U.S. patent number 3,638,600 [Application Number 04/851,920] was granted by the patent office on 1972-02-01 for apparatus for treating ferrous surfaces.
Invention is credited to Henry J. Modrey.
United States Patent |
3,638,600 |
Modrey |
February 1, 1972 |
APPARATUS FOR TREATING FERROUS SURFACES
Abstract
This disclosure teaches a device for treating a ferrous surface
and contemplates such applications as painting or scrubbing a
ship's hull. Preferably, one or more rollers are engaged to the
ferrous surface by magnets which are connected to the rollers
within the width thereof by means of spring members. Thus engaged,
the rollers are easily moved over the surface. Suitable paint
applying devices or scrubbing brushes with drives are furnished on
the rollers.
Inventors: |
Modrey; Henry J. (Stamford,
CT) |
Family
ID: |
25312050 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/851,920 |
Filed: |
August 21, 1969 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
114/222; 451/93;
451/227 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B63B
59/08 (20130101); B05C 1/00 (20130101); B05C
17/03 (20130101); B05C 17/023 (20130101); B05C
1/10 (20130101); B05C 17/025 (20130101); B63B
2059/087 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B63B
59/00 (20060101); B63B 59/08 (20060101); B05C
1/10 (20060101); B05C 17/025 (20060101); B05C
17/02 (20060101); B05C 1/00 (20060101); B05C
17/03 (20060101); B63b 059/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;114/222 ;335/286 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Buchler; Milton
Assistant Examiner: O'Connor; Gregory W.
Claims
What I claim is:
1. An apparatus for treating a substantially planer ferrous
surface, said apparatus comprising in combination:
a frame including a pair of parallel sidepieces;
a pair of rollers rotatably supported by said frame and disposed
therein in spaced-apart parallel relationship, said rollers being
journaled at their ends in said sidepieces and organized for
rolling engagement with the surface to be treated;
a pair of crossbars each connected between the sidepieces and
inward of said rollers;
magnet means;
spring means supported by said frame and supporting said magnet
means intermediate said rollers, said spring means being biased to
urge said magnet means into engagement with said surface when said
rollers are placed in engagement with the surface, said spring
means including a spring arm arranged parallel to and inward of
said sidepieces and connected at each of its ends to one of the
crossbars and said magnet means being mounted on said spring arm
for engagement of both of said rollers with said surface; and
forward drive means attachable to said frame for rolling the
rollers on and along said surface.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 and further comprising
sideways drive means supported by said frame for displacing said
frame sideways through predetermined increments.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 with said magnet means comprising a
chamfered pole surface to facilitate sliding over said surface.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 with the spring arms organized for
bowing toward said surface to equalize pressures on said
rollers.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 with said magnet means including a
magnet rotatably mounted for rolling along said surface.
6. The apparatus according to claim 1 with a paint-applying
material mounted about at least one of said rollers and means for
supplying paint thereto.
7. The apparatus according to claim 1 with a paint-applying
material mounted about both of said rollers and means for supplying
paint thereto.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 with
said roller adapted to engage a ship's hull,
sideways drive means including spur gears connected to the frame
and arranged to engage said hull sideways relative said
rollers,
means operable by a lanyard for turning said spur gears to move
said frame sideways relative said rollers through a predetermined
distance in response to an operation of the lanyard.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 with said spur gears mounting magnet
means.
Description
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
The invention is here presented in terms of painting the surface of
a ship's hull both above and below the waterline; however, it
should be understood that the invention is applicable likewise to
such other applications as deck painting and scrubbing marine
growth from the hull surface. Further, it can serve in kindred
applications for ferrous structures.
To apply paint under water, divers are usually required. The paint
is applied under pressure by hand rollers which are covered by
suitable paint-applying material (such felt, chamois, etc.).
Power-driven applicators are also in use, and comprise a rotating
brush driven by a pneumatic motor; the paint is fed to the center
of the brush. Operations performed by divers are expensive.
Moreover, unless scaffolding is employed, the paint application
pressure which can be achieved is small, because the diver has
nothing against which to brace himself.
After suitable surface preparation, it is application pressure
(achieved by working the paint in) which governs the service life
of a coat of paint. Therefore, it is desirable to have a marine
paint applicator in which adequate and reliable paint application
pressure is assured.
SUMMARY
The present invention deals with the foregoing problem in a novel
and facile way. One or more rollers are engaged to a ferrous
surface (such as steel) by magnets. Thus engaged, the rollers are
easily rolled or adapted to slide over the surface.
One object of this invention is to provide a device for treating
steel surfaces with application pressure contributed by magnetic
adhesion.
A further object is to assure adequate and reliable application
pressure.
A further object is to allow adjustment of magnetic adhesion by
simple mechanical means.
A further object is to equalize application pressure on a plurality
of rollers.
A further object is to facilitate movement of magnets over the
surface to be treated.
A further object is to provide for scrubbing of the steel surface
with brushes for removal of marine growth.
A further object is to provide for painting of the steel surface
with paint-applying material mounted about said rollers.
A further object is to provide for movement of the apparatus
sideways.
A further object is to provide convenient storage of the apparatus
by attaching it to convenient steel surfaces.
A further object is to provide an apparatus which is simple and
robust and which is otherwise well suited to its intended task.
DRAWINGS
The foregoing and other features will appear more fully from the
accompanying drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts and
wherein:
FIG. 1 is a partly broken top view, looking inward upon the steel
surface to be treated, of an apparatus according to this invention
and adapted for painting.
FIG. 2 is a partly broken side view of the apparatus in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail view of the pole surface of a magnet
chamfered for easy sliding movement over the steel surface to be
treated.
FIG. 4 is a partly broken and partly sectioned top view of another
embodiment of this invention adapted for scrubbing to remove marine
growth.
FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view taken along line 5--5 of FIG.
4.
FIG. 6 is a partial broken top view of another embodiment of this
invention having wheel magnets for easier movement.
FIG. 6A is a broken detail of a different paint-feeding system.
FIG. 7 generally depicts operation of an apparatus according to
this invention applied to the side of a ship.
FIG. 7A is an enlarged detail of a stop disk which engages the
bilge keel of the ship shown in FIG. 7.
FIG. 8 is a top view which shows the layout of the deck of the ship
shown in FIG. 7.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating the application of a
lifting shield for moving the apparatus sideways.
FIG. 10 is a side view of the lifting shield of FIG. 9.
FIGS. 11, 12A, 12B, 13A and 13B graphically illustrate another
system, comprising a pawl and spur gears organized to move the
apparatus a precise distance sideways, in response to a pull at a
lanyard.
FIG. 14 is a broken top view of another embodiment of this
invention adapted for painting by hand.
FIG. 15 illustrates another embodiment of this invention adapted
for painting and with wheel magnets mounted on its roller.
FIG. 16 is a side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 14.
FIG. 17 generally shows operation of an apparatus according to this
invention applied to painting a ship's deck.
FIG. 18 illustrates an alternate arrangement suited to painting a
ship's deck.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Broadly this disclosure includes surface treating devices having
general features in common with conventional paint applicators but
provided with magnets 21 such as the one shown in FIGS. 14 and 16,
as well as a similar embodiment shown in FIG. 15 with wheel magnets
22 mounted about roller 23. Because the magnets 22 streak paint
while sliding over the freshly painted surface, a second roller 24
(such as in FIGS. 1 and 2) is provided in some embodiments to
smooth such streaks. Double roller apparatuses for painting are
shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and for scrubbing in FIGS. 4 and 5. A like
embodiment is shown in FIG. I6 with wheel magnets 22.
As depicted in FIG. 15 the most simple form of this invention
includes roller 23 which is here adapted for painting and with
wheel magnets 22 connected thereto for holding roller 23 in
engagement with a surface to be painted. Wheel magnets 22 have a
smaller diameter than paint-applying material 25. This apparatus is
operable by hand or it can be mounted on the end of a pole such as
pole 26 preferably provided with a swiveled ferrule 26a, shown in
FIGS. 14 and 16. Ordinarily paint rollers have a ferrule which is
firmly connected to the frame. The ferrule transmits the
application pressure which the operator exercises via pole 26
(which often bends to 90.degree. if the job is done well). In FIGS.
14 and 16 the ferrule swivels, because roller 23 sticks to hull
surface 29 and roller 23 is simply pulled up and down by the
operator. For this purpose, a swiveled ferrule is far
preferred.
The embodiment shown in FIGS. 14 and 16 is a simple, convenient
paint applicator for general use on steel surfaces. Several magnets
21 are mounted on spring arms 27 which cantilever beyond one of the
paired magnets 21 to rigidly engage frame 28 so that roller 23 is
held against surface 29. As best seen in FIG. 16 spring arms 27 and
yoke pieces 31 (of frame 28) welded thereto form a crank which is
urged by magnets 21 toward surface 29. Application pressure can be
changed by adjusting the span of spring arms 27 relative cantilever
portions 32. Roller 23 is conventional and includes perforated
cylinder 33 having a cover of a suitable paint applying material 25
(such as felt, chamois or the like) and encloses an interior paint
reservoir with filler cap 34 permitting either filling the
reservoir with paint, or else connecting it to a paint feed hose.
This embodiment could also have a nonperforated cylinder 33 by
merely dipping roller 23 into a bucket of paint. As shown in FIG.
6A, a different paint-feeding system permits the paint to drip out
under gravity through perforated tube 33a positioned between shroud
33b and roller 23. This last-mentioned paint-feeding system is used
with the arrangement of FIG. 18.
Material 25 (usually felt) is quite thick to start with but it
abrades rather rapidly. It is ordinarily replaced when it wears
through. This means that the overall diameter of the paint roller
will diminish by approximately one fourth inch as the operation
goes on. Spring arms 27 and yoke pieces 31 of FIGS. 14 and 16 make
up for the decrease in diameter of material 25 and maintain
application pressure fairly constant in that embodiment.
The advantage of magnets in paint application service is that
application pressure is produced automatically and uniformly by the
action of the magnets, independently of the efforts of the painter.
This principle is also valid for any other apparatus to treat a
steel surface wherein adequacy and/or reliability of application
pressure is of concern.
A two-roller apparatus suitable for rope operation is shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2. This apparatus is suitable for both over and
underwater painting. Frame 28 has paint rollers 23, 24 journaled
therein in parallel spaced relationship. Either one or both rollers
23, 24 can be supplied with paint via manifold 35 and paint feed
hose 36. Frame 28 includes side pieces 37 with crossbars 38
connected therebetween. Several permanent magnets 21 are spanned by
spring arms 27 which extend beyond magnets 21 for connection at
both ends to crossbars 38. Spring arms 27 are slightly curved to
equalize pressure on rollers 23, 24. As shown in FIG. 3, magnets 21
have chamfered pole faces to facilitate their sliding over steel
surface 29 which is to be treated. When this apparatus is put
against steel surface 29, here envisaged to be the hull of a ship,
it adheres firmly thereto. Resilience of spring arms 27 enables the
apparatus to surmount irregularities of the surface without losing
its adhesion. The strength of magnets 21 and the geometric
relationship of portions 32 of spring arms 27 to the span of spring
arms 27 between paired magnets 21 determines paint application
pressure. This application pressure can be regulated by shifting
the position of magnets 21 on spring arms 27.
If desirable the slidable magnets 21 of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 can be
replaced by electromagnets, or by wheel magnets 22 turning on axle
stubs 39 as shown in FIG. 6 whereby the apparatus will move more
easily. The edges of wheel magnets 22 would also be chamfered as
shown.
The apparatus shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is a scrubber used to remove
marine growth prior to painting. For reasons which will become
apparent, it is desirable to make this scrubber as a separate unit
from the paint applicator because frame dimensions will be
different. Rollers 23, 24 have steel bristles 41. Manifolds 42 and
hose 43 carry air under pressure. Internally, rollers 23, 24 are
air energized. In roller 23 is shown directrix 44 and turbine wheel
45. Turbine wheel 45 is on shaft 46 which is fixed in eccentric 47.
Eccentric 47 engages gear 48 which engages fixed internal gear 49.
Gear 49 engages a separate eccentric 51 (behind eccentric 47) fixed
on output shaft 52. Spider 53 on shaft 52 connects to bearing 54
for rotating bristle roller 23. Fixed cylinder 55 has slot 56
facing surface 29. Distal end 57 of roller 23 has another bearing
58. In order for driving air to exit under bristles 41, it must
pass from turbine wheel 45, and thence between gears 48 and 49 into
fixed cylinder 55. This is possible due to space 59 between gears
48 and 49, and because of openings 61 in spider 53. Roller 23 is of
open or screened construction.
These two-roller apparatuses are not motorized. They are moved by
ropes 62 attached to hoisting rings 63 and 64. Hoisting ring 64 is
shaped to provide a fulcrum for disengaging magnets 21 from a hull
by extending supporting rope 62 outward from the hull. By way of
example in painting ship hulls without scaffolding, a rope 62 from
winch 65 has to be slung across the bottom of the ship as shown in
FIG. 7 to effect movement of the apparatus to and fro. Winch 65 can
be mounted on rail 66 and can be operated conveniently by air
pressure from lines 67 with taps 68 as shown. FIG. 8 shows the
layout of the deck. Painting of a hull must be done in two
sections, viz above and below bilge keels 69 which the apparatus
cannot surmount. To prevent chafing, rope 62 is slidably encased in
nylon tubing 71 for most of its length. The lower end of tubing 71
carries stop disk 70 (see FIG. 7A) which abuts on bilge keel 69
when wire rope 62 is tightened so that movement of tubing 71 is
prevented. Winch 65 is able to pull the apparatus up and down
between bilge keel 69 and scupper 72. The procedure is comparable
for the other side of the ship. For painting between the bilge
keels 69, which is sorely required in routine maintenance, the
device is lifted over one bilge keel by a diver and it thereafter
operates between the two bilge keels.
A specific problem is to move the apparatus sideways after it has
painted, scrubbed or otherwise treated one strip. It is not
practical to pry the apparatus off the hull and affix it again.
FIG. 9 illustrates one suitable method for accomplishing this
objective. From rail 73 hangs lifting shield 74. As shown in FIG.
10, at the end of its upward travel the painting apparatus moves
onto lifting shield 74 which is simply a wedge-shaped piece of wood
covered with sheet steel 75. In this way magnets 21 (or 22 as the
case may be) transfer this attachment force from the ship's hull to
the steel sheet 75, and lifting shield 74 with the apparatus
attached thereto is simply shifted sideways to the next strip.
The simple device of FIGS. 9 and 10 has some disadvantages. A minor
disadvantage is that lifting shield 74 covers the top of the strip
which must be finished thereafter by hand painting. A major
disadvantage is that it is difficult to move pull rope 62 at the
bottom of its run (near bilge keel 69) by precisely a desired
distance (for example a strip width). Because this movement takes
place under water, it is difficult to move the pull rope a precise
amount without using a diver. Therefore, it is expedient to include
in the apparatus means which cause it to move sideways with some
degree of precision either under or over water. Further, it is
preferable that this device be mechanical rather than electrical,
in view of the fact that the use of electricity is severely
restricted on some ships (tankers for example). Toward these
objectives, walking device 76 shown in FIGS. 11 through 13B was
devised. Walking device 76 is operable in either left or right
direction by the alternate use of one of the lanyards 77, 78
operating spur tooth pawl 79 which in turn operates spur gears 81
which may have magnets thereon. Arm 82 has cam 83 at its inner end
and spindles pawl 79 at its outer end. Gear 84 fixed to bevel gear
85 turns freely on shaft 86. Shaft 86 at its far end has crank stop
87 which, meeting pins 88 on the frame, limits rotation of shaft 86
to 90.degree. in either direction. Springs 89 attached to arm 82
are prespread into their normal position about post 90 as shown in
FIG. 12A. Similarly prespread are springs 91 fixed to an extension
of the frame. Springs 89 are light compared to springs 91. Pull on
lanyard 78 passing around roller 92 will first turn pawl 79 into
engagement with gear 84 which turns bevel gear 85 and spur gears
81. A 90.degree. turn (as shown from FIG. 12A to FIG. 12B) ensures
a full repositioning of spur gears 81. If pawl 79 does not engage
gear 84 at first, mismatch is self-correcting. A turn of less than
90.degree. does no harm as the magnets on spur gears 81 will be so
close to the hull that they will pull themselves into final
position. The center yoking of lanyard 78 over roller 92 is
necessary to maintain engagement of pawl 79. On release of lanyard
78 spring 89 bearing against post 90 disengages pawl 79 from gear
84. The weight of arm 82 and pawl 79 starts pawl 79 downward.
Springs 91 complete return of pawl 79 to its initial position.
The problem associated with painting a ship's deck is to steer the
paint-applying apparatus around various obstacles such as cargo
hatches, ventilating trunks and the like. A scheme for painting a
ship's deck is shown in FIG. 17 wherein the device according to
FIG. 1 is pulled fore and aft by winches 66 at either end of the
ship. As steering is necessary, it can be accomplished by pulling
on ropes 93 attached to the sides of the apparatus. This procedure
can be assisted somewhat by guiding the lengthwise pull ropes 62
over pulleys or derricks to align movement of the apparatus. Side
pulling, in coaction with the straight winch pull, permits steering
in a surprisingly effective manner. One gets about the equivalent
of tacking in a sailboat. Trials have shown that about 70 percent
of the deck surface of a cargo ship can be painted in this manner,
and more than 85 percent of the deck of a tanker.
FIG. 18 shows a bicyclelike arrangement especially suited to
painting of decks. A gravity paint feeding system such as the one
shown in FIG. 6A is here employed. Seat 94 and handles 95 are
adjustable. Staggered wheel magnets 22 provide traction. Springs 96
regulate leveling and application pressure. Steering joint 98 is
limited, so this apparatus can be picked up by means of eyelets
97.
Magnetic apparatuses as taught in this disclosure have the added
advantage of being easily stored on shipboard by merely attaching
their magnets to convenient steel surfaces. Such storage is
beneficial to the life spans of these magnets.
* * * * *