FR2679469A1 - Machine for automatically washing painting materials - Google Patents

Abstract

<P> The invention relates to an automatic washing device for painting equipment such as guns, buckets or the like, the control circuit of which is pneumatic and the loading basket of which is fitted with vanes rotated 9, 11 when from the start, by an air jet, and during operation, by a solvent jet. <BR/> The invention interests painters in all fields of application: building, automobile, etc. </P>

Description

 The present invention relates to an apparatus for automatic washing of painting equipment such as guns, buckets, etc., by spraying a solvent onto the equipment.

 Such devices are generally in the form of a tray mounted on optional feet and rollers, closed on top by a cover, and containing a circular loading basket where the parts to be washed are placed. A system of perforated spraying ramps is provided which direct towards the rooms, jets of solvent sucked in from the bottom of the tank by a pump. In addition, the basket is rotatably mounted on its central axis and it rotates during the washing operation.

 These devices have drawbacks in terms of operating reliability and user safety, and in particular: - risk of explosion due to solvent vapors and the use of electric motors. This disadvantage is generally remedied by an explosion-proof motor but which raises the price of the device and still does not bring it up to the safety standards in force in most European countries; - risk of sprinkling of the user when the lid is opened, in fact the stop of the basket and the ramps is not instantaneous; - too much inertia of the loaded basket, which, on the one hand, obliges the user to give a manual start impulse, and, on the other hand, does not guarantee 100% rotation during washing after closing the lid .

 The object of the present invention is to overcome at least the above-mentioned drawbacks.

 To this end, the general inventive idea consists, on the one hand, of using only pneumatic components and eliminating any risk of electric spark, on the other hand, of equipping the periphery of the basket with external radial fins on which we create a tangential driving force.

 Another inventive idea consists in creating two parallel pneumatic circuits, one to control the starting of the basket, the other to maintain its rotation by creating and directing a tangential force on the fins.

 According to the preferred form of the invention described below, the radial fins are combined with fins conforming to the periphery of the basket to channel the impact of the jet engine.

 Another inventive idea consists in controlling the whole of the device by mechanical actions of the cover of the device.

 The invention will be better understood using the following description made with reference to the following appended figures: - Figure 1: perspective view of the device; - Figure 2: detail of the right side of the device; - Figure 3: detail of the left side of the device; - Figure 4 and 5: half top view and half front view of the basket; - Figure 6: flat view of the fin belt before folding the fins; - Figure 7: top view of the fin belt after folding the fins; Figure 8, 9, 10: front views of the lower ramp, the side ramp, the upper ramp; - Figure 11, 12: details of the spray and start holes; - Figure 13: vertical section of the tank.

 The non-limiting embodiment shown in the figures is in the form of a rectangular tank 1 mounted on 4 removable feet fitted with optional casters. The upper face forms the cover 2 and controls the starting and stopping of the washing device.

 The interior of the tank 1 contains a basket 3 made of galvanized steel mesh, with a circular base rotatably mounted on a vertical central axis 4. The bearing which carries this central axis is removable to facilitate its replacement.

 A feature of the invention resides in the belt 5 of the basket. The belt is made from a strip of stainless steel sheet, cut into slots as shown in Figure 6.

 The belt has an uncut lower strip 6, which will be used for fixing it to the basket, and an alternation of slots 7 and rectangular cutouts 8 with axes parallel to one another. Each slot 7 comprises a left part 9 separated from the lower strip 6 by a cutout or folding slot 10, parallel to the strip axis, and a right part 11 secured to said strip 6.

 After cutting, the left parts 9 of the slots are folded at 900 as shown in Figure 7, and the belt is rounded and spot welded to the periphery of the basket, and to its base. The basket is thus equipped in its lower peripheral part, with a series of pairs of fins 9, 11 whose driving function will be detailed later, and one of which 11 follows the rounding of the basket and the other 9 directs radially outwards from the basket (Figures 4, 5).

 Another originality of the invention resides in the spraying ramps, two of which are horizontal joined by a third vertical ramp, and which communicate with each other by their internal duct.

The ramps are covered, as well as their fittings such as 12, with electro-galvanized protection.

 The horizontal lower ramp 13 (see FIG. 8) is a tube comprising on the top a plurality of spray holes 14, for example three, aligned according to a generatrix of the tube which is positioned, relative to the tank, substantially according to a half - diagonal and under the basket.

 The lower ramp guides the solvent from the lower connector 12 on which it is fitted, and projects it upwards through the spray holes 14 (see FIG. 13).

 The vertical lateral ramp 15 comprises on the one hand a plurality of spray holes 14, for example three, aligned along a generatrix of the tube.

 the two aforementioned pipes are positioned so that the two spray generators are substantially in the same vertical plane.

 On the other hand, the lateral ramp 15 has, in its lower part, an additional hole, or drive hole 16, located at the level of the belt 5 of the basket and it is offset with respect to the spraying generator of about 450 so as to orient the solvent jet on the pairs of fins on the belt.

 The horizontal upper ramp 17 is arranged parallel to the rear face of the tank for better accessibility of the basket and better storage of parts to be cleaned, it occupies substantially the length of the rear face and its spray holes 14 direct the solvent, slightly inclined, on the rear half of the volume of the tank and basket.

 All the spray holes 14 are chamfered at the outlet to spray the solvent, while the drive hole 16 does not have a chamfer to concentrate the solvent in a more powerful jet.

 A pneumatically controlled pump 18 is placed in the bottom of the tank and immersed in the solvent, the lower tube not being immersed.

 The pump control circuit is entirely pneumatic, it includes an on-off distributor 19 upstream of the pump connected to the pump by a flexible pipe 20 visible in FIG. 14, itself connected to the lower connector 12 by another flexible hose 21.

 This distributor is fixed to the outside, on a lateral face, at a greater angle in the vicinity of the axis 22 of rotation of the cover 2.

 This distributor 19 comprises a vertical control finger 23 which is pressed in, when the cover is closed by a screw, adjustable 24 in length, carried by a support 25 secured to one end of the axis of rotation of the cover. When the cover is opened, the finger 23 is released and automatically rises to the high position.

 In addition, this control finger is surrounded by a protective sleeve 26 whose upper plane is placed above the high position of the control finger so as to prevent any manual control.

 On the other side face of the tank, a pneumatic channel selection distributor 27 is provided, the inlet of which is connected to a connector 28 fixed on the side face of the tank on which the pipe 29 for supplying compressed air is fitted. .

 The selection distributor 27 has two outputs, one of which is connected to the on-off distributor 19 to supply the pump by a flexible tube 30 passing inside the tank.

 The other outlet is connected by another flexible tube 31, also passing inside the tank, to a starting nozzle 32 placed at the level of the belt and the drive hole 16, and directed substantially tangentially to the basket 3 of so as to be able to direct an air jet on the radial fins 9.

 The selection of the outlet taken by the compressed air is carried out by a pivoting lever 33 on the top of the selection distributor 27. This pivoting lever is vertical in the position of rest and opening of the cover and controls the supply path of pump 18.

 Provision is made to control the movement of the lever 33 by a cam 34 fixed on a cam support 35 secured to one end of the axis of rotation of the cover, the end opposite to that which carries the adjustable screw.

 The control cam is symmetrical and has a sector 36 in a circular arc movable at an angle of 900 from a high position when the cover is open, to a low position when the cover is closed.

 The cam and selector distributor supports comprise means for adjusting the relative camelevier position.

 During the descent of the cover, the right half sector actuates the lever which selects the feed path of the starting nozzle 32.

 The belt receives on at least one of its fins a sufficient impulse to overcome the inertia at the level of the bearing and the rotation of the basket begins.

 The movement of the cover continues and the second half of the sector 36 of the cam disengages completely from the lever which automatically returns to its rest position to cut off the supply to the starter nozzle and supply the pump as soon as the adjustable screw 24 has been pressed. the control finger 23.

 The solvent jet leaving the drive hole 16 maintains the movement of the basket.

 Experience shows, due to the nature of the solvent and its low density, that two perpendicular fins 9, 1 1 are necessary to concentrate or channel the solvent jet and obtain a sufficient driving force to maintain the rotation of the basket.

 Simultaneously the spray bars fill with solvent and spray the rear half of the tank as shown in Figure 14.

 As soon as the cover is lifted, the pump stops and spraying stops, preventing solvent splashes on the operator and the environment.

 The starter nozzle is no longer supplied because the lever 33 of the distributor is retractable.

 Furthermore, provision is also made at the bottom of the tank for means for draining and recovering the decanted solvent.

 In addition, there is provided a valve 36 for closing / opening the circuit between the connector 28 for supplying compressed air and the selection distributor as well as a pressure limiting valve at the maximum value, for example 5 bars, supported. by the pump and authorized by standards.

 For the pneumatic supply of the connector 28, an antistatic conduit 29 is used to avoid any electrical charge on the device.

 The advantages and qualities of the device are numerous, in particular: - reliability of starting - reliability of rotation during closing of the cover - saving of solvent - safety by absence of spraying of the user - safety by absence of electric sparks - safety thanks to the mechanical controls of the distributors.

 Of course, the design of the fins, of the belt of the cam and those of the other elements may be different from those described while fulfilling the same technical functions.

Claims (7)

 1. Washing appliance for painting equipment such as spray guns, buckets or the like, by spraying a solvent product onto the equipment loaded in a basket rotating in tank 1 of the appliance and passing under spray jets of solvent, characterized in that the solvent pump 18 and the control circuit of the apparatus are pneumatic and in that the rotating basket 3 is equipped with drive means formed by the combination of radial fins and a jet drive produced by the pneumatic circuit of the device and suitably directed on the fins.

 2. Washing device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises a drive nozzle 32 at the waist and directing an air jet tangentially to the basket.

 3. Washing device according to claim 1, characterized in that one of the spraying ramps has a non-chamfered drive hole at the waist and directing a jet of solvent on the fins.

 4. Washing apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a cam 34 actuated by the cover to control the selection distributor which exclusively supplies either the pump circuit or the starting circuit.

 5. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises an adjustable screw 24 secured to the cover for controlling the start and stop of the pump.

 6. Apparatus according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the control member of the distributor is protected by a sleeve.

 7. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the radial fins of the basket are integral with an attached belt and associated with peripheral fins to form with them pairs of perpendicular fins.