Abstract: A coating applicator has a rotary atomizer detachably mounted directly on a front end of a rotor of an air driven turbine for convenient removal and cleaning of the atomizer. The rotor and atomizer are forward of bearings that rotatably mount a shaft for supporting the rotor, which isolates the bearings from coating material delivered to the atomizer, and turbine exhaust air augments shroud air in shaping the pattern of atomized material.

Abstract: A fluid pressure regulator, for controlling the pressure of fluid in accordance with the pressure of an air signal, is characterized by a housing having a chamber divided into fluid and air chambers by at least two flexible diaphragms. The fluid chamber has a valved inlet for connection with a supply of fluid at an elevated pressure, and an outlet. The air chamber has an inlet for receiving an air signal at a selected pressure. A valve is moved by flexure of the diaphragms to open and close the fluid inlet, so that the pressure of the air signal regulates the pressure of fluid in the fluid chamber and at its outlet. A space is defined between the diaphragms, and vents extend from the space to exterior of the housing. Should the diaphragm on the fluid compartment side rupture, fluid entering the space will flow through the vents and provide a visible indication of diaphragm failure, but the diaphragm on the air chamber side will prevent fluid from entering that chamber.

Abstract: A magnetic clutch drive for rotary pumps is characterized by a motor driven outer magnetic clutch member juxtaposed to an imperforate wall of a pump housing. Within the interior of the housing a pump impeller shaft carries an inner magnetic clutch member juxtaposed to the wall opposite from the outer member. The wall is of a nonmagnetic and electrically nonconductive material, so magnetic lines of force penetrate the wall and magnetically lock the outer and inner clutch members, without any mechanical connection between the two. Consequently, as the motor is brought up to speed, the two clutch members magnetically lock the motor shaft to the impeller shaft to drive the impeller shaft at the same speed as the motor shaft, without generating eddy current losses in the wall.

Abstract: A roving cutting steering mechanism for use with a plural component spray gun for producing fiberglass reinforced products. A roving cutter is mounted on a plural component spray gun with a support plate and a bracket which is easily vertically adjustable by loosening a bolt mounting the bracket on the gun body. Horizontal adjustment is provided by a cam fitting a slot in the end of a bracket which shifts a mounting plate horizontally. The roving cutter being mounted on the plate is steered to align the path of cuttings ejected from the roving cutter to the optimum position for intersecting the fluid path of material being sprayed by the spray gun. Quick easy adjustment both vertically and horizontally of a roving cutter allows optimizing the mixture of roving cuttings with a spray of plural components being applied to a surface.

Abstract: An air assisted hydraulic atomizing spray gun for liquid coating materials is characterized by an adjustable air/fluid turn on timing sequence which allows the air to be selectively turned on before, at the same time as, or after the fluid.

Abstract: A paint spray booth water washed subfloor system, including distribution piping for supplying water to only one portion thereof. The distribution piping has only one main pipe to supply water to the one portion of the subfloor. The water supplied to the one portion of the subfloor is then transferred from that portion through a trough extending across and forming part of the subfloor to provide water to the other portions of the subfloor. Preferably, at least a part of the subfloor's other portions are sloped downwardly from both sides toward a center slot or opening for generating a fall of water to mix with paint overspray laden air descending through the center opening. The distribution piping is provided with special valves for throttling the flow of water onto the subfloor, but yet permitting maximum flow, and assisting the flow of water into the trough portion, and hence, to the other portions of the subfloor.

Abstract: A pail mounted pump system having dual reciprocal pumps and pail cover in an integral design. The pump and pail cover are constructed in a single unit with a built-in intake siphon tubes. This arrangement provides dual pumps pumping the same fluid which keeps the system pumping should one of the pumps fail. The pail cover is formed with a recess and mounting holes for mounting a pump. A skirt on the cover has a flange on its inner surface forming an annulus which seats securely on the pail rim. A recirculation/agitation system is provided by a hose connected through a valve to the pump outlet recirculating fluid back to the pail through an aperture in the cover.

Abstract: An improved air atomizing spray gun accommodates selective control over flows of air for atomizing liquid coating material into a conically-shaped spray and for forming the spray into a fan-shaped pattern. In one arrangement of the gun structure, respective supplies of atomizing and fan-shaping air are connected to the gun and separately coupled to atomizing and fan air outlet orifices. In another arrangement, only the supply of atomizing air is connected to the gun, and a valve on the gun adjustably diverts a portion of the atomizing air for fan-shaping purposes.

Abstract: A rapidly cleanable rotary atomizer is characterized by a passageway extending between a rearward coating material cup of the atomizer and a forward coating material feed surface, from an edge of which atomization occurs. The passageway initiates in the material cup at a non-zero radius from the atomizer axis and terminates on the material feed surface at the axis. During changes of coating material, the passageway enables flushing media to be introduced from the material cup onto the material feed surface immediately at the axis of rotation of the atomizer for quickly and thoroughly cleaning the entirety of the material feed surface.

Abstract: Improved spray guns each have a spray head assembly comprising separate but interconnectable elements including a fluid nozzle, a fluid inlet fitting, a fluid nozzle retainer, an air nozzle and an air cap. The elements mount on an annular extension at a forward end of the gun body without any threaded attachment to the body, and because they are separate the fluid nozzle and fluid inlet fitting may conveniently be manufactured of a corrosion and wear resistant material to protect the same from fluid flowing therethrough. Also, the air cap threads onto the fluid nozzle retainer and not the gun body, so there is no danger of damaging any threads on the body which could otherwise require its replacement.

Abstract: A container for holding a plurality of supplies of fluids of different colors for being provided to a color changer connected with spray painting equipment, is characterized by a canister in which is contained a plurality of bottles containing the fluids. Caps on the bottles have outlets connected through associated fluid supply tubes with inlets to the color changer, and vent holes are formed through the caps. The interior of the canister is maintained at a selected pressure, so that by virtue of the vent holes in the bottle caps the interiors of the bottles are pressurized and the fluids are supplied under pressure through their associated tubes to the color changer.

Abstract: Improved air washer or scrubber for a center draw, down draft paint spray booth is disclosed which results in twenty percent (20%) or greater improvement in cleaning and removal of entrained matter from the exhaust air. The air washer may be adjusted to accommodate different air flow requirements, for example, for conventional or electrostatic spray painting. The adjustment may be made manually, by power devices, or automatically to accommodate the changed air flow desired.

Abstract: A reflective bead dispenser for use with an airless paint spray gun for marking traffic lines on pavement surfaces is connected to the spray gun by supporting a hollow tube in a passage through a handle of the gun. An inlet end to the tube is connected with a supply of reflective beads, an outlet end from the tube has a nozzle for dispensing reflective beads into a spray of paint emitted from the gun, and a valve controls a flow of beads through the tube. The beads are entrained in the paint spray and deposited along with the paint on the pavement surface to form a reflective stripe thereon.

Abstract: A reversible airless nozzle for a spray gun comprises an adapter mounted on a forward end of the gun, a filter in the adapter and an airless spray tip captured between the adapter and a safety cap. Should a small outlet orifice from the spray tip become plugged, it may be cleared by inserting the spray tip into the forward end of the adapter in the direction reverse to that for normal spraying, and then briefly triggering the spray gun to eject the blockage. The spray tip is carried in a housing adapted for a snug fit into the forward end of the adapter during cleaning, and an insert in the housing prevents the spray tip from being forced from the housing when reverse hydraulic pressures are applied.

Abstract: To measure the flow rate of a fluid in a pipe, a heat pulse is injected into the fluid by a heat pulse generator, and the time of flight of the pulse between the generator and a sensor is measured. Arrival of the pulse at the sensor is determined by detecting a selected temperature level of the ascending flank of the pulse, and a predetermined temperature level of the descending flank is then detected to initiate generation of the next subsequent pulse. Since the temperature of the descending flank generally represents the temperature of the fluid between the heat pulse generator and sensor, the technique ensures that the accuracy of each successive flow rate measurement is not affected by residual heat from the preceding measurement, and yet enables measurements to be obtained at maximum frequencies. In one embodiment the measurements are used to control the flow rate of the measured fluid, and in another the flow rate of fluid in one or more additional pipes.

Abstract: A plural component flushless spray gun has a fluid outlet orifice defined by two opposed inlet orifices with a thin blade interposed therebetween. The blade prevents fluidic material exiting each inlet orifice from flowing directly into the other, and is slotted at its forward end to define a very small volume chamber into which the components flow for mixing prior to being emitted through the outlet orifice defined at the forward end of the slot. Because the chamber has a very small volume, the components are intimately mixed for better polymerization, and only a very small quantity of reactive components are mixed within the gun immediately behind the outlet orifice. Consequently, should the mixed components harden within the gun, only a limited amount of material is involved and the blockage may readily be removed simply by triggering the gun on to eject the blockage through the outlet orifice.

Abstract: An electrostatic air atomization spray coating system having a hand held spray gun, wherein a flow of air to the gun is sensed to control energization of a high voltage power supply for electrostatically charging spray particles, is characterized by a bypass valve on the spray gun which selectively permits air atomization spraying with or without electrostatics.

Abstract: An improved spray gun assembly includes a fluid supply container connected to a spray gun and a manually operable trigger for actuating the spray gun, in combination with a motor driven agitator for automatically agitating the fluid contents of the supply container. The agitator is driven by an air motor, and comprises a paddle which is reciprocated in the fluid contents in directions perpendicular to the plane in which it lies.

Abstract: Air or other gases containing contaminants or requiring treatment are moved into at least one substantially continuous sheet of treating liquid at the entrance to a streamline flow passage having a smoothly curved convex interior surface progressively decreasing in cross-sectional area in direction of flow. A nozzle mounted adjacent the entrance end of the flow passage generates one or more substantially continuous sheets of treating liquid covering the entrance to the passage. The passage has a convex throat and an exit smaller than the entrance so that the gas and treating liquid entrained therein move through the passage at an accelerating velocity with smooth, substantially unidirectional flow, and are discharged therefrom with no discernible turbulence or splashing. The gas and the treating liquid are discharged from the flow passage into an eliminator chamber of large volume, whereupon the treating liquid and any entrained contaminants drop out of and are separated from the gas.