Convertible spray nozzle

An air assisted liquid spray nozzle comprising an elongated hollow nozzle body having first and second ends, a chamber extending longitudinally in said body, means in said body defining an air inlet port through which a pressurized stream of air may be directed transversely into said chamber, means in said body defining a liquid inlet port for introducing liquid into said body, a tube disposed within and extending longitudinally of said body for receiving liquid from said liquid inlet port and for directing a longitudinally flowing stream of liquid, an insert member coupled to said tube, said insert member being formed with an internal liquid flow passageway through which liquid received in said tube passes and an impingement surface located in fixed relation to said liquid passageway in line with the direction of passage of said liquid through said insert member liquid passageway, means securing said insert member in said body with said impingement surface in fixed relation to said liquid inlet port so that a liquid flow stream introduced into said body from said inlet port continuously strikes said impingement surface and said liquid inlet port and passageway and is continuously deflected and mixed with a pressurized stream of air introduced into said body chamber from said air inlet port whereby the liquid is preliminary atomized in said chamber, and spray tip means defining a discharge orifice in fluid communication with said chamber and through which liquid from said chamber is discharged in a predetermined liquid spray pattern.

The combination of, a liquid spray nozzle, and a kit for converting said nozzle from a non-air assisted operation to an air assisted operation;

• said nozzle comprising an elongated hollow nozzle body having a discharge end and an opposite non-discharge end, a chamber defined in said body, means in said body defining a liquid inlet port for introducing liquid into said body, a tube disposed within and extending longitudinally of said body for receiving liquid from said liquid inlet port and for directing a longitudinally flowing stream of liquid longitudinally into said chamber, means in said body defining an air inlet port located downstream of said tube and through which a pressurized stream of air may be injected transversely into said chamber, spray tip means defining a discharge orifice adjacent the discharge end of said body in fluid communication with said chamber and through which liquid from said chamber is sprayed from said body, and a cap supporting said spray tip means and removably connected to the discharge end of said body;
• said kit comprising a strainer for use with said spray nozzle to enable non-air assisted operation of said nozzle, said strainer being tubular and being positionable in said chamber, a radially extending flange on the downstream end of said strainer and adapted to be clamped between said cap and the downstream end of said body to hold said strainer in said chamber when said nozzle is set up for non-air assisted operation, said strainer being removable endwise from the discharge end of said body when said cap and said spray tip means are removed from said body;
• said kit further comprising an insert for use with said spray nozzle in place of said strainer to alternately enable air assisted operation of said nozzle, said insert comprising an elongated member positionable within said tube and said chamber, a tubular strainer supported on one end position of said elongated member, said elongated member being formed with an internal liquid flow passageway through which liquid introduced received in said tube passes and an impingement surface located in fixed relation in said liquid passageway in line with the direction of passage of said liquid through said insert member liquid passageway, means securing said insert member in said body with said impingement surface in fixed relation to said liquid inlet port so that a liquid flow stream introduced into said body from said inlet port continuously strikes said impingement surface without relative movement between said impingement surface and said liquid inlet port and passageway and is continuously deflected and mixed with a pressurized stream of air introduced into said body chamber from said air inlet port whereby the liquid is preliminary atomized in said chamber, and said insert having a radially extending flange on the downstream end of said elongated member and adapted to be clamped between said end cap and the downstream end of said body so as too hold said elongated member in said chamber and said tube when said nozzle is set up for air assisted operation, said elongated member and the strainer supported thereby being removable endwise from the discharge end of said body when said cap and said spray tip means are removed from said body.

A spray nozzle which may be converted from an air assisted nozzle to a non-air assisted nozzle, said spray nozzle comprising an elongated hollow nozzle body having first and second ends, an elongated chamber defined in said body, means in said body defining an air inlet port through which a pressurized stream of air may be transversely injected into said chamber, means in said body defining a liquid inlet port for introducing liquid into said body, means in said body for causing said liquid to flow longitudinally through said chamber in a stream which mixes with the pressurized stream of air injected into said chamber through said air inlet port whereby said liquid is preliminarily atomized in said chamber, an orifice member removably mounted in said body and defining an orifice for restricting the flow rate of said stream of liquid after such stream enters said liquid inlet port and before such stream is preliminarily atomized in said chamber by said air stream, said orifice member having an integrally formed bar that extends longitudinally of said chamber and is spaced transversely inwardly from the walls thereof for deflecting air and liquid stream to promote mixing thereof and preliminary atomization of said liquid, said bar being formed with a transversely directed hole therethrough immediately downstream of and in fluid communication with the orifice in said orifice member whereby liquid discharging from said orifice strikes a downstream wall of said hole and is deflected transversely for flow along the sides of said bar, means defining a discharge orifice located adjacent said first end of said body and in fluid communication with said chamber, said discharge orifice receiving preliminarily atomized liquid from said chamber and causing such liquid to spray out of said nozzle, and means on said body and selectively removable therefrom to permit said orifice member to be taken out of said body so as to enable said stream of liquid to flow through said chamber without the flow rate of the liquid stream being restricted before such stream reaches said discharge orifice.

A spray nozzle comprising an elongated hollow nozzle body having first and second ends, a chamber defined in said body, means in said body defining an air inlet portion through which a pressurized stream of air may be injected transversely into said chamber, means in said body defining a liquid inlet port for introducing liquid into said body, a tube disposed within and extending longitudinally of said body for receiving liquid from said liquid inlet port and for directing a longitudinally flowing stream of liquid into said chamber, an orifice member in said tube and defining an orifice for restricting the flow rate of said longitudinally flowing stream of liquid before the latter enters said chamber, said orifice member having an integrally formed impingement element in the form of a bar extending longitudinally of said chamber and spaced inwardly from the walls thereof, said bar being formed with a transversely directed hole therethrough immediately downstream of and in fluid communication with the orifice in said orifice member whereby liquid discharged through said orifice strikes a downstream wall of said hole and is deflected transversely for flow along the sides of said bar, said orifice member impingement element having surface means for deflecting the pressurized stream of air flowing transversely into said chamber from said air inlet port for causing preliminary atomization of liquid deflected by said bar, and means defining a discharge orifice in fluid communication with said chamber and through which liquid from said chamber is directed.

A liquid spray nozzle which may be converted from an air assisted nozzle to a non-air assisted nozzle, said spray nozzle comprising a hollow nozzle body which defines a chamber, means in said body defining an air inlet port through which a pressurized stream of air may be injected into said chamber, selectively actuatable means for directing pressurzied air through said air inlet port, means in said body defining a liquid inlet port for introducing a liquid flow stream into said body, means for directing pressurized liquid through said liquid inlet port, an insert member removably mountable into said body, said insert member being formed with an internal liquid flow passageway through which liquid introduced into said body passes and an impingement surface located in fixed relation with said liquid passageway in line with the direction of passage of said liquid through said liquid passageway, means securing said insert member in said body with said impingement surface in fixed relation to said liquid inlet port so that a liquid flow stream introduced into said body from said inlet port continuously strikes said impingement surface without relative movement between said impingement surface and said liquid inlet port and passageway and is continuously deflected and mixed with a pressurized stream of air introduced into said body chamber from said air inlet port upon actuation of said pressurized air direction means whereby the liquid is preliminary atomized in said chamber, a spray tip which defines a discharge orifice adjacent in fluid communication with said chamber for receiving preliminary atomized liquid from said chamber and causing said liquid to spray out of said nozzle in a predetermined pattern of liquid droplets, and means on said body and selectively removable therefrom for permitting said insert member to be removed from said body so that upon deactuation of said pressurized air directing means a stream of liquid introduced into said body from said liquid inlet port flows through said chamber without engaging an impingement surface and without significant preliminary atomization and is dispensed directly by said spray tip into predetermined spray pattern of liquid droplets.

An air assisted liquid spray nozzle comprising of hollow nozzle body which defines a chamber, means in said body defining an air inlet port through which a pressurized stream of air may be directed into said chamber, means for directing pressurized air through said air inlet port, means in said body defining a liquid inlet port for introducing a liquid flow stream into said body, means for directing pressurized liquid through said liquid inlet port, an insert member removably mountable into said body, said insert member being formed with an internal liquid flow passageway through which liquid introduced into said body passes and an impingement surface located in fixed relation to said liquid passageway in line with the direction of passage of said liquid through said liquid passageway, means securing said insert member in said body with said impingement surface in fixed relation to said liquid inlet port so that a liquid flow stream introduced into said body from said inlet port continuously strikes said impingement surface without relative movement between said impingement surface and said liquid inlet port and passageway and is continuously deflected and mixed with a pressurized stream of air introduced into said body chamber from said air inlet port upon actuation of said pressurized air directing means whereby the liquid is preliminary atomized in said chamber, and a spray tip defining a discharge orifice in fluid communication with said chamber for receiving preliminary atomized liquid from said chamber and causing said liquid to spray out of said nozzle in a predetermined pattern of liquid droplets.

A liquid spray nozzle which may be converted from an air assisted nozzle to a non-air assisted nozzle, said spray nozzle comprising a hollow nozzle body which defines an elongated chamber, means in said body defining an air inlet port through which a pressurized stream of air may be injected into said chamber, selectively actuatable means for directing pressurized air through said air inlet port, means in said body defining a liquid inlet port for introducing a liquid flow stream into said body, means for directing pressurized liquid through said liquid inlet port, an elongated insert member removably mountable into said body in coaxial relation to said elongated chamber, said insert member being formed with an internal longitudinally oriented liquid flow passageway through which liquid introduced into said body passes and an integrally formed impingement surface in line with the direction of passage of said liquid through said liquid passageway and against which said liquid strikes for detecting said liquid and mixing it with a pressurized stream of air introduced into said body chamber from said air inlet port upon actuation of said pressurized air direction means, said impingement surface being defined by an aperture extending through said insert member transversely to the longitudinal axis of said insert member, said air inlet port communicating with insert member aperture in a manner that causes pressurized air directed into said chamber from said air inlet port to pass across an impingement surface whereby the liquid striking said impingement surface is preliminarily atomized in said chamber, a spray tip which defines a discharge orifice in fluid communication with said chamber for receiving preliminarily atomized liquid from said chamber and causing said liquid to spray out of said nozzle in a predetermined pattern of liquid droplets, and means on said body and selectively removable therefrom for permitting said insert member to be removed from said body so that upon deactuation of said pressurized air directing means a stream of liquid introduced into said body from said liquid inlet port flows through said chamber without engaging an impingement surface and without significant preliminary atomization and is dispensed directly by said spray tip into predetermined spray pattern of liquid droplets.

An air assisted liquid spray nozzle comprising a hollow nozzle body which defines a chamber, means in said body defining an air inlet port through which a pressurized stream of air may be directed into said chamber, selectively actuatable means for directing pressurized air through said air inlet port, means in said body defining a liquid inlet port for introducing a liquid flow stream into said body, means for directing pressurized liquid through said liquid inlet port, an insert member removably mountable into said body, said insert member being formed with an internal liquid flow passageway through which liquid introduced into said body passes and an integrally formed impingement surface in substantially perpendicular relation to the direction of passage of said liquid through said liquid passageway and against which said liquid strikes for deflecting said liquid and mixing it with a pressurized stream of air introduced into said body chamber from said air inlet port upon actuation of said pressurized air directing means, said impingement surface being defined by an aperture extending through said insert member transversely to the longitudinal axis of said insert member, said air inlet port communication with insert member aperture in a manner that causes at least a portion of the pressurized air directed into said chamber for said air inlet port to pass across said impingement surface in a direction transverse to the direction of liquid passing through said insert member passageway whereby the liquid striking said impingement surface is preliminarily atomized in said chamber, and a spray tip which defines a discharge orifice in fluid communication with said chamber for receiving preliminarily atomized liquid from said chamber and causing said liquid to spray out of said nozzle in a predetermined pattern of liquid droplets.

An air assisted liquid spray nozzle comprising a hollow nozzle body which defines a chamber, means in said body defining an air inlet port through which a pressurized stream of air may be directed into said chamber, means for directing pressurized air through said air inlet port, means in said body defining a liquid inlet port for introducing a liquid flow stream into said body, means for directing pressurized liquid through said liquid inlet port, an insert member removably mountable into said body, said insert member being formed with an internal liquid flow passageway through which liquid introduced into said body passes and an impingement surface in line with the direction of passage of said liquid through said liquid passageway against which said liquid strikes for deflecting said liquid and mixing it with a pressurized stream of air introduced into said body chamber from said air inlet port upon actuation of said pressurized air directing means whereby the liquid is preliminarily atomized in said chamber, said impingement surface being defined by an aperture that extends into said insert member and is in communication both with said liquid passageway and said air inlet port, and a spray tip which is defining a discharge orifice in fluid communication with said chamber for receiving preliminarily atomized liquid from said chamber and causing said liquid to spray out of said nozzle in a predetermined pattern of liquid droplets.