Materials application apparatus

Claim 2

A coating apparatus comprising: a. a carriage; b. a housing pivotally connected to said carriage; c. an applicator mounted in said housing and adapted to be brought into contact with a surface to be coated; d. a chamber defined by a portion of said housing, said chamber for maintaining a reservoir of coating material to be applied by said applicator; e. pressure adjusting means to vary the contact pressure of said applicator against the surface to be coated by varying the pivot of said housing and said applicator relative to said carriage, wherein said pressure adjusting means is operatively connected between said carriage and said housing; and f. drivE means for advancing said carriage, said housing and said applicator into and out of contact with the surface to be coated.

Claim 3

Coating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said applicator is a roller mounted for rotation in said housing and including in combination a. a second chamber defined by a portion of said housing, said chamber for collecting coating material from the surface of said applicator roller after said roller has contacted the surface to be coated; and b. removing means for removing uncoated material from said applicator roller portions after said portions have contacted the surface to be coated and to remove such material to said second chamber prior to the portions rotating into the chamber for maintaining a reservoir of coating material to be applied by said applicator.

Claim 4

The coating apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said removing means comprises a scraper blade which also separates said chamber and said second chamber.

Claim 5

Coating apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said second chamber is a vacuum chamber and further including in combination coating material removal means for removing coating material from said second chamber which has been scraped from said roller applicator.

Claim 6

Coating apparatus according to claim 3 including in combination supply means for supplying coating material under pressure to said chamber.

Claim 7

Coating apparatus according to claim 5 including in combination means for supplying metered amounts of coating material to said chamber comprising a pulsing valve means to enable pulsed shots of coating material to pass to said chamber.

Claim 8

Coating apparatus according to claim 3 further including in combination a smoothing means connected to said housing to form a uniform layer of coating material on the surface of said applicator roller after it has come in contact with coating material from said chamber but before it contacts the surface to be coated.

Claim 9

An extruder apparatus for applying coating material to a surface comprising: a. a carriage; b. an extruder housing mounted to said carriage, said housing defining an exit aperture; c. a chamber defined internally by said housing, said chamber for maintaining a reservoir of coating material to be applied through the exit aperture; d. supply means for supplying coating material to said chamber; e. valve control means to enable pulsed shots of coating material to be supplied to said chamber and then through the exit aperture to a surface to be coated; f. a smoothing rod mounted on said extruder housing downstream from said exit aperture along the path of movement of the surface to smooth the coating materials coated on the surface to be coated through the exit aperture; and g. drive means for advancing said carriage, said extruder housing and said smoothing rod to and from the surface to be coated, so that said smoothing rod could be brought into and out of contact with said surface.

Claim 10

An extruder apparatus for applying coating material to a surface comprising: a. a carriage; b. an extruder housing mounted to said carriage, said housing defining an exit aperture; c. a chamber defined internally by said housing, said chamber for maintaining a reservoir of coating material to be applied through the exit aperture; d. supply means for supplying coating material to said chamber; e. valve control means to enable pulsed shots of coating material to be supplied to said chamber and then through the exit aperture to a surface to be coated; f. a smoothing rod mounted on said extruder housing downstream from said exit aperture along the path of movement of the surface to smooth the coating materials coated on the surface to be coated through the exit aperture; and g. drive means for advancing said carriage, said extruder housing and said smoothing rod to and from the surface to be coated, so that said smoothing rod could be brought into and out of contact with said surface.

Claim 11

A coating apparatus comprising: a. a carriage; b. a housing pivotally connected to said carriage; c. an applicator roller mounted for rotation in said housing and adapted to be brought into contact with a surface to be coated; d. a chamber defined by a portion of said housing, said chamber for maintaining a reservoir of coating material to be applied by said applicator roller; e. a second chamber defined by a portion of said housing, said chamber for collecting coating material from the surface of said applicator roller after said roller has contacted the surface to be coated; f. removing means for removing uncoated material from said applicator roller portions after said portions have contacted the surface to be coated and to remove such material to said second chamber prior to the portions rotating into the chamber for maintaining a reservoir of coating material to be applied by said applicator, said removing means comprising a scraper blade which also separates said chamber and said second Chamber; g. pressure adjusting means to vary the contact pressure of said applicator roller against the surface to be coated by varying the pivot of said housing and said applicator roller relative to said carriage; h. supply means for supplying coating material under pressure to said chamber, said supply means including means for supplying metered amounts of coating material to said chamber comprising a pulsing valve means to enable pulsed shots of coating material to pass to said chamber; and i. drive means for advancing said carriage, said housing and said applicator roller into and out of contact with the surface to be coated, said drive means for advancing said carriage comprising: i. a stationary brace slideably mounting said carriage, ii. a rack mounted on said carriage, iii. a rod, iv. rod drive means for advancing said rod, v. a pinion engaging said rack, and vi. a crank arm connecting said rod and said pinion to translate the movement of said rod to said carriage.

Claim 12

A coating apparatus comprising: a. a carriage; b. a housing pivotally connected to said carriage; c. an applicator roller mounted for rotation in said housing and adapted to be brought into contact with a surface to be coated; d. a chamber defined by a portion of said housing, said chamber for maintaining a reservoir of coating material to be applied by said applicator roller; e. a second chamber defined by a portion of said housing, said chamber for collecting coating material from the surface of said applicator roller after said roller has contacted the surface to be coated; f. removing means for removing uncoated material from said applicator roller portions after said portions have contacted the surface to be coated and to remove such material to said second chamber prior to the portions rotating into the chamber for maintaining a reservoir of coating material to be applied by said applicator, said removing means comprising a scraper blade which also separates said chamber and said second Chamber; g. pressure adjusting means to vary the contact pressure of said applicator roller against the surface to be coated by varying the pivot of said housing and said applicator roller relative to said carriage; h. supply means for supplying coating material under pressure to said chamber, said supply means including means for supplying metered amounts of coating material to said chamber comprising a pulsing valve means to enable pulsed shots of coating material to pass to said chamber; and i. drive means for advancing said carriage, said housing and said applicator roller into and out of contact with the surface to be coated, said drive means for advancing said carriage comprising: i. a stationary brace slideably mounting said carriage, ii. a rack mounted on said carriage, iii. a rod, iv. rod drive means for advancing said rod, v. a pinion engaging said rack, and vi. a crank arm connecting said rod and said pinion to translate the movement of said rod to said carriage.