US3924810A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sprayable material changer apparatus
Assignee: Ford Motor Co
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Filing: 1974-11-04
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Granted: 1975-12-09
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Expires: 1994-11-04
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus is disclosed for communicating a plurality of fluidized sources with a spray apparatus. A plurality of sources are communicated to individual ones of a plurality of ports extending through a stationary plate member. A rotary and longitudinally displaceable plate member is arranged in alignment with the stationary plate member and is provided with a single orifice which communicates with the spray apparatus. The rotary plate is further provided with means forming a sealing member which are arranged to cooperate with gasket means provided for each of the source orifices on the stationary plate member so as to sealingly close the nonselected orifices and to provide for contamination free communication between the selected source orifice and the single orifice on the rotary plate member.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles H Otterstetter
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 11:40
CPC Classifications
B; B05; B05B; B05B7/00; B05B7/14; B05B7/1404; B05B12/00; B05B12/14; B05B12/149; B05B5/00; B05B5/16; B05B5/1683; B05B7/1472; B05B7/1477
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
386 words
Apparatus for communicating a powder spray gun with a plurality of fluidized powder sources while avoiding cross contamination of powders comprising in combination: a stationary plate member having a powder side and a sealing side, a plurality of powder passages and at least one flushing passage, said passages extending through said plate from the powder side to the sealing side; hose means coupled to said powder passages on the powder side of said plate for fluid-tight communication of said powder passages with the plurality of powder sources; further hose means coupled to said at least one flushing passage on the powder side of said plate; means coupled to said further hose means for flowing a flushing medium therethrough; plate valve means supported in closely spaced relation to said stationary plate member and having a flow passage means extending through said plate valve means and aligned for fluid communcation with said powder passage and said at least one flushing passage; hose means coupled to said flow passage means for communicating said flow passage means with the spray gun; means connected to said valve plate means for varying the spatial relation between said valve plate means and said stationary plate member; indexing means operative to align said flow passage with a selected one of said powder and flushing passages; seal means interposed between said stationary plate member and said valve plate means operative to provide sealed communication between said flow passage and said selected one of said powder and flushing passages; said plate valve means comprising a plate member mounted for rotation about an axis, said rotation axis being arranged to extend through the stationary plate member, and said spatial relation varying means comprise cylinder means interconnecting said stationary plate member and said plate valve means actuable to increase the spatial relation to a first predetermined amount and to decrease the spatial relation to a second predetermined amount; and said indexing means comprising step motor means operative when the spatial relation between the stationary plate member and the valve plate means is at the first predetermined amount to rotate said valve plate means about said axis until said flow passages is aligned with the selected one of the powder and flushing passages and to actuate said piston means to establish a spatial relation of the second predetermined amount.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
386 words
Apparatus for communicating a powder spray gun with a plurality of fluidized powder sources while avoiding cross contamination of powders comprising in combination: a stationary plate member having a powder side and a sealing side, a plurality of powder passages and at least one flushing passage, said passages extending through said plate from the powder side to the sealing side; hose means coupled to said powder passages on the powder side of said plate for fluid-tight communication of said powder passages with the plurality of powder sources; further hose means coupled to said at least one flushing passage on the powder side of said plate; means coupled to said further hose means for flowing a flushing medium therethrough; plate valve means supported in closely spaced relation to said stationary plate member and having a flow passage means extending through said plate valve means and aligned for fluid communcation with said powder passage and said at least one flushing passage; hose means coupled to said flow passage means for communicating said flow passage means with the spray gun; means connected to said valve plate means for varying the spatial relation between said valve plate means and said stationary plate member; indexing means operative to align said flow passage with a selected one of said powder and flushing passages; seal means interposed between said stationary plate member and said valve plate means operative to provide sealed communication between said flow passage and said selected one of said powder and flushing passages; said plate valve means comprising a plate member mounted for rotation about an axis, said rotation axis being arranged to extend through the stationary plate member, and said spatial relation varying means comprise cylinder means interconnecting said stationary plate member and said plate valve means actuable to increase the spatial relation to a first predetermined amount and to decrease the spatial relation to a second predetermined amount; and said indexing means comprising step motor means operative when the spatial relation between the stationary plate member and the valve plate means is at the first predetermined amount to rotate said valve plate means about said axis until said flow passages is aligned with the selected one of the powder and flushing passages and to actuate said piston means to establish a spatial relation of the second predetermined amount.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus of claim 1 including control means to automatically and sequentially operate the piston means and the indexing means to communicate different selected ones of the powder passages with the flow passage and to communicate the flow passage with the flushing passage between successive different powder passage communications.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
387 words
Apparatus for communicating a powder spray gun with a pluralIty of fluidized powder cources while avoiding cross contamination of powders comprising in combination: a stationary plate member having a powder side and a sealing side, a plurality of powder passages and at least one flushing passage, said passages extending through said plate from the powder side to the sealing side; hose means coupled to said powder passages on the powder side of said plate for fluid-tight communication of said powder passages with the plurality of powder sources; further hose means coupled to said at least one flushing passage on the powder side of said plate; means coupled to said further hose means for flowing a flushing medium therethrough; plate valve means supported in closely spaced relation to said stationary plate member and having a flow passage means extending through said plate valve means and aligned for fluid communication with said powder passages and said at least one flushing passage; hose means coupled to said flow passage means for communicating said flow passage means with the spray gun; means connected to said valve plate means for varying the spatial relation between said valve plate means and said stationary plate member; indexing means operative to align said flow passage with a selected one of said powder and flushing passages; seal means interposed between said stationary plate member and said valve plate means operative to provide sealed communication between said flow passage and said selected one of said powder and flushing passages; and seal means interposed between said stationary plate member and said plate valve means operative to seal closed the nonselected ones of the powder and flushing passages; said seal means comprising a. a plurality of first seal element means situated on said stationary plate member in proximity to the sealing side thereof and arranged to be in surrounding relation to the sealing side orifice of each of the powder and flushing passages and b. means defining second seal element means positioned on said plate valve member in juxtaposed relation to the plurality of first seal element means, the second seal element means including a passage means aligned with the flow passage means of the plate valve means to provide unrestricted material flow through from a selected one of the powder and flushing passages to said flow passage means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
387 words
Apparatus for communicating a powder spray gun with a pluralIty of fluidized powder cources while avoiding cross contamination of powders comprising in combination: a stationary plate member having a powder side and a sealing side, a plurality of powder passages and at least one flushing passage, said passages extending through said plate from the powder side to the sealing side; hose means coupled to said powder passages on the powder side of said plate for fluid-tight communication of said powder passages with the plurality of powder sources; further hose means coupled to said at least one flushing passage on the powder side of said plate; means coupled to said further hose means for flowing a flushing medium therethrough; plate valve means supported in closely spaced relation to said stationary plate member and having a flow passage means extending through said plate valve means and aligned for fluid communication with said powder passages and said at least one flushing passage; hose means coupled to said flow passage means for communicating said flow passage means with the spray gun; means connected to said valve plate means for varying the spatial relation between said valve plate means and said stationary plate member; indexing means operative to align said flow passage with a selected one of said powder and flushing passages; seal means interposed between said stationary plate member and said valve plate means operative to provide sealed communication between said flow passage and said selected one of said powder and flushing passages; and seal means interposed between said stationary plate member and said plate valve means operative to seal closed the nonselected ones of the powder and flushing passages; said seal means comprising a. a plurality of first seal element means situated on said stationary plate member in proximity to the sealing side thereof and arranged to be in surrounding relation to the sealing side orifice of each of the powder and flushing passages and b. means defining second seal element means positioned on said plate valve member in juxtaposed relation to the plurality of first seal element means, the second seal element means including a passage means aligned with the flow passage means of the plate valve means to provide unrestricted material flow through from a selected one of the powder and flushing passages to said flow passage means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
65 words
The apparatus of claim 3 including further a plurality of check valve means situated in the powder passages and having orifices extending from the seal side of the stationary plate member toward the valve plate means, and valve operating means extending from the flow passage, operative to engage and open the check valve means situated in the selected one of the powder and flushing passages.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each of said check valve means comprise displaceable ball valve member, means resiliently biasing said ball valve member toward a valve seat and said valve operating means comprise a projecting finger element situated in the flow passage means of said plate valve means.
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) | 1978-12-08 | 1979-06-09 | 1979-12-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-12-08 | 1983-06-09 | 1983-12-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-12-08 | 1987-06-09 | 1987-12-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |