Paint spray booth and filter therefor

A paint spray booth comprising a first wall means defining a work chamber adapted to receive objects to be painted and a second wall means adjacent to the first wall means defining a plenum chamber, said first wall means having an opening communicating with the plenum chamber and an aperture spaced from the opening communicating with the plenum chamber, said second wall means having an orifice communicating with the ambient atmosphere, a filter sealed in the opening, air circulation means in the plenum chamber for moving air through the filter into the plenum chamber, through the plenum chamber, dividing the flow of air to direct a portion thereof through the aperture back into the work chamber and a portion thereof through the orifice to the ambient atmosphere, wherein the filter is disposed in a plane and comprises a plurality of elongated members, each of said members having a first flat elongated portion with opposite edges and the axes of the first portions of the members being disposed parallel to each other in a common plane, each of said members having a second and a third flat portion extending from opposite edges of the first portion, the second portions being disposed in a second common plane parallel to the common plane of the axes of the first portions and spaced from each other to form openings therebetween for the passage of air, the third flat portions being spaced from each other and forming slots therebetween for the passage of air, the third portions directly confronting the work chamber and each slot having an area less than the area of the downstream opening, whereby air directed toward the filter passes through the slots and thereafter the openings.