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.

Abstract: An apparatus is operable to sequentially spray powder onto each workpiece of a plurality of workpieces. The powder flows from an improved nozzle assembly as a series of pulses. Accumulation of powder on surfaces in the nozzle assembly is retarded by conducting a flow of fluid (air) from a source of fluid pressure through openings in the surfaces in the nozzle assembly. Thus, a plurality of openings are formed in a side wall of the nozzle assembly to enable fluid to flow through the openings in the side wall into the flow path of air and powder through the nozzle assembly to retard accumulation of powder on an inner side surface of the side wall. An inner deflector has an end surface which faces toward the workpiece and on which powder tends to accumulate. A flow of fluid is conducted through openings in the end surface of the inner deflector to retard the accumulation of powder on the end surface of the inner deflector.

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.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a non-woven pad consisting of fibrous material in which highly moisture-absorbent particles are intermixed with the fibrous material throughout a predetermined portion of the thickness of the non-woven pad. The non-woven pad is formed atop a conveyor moving through a chamber which has a duct connected to a source of vacuum operable to draw fibrous material injected into the chamber onto the conveyor. A spray gun or an extension thereof is positioned within the chamber relative to the fibrous material atop the conveyor, and is operated to discharge moisture-absorbent material at a predetermined velocity, such that the moisture-absorbent material is intermixed with the fibrous material throughout preferably a center layer of the thickness of the non-woven pad while forming boundary layers on either side of the center layer which are substantially free of moisture-absorbent material.

Abstract: A powder spray gun comrpises a tubular housing having ambient air flow passages located in the side wall thereof medially of the opposite ends. A pair of air flow amplifiers are mounted in the housing on opposite sides of the ambient air flow passages and are so oriented that compressed air supplied to the upstream one of these amplifiers, the so called suspension amplifier, is operable to draw ambient air into the outlet end of the suspension amplifier, and compressed air supplied to the downstream amplifier, the so called pattern amplifier, is operable to draw ambient air into the inlet end of the pattern amplifier. The amplifiers are secured within the housing by end caps which are sealingly secured onto the ends of the housing by bayonet pin and slot connectors.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a non-woven pad consisting of fibrous material in which highly moisture-absorbent particles are intermixed with the fibrous material throughout a predetermined portion of the thickness of the non-woven pad. The non-woven pad is formed atop a conveyor moving through a chamber which has a duct connected to a source of vacuum operable to draw fibrous material injected into the chamber onto the conveyor. A spray gun or an extension thereof is positioned within the chamber relative to the fibrous material atop the conveyor, and is operated to discharge moisture-absorbent material at a predetermined velocity, such that the moisture-absorbent material is intermixed with the fibrous material throughout preferably a center layer of the thickness of the non-woven pad while forming boundary layers on either side of the center layer which are substantially free of moisture-absorbent material.

Abstract: A powder feeder for supplying particulate powder material to powder applicators mounted in a powder spray booth comprises a housing having an inlet connected to the powder recovery system of the powder spray booth, and an outlet. A fluidizing plate and pump or rotating screw feeder is mounted within the interior of the housing to aid in the discharge of particulate powder material through the outlet of the housing to the powder applicators in the spray booth. A clean air chamber mounted to the housing is formed with an inlet communicating with the housing interior and an outlet located outside of the housing which is connected to a source of vacumm. The vacumm source creates a negative pressure within the clean air chamber to draw air from the housing interior to vent its interior. A cartridge filter is mounted within the housing to the inlet of the clean air chamber to prevent airborne particulate powder material from exiting the housing in the course of venting thereof.

Abstract: A powder spray gun for applying particulate powder material onto a surface includes a gun body having a venturi transfer pump which receives air-entrained particulate powder material from a supply conduit and distributes the powder for discharge into a discharge conduit connected to the gun body. A spray head formed with a powder discharge slot is mounted to said discharge conduit. The discharge conduit is formed with a bend, preferably of about 90.degree., to concentrate the powder material along an outer wall formed by the bend for delivery in a concentrated stream to the spray head. A deflector is preferably mounted within the discharge conduit to direct the concentrated powder stream into the spray head in a predetermined manner. The powder discharge slot, which has a predetermined width and is formed by angled side walls meeting at an apex, receives the concentrated powder stream from the discharge conduit and sprays the powder in a wide, uniform spray pattern onto a surface.

Abstract: A sieve for powder. The sieve has a housing in which a transverse screen is mounted to divide the housing into upper and lower chambers. Air under pressure carries powder into a cyclone stack mounted on top of the housing from which it is directed onto the screen. A vibrator is connected to the screen to vibrate and thus to assist in the sieving operation. The screen is downwardly inclined and overlying its lower end an inspection cover is mounted in the housing to permit access to the screen for removal for the material which does not pass through the screen.

Abstract: A self-contained, compact and portable powder spray booth and powder recovery system includes a base unit, and a separate booth removably mounted upon the base unit which can be easily customized to accommodate articles of varying shape and size without changing the design of the base unit. When assembled, the booth and base unit form a powder coating chamber in which spray guns apply powder to moving articles. The articles enter and exit the powder coating chamber through openings which are shaped to accommodate the particular configuration of the articles to be coated. The systems for feeding powder to the spray guns, collecting oversprayed powder and filtering oversprayed powder are all contained within the base unit so that no exterior lines are required in the operation of the system except for a power line and an air line.

Abstract: An electrostatic spray gun for spraying solid particulate powder materials while entrained in a gas medium, including an electrically non-conductive housing having an electrode extending forwardly therefrom and a straight electrically non-conductive powder transport tube adjustably and replaceably mounted within the housing so as to enable the discharge end of the tube to be positionably adjusted relative to the electrode or to be replaced with a tube of differing internal diameter so as to vary the transport velocity at which the powder is emitted from the discharge end of the tube.

Abstract: A powder spray gun which, in the presently preferred embodiment, is particularly adapted for spraying a particulate powder spray onto the interior surfaces of containers and other target objects in a confined area. The apparatus includes a rigid tubular support member and a flexible powder transport tube. The rigid support member carries a high voltage cable having a charging electrode at one end. The flexible tube terminates in a discharge nozzle which may be adjustably mounted to the support member adjacent the charging electrode so as to permit variation of the angle at which the powder is released from the nozzle relative to the longitudinal axis of the support member. Intermediate the discharge nozzle and an upstream portion of the powder transport tube which is connected to the support member, the flexible tube is smoothly curved so as to prevent any sharp corners in the transport tube or the nozzle within which powder could collect and interrupt smooth, even discharge of powder from the gun.

Abstract: A powder spray gun and method of spraying powder wherein an inverted air flow amplifier is located adjacent to the inlet of the gun to enhance blending of powder within the gun and to facilitate sharp cut off and start up of powder flow from the gun. From the inverted air flow amplifier, the blended powder is supplied to a downstream air flow amplifier operable to draw ambient air into the downstream air flow amplifier and to impact the air entrained powder passing through the downstream amplifier with a high velocity stream of compressed air so as to accelerate the velocity of powder emitted from the gun. Powder is supplied to the upstream inverted air flow amplifier through a pair of intersecting inlet ports between which there is a separating baffle.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed, in the presently preferred embodiment, for applying powdered adhesive to non-woven fabric material. The apparatus includes a novel powder spray gun wherein there is an air flow amplifier contained within the gun for accelerating the velocity of powder emitted from the gun and sprayed onto the top of a conveyorized web of the fabric material. The apparatus also includes a novel system for supplying powder to the spray gun, which system includes a first powder pump, a back-up pump and a control circuit responsive to detection of reduced powder flow to the gun to switch supply from the first pump to the back-up pump.

Abstract: A powder spray gun and method of spraying powder are disclosed wherein an air flow amplifier is contained within the gun and is operable to draw ambient air into the gun and to impact air entrained powder passing through the gun with a high velocity stream of compressed air so as to accelerate the velocity of powder emitted from the gun.

Abstract: Apparatus for emptying a drum of powdered material. The drum is mounted on a support at a 45.degree. angle to vertical. The drum has a cap having two holes and sleeves projecting into the drum from the holes. The sleeves are aligned with the bottom corner of the drum. A feed tube, loosely surrounded by a guide tube, is inserted through each of the sleeves into contact with the powder in the drum. Each feed tube has a vacuum pump which aspirates powder through the tube and out of the drum while atmospheric air passes between the feed and guide tubes to fluidize the powder. A vibrator is mounted on the support for the drum to continually vibrate the powder toward the lower ends of the feed tubes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for powder coating the interior surface of a heated mold cavity. Electrostatically charged powder is sprayed upwardly onto the interior surface of a mold surrounded by a mask. The mask includes a shield located adjacent to but spaced from the shear edge of the mold. Additionally, the mask includes a vacuum duct located beneath the shield. While air is drawn into the vacuum duct air is either blown through the slot defined between the shield and the mold shear edge or air is pulled into the slot so as to prevent oversprayed powder from coming into contact with and adhering to the shear edge of the mold. There is no enclosure surrounding the mold cavity other than the mask because rising heated air currents entrap and maintain the cloud of sprayed powder interiorly of the mold cavity and the surrounding mask. Any oversprayed material escaping from the cavity is caught in the vacuum duct and carried to a powder collector.

Abstract: Apparatus for emptying a drum of powdered material. The drum is mounted on a support at a 45.degree. angle to vertical. The drum has a cap having two holes and sleeves projecting into the drum from the holes. The sleeves are aligned with the bottom corner of the drum. A feed tube, loosely surrounded by a guide tube, is inserted through each of the sleeves into contact with the powder in the drum. Each feed tube has a vacuum pump which aspirates powder through the tube and out of the drum while atmospheric air passes between the feed and guide tubes to fluidize the powder. A vibrator is mounted on the support for the drum to continually vibrate the powder toward the lower ends of the feed tubes.

Abstract: A powder spray gun which, in the presently preferred embodiment, is particularly adapted for spraying a particular powder spray onto the interior surfaces of containers and other target objects in a confined area. The apparatus includes a rigid tubular support member and a flexible powder transport tube. The rigid support member carries a high voltage cable having a charging electrode at one end. The flexible tube terminates in a discharge nozzle which may be adjustably mounted to the support member adjacent the charging electrode so as to permit variation of the angle at which the powder is released from the nozzle relative to the longitudinal axis of the support member. Intermediate the discharge nozzle and an upstream portion of the powder transport tube which is connected to the support member, the flexible tube is smoothly curved so as to prevent any sharp corners in the transport tube or the nozzle within which powder could collect and interrupt smooth, even discharge of powder from the gun.