US3678890A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Panel coating apparatus
Assignee: Officemax Inc
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Filing: 1970-12-09
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Granted: 1972-07-25
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Expires: 1990-12-09
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for coating with a liquid a continuously travelling horizontal panel having a uniform or irregular surface, characterized by the provision of housing means including a flood coating compartment in which a massive quantity of liquid coating is deposited to a given depth upon the upper surface of the travelling panel, and an air doctoring compartment in which a large volume of high pressure air is angularly directed on the panel in a direction opposite to the direction of panel travel. The excess liquid coating in both compartments is directed laterally off the longitudinal edges of the panel and is collected by gravity in collector means arranged in the bottom of the housing beneath said compartments.
Inventors
- 👤 Alvin T Ehrensing
- 👤 Clement R Taylor
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 15:10
CPC Classifications
B; B05; B05C; B05C3/00; B05C11/00; B05C11/02; B05C11/06; B05C5/00; B05C5/002; B05C5/004; B05C5/005
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
258 words
Apparatus for applying a liquid coating to the upper surface of a horizontal plywood panel during longitudinal transport at a relatively high linear velocity, comprising a housing containing a chamber, said housing including inlet and outlet openings arranged to receive said panel during passage through said chamber; means adapted to cooperate with the upper surface of said panel to define in the upper portion of said housing chamber a coating compartment adjacent said inlet opening and an air doctoring compartment adjacent said outlet opening; a horizontal flood trough arranged in the upper portion of said coating chamber, said flood trough including a weir wall that terminates at its lower end immediately adjacent but spaced from the upper surface of the panel; means for supplying a large excess quantity of liquid coating to said trough, whereby said liquid coating overflows and runs down said weir wall to define a massive continous liquid curtain that is collected to an appreciable flood depth upon the upper surface of the panel during passage of the panel through said coating compartment; blower means for directing an air jet longitudinally across the upper surface of the panel in the direction from said outlet opening to said coating chamber, said blower means including a nozzle having a horizontal discharge slit that extends transversely completely across and immediately adjacent the upper surface of the panel; and collector means arranged in the bottom of said chamber beneath said compartments for receiving by gravity the excess coating liquid that passes laterally over the longitudinal edges of said panel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
258 words
Apparatus for applying a liquid coating to the upper surface of a horizontal plywood panel during longitudinal transport at a relatively high linear velocity, comprising a housing containing a chamber, said housing including inlet and outlet openings arranged to receive said panel during passage through said chamber; means adapted to cooperate with the upper surface of said panel to define in the upper portion of said housing chamber a coating compartment adjacent said inlet opening and an air doctoring compartment adjacent said outlet opening; a horizontal flood trough arranged in the upper portion of said coating chamber, said flood trough including a weir wall that terminates at its lower end immediately adjacent but spaced from the upper surface of the panel; means for supplying a large excess quantity of liquid coating to said trough, whereby said liquid coating overflows and runs down said weir wall to define a massive continous liquid curtain that is collected to an appreciable flood depth upon the upper surface of the panel during passage of the panel through said coating compartment; blower means for directing an air jet longitudinally across the upper surface of the panel in the direction from said outlet opening to said coating chamber, said blower means including a nozzle having a horizontal discharge slit that extends transversely completely across and immediately adjacent the upper surface of the panel; and collector means arranged in the bottom of said chamber beneath said compartments for receiving by gravity the excess coating liquid that passes laterally over the longitudinal edges of said panel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said compartment defining means includes a vertical partition, and first seal means carried by the lower portion of said partition for engagement with the upper surface of the panel to seal the coating compartment from the air doctoring compartment.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said compartment defining means further includes second seal means connected with said housing adjacent said inlet opening for cooperation with the upper surface of said panel for sealing said coating chamber from atmosphere.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said first and second seal means comprise downwardly depending brushes.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, and further including pump means for pumping the liquid coating from said collector means to said overflow trough.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said housing contains a vent opening in communication with the upper end of said air doctoring compartment, and further including means for removing vapors from said air doctoring chamber via said vent opening.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 6, and further including baffle means arranged in said air doctoring compartment for defining a tortuous vertical passage in the direction of said housing opening.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus as definEd in claim 1, wherein said nozzle means is arranged at an acute angle relative to the panel during discharge of the panel through the outlet opening.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 8, and further including means for adjusting the angular relationship of said nozzle means in the vertical plane relative to the housing, thereby to adjust the angular relationship of said nozzle means relative to the panel.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
52 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein the rear wall of said air doctoring compartment is pivotally connected with the housing for pivotal movement about a horizontal pivot axis extending transversely of the panel, and further including flexible seal means connecting said nozzle means with the lower portion of said rear wall.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
54 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 10, and further including cam plate means connected with the bottom portion of said rear wall and extending longitudinally of the panel in the direction of said coating chamber, said cam plate means having curved lower surfaces for holding down the panel during passage through said air doctoring compartment.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, and further wherein said nozzle means is adjustable to vary the width of the nozzle opening.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
76 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein at least one of the top and bottom walls of said nozzle means is formed of sheet material and includes a pair of sections pivotally connected by a pivot axis extending transversely of the panel, one of said sections defining at its free edge the slit opening of said nozzle means, and further including means for pivoting said one section relative to the other to vary the nozzle opening.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, and further including a panel support grid extending completely horizontally across the upper end of said collector means immediately adjacent the lower surface of the panel.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
83 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said board has a four foot width and a linear velocity of about 100 lineal feet per minute, wherein said liquid coating comprises a stain supplied to said trough at a rate of at least 20 gallons per minute, wherein the blower air is supplied at a rate of at least 1,000 cubic feet per minute, and wherein said nozzle means is arranged at an angle of from between 45* to 75* relative to the panel.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein the angle of said nozzle means is approximately 60*, and further wherein the length and width dimensions of the discharge slit of said nozzle means are 56 inches and three-sixteenths inches, respectively.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, and further including means for transporting said panel continuously at a uniform velocity through said housing.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, and further including auxiliary air nozzle means adjacent said housing outlet for blowing excess coating material from the longitudinal edges of said panel.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-07-25 | 1976-01-24 | 1976-07-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-07-25 | 1980-01-24 | 1980-07-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-07-25 | 1984-01-24 | 1984-07-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |