Abstract: An electrostatic fluidized bed coating unit is disclosed. The coating unit comprises a plenum chamber with means for ingress of a gas under a greater than atmospheric pressure, a porous plate located on top of the plenum chamber and extending to the limits of the containing walls of the plenum chamber, containing walls for powder immediately above the porous plate and forming essentially a continuation of the plenum chamber walls, a coating chamber secured to such powder containing walls, and an exhaust system for effecting a uniform fluidizing gas removal from an area essentially directly above the porous plate.

Abstract: A continuous powder feed system for maintaining an essentially uniform powder cloud above an electrostatic fluidized bed coating unit is disclosed. The continuous powder feed system comprises a powder container and discharger for continuously feeding essentially non agglomerated powder into the coating bed of the electrostatic fluidized bed coating unit, powder retaining walls for containing the bed of such coating unit during fluidization, at least one powder retaining wall having a height such as to determine the powder level in the coating bed and permit overflow of excess powder from the coating bed, and a powder collection system for retrieving the overflowing powder from the coating bed.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a cushion material by applying high frequency welding to a sandwich consisting of a core layer of foamed material, a surface material layer and a backing material layer, in which a fine powdery welding material is previously injected or impregnated in desired weld areas of the foamed material layer. The method comprises floating the fine powdery welding material in the form of a cloud, and blowing up the fine powdery welding material floating in cloud-like form to impregnate the desired areas of the foamed material layer with the fine powdery welding material.

Abstract: A method for flocking a wire garment hanger in which electrostatically-charged fibrous flock particles are applied to an adhesive film on a portion of the hanger and the hanger is immediately heated to set the adhesive while the fibers remain radially oriented on the wire. The invention also contemplates blowing air sequentially on various portions of the surface of a bed of flock to cause the fibers to become suspended in air above the bed, through which suspension the hangers are passed.

Abstract: A workpiece such as an electronic component, comprising a body and leads that project in one direction from the body, has its body coated by immersing it in a fluidized bed while the workpiece is vibrated. Immersion depth is such that the uppermost surface of the body is at or just slightly below the top surface of the fluidized bed. Vibration of the workpiece during immersion ensures a uniform thickness coating all over the body and prevents "pants legs" on the leads.

Abstract: A build control is disclosed, for controlling the thickness of a coating on different sides of an elongated member such as a wire. The build control is a tube which is positioned around the wire as the wire passes through a fluidized powder. The end of the tube which is in the fluidized powder is notched so that the build of powder on each of the sides of the elongated member is more or less than would otherwise result.

Abstract: A preheated workpiece having a surface with substantially arcuate curvature is supported by rotatable supporting means which has limited contact with said surface. Heat fusible plastic material in finely divided solid form is propelled against all parts of the surface of the workpiece, to be melted by its heat and fuse into an overall coating. During such coating, and thereafter until the material solidifies to substantial hardness, the supporting means is rotated, imparting rotation to the workpiece by its rolling contact therewith, and is cooled to maintain its temperature below the melting point of the material.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a layer from a mixture of particles having variable particle sizes and including throwing rolls for casting the particulate mixture onto a flat support is further provided with a blower arranged to reverse the direction of horizontal movement of the particles as they fall onto the support by means of air flow.

Abstract: A powder cloud development apparatus is provided for developing latent electrostatic images on the surface of an insulating member, normally a photoconductive layer, employing a powder cloud development system. The development apparatus is operable in either a positive or negative mode and includes a development electrode comprising a plurality of spaced substantially parallel wires, a gap, or open section, which is formed between selected groups of these wires, the wires being connected at each end to a continuous loop drive mechanism. The parallel wires therefore or the gap may either be presented in operable relationship to the surface of the insulating member in order to provide either electroded or non-electroded development in the negative and positive modes respectively.

Abstract: A method for coating the inner surface of a metal pipe having an inner diameter of about 1 to 15 cm, which comprises feeding from one end of said metal pipe dry particles of a coating composition into the interior of the metal pipe preheated at a temperature of from a softening point of said coating composition to below a melting point thereof, sucking air at the same time from the other end of the metal pipe so as to form an air stream carrying the particles and flowing in the interior of the pipe at a flow rate of about 4 to 20 m/sec and to allow the particles to deposit on the inner surface of the pipe, and fusing the deposited particles at a reduced pressure of 10 to about 100 mm Hg to form a continuous film on the inner surface of the pipe.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is given for uniformly coating particulate fertilizer material with small amounts of finely divided micro and/or secondary nutrients by forming the particulate base fertilizer material in a falling curtain, spraying the base material with a binder solution, finally mixing in an agitated bed the base material with the finely divided nutrients, thus giving a product of micro and/or secondary nutrients uniformly distributed over the surfaces of the particulate base fertilizer.