US 5,314,119 AGranted

Method and apparatus for applying thin coatings of fluid droplets

AssigneeLatanick Equipment, Inc.

InventorKenneth R. Watt

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Abstract

A method and apparatus for applying thin coatings of fluid droplets to an adjacent surface includes a pickup roll rotating in a supply of fluid and a rapidly rotating brush roll having a surface formed by bristles thereon. The two rolls rotate with an interference between them whereupon the bristles are bent as the tips thereof pick up a droplet of fluid. After passing out of inteference, the bristles snap forwardly and project the droplets in a mist form against the adjacent surface. The spray pattern is maintained with uniformity in both a cross-machine direction and a machine- direction by a windage control device which may incorporate, selectively, a spray-doctor, a knife doctor blade, windage control mechanism including end-cavity windage dams, spacers, brush windage knife, mist eliminator, brush end rings, seals and spacers.

Claims5

Dependent claims

In an apparatus for applying thin coatings of fluid droplets to an adjacent surface, said apparatus including a fluid container, a supply of fluid in said container, a pickup-roll rotating in said container whereby a film of said fluid is picked up on the surface of said pickup-roll, a rotatable brush-roll having bristles, said brush-roll and said pickup-roll defining an entry nip, wherein the tips of the bristles pick up droplets of said fluid from the surface of said pickup-roll and project a spray pattern away from said rolls, said apparatus further comprising

a windage control device including a cross windage dam extending adjacent to the entry nip,
a brush windage knife supported adjacent to the entry nip to define a clearance between the windage knife and the tips of said bristles of said brush-roll, and
end cavity windage dams disposed perpendicularly to said cross windage dam adjacent the ends of said rolls.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.