GB2086264A

GB2086264A - Metal spraying apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2086264A
Application number: GB8139701A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Metallisation Ltd
Current assignee: Metallisation Ltd
Priority date: 1978-09-14
Filing date: 1978-09-14
Publication date: 1982-05-12
Also published as: GB2086264B

Abstract

A metal spraying apparatus comprises two converging guide passages (36, 38) through which metallic wires or rods are fed, a potential difference being applied, to cause an arc to be established, and means for delivering air or other non- combustible gas to cause molten metal droplets to be carried away from the arcing zone towards the surface to which the coating of metal is to be applied, and control means which is responsive to cut off or reduction of the air to cut off the supply of electricity to the spraying device. The spraying device comprises a valve (9) which may be operated to cut off or reduce the flow of air thereby cutting off the electricity supply. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to metal spraying apparatus Description of Invention A conventional metal spraying apparatus comprises a spraying device comprising a body, feeding mechanism for simultaneously feeding two metallic wires or rods (hereinafter for convenience referred to as "wires") through two guide passages which converge forwardly in the direction of wire feed, means for connecting an electric potential across said wires to cause an arc to be established between the wires where they emerge from said guide passages so as to melt with wires, and means for feeding a stream of compressed air or other non-combustible gas (hereinafter referred to for convenience as "an air jet") relative to the wires and the arc therebetween so as to cause molten metal droplets to be carried away from the arcing zone on the air jet from the device towards a surface to which a coating of metal is to be applied. Such a spraying device is hereinafter referred to as being of the kind specified and an example of such a device is described in the Specification of our U.K.

Patent No. 1,540,810.

Conventionally, the feeding means comprises an air motor, so that, additional to the air supply needed to establish the air jet, an air supply must also be provided to drive the air motor. Further air may be utilised to establish air flow around the wires, to reduce the tendency for them to overheat whilst in the guide passages and to blow detritus from the wires.

The particle size of the atomised metal which is carried from the arcing zone, and the smoothness of the finished metallic coating, is dependent upon the rate of air flow through the arcing zone. For this reason, it is desirable to use a high air flow rate through the arcing zone, and typically an air flow rate of about 50 cu.ft. per minute is utilised.

In view of the air pressures conventionally used in factory premises and in view of the requirement to retain flexibility of the metal spraying device, particularly when in the form of a hand-held gun, it is conventional practice to utilise separate conduits, usually in the form of flexible hoses for the air jet and for the air motor, since if all the air were supplied through a single hose, problems would be caused by the size and inflexibility of the hose.

Additionally, conventionally the device is connected to a source of electricity by two insulated conductors, which conventionally are copper stranded cable having an effective crosssectional area of 70 sq.mm. capable of delivering a current of 300 amps to the device.

Thus, a conventional spraying device of the kind specified comprises six supply conduits, one being an air hose for the air jet, one being an air hose for the air motor, two wire guide sleeves for the wires themselves, and two insulated electrical conductors.

Additionally, since it is common practice to operate a metal spraying device of the kind specified some distance from the source of electric power and the source of compressed air, it is desirable to provide on the device a means by which the supply of electricity can be switched on or off, rather than requiring the operator to return to the source. This is conventionally effected by the use of a low power electric supply cable extending between the source of electricity and the spraying device, and in particular to a switch on the spraying device which an operator may use to switch the supply of electricity to the device on or off. Such control cables are additionally cumbersome, and may at times be hazardous.

Thus a metal spraying gun of the kind specified typically weighs about 14 Ibs. Further, because of the six supply conduits, it is not easy to operate such a spray gun in a manner which provides high quality metal spray finishes.

An additional difficulty which is encountered when it is necessary to use the device some distance from the supply of electricity, and some of the supply conduits being trailed across the floor. A not uncommon problem occurs when a fork lift truck or the like requires to traverse the floor area, since utilising the conventional copper stranded cable construction, the weight of a fork lift truck on these can crush the conductor causing a hot spot to develop. Thus, it is a general requirement that a fork lift truck shall not be driven across the insulated conductors, but because of the difficulty involved in adhering to this rule, it is not always observed.

It is one of the various objects of this invention to provide a metal spraying device of the kind specified in which some at least of the problems set out above are reduced.

According to this invention, there is provided apparatus for applying a coating of metal to a surface, and comprising: (a) a metal spraying device comprising a body, feeding mechanism for simultaneously feeding two metallic wires through guide passages which converge forwardly in the direction of wire feed, connecting means for connecting an electric potential across said wires to cause an arc to be established between the wires where they emerge from said guide passages so as to melt the wires, and delivery means for delivering a stream of compressed air relative to the wires and the arc therebetween so as to cause molten metal droplets to be carried away from the arcing zone on the air jet from the device towards the surface to which a coating of metal is to be applied; and (b) a supplying device, adapted to provide a supply electricity and air under pressure; wherein the spraying device is connected to the supplying device by conduits through which electric power and air under pressure are supplied to the spraying device, and wherein the supplying device comprising a control means which is responsive to a cessation or reduction in the rate of flow of air from the supplying device to the spraying device to cut off the supply of electricity to the spraying device.

Thus, should air flow from the supplying device to the spraying device be impeded, by for example a heavy weight crushing a conduit, the supply of electricity to the spraying device will be cut off.

However, should a forklift truck drive over the hose, although a momentary interruption to the air flow may be produced, because of the resilience of the conduit air flow will almost immediately be continued without any significant disturbance to the air jet, and without the requirement for the spraying device to be shut down.

Preferably the spraying device comprises a valve which may be operated to cut off or reduce the flow of air through the body, and which may be operated to cause the control means to cut off the supply of electricity to the device.

In this manner the conventional low power electricity supply cable which conventionally extends between the source of electricity and the spraying device, and which includes a switch to be operated by an operator to switch the supply of electricity to the device on or off, may be dispensed with.

The valve may be operated in consequence of operation of the feeding mechanism. Thus, where the feeding mechanism comprising an air motor, the valve may be provided by the trigger of the device which operates the air motor. Thus, when operation of the air motor terminates, the supply of electricity to the device is similarly terminated, and when the air motor is restarted, the supply of electricity to the device is re-established.

Alternatively, the valve is operative in the stream of air which establishes the air jet, and is preferably separate from the air flow to the air motor. In this manner, merely by cutting off the air jet by means of the valve, the operator may effect electrical disconnection from the electricity power source.

Advantageously the control means which is responsive to a cessation or reduction in the rate of flow of air from the supplying device to the spraying device to cut off supply of electricity is provided by a pressure switch which is responsive to an increase in air pressure at the supplying device.

Apparatus of the kind set out above is particularly useful where the metal spraying device is in the form of a hand-held gun, and is particularly advantageous in reducing the weight of the gun and increasing its flexibility. Thus whilst the invention may be used to advantage where the electricity supply and the compressed air supply are separate, the invention is particularly advantageous in apparatus in which electric current is supplied to the spraying device along conductor elements extending through the conduits through which air under pressure is fed to the spraying device.

There will now be given a detailed description, to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of a metal spraying apparatus, comprising a hand-held spraying device, which is a preferred embodiment of this invention, and which has been selected to illustrate the invention by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:: FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the preferred embodiment; FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view of the preferred embodiment taken on the longitudinal centre line thereof; FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view, taken on the line Ill-Ill of Figure 2, of part of a manifold assembly of the preferred embodiment; FIGURE 4 is a front elevation of the preferred embodiment; FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on the line V-V of Figure 3; FIGURE 6 is a plan view, part in horizontal section, of the preferred embodiment; and FIGURE 7 is an elongate view of part of Figure 6.

The preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a hand-held metal spraying gun, and is similar in certain respects to the device illustrated by way of example in the Specification of our U.K.

Patent No. 1,540,810, to which reference may be made for details of construction and operation not hereinafter given.

The metal spraying gun comprises a housing 6, a manifold assembly 8 secured to a forward end of the housing, a stem portion 14 secured to and extend forwardly from the manifold assembly, and a head 16 secured to a forward end of the stem portion 14.

The manifold assembly 8 comprises a central portion 10 of insulating material (Figure 3) and two outer, conductive portions 12 secured to the central portion 10. The spray gun also comprises two supply conduits 18, in the form of rubber hose of 3/8" diameter, each of which define an interior supply passage 20, and each of which is connected to one of the outer portions 1 2 of the manifold assembly by a screw fitting 22.

The manifold assembly 8 comprises two passages 24, each of which is in connection with one of the supply passages 20, and which extend to a cross passage 26 (see also Figure 5). A further cross passage 28 in the central portion 10 extends through the passage 26, an upper end portion extending to a transverse passage 30 (see Figure 7) and to two supplementary air passages 40 and a lower end portion extending to a fitting 31 to which a flexible conduit 32 may be connected.

The head 1 6 is mounted on the stem portion 14, the head being provided with an inlet 59 into which an end portion of the stem 1 4 is secured.

The head 16 is formed in one piece from an insulating material, preferably a ceramics material.

by a machining operation. Alternatively, however, the head may be formed from plastics material.

Extending axially through the head from the inlet 59 is an air passage 60 which constitutes delivery means, through which compressed air may be fed from an axial passage 34 of the stem.

Extending through the head, lying in axial plane thereof, are two guide passages 62, 62, said guide passages converging towards and exiting through a forwardly presented end face 58 of the head.

Extending through the housing 6, one either side of the spray gun (Figure 6) are two guide tubes 36, each defining an interior guide passage 38. At a forward end region of the spray gun, the guide tubes 36 converge, and at a point adjacent the head 16, the guide passages 38 are each in alignment with one of the guide passages 62 of the head 16.

Secured to an underside of the housing is an air motor 42 (Figures 1 and 2). In operation of the air motor initiated by a trigger lever 43, the air motor drives gear wheels 44 and 46 to axially rotate a central spindle 48. These in turn are connected to feed wheels 50 which extend through slots in the guide tubes 36, the air motor, together with the gear wheels 44 and 46, the central spindle 48 and feed wheels 50 constituting feeding mechanism of the spraying device.

In the use of the spray gun, metallising wires, in the form of elongate rods of circular cross-section, W1 and W2, are fed through the guide passages 38 in the guide tubes 36, and into the guide passages 62 of the head 1 6. By operation of the air motor 42, the feed wheels 50 grip these metallic wires, and feed them along the guide tubes 36 in the direction of forward convergence of the guide tubes and into the head.

Extending through each of the two supply conduits 18 is a conductor means in the form of a plurality of conductor rods 54 of solid, conveniently circular cross-section. In the preferred embodiment, in each supply conduit 1 8 there are seven such conductor rods, the diameter of each being 1.5 mm.

At the point where each supply conduit is connected to the manifold assembly, conductive contact is established between the conductor rods and one of the two outer conductive portions 12 of the manifold assembly. Each guide tube 36, at a point which it passes through the manifold assembly, comprises a pressure contact element 37, which is urged by a spring towards the longitudinal axis of the guide passage 38 to ensure good electrical contact with the metallising wire therein.

The ends of the supply conduits 18 remote from the metal spraying gun are connected to a supplying device of the apparatus by which the supply passages 20 are connected to a supply of air under pressure (conveniently about 1 20 p.s.i.), and the conductor rods 54 of each are connected to a respective supply of direct current.

Conveniently the connection of each of the supply passages 20 to the source of air under pressure is carried out through a pressure sensitive switch, each of which being responsive to a build up of pressure in its respective supply passage to shut off the supply of electricity to both of the conductor rods.

In the use of the metal spraying apparatus which is the preferred embodiment of this invention, the supplying device may be activated to supply compressed air to both the supply conduits 18, and to establish a potential difference across the two sets of conductor rods 54. Air flows through the two supply passages 20, via the passage 24 of the outer sections of the manifold assembly to the cross passage 26 of the central insulating portion thereof. The bulk of the air flow then flows upwardly through the cross passage 28 through the transverse passage 30, from which it flows along the axial passage 34 of the stem portion 14 and into the air passage 60 of the head 16, emerging therefrom in the form of an air jet.

Simultaneously, some air flows downwardly through the cross passage 28 along the conduit 32 to the air motor 42, which may be operated by means of the trigger 43 to drive the feed wheels 50, to commence feeding of the two metallising wires through the guide passages 38 and into the head 16.

Electrical contact is established between each of the wires and a respective set of conductor rods 54 via one or other of the outer conductive portions 1 2 of the manifold assembly, such contact being ensured by the pressure pads 37.

Thus, as the two wires emerge from the guide passages 62 at the end face 58 of the head, an electric arc is established between the wires. This produces a continuous melting of the wires as they are continuously fed forwardly, and droplets of molten metal are carried forwardly from the spray gun on the air jet passing through the air passage 60 of the head.

On release of the trigger 43, the air motor 42 ceases operation, and the arc breaks down as the leading end portions of the two metallising wires are eroded. However, upon recommencement of operation of the air motor, an arc is again established, and metal spraying may be continued.

Extending between the transverse passage 30 and each of the guide passages 38 is a small supplementary air passage 40 (see Figures 3 and 6) which establishes flow of air within the two guide passages 38 around the two metallising wires. This prevents or minimises tendency for the metallising wires to carry into the guide passages 38 small pieces of foreign matter, which might otherwise be carried forwardly into the arcing zone, or interfere with the electrical contact between the pressure pads 37 and the metallising wires themselves. Additionally, such air flow tends to reduce the temperature of the metallising wires, and reduces tendency for them to melt or oxidise within the guide passages 38.

By the use of this invention, flow of air through the supply conduits 1 8 around both sets of conductor rods 54 serves to reduce the temperature of the conductor rods, notwithstanding the high current load carried thereby. This allows a total cross-sectional area of electrical conductor to be used to carry current from the supplying device to the spray gun, which is sufficiently small so as not to interfere significantly with the quantity of air which may be delivered to the spray gun by the use of the two supply conduits. Specifically, in the preferred embodiment, the effective cross-sectional area of the two conduits (as far as air flow is concerned) is reduced from a nominal 2 x 3/8" to 2 x 5/16".

This allows an effective delivery rate of 90 cu.ft.

per minute to the spray gun, which allows both adequate air to be supplied to the air motor for feeding the metallising wires, and a significantly higher air feed for the air jet with superior spraying results.

Additionally, in view of the temperature increase caused in the air due to its flow over the conductor rods 54, moisture is removed from the air, and this, together with the increase in temperature of the air itself, increases the quality of spraying which may be achieved by the use of the spray gun.

In the event of a momentary blockage of air flow, such as a fork lift truck being driven over one or both of the supply conduits, the increase in pressure sensed by the pressure sensitive switch or switches need not be such as will cause a break in the supply of electricity to the two sets of conductor rods. However, if such air flow is impeded for any significant period of time, the pressure sensitive switch will be operative to cut off the supply of electricity, to prevent over heating of the conductor rods.

The manifold assembly advantageously additionally comprises a spool valve 9, a control handle of which may be moved by an operator from an open position, in which the cross passage 28 is in communication with the transverse passage 30, and a closed position in which this is not so. Thus by rotation of the spool valve 9, the operator can readily cut off the supply of compressed air to the head 1 6. Such closing of the spool valve 9 is also effective to significantly reduce the flow of air through the spraying gun, to an extent such that there is a build up of air under pressure within the conduits 18, and after a very short time a similar operation of the pressure sensitive switch hereinbefore mentioned is caused to cut off the supply of electricity to the spraying gun, in the same way as blockage of the air flow conduits may cause a break in the supply of electricity.

In this manner, the operator may electrically isolate the spray gun from the source of the electricity (which may be some distance from the spraying gun) without the need for separate control means extending from the spraying gun to the electricity supply.

In the arrangement shown in Figure 3, closing of the spool valve 9, whilst being effective to terminate the flow of air through the transverse passage 30, nevertheless maintains air power through the conduit 32, to the air motor 42. The rate of utilisation of air by the air motor is insufficient significantly to vary the operation of the pressure sensitive switch to closing of the spool valve 9, and this allows the facility of operation of the air motor to advance the metallising wires within their conduits to a point of contact in the vicinity of the arcing zone, preparatory to a recommencement of the metal spraying operation.

It will however be appreciated that whereas in the preferred embodiment the feeding mechanism is provided by an air motor, if desired, an electric motor may be used to advance the metallising wires through the device. In such a construction, advantageously some air (for example that flowing through the conduit 32) may be utilised to cool the electric motor.

It will be appreciated further that whereas in the preferred embodiment, cutting off of the high current electricity supply to the spraying device is effected by a pressure sensitive switch located in one or both of the air supply conduits, or in an air distribution box to which such conduits are connected, other forms of flow sensing means may be utilised, such as simple pressure differential switches, or vane switches which are retained in a first condition by actual flow of air, and which move to a second condition (corresponding to a cutting off of the high current electricity supply) by cessation or significant reduction in the rate of flow of air.

Attention is drawn to our co-pending Application No. 36908/78 (publication No.

2029729A) from which this present application has been divided.

Claims

1. Apparatus for applying a coating of metal to a surface, and comprising.

(a) a metal spraying device comprising a body, feeding mechanism for simultaneously feeding two metallic wires through guide passages which converge forwardly in the direction of wire feed, connecting means for connecting an electric potential across said wires to cause an arc to be established between the wires where they emerge from said guide passages so as to melt the wires, and delivery means for delivering a stream of compressed air relative to the wires and the arc therebetween so as to cause molten metal droplets to be carried away from the arcing zone on the air jet from the device towards the surface to which a coating of metal is to be applied; and (b) a supplying device, adapted to provide a supply electricity and air under pressure; wherein the spraying device is connected to the supplying device by conduits through which electric power and air under pressure are supplied to the spraying device, and wherein the supplying device comprising a control means which is responsive to a cessation or reduction in the rate of flow of air from the supplying device to the spraying device to cut off the supply of electricity to the spraying device.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein the spraying device comprises a valve which may be operated to cut off or reduce the flow of air through the body, and which may be operated to cause the control means to cut off the supply of electricity to the device.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2 wherein the valve is operated in consequence of operation of the feeding mechanism.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 3 wherein the feeding mechanism comprises an air motor, and the valve is provided by a trigger of the spraying device which operates the air motor.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 2 wherein the valve is operative in the stream of air which establishes the air jet.

6. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the control means comprises a pressure switch which is responsive to an increase in air pressure at the supplying device.

7. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the electricity supply and the air supply extend from the supplying device to the spraying device in separate conduits.