US3659554A - Pouring plant, especially for lacquers, varnishes, enamels, and the like - Google Patents

Abstract

A pouring installation with at least one pouring station for pouring liquids, in which work pieces to be processed are conveyed by conveying means past a pouring head and a collecting trough which latter together with said pouring head is movable selectively from a first position in the path of said conveying means into a second position out of said path and vice versa, while storage means for storing the liquid to be conveyed to the pouring head are provided from which the liquid is pumped to the pouring head and while said pump and said storage means and said collecting trough form a closed circuit in the first as well as in the second position of the pouring head and the pertaining collecting trough.

Description

United States Patent [151 3,659,554

Friz et al. [451 May 2, 1972 [5 POURING PLANT, ESPECIALLY FOR References Cited LACQUERS, VARNISHES, ENAMELS, UNITED STATES PATENTS AND THE LIKE 3,074,374 l/ 1963 Burkle ..l l8/300.6 72 Inventors; Helm! A Friz, Stuttgart; Alfred n 3,132,968 5/1964 Wandtke ..l l8/300.6

stmgansmmemm bmh FOREIGN PATENTS on APPLlCATIONS 1,386,483 12 1964 F ..1 18 300.6 73 Assignee: Adolf Friz Gesellschaft mit beschrankter ram Haflung, Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt, Gerprimary Examine, ]ohn p McIntosh many Attorney-Walter Becker [22] Filed: Sept. 11, 1969 [57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl' No; 856,987 A pouring installation with at least one pouring station for pouring. liquids, in which work pieces to be processed are con- [30] Foreign Application P i it D t veyed by conveying means past a pouring head and a collecting troughvwhich latter together with said pouring head is Sept. I1, 1968 Germany ..P 17 77 132.3 movable selectively from a first position in the path of said conveying means into a second position out of said path and [52] [1.5. CI. ..118/314, 118/324, ll8/D1G. 4 vice versa, while storage means for storing the liquid to be [51] Int. Cl. "1305c 5/00 conveyed to the pouring head are provided from which the [58] Field of Search ..1 18/314, 324, DIG. 4; liquid is p p to h pouring head and while said pump and 1 7 053 said storage means and said collecting trough form a closed circuit in the first as well as in the second position of the pouring head and the pertaining collecting trough.

2 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures Z4 25 it Patented May 2, 1972 3,659,554

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 In en Mrs.-

Patented May 2, 1972 3,559,554

3 Sheets-Sheet l5 POURING PLANT, ESPECIALLY FOR LACQUERS, VARNISHES, ENAMELS, AND THE LIKE The present invention relates to a pouring installation, especially for pouring lacquers, varnishes, enamels, and the like, with a transporting path for the work pieces and, more specifically, the invention concerns a pouring station comprising at least one pouring machine with a collecting trough which when the pouring station is in operation is located in and transverse to the transporting path, said collecting trough forming a circuit with a pouring head movable above the collecting trough, and with a supply and collecting container and p with a pump.

Pouring installations of the above mentioned type have to meet various requirements. In order to be able to carry out the work in a successful manner, it is necessary that an absolutely uniform liquid and especially lacquer film is produced which, due to the thinness of such films, requires an absolute purity of the liquid to be poured and in particular an absolute cleanliness of the parts which are located in the liquid path, especially of the pouring gap at the pouring head. In particular when using fast drying lacquers, it is necessary that the pouring head is quickly and easily accessible for the cleaning thereof.

Furthermore, such pouring installation also must be able to apply various types of lacquers and must permit the carrying out of different types of varnishing methods. Each such change-over has heretofore required that the entire pouring system be cleaned. The preparatory steps for such a changeover have consequently heretofore not only been time consuming but also had inherent thereto a considerable loss in material while requiring undesired long work'interruptions. Such interruptions are, in particular with installations provided in transporting paths, especially disadvantageous. On the other hand, particularly with installations on transporting paths, such change-overs are not infrequent because with the great capacity of such pouring installations, especially in connection with modern furniture manufacturing processes using various color combinations, changes in the color of the furniture are frequently necessary.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a pouring installation, especially a lacquer pouring installa tion, of the above mentioned general type, which will make it possible, when a different color is desired, to change over without interrupting the operation, even if a change in the varnishing method is required.

It is another object of this invention to provide a pouring installation which will also considerably reduce the costs and operational steps for the necessary cleaning work.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a lacquer pouring installation according to the invention with a pouring part which is movable out of the working range of the transporting path and which comprises a collecting trough and a pouring head.

FIG. 2 is a top view of an installation according to FIG. 1 in which, however, in distinction over the device of FIG. 1 two pouring machines each are provided on both sides of the transporting path in such a way that they are located opposite to each other.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a further embodiment of a pouring installation according to the invention in which pouring machines are used which are removable in toto.

FIG. 4 is a top view of an arrangement according to FIG. 3 which, however, differs from the latter in that only one pouring machine located at a pouring station is employed.

FIG. 5 is a side view of a movable pouring machine as used in the arrangement of FIGS. 3 and 4, in which the supply and collecting containers and the pump with the drive therefor are adapted to be lifted off the remaining part of the pouring machine and can be supported individually.

FIG. 6 illustrates an arrangement similar to that of FIG. 5 with the difference that the supply and collecting containers and the pump pertaining thereto are supported by the carriage of the pouring machine.

FIG. 7 is a section taken along the line VII-Vll of FIG. 6.

' The above outlined objects have been realized according to the present invention by so arranging the collecting trough and the pouring head of the pouring machine that the collecting trough and the pouring head can be removed from the transporting path while remaining in the circuit. Such an arrangement makes it possible to prepare a pouring machine outside its working position proper, in which its pouring part is located within the area of the transporting path, to such an extent that the placing proper of the pouring machine into its working position can be effected in a minimum of time and thus practically without interrupting the working operation. On the other hand, the pouring machine when moving its pouring part out of the working position, does not have to be cleaned all over each time as it has been the case heretofore in order to prevent the lacquer from drying on the machine. Instead the pouring machine may be run in a position outside the operating position of the pouring part so that the pouring machine is ready for further use at any time inasmuch as the liquid circuit is closed as it was before. In this way, rest periods of a pouring machine in which its pouring part is in a position outside its position of operation may easily be bridged as long as such rest periods do not take up too much time. Independently thereof, a pouring machine may, during its rest period, of course, also be cleaned without thereby afiecting the operation of the lacquer applying installation. Last but not least, the change-over for different varnishing methods can be quickly carried out at any time. Thus, a quick change-over can be ef-' fected from a method according to which the machine operates only with one pouring head to a method according to which two serially arranged pouring heads are operating while the pouring installation is designed accordingly and is equipped with a plurality of pouring machines.

According to a still further development of the invention, the removal of the pouring part, in other words of the collecting trough and the pouring head of a stationary pouring machine, can easily be realized by making the collecting trough and the pouring head adjustable as to height along a shaft located adjacent the transporting path and extending in vertical direction, said collecting trough and pouring head being pivotable about said shaft out of the range of the transporting path.

If for carrying out the wet-in-wet method, two pouring stations are in the feeding direction of the conveyor belt provided with one stationary pouring machine each located directly one after the other, it is advantageous, in conformity with a further development of the present invention, to have the collecting troughs and the pouring heads of the pouring machines arranged substantially parallel when they are in operation and to make said collecting troughs and pouring heads pivotable in opposite directions out of the range of the transporting path so that it is possible independently of each other to remove the pouring parts of the pouring machines from the range of the transporting path.

According to a further development of the invention, there may be provided for each pouring station two separate pouring machines which are stationary and are located on different sides of the transporting path. Of these pouring machines, the pouring machines pertaining to one pouring station are arranged symmetrically with regard to the axis of the conveyor belt, and the pivotable pouring parts of the pouring machines pertaining to one station are pivotable in the same direction. In this way it is possible to arrange and adjust independently of each other four pouring machines in the range of two pouring stations so that even when working in conformity with the wetin-wet method, an instantaneous change-over of the pouring installation, for instance, from one color to another color will be possible.

Within the frame work of the present invention a pouring machine may also be designed as an overall independent exchangeable unit whereby it will be possible to keep in readiness a number of pouring machines separate from the installation. Also the cleaning of such independent or separate pouring machines is, of course, particularly simple. In particular, such separate pouring machines may be employed also only for a certain color shade so that such an absolute and thorough cleaning may be omitted as it is required with a stationary pouring machine and when using extremely different color shades, as for instance black and white, in direct sequence to each other.

According to a further development of the invention, such exchangeable pouring machine may be movable in toto whereby the exchange can be carried out in a particularly simple manner. In order to arrive at a precise alignment of the pouring machine with regard to the installation, the entire pouring machine may be movable into and out of a pouring station of the installation. A corresponding path is formed by interrupting the transporting path while the supporting frame for the transporting path or conveyor may to this end be interrupted within the area of the pouring station, at least on one longitudinal side.

In order to permit a precise support of the pouring part of the pouring machine on both sides, the invention provides that the supporting frame of the supporting path or conveyor is within the area of the pouring station bulged out at that side which is located opposite the interrupted longitudinal side for increasing the free space in the pouring station. The pouring station may furthermore be provided, in conformity with the present invention, with guiding rails for the pouring machine adapted to be moved out of its normal working position so that the pouring machine can always be placed precisely into its working position.

Between two working stations arranged one behind the other as they are necessary, for instance, for the wet-in-wet method, a support may be provided which has a roller equipped supporting surface corresponding to the surface of the transporting path or conveyor. In the said support there may be provided the drive for the conveyor belts pertaining to the two transporting paths or conveyors so that a common drive can be realized for both belts in a very simple manner. Furthermore, the guiding rollers located between the belts may be driven by a drive on said support. A highly satisfactory support of the pouring part of the pouring machine can be realized according to the invention by equipping the pouring machine with a carriage having two columns provided in the longitudinal direction of the frame at oppositely located ends. The collecting trough and the pouring head are guided on said columns. Alongside said columns there are provided a collecting trough and pouring head which are adjustable as to height in a simple manner.

According to a further development of the invention, the supply and collecting containers and the pump with the pertaining drive may be arranged separately in the pouring machine. In this way a highly satisfactory cushioning of the shocks brought about by the drive will be possible. Such shocks should not be transferred to the pouring head since this would interfere with the formation of a uniform liquid film.

According to a simple further development of the invention, the supply and collecting containers and the pump with the drive pertaining thereto are detachably connected to the carriage so that they can be lifted off therefrom. In this way, the supply and collecting containers and the pump with the drive therefor can be supported independently of the carriage when thepouring machine is moved into the pouring station. The said support may be effected in a simple manner through a scissors-like linkage system.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the pouring plant 1 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a transporting path or conveyor 2 for the work pieces, said conveyor 2 including a frame work 2' and two belts 3 supported by said frame work 2' and passed over deviating rollers 3'. Between the said belts 3 there are provided lacquer pouring stations each of which comprises a pouring machine 4, 5 respectively and between which as support for the work pieces in the area between the pouring stations there are provided two guiding rollers 13.

Each of the stationarily arranged pouring machines 4, 5 includes a supply and collecting container 6 having associated therewith a circulating pump designated P which is driven by a motor 7. The frame work 2 of the conveyor 2 is provided with columns formed by shafts 8. The respective pouring part 9 pertaining to the respective pouring machine 4, 5 is pivotable about and adjustable as to height on the respective shaft 8. The pouring part 9 comprises a pouring head 10 which receives the respective liquid to be poured, and a collecting trough 11 which through a return conduit 12 communicates with the supply and collecting container 6.

When the pouring part 9 occupies the position shown in FIG.1 for the pouring machine 4, the pouring head 10 is located above the transporting plane of the conveyor 2, whereas the collecting trough 11 is located below the said plane. The work pieces distributed over the belts 3 are thus during the operation of the plant passed between the pouring head 10 from which the liquid is poured in the form of a thin film, and the collecting trough 11 so that only that amount of the liquid, which leaves the pouring head 10 in the form of a film, returns to the collecting trough 1 1 which does not adhere to the work pieces passed between the pouring head 10 and the collecting trough ll,

The pouring part 9 of the pouring machine 5 is in FIG. 1 shown in its rest position in which the pouring head 10 and the collecting trough 11 are along the column 8 displaced upwardly at least to such an extent that the collecting trough l 1 is located above the belts 3 and that the collecting trough 11 together with the pouring head 10 can be pivoted into a position out of operation in which the pouring. part 9 extends at least approximately parallel to the longitudinal direction of the conveyor 2. Also in the out-of-operation position, the pouring head 10 and the collecting trough 11 are in communication with the supply container 6 and pump respectively so that a liquid circuit exists as before. This makes it possible to operate the pouring machine as a unit also in its out-of-operation position so that the otherwise necessary immediate cleaning of the entire pouring machine need not to be effected. Moreover, the pouring machine 4, 5 can in this way be returned to its operational position or moved out of its operational position at a high speed and will thus be immediately ready for use.

While, in conformity with the embodiment of FIG. 1, two pouring machines 4, 5 are provided only on one longitudinal side of the conveyor 2 so that the installation can either selectively be operated with two colors or also according to the wet-in-wet method, according to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, a total of four pouring machines 4, 4'; 5, 5' are stationarily arranged. As far as the overall structure is'concemed, these pouring machines 4, 4 and 5, 5' correspond to those pouring machines 4, 5 as described in connection with FIG. 1 so that a further description thereof appears to be superfluous.

The pouring machines 4, 4' and 5, 5' which are respectively associated with a pouring station of the pouring plant or installation are arranged symmetrically with regard to the center line of the conveyor 2, and the pouring parts of the pouring machines 4, 4' and 5, 5' respectively pertaining to one station are with regard to the longitudinal direction of the conveyor belt pivotable in the same direction. The pivoting directions of the pouring parts 9 of the pouring machines 4, 4' and 5, 5 are opposite to each other as indicated in FIG. 2 by the arrows. In the pouring station, always one of the pouring parts 9 of the pouring machines 4, 4'; 5, 5' may be in operative position, as is shown in FIG. 1 in connection with the pouring machine 4. In this way it is possible with an arrangement according to FIG. 2 to employ a total of four colors one after another or, if desired, two colors simultaneously, practically without any change-over time. Furthermore, when working according to the wet-in-wet method, it would also be possible to exchange two different colors with each other.

FIGS. 3-7 illustrate a further embodiment of the present invention, according to which in contrast to the embodiments of FIGS. land 2 the pouring machines 14 are exchangeable as a unit. The principal structure of the pouring installation may remain substantially the same as referred to above and comprises a transporting path or conveyor with a frame work 16 in which two conveyor belts 3 are arranged. Between the conveyor belts there are located the pouring stations into which the pouring machines 14 may be moved. To this end, the supporting frame of the conveyor 15 is interrupted at one longitudinal side in the range of the pouring station so that a convenient introduction of the pouring machine 14 will be possible. On that longitudinal side of the frame work 16 which is located opposite the interrupted longitudinal side and within the area of the pouring stations, the frame work 16 bulges out whereby a bilateral support of the pouring part 17 of the pouring machines 14 is possible by means of the columns formed by the shafts 18.

Also with this embodiment of the pouring machines, the pouring part 17 comprises a pouring head 10 and a collecting trough 11 which form a circuit with the storage container 19 and the pump located in said container 19 and driven by a motor 7.

To more clearly show this closed circuit, reference may be had in particular to FIGS. 6 and 7. From these figures it will be seen, as indicated by the short arrows, that the liquid, eg a lacquer, flows from the pouring head 10 in the form of a uniform film over the respective work piece (not shown) into the collecting trough 11 and from the latter into the storage container 19. The thickness of the said film depends on the pouring gap 10a which may be variable in any convenient or standard manner. The storage container 19 has arranged therein the pump P driven by the motor 7. Pump 19 pumps the liquid from container 19 through conduit 19a back into the pouring head 10. The pouring machine 14 thus also in this instance forms a unit closed in itself in which the liquid can be circulated independently of the respective arrangement of the pouring machines 14.

In order to pennit a fast change-over of the pouring installation, the pouring machines 14 are displaceably designed and have a carriage 20 supported by four wheels 21. The storage container 19 and pump arranged therein together with the flanged-on motor 7 are detachably supported by the said carriage 20 so that this part of the pouring machine which has been designated generally with the reference numeral 22 can be lifted off the carriage 20 and can be supported separately. In this way, the transfer of oscillations or vibrations and shocks from the pump system to the pouring head are prevented so that the uniformity of the poured film cannot be affected by shocks or the like. Such support of the unit 22 which, as indicated in FIG. 5, may be effected through the intervention of a scissors-shaped support is naturally of importance only when the entire pouring machine 14 is in its operative position, in other words, when it has been moved into the transporting path or conveyor 2. In order to assure a precise alignment of the pouring machine 14 within the conveyor 15, guiding rails 24 are provided in the range of the pouring station.

Between the pouring stations which are arranged one behind the other when looking in the direction of the conveyor 15, there are also provided guiding rollers 13 for supporting the work pieces similar to the arrangement of FIGS. 3 and 4. In addition thereto, the support 25 located between the pouring stations and in which also the guiding rollers 13 are arranged, may also support the drive for the conveyor belts 3 of the conveyor 15. This drive is diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 3 and comprises a motor 26 and pulleys 27.

In view of the employment of the pouring machines 14 which form working units closed in themselves and adapted to work individually and also adapted to be displaced independently, it is possible within the frame work of the invention practically to keep in readiness any desired number of colors which can be used whenever necessary or desired. The cleaning work is limited to a minimum. Moreover, even with very short periods of use of the respective color, it will be possible, provided that a sufficient number of independent pouring machines 14 is provided, always to efiect a fast color change which means a fast exchange of the respective pouring machine 14.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by no means, limited to the particular constructions shown in the drawings but also comprises any modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. A pouring installation for pouring liquids, especially lacquers, varnishes and enamels, over work pieces to be processed, which includes: longitudinally extending conveying means for conveying work pieces to be processed; at least first and second pouring stations arranged one directly behind the other in the longitudinal direction of said conveying means located transverselythereof, said conveying means including a frame having longitudinal sides, one of the sides of said frame being cut out opposite said pouring stations; each of said pouring stations including at least one pouring machine mounted as a unit for independent movement through the cutout in said side into and out of cooperation with said conveying means and a pouring head and a collecting trough located underneath as associated with said pouring head; substantially vertical pivot means respectively pivotally and vertically adjustably supporting said pouring head and said collecting trough of each of said first and second pouring stations; each of said pouring heads and pertaining collecting troughs being movable upward above said conveying means and pivotable on said pivot means respectively from a first position sub-stantially extending in the direction of and parallel to said conveying means as well as being swingable into a second position substantially transverse to the longitudinal direction of said conveying means; the direction of the pivoting movement of the head and trough of a pouring machine pertaining to the first pouring station being opposite to the pivoting direction of the head and trough of a pouring machine of said second pouring station; each of said pouring machines also including liquid storage means for storing liquid to be conveyed to said pouring head pertaining thereto, pump means communicating with said storage means for pumping liquid from said storage means to said pouring head, and conduit means forming a closed circuit with said pouring head and collecting trough and said storage means and said pump means in said first as well as in said second position of said pouring head and the pertaining collecting trough.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which said frame means opposite said cutout is provided with an outwardly projecting portion providing space to receive the pouring machine.

Claims (2)

1. A pouring installation for pouring liquids, especially lacquers, varnishes and enamels, over work pieces to be processed, which includes: longitudinally extending conveying means for conveying work pieces to be processed; at least first and second pouring stations arranged one directly behind the other in the longitudinal direction of said conveying means located transversely thereof, said conveying means including a frame having longitudinal sides, one of the sides of said frame being cut out opposite said pouring stations; each of said pouring stations including at least one pouring machine mounted as a unit for independent movement through the cutout in said side into and out of cooperation with said conveying means and a pouring head and a collecting trough located under-neath as associated with said pouring head; substantially vertical pivot means respectively pivotally and vertically adjustably supporting said pouring head and said collecting trough of each Of said first and second pouring stations; each of said pouring heads and pertaining collecting troughs being movable upward above said conveying means and pivotable on said pivot means respectively from a first position sub-stantially extending in the direction of and parallel to said conveying means as well as being swingable into a second position substantially transverse to the longitudinal direction of said conveying means; the direction of the pivoting movement of the head and trough of a pouring machine pertaining to the first pouring station being opposite to the pivoting direction of the head and trough of a pouring machine of said second pouring station; each of said pouring machines also including liquid storage means for storing liquid to be conveyed to said pouring head pertaining thereto, pump means communicating with said storage means for pumping liquid from said storage means to said pouring head, and conduit means forming a closed circuit with said pouring head and collecting trough and said storage means and said pump means in said first as well as in said second position of said pouring head and the pertaining collecting trough.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which said frame means opposite said cutout is provided with an outwardly projecting portion providing space to receive the pouring machine.

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