GB2551595A

GB2551595A - Method and apparatus for painting skirting

Info

Publication number: GB2551595A
Application number: GB1619664.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kirkpatrick Mark
Original assignee: Springfarm Architectural Mouldings Ltd
Current assignee: Springfarm Architectural Mouldings Ltd
Priority date: 2016-11-21
Filing date: 2016-11-21
Publication date: 2017-12-27
Anticipated expiration: 2036-11-21
Also published as: GB201619664D0; GB2551595B

Abstract

A method of coating a length of skirting 10 in a coating chamber 41. The coating chamber is configured to allow the skirting or elongate object 10 to be fed therethrough and includes means for coating the object, for example with paint, as it passes through the coating chamber. The method includes: in a first pass through the coating chamber, protecting two adjacent faces of the object using a guard 50, and exposing the other two faces such that only the exposed faces are coated; and in a second pass through the coating chamber, exposing at least one of said at least one face, and protecting each other face such that only said at least one exposed face is coated in the chamber. The guard may have an L-shaped profile.

Description

Method and Apparatus for Painting Skirting

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to automated painting of multiple faces of an object, particularly skirting.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

It is known to paint a skirting, typically with one or more coats of a primer paint, using an automated painting machine. In particular, it is known to use a vacuum coating machine such as the CYCLONE provided by the Makor Group (www.makor.it). The painting machine typically includes a painting chamber through which the skirting is passed the paint (or other coating) being applied to the skirting as it passes through the chamber. Conventionally, the paint is applied to all of the exposed surfaces of the skirting, except the leading and lagging ends. Hence, for a typical length of skirting, the front, rear and side faces are coated, while the end faces are not.

Typically, the skirting is fed through the painting chamber on a conveyor, or other handling means. This creates a problem in that one of the freshly painted faces (typically the rear face) rests on the conveyor. Hence the conveyor interferes with the wet paint to create a poor quality mottled finish on that face. This is acceptable in many cases since the rear face of the skirting is usually not exposed to an end user when fitted. However, in some cases it is desirable for both the front face and the rear face to be selectable as the exposed face when fitted, in which case it is highly desirable that the quality of the coating is of an acceptable standard on both the front face and the rear face. This is particularly the case for skirting where both the front face and the rear face have been formed with a respective profiling (sometimes referred to as dual profile skirting). It would be desirable therefore to provide a method and apparatus that mitigates the problems outlined above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, one aspect of the invention provides a method of coating a multi-faced object in a system comprising a coating chamber, the coating chamber being arranged to allow said object to be fed therethrough and including means for coating said object as it passes through the coating chamber, said method including: in a first passthrough said coating chamber, protecting at least one face and exposing each other face such that only said other faces are coated in the chamber; and in one or more subsequent passes through said coating chamber, exposing at least one of said at least one face, and protecting each other face such that only said at least one exposed face is coated in the chamber.

In preferred embodiments, the method includes: in a second pass through said chamber, exposing said at least one face, and protecting said each other face such that only said at least one face is coated in the chamber. Hence, the coating of the object is completed in two passes.

In some embodiments, the object is substantially, or generally, rectangular in transverse cross section, in which case the method includes: in said first pass, protecting said object on two adjacent faces to substantially prevent said two faces from being coated in the coating chamber; and in said second pass, exposing said two adjacent faces and protecting the other two faces.

Typically, the method involves rotating the object about its longitudinal axis and/or its transverse axis between passes. A second aspect of the invention provides an apparatus for coating a multi-faced object, the apparatus comprising a coating chamber, the coating chamber being arranged to allow said object to be fed therethrough and including means for coating said object as it passes through the coating chamber, the apparatus further including means for protecting at least one face and exposing each other face such that only said other faces are coated in the chamber.

Preferably, said protecting means comprises a guard. The guard may be integrally formed with the apparatus, or may be removably fitted to the apparatus.

The preferred guard comprises first and second barriers, conveniently in the form of plates, that are joined together, conveniently along a common side, such that the first and second barriers are non-parallely disposed with respect to one and other. Typically, the first and second barriers are substantially perpendicular with one and other.

The invention is particularly, but not exclusively, suited for use with skirting (timber or MDF) or other boards or elongate items, especially skirting, or the like, that has a shaped, e.g. decorative or non-planar, profile on both its obverse and reverse faces.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the invention is now described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of part of a dual profile skirting suitable for use with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a guard for use with the present invention;

Figure 3 is a schematic view of a painting machine shown in line with a conveyor;

Figure 4 is a plan view of an internal chamber of the painting machine; and Figure 5 is an end view of the painting machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings, there is shown generally indicated at 10, a length of skirting. The skirting 10 has an obverse face 12, a reverse face 14, a first side face 16 and a second and oppositely disposed side face 18. The skirting 10 also has an end 20 and an oppositely disposed end (not visible).

The shape of the transverse cross section of the skirting 10 is such that each of the obverse and reverse faces 12, 14 has a shaped profile (i.e. decoratively shaped as opposed to being planar). Hence, in use, the skirting 10 could be fitted such that either the obverse face 12 or the reverse face 14 faces outwardly, depending on which of the shaped profiles is desired to be seen.

Referring now to Figures 3 to 5, there is shown generally indicated at 30, part of a painting system that includes a painting machine 40, that it is configured to apply a layer of paint or other coating to an object that is passed therethrough. It will be understood that while the illustrated embodiment is described in the context of painting an object using a painting machine in a painting system, the invention is more generally concerned with coating an object using a coating machine in a coating system.

The system includes a conveyor 42, the painting machine 40 being installed in line with the conveyor 42 such that a first part of the conveyor 42 feeds the object into a painting chamber 41 via opening 44 and a second part of the conveyor 42 carries it out of the painting chamber via opening 46, the paint or other coating being applied to the object as it passes through the chamber 41. In preferred embodiments the painting machine 40 comprises a vacuum coating machine. Alternatively the painting machine may be a spray painting machine. In any case, the painting machine 40 is configured to apply paint (or other coating) to all exposed surfaces of the skirting 10 within the chamber 41.

Figure 3 shows the skirting 10 being fed through the chamber 41 in the direction indicated by arrows A. The skirting 10 is shown in a typical arrangement where its reverse face 14 is facing downwards and the obverse face 12 is facing upwards. It will be seen that as the skirting 10 is fed out of the chamber 41, the reverse face 14 is in contact with the conveyor 42 and so the wet paint, or other coating, on the face 14 is interfered with to create a poor quality finish when dry. Typically the chamber 41 includes one or more support bars 43, or other support structure(s), for supporting the skirting 10 as it passes through the machine 40. Conveniently, the support bars 43, or other support(s), may also support the guard 50.

In order to address this problem, and in accordance with the present invention, a guard 50 is used to protect at least one face of the skirting 10 as it passes through the chamber 41. To this end, the guard 50 is installed, in use, between the openings 44 and 46 such that it passes through the chamber 41 along the path taken by the skirting 10. The guard 50 is located in the chamber 41 extending from one opening 44 to the other 46, and is optionally dimensioned so that its opposite ends project out of a respective one of the openings 44, 46 as illustrated. The guard 50 may be supported by the bars 43 or by any other convenient support(s) and/or fixings (not shown).

In preferred embodiments, the guard 50 is adapted to protect two faces, and preferably only two faces, of the skirting 10 as it passes through the chamber 41. In particular, the preferred guard 50 is adapted to protect two adjacent faces of the skirting 10. To this end, the guard 50 comprises a first barrier, conveniently in the form of a plate 52, and a second barrier, conveniently in the form of a plate 54. The plates 52, 54 are joined along a common side such that one plate projects non-parallely from the other. In preferred embodiments, where it is assumed that the skirting, or other object to be protected, has a generally rectangular transverse cross section, the plates 52, 54 are substantially perpendicular with one another (i.e. such that the guard 50 may have an L-shaped profile). The term “generally rectangular” is intended to embrace not plain lengths of skirting, which may be said to be rectangular or substantially rectangular in transverse cross-section, but also decorative lengths of skirting having a contoured obverse and/or reverse face but which are nonetheless “generally rectangular” in that they are four-sided in transverse cross-section and therefore have four faces extending parallel with the feed direction.

In the illustrated embodiment, the first plate 52 is shaped and dimensioned to protect one or other of the obverse or reverse faces 12,14, while the second plate 54 is shaped and dimensioned to protect one or other of the side faces 16, 18. Typically, the respective protected face rests on or sits against the respective plate/barrier of the guard. In any event, the respective portion of the guard 50 protects the respective face by covering it to prevent it from being coated by paint, or other coating as applicable. The first plate 52 is positioned such that it provides a base along which the skirting 10 slides as it passes though the chamber 41.

The guard 50 is installed (permanently or removably as desired) in the machine 40 such that one of the plates 52, 54 protects the face of the skirting that faces downwardly as it passes through the chamber (i.e. the face that is in contact with the conveyor 42). In this example, the reverse face 14 of the skirting 10 is downwardly facing and so the plate 52 is arranged to lie beneath the face 14 in order to prevent it from being coated during the painting process. Similarly, the plate 54 protects one of the side faces (side face 16 in the present example).

Hence, when the skirting 10 is passed through the machine 40, the two protected faces 14, 16 remain uncoated. As a result, when the skirting 10 passes out of the chamber 41, the conveyor 42 is only in contact with the uncoated face 14 and so does not interfere with wet paint. In order to coat the uncoated faces of the skirting 10, the skirting is passed through the chamber 41 a second time (after the first coating has dried). The arrangement being such that the guard 50 now protects the two coated faces and exposes the two non-coated faces - this may conveniently be achieved by rotating the skirting 10 through 180° about its longitudinal axis between passes. This time when the skirting 10 exits the chamber 41, the face that is in contact with the conveyor 42 will carry a dry coat of paint and so its quality is not be affected by interaction with the conveyor 42.

In the illustrated embodiment where there is a single guard 50 and the object 10 is four-sided in transverse cross-section, configuring the guard 50 such that it protects two adjacent faces at a time rather than one, is preferred since, otherwise, after the second pass through the chamber 41, at least one face of the skirting 10 would have two coats of paint and this would provide an undesirable inconsistency in the appearance of the finished skirting 10. In addition, in the case of dual profile objects, the second plate 54 is particularly advantageous as it prevents paint from being drawn onto the profiled portion of the other protected face.

In alternative embodiments (not illustrated), more than one guard may be used to achieve the same end result. For example a first guard may be a flat plate that protects only one face at a time while a second guard may have a U shaped transverse cross section for protecting one face and its two adjacent faces. However this is less convenient since it would require the guards to be swapped between the first and second passes. Further, depending on the shape of the object and on the configuration of the, or each, guard, the coating process may be completed in two passes or more than two passes, each pass involving the coating of at least one uncoated face. In any event, in each pass the guard protects at least the downward facing face of the object. Between passes the object is rotated about its longitudinal or transverse axis by up to 180°, the amount of rotation required depending on the shape of the object and the configuration of the guard(s).

The invention is described herein primarily in the context of the skirting. It will be understood however that the invention is not limited to use with skirting and may be used with any other suitable object, especially elongate objects and/or objects having a substantially constant transverse profile. Byway of example, the invention may also be applied to flooring, furniture and building profiles, match boarding and frames.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment described herein which may be amended or modified without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A method of coating a multi-faced object in a system comprising a coating chamber, the coating chamber being arranged to allow said object to be fed therethrough and including means for coating said object as it passes through the coating chamber, said method including: in a first pass through said coating chamber, protecting at least one face and exposing each other face such that only said other faces are coated in the chamber; and in one or more subsequent passes through said coating chamber, exposing at least one of said at least one face, and protecting each other face such that only said at least one exposed face is coated in the chamber.

2. The method of claim 1 including, in a second pass through said chamber, exposing said at least one face, and protecting said each other face such that only said at least one face is coated in the chamber.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein said object is generally rectangular in cross-section to provide four faces to be coated, said method including, in said first pass, protecting said object on two adjacent faces; and in said second pass, exposing said two adjacent faces and protecting the other two faces.

4. The method of any preceding claim including rotating the object about its longitudinal axis and/or its transverse axis between passes.

5. The method of any preceding claim including feeding said object into said chamber using a conveyor.

6. The method of any preceding claim including carrying said object out of said chamber on a conveyor.

7. The method of any preceding claim wherein said protecting involves protecting at least the face of said object that faces downwards as the object passes through the chamber.

8. The method of any preceding claim wherein said protecting involves covering said at least one face to prevent it from being coated in the chamber.

9. The method of any preceding claim including providing a guard in said chamber, said guard being configured to cover the, or each, face to be protected.

10. The method of any preceding claim wherein said object is a length of skirting.

11. An apparatus for coating a multi-faced object, the apparatus comprising a coating chamber, the coating chamber being arranged to allow said object to be fed therethrough and including means for coating said object as it passes through the coating chamber, the apparatus further including means for protecting at least one face and exposing each other face such that only said other faces are coated in the chamber.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said protecting means comprises a guard.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said chamber has a first opening through which said object may enter the chamber and a second opening through which said object may exit the chamber, said guard extending from said first opening to said second opening.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 or 13 wherein said guard provides a base along which the object slides, in use, as it passes though the chamber.

15. The apparatus of any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the guard comprises first and second barriers that are non-parallely disposed with respect to one and other.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first and second barriers are substantially perpendicular to one and other.

17. The apparatus of any one of claims 12 to 16, wherein said guard is L-shaped in cross-section.

18. The apparatus of any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein said guard comprises one or more plates.

19. The apparatus of any one of claims 11 to 18, including a conveyor for feeding said object into said chamber.

20. The apparatus of any one of claims 11 to 19, including a conveyor for carrying said object out of said chamber.