GB887340A - Improvements in or relating to coating apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<PICT:0887340/III/1> Apparatus for coating the vertical walls of a succession of articles 1 carried in spaced relationship at a substantially constant rate by a conveyer 2, the said walls being those substantially at right angles to the direction of travel, comprises support arms 6 and 7, pivoted about a horizontal axis provided by shafts 8 and 9 and providing a track along which a spray gun carriage 13 is movable. Means responsive to the presence of an article, e.g. a photo-electric cell 55, and suitable control gears, causes the carriage 13 to complete an excursion from an initial position outside the path of the articles 1, across that path, and back to its initial position, and actuating means, e.g. the cylinder 49 and piston 51, move the arms 6 and 7 through an angle, predetermined by stops 46 and 48, about the said horizontal axis, when the carriage has crossed the path of the articles. The angular positions of the arms and the speed of the carriage are such that the spray guns 14 are maintained at a constant distance from the wall being coated as coating is effected. Timing means is provided for regulating the actuating means and the period during the excursion when the guns project coating material. The movement of the spray gun carriage 13 is obtained by mounting it on trolleys 10, 11, running on rollers 12 along the arms 6, 7. Endless chains 18, 24 run on sprockets 15, 16 and 21, 22 on the two arms 6, 7 respectively, and carry drive dogs 19, 25 which engage in slots 20, 26 in the trolleys 10, 11. The chain 18 is driven from a motor 31 and the drive is transmitted to the chain 24 through further chains and sprockets and a cross-shaft 35. The carriage 13 may be pivoted on the trolleys 10, 11, and biased so as to maintain the sprays horizontal. A safety-probe 78 is provided to stop the machine if the articles approach the spray guns too closely. In a modification, the gun carriage may be mounted cantilever fashion on a single trolley. The apparatus may be adapted to coat either the front or the rear walls of the articles 1, or both.