Spray-coating apparatus

Claim 1

ELECTROSTATIC COATING APPARATUS COMPRISING SPRAYING MEANS INCLUDING AN ATOMIZING MEMBER, A SUPPLY OF COATING MATERIAL, MEANS FOR FEEDING MATERIAL FROM SAID SUPPLY TO SAID ATOMIZING MEMBER, SAID ATOMIZING MEMBER DISPERSING SAID MATERIAL TO FORM A SPRAY OF ATOMIZED PARTICLES, MEANS FOR APPLYING AN ELECTROSTATIC CHARGING POTENTIAL TO SAID ATOMIZING MEMBER, SAID ATOMIZING MEMBER COMPRISING FIRST ELECTRODE MEANS FOR ESTABLISHING A HIGH INTENSITY ELECTROSTATIC FIELD WHICH EXTENDS IN A FORWARD DIRECTION BETWEEN THE ATOMIZED PARTICLES AND AN ARTICLE TO BE COATED, SAID FIELD CONVEYING ATOMIZING PARTICLES IN SAID FORWARD DIRECTION FROM SAID ATOMIZING MEMBER TO SAID ARTICLE, AND SECOND ELECTRODE MEANS INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF IONIZING PROJECTIONS CARRIED BY SAID SPRAYING MEANS FOR PRODUCING AN IONIZED AREA WHICH EXTENDS REARWARDLY THEREFROM TO FORM A PROTECTIVE SCREEN AGAINST REARWARD TRAVEL OF ATOMIZED PARTICLES, SAID SECOND ELECTRODE MEANS MAINTAINING THE IONS IN SAID IONIZED AREA SEPARATE FROM SAID ELECTROSTATIC FIELD TO PREVENT SAID ION FROM INFLUENCING SAID FIELD.