Portable manufacturing facility for manufacturing anti-slip flooring and method of manufacturing

• US 6,916,375 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2003
• Issued: 07/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Traction Technologies Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: W S Molnar Company
• Inventors: Heinl, Kevin J., Molnar, William S., Schulte, Joseph J., Pelto, Brian P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fiorilla, Chris
• Assistant Examiner(s): TADESSE, YEWEBDAR T
• Application Number:
  US10/386,270
• Publication Number:
  US 20030175429A1
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 118/302, 118/326, 118/DIG.7, 451/89, 239/172
• US Class Current: 118/302
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/14 the object being a workshop for servicing, for maintenance, or for carrying workmen during work lifting devices for movable platforms or cabins for workmen B66F11/04
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 4/00 Coating by spraying the coating material in the molten state, e.g. by flame, plasma or electric discharge build-up welding B23K, e.g. B23K5/18, B23K9/04
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 4/02 Pretreatment of the material to be coated, e.g. for coating on selected surface areas
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 4/12 characterised by the method of spraying
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 118/07 Hoods

Abstract

The present invention provides a truck trailer manufacturing facility for coating workpieces such as metal plates or grating sections with a thermal spray anti-slip coating that provides a durable, high coefficient of friction surface on the workpieces. The manufacturing facility of the invention includes at least one surface preparing machine and at least one coating machine housed in a truck trailer. The present invention also provides a method of coating a workpiece with the truck trailer manufacturing facility.

Claims

1. A manufacturing facility for coating a surface of a workpiece with an anti-slip coating, the manufacturing facility comprising:

a truck trailer defining a compartment;

a surface preparing machine for preparing the surface of the workpiece; and

a coating machine for providing a thermal spray to form the anti-slip coating on the surface, the coating machine being disposed in the compartment;

wherein the surface preparing machine is disposed outside the compartment when preparing the surface of the workpiece and disposed inside the compartment to facilitate transportation of the manufacturing facility.

2. The manufacturing facility of claim 1 wherein the truck trailer further comprises a first side, a second side disposed opposite the first side, a loading platform pivotally connected to the first side, and an unloading platform pivotally connected to the second side.

3. The manufacturing facility of claim 1 wherein the surface preparing machine is a shot blasting machine, a scarifier, or a grinding machine.

4. The manufacturing facility of claim 1 wherein the surface preparing machine prepares the surface of the workpiece by removing oxides from the surface and increasing the roughness of the surface.

5. The manufacturing facility of claim 1 wherein the coating machine comprises a welding gun having automatic wire feed and compressed air for directing the thermal spray.

6. The manufacturing facility of claim 5 wherein the welding gun is indexed across the workpiece as the workpiece moves through the coating machine on power operated conveyors.

7. The manufacturing facility of claim 1 wherein the coating machine is housed within a booth located inside the truck trailer that confines and ducts exhaust from the coating operation to a filtration section that cleans the exhaust prior to venting to the atmosphere.

8. The manufacturing facility of claim 1 wherein the trailer is provided with storage compartments for welding wire, surface preparation machines, and supplies.

9. The manufacturing facility of claim 1 further comprising an air compressor and motor generator.

10. The manufacturing facility of claim 1 further comprising electrical wiring and piping for compressed air.

11. The manufacturing facility of claim 10 wherein the electrical wiring includes external power connection.

12. The manufacturing facility of claim 1 wherein the workpiece is a plate made from steel, aluminum, or stainless steel.

13. The manufacturing facility of claim 1 wherein the workpiece is a grating made from steel, aluminum, or stainless steel.

14. The manufacturing facility of claim 1 wherein a coating is formed from welding wire selected the group consisting of plain steel wire, cored wire having high carbon content, aluminum wire, stainless steel wire, and nickel alloy wire.