Patent ID: 7850101
Filing Date: 2010-12-14
Classification: E01C,Y10S

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for applying paint and reflective glass beads to a surface, the apparatus comprising: an airless paint sprayer system comprising a paint reservoir, one or more airless spray heads for spraying paint onto the surface, and a pump for pumping paint from the reservoir to the spray heads; a bead dispensing system comprising a bead reservoir, one or more bead dispensing nozzles for dispensing beads onto the paint sprayed onto the surface by the spray heads, an air reservoir for holding pressurized air, one or more pneumatic cylinders configured for opening and closing a corresponding dispensing nozzle, and one or more flow control regulators for controlling air into and out of a corresponding pneumatic cylinder; a chassis upon which the airless paint sprayer system and the bead dispensing system are mounted, the chassis comprising a frame, a plurality of wheels, and one or more handles; a power source for powering the pump; and a user-activated switch mounted on one of the handles for controlling the spray heads and the pneumatic cylinders, such that activating the switch (i) opens the spray heads thereby causing the spray heads to spray paint and (ii) causes pressurized air to flow through the flow control regulators to the respective pneumatic cylinders thereby opening the respective bead dispensing nozzles and causing the bead dispensing nozzles to dispense beads, and such that deactivating the switch (i) closes the spray heads thereby preventing the spray heads from spraying paint and (ii) causes pressurized air to stop flowing through the flow control regulators to the respective pneumatic cylinders thereby closing the respective bead dispensing nozzles and preventing the bead dispensing nozzles from dispensing beads; wherein each bead dispensing nozzle is mounted a predetermined distance rearward of a corresponding spray head, and wherein each flow control regulator is configured to delay the opening and closing of the corresponding pneumatic cylinder for an amount of time determined based on the rearward distance and an anticipated speed at which the apparatus moves during application of the paint and beads; and wherein each bead dispensing nozzle comprises a cylindrical hopper, a conical piston with a connecting rod to the pneumatic cylinder, a shroud extending downward from the hopper and having an open bottom end, and a mesh screen spanning the open bottom end of the shroud.