Abstract: System for conveying and dispensing material may include a heated supply of the material, one or more heated hoses, a heated dispenser, and a pump having a heating device internal the pump. A pump for conveying liquid or liquefied material, for example chocolate, may include one or more heating devices disposed within the pump. A filter may also be provided with an optional internal heating device.

Abstract: System for conveying and dispensing material may include a heated supply of the material, one or more heated hoses, a heated dispenser, and a pump having a heating device internal the pump. A pump for conveying liquid or liquefied material, for example chocolate, may include one or more heating devices disposed within the pump. A filter may also be provided with an optional internal heating device.

Abstract: A hot melt high temperature material application system with application device pressure monitoring and heated recirculating manifold uses high temperature pressure transducers with each application device such as spray guns to monitor hot melt material application. A material supply line fitting has a calibrated orifice at the interface with a device manifold associated with each application device. In another embodiment, the calibrated orifice is located in a fluid passageway of the device manifold. The calibrated orifice corresponds in size to the opening of a nozzle of the application device. Heated recirculating manifolds are combined with hot melt material supply systems to provide uniform pressure to multiple application devices, and to recirculate material back through the supply system. Each recirculating manifold includes a heater, pressure regulator, and a recirculation path. The manifolds may be directly or remotely connected to one or more hot melt material supply systems.

Abstract: A spray gun for spraying a fluid has a manifold for connection to a supply of fluid, and a nozzle assembly is attached to the manifold. The nozzle assembly has a spray nozzle producing a generally fan-shaped spray pattern lying generally in a plane. The nozzle assembly is rotatable relative to manifold to permit the plane of the spray pattern to be manually reoriented while maintaining the manifold in a fixed position. The spray gun can be activated to produce the directional spray pattern. The nozzle assembly is manually rotated relative to the manifold while the spray gun is activated, and the spray pattern is observed the spray pattern while rotating the nozzle assembly. The rotatable nozzle assembly permits the plane of the spray pattern to be adjusted without turning the spray gun off.

Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning a coating gun nozzle used in spraying the inner surface of cans with a coating material comprises a cleaning solution spray nozzle having a cleaning spray extension and a cleaning spray nozzle for spraying a cleaning solution onto the coating gun nozzle to remove oversprayed coating material collecting thereon. The coating gun nozzle is disposed at an end of a coating gun nozzle extension. A single spray shield is disposed over the end of the coating gun nozzle extension, and has a flange portion which extends at least to an external surface of the cleaning nozzle extension to shield the components of the apparatus from oversprayed coating material. A check valve mechanism disposed within the cleaning spray extension prevents cleaning solution from dribbling or drooling from the cleaning spray nozzle. A control system controls the operation of the apparatus.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for monitoring a characteristic of fluid flow through a fluid dispenser that permit adverse flow conditions to be monitored, analyzed and displayed to an operator. The monitor samples either the static or firing pressure a predetermined number of times and calculates an average static and firing pressure over the sampling period. The average pressure values are compared to high and low warning and alarm limits and warning and alarm error codes are produced as a function thereof. In addition, individual sampled values are compared to the high and low warning and alarm limits and pressure values exceeding the limits during a sampling period are counted. Warning and alarm error codes are produced as a function of the counted values exceeding predetermined count values.

Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning a coating gun nozzle used in spraying the inner surface of cans with a coating material comprises a cleaning nozzle of a cleaning gun for spraying a cleaning solution onto the spray nozzle to remove oversprayed coating material collecting thereon. The cleaning nozzle is secured to an end of an elongated cleaning gun extension and is positioned above a spray nozzle secured to one end of a coating gun extension for Spraying cleaning solution onto said spray nozzle. Cover sleeves, forming liquid-tight seals with the cleaning and spray nozzles, have removable friction engagement with the cleaning and spray gun extensions to shield the cleaning and spray guns from oversprayed coating material. A control system controls the operation of the coating and cleaning guns.

Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning a coating gun nozzle used in spraying the inner surface of cans with a coating material comprises a cleaning nozzle of a cleaning gun for spraying a cleaning solution onto the coating gun nozzle to remove oversprayed coating material collecting thereon. The cleaning nozzle is secured to an end of an elongated cleaning gun extension and is positioned above the coating gun nozzle secured to one end of a coating gun extension for spraying cleaning solution onto the coating gun nozzle. Cover sleeves, forming liquid-tight seals with the cleaning and coating gun nozzles, have removable friction engagement with the cleaning and coating gun extensions to shield the cleaning and coating guns from oversprayed coating material. A control system controls the operation of the coating and cleaning guns.

Abstract: A coating dispenser such as a spray gun, which is particularly adapted for the application of a protective coating material onto metal can bodies, comprises a gun body formed with a liquid passageway which carries the valve stem of a needle valve. In the presently preferred embodiment, the lowermost end or valve tip of the needle valve, and a valve seat, are carried within a valve seat block which is secured to the base of the gun body. A threaded connection is provided between the valve tip in the valve seat block, and the valve stem within the gun body, so that the valve tip, valve seat and valve seat block can be removed and replaced as a unit when the valve tip and/or valve seat become worn. Structure is also provided to exert a combined spring force and hydraulic force on the needle valve in order to quickly and efficiently move it from an open position to a closed position relative to the valve seat.

Abstract: A coating dispenser such as a spray gun which is particularly adapted for the application of a protective coating material onto metal can bodies comprises a gun body formed with a liquid passageway which carries the valve stem of a needle valve. In the presently preferred embodiment, the lowermost end or valve tip of the needle valve, and a valve seat, are carried within a valve seat block which is secured to the base of the gun body. A threaded connection is provided between the valve tip in the valve seat block, and the valve stem within the gun body, so that the valve tip, valve seat and valve seat block can be removed and replaced as a unit when the valve tip and/or valve seat become worn. Pins connected to the valve stem, and to the valve tip, are carried within slots in the gun body and valve seat block, respectively.

Abstract: A coating apparatus for applying a stripe of fluid coating material over the longitudinal seams of a series of can bodies moving along a can forming line with the coating apparatus within the interior of the can bodies including a fluid manifold module removably secured to an end cap member and communicating with sources of air and fluid coating material under pressure through the end cap member, a coating module removable secured to said end cap member and having a pneumatically operated valve therein for selectively opening and closing a fluid flow passageway to control the discharge of coating material onto the seams of can bodies, and preferably a solenoid valve mounted in the air flow passageway in the fluid manifold module adjacent the coating module for controlling the flow of air to operate the coating material valve.

Abstract: A powder spray gun for spraying solid particulate powder material wherein there is a venturi sleeve mounted internally of the gun barrel, within the rear of an extension tube, for increasing the velocity of powder conveyed therethrough and for generating turbulence in the powder so as to better dispense the powder throughout the powder pattern emitted from the gun.

Abstract: A spray gun for airless atomization and electrostatic deposition of a coating material upon a substrate, including a gun nozzle tip element serving to prevent arcing from the gun nozzle tip to an adjacent electrical ground. As disclosed, the airless spray gun includes a metallic nozzle tip from which atomized liquid coating material is emitted, and the thus-emitted coating material is charged by an electrode mounted on the nozzle which is electrically isolated from the metallic tip. During use of the spray gun, the metallic tip becomes charged via electrical charge conduction through the emitted atomized coating material. To prevent arcing from the charged tip to an electrical ground, a pair of resistive threads are secured in bores in the spray gun nozzle, each having a first end electrically connected to the conductive tip and a second end extending slightly beyond the nozzle.