Patent ID: 8510968

Claim:
A turbine for use in a spray system for coating an article of manufacture, the turbine comprising: (a) an air inlet, an air outlet, a cover, and a compressor, the compressor including: (1) at least four compression stages, a final stage, and a rotatable drive shaft, each compression stage including a rotor and a stator juxtaposed each other, and the final stage including a stationary final stator; (2) each of the rotors, stators, and the final stator are substantially circular and planar and include an upper plate, a lower plate, and a plurality of fins disposed therebetween, each rotor being connected to and rotatably driven by the drive shaft, and each stator being stationary; (3) the drive shaft being rotatably secured in position by an upper and a lower bearing assembly, the upper and lower bearing assemblies being located at respective ends of the drive shaft, the upper bearing assembly including a bronze bearing ring which tightly engages the drive shaft; and (b) the cover being secured atop the turbine and over the air inlet, the cover including a plurality of air intake ports and a filter media positioned over the air intake ports to filter exterior air before the air enters the compressor via the air inlet.