GB965753A - Improvements in or relating to the coating of articles - Google Patents

Abstract

965,753. Coating apparatus. CARRIER ENGINEERING CO. Ltd. Sept. 29, 1961 [Oct. 7, 1960], No. 34517/60. Heading B2B. Apparatus for spray coating the side faces of a succession of articles 1, e.g. refrigerator cabinets, carried in spaced relationship by conveyer beam 2, comprises a sprayhead 15 connected by a linkage comprising gun arm 16 and links 23 and 26, to a carriage 17 which is reciprocable up and down a track on pillar 7 placed alongside the path of travel of the articles, and actuating means connected to said linkage to move the spray head 15 in and out at right angles to the pillar 7 to accommodate different article sizes. Both the double acting cylinders 30 and 31, with common piston rod 35, of the actuating means are connected to an air supply line 56 via air lines 42, 43 and 47, 48 and two-way spool valves 44 and 49 respectively. The valves, which may be controlled manually or automatically, e.g. by use of photoelectric means, supply air to different pairs of air lines 42, 43, 47 and 48 depending on the article size and this determines the position of the pistons in the cylinders 30 and 31 and thus through the linkage, the position of the spray head 15. The spray head 15 is supplied with paint and atomizing air through pipes 66 and 67 respectively and with control air, which controls paint and atomizing air valves in spray head 15, by pipe 68 which is connected to four-way selector valve 69, the inlets of which are connected to air valves 75-78 controlled by cams 79-82 which cams may be controlled manually or automatically and are synchronized with the movement of the article. Means responsive to the presence of an article, e.g. photoelectric device 88, starts the motor for driving carriage 17 and after a time lapse the spraying begins. The movement of the carriage and the guns is interlocked with the movement of the articles. Timing means is provided for regulating the spraying period. The pillars 7 may be moved outwardly and inwardly. The articles may be carried on a floor conveyer. The apparatus may be adapted to coat the side faces simultaneously and/or in method described in Specification 965,752. A colour change device may be incorporated in the apparatus so that different coloured paints may be sprayed without dismantling the guns, Specification 965,754 is referred to.