US2131662A - Apparatus for conditioning and dispensing lacquers, enamels, and the like - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 27, 1938. E. D. HOLMES 1 2,131,662

APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING AND DISPENSING LACQUERS. ENAMELS. AND THE LIKE Filed March '7, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E. D. HOLMES Sept. 27, 1938.

APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING -AND DISPENSING LAOQUERS, ENAMELS, AND THE LIKE Filed March 7, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 27, 1938 UNITED STATE APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING AND ms- PENSING mcQUEns, nmmms, AND. 'rnn LIKE Edward D. Holmes, Chicago, 111., assignor to Sherwin-Williams Company, Cleveland, Ohio,

a corporation of Ohio Application March I,

6 Claim.

This invention relates to the art of handling paints, lacquers, enamels, and the like for commercial use, and its purpose is to provide an apparatus by which a substantial number of different colors or kinds of paints and the like may be maintained in condition for immediate use and by which such paints may be delivered with the minimum loss of material and of time consumed.

In large paint shops where commercial painting is carried on on a large scale, such, for in; stance, as in automobile body painting departments, different kinds or colors of paints are required at frequent intervals. The term paint, as herein employed, is used in a generic sense to include not only those pigment mixtures which are commercially known as paints, but also lacquers, enamels, and the like, and in fact, any

pigment bearing liquid customarily used for surface coating purposes.

Paints of this character are usually marketed in containers varying in size from a half pint to flve gallons, and so far as the principle of my invention is concerned, the size of the container is immaterial. Large users of paints, however, for the purpose with which my invention is concerned, obtain their requirements in one gallon sizes of the rectangular or what is commonly known as square can type. For illustrative purposes, therefore, this type of container has been selected and herein disclosed in conjunction with my apparatus as exemplifying the principles involved.

The painter has a can or other receptacle from which he applies the paint either with a brush or with a pneumatic applicator, and whenever his receptacle requires replenishment he obtains additional paint from a can in which it is received at the shop. Whether he opens a fresh can or takes his supply from a partially used can,

a thorough mixing is required before the can con-' tents can be withdrawn into the container used by the painter. This mixing or agitating is customarily done with a paddle or stirrer which is introduced into the can and by which the user stirs up the contents. Obviously, however, such stirring utilizes a great deal of the painters time.

A mechanical agitator embodying a mixing re- 1938, Serial No. 194,385

ceptacle into which the paint is poured from the commercial can has also been used to a limited extent, but such practice is unsatisfactory for two reasons. First, when the paint is poured from the commercial can into the mixing receptacle a considerable amount of the pigment which has settled to the bottom of the can is left in the can and wasted; and secondly, each time a change of color agitating, the paint in the original commercial cans the-loss of time and material involved in the use of a mixing or agitating machine of the character above referred to is eliminated.

Another purpose of my invention is to provide an apparatus which will enable the agitated and therefore adequately mixed paints of whatever color desired to be readily withdrawn from the commercial cans not only without the necessity of any hand stirring or agitation but also in such a way as to avoid slopping or spattering and loss of paint.

With this end in view, my invention contemplates, as a part of the apparatus, specially designed closures or stoppers adapted to replace the caps by which the commercial cans are normally closed and sealed, these closures being designed to prevent leakage from the cans and being provided with manually operable shut-oil valves by which the flow from the cans can be smoothly and abruptly cut off so as to obviate dripping. Furthermore, each closure has incorporated in its construction a vent valve adapted to admit air into the highest point of the interior of the can as the paint is withdrawn, thereby facilitating a smooth, even flow of the paint from the can without the gurgling and resultant splashing which accompanies the pouring of a liquid from a closed inverted receptacle.

Other objects and many of the inherent advantages of my invention should be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings:

stirring heretofore commonly practiced and by Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is substantially an end elevation, although, technically, a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3--3,of

.at Fig. 5.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail, it will be observed that the machine comprises essentially a frame consisting of the end standards 5 and 6 connected by suitable bracing I and provided with a shelf 8 extending longitudinally of the frame, forwardly of the center thereof, and located to support a painters can or receptacle 9 in position to receive a supply of paint from any of the cans contained in the machine.

Shafts II and I2 journa led in bearings l3 and M respectively carried by the frame structure are rigidly connected with the end pieces l5 of a supporting frame structure comprising the center rlate I5 and the side pla es l1 and I8. all rigidly connected together and to the shafts H and I2 so as to revo ve asaun t with the shafts. This revolv ng frame is adapted to carry 'a plurality of commercial cans here illustrated as being one gallon square cans l8 and the machine is shown as of a capacity to carry twenty of such cans.

Each of these commercial cans comprises, as best shown in Figs. 3 and 4. an outwardly protruding neck l9 terminating in a flared mouth 2|, which, when the filed can is sh pped from the paint factory, is closed and sealed by a cap or cover applied to and fastened over the mouth. This cover is removed from each of the cans which is to be placed in the machineand is replaced by a closure forming part of my apparatus and which will later be explained more in detail but at present may be said to consist of a hollow plug portion 22 adapted to enter the flared mouth of the can and snugly fit the interior of the neck so as to act as a stopper and preclude leakage from the mouth. The closure includes a flange portion 23 projecting radially beyond the walls of the neck l9, and this flange is adapted to seat behind the upper portion of side plate I! viewing Fig. 3 by which accidental dislodgment of the closure from the can is precluded when the can is positioned, as shown, between the plates l1 and I8. The plain portion of each of these plates engages the bottoms of a series of cans, as shown, while the tops of said cans lie back of the opposed portion of the other plate which is provided with arcuate notches 24 to permit the projection therefor of the body portions 25 of the closure members. It will thus be apparent that when a series ofcans are placed upon the plate l6, as shown, they are supported thereby in horizontal position and are held against longitudinal displacement by the plates l1 and I8, the notch portions of which also hold the closures against accidental displacement from the can mouths.

The cans are then locked in this position by holding or looking bars 26 extending longitudinally of the machine and held in clamping relation with the loaded cans by means of posts 21 equipped with wing nuts or other fastening devices adapted to hold the bars in position, To

' insure a snug clamping of the cans but without injury. the clamping bars 26 are preferably equipped on their inner faces with strips of yieldable material such as sponge rubber or the like indicated on the drawings by reference character 29.

After the upper row of cans has been loaded onto the plate l6 and clamped in position, a half revolution is imparted to the can supporting assembly to dispose the other face of the plate I6 upwardly for the reception of a similar number of cans which are loaded thereon and clamped in position in a similar manner. When completely loaded, the apparatus illustrated carries twenty fllled commercial cans of paint, each provided with a closure member which prevents leakage.

one-half the cans being faced in one direction and the other half in the opposite direction. The shaft I2 is connected through a reduction gearing 3| and a manually controlled clutch 32 with a driving motor 33 mounted upon a shelf 34 and controlled by a switch 35. The details of these mechanisms are immaterial, it being suflicient to state that the clutch 32 may be manipulated to connect the revolvable, can-carrying frame assembly with the motor 33 and to disconnect it therefrom at will, and the speed reduction gear train mechanism being adapted to reduce the speed of shaft I2 relatively to the motor speed so that when the motor is running at normal speed, the cans w'll be revolved about the axis of shafts H and I2 at the proper speed to cause the contents of the cans to be churned and agitated so as to produce a thorough mixing of such contents and a uniform dispersion and intermingling of the paint pigments with the liquid carrier therefor in each pan. The apparatus may be operated continuously at very slight expense and is adapted to maintain in a thoroughly agitated and mixed condition ready for immediate use twenty more or less cans of paint of various colors or characters.

All or any desired portion of the contents of any of the cans in the apparatus may be withdrawn for immediate use at any time through its closure member, the details of which will now be described.

Referring particularly to Fig. 4, it will be seen that body 25 of the closure member is hollow and provided at its outer end with a port 36 through which the can contents may be discharged. The outer face of the body is machined flat, and a cooperating valve member 31 rotatably mounted upon a stud bolt 38 and urged against the outer face of the body 25 by a coil expansion spring 39 is equipped with a notch I I providing a port adapted to register with port 36, thereby affording a discharge opening from the can. The

valve is operated by a handle 42, and when closed as shown in Fig. 3. the sharp edges of the notch 4| moving across the end, of port 36 will cut off the flow abruptly and smoothly so that no dripping of the paint after the valve is closed can occur.

In order to preclude gurgling and splashing of the can contents as it is discharged from the valve and to insure a smooth and even flow when the valve is open, I have made provision for venting thecan which will now be explained.

Upon the inner face of each closure I have mounted a tube 43 extending inwardly and upwardly to the upper corner of the can when it is in pouring position, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. In such position, the mouth of the can is in its lowest position so that the contents will flow freely therefrom and the vented corner into which the tube 43 extends is the highest portion of the can. Within this tube there is disposed a valve stem 44 carrying at its inner end a valve 45 adapted to close the inner end of the tube, as illustrated in Fig. 4, under the influence of a spring 46 surrounding that end of the stem which projects through and outside the flange of the closure. A nut or other form of abutment 41 is located upon the end of stem 44 against which the spring 46 is biased to hold the valve 45 in closed position. During the agitation, therefore, the tube 63 is closed so that no paint may enter therein. When withdrawal of the contents of a can is desired, the clutch 32 is thrown out, and the can-carrying frame is brought to rest at the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, as previously explained, whereupon a receptacle 9 is disposed beneath the valve of the can from which the withdrawal is to be made, the valve is opened, and the stem 44 is pressed inwardly to open valve 45, thereby venting the can so as to permit a uniform and even flow of contents outwardly through port 36. When the desired amount has been withdrawn, stem 44 may be released and valve 3'! closed, thereby abruptly shutting off the. flow without splashing or dripping.

In Figs. and 6 I have illustrated a modified form of closure and vent in which the body 48 of the vent is provided witha pouring port 49 and also with a vent port 5! in proximity to the pouring port so that both ports will be closed when the valve 52 is moved to the closed position indicated in dotted lines in Figs. 5 and 6. The open position of the valve which permits simultaneous pouring and venting is illustrated in full lines in Fig. 6. The vent tube 53, in this instance, extends to the uppermost remote corner of the can, or, in other words, to approximately the same position in the can as the tube 43, shown in Fig. 3. Should some of the paint enter the tube 53 through its open inner end during the agitation of the can contents, such paint will flow out through the port 5| as soon as the valve 52 is opened.

From the foregoing, it will be manifest that I have provided an apparatus by which a number of cans of paint may be simultaneously conditioned, that is, rendered homogeneous throughout and maintained in that condition for immediate use when desired without the necessity of further mixing or agitation. In addition, my invention provides for dispensing from the apparatus any desired quantity of the conditioned contents of any selected can without spattering or splashing the same and also insures a clean cut oif of the stream when the desired quantity has been dispensed so that loss of paint by dripping is obviated. The apparatus substantially eliminates loss of the painters time heretofore occasioned by the necessity for stirring or otherwise agitating the paint to condition it for use, and also eliminates loss of paint which has heretofore resulted from splashing and spattering .as it was poured from the can and from dripping after discontinuance of the pouring.

The structural details of the apparatus herein shown and described are illustrative merely and are not intended in any manner to circumscrlbe the scope of my invention which is defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a rotatable frame including a horizontally disposed, central plate and a side plate along each longitudinal edge of said central plate and extending beyond each face of said central plate to provide a pair of oppositely disposed holders, each adapted to receive a series of paint cans, the tops of the cans in one series being positioned reversely with respect to the tops of the cans in the other series, closures for the tops of the cans for both series, means for locking said cans and closures in said holders, and means for rotating said frame to simultaneously condition the contents of all of said cans.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a holding frame constructed to receive a plurality of oppositely disposed series of commercial paint cans, closures for said cans, means for securing a' plurality of series of cans and closures in said frame, the cans in one series being reversed endwise with respect to the cans in the other series, means for rotating said frame to agitate the contents of said cans, and means carried by said closures and extending above the liquid levels in the cans when disposed in pouring position whereby said cans may be vented to facilitate the dispensing of the contents therefrom.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a frame comprising a central plate, means for locking a plurality of cans against opposite faces of said plate, means for rotating said plate about a central, horizontal axis to agitate the contents of said cans, a clo-. sure for the open end of each can including a manually operable shut-oil. valve' and a venting device for each-closure comprising a tube extending above the liquid level in a can when in pouring position, and a valve closing the inner end of said tube and operable from outside the closure to admit air through the tube to the interior of the can.

, 4. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a rotatable frame structure, means for clamping a plurality of cans in said structure, means for rotating the structure to agitate the contents of the cans, a closure for each can including a manually operable cut-oil valve, and means carried by each closure for venting the can, saidlast mentioned means comprising atube extending from the closure to a remote corner of the can, a stern extending through the closure and tube, a valve carried by the inner end of said stem to close the inner end of the tube and a spring for yieldinglv holding said valve in closed position,

5. In an apparatus of the character. described, the combination of a frame rotatable about a horizontal axis and adapted to carry a plurality of receptacles, a closure for each of said receptacles provided with a dispensing port, means on the frame for holding said closures in closing relation to said receptacles, a venting tube carried by each closure and extending into the rethe combination of a frame constructed to carry tending from each vent opening into the can to a point above the liquid level in the can when said can is disposed in pouring position, said vent tubes being removable from the cans with the closures, and manually operable valves for closing 7 and opening the pouring and vent openings of said closures.

' EDWARD D. HOLMES.

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