Close coupled series turbine mounting

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein the outlet of the first turbine and the inlet of the second turbine are each located in a respective planar surface of respective separate and complete turbine impeller housings and step a further comprises disposing the planar surface of the turbine impeller housings in a closely-spaced, parallel orientation.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 wherein the second turbine is of the type having a plurality of radially extending ears having mounting apertures therein, and the first turbine has a plurality of mounting apertures aligned with the mounting apertures of the second turbine and step c. of the method further comprises drawing the first turbine towards the second turbine by tightening a plurality of tie rods, with each tie rod passing through one mounting aperture of each of the first and the second turbines.

Claim 5

The method of claim 3 further comprising the additional step of: d. passing at least one of the tie rods through a generally U-shaped mounting bracket, wherein the bracket has a pair of upstanding flanges having apertures therein coaxial with the mounting apertures of the first and second turbines and wherein the flanges are spaced axially apart a distance corresponding to the distance between the mounting apertures of the first and the second turbines; such that at least one tie rod secures the first and second turbines to the mounting bracket.

Claim 6

The method of claim 4 wherein each of the upstanding apertured flanges of the mounting bracket further comprises a contoured edge providing clearance with a mating surface of each of the first and second turbines such that each of the flanges supports one of the first and second turbines by contact between the contoured edge and the mating surface when the turbines are received on the mounting bracket.

Claim 7

The method of claim 5 wherein the contoured edge in each of the flanges is congruent with the mating surface of each of the first and second turbines.

Claim 8

Apparatus for close coupling a series connected pair of air flow turbines for portable paint spraying equipment comprising: a. a reverse axial flow first turbine having a centrally located axial outlet in a generally planar wall and having a radially extending surface having mounting apertures therein; b. a tangential discharge second turbine having a centrally located axial inlet in a generally planar wall positioned adjacent to and axially aligned with the axial outlet of the first turbine and having a plurality of mounting apertures therein coaxial with the mounting apertures of the first turbine; c. an air seal located between the planar walls of the first and second turbines and surrounding the junction formed by the axial outlet of the first turbine and the axial inlet of the second turbine; and d. means for coupling the first and second turbines together with the outlet of the first turbine adjacent to and aligned with the inlet of the second turbine such that the first and second turbines are sealingly secured together to provide that air exiting the axial outlet of the first turbine immediately enters the axial inlet of the second turbine when at least one of the turbines is energized.

Claim 9

Apparatus for close coupling a series connected pair of air flow turbines for portable paint spraying equipment comprising: a. a reverse axial flow first turbine having a centrally located axial outlet in a generally planar wall and having a radially extending surface having mounting apertures therein; b. a tangential discharge second turbine having a centrally located axial inlet in a generally planar wall positioned adjacent to and axially aligned with the axial outlet of the first turbine and having a plurality of mounting apertures therein coaxial with the mounting apertures of the first turbine; c. an air seal located between the planar walls of the first and second turbines and surrounding the junction formed by the axial outlet of the first turbine and the axial inlet of the second turbine; and d. means for coupling the first and second turbines together with the outlet of the first turbine adjacent to and aligned with the inlet of the second turbine such that the first and second turbines are sealingly secured together to provide that air exiting the axial outlet of the first turbine immediately enters the axial inlet of the second turbine when at least one of the turbines is energized.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the means for coupling the first and second turbines together comprise at least one tie rod passing through one mounting aperture of the first turbine and a corresponding mounting aperture of the second turbine.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising: e. a generally U-shaped mounting bracket having a pair of upstanding flanges each having apertures coaxial with the mounting apertures in the first and second turbines and spaced axially apart a distance corresponding to the distance between the mounting apertures of the first and second turbines and wherein at least one tie rod passes through one mounting aperture in each of the first and second turbines and each of the pair of flanges in the mounting bracket such that the first and second turbines are supported and secured to the mounting bracket by the flanges engaging the one tie rod.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein one of the first and second turbines has a drive motor projecting axially at a first end thereof in a first direction, the apparatus further comprising a first drive motor support flange engaging and supporting the drive motor, and further wherein the other of the first and second turbines has a drive motor projecting axially a second direction opposite to the first direction at a second end opposite to the first end thereof, the apparatus further comprising a second drive motor support flange engaging and supporting the drive motor of the other turbine.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising an air seal sealing the support flange to the drive motor.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the support flange is a ring.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the ring is dish-shaped.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising an air baffle surrounding one of the first and second turbines and dividing a space between the first and second drive motor support flanges into first and second air plenums.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the first air plenum contains the first turbine and air leaving the first air plenum is directed to enter the first turbine impeller intake.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the second air plenum contains the second turbine and air leaving the second air plenum is prevented from entering the impeller intake of the first turbine by the air baffle.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the air baffle is formed of closed cell foam.