Patent GB-827653-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in spraying machines
IPC: B05B3/02
Filed: 1956-02-02
Abstract: In a machine for spraying fluids of the type comprising a rotary brush, the tips of which sweep through fluid in a container, means for feeding the fluid to the brush, and a plate or member arranged in the path of the brush so that the bristles of the brush are deflected and released to flick the material from the bristles of the brush as the brush rotates, the container through which the bristles of the rotary brush revolve has an inclined portion of the width of the brush, down which the liquid is fed into a well of the container, characterized in that the end of a conduit supplying material from the main reservoir is moved backwards and forwards across the inclined portion to give an even feed to the well along the length of the brush.  As shown, coating material, e.g. a glaze, from hopper 5 passes through regulable valve 6, funnel 30 and pipe 22 to pan 20. Pipe 22 is pivotally mounted, being engaged by bracket 24 on arm 25 on spindle 23.  A rod 26 is pivoted to the upper end of arm 25 and is oscillated from side to side by mechanism mounted eccentrically and adjustably on pulley 3, whereby the pipe 22 is made to swing across the width of the pan 20.  Mounted on the same shaft as pulley 3 and rotated thereby is a brush 1, the bristles 2 of which dip into the coating material in the pan.  A plate 9 is adjustably mounted so that as the brush rotates its bristles are flexed backwards and suddenly released to fling the material from the brush in the form of a spray 10 which falls on to tiles 13 carried by a travelling band conveyer 12 under the sprayer.  Grit from a second hopper 37 passes through the neck 38 on to the tray 31, the rear end of which is mounted on an eccentric bearing 34 driven by the pulley 36 from the same motor 4 as pulley 3.  This causes the tray to vibrate and the grit to move down it towards and over the fore end thereof which rests on a cushioned boss 32.  The rate of discharge can be varied by varying the inclination of the tray by means of a crank lever and handle 40. According to the first Provisional Specification, material in a fluid or in a powdered or granular form is applied to a rotary brush and the bristles, as the brush revolves, are flexed and released to flick the material from the brush in the form of a spray on to the surface to be coated or treated.  The material to be sprayed may be fed at a controlled rate by gravity to the periphery of the brush.  The hopper may be closed by a valve comprising a stationary half-cylinder closing the bottom of the hopper and a rotary half-cylinder, each half-cylinder having a longitudinal slit, which <PICT:0827653/III/1> <PICT:0827653/III/2> provide a variable width of opening or a closure.  The material may be fed direct to the brush or may be transferred to it by means of a roller or rollers having contact with the bristles. The flicker plate may be at an acute angle to the approaching periphery of the brush.  A gang of three sprayers may be provided to spray successively ceramic, sand and grit.  A removable stopper may be provided at the bottom of the casing surrounding the brush for drainage.  The brush may be made removable for cleaning purposes by forming its spindle in two halves which may be extracted from opposite sides of the machine.  According to the second Provisional Specification, a rotary member normally closing the mouth of the hopper is fed by gravity from the hopper, and the spraying brush picks up the fluid from the uncovered surface of this member. The rotary member may have longitudinal grooves in its periphery and a rubber or other closure may be arranged at the mouth of the hopper to lie over the upper portion of the cylinder and perforations in the rubber allow the fluid to flow into the grooves.