Cleaning device upon color-change in an electrostatic mutli-color coating apparatus

A cleaning device upon color-change in an electrostatic multi-color electrostatic coating apparatus comprising:

• a first color-change device comprising a first manifold including valves for supplying respective paints of different colors, a cleaning air and a cleaning thinner selectively through a first paint supply channel;
• a second color-change device smaller in size than said first color-change device, disposed near the electrostatic coating machine and comprising a second manifold including valves for supplying respective paints of different colors, a cleaning air and a cleaning thinner selectively through a second paint supply channel;
• and
• a valve mechanism disposed near said electrostatic coating machine for supplying a paint supplied from said first color-change device or said second color-change device selectively through said first paint supply channel or said second paint supply channel to an electrostatic coating machine by way of a common paint hose,
• wherein said valve mechanism comprises a third manifold in communication with said hose and including
• a first switching valve having two exit channels selectively connectable to said first paint supply channel,
• a second switching valve having two exit channels selectively connectable to said second paint supply channel, and
• a low pressure air supply valve and a low pressure thinner supply valve,
• in which one of the exit channels of said first switching valve and one of the exit channels of said second switching valve are connected by way of said third manifold to said paint hose, while the other of the exit channels of said switching valves are connected by ON-OFF valves to a liquid discharge channel which leads to a liquid discharge tank.