U.S. patent application number 12/465668 was filed with the patent office on 2010-01-07 for method for spraying trusses with a mold and insect preventative solution.
Invention is credited to Dale Collins, David E. Reed, Michael E. Reed.
Application Number | 20100003414 12/465668 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34742386 |
Filed Date | 2010-01-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100003414 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Reed; Michael E. ; et
al. |
January 7, 2010 |
Method for Spraying Trusses With a Mold and Insect Preventative
Solution
Abstract
A spray box assembly including, in combination, a top spray box,
a bottom spray box, the boxes being juxtapositioned to define a
pathway therebetween, at least one spray assembly positioned within
at least one of the boxes and a supply assembly for supplying a
treating solution to the spray assembly to coat product with the
treating solution as the product is fed through the pathway and
also including a method of coating a product with a treating
solution, comprising the steps of feeding the product into a
pathway between top spray box and a bottom spray box and spraying
the treating solution within at least one of the boxes about the
pathway to coat the product with the treating solution as the
product is fed through the pathway.
Inventors: |
Reed; Michael E.; (Lakeland,
FL) ; Reed; David E.; (Gainesville, FL) ;
Collins; Dale; (Lakeland, FL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Gray Robinson;ATTN: STEFAN V. STEIN/ IP DEPT.
201 N. Franklin Street, Suite 2200, Post Office Box 3324
TAMPA
FL
33601-3324
US
|
Family ID: |
34742386 |
Appl. No.: |
12/465668 |
Filed: |
May 14, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
11018517 |
Dec 20, 2004 |
7534299 |
|
|
12465668 |
|
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|
60531033 |
Dec 18, 2003 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
427/345 ;
427/368; 427/424 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02P 70/10 20151101;
B05B 14/40 20180201 |
Class at
Publication: |
427/345 ;
427/424; 427/368 |
International
Class: |
B05D 7/06 20060101
B05D007/06; B05D 5/00 20060101 B05D005/00; B05D 3/00 20060101
B05D003/00 |
Claims
1. A method of coating a product with a treating solution,
comprising the steps of feeding the product into a pathway between
top spray box and a bottom spray box and spraying the treating
solution within at least one of the boxes about the pathway to coat
the product with the treating solution as the product is fed
through the pathway.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the product being
treated comprises a wood truss.
3. The method according to claim 1, further including the step of
pressing brackets into the joints of the wood truss before passing
into the pathway.
4. The method according to claim 1, further including the step of
discharging the wood truss from the pathway onto a roller
table.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of spraying
the treating solution within at least one of the boxes about the
pathway to coat the product with the treating solution as the
product is fed through the pathway comprises the step of spraying
the treating solution from at least one of spray assembly.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of spraying
the treating solution from at least one of spray assembly comprises
spraying the treating solution from an array of spray heads fluidly
connected to spray lines extending along the length one or both of
the spray box.
7. The method according to claim 1, further comprises the step of
brushing excess treating solution from at least a portion of the
wood truss before being discharged from the pathway.
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of brushing
excess treating solution from at least a portion of the wood truss
before being discharged from the pathway comprises brushing the
wood truss along its entire length.
9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of
draining excess treating solution from the spray boxes and
recirculating the treating solution.
10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of
storing the excess treating solution drained from the spray boxes
before recirculating the treating solution.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a divisional application of pending
application 11/018,517, file Dec. 20, 2004 which claims the benefit
of provisional application 60/531,033 filed Dec. 18, 2003, the
disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference
herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] This invention relates to a method and apparatus for
spraying lumber such as trusses with a mold and insect preventative
solution.
[0004] 2. Description of the Background Art
[0005] Presently, various pesticides, insecticides and mold
preventative solutions exist for spraying lumber and other
products. Prior art methods for treating lumber include dipping,
pressure-treating, and vacuum treating. Unfortunately, however,
treating lumber in bulk results in considerable waste of the
treating solutions.
[0006] More particularly, treating an un-manufactured products such
as a bundle of lumber results in a significant loss of treated
lumber when the treated lumber is subsequently used. Specifically,
during the building of a structure, lumber is cut to the designed
lengths. The scrap lumber is then simply discarded. The amount of
treating solution that was consumed during the treating process for
the scrap lumber is therefore wasted. Moreover, scrap wood that has
been treated by prior art solutions are sometimes unusable for a
recycling plant or other scrap-wood company.
[0007] One current method of externally applying treating solution
utilizes a conventional hand pump sprayer. However, due to
considerable overspray, hand spraying is wasteful of treating
solution.
[0008] Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an
improvement which overcomes the aforementioned inadequacies of the
prior art devices and provides an improvement which is a
significant contribution to the advancement of the mold and insect
preventative art.
[0009] Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus
and method for applying treating solution to lumber that has been
already cut and assembled into a manufactured product such as a
truss.
[0010] Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus
and method for applying treating solution to lumber that has been
already cut and assembled into a manufactured product such as a
truss such that scrap lumber therefrom may be recycled thereby
eliminating treating solution waste.
[0011] The foregoing has outlined some of the pertinent objects of
the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely
illustrative of some of the more prominent features and
applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial
results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a
different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the
disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding
of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the
invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment
in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
[0012] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The invention is defined by the appended claims with a
specific embodiment shown in the attached drawings. For the purpose
of summarizing this invention, this invention comprises an
apparatus and method for applying a liquid treating solution onto
all surfaces of a manufactured truss to prevent mold growth
thereon, decay of wood by insects or other degradation of the wood
as determined by the treating characteristics of the treating
solution.
[0014] Importantly, all of the treating solution that does not
penetrate into the wood of the truss as it passes through the
apparatus is collected in a tank below the spraying applicators.
The treating solution is then continuously circulated from the tank
to the spraying applicators.
[0015] The recirculation process of the invention has two major
advantages over spraying by hand with a hand pump sprayer. The most
significant advantage over an individual hand pump sprayer is that
the treating solution is continuously recirculated and none of it
is lost to overspray. The second advantage is the time saved
spraying the entire truss in one sweep instead of spraying each
separate board by hand.
[0016] The spraying apparatus and method of the invention also has
an advantage over the other forms of treating methods. Dipping,
pressure, and vacuum treatments are all too costly and time
consuming. These treatments commonly require that the whole board
be treated. Then, when the board to cut to size for a manufactured
truss design, a lot of scrap wood is leftover. The treating
solution previously used to treat the scrap wood is lost, resulting
in unnecessary costs. Furthermore, the treating solution may cause
the scrap wood to become unusable or unrecyclable. Finally, some
treating solutions require an incubation time after being treated,
which could cause further delays before the treated lumber could be
used in the manufacturing of a truss.
[0017] The apparatus and method of the present invention is most
advantageously used for coating roof and floor trusses with a
treating solution which will prevent mold growth and decay from
wood destroying organisms. As noted above, according to the subject
invention, a manufactured truss, preferably immediately after it is
rolled through a press, it passes through the spraying apparatus
wherein the treating solution is be sprayed onto every surface of
the truss to penetrate the wood itself. This method of applying a
treating solution to trusses is designed to eliminate waste, save
time, and save money.
[0018] The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the more pertinent
and important features of the present invention in order that the
detailed description of the invention that follows may be better
understood so that the present contribution to the art can be more
fully appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be
described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the
invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art
that the conception and the specific embodiment disclosed may be
readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other
structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present
invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art
that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit
and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the
invention, reference should be had to the following detailed
description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in
which:
[0020] FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the spray box assembly of the
invention showing the roller press at the input thereof from which
the pressed and assembled trusses are then fed through the spray
box assembly and onto a roller table;
[0021] FIG. 2 is a front plan view of FIG. 1 showing the uniform
elevational path of the trusses as they pass through the roller
press, through the sprayer box and onto the roller table;
[0022] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the top spray box and the fluid
connections thereto;
[0023] FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of FIG. 3 along lines
4a-4a showing the top and bottom spray boxes and the brushes that
wipe away excess treating solution before the trusses exist the
spray boxes;
[0024] FIG. 5a is an end elevational view of FIG. 3 along lines
5a-5a showing the fluid connections to and from the spray nozzles
and tank;
[0025] FIG. 6 is a top elevational view of the top spray box;
[0026] FIG. 6A is an end elevational view of the top spray box
along lines 6A-6A of FIG. 6;
[0027] FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional views of the top spray box
along lines 6B-6B of FIG. 6 showing the placement of the screen
brushes therein;
[0028] FIG. 7 is a top elevational view of the bottom spray
box;
[0029] FIG. 7A is an end elevational view of the bottom spray box
along lines 7A-7A of FIG. 7;
[0030] FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional views of the bottom spray box
along lines 7B-7B of FIG. 7 showing the placement of the screen
brushes therein;
[0031] FIG. 8 is a side view of the baffles;
[0032] FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the grating system that
prevents smaller trusses from falling into the spray box and a
large truss from becoming jammed;
[0033] FIG. 10 is an inside view of the bottom spray box;
[0034] FIG. 10B is a cross sectional view of FIG. 10 along lines
10B-10B;
[0035] FIG. 11 is an inside view of the top spray box; and
[0036] FIG. 11A is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 11 along lines
11A-11A.
[0037] Similar reference characters refer to similar parts
throughout the several views of the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0038] As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the invention 10 comprises a
top spray box 12 juxtapositioned above a bottom spray box 14 by
means of a metal frame 16 supported by legs 18 so as to define a
pathway between the boxes 12 & 14. The spray boxes 12 and 14
each contain spray assemblies 20 supplied with a suitable
insecticide, pesticide or mold preventative treating solution from
a supply assembly 22 positioned underneath the bottom box 14. A
conventional roller press 24 with a slide table 24A is aligned with
the input of the pathway. Similarly, a conventional roller table 26
is aligned with discharge of the pathway.
[0039] In operation, the roof truss with its placed assembly
brackets is fed through the roller press 24 to press the brackets
into the truss. The truss then passes between the sprayer boxes 12
and 14 to be fully treated with the treating solution, with any
excess treating solution being dripped into the supply assembly 22.
The treated truss is then discharged onto the roller table 26 for
subsequent removal.
[0040] More particularly, as best shown in FIGS. 3-11, within each
box 12 and 14 are a plurality of spray lines 28 running the full
length of the boxes. Each line 28 is fluidly connected to an array
of spray heads 30 that spray the treating solution onto the trusses
as they pass between the boxes 12 & 14. A plurality of brushes
32 and baffles 33 (see FIGS. 6 & 7 and 10 & 11) are
positioned within the spray boxes 12 and 14, relative to the
discharge of the pathway, that wipe away some of the excess
treating solution and keep the treating solution from escaping the
spray box area, respectively. Preferably, there are five brushes 32
that run the length of each box 12 and 14. A protective screen 35
is mounted inside the bottom box 7 and aligned with the pathway to
provide support for the trusses as they are fed along the
pathway.
[0041] As best shown in FIGS. 3-5, the supply assembly 22 comprises
a storage tank 34 positioned under the bottom box 14 on the lower
part of the frame 16 and a fluid pump 36 and filter 38 connected in
a fluid circuit to pump the treating solution in the tank 34 to the
spray heads 30.
[0042] As best shown in FIGS. 6-7, the boxes 12 and 14 are
configured such that as the treating solution is sprayed onto the
trusses, excess treating solution is wiped therefrom by means of
the brushes 32. Excess treating solution accumulates in the lower
spray box 14 whereupon it flows into the tank 34 via drain 40 to be
recirculated.
[0043] The present disclosure includes that contained in the
appended claims, as well as that of the foregoing description.
Although this invention has been described in its preferred form
with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the
present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way
of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction
and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
[0044] Now that the invention has been described,
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