Patent ID: 6010032
Filing Date: 2000-01-04
Classification: B01F,B05B

Abstract:
Apparatus suitable for use in the continuous manufacture of coated, dyed, printed, or painted materials by dip coating, spraying or printing, said apparatus forming a colored flowable material from at least one liquid color concentrate and a plurality of other flowable materials comprising:a plurality of conduits for feeding substantially continuously the flowable materials and the liquid colored concentrate from sources of the flowable materials and the liquid colored concentrate to a substantially continuous mixing chamber having a substantially continuous output of the colored flowable material;at least the conduit carrying the liquid color concentrate to said mixing chamber including:at least a first substantially vertical hollow chamber connected to the conduit;a controllable pump device for pumping the liquid color concentrate having an inlet fluidly connected to an outlet of said first hollow chamber and an outlet leading to said mixing chamber;a sensor for outputting substantially continuously a first signal dependent upon a height of a liquid in said first hollow chamber; anda control device for determining from said first signal whether the flowv rate of the liquid from said first hollow chamber is above or below a predetermined value and for controlling at least one flow rate determining characteristic of said controllable pump device in response to this determination so as to maintain the flow rate of the liquid color concentrate to be dispensed through said pump device at the predetermined value.