Method and machine for batching coloring agents into paints and varnishes

#1. Field of the Invention

#This invention relates to a method and machine for batching coloring agents into paints and varnishes by volume, and to a machine which will dispense said coloring agents accurately.

#2. Description of the Prior Art

#These and other objects will become readily apparent with reference to the drawings and following description wherein:

#FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the machine of this invention designed to batch sixteen coloring agents with the left hand half of the drawing illustrating the position occupied by the largest container of the medium during mixing and the right half illustrating the position occupied by the smallest size container;

#FIG. 2 is a plan view of the machine of FIG. 1 partially in section;

#With reference to the drawings the device of this invention includes a cabinet 1 housing the machine adapted to hold either containers 2 or 3 of the medium, paint or varnish. Either container 2 or 3 is positioned as shown on platform 4 of an L-shaped support 5 that is slidable vertically by an electrically operated linear actuator 6. See FIGS. 3 and 4. Actuator 6 is hinged at its lower end to the lower portion of framework of cabinet 1. A disc 7 to which the sixteen batching nozzles 8 for the coloring agents are mounted is in turn mounted on shelf 9 with sixteen respective solenoid valves 10. Cabinet 1 includes a top surface which is an open fronted box structure with vertical walls 11, 12 and 13 which rest on the bottom shelf 14 of the cabinet 1. A photocell 15 detects either the presence of absence of a container on platform 4 or the presence of a container of incorrect size. The coloring agents are stocked in containers 16 (of which there are sixteen in the embodiment shown) each with a lid I7 and an internal stirrer 18 turned by a respective electric motor 19. Each container is positioned vertically in a respective opening in the top surface 20 of the cabinet 1 resting on the lip of the opening itself; the top surface 20 has a cover 21 at each side, hinged at the rear of the cabinet 1 so as to permit access to the two sets of eight containers 16. The computer video display 22, printer 23 and keyboard 24 are also disposed on top of the cabinet 1. The machine comprises positive displacement pumps 25 (one for each container 16) the flow rate of which can be varied by variation of the speed of rotation of the single electric motor 26, a stepping motor. The rotor of motor 26 is designed to locate four hundred distinct angular positions within one revolution. The double extending shaft 27 of motor 26 connects by way of respective coupling 28 with a relative input shaft 29 journalled to a base 30 located inside cabinet 1. A wide face timing pulley 31 keyed to each input shaft 29 transmits drive by way of a relative timing belt 32 to two identical pulleys 33 keyed to the common drive shafts 34 of four pumps 25 mounted in pairs to the base 30. Rotation imparted at either side of the machine to these pulleys 33 is relayed in turn by way of further belts 35 to the pulleys 36 of the remaining two pairs of pumps 25. Therefore, there are two drive systems, one on either side of the motor each one driving eight pumps. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the number of pumps can be changed to any desired number.

#The bottom of each container 16 connects with the intake of a respective pump 25 via a tube 37. A further tube 38 connects the pressure outlet of each pump 25 with a respective solenoid valve 10, and a recycle tube 39 returns the excess coloring agent from the valve to the bottom of the respective container 16. An extension 40 of the recycled tube 39 is located inside the container 16. As shown in FIG. 4, a double extending shaft 41 extends from either side of the L-shaped support 5 at its rear end and has rollers 42 which locate in vertical guides 43, integral with walls 11 and 12 of the cabinet 1. This same shaft serves as the trigger element for the container size proximity sensors. With reference to keypad 24, as shown in FIG. 8, there are the noted keys for entering quantities of medium to which coloring agents may be admixed 45 through 53. The keys governing the following functions are provided in this embodiment:

#Key 45 - check on coloring agent batch data at the start of each work shift;