Spray booth

Claim 1

A water spray booth, comprising (a) housing means including (1) front, rear, side, top and bottom walls defining a chamber; and (2) a generally horizontal intermediate plate (19) extending in spaced relation between said top and bottom walls for dividing said chamber into upper (22) and lower portions; (3) said front wall containing an inlet opening communicating with said chamber lower portion, said top wall containing an outlet opening communicating with said chamber upper portion; (b) water reservoir means arranged in the bottom of said chamber lower portion; (c) means (17, 18) for supplying water to, and for maintaining water at a given level within, said water reservoir means; (d) at least one vertical duct (30) arranged adjacent said rear wall for conveying water from said reservoir means to said chamber upper portion via a first opening contained in said intermediate plate, the lower portion of said duct terminating at its lower extremity adjacent said given water level, said duct having a circular transverse section, the diameter of the upper portion of said duct progressively increasing in the upward direction; (e) a unitary deflector plate (32) arranged in said chamber upper portion adjacent said intermediate plate first opening, said deflector plate extending continuously transversely between said side walls and including a rear edge adjacent the junction between said intermediate plate and said rear wall, said deflector plate extending forwardly in spaced relation above said first opening: (f) said intermediate plate containing at least one second opening (35) forwardly of said first opening; (g) a horizontal water trough (36) arranged in said lower chamber below and in communication with said second opening, said water trough extending transversely between said side walls; (h) a generally vertical water wall (16) connected at its upper end with said water trough, said water wall extending downwardly and terminating adjacent said reservoir means for delivering a wall of water from said water trough to said reservoir means; and (i) means (26) applying suction to said housing outlet opening to cause water to be drawn from said reservoir means to said water trough upwardly via said vertical duct and said first opening, forwardly via said deflector plate and chamber upper portion, and downwardly via said second intermediate plate opening, whereby excess water supplied to the trough is returned to the reservoir via said vertical wall.