Abstract: A fire-extinguishant system includes a source of extinguishant, such as carbon dioxide, a fusible length of plastic tubing, such as one-half-inch-outside-diameter polyethylene tubing, with the end closed, and a conduit and valve system for connecting the extinguishant source to the fusible tubing. The valving system pressurizes the fusible tubing at a low pressure, and this low-pressure signal is coupled to a pilot input port in the valve system. When this low-pressure pilot signal is interrupted, the piloted valve switches to supply extinguishant at full pressure through the fusible tubing. If the fusible tubing has been melted, such as by a fire, the extinguishant exits through the melted portion to extinguish the fire. The low-pressure pilot signal can, however, be interrupted manually by the valve system. In this case, the full-pressure extinguishant supply to the fusible tube ruptures the tube and releases extinguishant. This provides a manual extinguishant control for the system.

Abstract: A recovery system for solvent used to clean coating material from a multiple-color coating material dispensing system which undergoes frequent color changes includes a vacuum source over the recovered solvent in a recovery tank. The system is switched during the color change cycle from a mode in which solvent is dispensed to clean a pre-change color from a dispensing device to a mode in which the vacuum withdraws solvent remaining in a solvent delivery line to the dispensing device into the recovery tank. Solvent usage, disposal of discarded solvent, and other environmental considerations are salutarily affected.

Abstract: Automatic finish coating equipment employs a selectively variable low-pressure or "soft" air or solvent signal to control pushing of coating material through a feed tube from a coating material source to a coating material atomizing and dispensing device. This "soft fluid push" method maximizes the finish quality which can be achieved with coating materials having different characteristics, such as viscosities, in any operation in which frequent changes in coating material characteristics are experienced, such as, when frequent changes of coating material color are employed.

Abstract: An electrostatic, coating-dispensing apparatus includes an electrode upon which an electrostatic potential is impressed. The electrostatic potential is developed by a switching circuit, autotransformer and voltage multiplier from rectified line voltage. The entire apparatus is housed in a hand-held applicator to which line voltage is supplied. In one embodiment, suitable for the hobbyist, the apparatus includes a socket defined at one end thereof for interchangeably receiving containers holding various colors or types of coating material. Each container includes an electrode for contacting the first-mentioned electrode. The containers are shaped to fit snugly into the socket to hold the two electrodes in contact. An outer end wall of each container has a mesh portion through which charged particles of coating material from the interior of the container pass when the apparatus is activated.

Abstract: A system for adjusting the flow rate of charged particulate coating material between a device for dispensing the coating material and an article, or "target," to be coated by such material to account for factors, such as variations in the profile or contour of the target, or movement of the target transversely to the direction of motion of a conveyor upon which the target is being conveyed past the device or head, which might otherwise cause variations in the thickness of the coating material. The particles migrate in a known manner under the influence of an electrical field toward the target for deposition on the target to coat it at high deposition efficiency. The system continuously monitors the current flow to the target. The system feeds back this current flow related signal to a coating material flow rate servomechanism.

Abstract: Automatic finish coating equipment employs a selectively variable low-pressure or "soft" air signal to control pushing of coating material through a feed tube from a coating material source to a coating material atomizing and dispensing device. This "soft air push" method maximizes the finish quality which can be achieved with coating materials having different characteristics, such as viscosities, in any operation in which frequent changes in coating material characteristics are experienced, such as, when frequent changes of coating material color are employed.

Abstract: A plural component dispensing system includes supplies which furnish first and second components, such as a resin and catalyst, under pressure to a hand-held dispensing device having first and second valves, respectively. First and second passageways lead from the first and second valves to a mixing chamber in which the components are mixed, and from which the components are ejected. Upon mixing, the components are subject to increasing viscosity and hardening. A third valve controls flow of a purging medium from a supply of such a medium to the mixing chamber. A sensing device, such as a pressure sensor, senses the orientation of either/or both of the first and second valves. When the first and second valves are moved to positions to halt the flow of the two components, the sensing device generates a signal to start a first timing device.

Abstract: An apparatus for atomizing and dispensing a coating material includes a turbine having a housing and a shaft for rotatably supporting an atomizing device. The shaft includes an outer end extending from the housing for mounting the atomizing device. The shaft outer end includes a tapered portion, and the atomizing device includes a central tapered aperture for receiving the tapered portion of the shaft outer end. The housing is divided into a high-pressure side and a low-pressure side by a nozzle plate which directs the flow of compressed air from the high-pressure side across a driven wheel mounted on the shaft adjacent the nozzle plate. The high-pressure side lies between the atomizing head and the nozzle plate so that compressed air moving through the nozzle plate and the driven wheel to the low-pressure side flows away from the atomizing head.

Abstract: An imbalance-determining system for a dynamic balancing machine for two-plane balancing of rotary elements such as vehicle wheel-and-tire assemblies includes a chuck and spindle mounted in a spindle housing in vibration-isolation orientation on a machine base. A drive mechanism includes main and auxiliary motors mounted on the machine base. The rotary element is brought to speed by a drive wheel mounted on the main motor to move between a driving orientation in contact with the rotary element and a storage orientation out of contact with the rotary element. A lightweight belt coupling the spindle to the auxiliary motor transmits power from the auxiliary motor to the rotary element. Once the rotary element is accelerated to the desired rotation frequency, the drive wheel is moved out of contact with the rotary element and the auxiliary motor is energized to maintain the rotary element rotation rate at about the desired frequency of rotation with little effort.

Abstract: A hand-held manually operable deposition gun for projecting electrostatically charged particles. The gun includes at its front end means for discharging the particles, which may be either liquid or solid, and an electrode for electrostatically charging the particles. The electrode is maintained at a high unidirectional voltage of several tens of kilovolts by connection to a piezoelectric generator through a voltage integrating device, both mounted at the rear of the gun. The piezoelectric generator is actuated by a motor-driven impulse means also located at the rear of the gun. A trigger mounted on the gun activates both the motor and the flow of particles from the gun.

Abstract: An imbalance determining system for a dynamic balancing machine for two-plane balancing of rotary elements such as vehicle wheel-and-tire assemblies includes a chuck and spindle mounted in a spindle housing in vibration-isolation orientation on a machine base. The rotary element is brought to speed by one or more drive mechanisms which are mounted on the machine base to move between a driving orientation in contact with the rotary element and a storage orientation out of contact with the rotary element. Vibrational forces resulting from imbalance in the moving rotary element are transmitted through the spindle to the housing. Two vertically spaced load cells are mounted adjacent the spindle housing, and are responsive to forces transmitted through the spindle to generate input electrical signals related to the amounts and locations of imbalance in two planes of the rotary element.

Abstract: An imbalance determining system for a dynamic balancing machine for two-plane balancing of rotary elements such as vehicle wheel-and-tire assemblies includes a chuck and spindle mounted in a spindle housing in vibration-isolation orientation on a machine base. The rotary element is brought to speed by one or more drive mechanisms which are mounted on the machine base to move between a driving orientation in contact with the rotary element and a storage orientation out of contact with the rotary element. Vibrational forces resulting from imbalance in the moving rotary element are trasmitted through the spindle to the housing. Two vertically spaced load cells are mounted adjacent the spindle housing, and are responsive to forces transmitted through the spindle to generate input electrical signals related to the amounts and locations of imbalance in two planes of the rotary element.

Abstract: A system for electrostatic deposition of a coating on an article from a charging device includes a direct current high voltage supply having first and second terminals across which the high voltage is impressed. The article to be coated is held at a potential substantially equal to the potential on one of the high voltage terminals. The article is suspended for relatively free movement toward and away from the device. The system includes a high-speed switch coupled between the high voltage terminals and a control circuit for controlling the switch. A sensing resistor in the high voltage output circuit monitors the current between the high voltage terminals. The control circuit includes a slope-detecting or fixed difference circuit responsive to the sensed current to detect too-rapid changes therein, such changes being indicative of close proximity of the article to the charging device and the possibility of high voltage arcing therebetween.

Abstract: A plural component dispensing system includes supplies which furnish first and second components under pressure to a dispensing apparatus having first and second valves, respectively. Each of the valves includes a rotatable valve member in a combination retainer and seat. The valves are connected to first and second pinion gears, respectively, and a rack engages each of the pinion gears. The rack is attached to a piston which is disposed for reciprocation in a cylinder in response to fluid pressure on one side or the other of the piston. Actuation of the piston in a first direction provides paths for component flow through the first and second rotatable valve members and through first and second orifices, respectively, into a mixing chamber. The first and second orifices are disposed to provide impinging streams of the first and second components, the impingement insuring complete and thorough mixing of the components.

Abstract: An electrostatic, coating-dispensing apparatus includes an electrode upon which an electrostatic potential is impressed. The electrostatic potential is developed by a switching circuit, autotransformer and voltage multiplier from rectified line voltage. The entire apparatus is housed in a hand-held applicator to which line voltage is supplied. The apparatus includes a socket defined at one end thereof for interchangeably receiving containers holding various colors or types of coating material. Each container includes an electrode for contacting the first-mentioned electrode. The containers are shaped to fit snugly into the socket to hold the two electrodes in contact. An outer end wall of each container has a mesh portion through which charged particles of coating material from the interior of the container pass when the apparatus is activated.

Abstract: Apparatus for determining the amount and location of imbalance in an article which is to be balanced about its axis includes a table for receiving the article and for positioning its axis. The table is supported upon a base for substantially free tilting movement generally about a point on a vertically extending axis defined by the base. A number of proximity transducers for sensing the orientation of the table relative to the base are provided. A pair of force coils positioned in quadrature about the axis between the base and the table are responsive to the proximity transducers to apply forces between the table and the base to bring the table and the article which rests thereon into a substantially neutral orientation with respect to the base. The method of the present invention comprises the steps of placing the article on the table with the article axis at a predetermined position thereon.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a color change sequence of automatic paint spray equipment. The apparatus controls the performance of various cleaning functions when it is desired to convert the spray equipment from spraying one color of paint to spraying of another color of paint. The apparatus includes a fluid motor coupled through a reducing transmission to a drum-type programmer. The drum-type programmer includes a set of program sections, each section being divided into a plurality of sectors and each sector adapted to receive a cam plug. Each section is programmed by inserting cam plugs in selected sectors thereof. Fluid switches are mounted adjacent the drum programmer, at least one switch being associated with each of the sections of the drum programmer and responsive to the presence and absence of cam plugs from various ones of the sectors in its respective section of the drum programmer to control a color change function.

Abstract: A hand-held grinder including a motor, a motor output shaft and a grinding tool mounted on the motor output shaft. Water is supplied from a source through a port into a sealed annular chamber surrounding the output shaft. A bore extends concentrically through the shaft between a point adjacent the annular chamber and the end of the shaft remote from the motor. Communicating bores extend radially through the shaft and through a collar keyed to the shaft from the concentric bore to the annular chamber. Additional bores, adjacent the end of the shaft remote from the motor, provide communications between the concentric bore and the outside of the shaft. Preferably, the sum of the cross-sectional areas of these last-mentioned bores is relatively less than the cross-sectional area of the concentric bore. Water dispensed through these communicating bores is atomized by rotation of the motor output shaft and grinding tool.

Abstract: A simple, inexpensive, hand-held and operated apparatus for providing a substantially immediate indication of the density of, and charge on, airborne particulate contaminants of a predetermined size or within a predetermined size range includes a first filter for removing particulate contaminants having a size greater than the maximum size of the range, and a second filter for passing all particulate contaminants having size smaller than the minimum size of the range. The two filters are arranged in series in a housing, and a hand-operated pump having a known capacity is used to draw contaminant-laden air through the series filters. A conductive screen is placed against the second filter to provide an electrical indication of the polarity of the charge on the contaminants trapped by the second filter.