Patent ID: 6095431
Filing Date: 2000-08-01
Classification: B05B

Abstract:
A device for applying material comprising:a circular spinning plate having substantially planar upper and lower surfaces, a radius, and a center;said upper surface of said spinning plate having a plurality of radial fins extending radically outward from said spinning plate center, each of said radial fins having a radially outward edge such that a radial length of said radial fin is defined between the center of the spinning plate and said radially outward edge, wherein the radius of the spinning plate is substantially greater than the length of the radial fins such that the spinning plate extends beyond the radial fins to thereby direct material flowing off of said radial fins in a radially outward direction while minimizing downward travel by the material, wherein the radial length of each of said radial fins is approximately 85% of the radius of the spinning plate;an elongate spinning shaft having opposite upper and lower ends, said lower end of said spinning shaft lower end being coupled to said spinning plate, said spinning shaft being, extended substantially perpendicular from said spinning plate upper surface;an elongate mounting carriage having upper and lower ends, said spinning shaft being rotatably mounted to said mounting carriage to permit rotation of said spinning shaft about its longitudinal axis;rotation means for rotating said spinning shaft about its longitudinal axis, said rotation means including a motor and an actuator, said motor being mounting to said mounting carriage, said motor being positioned towards said upper end of said mounting carriage away from said spinning plate such that said motor is spaced from tile location of material distribution from the upper surface of tile spinning plate, said motor engaging said upper end of said spinning shaft, said motor rotating said spinning shaft when actuated, said actuator being located towards said upper end of said mounting carriage for permitting said actuator to be raised above a mouth of a hole for actuation without raising said spinning plate above the mouth of the hole, said actuator being operational coupled to said motor to selectively actuate said motor;an elongate flexible member being extended from said tipper end of said mounting carriage, said flexible member being for suspending said mounting carriage;a circular top plate having substantially planar upper and lower surfaces, a center opening, a feed opening, and a radius, said top plate being coupled to said mounting carriage, said top plate being positioned between said lower end of said mounting carriage and said spinning plate, the feed opening of said top plate being radially spaced from the center opening of said top plate, said top plate lower surface being positioned adjacent said radial fins, said spinning plate radius being greater than said top plate radius, wherein the spinning plate radius is approximately half of the top plate radius such that a large portion of the upper surface of the spinning plate is viewable from above the top plate; andan elongate feed tube having a hollow interior, and opposite open top and bottom ends, said feed tube bottom end being extended through said feed opening of said top plate, said open bottom end of said feed tube facing said upper surface of said spinning plate, said open top end being for connecting to a reservoir of material, said feed tube being coupled to said mounting carriage, said feed tube extending substantially parallel to said spinning shaft and substantially perpendicular to the upper surface of said spinning plate for facilitating gravity feed of a material to said spinning plate;wherein the motor of said rotating means is located above the open top end of the elongate feed tube such that any leakage of material from a connection with said open top end does not fall downward onto the motor.