Air powered sprayer for dispensing material slurries

• US 5,203,507 A
• Filed: 12/11/1990
• Issued: 04/20/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matthews, Richard H.
• Original Assignee: Matthews, Richard H.
• Inventors: Matthews, Richard H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huson, Gregory L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAINOR, CHRISTOPHER
• Application Number:
  US07/625,466
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 141/25, 141/27, 141/29, 239/373, 239/322, 239/321, 239/147, 239/424, 239/8, 239/9, 222/334, 222/389
• US Class Current: 239/373
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/24 with means, e.g. a container, for supplying liquid or other fluent material to a discharge device B05B7/14, B05B7/16, B05B11/00 take precedence

Abstract

An air powered sprayer for dispensing material slurries such as stucco or texturing on substrate such as drywall. The sprayer includes a canister assembly within which a piston assembly is adapted to reside and reciprocate along the length of the canister. An air inlet is disposed at one end of the piston canister assembly, and at an opposite end, a slurry inlet and outlet device is provided. Upstream from the slurry outlet there is a nozzle assembly which allows the through passage of the slurry material for subsequent combination with air at a nozzle assembly for broadcasting on the surface to be treated.

Claims

1. A sprayer for dispersing slurries, comprising, in combination:

a nozzle,

a source of air,

a canister operatively interposed between said nozzle and said air source whereby said air source indirectly acts on said slurry through said canister,

means for admitting the slurry into said canister to charge said canister,

means for isolating the slurry from said source of air within said canister,

a valve means interposed between said canister and said nozzle to regulate the through passage of the slurry therebeyond,

and direct means at said nozzle whereby said source of air directly affects the slurry at said nozzle,

wherein said valve means includes a fully closed position and thereby cooperates with said admitting means for the slurry whereby closure of said valve means allows the slurry to be admitted within said canister,

wherein said isolating means includes a piston assembly adapted to reciprocate within said canister having a one end in fluid communication with said source of air and another end in communication with both said slurry admitting means and said valve means whereby closure of said valve means and admission of the slurry within said canister causes said piston assembly to advance towards said air source thereby filling said canister,

including means to selectively occlude said slurry admitting means whereby opening of said valve means and application of said air source to said piston advances the slurry beyond said valve means and towards said nozzle,

wherein said direct means includes an air tube oriented to extend axially symmetrically within said nozzle and said slurry is adapted to circumscribe said air tube, whereupon broadcasting of the slurry can be modified by adjusting the relationship of said air tube with respect to said nozzle.

2. A sprayer for dispensing slurries, comprising, in combination:

a nozzle.

a source of air,

a canister operatively interposed between said nozzle and said air source whereby said air source indirectly acts on said slurry through said canister,

means for admitting the slurry into said canister to charge said canister,

a valve means interposed between said canister and said nozzle to regulate the through passage of the slurry therebeyond.

and direct means at said nozzle whereby said source of air directly affects the slurry at said nozzle,

wherein said valve means includes a fully closed position and thereby cooperates with said admitting means for the slurry whereby closure of said valve means allows the slurry to be admitted within said canister,

wherein said canister includes a piston assembly adapted to reciprocate within said canister having a one end in fluid communication with said source of air and another end in communication with both said slurry admitting means and said valve means whereby closure of said valve means and admission of the slurry within said canister causes said piston assembly to advance towards said air source thereby filling said canister,

including means to selectively occlude said slurry admitting means whereby opening of said valve means and application of said air source to said piston advances the slurry beyond said valve means and towards said nozzle,

wherein said direct means includes an air tube oriented to extend axially symmetrically within said nozzle and said slurry is adapted to circumscribe said air tube, whereupon broadcasting of the slurry can be modified by adjusting the relationship of said air tube with respect to said nozzle.

3. The sprayer of claim 2 wherein said piston assembly includes a piston having a first and second cup shaped members on opposed ends of said piston having a base and a peripherally circumscribing lip diverging outwardly away from said piston to provide a seal on opposed extremities of said piston.

4. The sprayer of claim 3 wherein said cups are provided with additional support by means of a support disc on one side of said piston adjacent said air source and a support plug on an opposite side.

5. The sprayer of claim 4 wherein said source of air is divided into two air paths, one path directed to said canister and another path directed to said nozzle and valve means interposed on one of said two air paths to alter the air flow rate therebeyond.

6. A sprayer for dispensing slurries, comprising, in combination:

a nozzle,

a source of air,

a canister operatively interposed between said nozzle and said air source whereby said air source indirectly acts on said slurry through said canister,

means for admitting the slurry into said canister to charge said canister,

a valve means interposed between said canister and said nozzle to regulate the through passage of the slurry therebeyond,

and direct means at said nozzle whereby said source of air directly affects the slurry at said nozzle,

wherein said direct means includes an air tube oriented to extend axially symmetrically within said mozzle and said slurry is adapted to circumscribe said air tube, whereupon broadcasting of the slurry can be modified by adjusting the relationship of said air tube with respect to said nozzle.

7. A method for dispensing texture material on a surface, the steps including:

providing a nozzle with a nozzle inlet and sublet

forming the texture material as a non-aerated slurry,

storing the material in a canister having a piston therein, with the material on one side of the piston,

communicating the canister with the nozzle such that the material has access to the nozzle,

applying a force on the piston on a side of the piston remote from the slurry, and driving the piston and the adjacent material toward the nozzle,

interposing a valve between the canister and the nozzle,

and regulating the material admitted to the nozzle with the valve,

wherein said applying step includes placing air pressure on the piston on a side remote from the material to drive the material toward the nozzle coupling air pressure to an air tube extending within the nozzle, the air tube having an outlet located adjacent the outlet of said nozzle,

and balancing the air directed to the piston and the nozzle,

further including providing a material inlet between the valve and the piston for admitting the material into the cannister,

and filling the canister with the material by shutting off the valve and forcing material into the canister thereby moving the piston towards the air source,

further including adjusting the location of the air tube with respect to the outlet of the nozzle and to vary the geometry of a cavity defined by a tip of the nozzle end the air tube to alter the broadcast pattern of the thus aerated material.

8. A method for dispensing texture material on a surface, the steps including:

providing a nozzle having a nozzle inlet and outlet

forming the texture material as a non-aerated slurry,

storing the material in a canister having a piston therein, with the material on one side of the piston,

communicating the canister with the nozzle such that the material flows to the nozzle,

interposing a valve between the canister and the nozzle,

regulating the material admitted to the nozzle with the valve,

placing air pressure on the piston on a side remote from the material and coupling air pressure to an air tube extending within the nozzle, the air tube having an outlet located adjacent the outlet of the nozzle,

balancing the air directed to the piston and the nozzle,

providing a material inlet between the valve and the piston for admitting the material into the cannister,

filling the canister with the material by shutting off the valve and forcing material into the canister thereby moving the piston towards the air source,

and adjusting the location of the air tube with respect to the outlet of the nozzle to vary the geometry of a cavity defined by a tip of the nozzle to alter the broadcast pattern of the thus aerated material.

9. A method for dispensing texture material on a surface, the steps including:

providing a nozzle with an air inlet and a texture material inlet and outlet

forming the texture material as a non-aerated slurry,

storing the material in a canister having a piston therein, with the material on one side of the piston,

communicating the canister with the nozzle such that the material flows to the nozzle,

interposing a valve between the canister and the nozzle,

regulating the material admitted to the nozzle with the valve,

and adjusting the location of an air injection tube extending within said nozzle and having an outlet located adjacent the outlet of said nozzle to vary the geometry of a cavity defined by a tip of the nozzle and the air tube to alter the broadcast pattern of the thus aerated material.