Method of flocking metal articles

Claim 1

A METHOD FOR FLOCKING A METAL ARTICLE COMPRISING: A. APPLYING A FILM OF LIQUID ADHESIVE TO THE SURFACE OF THE ARTICLE; 5 B. PROVIDING AN ENCLOSED SPACE CONTAINING A MASS OF FLOCK FIBERS AND FORMINOUS ELECTRODE MEANS FOR IMPARTING AN ELECTROSTATIC CHARGE TO SAID FIBERS, SAID FIBERS BEING CHARACTERIZED BY THE ABILITY TO PACK TOGETHER UNDER PRESSURE; C. DIRECTING A PLURALITY OF AIR STREAMS INTERMITTENTLY FOR FSHORT TIME PERIODS AGAINST THE SURFACE OF SAID MASS TO LIFT FIBERS FROM THE MASS, ENTRAIN THEM IN THE AIR AND CARRY THEM PAST SAID ELECTRODE MEANS, THEREBY AT LEAST PARTIALLY FILLONG THE SPACE ABOVE SAID MASS WITH CHARGED FIBERS; D. PASSING SAID ARTICLE THROUGH SAID SPACE WHILE CHARGING THE ARTICLE OPPOSITELY TO THE ELECTROSTATIC CHARGE ON THE FIBERS, THUS CAUSING THE FIBERS IN SAID SPACE TO DEPOSIT ON THE LIQUID ADHESIVE FILM; AND E. DRYING THE FILM TO CAUSE IT TO SET AND LOCK THE FIBERS TO THE SURFACE OF THE METAL ARTICLE.

Claim 2

A METHOD FOR FLOCKING A METAL ARTICLE COMPRISING: A. APPLYING A FILM OF LIQUID ADHESIVE TO THE SURFACE OF THE ARTICLE; 5 B. PROVIDING AN ENCLOSED SPACE CONTAINING A MASS OF FLOCK FIBERS AND FORMINOUS ELECTRODE MEANS FOR IMPARTING AN ELECTROSTATIC CHARGE TO SAID FIBERS, SAID FIBERS BEING CHARACTERIZED BY THE ABILITY TO PACK TOGETHER UNDER PRESSURE; C. DIRECTING A PLURALITY OF AIR STREAMS INTERMITTENTLY FOR FSHORT TIME PERIODS AGAINST THE SURFACE OF SAID MASS TO LIFT FIBERS FROM THE MASS, ENTRAIN THEM IN THE AIR AND CARRY THEM PAST SAID ELECTRODE MEANS, THEREBY AT LEAST PARTIALLY FILLONG THE SPACE ABOVE SAID MASS WITH CHARGED FIBERS; D. PASSING SAID ARTICLE THROUGH SAID SPACE WHILE CHARGING THE ARTICLE OPPOSITELY TO THE ELECTROSTATIC CHARGE ON THE FIBERS, THUS CAUSING THE FIBERS IN SAID SPACE TO DEPOSIT ON THE LIQUID ADHESIVE FILM; AND E. DRYING THE FILM TO CAUSE IT TO SET AND LOCK THE FIBERS TO THE SURFACE OF THE METAL ARTICLE.

Claim 6

A method of flocking a wire garment hanger having a hook and a straight portion opposite said hook comprising: a. applying a film of liquid adhesive to said straight portion of the hanger; b. providing an enclosed space containing a mass of flock fibers and foraminous electrode means for imparting an electrostatic charge to said fibers, said fibers being characterized by the ability to pack together under pressure; c. directing a plurality of air streams intermittenly for short time periods against the surface of said mass to lift fibers from the mass, entrain them in the air and carry them past said electrode means, thereby at least partially filling the space above said mass with charged fibers; d. passing said hanger through said space while charging the surface thereof oppositely to the charge on the fibers, thus causing the fibers in the space to deposit on the surface of the hanger; e. drying the adhesive film by inductively heating the hanger to cause the film to set and lock the fibers to the surface of the hanger; and f. removing flock from the hanger wire not coated with adhesive.

Claim 7

A method of flocking a wire garment hanger having a hook and a straight portion opposite said hook comprising: a. applying a film of liquid adhesive to said straight portion of the hanger; b. providing an enclosed space containing a mass of flock fibers and foraminous electrode means for imparting an electrostatic charge to said fibers, said fibers being characterized by the ability to pack together under pressure; c. directing a plurality of air streams intermittenly for short time periods against the surface of said mass to lift fibers from the mass, entrain them in the air and carry them past said electrode means, thereby at least partially filling the space above said mass with charged fibers; d. passing said hanger through said space while charging the surface thereof oppositely to the charge on the fibers, thus causing the fibers in the space to deposit on the surface of the hanger; e. drying the adhesive film by inductively heating the hanger to cause the film to set and lock the fibers to the surface of the hanger; and f. removing flock from the hanger wire not coated with adhesive.