pumps, in the form of a siphon ring, as well as a fluidizing function. A removable sieve is provided with an optional vibration feature. Powder may be added to the duct via an access door or transfer pumps for new powder and/or reclaimed powder overspray.
Abstract:
The present invention is directed to an improved method and apparatus for the application of powdered resins to threaded fasteners. In accordance with the present invention, the powdered resin handling system used to apply, collect, recycle and make-up the resin is generally enclosed; that is, with the exception of the application of the resin to the fasteners, the resin is generally maintained within conduit, housings or hoppers that are not open to the surroundings. This tends to minimize discharge of resin into the areas surrounding the fastener processing equipment and also isolates the resin from external environmental conditions that tend to degrade the resin over time. In addition, the present invention introduces fresh, new or make-up resin in a manner that assures intimate and thorough intermixing of the new and recycled resin while minimizing the cost and complexity of the equipment employed for that purpose.
Abstract:
A tungsten disulfide metal surface treatment in which the substrate material is prepared through impingement of small blast media particle sizes to create formed pockets in the substrate material approximately matched to the size of the tungsten disulfide particles. A sand blast apparatus having a vibratory bowl with a throttled intake pipe enables small blast media particles to be used to prepare the substrate surface with the formed pockets. A method for forming the tungsten disulfide surface treatment through roughening the substrate surface in a controlled manner is disclosed.
Abstract:
The present invention is directed to an improved method and apparatus for the application of powdered resins to threaded fasteners. In accordance with the present invention, the powdered resin handling system used to apply, collect, recycle and make-up the resin is generally enclosed; that is, with the exception of the application of the resin to the fasteners, the resin is generally maintained within conduit, housings or hoppers that are not open to the surroundings. This tends to minimize discharge of resin into the areas surrounding the fastener processing equipment and also isolates the resin from external environmental conditions that tend to degrade the resin over time. In addition, the present invention introduces fresh, new or make-up resin in a manner that assures intimate and thorough intermixing of the new and recycled resin while minimizing the cost and complexity of the equipment employed for that purpose.
Abstract:
A fluxer applies powdered flux to an object. The fluxer includes an enclosure that defines a chamber where the object is fluxed. The enclosure includes an inlet for receiving the object into the chamber prior to application of the flux and an outlet for discharging the object from the chamber after the flux has been applied. A conveyor extends through the enclosure for traversing the object into and out of the chamber. The fluxer also includes a hopper for storing the flux and an applicator in fluid communication with the hopper for applying the flux to the object. A flux recovery system is in fluid communication with the chamber to introduce and maintain a negative pressure within the chamber. As a result, excess flux is retained within the enclosure. This excess flux can then be recovered and recycled to the hopper.
Abstract:
Powder overspray that is extracted from a spray booth is recovered back to a powder supply that is used to supply powder to the spray guns inside the spray booth. The powder overspray extracted from the booth is separated from the high flow air stream by a separator such as a cyclone separator. The powder falls into a transfer pan and a vacuum is used to convey the powder from the transfer pan to a vacuum receiver. The powder is then discharged to the feed hopper in the feed center. The use of a vacuum to convey powder from the cyclone to the feed center in effect permits substantially all of the powder overspray to be recovered from the spray booth directly to the feed hopper with minimal dwell or residence time within the cyclone or vacuum receiver subsystems during a spraying operation. The receiver can be rotated for easy cleaning, and the vacuum line cleaned by one or more cleaning elements drawn through the vacuum line.
Abstract:
Powder overspray that is extracted from a spray booth is recovered back to a powder supply that is used to supply powder to the spray guns inside the spray booth. The powder overspray extracted from the booth is separated from the high flow air stream by a separator such as a cyclone separator. The powder falls into a transfer pan and a vacuum is used to convey the powder from the transfer pan to a vacuum receiver. The powder is then discharged to the feed hopper in the feed center. The use of a vacuum to convey powder from the cyclone to the feed center in effect permits substantially all of the powder overspray to be recovered from the spray booth directly to the feed hopper with minimal dwell or residence time within the cyclone or vacuum receiver subsystems during a spraying operation. The receiver can be rotated for easy cleaning, and the vacuum line cleaned by one or more cleaning elements drawn through the vacuum line.
Abstract:
An apparatus for spraying powder coating material includes a rotatable turret which moves articles to and from a work station. A powder spray gun is operable to spray a pattern onto each of the articles in turn while the article is at the work station. The powder flows through the spray gun as a series of pulses. A diverter assembly is operable to divert a portion of each pulse of powder away from the nozzle to more sharply define the pulse. An excess powder collector draws a flow of powder away from the work station. A virgin powder container supplies powder to a powder collector container which supplies powder to a powder feed container which supplies powder to the spray gun. Sensors associated with the virgin, collector and feed containers ensure that a predetermined quantity of powder is maintained in each container. During transport of powder from the virgin and collector containers, the containers and their associated pumps are vibrated to facilitate the flow of powder. The powder spray gun is mounted on a three axis adjustment assembly to enable the powder spray gun nozzle to be accurately positioned relative to an article at the work station.
Abstract:
A powder coating apparatus fluidizes coating powder in a powder container and mixes with the fluidized powder an additional substance, such as steam, water or other liquid. The additional substance is delivered into the interior of one or a plurality of enclosed bells which extend across the powder container. Each bell has a respective lower opening deep enough into the powder container to be immersed in the fluidized coating powder. The additional substance is delivered under pressure through a tube passing through the bell, through outlet nozzles in the tube and into the bell and then pressurizes the bell to keep the fluidized powder out of the bell and to deliver the additional substance out of the lower opening into the fluidized powder.
Abstract:
A powder spray system including a powder spray booth through which product is conveyed past a spray gun mounted adjacent the booth to spray charged particles into the booth. A chamber containing a fan and final filters is located beneath the booth. A movable powder collector having a plurality of filter cartridges and a powder collection hopper is movable beneath the booth into sealed engagement with the hopper and with the chamber containing the fan and final filters. Mounted upon the powder collector there is a feed hopper into which a transfer pump is operable to pump powder from the collection hopper. A movable sieve is mounted upon the inlet end of a hose which supplies powder from a fluidizing bed at the bottom of the powder collection hopper into the transfer pump. An overflow outlet opening interconnects the feed hopper and the powder collection hopper, and the pump flows are adjusted so that powder is maintained in the feed hopper at the level of the overflow outlet opening.