US3064620A

US3064620A - Apparatus for coating recessed surface areas

Info

Publication number: US3064620A
Application number: US88853A
Authority: US
Inventors: William C Bornemann
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1961-02-13
Filing date: 1961-02-13
Publication date: 1962-11-20
Anticipated expiration: 1979-11-20

Description

Nov. 20, 1962 w. c. BORNEMANN APPARATUS FOR COATING RECESSED SURFACE AREAS Filed Feb. 15, 1961 Ff'a. 1

1 1 G 5 INVENTOR. zVi ZZz'czm CB United States Patent Ofifice iifihdfizd Patented Nov. 20, 1952 3,064,620 APPARATUS FGR CQATING RECESSED URFAE AREAS C. Bornemann, 1538 S. Highway 83,

Villa Park, 111. Filed Feb. 13, 1%1, Ser. No. 88,853 12 Claims. (Cl. 118-3) The present invention pertains to coating apparatus. More particularly it has to do with the apparatus for coating recessed surface areas such as indicia cast in a preferably transparent plate. The method disclosed herein embodying the invention is covered in my copending application Serial No. 189,944, filed March 26, 1962.

Indicia bearing displays such as signs, instrument panels and the intelli nce media may be formed by casting or incising the indicia into a surface in reverse or mirror image. The recessed areas are then coated with a material, such as paint, to provide the necessary contrast to set out the configuration of the indicia so that they may be readily observed from the opposite side of the plate. One use of presentations of this sort for an example is for dial plates in radios and the like. Often, the indicia is cut into a sheet of transparent material such as Lucite. Upon illumination of the plate into which the indicia are out either by edge or back lighting, the painted recessed portions stand out vividly.

One prior method of applying a coating to the recessed areas is to spray or otherwise cover the entire surface of the plate with material and then to wipe oil" the excess, leaving the coating only within the recesses. Such a technique is most wasteful of time and of the coating material. Another approach has been to carefully paint the coating material into the recesses with a brush. This is exceedingly costly in time, especially when done by hand.

it is accordingly a general object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for coating recessed areas of the kind described and yet which avoid the aforenoted disadvantages.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for coating areas recessed into a plate automaticall and with a minimum of time and ellort.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of the foregoing character which is rugged capable oi rapidly coating the recesses with a minimum of waste, either as to efiort or material.

An apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention includes a table upon which the recessed plate is disposed for controlled vibration. Overlying the table is a housing, and a pl -ality of tubes that communicate with an project dowrvardly therefrom with the tubes being disposed in a configuration corresponding to that of the recessed areas in the plate. A reservoir of coating material is included within the housing. Freely slidable within each tube is a needle having its lower end projecting below the tube and its upper end closingly engageable with the upper end of the tube. The apparatus further includes means for lowering the housing to press the needle lower ends against the recessed areas and displace the needle upper ends from engagement with the tubes, permitting the coating material to flow evenly and gently into the recessed areas.

The features of the invention which are believed to be new are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention, together with further obiects and advantages thereof, may best be understood however, by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanyirlt drawings. in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partia ly in crosssection, showing apparatus embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the lines 22 in HS. 1;

PEG. 3 is a fragmenentary perspective view of a portion of a plate bearing indicia-representing recessed areas;

PEG. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional end view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram depicting the wave shape of a vibration imparted to the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4.

The present invention pertains to apparatus for coating, with a material such as paint, recessed area 10 formed in a surface of a plate ll (FIG. 3). For example, as to one area of utility, by filling recesses area 1% with an opaque paint and forming plate ll from a translucent or transparent material such as Lucite, back lighting of the latter causes the coated recessed area to stand out with a high degree of visibility. Dial plates of radio apparatus commonly incorporate indicia means of this kind.

As illustrated for purposes of explaining the present invention, the apparatus includes a table 12. upon which the plate ll is disposed for coating of its recessed areas. Overlying table 12 is an enclosure 13'. Enclosure i3 is supported upon posts 3.4 projecting upwardly from table 12 and enabling movement or the enclosure toward and away from the table. Downward movement of enclosure 33' is limited by an upwardly projecting stop 12 threaded through table 12.

Secured within the lower portions of enclosure 13 is a first dispenser housing 13-. Projecting downwardly from housing 13 and communicating with the interior thereof are a plurality of tubes 15 arranged in a configuration corresponding to recessed areas 10 and in plate ll. For a given application, at least one such tube 15 preferably is disposed in alignment with each linear portion of the indicia character formed in plate 11.

Freely slidable within tubes 15 are respective needles 16, the lower ends 17 of which project beyond the lower ends of tube 15. Preferably, the lower end portion of the tubes are bent inwardly toward but spaced from needles 16. The upper end of each of needles 16 is flared to form a valve member loo closingly engageable with the correspondingly flared inner side walls of tubes 15.

The interior of housing 13, about needles 16, constitutes a reservoir 18 for the coating medium, in this instance an opaque or semi-opaque paint having a consistency preferably between that of a paste and that of water. Upon lowering of en losure 13' and hence of housing l3 toward plate 12, the lower end of needles l6 engage the bottom of recessed areas 10 whereupon the needles are moved upwardly relative to tube 15. In consequence, the coating material is permitted to flow down wardly from reservoir ll through the tube and gently into recessed area lit. Upon subsequent raising of housing 13, the upper end of needle 16 closes with that of tube 15 and thereby inhibits further disposition of the coating material.

More precise control of needles and of the disposition of the coating material is insured by including elements within housing 13 to maintain even and proper distribution of the coating material into all of the tubes. To this end, immediately overlying the upper ends of needles 1% is a layer 19 of elastomer material impervious to the coating medium but perforated at 19a for the downward flow of paint. A thin layer of perforated elastomer is suitable to rest upon the valve member 16a to cause closmovement thereof. Immediately above material layer 19 is a layer 29 of resilient matter such as felt which is likewise pervious to and is absorbtive of the coating medium. Adding evenness of coating material distribution is attained by th edisposition over layer 2% of a plurality of small lead shot 21, or other suitable weights to help in the operation of the valve member 16a.

In order to permit the disposition of a plurality of different colored coating mediums respectively to different ones of the recessed areas, the apparatus preferably includes a tandem arrangement of dispensing apparatus. To this end, a second housing 25 is disposed above housing 13 and is similarly constructed insofar as it includes a reservoir for the coating medium together with layers 19' and 28' corresponding to

layers

19 and 28 and weights 21 corresponding to weights 2-1, all as previously described, Tubes enclosed needles 16, project downwardly from housing 25 through housing 13. Tubes 15 are otherwise similar to tubes 15 and are arranged in a desired configuration with respect to a portion of the recessed areas It in plate 11.

Introduction of the coating materials into

housings

13 and 25 is accommodated by access openings 27 and 23, respectively. One color of coating medium may be inserted into one reservoir and a different colored coating medium inserted into the other.

Movement of

housings

13 and 25 downwardly toward plate 12 positions the lower ends of tubes 15 and 15' immedidiately above recessed areas 19. At the same time, the lower ends of needles 16 and 16' engage the recessed areas whereupon the needles are forced upwardly to disengage their upper ends from those of tubes 15 and 15'. Thereupon, a passage is opened beneath

layers

19 and 19" permitting the coating mediums to flow downwardly through

tubes

15 and 15 and into recessed areas 10. Upon subsequent raising of

housings

13 and 25, needles 16 and 16 are urged downwardly and into sealing engagement at the upper ends of tubes 15 and 15', terminating the flow of coating medium through the tubes.

Increased assurance of opening and closing the needle valve members 16a and against undesired splattering of plate 11 is enjoyed by placing

housings

13 and 25 alternately under pressure and vacuum. To this end, the reservoir areas of each housing communicates with a pressure control unit 30 coupled through a conduit 31 to a source of compressed air and through a conduit 32 to a vacuum pump. In a conventional manner, control unit 30 is synchronized, through a micro-switch system (not shown), to admit pressure with the coating medium reservoirs upon downward positioning of

housings

13 and 25. Similarly, upon the subsequent raising of

housings

13 and 25, the reservoirs are placed in communication with conduit 32; the resultant vacuum within the reservoirs tends to draw the coating medium upwardly within

tubes

15 and 15 thereby positively inhibiting further discharge.

In order to obtain both uniform and complete coating of the entire surface area of recessed areas 10, the plate 11 and bed 12 preferably are subjected to vibration. To this end,

transducer units

33 and 34 are secured respecti"ely on the bed 12 near the side and the end wall respectively, although the bed 12 is made of light material such as aluminum, it is preferred that the transducers be supported on the bed and operate directly in the plate 11. Upon lowering of

housings

13 and 25 to a position at which needles 16 and 16 engage recessed areas it transducers 33 and 34 are energized through microswitches on their undersides to vibrate plate 11 in two horizontal directions. Vibration is terminated upon withdrawal of

tubes

16 and 16 from'their lowered position, the vibration preferably being maintained for a short duration following removal of theneedles from contact with the recessed areas. Most advantageous coatng is obtainable byvibrating the plate 11 with a clipped sinewave motion as represented in FIG. 5. More particularly, such motion is clipped on one-half cycle of the housing movement as indicated by the wave form shown in FIG. 5. Abrupt clipping of the housing movement is readily attainable by placing a stop in the' path of the movement of the transduced element or within the

transducers

33 and 34. Thus, the paint which contacts the plate 11 in the grooves It), acquires momentum with the plate during the sine-wave portion of the motion and this momentum causes the paint to flow and spread in the grooves to points remote from the needle when the sinewave motion of the plate is clipped as where the plate is abruptly stopped. The vibrations otherwise are rapid and of short excursion, the frequency being variably adjusted for optimum results during operation in view of dirTerent weights of plates which will be processed.

it is also to be noted that this vibration efiective upon the needles contacting the plate and shakes the needle to assist in the paint flow therethrough, which, alongwith the vertical movement of the needle in the ports, keeps the flow path open for the paint to fiow when free to do so. This vibration can be done by hand also but there should be for best results a repeated sudden stopping of the plate after movement of the paint with the plate has been instituted. However, the transducers may need only strike the plate sharply after being stationary momentarily and similar results will be performed provided the plate is returned to the starting position by a spring or by a second blow made sharply after the plate has come to rest following the first blow.

As herein modified, a multiplicity of colors of "coating material may be dispensed, It will be readily understood that still further dispensing units may be disposed in tandurn with the two described in order to increase the number of colors aflixed in a single operation.

The apparatus described above is capable of dispensing a coating material such as paint into indicia representing recesses while so dispensing only the exact amount of paint required and thereby avoiding wastage. 'In addi-' tion, the dispensed coating medium is cause to flow even ly over the entire recessed area yet the apparatus is long enduring. Durability and ease of handling are also best obtained by fabricating the housing structure of a lightweight material such as aluminum. I

Thus needles of common size and flow characteristics may be employed with recesses of any width, the vibra tion of the plate in the direction of the greatest width of the indicia recesses being adjusted Whether in frequency While a particular embodiment of the present inven' tion has been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. Accordingly, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit andscope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for coating areas recessed into a plate comprising: a table upon which said plate is disposed; a housing overlying said table; a plurality of tubes com municating with and projecting downwardly from said housing with said tubes disposed in a configuration cor responding to that of said recessed areas; a reservoir of coating medium within said housing; a needle freely s1id' able within each of said tubes with each needle having its lower end projecting below the tube and its upper end closingly engageable with the upper end of the tube; and means for lowering said housing to press said needle lower ends against said recessed areas and displace said needle upper ends from engagement with said tubes.

2. Apparatus for coating areas recessed into a plate comprising: a table upon which said plate is disposed; a housing overlying said table; a plurality of tubes communicating with and projecting downwardly from said housing with said tubes disposed in a configuration corresponding to that of said recessed areas; a reservoir of coating medium within said housing; a needle freely slidable within each of said tubes with each needle having its lower end projecting below the tube and its upper end closingly engageable with the upper end of the tube, the lower end portion of each tube being bent inwardly toward but spaced from the needle; and means for lowering said housing to press said needle lower ends against said recessed areas and displace said needle upper ends from engagement with said tubes.

3. Apparatus for coating areas recessed into a plate comprising: a table upon which said plate is disposed; a housing overlying said table; a plurality of tubes communicating with and projecting downwardly from said housing with said tubes disposed in a configuration corresponding to that of said recessed areas; a reservoir of coating medium within said housing; a needle freely slidable within each of said tubes with each needle having its lower end projecting below the tube and its upper end closingly engageable with the upper end of the tube; means for lowering said housing to press said needle lower ends against said recessed areas and displace said needle upper ends from engagement with said tubes; and means for vibrating said housing during engagement of said needles with said recessed areas.

4. Apparatus for coating areas recessed into a plate comprising: a table upon which said plate is disposed; a housing overlying said table; a plurality of tubes communicating with and projecting downwardly from said housing with said tubes disposed in a configuration corresponding to that of said recessed areas; a reservoir of coating medium within said housing; a needle freely slidable within each of said tubes with each needle having its lower end projecting below the tube and its upper end closingly enga eable with the upper end of the tube; means for lowering said housing to press said needle lower ends against said recessed areas and displace said needle upper ends from engagement with said tubes; and means for vibrating said housing during and after engagement of said needles with said recessed areas.

5. Apparatus for coating areas recessed into a plate comprising: a table upon which said plate is dispose a housin overlying said table; a plurality of tubes communicating with and projecting downwardly from said housing with said tubes disposed in a configuration corresponding to that of said recessed areas; a reservoir of coating medium within said housing; a needle freely slidable within each of said tubes with each needle having its lower end projecting below the tube and its upper end closingly engageabl with the upper end of the tube; means for lowering said housing to press said needle lower ends against said recessed areas and displace said needle upper ends from engagement with said tubes; and means for vibrating said housing with a clipped sine-wave motion during engagement of said needles with said rccessed areas.

6. Apparatus for coating areas recessed into a plate comprising: a table upon which said plate is disposed; a housing overlying said table; a plurality of tubes commun cating with and projecting downwardly from said housing with said tubes disposed in a configuration corresponding to that of said recessed areas; a reservoir of coating medium within said housing; a needle freely slidable within each of said tubes with each needle having its lower end projecting below the tube and its upper end closingly engageable with the upper end of the tube; means for lowering said housing to press said needle lower ends against said recessed areas and displace said needle upper ends from engagement with said tubes; and means for vibrating said housing with a sine-wave motion clipped on one-half cycle during engagement of said needles with said recessed areas.

7. Apparatus for coating areas recessed into a plate comprising: a table upon which said plate is disposed; a housing overlying said table; a plurality of tubes communicating with and projecting downwardly from said housing with said tubes disposed in a configuration corresponding to that of said recessed areas; a reservoir of coating medium within said housing; a needle freely slidable within each of said tubes with each needle having its lower end projecting below the tube and its upper end tclosingly engageable with the upper end of the tube; means for lowering said housing to press said needle lower ends against said recessed areas and displace said needle upper ends from engagement with said tubes; and means for creating pressure within said housing during engagement of said needles with said recessed areas.

8. Apparatus for coating areas recessed into a plate comprising: a table upon which said plate is disposed; a housing overlying said table; a plurality of tubes communicating with and projecting downwardly from said housing with said tubes disposed in a configuration corresponding to that of said recessed areas; a reservoir of coating medium within said housing; a needle freely slidable within each of said tubes with each needle having its lower end projecting below the tube and its upper end closingly engageable with the upper end of the tube; means for lowering said housing to press said needle lower ends against said recessed areas and displace said needle upper ends from engagement with said tubes; and means for creating a vacuum within said housing upon with drawal of said needles from said recessed areas.

9. Apparatus for coating areas recessed into a plate comprising: a table upon which said plate is disposed; a housing overlying said table; a plurality of tubes communicating with and projecting downwardly from said housing with said tubes disposed in a configuration corresponding to that of said recessed areas; a reservoir of coating medium within said housing; a needle freely slidable within each of said tubes with each needle having its lower end projecting below the tube and its upper end closingly engageable with the upper end of the tube; means for lowering said housing to press said needle lower ends against said recessed areas and displace said needle lower ends from engagement with said tubes; and means for creating pressure within said housing during engagement of said needles with said recessed areas and for creating a vacuum Within said housing upon withdrawal of said needles from said recessed areas.

10. Apparatus for coating areas recessed into a plate comprising: a table upon which said plate is disposed; a first housing overlying said table; a first plurality of tubes communicating with and projecting downwardly from said housing with said tubes disposed in a configuration corresponding to that of a first portion of said recessed areas; a reservoir of coating material within said first housing; a needle freely slidable within each of said first plurality of tubes with each needle havingits lower end projecting below the tube and its upper end closingly engageable with the upper end of the tube; a second housing overlying the first housing; a second plurality of tubes communicating with and projecting downwardly from said second housing through said first housing with said second plurality of tubes disposed in a configuration correspondmg to that of another portion of said recessed areas; a reservoir of a second coating medium within said second housing; a needle freely slidable within each of said second plurality of tubes with each needle having its lower end projecting below the tube and its upper end closingly engageable with the upper end of the tube; and means for lowering said housings to press said needle lower ends against said recessed areas and displace said needle upper ends from engagement with said tubes.

11. Apparatus for coating areas recessed into a plate comprising: a table upon which said plate is disposed; a hous ng overlying said table; a plurality of tubes com muntcating with and projecting downwardly from said houslng with said tubes disposed in a configurat on corresponding to that of said recessed areas; a needle freely slidable within each of said tubes with each needle having its lower end projecting below the tube and its upper end closingly engageable with the upper end of the tube; means for lowering said housing to press said needle lower ends against said recessed areas and displace said needle upper ends from engagement with said tubes; a layer of material pervious to a coating medium and disposed in said housing to overlie said needle upper ends; a layer of re- 7 silient matter pervious to said medium and overlying said material; a layer of elements exerting pressure on the upper surface of said resilient matter; and a reservoir of said coating medium within said housing and above said layer of resilient matter.

12. Apparatus for coating areas recessed into a plate comprising: a table upon which said plate is disposed; a housing overlying said table; a plurality of tubes communicating with andprojecting downwardly from said housing with said tubes disposed in a configuration corresponding to that of said recessed areas; a needle freely slidable Within each of said tubes with each needle having its lower end projecting below the tube and its upper end pervious to a coating medium and disposed in said housing to overlie said needle upper ends; a layer of resilient matter absorbtive of said coating medium and overlying; 7 said material; a layer of elements exerting pressure on: the upper surface of said resilient matter; and a reservoir of said coating medium Within said housing and above;

said layer of resilient matter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS