ELECTROSTATIC POWDER SPRAY GUN

• US 3,844,477 A
• Filed: 05/18/1973
• Issued: 10/29/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Frank R. Stockton, Kenneth E. Pollard, Richard O. Probst
• Original Assignee: Frank R. Stockton, Kenneth E. Pollard, Richard O. Probst
• Inventors: Pollard, Kenneth E., Probst, Richard O., Stockton, Frank R.
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Lloyd L.
• Application Number:
  US05/361,793
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 222/567,568-575 239/15,317,431,442,426,526,419.3,DIG.14,531,600,305,306,391
• US Class Current: 239/706
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 5/032 for spraying particulate materials

Abstract

Powder color change is accomplished easily and conveniently by providing a spray device having a channel or groove in its side and traversing its length in combination with one of a plurality of elongated, flexible powder feed tubes. The channel is formed from rigid material. One end of each of the feed tubes is connected to its cooperatively associated power pump immersed in a powder reservoir. Each feed tube is adapted to be snapped into or out of the channel or groove of the spray device. The feed tube is retained in the channel in such a manner as to prevent harmful movement thereof with respect to the channel and other components of the device during the spraying operation. However, the feed tube is retained in the channel in such a manner as to permit the user to remove the tube from the channel without employing undue force or special tools. The feed tube selected to be snap fitted into the channel of the spray device dictates the color of the power to be sprayed upon activation of the spray device. The system employing the spray device includes control means for switching from one powder reservoir to another powder reservoir upon removal of one feed tube from the spray device and insertion of another feed tube into the spray device.

Claims

1. An electrostatic powder spray gun for easily and conveniently accomplishing switching from spraying powder of one color to spraying powder of another color without harmfully contaminating the subsequently sprayed powder with previously sprayed powder, the spray gun comprising a barrel including means for electrically charging the coating material sprayed from the gun and a handle projecting at an angle from the barrel, a channel provided in the side of the barrel and handle and traversing the length of each, a spray-forming nozzle carried at the front of the barrel and an elongated feed tube adapted to have one end connected to a powder reservoir, the feed tube capable of being inserted into the channel and retained in the channel at the front of the gun by the spray-forming nozzle and at the rear of the gun by means on the tube cooperating with the handle so as to prevent harmful movement thereof and being in communication with the spray-forming nozzle when retained in the channel.

2. The spray gun of claim 1, wherein the gun includes tab means in the barrel and the handle for retaining the tube in the channel.

3. An electrostatic powder spray gun for easily and conveniently accomplishing switching from spraying one type of coating material to spraying coating material of another type without harmfully contaminating the subsequently sprayed coating material with previously sprayed coating material, the spray gun including means forming a barrel and carrying a spray-forming nozzle, a charging electrode and an electrical connection between the charging electrode to a source of high voltage, a channel provided in the side of the barrel traversing the length of the barrel and communicating with the spray-forming nozzle, and an elongated feed tube adapted to have one end connected to a powder reservoir and to fit in the channel, the means being shaped to retain the feed tube in the channel and in sealed engagement with the spray-forming nozzle so as to deliver powder to the nozzle and to prevent harmful movement thereof during the spraying operation.

4. The spray gun of claim 3, wherein the electrical connection between the charging electrode to the source of high voltage and the channel are curved in said means, said means forming a handle at the rear of the barrel.

5. The spray gun of claim 4, wherein the charging electrode is carried by the spray-forming nozzle and the forward end of the feed tube is retained aT the forward end of the spray gun by the spray-forming nozzle and at the handle by means on the elongated feed tube adapted to cooperate with the handle.