Process and device for the mechanical spraying of liquids

Claim 2

A process for the mechanical formation of aerosols, comprising producing a downwardly flowing liquid film on a slanted surface of ring-shaped, downwardly widening cross section, and breaking up said film at an annular interrupting edge of said surface which edge is substantially horizontally situated, by an airstream which is escaping under slight excess pressure from the interior of the at least approximately coneshaped hollow space formed by the liquid film, whereby the latter is atomized, while forming an essentially vertical, downwardly directed spray cone.

Claim 3

A process as described in claim 1, wherein the air stream in the interior of the said hollow space is so directed that it forms a mantle of correspondingly shaped cross section and of variable thickness, whereby, by increasing or decreasing the thickness of this mantle formed by the air stream, the exit velocity and the density of the airstream and, consequently, both the particle size of the liquid to be sprayed and also the degree to which the resulting spray cone is filled with the mist formed, can be regulated.

Claim 4

Apparatus for the mechanical formation of aerosol spray clouds directed downwardly, comprising an air supply line; a mouthpiece attached to an outlet end of said air supply line and pointing downwardly and having downwardly widening interior and exterior surfaces; and a liquid supply line having outside said mouthpiece downwardly directed orifice means located at the exterior inclined surface of said mouthpiece and encircling the latter in a substantially horizontal plane at a substantial distance above a lower rim of said mouthpiece; said orifice means being adapted to release a film of liquid on said downwardly inclined exterior surface of said mouthpiece, whereby said liquid film flowing down over said exterior surface contacts an airstream escaping from said downwardly widening interior surface of said mouthpiece at said lower rim thereof and is dispersed therefrom in a spray cone the main axis of which is directed substantially vertically downwardly.

Claim 5

Apparatus for the mechanical formation of aerosol spray clouds directed downwardly, comprising an air supply line; a mouthpiece attached to an outlet end of said air supply line and pointing downwardly and having downwardly widening interior and exterior surfaces; and a liquid supply line having outside said mouthpiece downwardly directed orifice means located at the exterior inclined surface of said mouthpiece and encircling the latter in a substantially horizontal plane at a substantial distance above a lower rim of said mouthpiece; said orifice means being adapted to release a film of liquid on said downwardly inclined exterior surface of said mouthpiece, whereby said liquid film flowing down over said exterior surface contacts an airstream escaping from said downwardly widening interior surface of said mouthpiece at said lower rim thereof and is dispersed therefrom in a spray cone the main axis of which is directed substantially vertically downwardly.

Claim 6

A apparatus as described in claim 3, wherein said mouthpiece is of ring-shaped, or elliptical, or -shaped cross section.

Claim 7

An apparatus as described in claim 3, further comprising a limiting body provided in the interior of the mouthpiece and conforming in shape to the said mouthpiece, said body being inserted into the mouthpiece from below.

Claim 8

An apparatus as described in claim 5, wherein said limiting body is arranged coaxially with said mouthpiece, the outer wall of said limiting body downwardly approaching the inner wall of the mouthpiece.

Claim 9

An apparatus as described in claim 5, further comprising means for raising or lowering the limiting body along its common axis with said mouthpiece, thereby adjusting the interval between the said limiting body and the inner wall of the mouthpiece.

Claim 10

An apparatus as described in claim 5, wherein the mouthpiece and the limiting body are cone-shaped, the aperture angle of the mouthpiece being about 90* and that of the limiting body being about 120*-140*.

Claim 11

An apparatus as described in claim 5, wherein the position of the limiting body in relation to the interior surface of the mouthpiece is such that the outer wall of said limiting body protrudes downwardly somewhat beyond the basal plane of the mouthpiece.

Claim 12

An apparatus as described in claim 12, wherein the liquid supply line mounted around the mouthpiece is provided at its lowest point with a continuous outlet aperture having an adjustable cross section.

Claim 13

An apparatus as described in claim 12, further comprising a crownlike ridge of projections mounted around the mouthpiece below the said liquid supply line and above the lower terminal edge of the outer wall of the mouthpiece.