US3699982A - Method for keeping paint tanks clean - Google Patents

Method for keeping paint tanks clean Download PDF

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Publication number
US3699982A
US3699982A US3699982DA US3699982A US 3699982 A US3699982 A US 3699982A US 3699982D A US3699982D A US 3699982DA US 3699982 A US3699982 A US 3699982A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
paint
thinner
tank
liquid
head space
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
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English (en)
Inventor
David D Pipkins
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Valspar Corp
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Valspar Corp
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Publication date
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Publication of US3699982A publication Critical patent/US3699982A/en
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05C—APPARATUS FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05C11/00—Component parts, details or accessories not specifically provided for in groups B05C1/00 - B05C9/00
    • B05C11/11—Vats or other containers for liquids or other fluent materials
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T137/00—Fluid handling
    • Y10T137/0318—Processes
    • Y10T137/0402—Cleaning, repairing, or assembling

Definitions

  • the disclosed apparatus includes a pair of large, enclosed storage tanks each having an impeller and a common paint supply line. Conduits interconnect the tanks and a pump is provided for discharging the paint from either tank.
  • the lowermost conduit has a storage chamber at either end and a ball is propelled between the chambers to loosen residue in the conduit.
  • At the top of the tanks is a container for the liquid thinner. A float in the container maintains the level of the liquid thinner. A float in the container maintains the level of the liquid thinner. A heating element in the container is adapted to vaporize the thinner. Conduits lead from the container to the tanks to feed the vapor thereto.
  • the invention pertains generally to fluid handling and storage, and more particularly to method for clean ing tanks for paint and the like.
  • paint is to be taken as including lacquer, shellac, varnish, ink, latex and oil base coatings, and the like.
  • the term is to be limited, however, to materials which leave a residue or coating on metal, and which contain a solvent or diluent.
  • thinner is a material capable of serving as a solvent or diluent for a particular paint. Additionally, as herein used, the term thinner islimited to a material which is ordinarily a liquid but which may be vaporized by the application of heat and later condensed without destroying its characteristics.
  • the present invention relates to method for cleaning tanks for paint and the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for maintaining the interior of such a tank substantially free of residue of paint and the like.
  • Another object is to provide a method which prevents build up of residue in the tank by condensing thinner on the interior of the tank.
  • Still another object is to provide a method in accordance with the foregoing in which liquid thinner is first vaporized by heating the same.
  • Yet another object of the invention is to provide a method in accordance with the general object and which is economical, simplified, and capable of use with all types of paints.
  • FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a storage system, including tanks and feed and discharge pipes, and incorporating the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of a pipe and apparatus for freeing residue therein;
  • FIG. 3 is a top plan view of apparatus for vaporizing the thinner and feeding the vapor to the tanks and on a larger scale than FIG. 1;
  • the tanks there are two storage tanks T1 and T2 for storing paint. These tanks are about 7 feet in diameter and 10 feet in height and are conveniently supported on legs 11.
  • the tanks are preferably enclosed, and each have a top wall 12 for this purpose.
  • Each tank also has an opening in the top wall which is closed by a cover 13. If the paint includes a flammable material, the tank is preferably sealed; however, the term enclosed tank is not limited to a sealed tank construction.
  • a feed conduit 14 conveniently leads from a paint mixing tank and is divided into branches 16 and 18 leading to tanks T1 and T2, respectively. Valves 22 and 24 are interposed in the branch conduits 16 and 18, respectively to control the flow of paint into the tanks. Each tank has an impeller (not shown) driven by motor 25 for stirring the paint stored in the respective tank.
  • each tank has an outlet adjacent the bottom thereof and these outlets are connected by pipe 26.
  • Valves (not'shown) may be disposed at the outlet of each tank to control flow therefrom.
  • a pump P driven by a motor M is adapted to pump the paint from the tanks through a discharge conduit 27 to a valved outlet 28.
  • the discharge outlet 28 is conveniently disposed above a roller conveyor 34 to fill receptacles disposed onv the conveyor.
  • the paint can be pumped through branch conduits 31 and 32 back into the tanks to recirculate the paint.
  • the present invention provides a method and apparatus for maintaining the interior of the enclosed tanks substantially free of residue of the paint. This is accomplished by providing a quantity of liquid thinner of a type which is capable of thinning the paint, vaporizing the liquid thinner by heating the same, conducting the vaporized thinner into the head space of the tank, and causing the thinner to condense on the inside of the tank so that the liquid rinses the side walls.
  • the liquid thinner to be used is water.
  • the liquid thinner can be any of the various materials ordinarily utilized for thinning oil-based paint so long as it is compatible with the ingredients in the paint.
  • the liquid thinner is a flammable material
  • One suitable inert gas is carbon dioxide. Under this circumstance, it is preferable that the tank be sealed.
  • the vapor be fed into the head space of the tank at a rate to maintain the head space at a temperature at least a few degrees above the temperature of the paint. It has been found that 2 or 3 Fahrenheit is sufficient for this purpose. Under most circumstances, if the side walls of the tank surrounding the head space are maintained at ambient temperature, the liquid thinner will condense on the interior and adequately perform the desired function. It has been found that the method of the present invention is effective to keep the side walls of the storage .tank substantially free of any build up of residue. Additionally, the small amount of thinner added to the paint in performing the method has no adverse effect on the quality of the paint.
  • FIGS. 3-5 A separate container, generally designated C, is disposed between the tanks and supported by brackets 41 and 42.
  • the container includes a generally cylindrical hollow body 44 having an outwardly-extending peripheral flange 45 at one end thereof, and a closure plate 46 bolted to the flange 46 and in sealing relation thereto. Thinner is fed into the container C by means of an inlet line 48 in which is interposed a valve 49 to control flow through the inlet line.
  • a float 51 is disposed in the container C and controls a mercury switch 52 which, in turn, controls the actuation of the valve 49. In this manner, the liquid level in the container is maintained within preselected limits.
  • a heating element 54 is also located in the container C below the liquid level of the thinner.
  • latex paint was stored in a tank of the size described, and water was utilized as the thinner. It was found that a heater of about 500 watts capacity was sufficient for vaporizing thinner at a rate required to maintain the head space of the tank at about 2 to 3 above the temperature of the paint in the tank.
  • the heater may have a control 55 which includes a thermostat.
  • An outlet line 61 leads from the container to a distributor 62 from which lead branch lines 63 and 64 to the tanks T1 and T2, respectively. These branch lines 63 and 64 communicate with the head space of the tanks above the level of the paint therein. In the embodiment illustrated, an opening is provided in the top 12 of each tank for this communication.
  • a storage chamber in the form of a branch pipe 71 is laterally offset from the pipe 26.
  • a second storage chamber 71 of similar construction is disposed at a point spaced from the first storage chamber.
  • the portion of pipe 26 between the two storage chambers is, in accordance with the invention, free of any abrupt changes in direction.
  • the pipe 26 and the storage chambers 71 and 71 have generally identical inside diameters.
  • a ball 74 is disposed in one of the storage chambers and may be propelled from one storage chamber to the other.
  • each storage chamber has an inlet 72 connected to a source of gas under pressure by line 73.
  • a deflector 76 is located in the pipe 26 adjacent each chamber to deflect the ball from the pipe portion into the storage chamber.
  • a charge of gas is introduced through the inlet 72.
  • the ball 74 is propelled into the line 26 and along the said portion of it until it contacts the opposite deflector and is deflected into the opposite storage chamber. In this manner, any residue that may build up in that pipe portion is freed by the travel of the ball 74 and can thereafter be flushed from the system.
  • a method of preventing build-up of paint on the interior side wall of an enclosed paint tank, above the level of paint in the paint tank, to keep it substantially free of residue of paint comprising the steps of:
  • a method as set forth in claim 3 including the step of feeding the vaporized flammable thinner into the head space at a rate to maintain the head space at a temperature at least a few degrees above the temperature of the paint in the paint tank.
  • a method for keeping the interior side wall of an enclosed paint tank, above the level of paint in the paint tank, continually free of residue of paint comprising the steps of:
  • a method as set forth in claim 5 including the steps of providing a heating element in the separate container below the intended level of liquid thinner; and selectively feeding liquid thinner into the separate container to generally maintain said liquid level.
US3699982D 1969-12-29 1969-12-29 Method for keeping paint tanks clean Expired - Lifetime US3699982A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US88855869A 1969-12-29 1969-12-29

Publications (1)

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US3699982A true US3699982A (en) 1972-10-24

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ID=25393401

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US3699982D Expired - Lifetime US3699982A (en) 1969-12-29 1969-12-29 Method for keeping paint tanks clean

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US (1) US3699982A (de)
CA (1) CA925256A (de)
DE (1) DE2056980A1 (de)
GB (1) GB1261510A (de)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4023983A (en) * 1975-10-28 1977-05-17 Collins Machinery Corporation Vapor cleaning system
US4350658A (en) * 1981-06-16 1982-09-21 Knowlton Floyd M Interim preservation of surface coating applicators
US4895604A (en) * 1985-07-15 1990-01-23 Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd. Method and apparatus for rinsing materials or articles
US20040045802A1 (en) * 2001-09-28 2004-03-11 Lachawiec Anthony J. Systems and methods for conditioning ultra high purity gas bulk containers

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4023983A (en) * 1975-10-28 1977-05-17 Collins Machinery Corporation Vapor cleaning system
US4350658A (en) * 1981-06-16 1982-09-21 Knowlton Floyd M Interim preservation of surface coating applicators
US4895604A (en) * 1985-07-15 1990-01-23 Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd. Method and apparatus for rinsing materials or articles
US20040045802A1 (en) * 2001-09-28 2004-03-11 Lachawiec Anthony J. Systems and methods for conditioning ultra high purity gas bulk containers
US6814092B2 (en) * 2001-09-28 2004-11-09 Air Products And Chemicals, Inc. Systems and methods for conditioning ultra high purity gas bulk containers

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB1261510A (en) 1972-01-26
CA925256A (en) 1973-05-01
DE2056980A1 (de) 1971-07-01

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