Spray gun

Claim 1

IN AN ELECTROMSTATIC SPRAY GUN HAVING DISCHARGE AND REAR ENDS, A BARREL OF ELECTRICALLY INSULATING MATERIAL, SAID BARREL HAVING A BORE THERETHROUGH, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING COATING MATERIAL TO SAID BORE, VALVE OPERATING ROD MEANS EXTENDING IN SAID BORE FROM THE REAR END THEREOF TOWARD THE DISCHARGE END THEREOF WITH CLEARANCE AROUND SAID ROD MEANS WITHIN SAID BORE FOR ACCOMMODATING FLOW OF COATING MATERIAL TOWARD THE BORE DISCHARE END, VALVE STRUCTURE INCLUDING A VALVE SEAT WITHIN SAID BARREL ADJACENT THE DISCHARGE END THEREOF, SAID VALVE SEAT STRUCTURE ALSO INCLUDING A VALVE MEMBER ATTACHED TO THE FORWARD END FO SAID VALVE OPERATING ROD MEANS FOR COOPERATION WITH SAID VALVE SEAT, A HELICAL SPRING DISPOSED AROUND SAID VALVE OPERATING ROD MEANS AND HAVING ITS FORWARD END COOPERATING WITH SAID VALVE MEMBER, MEANS ENGAGING THE REAR END OF SAID SPRING FOR MAINTAINING THE SAME COMPRESSED AND URGING SAID VALVE MEMBER TOWARD THE GUN DISCHARGE END TO A VALVE CLOSING POSITION, MEANS ADJACENT THE REAR END OF SAID BARREL FOR PULLING THE REAR END OF SAID VALVE OPERATING ROD MEANS TO OPEN SAID VALVE AGAINST THE COMPRESSION OF SAID HELICAL SPRING, A NOZZLE ASSEMBLY AT THE DISCHARGE END OF THE BARREL FOR RECEIVING COATING MATERIAL PASSING THROUGH SAID VALVE WHEN THE LATTER IS OPEN, SAID NOZZLE ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A NOZZLE AND ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL HAVING A SHARP TIP PORTION EXPOSED TO ATMOSPHERE AND LOCATED IN THE DISCHARGE REGION OF THE GUN FOR ELECTRICAL CHARGING OF COATING MATERIAL DISCHARGE BY SAID GUN, SAID SHARP TIP PORTION EXTENDING FORWARDLY BEYOND THE NOZZLE, MEANS INSULATED FROM ATMOSPHERE FOR CHARGING ALL THE ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL IN SAID GUN ADJACENT THE DISCHARGE END OF THE BARREL TO A HIGH POTENTIAL WITH RESPECT TO WORK TO BE COATED AND SOLID INSULATION COVERING EVERYTHING AT THE GUN DISCHARGE END EXCEPT SAID SHARP TIP PORTION AND GUN NOZZLE, SAID VALVE ROD MEANS BEING USABLE FOR ANY DESIRED LENGTH OF GUN BARREL AND PERMITTING SUBSTANTIAL VALVE CLOSING FORCE TO BE USED AND THE INSULATION OF HIGHLY CHARGED ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL PERMITTING SAID SHARP TIP TO CREATE AN INTENSE ELECTRIC FIELD FOR HIGHLY EFFICIENT GUN OPERATION.