Electrophoretic coating apparatus

Claim 1

IN AN ELETROPHORETIC COATING SYSTEM, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: AN INTERNALLY UNINTERRUPTED COATING SUSPENSION RESERVOIR FORMED WITH AN OUTLET AT THE BOTTOM THEREOF, THE SIDES OF SAID RESERVOIR CONVERGING DOWNWARDLY TOWARDS SAID OUTLET, SAID SIDES BEING OF A CIRCULAR CROSSSECTION IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE, SAID OUTLET BEING AXIALLY DISPOSED AND AT THE LOWERMOST END OF AID RESERVOIR; A CONTAINER DISPOSED ABOVE SAID RESERVOIR FOR ESTABLISHING A SUSPENSION SURFACE FOR ELECTROPHORETIC COATING OF ARTICLES; MEANS DISPOSSED ON SAID CONTAINER FOR ELECTROPHORETIC COATING OF ARTICLES IN SAID SUSPENSION; CONDUIT MEANS FOR CONDUCTING A FLOW OF SUSPENSION FROM SAID CONTAINER INTO SAID RESEERVOIR, SAID CONDUIT BEING ARRANGED TO DISCHARGE SAID FLOW OF SUSPENSION WITH A CIRCUMFERENTIAL COMPONENT OF VELOCITY INTO SAID RESERVOIR AND TO ESTABLISH AN AGITATED VORTICAL FLOW OF SUSPENSION WITHIN SAID RESERVOIR; PUMPING MEANS DISPOSED BELOW THE OUTLET OF SAID RESERVOIR AND AS THE LOWERMOST ELEMENT IN SAID SYSTEM; CONDUIT MEANS CONNECTING SAID RESERVOIR OUTLET TO THE INLET OF SAID PUMP; CONDUIT MEANS CONNECTING THE OUTLET OF SAID PUMP TO SAID CONTAINER, WHEREBY A FLOW OF SUSPENSION WILL FLOW INTO SAID CONTAINER AND OUT THEREFROM AND THENCE INTO SAID RESERVOIR WHERE IT WILL BE DISCHARGED THEREIN WITH A CIRCUMFERENETIAL COMPONENT OF VELOCITY AND DRAIN OUTWARDLY THEREFROM IN AN AGITATED FLOW AND CYCLE BACK INTO SAID PUMP THEREBY FLOWING THROUGH SAID SYSTEM WITHOUT APPRECIABLY SETTLING.