Abstract:
A self-contained finish spraying apparatus that allows a user to transport the apparatus to a job site and provides the tools to conduct finish spraying regardless of the lack of necessary components at the job site, such as water and electricity, is claimed and described herein. The apparatus includes a generator, a water tank, a dry material silo, a mixer, an air compressor, and a conventional viscous sprayer. The apparatus includes all or most of these materials within security walls so that the apparatus may be left at an exterior location at a job site without risk of damage to the machinery by vandalism or theft.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to the art of spray coating a building and particularly to an exterior insulation finish system (“EIFS”) employed in residential and commercial construction projects. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Exterior insulation finish systems (“EIFS”) are commonly employed in construction projects. EIFS conventionally uses sheets of insulation material, such as polystyrene, which are mounted to the exterior surface of a building. The sheets of polystyrene are then sprayed with a base coat, which commonly consists of a cement-based material. A fiberglass mesh material is conventionally embedded in the base coat before it dries. A finish coat is then applied over the base coat. The finish coat commonly comprises a plaster-based material. The end product is a wall with an aesthetically pleasing appearance and superior insulative properties. 
     Although most commonly applied by hand, machinery is available for applying the base and finish coats. Most commonly, these machines comprise a dual-hose/single nozzle apparatus such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,096 to Stenge, et al. The machinery comprises an air compressor connected to a nozzle by an air tube, and a pump connected to the same nozzle by a tube through which viscous material is forced. The compressed air atomizes the viscous material and directs the viscous material toward the subject surface. 
     Similarly, EIFS application machinery is manufactured by STO® which incorporates not only the pump/air compressor/nozzle arrangement, but also includes a mixing silo and an electrical generator, as well. The inclusion of these machines with the conventional spraying apparatus allows a user to transport the apparatus to a remote site and employ EIFS at that remote site. 
     Transportable EIFS application machinery is not without problems, however. Often, on remote sites, an inadequate water supply exists for the preparation of the base coat, the creation of which commonly requires the mixing of dry material with water. Additionally, water that may be available at the site may not be of an appropriate temperature to provide optimal application. Ideally, the water used in the base coat material should be between 60 degrees Fahrenheit and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Water that is pumped directly from under ground may be below this temperature range. Water that is pumped above ground, in hoses or the like, may become too warm for proper mixing, application, and adhesion. 
     Additionally, no EIFS application apparatus exists which may be left at a job site for more than a working day. This is due to lack of incorporation of security measures on available machines. Further, no EIFS apparatus is available which allows more than one sprayer to be used at a time. Finally, no existing machine allows base coat and a finish coat to be sprayed simultaneously. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Described is a self-contained finish spraying apparatus that allows a user to transport the apparatus to a job site and provides the tools to conduct finish spraying regardless of the lack of necessary components at the job site, such as water and electricity. The apparatus includes a generator, a water tank, a dry material silo, a mixer, an air compressor, and a conventional viscous sprayer. The invention includes all or most of these materials within security walls so that the apparatus may be left at an exterior location at a job site without risk of damage to the machinery by vandalism or theft. 
     It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a self-contained finish spraying apparatus that allows a user to transport the apparatus to a remote job site and leave the apparatus at the job site for an extended period of time. 
     Yet another object of the invention is to provide a self-contained finish spraying apparatus that provides uniform mixing and spraying results. 
     Still another object of this invention is to provide a finish spraying apparatus that may be used by more than one operator at a time. 
     Still another object of the invention is to provide a self-contained finish spraying apparatus that allows for the application of base coat material and finish coat material simultaneously. 
     These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the apparatus. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the apparatus. 
     FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the hopper and slurry pump configuration. 
     FIG. 4 is a right side elevational view of the dual hopper configuration with a level sensor. 
     FIG. 5 is a left side elevational view of the dual hopper configuration with the level sensor removed. 
     FIG. 6 is a top view of the dual hopper configuration. 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the apparatus with the security walls removed. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     EIFS base and finish coatings are commonly applied by hand. The introduction of spraying materials has only been introduced recently. The subject apparatus comprises spraying technology and additional features that will allow the apparatus to be self-contained, easy transportable, and secure. 
     The apparatus is shown generally at  10 . The apparatus  10  is constructed on a frame  12  that supports the several components of the apparatus  10 . Ideally, the frame  12  will include wheels  14  and a tongue  16  so that the apparatus  10  may be employed as a trailer. 
     The apparatus  10  includes a generator  18  for the provision of electrical power to various components. The generator  18  is preferably a 25 kw generator and capable of generating three-phase power. The generator  18  may also include an oversized fuel tank  20 . The larger fuel tank will allow the generator to run for several days without refueling, obviating the need to remove the apparatus  10  from a job site. The apparatus  10  also includes a water tank  22 . Preferably, the water tank  22  is insulated to maintain the temperature of the water therein between 60° F. and 75° F. Both the oversized fuel tank  20  and the water tank  22  may include baffles (not shown) to provide stability in the transporting of the apparatus  10  when one or both tanks are full. 
     The apparatus  10  further comprises a water pump  24 . The water pump  24  is adapted to draw water from the water tank  22  and feed it to a continuous mixer  26 . The continuous mixer  26  is also attached to a dry material silo  28 . The dry material silo is designed to hold particulate dry material and mave have an agitator (not shown) for facilitating the dispensation of the dry material. 
     The continuous mixer  26  is adapted to mix precise amounts of dry material from the dry material silo  28  and water from the water pump  24  to create a slurry. The slurry is discharged from the continuous mixer  26  through a discharge end  30  and into a hopper  32 . 
     The hopper  32  includes a level sensor  34 , which is connected to the continuous mixer  26 . The level sensor  34  is adapted to shut down the continuous mixer  26  and cease production of the slurry when the hopper  32  is filled to a predetermined level. When that level falls, the level sensor  34  is adapted to activate the continuous mixer  26  and resume the production of the slurry. The hopper  32  may also include a paddle, such as first paddle  62 , or other mechanism to prevent the setting of the slurry within the hopper  32 . 
     A slurry pump  38  is also connected to the hopper  32  and adapted to draw the slurry from the hopper  32  and into a slurry hose  40 . The slurry pump  38  preferably comprises a standard rotor and stator design and runs on three-phase power provided by the generator  18 . Likewise, the continuous mixer  26  also operates on three-phase power provided by the generator  18 . 
     The apparatus  10  also includes an air compressor  42 . The air compressor  42  may be individually gasoline powered, but is preferably operated by electricity provided by the generator  18 . The air compressor  42  will commonly include an air tank  44  and will supply compressed air to an air hose  46 . The slurry hose  40  and air hose  46  are connected to a conventional spray nozzle  48 , adapted for combining the slurry and the compressed air so that the slurry is atomized and sprayed on the subject surface. 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus  10  further includes several security walls  50 . The security walls  50  should, ideally, allow visual inspection of the machinery therein, but prevent access to many, if not all, the components of the apparatus  10  by unauthorized persons. Expanded metal mesh or chain link material would be suitable for this purpose. The apparatus  10  should also include a silo lid  52  to prevent the introduction of water into the dry material silo  28 . The silo lid  52  should be, like the security walls  50 , capable of being secured in place and immovable by unauthorized individuals. The apparatus  10  may also include decks  54  on either side of the dry material silo  28 . The decks may be used for storage of bags of dry material and for access to the upper opening of the dry material silo  28 . Although it is contemplated that the dry material may be loaded into the silo by forklift, the decks  54  allow the manual introduction of dry material. The decks  54 , which may or may not include the additional steps shown, also provide stability to the dry material silo  28  when the apparatus  10  is being transported. 
     In another embodiment of the apparatus  10 , a dual hopper  56  replaces the hopper  32 . The dual hopper  56  is capable of supporting a first slurry pump  58  and a second slurry pump  60 . The hopper  56  also may be adapted to house a first paddle  62  and a second paddle  64  to prevent the setting of the slurry within the dual hopper  56 . The dual hopper  56  allows for two operators to spray material through first and second spray nozzles (not shown) simultaneously. 
     The dual hopper  56  may also be adapted to allow two operators to spray different materials from the first and second spray nozzles (not shown) simultaneously. Dual hopper  56  may include one or more removable interior walls  66 . The removable interior walls  66  define a first separate hopper chamber  68  and a second hopper chamber  70 . The removable interior walls  66  will also define a void hopper chamber  72 . The void hopper chamber  72  will be difined, in part, by the floor of the dual hopper  56 , which should also contain a channel  74  that runs from one side of the void hopper chamber  72  to the other. The channel  74  should also include a drain  76 , that may be closed selectively, for the removal of material that leaks into the void hopper chamber  72  from either the first hopper chamber  68  or the second hopper chamber  70 . The above-described configuration prevents the commingling of materials within the first hopper chamber  68  and second hopper chamber  70 . When the dual hopper  56  is to be used as a hopper for only one material, without the removable side walls  66 , the drain  76  should be closed. 
     Additional features may be incorporated in the apparatus  10 . Remote shut-off switches (not shown) should be available to operators. Such remote shut-off switches (not shown) would allow an operator to shut off the machinery from a remote location, such as the location where the conventional spray nozzle  48  is being employed. Additionally, the continuous mixer discharge end  30  should feed into the first hopper chamber  68 . It is contemplated that the finish coat will be supplied to the second hopper chamber  70 . The finish coat material conventionally comes premixed in barrels, obviating the need for a second continuous mixer assembly. Thus it can be seen that the objects of the invention have been met.