US 5,213,117 A · Parts washer

Abstract

An apparatus for cleaning paint guns and related accessories includes a housing defining a washing chamber, a fluid manifold located within the washing chamber having fluid jets attached thereto, a solvent storage tank, an air-flow system and a fluid distribution system for driving the solvent from the storage tank to the manifold for washing the parts mounted on the fluid jets. A timer is provided for control of the washing cycle time and a preset time may be used which is greater than the time required to empty the storage tank thereby providing a drying cycle. In one aspect, the solvent storage tank is provided with a movable barrier dividing the tank into an air chamber and a solvent chamber with the air-flow system coupled to the air chamber so that when pressurized the movable barrier drives the solvent through the fluid distribution system to the manifold. A removable solvent tank is included which is coupled to the solvent chamber by the fluid distribution system. The air-flow system is provided with an air control system which is responsive to the level of the solvent in the solvent storage container and provides for pressurization of the storage container for discharging the solvent, and for sucking solvent from the removable solvent tank to fill the storage container to a predetermined level.

Claims32

Dependent claims

A parts washer apparatus for cleaning spray paint equipment with a solvent, comprising:

(a) an enclosed washing chamber having a chamber lid;
(b) fluid manifold means located within the washing chamber provided with a plurality of nozzles for spraying said solvent into the washing chamber;
(c) a container having means defining a movable barrier located therein, the barrier separating the container into two compartments, one compartment defining a solvent storage chamber and the other compartment defining an air chamber that is sealingly separated from said solvent storage chamber, the barrier movable between a first position corresponding to the solvent chamber having a maximum volume and a second position corresponding to the solvent chamber having a minimum volume;
(d) fluid distribution system interconnecting the solvent storage chamber with the fluid manifold means for delivering the solvent from the storage chamber to the fluid manifold means;
(e) means for returning said solvent from said washing chamber to said solvent storage chamber;
and
(f) an air-flow system in flow communication with the air chamber for pressurizing the air chamber in order to drive the movable barrier from the first to the second position for driving solvent through the fluid distribution system, said air-flow system being provided with an air inlet means and the fluid distribution system and the air-flow system having independent flow lines.

4 more elements

A parts washer apparatus for cleaning spray paint equipment with a solvent, comprising:

(a) a housing having a bottom and enclosing a washing chamber having a lid:
(b) a fluid manifold located within the washing chamber provided with a plurality of nozzles for spraying fluid into the washing chamber;
(c) a removable solvent tank located below said bottom of the housing;
(d) a releasable coupling means connecting the removable solvent tank to a solvent outlet provided in said housing for flow of solvent from the washing chamber to the solvent tank;
(e) solvent storage means;
(f) a solvent distribution system having a supply line interconnecting said solvent storage means with the fluid manifold, and a return line interconnecting said solvent tank and solvent storage means, the supply and return lines having one-way check valves located therein for one-way solvent flow from the solvent storage means to the manifold and from the solvent tank to the solvent storage means;
and
(g) an air-flow system in communication with the solvent storage means for pressurizing said solvent storage means in order to drive the solvent through the solvent distribution system, said air-flow system being provided with an air inlet.

5 more elements

A parts washer apparatus for cleaning spray paint equipment with a solvent, comprising:

(a) a housing enclosing a washing chamber and having a bottom and a solvent outlet opening in a lower portion of the housing, the chamber having a chamber lid;
(b) a fluid manifold located within the washing chamber provided with a plurality of nozzles for spraying solvent into the washing chamber;
(c) a removable solvent tank located below said bottom of the housing;
(d) a releasable coupling means connecting the removable solvent tank to said solvent outlet opening for flow of solvent from the washing chamber to the solvent tank;
(e) a container having means defining a movable barrier located therein, the barrier separating the container into two compartments, one compartment defining a solvent storage chamber and the other compartment defining an air chamber that is sealingly separated from said solvent storage chamber, the barrier movable between a first position corresponding to the solvent chamber having a maximum volume and a second position corresponding to the solvent chamber having a minimum volume;
(f) a solvent distribution system including a solvent supply line interconnecting the solvent chamber with the fluid manifold, and including a solvent return line for delivering the solvent from the removable solvent tank to the solvent storage chamber;
and
(g) an air-flow system in flow communication with the air chamber for pressurizing the air chamber in order to drive the movable barrier from the first to the second position for driving solvent through the solvent supply line, wherein the air-flow system is provided with an air inlet means and air control means coupled to the air inlet means, and wherein the solvent distribution system and the air-flow system have independent flow lines.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Parts washer

Life of this patent

Parts washer

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims32