Method and apparatus for reversibly pumping high viscosity fluids

A pumping system for reversibly pumping high viscosity fluids between a source and a destination, said pumping system comprising:

• a housing having an inlet port and an outlet port;
• a pair of opposing chambers in said housing, said pair of opposing chambers in fluid communication with said inlet port and said outlet port;
• a pair of diaphragms in said housing, each diaphragm of said pair of diaphragms positioned in a chamber of said pair of opposing chambers;
• a rod connecting said pair of diaphragms, said rod moving said diaphragms when said rod reciprocates;
• means for controlling said reciprocation of said rod so that said rod reciprocates less than 140 times per minute;
• and
• a valve in fluid communication with said source, said destination, said inlet port, and said outlet port, said valve having a first position and a second position, said fluid flowing from said source, into said inlet port, out of said outlet port, to said destination, when said valve is in said first position, said fluid flowing from said destination, into said inlet port, out of said outlet port, to said source, when said valve is in said second position.

A method for supplying a high viscosity paint to a textile machine and applying said paint to a textile material, and then recovering an unused portion of said paint from said machine, said method comprising the steps of:

• pumping said paint from a source using a double diaphragm pump into an apertured robe surrounded by a screen that engages said material, wherein said pumping takes place at a rate of less than 140 cycles per minute, said rate being controlled by limiting the flow of air from the housing of said pump;
• issuing said paint from said apertured tube onto said screen;
• forcing said paint through said screen onto said material;
• and
• rotating a valve that is in fluid communication with said source, said pump, and said tube, so that said paint flows from said tube through said pump towards said source.

A pumping system for reversibly pumping high viscosity fluids between a source and a destination, said pumping system comprising:

• a housing having an inlet port, an outlet port, and an air motor exhaust port formed therein;
• a pair of opposing chambers in said housing, said pair of opposing chambers in fluid communication with said inlet port and said outlet port;
• a pair of diaphragms in said housing, each diaphragm of said pair of diaphragms positioned in a chamber of said pair of opposing chambers;
• a rod connecting said pair of diaphragms, said rod moving said diaphragms when said rod reciprocates, and wherein movement of said diaphragms exhausts air through said main exhaust port into the atmosphere exterior to said housing at an exhaust rate;
• means for controlling said exhaust rate so that said rod reciprocates less than 140 times per minute;
• and
• means in fluid communication with said source, said destination, said inlet port, and said outlet port for reversibly changing the direction of said fluid within said system.