초록 ▼

To reduce solvent wastage and the risk of pollution and explosions, articles to be surface coated (sprayed, flow coated or dip coated) are transported through a coating station disposed in a closed chamber having long inlet and outlet passages having the outline of said articles. Condensing regions

To reduce solvent wastage and the risk of pollution and explosions, articles to be surface coated (sprayed, flow coated or dip coated) are transported through a coating station disposed in a closed chamber having long inlet and outlet passages having the outline of said articles. Condensing regions are provided on opposite sides of the coating station to condense solvent vapor in the chamber. The arrangement in the chamber is such that the atmosphere is substantially saturated with solvent, the oxygen level is maintained below a predetermined level and only a small pressure difference is maintained between the pressures inside and outside the chamber to minimize escape of vapor.

대표청구항 ▼

Apparatus for surface coating articles comprising a closed chamber having an inlet for articles to be surface coated and an outlet for articles which have been surface coated; means for transporting the articles through said closed chamber from said inlet to said outlet; a coating station in said ch

Apparatus for surface coating articles comprising a closed chamber having an inlet for articles to be surface coated and an outlet for articles which have been surface coated; means for transporting the articles through said closed chamber from said inlet to said outlet; a coating station in said chamber through which articles are transported in use to be surface coated; means for supplying a surface coating composition containing a coating material and a solvent to said coating station; an inert gas source; means for feeding inert gas from said source into said chamber; a reservior opening into said chamber; means for collecting (a) solvent from said coating composition and (b) excess coating composition in said reservoir, the arrangement being such that, in use, an atmosphere is maintained in the closed chamber which is substantially saturated with said solvent and in which oxygen is maintained below a predetermined level; means for creating a localized negative pressure in the chamber at at least one location, said negative pressure being sufficient to encourage a general flow of vapour away from at least one of said inlet and said outlet; and a differential pressure transducer for comparing atmospheric pressure with said localized negative pressure and causing introduction of inert gas when a pressure difference is detected.