Electrostatic spray coating apparatus

Claim 2

In electrostatic spray apparatus having a body including a material passage terminating in an outlet orifice at an end face of the body, nozzle means on said end face of said body communicating with said orifice, electrically conductive means in said nozzle means for imparting an electrostatic charge to the material emanating from said nozzle means, and means for conducting an electrostatic charge to the electrically conductive means in said nozzle means, the improvement comprising conducting means having a terminal spaced from said outlet orifice at said end face of said body, electrically conductive means in said nozzle means having a terminal at the end face of said nozzle means juxtaposed to said body end face, and means disposed between said end faces having an electrically conductive area spanning said terminals for electrically connecting said terminals to one another despite relative offset of said terminals, the means disposed between said end faces comprising a washer having a unitary body formed of concentric rings of conductive and non-conductive material.

Claim 3

In electrostatic spray apparatus having a body including a material passage terminating in an outlet orifice at an end face of the body, nozzle means on said end face of said body communicating with said orifice, electrically conductive means in said nozzle means for imparting an electrostatic charge to the material emanating from said nozzle means, and means for conducting an electrostatic charge to the electrically conductive means in said nozzle means, the improvement comprising conducting means having a terminal spaced from said outlet orifice at said end face of said body, electrically conductive means in said nozzle means having a terminal at the end face of said nozzle means juxtaposed to said body end face and a needle projecting from said nozzle terminal through said nozzle means to a position forwardly thereof and proximate to the material emanating from the nozzle means, and means disposed between said end faces having an electrically conductive area spanning said terminals for electrically connecting said terminals to one another despite relative offset of said terminals.

Claim 4

In electrostatic spray apparatus having a body including a material passage terminating in an outlet orifice at an end face of the body, nozzle means on said end face of said body communicating with said orifice, electrically conductive means in said nozzle means for imparting an electrostatic charge to the material emanating from said nozzle means, and means for conducting an electrostatic charge to the electrically conductive means in said nozzle means, the improvement comprising conducting means having a terminal spaced from said outlet orifice at said end face of said body, electrically conductive means in said nozzle means having a terminal at the end face of said nozzle means juxtaposed to said body end face and a needle projecting from said nozzle terminal through said nozzle means to a position forwardly thereof and proximate to the material emanating from the nozzle means, and means disposed between said end faces having an electrically conductive area spanning said terminals for electrically connecting said terminals to one another despite relative offset of said terminals.

Claim 5

In the apparatus of claim 2, said nozzle means including an electrically conductive spray tip in electrically conductive contact with said needle.

Claim 6

In electrostatic spray apparatus having an electrically insulating body including a material passage terminating in an outlet orifice at an end face of the body, nozzle means rotatably mounted on said end face of said body concentric to and in communication with said orifice, electrically conductive means in said nozzle means for imparting an electrostatic charge to the material emanating from said nozzle means, and means for conducting an electrostatic charge to the electrically conductive means in said nozzle means, the improvement comprising conducting means having a terminal spaced radially from said outlet orifice at said end face of said body, electrically conductive means in said nozzle means comprising a terminal at the end face of said nozzle means juxtaposed to said body end face and disposed at approximately the same radial spacing from said outlet orifice and a needle projecting from said terminal on said nozzle means through said nozzle means to a position forwardly thereof and proximate to the material emanating from said nozzle means, and a washer disposed between said end faces having an annular electrically conductive area encircling said orifice at the same radial spacing from said orifice as said terminals for electrically connecting said terminals to one another irrespective of the rotational offset of said terminals.

Claim 7

In electrostatic spray apparatus having an electrically insulating body including a material passage terminating in an outlet orifice at an end face of the body, nozzle means rotatably mounted on said end face of said body concentric to and in communication with said orifice, electrically conductive means in said nozzle means for imparting an electrostatic charge to the material emanating from said nozzle means, and means for conducting an electrostatic charge to the electrically conductive means in said nozzle means, the improvement comprising conducting means having a terminal spaced radially from said outlet orifice at said end face of said body, electrically conductive means in said nozzle means comprising a terminal at the end face of said nozzle means juxtaposed to said body end face and disposed at approximately the same radial spacing from said outlet orifice and a needle projecting from said terminal on said nozzle means through said nozzle means to a position forwardly thereof and proximate to the material emanating from said nozzle means, and a washer disposed between said end faces having an annular electrically conductive area encircling said orifice at the same radial spacing from said orifice as said terminals for electrically connecting said terminals to one another irrespective of the rotational offset of said terminals.

Claim 8

In the apparatus of claim 4, said nozzle means including an electrically conductive spray tip in electrically conductive contact with said needle.

Claim 9

ElectrostatiC spray apparatus comprising an electrically conductive operator section, an elongate electrically insulating barrel projecting forwardly from said section and having a material passage therein terminating in an outlet orifice, a nozzle assembly detachably mounted on the forward end of the barrel in communication with said orifice, said nozzle assembly being in the main electrically insulating and including therein electrically conductive means for imparting an electrostatic charge to the material emanating from said nozzle assembly, means for carrying a high electrostatic charge to said electrically conductive means including a conductor receiving passage extending through said operator section and said barrel generally parallel to said passage and including means for grounding said operator section, a valve in said passage at said orifice for opening and closing said orifice, a valve stem extending rearwardly through said passage from said valve to said operator section, said valve stem being electrically insulating between said valve and said operator section and being electrically conductive at said operator section, a control switch in said operator section connected with said electrostatic charge carrying means and having an actuator in the path of movement of said valve stem, and means for moving said valve stem rearwardly to open said valve and close said switch and for moving said valve stem forwardly to close said valve and open said switch.

Claim 10

ElectrostatiC spray apparatus comprising an electrically conductive operator section, an elongate electrically insulating barrel projecting forwardly from said section and having a material passage therein terminating in an outlet orifice, a nozzle assembly detachably mounted on the forward end of the barrel in communication with said orifice, said nozzle assembly being in the main electrically insulating and including therein electrically conductive means for imparting an electrostatic charge to the material emanating from said nozzle assembly, means for carrying a high electrostatic charge to said electrically conductive means including a conductor receiving passage extending through said operator section and said barrel generally parallel to said passage and including means for grounding said operator section, a valve in said passage at said orifice for opening and closing said orifice, a valve stem extending rearwardly through said passage from said valve to said operator section, said valve stem being electrically insulating between said valve and said operator section and being electrically conductive at said operator section, a control switch in said operator section connected with said electrostatic charge carrying means and having an actuator in the path of movement of said valve stem, and means for moving said valve stem rearwardly to open said valve and close said switch and for moving said valve stem forwardly to close said valve and open said switch.

Claim 11

Apparatus as set forth in claim 6, said means for moving said valve stem comprising a trigger and a bar slidably mounted on said trigger having means for selective engagement with and disengagement from said valve stem, the latter means when disengaged from the valve stem preventing actuation of both said valve and said switch.

Claim 12

Apparatus as set forth in claim 6, said valve comprising a valve ball detachably mounted on said valve stem and a valve seat removably inserted in said outlet orifice, said seat comprising a tubular carrier and a cylindrical insert of wear resistant material on which the ball seats.