Booth for spray-coating articles

A booth for spray coating articles with powder, the booth comprising:

• an entrance and an exit spaced away from the entrance for the articles;
• first and second opposite spaced apart side walls extending between the entrance and the exit;
• openings defined in the first and second side walls, and a respective bay at each opening which extends outwardly from the respective side wall;
• each bay comprising an outside wall outward of the respective side wall;
• the outside wall of at least one bay being removable;
• a spray coating region between the entrance and exit and between the first and second side walls, the spray coating region having a height about the same as the height of the openings in the first and second side walls and being adjacent thereto;
• spraying means disposed along at least one of the first and second side walls for spraying powder on the articles in the spray coating region;
• a powder collecting surface extending under the entire spray coating region to collect excess powder sprayed by the spraying means;
• a plurality of air cleaners disposed along the side walls for drawing in air containing powder from within the booth and for precipitating the powder contained in the air to a region below the air cleaners;
• at least one of the air cleaners comprising an air filter attached to the removable outside wall of one bay so that the removable outside wall and attached air filter form a portable unit;
• the one air cleaner being located at least in part outward of the respective side wall at the one bay;
• the air filter comprising a portion to which air is drawn, the portion having a vertical mid-point elevation at least as high as the mid-point elevation of the spray coating region;
• and
• a powder transport means located outwardly of the respective side wall for receiving powder precipitated from the air filter and for transporting the powder to the powder collecting surface in the spray coating region.

A booth for spray coating articles with powder, comprising:

• a spray coating region in which articles are to be sprayed;
• spraying means for spraying powder onto articles in the spray coating region;
• a powder collecting surface extending under the entire spray coating region for collecting excess powder sprayed by the spraying means;
• a first side wall meeting the powder collecting surface adjacent the spray coating region;
• an opening defined in the first side wall and spaced above the powder collecting surface;
• a removable unit comprising a bay extending outwardly from the first side wall at the spray coating region, the removable unit including an air filter for removing powder from air drawn through the air filter mounted in the opening in the first side wall and at least in part positioned outwardly of the first side wall;
• means connected to the removable unit for drawing air from the spray coating region through the air filter;
• means connected to the removable unit for precipitating powder from the air filter;
• powder transport means located outwardly of the first side wall for receiving powder precipitated from the air filter and for transporting the powder to the powder collecting surface in the spray coating region;
• a second side wall parallel to the first side wall and meeting the powder collecting surface adjacent the spray coating region opposite the first side wall;
• the spray coating region having a first end and an opposite second end between the first and second side walls;
• both of the first and second side walls being divided along their lengths into separate sections for defining modular units each comprising a respective section of the first side wall and of the second side wall;
• an entrance for the articles at the first end of the spray coating region;
• and
• an exit for the articles at the second end of the spray coating region.