GB2190309A

GB2190309A - Spray devices

Info

Publication number: GB2190309A
Application number: GB08710877A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Harry George Edwin Budden
Original assignee: CASE SYSTEMS Ltd
Current assignee: CASE SYSTEMS Ltd
Priority date: 1986-05-10
Filing date: 1987-05-08
Publication date: 1987-11-18
Anticipated expiration: 2007-05-08
Also published as: GB8611460D0; EP0246032A2; EP0246032A3; GB2190309B; GB8710877D0

Abstract

A spray device for spraying glazes slurries or emulsions used in the food industry has a spindle 12 and a disc 10 which are rotated. Fluid to be sprayed is passed through a feeder tube 24 to impinge on the conical valve member 30. When the fluid flow rate is considerable, the valve member 30 deflects the flow outwardly and the fluid then hits the diffuser plate 34 and is deflected outwardly towards the surface 38 of the disc 54. When the fluid hits the disc it is caused to move outwardly as a result of the centrifugal force exerted by the spinning disc. The fluid then travels over the surface 38 until it leaves the periphery 40 of the disc and is thrown outwardly. At a lower fluid flow rate, the fluid passes directly from the valve member to the surface 38. <IMAGE>

Description

1 GB2190309A 1 SPECIFICATION leaves the opening in the disc. The displace

ment means or throttle means may be ar Spray devices and spraying systems ranged to rotate with the disc. The device may include valve means arranged to control The present invention relates to spray devices 70 the flow of material to the disc which valve and spraying systems and is particularly, al- means may include the displacement means or though not exclusively concerned with spray- throttle means. The displacement means or ing various glazes, oil, slurry, sugar, syrup, throttle means may be arranged to co-operate water, emulsion and many other materials with with the opening through which the material or without particles in suspension in the bak- 75 passes, and the location or spacing of the ery, confectionery, snack food, frozen food, displacement means or throttle means from meat and savoury pie production and other the opening may be adjustable. The valve food processing industries. means may be accessible from the side of the At present, fluid to be sprayed is supplied device located on the one side of the disc.

to the centre of the concave surface of a disc 80 The supply of material to the disc may be from a fluid supply pipe extending around the arranged to be through a supply member pre side of the disc and having a discharge end vented from rotating with the disc.

spaced from but facing the centre of the spin- The opening in the disc may be located ning disc. A motor is located behind the con- centrally on the disc.

vex surface of the disc in order to spin the 85 The disc may be arranged to be spun by disc and spray the fluid. drive means located away from the device.

According to one aspect of the present in- According to a further aspect of the present vention, a spray device includes a disc ar- invention, a spray device includes a disc ar ranged to be spun and means for supplying ranged to be spun and means for supplying material to be sprayed from o ine side of the 90 material to be sprayed from the disc, the de disc, the material being arranged to be sup- vice including valve means arranged to control plied from the other side of the disc through the flow of material to the disc.

an opening in the disc onto the one side of The valve means may include displacement the disc. The disc may be detachably means or throttle means arranged to cause mounted on the device. As the material to be 95 fluid to be directed straight onto the one side sprayed by the disc is not supplied through a of the disc as soon as it leaves the opening in pipe extending over the side of the disc, the the disc. The displacement means or throttle material may be spun from the disc around its means may be arranged to rotate with the complete peripheral extent without impinging disc. The displacement means or throttle on any pipe. Furthermore, when it is required 100 means may be arranged to co-operate with to replace the disc with one ofa different size the opening through which the material or character, there is no need to interfere with passes, and the location or spacing of the the material supply as there is with the prior displacement means or throttle means from arrangement where the supply pipe has to be the opening may be adjustable.

moved away from the disc. 105 According to another aspect of the present The spray device may include a diffuser ar- invention, a spray device includes a disc ar ranged to cause material to be sprayed to be ranged to be spun and means for supplying discharged in an outwards direction relative to material to the surface of the disc, and means the rotational axis of the disc onto the surface for causing the material being supplied to the of the disc from which the material is to be 110 disc to be discharged onto the surface of the sprayed. Alternatively or additionally, the dif- disc in an outwards direction relative to the fuser may be arranged to cause the material rotational axis of the disc or, alternatively or to be sprayed to be discharged onto the disc additionally, at a region located around but at a region located around but spaced from spaced from the rotational axis of the disc.

the rotational axis of the disc. This may en- 115 According to another aspect of the present sure a more accurate or even distribution of invention, a spraying system includes a plural the material to be sprayed than can be ity of spray devices as herein described. Two achieved with the prior device in which the or more of the spray devices may have a material to be sprayed is discharged onto the common material supply, and two or more of disc in a direction substantially concident with 120 the devices may be arranged to be coupled the rotational axis of the disc, and renders the together whereby the discs may be rotated by distribution over the disc less susceptible to a common drive means.

gravitational forces which may tend to cause The present invention includes any combina the majority of the spray in the prior device to tion of the herein described features.

be directed slightly downwards prior to im- 125 The invention may be carried into practice in pinging on the disc. various ways, but one embodiment will now Alternatively, the spray device may include be described by way of example and with displacement means or throttle means ar- reference to the accompanying drawings in ranged to cause fluid to be directed straight which:

onto the one side of the disc as soon as it 130 Figure 1 is a sectional side view of a spray- 2 GB2190309A 2 ing device; low the conveyor. The four devices above the Figure 2 is a rear view of the device shown conveyor may be located in a line across the in Figure 1, and direction of travel of the conveyor, with the Figure 3 is a plan view of Figure 2. discs being arranged to spray towards and The spraying device comprises a disc 10 70 across the centre of the conveyor (that is to which is detachably secured to one end of a say the two discs on one side of the centre hollow spindle 12 which extends through and line spray towards the discs on the other is rotatably mounted via two spaced deep side). The devices beneath the conveyor may groove ball bearing assemblies 14 in a hous- be arranged in a similar manner.

ing 16. The other end of the spindle 12 in- 75 It will be appreciated that, in order to avoid cludes a pulley 18 having two adjacent V- waste of the material being sprayed and in groove sections 20 and 22 arranged to re- order to ensure even spraying or coating of ceive different V-groove belts. A grease nipple products it is desirable to be able to control 62 is provided for lubrication of both bearing the spray from each disc. Thus the individual assemblies 14. 80 valve members 30 associated with each disc A feeder tube 24 extends throughout the 10 can be moved towards or away from the spindle 12 and includes, at its end remote open end of the feeder tube 24 by causing from the disc, an attachment point 26 for a rotation of the slotted end 46 to control the source of fluid or mixture to be sprayed and, rate at which fluid is sprayed from the associ- at its opposite end, it extends through a self 85 ated disc. Accordingly each spraying device lubricating bronze bearing 28 and its end can be connected to a common source of opens onto a conical valve member 30 which fluid. Furthermore, each disc has associated is threadably mounted on a holder 32. The therewith a mask which partially surrounds the feeder tube cooperates with the spindle 12 disc to allow sprayed fluid to be collected via a pair of deep groove ball bearing assem- 90 from the periphery of the disc which would blies 36. not be sprayed onto the products.

Lip seals are provided for both sets of the As the spraying device includes a pulley for deep groove ball bearing assemblies. cooperation with a V-belt, the motor causing In use, the spindle 12 and disc 10 are ro- rotation of the disc can be positioned remote tated by a drive belt cooperating with the V- 95 from the spraying device. Furthermore a single groove section 20 of the pulley 18. Fluid is motor can cause the rotation of two or more passed through the feeder tube 24 to impinge devices by positioning a further V-belt around on the stationary conical valve member 30. the V-groove section 22 and connecting that When the fluid flow rate is considerable, the belt either directly or indirectly to the pulley of valve member 30 deflects the flow outwardly 100 another spraying device. A further belt can through passages (not shown) in the holder or then be secured to the other V-section of that end of the feeder tube and the fluid then hits pulley for driving another spraying device.

a rotating diffuser plate 34 and is then Different discs may be desired to be used deflected back and outwardly towards the sur- on the spraying devices either because of their face 38 of the disc. When the fluid hits the 105 location, or in dependence upon the material disc it is caused to move outwardly as a re- being sprayed, the spraying effect to be sult of the centrifugal force exerted by the achieved or the fluid being sprayed. Conse spinning disc. The fluid then travels over the quently the discs are detachably mounted on a surface 38 until it leaves the periphery 40 of flange 48 on the end of the spindle via bolts the disc and is discharged tangentially. 110 (not shown) which pass through spaced tabs When the fluid flow rate is relatively low, 52 of the diffuser 34. The diffuser 34 may be the fluid hits the stationary valve member 30 pivotally or detachably mounted on the disc.

and is caused to travel outwardly directly onto In order to prevent or inhibit the fluid from the surface 38 of the disc without passing to entering the bearing assemblies 14, the hous- the diffuser plate 34. The valve member then 115 ing includes a lip 56 which extends away from may build up a slight back pressure in the the disc and surrounds a seal 58.

feeder tube 24 to smooth out any pulses A brace member 60, shown in Figures 2 which may occur in the pressure of the fluid and 3, is secured to the housing 16 and the being supplied. attachment point 26 of the feeder tube 24 to Excess fluid is caught in a drain channel 42 120 prevent the tube from rotating with the hollow located beneath the disc and secured to the spindle 12.

housing by an upwardly extending plate 44

Claims

which is connected to the housing. CLAIMS

The spraying device is normally used to 1. A spray device including a disc arranged spray articles carried past a spraying area by 125 to be spun and means for supplying material a conveyor. Where the conveyor is a chain to be sprayed from one side of the disc, the conveyor it may be required to spray articles material being arranged to be supplied from on the conveyor from above and below in the other side of the disc through an opening which case, for instance, four spraying devices in the disc onto the one side of the disc.

may be located above, and four devices be- 130
2. A spray device as claimed in Claim1 in 3 GB2190309A 3 which the disc is detachably mounted. are arranged not to rotate with the disc.
3. A spray device as claimed in Claim 1 or 18. A spray device as claimed in Claim 16 2 including a diffuser arranged to cause ma- or 17 in which the displacement or throttle terial to be sprayed to be discharged in an means are arranged to co- operate with the outwards direction relative to the rotational 70 opening through which the material passes.

axis of the disc onto the surface of a disc 19. A spray device as claimed in Claim 18 from which the material is to be sprayed. in which the location or spacing of the dis
4. A spray device as claimed in any precedplacement or throttle means from the opening ing claim including a diffuser arranged to is adjustable.

cause the material to be sprayed to be dis- 75 20. A spray device including a disc arranged charged onto the disc at a region located to be spun, and means for supplying material around, but spaced from the rotational axis of to the surface of the disc, and means for the disc. causing the material being supplied to the disc
5. A spray device as claimed in any preced- to be discharged onto the surface of the disc ing claim including displacement means, or 80 in an outwards direction relative to the rota throttle means arranged to cause fluid to be tional axis of the disc or, alternatively or ad directed straight onto the one side of the disc ditionally, at a region located around but as soon as it leaves the opening in the disc. spaced from the rotational axis of the disc.
6. A spray device as claimed in Claim 5 in 21. A spray device substantially as herein which the displacement or throttle means are 85 described with reference to, and as shown in arranged not to rotate with the disc. the accompanying drawings.
7. A spray device as claimed in any preced- 22. A spraying system including a plurality ing claim including valve means arranged to of spray devices as claimed in any of Claims control the flow of material to the disc. 1 to 2 1.
8. A spray device as claimed in Claim 7 90 23. A spraying system as claimed in Claim when dependent on Claim 5 or Claim 6 in 22 in which two or more of the spray devices which the valve means includes the displacehave a common material supply.

ment or throttle means. 24. A spraying system as claimed in Claim
9. A spray device as claimed in Claim 5, 6 22 or 23 in which two or more of the devices or 8, or Claim 7 when dependent on Claim 5 95 are arranged to be coupled together whereby or 6 in which the displacement or throttle the discs may be rotated by a common drive means are arranged to co-operate with the means.

opening through which the material passes. 25. A spraying system substantially as
10. A spray device as claimed in Claim 9 in herein described with reference to, and as which the location or spacing of the displace- 100 shown in the accompanying drawings.

ment or throttle means from the opening is Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office adjustable. by Burgess & Son (Abingdon) Ltd, Dd 8991685, 1987.
11. A spray device as claimed in Claim 7, Published at The Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, or any of Claims 8 to 10 when dependent London, WC2A l AY, from which copies may be obtained.

upon Claim 7 in which the valve means are accessible from the side of the device located on the one side of the disc.
12. A spray device as claimed in any preceding claim in which the supply of material to the disc is arranged to be through a supply member prevented from rotating with the disc.
13. A spray device as claimed in any preceding claim in which the opening in the disc is located centrally on the disc.
14. A spray device as claimed in any preceding claim in which the disc is arranged to be spun by drive means located away from the device.
15. A spray device including a disc arranged to be spun, and means for supplying material to be sprayed from a disc, the device including valve means arranged to control the flow of material to the disc.
16. A spray device as claimed in Claim 15 including displacement means or throttle means arranged to cause fluid to be directed straight onto one side of the disc as soon as it leaves an opening in the disc.
17. A spray device as claimed in Claim 16 in which the displacement or throttle means