PARTICLE DISPENSING APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 3,653,544 A
• Filed: 05/29/1969
• Issued: 04/04/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Harold K. Young, Herbert Wald, Lacy C. Meadows, William O. Blanch
• Original Assignee: Harold K. Young, Herbert Wald, Lacy C. Meadows, William O. Blanch
• Inventors: Meadows, Lacy C., Young, Harold K., Wald, Herbert, Blanch, William O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tollberg, Stanley H.
• Application Number:
  US04/829,014
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 222/55,56,61,195,414,1 117/16,17 118/630,634,627,637 177/59,114,60
• US Class Current: 222/55
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 19/02 using fluidised-bed techniques fluidised-bed technique in general B01J8/24
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2202/15 Use of fluidised beds
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2203/01 To-be-deleted with administrative transfer to B22F2203/00
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2999/00 Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/004 Filling molds with powder feeding material to presses in general B30B15/302
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 24/00 Coating starting from inorganic powder spraying of the coating material in molten state C23C4/00; solid state diffusion C23C8/00 - C23C12/00

Abstract

Particle dispensing apparatus coats one or more surfaces of a workpiece such as a moving web, strip, sheet, plate or flat wire. Particles are fed from at least one source over fluidized conveyors to separate particle applicators associated with each surface to be coated. Each particle applicator includes a receiver-dispenser having a fluidized bed and counter-rotating brush rolls which continuously picks up fluidized particles and discharges them against one of the surfaces to be coated in an amount which varies with particle level in the receiverdispenser. A separate load cell supports each receiver-dispenser and drives a load indicator which produces weight signals that are related to particle level in each receiver-dispenser. A controller receiving the weight signals acts on the conveyor means to independently maintain a predetermined level of particles in each receiver-dispenser. This provides a uniform application of particles on each surface of the workpiece to be coated.

Claims

1. A particle dispensing system for applying a controlled amount of particle to each of a plurality of surfaces of a workpiece, comprising:

a. a plurality of receiver-dispensers of particle each located below a different surface of said workpiece and each having means incorporated therein for assisting in the continuous discharge of particles against a different surface of said workpiece, b. fluidized conveyor means including main and separate branch conveyors having controlled fluid currents for moving said particles from at least one particle source independently to each receiver-dispenser, c. weigher means for producing a plurality of weight signals related to the level of particles in individual receiverdispensers, and d. control means acting on the fluid currents of means (b) in response to said weight signals, said main conveyor fluid current being controlled by any one of the weight signals and each said branch conveyor fluid current being controlled by only the weight signal associated with the receiver-dispenser fed by said branch conveyor, thereby to independently maintain a predetermined level of particles in each said receiverdispenser.

2. rotating particle discharge assistance means located in said chamber for mechanically raising the fluidized particles above said level and into uniform contact with said surface of the workpiece, b. means for feeding particles into the receiver-dispenser through another portion of said opening, and c. weight-responsive means operatively associated with the receiver-dispenser and acting on means (b) to maintain said predetermined level of particles relative the dispensing means in said receiver-dispenser.

3. A particle dispensing method which comprises:

a. feeding said particles from at least one source independently into a plurality of open top receiver-dispensers of particles, said particles fed through one portion of each said top opening, b. fluidizing a bed of particles in each receiver-dispenser to a predetermined level in a fluidizing chamber therein, c. mechanically raising the fluidized particles in each reciever-dispenser above said predetermined level with rotating particle discharge assistance means, and continuously discharging raised particles mechanically upwardly through another portion of the top opening in each said receiver-dispenser, d. weighing each receiver-dispenser during particle discharge and producing weight signals related to each said predetermined particle level, and e. automatically controlling particle feed to each receiver-dispenser in response to the weight signals, thereby to independently maintain said particle level and discharge amount associated with each receiver-dispenser at respective predetermined values.

4. A particle dispensing system comprising:

a. an open top receiver-dispenser of particles having mechanical dispensing means incorporated therein for continuously discharging particles upwardly and substantially uniformly through one portion of said opening, said mechanical dispensing means comprising;

5. The system of claim 4 wherein means (b) includes:

f. fluidized conveyor means having its fluid current controlled by means (c) for moving said particles from a source to said receiver-dispenser.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein means (c) comprises:

7. A particle dispensing system for automatically applying a controlled amount of particles uniformly to a surface of a workpiece, comprising:

a. a particle applicator including an open top receiver-dispenser of particles located below said surface of the workpiece, said receiver-dispenser having mechanical dispensing means incorporated therein for continuously discharging particles upwardly and substantially uniformly through said opening and against said surface of the workpiece, said mechanical dispensing means comprising;

8. A particle dispensing system for automatically applying a controlled amount of particles uniformly to each of a plurality of surfaces of a workpiece, comprising:

a. a plurality of particle applicators, each including an open top receiver-dispenser of particles located below a different surface of said workpiece, each said receiver-dispenser having mechanical dispensing means incorporated therein for continuously discharging particles upwardly and substantially uniformly through a selected portion of said opening and against a different surface of said workpiece, said mechanical dispensing means comprising;