System and process for spraying air-dryable liquid materials

A spray gun for spraying a liquid material, said gun comprising:

• a handle assembly and a spray nozzle assembly, said handle assembly including a trigger, said spray nozzle assembly being attached to said handle assembly, said spray nozzle assembly including:
• a spray head module having an open end and a first bore and a second bore, said bores being coaxial, said first bore being wider than said second bore, said first bore being adjacent said open end and a second end;
• a fluid tube, said fluid tube having a flange end and a nozzle end, said tube having a flange defined on said flange end, said flange of said tube being fitted within said second bore of said spray head module, said fluid tube having a central throughbore;
• a spray nozzle, said spray nozzle having a central liquid-material-passing throughbore, said spray nozzle being attached to said nozzle end of said fluid tube;
• a spray needle, said spray needle having a first end operatively attached to said trigger and a second end movably disposed within said throughbore of said spray nozzle, said spray needle being movable by said trigger between a liquid-material-blocking position and a liquid-material-passing position;
• an air routing insert, said air routing insert having a first end and a second end with a throughbore defined therebetween, said fluid tube being partially disposed within said throughbore of said insert, said insert being disposed within said first bore of said head module such that a first cavity is defined between said insert, said fluid tube, and said first bore of said module, said insert having an outer peripheral wall, said wall having an air channel defined thereon, said insert having a plurality of air passageways defined between said first and second ends of said insert, said plurality of passageways being arrayed around said throughbore;
• a cap, said cap being attached to said open end of said module, said cap having a pair of opposed air passageways defined therein, said cap being attached to said module such that a second cavity is defined between said cap and said spray nozzle, said cap having an aperture centrally defined therein for allowing passage of said liquid material and said hot compressed air, said cap further being attached to said module such that a third cavity is defined between said module, said insert and said cap;
• said plurality of passageways of said insert being continuous between said first cavity and said second cavity, whereby said compressed air passes through said second cavity and surrounds said nozzle as it is discharged through said aperture defined in said cap, said compressed air being discharged through said aperture in close proximity to said liquid material being discharged from said spray nozzle such that said liquid material is atomized.

A process for spraying a liquid material, said process comprising the steps of:

• pressurizing ambient air with a first compressor to create a volume of pressurized air;
• introducing said pressurized air into a unit for heating air;
• heating said pressurized air in said unit for heating air to a preselected temperature;
• pressurizing liquid material with a second compressor;
• delivering said hot pressurized air and said pressurized liquid material to a spray gun;
• regulating the flow of said air and said liquid material through said spray gun;
• atomizing said liquid material as it is sprayed out of said gun using said hot pressurized air to create an air-liquid spray;
• laying down said air-liquid spray onto a substrate;
• and
• drying said spray on said substrate using hot pressurized air diverted through an air diverter fitted to said spray gun.

A spray gun for spraying a liquid material, said gun comprising:

• a handle assembly and a spray nozzle assembly, said handle assembly including a trigger, said spray nozzle assembly being attached to said handle assembly, said spray nozzle assembly including:
• a spray head module having an open end and a first bore and a second bore;
• a fluid tube, said fluid tube having a flange end and a nozzle end, said tube having a flange defined on said flange end, said flange of said tube being fitted within said second bore of said spray head module;
• a spray nozzle, said spray nozzle having a central liquid-material-passing throughbore, said spray nozzle being attached to said nozzle end of said fluid tube;
• a spray needle, said spray needle having a first end operatively attached to said trigger and a second end movably disposed within said throughbore of said spray nozzle, an a routing insert, said air routing having a first end and a second end with a throughbore defined therebetween, said fluid tube being partially disposed within said throughbore of said insert;
• a cap, said cap being attached to said open end of said module, said cap having an air passageway defined therein.