Patent ID: 8439281

Claim:
A modular coatings sprayer configured for applying pressurized fluid coatings to a surface and comprising: a valve housing having (a) a front end in which there is defined a nozzle orifice, (b) a rear end opposite the front end and through which there is defined a valve-shaft bore for supporting a valve shaft, (c) a housing side wall extending between the front and rear ends and defining an internal fluid passage, and (d) a fluid-supply opening in the housing side wall through which pressurized fluid can be introduced into the internal fluid passage; a valve having an elongated valve shaft with a back end and a nozzle-closing front end opposite the back end, wherein (i) the valve shaft extends along a valve-shaft axis and is sealably supported within the valve-shaft bore for fluid-tight axial reciprocation relative to the valve housing, (ii) the nozzle-closing end is situated with the internal fluid passage and the back end is situated rearwardly of the rear end of the valve housing, and (iii) the valve shaft is normally biased toward a forward, nozzle-closing position in which the nozzle-closing end seals the nozzle orifice such that pressurized fluid introduced through the fluid-supply opening into the fluid passage is prevented from exiting through the nozzle orifice; and a valve-actuating assembly configured for selective cooperative coupling to, and separation from, the valve housing, and comprising: a body; and a lever mounted, relative to the body, for pivotable movement and lineal displacement between operative and non-operative lineal positions, and including a valve-engaging surface that, when in an operative position, selectively engages a portion of the valve shaft external to the valve housing such that (i) when the lever is pivoted in a first direction, the valve shaft is displaced rearwardly in order to open the nozzle orifice and (ii) when the lever is pivoted in a second direction, opposite the first direction, the valve shaft is displaced forwardly toward the nozzle-closing position.