APPARATUS FOR MIXING AND SPRAYING SEVERAL COLOURING MATERIALS

Abstract: Apparatus for spraying and mixing fluid materials especially colouring materials, comprising a casing (1) with a number of connections for different fluid materials, a connection for pressurized air (2) or the like and a corresponding number of nozzles for the materials to be sprayed. The openings of said nozzles are controlled by operating (10; 26) and regulating (15; 22) means. The secondary air can be adjusted by means of a rotatable slotted-disc (32).

Description: Apparatus for mixing and spraying several colouring materials. The invention relates to an apparatus for spraying a fluid material especially a colouring material, consisting of a hand oper¬ ated casing comprising at least one connection or holder for a fluid material, a controllable connection for pressurized air or something like it, at least one output nozzle for the material to be sprayed, of which nozzle the opening can be controlled by a movable valve means such as a needle, at least one supply channel for the material to be sprayed extending between the connection or holder and said nozzle, one or more channels for supplying air or something like it from the connection to said output nozzle as well as a control device operating of which controls both the supply of air or something like it as well as the opening of said nozzle. Such an apparatus is known as a so called air brush and is fre¬ quently used in the reprographical industry, in which often retouch- ing operations have to be carried out and multicolour illustrations have to be prepared. The known apparatus comprises one holder for colouring material storing a colouring material or ink of a predetermined colour. Changing colours requires the cleaning of the precision parts of the apparatus and filling of the reservoir with a different colouring material. It is also possible to use a large number of identical ap¬ paratuses, each filled with a different colouring material. However, that requires a large investment in apparatusses and a large stock of colouring material or ink in different colours. If a certain colour is obtained by mixing then it is in practice impossible to reproduce lateron exactly the same mixed colour. An object of the invention is now to provide an apparatus having OMPI the possibility to produce all desired colours and colour gradations and also having the possibility to change colours during the spraying process. This object is according to the invention fulfilled in that the apparatus comprises more than two connections or holders for a number of fluid materials, as well as a corresponding number of output nozzles, valve means and supply channels for the materials to be sprayed, whereby the output nozzle openings are arranged into the same front surface of the apparatus such that the egressing jets will mix and means are present to continuously adjust the positions of the valve means independently of each other in relation to the corres¬ ponding nozzles both before as well as during the spraying operation. If for instance four holders for four cartridges are installed into the apparatus according to the invention then three of them can contain primary colours and the fourth can be filled with white or black colouring material. In that way it is possible to form any other colour and any colour gradations using only one apparatus with only four colouring material or ink supplies. Alternatively one can use three or more than four holders or connections. In stead of holders the apparatus can be connected to stationary installed larger containers for colouring material or ink, connected to said apparatus by means of three or four conduits. Using said control device a pre-adjustraent can be realized, in other words the valve means will only move to their aimed positions in relation to the output nozzles during the spraying process so that the passages of the output nozzles during the spraying process are mutually different and in this way the aimed mixing ratio can be obtained. One has however still the possibility to change the mixing ratio during the spraying process. O PI During pre-adjusting the valve means said valve means do not move in relation to each other and in relation to the corresponding output nozzles which are maintained therefore in the closed condition. It is remarked that the German Offenlegungsschrift 2.412.674 describes an apparatus with two holders and two valve means. Said apparatus is destined for a binary paint of which the mixing ratio can only be adjusted after dissembling the apparatus. The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing into which: Fig. 1 is an elongational cross section and Fig. 2 is an upper view of a first embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, Fig'. 3 is a side view, partly in cross section, of a second era- bodintent of the invention, Fig. 4 is a schematical detailed cross section in upper view of the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 3, Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the mouth piece of the apparatus according to the invention, comprising three needles and means for supplying secundary air, Fig. 6 is a perspective view into which several components of the mouth piece are illustrated, and Fig. 7 illustrates graphically the influence of the secundary air in the apparatus according to the invention. First of all the apparatus illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 will be discussed. Said apparatus comprises an elongated casing 1 with an air supply connection 2 and mouth piece 3. The upper surface of the casing 1 is embodied such that for instance four ink or dye material containing reservoirs can be con- nected thereto or installed thereon. These reservoirs are indicated by 4, 5, 6 and 7. In Figs. 1 and 2 said reservoirs 4 - 7 are indicated in the form of dispensable or refillable cartridges. However, it is also possible to connect the casing 1 through not illustrated conduits to large reservoirs at a fixed position. Furthermore the reservoirs can be contained within the apparatus itself, as is indicated in Fig. 3 by the reference numbers 4* and 5 ' , and said reservoirs can be closed by caps 5". Said four reservoirs 4 until 7 have to be filled with three primary colours and for instance black or white colouring material. Axially movable valve means in the form of needles 8 are instal¬ led within the casing 1, and the number of needdles corresponds to the number of reservoirs. Furthermore the casing 1 comprises in this case four supply channels for supplying colouring material, which channels are extending to the output nozzles in the mouth piece 3. The openings of these output nozzles in the mouth piece can be closed by the needles 8. By pressing a control device such as the knob 10 the air supply through the conduit 2 is enabled, so that air flows through the channels 11 to the mouth piece 3 and creates an underpressure near the output nozzle openings resulting in a known way into the spraying of the colouring material or ink. With the exception of the use of a number of reservoirs contain- ing colouring material or ink, the apparatus as described until now is conventional and is commercially available as a so called air brush for painting, retouching, advertising activities etc. According to the invention the knob 10 used for opening the air channel, has a second function, which is displacing the cylinder 12, which is rotatably beared into the housing 1, over a predetermined OMPI . ' ' IPO " angle. This is realized by moving the knob 10 backwards whereby because of the cooperation between a connecting rod 13 and a sloping groove into said cylinder the cylinder 12 will rotate over a pre¬ determined angle. During the rotation of said cylinder 12 the needles 8 are displaced in relation to the output nozzles. Only because of this needle displacement the output nozzles are opened for egressing the dye stuff or other colouring material. The amount of egressing material is dependent onto the position of the needle in relation to the corresponding seat in said nozzle. According to the invention said positions can be adjusted in this apparatus, both before the spraying process is started as well as during the spraying process. In this way it is possible to obtain any desired colour and any colour gradation. The mutual pre-adjustment of the needles 8 is carried out by means of four adjusting cams 15 in this example, each of which is rotatable around a radial axis 15a connected to the outer surface of the cylinder 12. The end of each needle 8 opposite the output nozzle opening comprises a transversal section 16 for instance in the form of a hooked end part. For each reservoir 4 - 7 and for each needle 8 the apparatus comprises a dosing control means consisting of an adjusting shaft 17, rotatably supported into the casing 1, which sha t can be rotated in relation to the casing 1 by means of a knob 18. An indicator 19, for instance a pointer, is for instance screwed unto said adjusting shaft 17 and said pointer is displaced along a scale 20 into the casing 1 by rotating the shaft 17. The left end of each shaft 17 cooperates with one end of the corresponding adjusting cam 15 for instance by means of a screwed joint. O PI ^z° * By turning the adjusting shaft 17 using the knob 18 the angular position of the corresponding adjusting cam 15 in relation to the cylinder 12 is changed without changing thereby the position of the needle 8 in relation to the output nozzle openings. By means of the four knobs 18 and the indication means 19, 20 any desired mixing ratio between the four colouring materials can be pre-a usted. Only after operating the apparatus according to the invention, in the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2 by pressing the knob 10 and moving said knob backwards whereby both the air supply through the channel 2 is enabled as well as the cylinder 12 rotated, the needles 8 are moved away from the corresponding output nozzle openings, whereby the distances over which they will move are dependent onto the angular positions of the corresponding adjusting cams 15. The obtained dye stuff spray or ink spray is therefore composed out of four jets of different colours. It is of course also possible to fill two reservoirs with a material of the same colour, in case for instance said colour has to be strongly dominating. Only after egressing out of the four nozzle openings the mixing is realized whereby the dosage is accurately pre-adjusted. It is remarked that said dosage can be changed during the spraying process by turning one or more of the adjusting shafts 17 by means of the knobs 18. The embodiment according to Figs. 3 and 4 corresponds in principle to the embodiment according to Figs. 1 and 2. In stead of the knob 10 now a pivotable trigger 26 is used oper¬ ating a yoke 21 which can be moved upwards and downwards in the plane of the drawing transverse to the longitudinal dimension of the housing 1. y^y ^- A ( O PI \ WIPO On both vertical side surfaces of the yoke 21 rotatable discs 22 are mounted in this embodiment, each having a radial groove 23. If the apparatus is embodied with four needles 8, then each vertical surface of the yoke 21 carries two discs 22. Also in this embodiment every needle 8 comprises a transversal section 16. This transversal section 16 forms in this embodiment the transversal pin of an elongated block 24 clamped by means of a not illustrated clamping device to the needle 8. Because the blocks 24 together with the needles 8 has to be able to move axially, the casing 1 comprises longitudinal notches 25. The transversal sections 16 are each with their end inserted into the corresponding groove 23 of the disc 22, especially to the center thereof in case the yoke 21 is in the not activated position illustrated in Fig. 3. The circumference of each disc 22 is toothed and cooperates with a worm section 17a of the adjusting shaft 17. Rotation of one or more of said adjusting shafts 17 results into rotation of the corresponding disc 22 without changing the position of the corresponding needle 8. Only after moving the yoke 21 and enabling the air supply by means of the trigger 26 the transversal section 16 of each needle 8 moves along the corresponding transversal groove 23. Dependent onto the pre-adjusted angular position of the groove 23 said needle 8 will move over a smaller or larger distance away from the output nozzle opening. Because the yoke 21 is movable transverse to the main dimension of the housing 1 also the adjusting shafts 17 and the thereto cor¬ responding parts should be able to move over a slight distance within the casing 1. Also in this embodiment changing of the dosages before and during the spraying process is possible. In Figs. 5 - 7 the application of a secondary air supply is il¬ lustrated. The primary air supply, realized through the channels 11, functions for spraying the colouring materials supplied through the respective channels 9; the secondary air stream is supplied through channels 31 and can be adjusted and controlled such that thereby both the mixing process as well as the spraying pattern can be influenced. The use of both primary as well as secondary air streams in dye stuffs spraying apparatusses is known. The special charactistic of the underlaying invention is, that the air channels 31 for the secondary air stream are interrupted by a flat annular disc 32, il¬ lustrated separately in Fig.6. Said annular disc 32 comprises two slot shaped openings 33, of which the width decreases in the direction of the ends thereof and of which the largest width is equal to the diameter of the air channel 31. The annular disc 32 comprises an extending part 32' fitting into an adjusting ring 34. Said adjusting ring 34 comprises two loose threaded inner rings 35, which can move freely in relation to said adjustment ring 34 and are functioning for securing the mouth piece 3 to the apparatus. Said slot shaped openings 33 into the disc 32 are oppositely positioned in such a way, that the left hand air stream is maximum in case the right hand air stream is almost completely cut off and vice versa. Turning the adjusting ring 34 from the left hand to the right hand side will decrease the air stream through the left hand channel 31 and will increase the air stream through the right hand channel 31 until - at the point R in the graphical representation in Fig. 7, the air stream in the right hand channel is at a maximum and the air stream through the left hand channel is reduced to zero. OMPI . wσo Turning the adjusting ring 34 further to the right will result into decreasing the air stream through the right hand channel. It appears furthermore from Fig. 7 that the air streams through the left and right hand channel are of equal strength when the adjusting ring 34 is turned to the central position 36. By means of this technic it is now possible to influence and control both the mixing process as well as the spraying pattern. The graphical representation of Fig. 7 is made visible onto the mouth piece 3 of the apparatus whereby an indicating arrow 37 mounted onto the adjusting ring 34 indicates the relative and absolute strength of the secondary air streams. The upper view of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 2 comprises for the embodiment with four needles a platform onto which replaceble cartridges with the desired primary colours can be placed. For an efficient use of the colouring materials it will be desired in certain cases to apply cartridges which are destined for one time use, whereas in other cases refillable cartridges are preferred.

Claims: CLAIMS. 1. pparatus for spraying a fluid material especially a colouring material, consisting of a hand operated casing comprising at least one connection or holder for a fluid material, a controllable con- nection for pressurized air or something like it, at least one output nozzle for the material to be sprayed, of which nozzle the opening can be controlled by a movable valve means such as a needle, at least one supply channel for the material to be sprayed extending between the connection or holder and said nozzle, one or more channels for supplying air or something like it from the connection to said output nozzle as well as a control device operating of which controls both the supply of air or something like it as well as the opening of said nozzle, characterized in that the apparatus comprises more than two connections or holders for a number of fluid materials, as well as a corresponding number of output nozzles, valve means and supply channels for the materials to be sprayed, whereby the output nozzle openings are arranged into the same front surface of the apparatus such that the egressing jets will mix and means are present to con¬ tinuously adjust the positions of the valve means independently of each other in relation to the corresponding nozzles both before as well as during the spraying operation. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the preadjustment of the valve means becomes only effective when operating the control device for enabling the supply of pressurized air or something like it. 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a body is movably positioned within the casing, which body is moved by operating the control device and which body comprises adjusting means which can be operated from the outside, one for each valve means, said adjusting means cooperating with the valve means such that the ' aimed position of each valve means in relation to the corresponding output nozzle opening is obtained only if said body is moved. 4. pparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that said mentioned number of adjusting means can also be operated when said body is moved. 5. Apparatus according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that, the body comprises a yoke, which in general is movable in relation to the casing transverse to the main dimension of the ap¬ paratus, which yoke comprises at some of its outer surfaces for each valve means a disc or something like it, adjustable by rotation, each with a guiding surface for a pin or something similar, connected to the valve means, which pin or something similar is, if said body is not moved, positioned into the center of the guiding surface coinciding with the rotational axis of said disc or something similar. 6. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the guiding surface is formed by a radial groove into said disc or something similar. 7. Apparatus according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that, the body comprises a cylinder which can be rotated within the casing, which cylinder comprises adjustable rocking cams one for each valve means for cooperating with said valve means when the cylinder is rotated by operating the control device. 8. Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adjusting means, such as the discs or rocking cams, can be adjusted by means of adjusting shafts which are positioned rotatably in said casing, and rotation of which results into a dislocation of the adjusting means. 9. Apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the adjusting shafts contain each a movable indication device cooperating O PI ^NAΎ\ with a scale division onto the casing to indicate the adjusted dosage. 10. Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that means are present for supplying secundary preε- surized air or other gas to channels in the mouth piece, which means are formed and shaped such that the egressing air jets are adjustable in place and intensity. 11. Apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that inside the mouth piece a rotatable disc is positioned comprising profile grooves for throttling the fixed secundary air channels. O PI

Inventors: RIJLAARSDAM CORNELIS ELISABETH, RIJLAARSDAM, CORNELIS, ELISABETH
Applicants: RIJLAARSDAM CORNELIS ELISABETH, RIJLAARSDAM, CORNELIS, ELISABETH
Application year: 1983
Main classification: B05B7
IPC codes: B05B7, B43K8