US2364798A - Apparatus for coating fluorescent lamps - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 12, 1944. A. E. KULBERG ET AL 2,354,798

APPARATUS FOR COATING FLUORESCENT LAMPS Filed sept. 4, 1941 i 9, l I AugustE.Kulberg-and Charles L Al brghtjINvEN-roxs BY um-w 16H-M,

- ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 12, 1944 APPARATUS FOR COATING FLUORESCENT LAMPS August E.- Kulberg and Charles L. Albright, Beverly, Mass., asslgnors to Sylvania Electric 'Products Inc., a corporation of Massachusetts Application septeniber 4, 1941, seria1N0.4o9,497

1 Claim. l(ci. 91-f43l This invention relates to fluorescent lamps andmore particularly to 'apparatus for applying a coating of luminescent material thereto.

An object of this invention is to provide an gated tubular glass envelopes.

drawing in which:

coating apparatus.

assembly.

nozzle assembly.

B to move upwardly.

stud I2.

the other end thereof.

solution flows.

up to the arm Il. rod I6.

vand the rod I6 to which it is attached. inasmuch as the arm I'I -pivots about stud I8 on the supporting plate I9, the upward movement of the end of the arm Il adjacent the rod IB will result in the downward movement of the other end The bot- The disc 28 is apparatus which will give a smooth even coating thereof. This in turn pushes the rod 2U downof luminescent material on the walls of the elonward. `This rod 20 extends down into the nozzle 2 and its downward movement opens the nozzle Another object is to provide an apparatus 'and permitsA the luminescent solution to flow which will insure a coating free from streaks. therefrom. A further object is to provide an apparatus 10 Provision has been made on this apparatus to capable of withstanding the harsh abrasive .cause the above-described mechanism to return eiects of the luminescent material. to its normal position when the operator releases Further objects, advantages and features will the handle 4 after the tube I has been sufllciently be apparent from the following specification coated.` Itis highly desirable to have the valve I5 1 taken in conjunction with the accompanying l5 closed to prevent any more luminescent Asolution from flowing therethrough and to have the nozzle Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the bulb 2 closed to prevent loss of luminescent material therefrom after the bulb I has been removed. Figure2isadetail partly in section of the valve To this end, the arm 2| has been fixed to the 20 upper extremity ofthe rod I6 and a pair of Figure 3 is a detail partly in section of the 'springs 22 suspended between this,rod and the top of the valve I5. The upward movement of In Figure 1, the bulb I is placed in position the rod I6 will set up a tension on the springs 22. beneath the flushing nozzle 2, the lower extension As soon asthe operator releases the handle 4 the of the bulb resting ilush within the guide 3. The 25 tension will expend itself, the springs returning control handle 4 lis located directly behind the to their normal position and thereby pushing the bulb I. so that the operator may, almost simu1 rod IB downwardly to close the valve I5. taneously and with the same hand, position the The downward movement of lthe rod 20 which bulb and set the coating apparatus into opera'- permits th'e ow of luminescent solution from the tion by pulling the handle 4' forward. I 30 nozzle 2 causes the compression of the spring 23 When the handle 4 of the` rocker 5, held which is concentric with the rod 20 and located through the pin 6, is drawn forward it causes the between the top of the nozzle 2 andthe collar 24 arm l, connected to the rocker 5l through the pin xed on the rod 20. Thus when the operator releases the handle 4, the compressed Aspring 23 will 'I'he arm 9 is pivotally mounted on the support- 35 expand, thereby pushing the rod 2li upward by ing plate IU extending from the pipe II. This reason of the factl that collar 24 is attached arm 9 pivots at its longitudinal center about'the thereto. In this way, the nozzle is leilfectively lAn end of arm I is connected to one end closed to prevent any further flow of coating of arm 9 and an end of arm I3 is connected to solution therefrom.

Thus the upward move- 40 Figure 2 shows the internal structure of the ment of the arm I is transmitted through the arm valve I5 and Figure 3 shows the internal struc- 9 intol the downward movement of the arm I3. ture of the nozzle 2. The arm I4 is connected to the arm I3 through employ a metallic bellows in its internal struc- .the pin 34 and is pivotally mounted on the top of ture. This structure has been found highly adl the valve I5 through the stud 33.- The down@` 45 vantageous in eliminating bearing contact whenward movement of the arm I3 results in the yoke ever possible due to thehighly abrasive nature of of the arm I4 moving upwardand thereby openthe'luminescent solution. ing the valve I5 through which the luminescent In Figure 2, the top of the bellows 25 is iixed to avcollar 2B located beneath the cap of the valve The rod IB extends from withinthe valve I5 50 I5 through which the rod I6 extends.

The c ollar 2| is xed to the tom of the bellows25 is attached to the collar'ZI The rod IG passes through the yoke ol which is fixed to the rod I6. the arm I4. Thus when the yoke of the arm I4 located on the bottom of the rod I6 and it is the moves upward, it pushes upward the collar 2I yraising and lowering of'this disc that controls the 55 `iiow of the vluminescent solution through the It should be noted that both valve. Thus itmay be seen from this structure that bearing contact oi' moving parts with luminescent solution is eliminated. The movement of the rod I B to open and close the passage of solution through the valve I5 is completely enclosed by the bellows at the point of contact.

In Figure 3, the bellows 29 is tted Within the nozzle 2 in a manner similar to that in which the bellows 25 is tted Within theY valve I5. The solution defiector plug 30 on the end of the rod 20 vis normally closed with the opening in the bottom of the nozzle 2 thereby preventing any coating solution flowing therefrom. When the operator draws forward the handle 4 as shown in Figure 1, the rod 20 is pushed downward, thereby causing the solution deector plug' to move out from the opening in the bottom` of the nozzle 2 and to,V

permit the luminescentsolution to ilow therefrom.

The movement of the rod 20 'within the nozzle 2 isnever such that a bearing contact is exposed ascuas l bottom to the'collar 32. Thus, like bellows 25 in Figure 2, it expands-'and contracts with the movement of the rod 20. Q t

What we claim is:v A valve unit for coating glass tubes with luminescent material, said unit comprising: a conduit `for carryingsaid material; a control valve adjacent the end of said conduit; a delivery valve at to the coating solution for the rod 20`is enclosed within the bellows 29. l This bellows 29 is fixed at both its ends. the topto the collar 3l and the the end of said conduit; means on said delivery valve for receiving an end of a tube toA be coated; a guide member below saiddelivery valve, for

aligning a tube with an end in Asaid delivery valve receiving means; a'linkage system arranged to operate said valves simultaneously; and a handle for dperating'said valves throughsad linkage, said handle being pivotally'; mountedl adjacent said guide member whereby a tube, as arranged for coating in' said unit, may be included in a manual grip on said handle, and pressed against said guide thereby, as a fixed member in the con'- traction of y said gripto pivot said handle and operate said linkage.

AUGUST E. KULBERG.

CHARLES L. ALBRIGHT. Y.

Images