U.S. patent number 3,702,107 [Application Number 05/107,632] was granted by the patent office on 1972-11-07 for an apparatus for striping inside seams of cans.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Nordson Corporation. Invention is credited to Edwin F. Hogstrom, Alvin A. Rood, William C. Stumphauzer.
United States Patent |
3,702,107 |
Rood , et al. |
November 7, 1972 |
AN APPARATUS FOR STRIPING INSIDE SEAMS OF CANS
Abstract
An apparatus for applying an impervious protective coating over
the seams of cylindrical metal can bodies either before or after
the seams are welded, soldered, or cemented and prior to spray
coating the complete interior of the bodies. The apparatus is
operable to intermittently apply an airless spray to the interior
seams of the cans as they continuously move past an airless spray
gun secured to the end of a stubhorn of a can forming line. The
apparatus includes a new and improved airless spray nozzle which is
operable to atomize the spray nearer the nozzle than has heretofore
been possible. It also includes a pair of air jets located on
opposite sides of the spray and operable to confine the atomized
spray or fog to the seam of the can so that little or no excess
material is sprayed onto that portion of the can located adjacent
the seam.
Inventors: |
Rood; Alvin A. (Westlake,
OH), Hogstrom; Edwin F. (Sheffield Lake, OH),
Stumphauzer; William C. (Sheffield Lake, OH) |
Assignee: |
Nordson Corporation (Amherst,
OH)
|
Family
ID: |
22317598 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/107,632 |
Filed: |
January 19, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
118/684;
118/317 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B05B
1/28 (20130101); B05B 9/01 (20130101); B05B
13/0618 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B05B
1/28 (20060101); B05B 13/06 (20060101); B05B
9/01 (20060101); B05B 9/00 (20060101); B05c
011/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;118/2,317
;239/291,412,431,434 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Stein; Mervin
Assistant Examiner: Millstein; Leo
Claims
Having described our invention, we claim:
1. Apparatus for applying an impervious protective coating to the
longitudinal seams of spaced cylindrical can bodies as the can
bodies move through a striping station of a can body forming line
over which can bodies are formed into cylinders, which apparatus
comprises
an airless liquid spray nozzle, means for securing the nozzle on a
can assembly line in a position in which the nozzle has its orifice
directed toward the seam of a formed body,
means for forcing an airless spray fan of liquid coating material
at high pressure from the nozzle orifice and directing it in a
stripe onto the surface of the seams of the can bodies, and
means for starting and stopping the emission of airless spray from
the nozzle orifice in synchronization with movement of the spaced
can bodies past the nozzle so that the airless spray is directed
onto a seam of a can body as the body passes the nozzle orifice but
it is turned off after that can body passes the nozzle orifice
until the seam of the next following can body moves into alignment
with the orifice, the improvement wherein
said airless spray nozzle has a first axial passage, said passage
terminating at one end in a spray orifice,
said nozzle having a second liquid injection passage intersecting
said first passage at approximately a right angle at a point spaced
from said orifice, and
a turbulence chamber of greater cross sectional area than said
first passage intersecting and coaxial with said first passage, the
intersection of said turbulence chamber and said first passage
being spaced from the intersection of said first and second
passages in a direction away from said orifice.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the nozzle is secured on a can
assembly line in a position in which the nozzle is located
interiorly of the cans and has its orifice directed toward the
interior seams of the formed cans.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the airless spray nozzle
orifice has a flow rate of less than 0.040 but more than 0.005
gallons per minute of water at 500 pounds per square inch
pressure.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the liquid forcing means is
operable to force the coating material from the nozzle orifice at a
pressure less than 800 pounds per square inch but more than 200
pounds per square inch.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the airless spray nozzle
orifice has a flow rate of about 0.015 gallons of water per minute
at 500 pounds per square inch pressure.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the means for forcing the
coating material from the nozzle is operable to force the material
from the nozzle orifice at a pressure of about 400 pounds per
square inch.
7. the apparatus of claim 1 which further includes a pair of air
nozzles located on opposite sides of said liquid spray nozzle and
means for supplying air under pressure to said pair of air nozzles
and for directing an air curtain emerging from said nozzles onto
the interior surface of the can bodies on opposite sides of the
seam so as to contain and limit the liquid spray to the seam area
of the can bodies.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 which further includes means for
starting and stopping the emission of the air curtains from the air
nozzles in synchronization with the starting and stopping of the
emission of liquid spray from the liquid spray nozzle.
9. Apparatus for applying an impervious protective coating to the
longitudinal seams of spaced cylindrical can bodies as the can
bodies move through a striping station of a can body forming line
over which can bodies are formed into cylinders, which apparatus
comprises
an airless liquid spray nozzle,
means for securing the nozzle on a can assembly line in a position
in which the nozzle is located interiorly of the cans and has its
orifice directed toward the interior of the seams of formed can
bodies,
means for forcing an airless spray fan of liquid coating material
at high pressure from the nozzle orifice and directing it onto the
interior surface of the seams of the can bodies, and
means for starting and stopping the emission of airless spray from
the nozzle orifice in synchronization with movement of the spaced
can bodies past the nozzle so that the airless spray is directed
onto a seam of a can body as the body passes the nozzle orifice but
is turned off after that can body passes the nozzle orifice until
the seam of the next following can body moves into alignment with
the orifice, the improvement wherein
said airless spray nozzle has a first axial passage, said passage
terminating at one end in a generally elliptical-shaped
orifice,
said nozzle having a second liquid injection passage intersecting
at approximately a right angle said first passage at a point spaced
from said orifice, and
a turbulence chamber of greater cross sectional area than said
first passage intersecting and coaxial with said first passage, the
intersection of said turbulence chamber and said first passage
being spaced from the intersection of said first and second
passages in a direction away from said orifice.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 which further includes a pair of air
nozzles located on opposite sides of said liquid spray nozzle and
means for supplying air under pressure to said pair of air nozzles
and for directing an air curtain emerging from said nozzles onto
the interior surface of the can bodies on opposite sides of the
seam so as to contain and limit the liquid spray to the seam area
of the can bodies.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 which further includes means for
starting and stopping the emission of the air curtains from the air
nozzles in synchronization with the starting and stopping of the
emission of liquid spray from the liquid spray nozzle.
12. Apparatus for applying an impervious protective coating to the
longitudinal seams of spaced cylindrical can bodies as the can
bodies move through a striping station of a can body forming line
over which can bodies are formed into cylinders, which apparatus
comprises
an airless liquid spray nozzle, means for securing the nozzle on a
can assembly line in a position in which the nozzle is located
interiorly of the cans and has its orifice directed toward the
interior of a seam of a formed body,
means for forcing an airless spray fan of liquid coating material
at high pressure from the nozzle orifice and directing it onto the
interior surface of the seams of the can bodies, and
means for starting and stopping the emission of airless spray from
the nozzle orifice in synchronization with movement of the spaced
can bodies past the nozzle so that the airless spray is directed
onto a seam of a can body as the body passes the nozzle orifice but
is turned off after that can body passes the nozzle orifice until
the seam of the next following can body moves into alignment with
the orifice, the improvement wherein,
said airless spray nozzle has a first axial passage extending
therethrough, said passage being threaded at one end and adapted to
receive a nozzle tip at the opposite end,
a screw threaded into said threaded end of said passage,
a nozzle tip mounted in said opposite end of said passage, said tip
having an axial passage extended therethrough and coaxial with said
axial passage of said mounting block, said tip axial passage
terminating at its outer end in a generally elliptical-shaped
orifice,
said tip having a second liquid injection passage intersecting at
approximately a right angle said tip axial passage at a point
spaced from said orifice, and
a turbulence chamber located in said mounting block axial passage
between the inner end of said screw and the inner end of said tip,
said chamber being of greater cross sectional area than said axial
passage of said tip.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 in which said turbulence chamber is
defined in part by the inner end of said screw and in part by the
inner end of said tip.
Description
This invention relates to the application of protective coatings to
the interior of metal cans and more particularly to the application
of a stripe of protective coatings to the interior soldered,
welded, or adhered seam of a three-piece metal can.
Metal cans are made by either one of two processes. One process,
the two-piece can process, involves forming a drawn cup from a
cylindrical slug of metal and then deep drawing the cup to a can
configuration. The other process, the three-piece process, involves
forming a cylindrical can body from a sheet of metal and then
attaching two lids or ends to the opposite ends of the body. The
invention of this application is concerned only with the
application of protective coatings to three-piece cans.
In the manufacture of three-piece cans, the cylindrical bodies are
formed by wrapping a sheet of metal around a so-called stubhorn.
Prior to formation into the cylindrical configuration, the sheets
13 are generally roller coated on all but the lateral edges with a
protective coating of lacquer or other similar material. After
formation into the cylindrical, configuration, the lateral edges of
the sheet are either butted or overlapped and secured together by
either a welded seam, a soldered seam, or a cemented seam. The seam
area and the previously uncoated lateral edges of the sheet are
then spray coated with an epoxy or phenolic lacquer or some
modification of these materials. Subsequently, the complete
interior of the cylindrical body is coated with another complete
protective coating which is generally of vinyl lacquer although
numerous other materials, as, for example, resins, lacquers, waxes
and paints, are applied for this same purpose, i.e., to afford
protection of the contents of the can against contamination by the
metal. Particularly, beer, beverages and foods must be protected in
this way against metal contamination by the application of a
tasteless and odorless protective coating material to the interior
of the can.
The protective material which is applied to the interior of the can
must be continuous throughout the entire interior surface. Any pin
holes, cracks, or imperfections in the integrity of the coating
render the can unsuitable for most applications. To avoid pin
holes, cracks, or imperfections in the coating, it is now common
practice in the can industry to first apply a stripe of protective
material over the interior seam of a three-piece can body before a
second or subsequent layer is applied to the complete interior of
the can. The purpose of this stripe is to provide an impervious
layer of protective material over that portion of the body which is
most vulnerable to imperfections and where failures most often
occur.
In co-pending application Ser. No. 56,304 filed July 20, 1970, and
assigned to the assignee of this application, there is described an
airless spray technique for applying a stripe of protective
material or lacquer to the interior seams of cans as the cans pass
over and off the end of the stubhorn of a can manufacturing line.
This invention is an improvement upon the method and apparatus
described in that application.
Specifically, there is described in that application an airless
spray technique for intermittently applying a stripe of lacquer to
the inside seams of can bodies as the cans pass an airless spray
nozzle attached to the end of the stubhorn. The spray nozzle is so
positioned on the stubhorn that it is located on the interior of
the can bodies as the bodies pass the stripping station.
One of the problems encountered in spraying a stripe of protective
material onto the seam of a can body is that of confining the spray
to a stripe approximately one-half to 1 inch in width, depending
upon the can application, without having the spray bounce up or fog
onto the area or side of the can wall adjacent the stripe. This
confining of the stripe to avoid its overlapping or splashing onto
the side walls of can bodies is particularly critical in the case
of soldered seam cans. Common practice is to spray the seam of the
can with the protective stripe prior to soldering of the seam but
after the seam has been formed and overlapped. After spraying, the
seam is soldered and the area adjacent the seam is exposed during
soldering to a temperature of 700.degree.-900.degree. F during
which the stripe of protective material is cured. Thereafter, the
complete interior of the can body is sprayed with a coating of
lacquer or protective material but one which cures at a lower
temperature, as, for example, 300.degree. F. If any high curing
temperature seam striping material inadvertently is sprayed onto
the area adjacent the stripe, that lacquer is not subjected to the
700.degree.-900.degree. F. seam temperature and is therefore never
cured, either during the soldering operation or during the
subsequent curing of the low curing temperature material sprayed
onto the complete interior of the can.
It has therefore been a primary objective of this invention to
provide a new and improved apparatus for applying a continuous
stripe of protective material or lacquer over the interior seam of
a can without splashing, spraying, or bouncing protective material
off the seam area onto the sides of the can body adjacent the seam
area.
Still another objective of this invention has been to provide an
apparatus for spraying a stripe of protective material over the
seam of a can with a minimum quantity of material while still
obtaining a continuous uniform coating of material over the
seam.
These objectives are accomplished and one aspect of this invention
is predicated upon the utilization of a new and improved nozzle for
spraying the stripe of liquid protective material onto the seam of
a can. This nozzle has an axial bore terminating in a fan-shaped
nozzle orifice. Lacquer is supplied to the axial bore through a
radial passage. The nozzle is mounted in a bore which includes a
turbulence chamber behind the end of the nozzle. The combination of
this radial injection of liquid into the nozzle, together with the
provision of a turbulence chamber behind the nozzle, results in the
emerging liquid spray being atomized much more quickly and closer
to the nozzle orifice than has heretofore been possible. This quick
atomization of the spray in close proximity to the nozzle tip
eliminates what has heretofore been the most troublesome aspect of
inside stripping of cans, the bounce or splash of the spray onto
and up the side walls of the can. This splash, or so-called
overspray area, is never completely cured and as a consequence
causes defective cans.
Still another aspect of this invention is predicated upon the
concept of utilizing two air nozzles located alongside the liquid
spray nozzle to contain the edges of the atomized spray to the can
seam area. In the preferred embodiment, these air nozzles are so
connected to the gun that the air spray is turned on and off
simultaneously with the intermittent emission of liquid spray from
the protective material nozzle. The air curtains which emerge from
these air nozzles are generally fan-shaped and contain the liquid
spray fog along the edges so as to prevent that fog from rolling
out onto the area adjacent the stripe.
Still another aspect of this invention is predicated upon the
empirical determination of nozzle design and conditions under which
an airless spray stripe may be applied to the interior seam of a
can body in a uniform continuous film which meets all can industry
standards in terms of continuity, uniformity, weight of material,
and application of the stripe to a confined area.
Still another aspect of this invention is predicated upon the
development of a new and improved nozzle which has better spray
atomization characteristics close to the nozzle orifice than has
heretofore been possible.
These and other objects and advantages of this invention will be
more readily apparent from the following description of the
drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a portion of a can forming
line including the invention of this application.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged view, partially in cross section, of the end
of the can forming line stubhorn of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the end of the stubhorn
including the spray gun taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view through the spray gun of FIG.
1.
FIG. 5 is another cross sectional view through the spray gun taken
in a plane normal to the plane of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view through the spray nozzle
taken on line 6--6 of FIG. 2.
FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the spray pattern which emerges from
the liquid spray nozzle and the two air nozzles of FIG. 6.
Referring first to FIG. 1, there is illustrated diagrammatically a
standard can production line used in the production of cylindrical
can bodies. This line includes a stubhorn 10 which serves as a
mandrel around which can bodies 11 are formed as they pass
downstream. The can bodies 11 are moved longitudinally over the
stubhorn from a magazine 12 by lugs on a chain conveyor which
engage the rear edge 13 of the bodies and push them along the
stubhorn. As bodies pass off the stubhorn, after having been formed
into cylindrical configuration, they move into a network of rails
15 through which they then pass during continued formation of the
cans.
In the final stages of movement of the can bodies over the stubborn
10, the ends of the sheet metal from which the body is made are
overlapped or joined. If the bodies are to be seamed by adhesive,
the adhesive is placed in the overlapping seams at the seaming
station indicated by the numeral 14. Alternatively, if the bodies
are to be welded, they are butt welded at this station 14. And if
the bodies are to be soldered, they are crimped together at the
seaming station 14. As the bodies pass off the stubhorn 10 and into
the rails 15, they are passed through an inside striping station
indicated by the numeral 16. At this station a stripe of protective
material 17 (FIG. 7) is sprayed over the overlapped seam 18 of the
can. Soldered can bodies then require passage through a soldering
station downstream of the striping station 16 to complete formation
of the seam but the adhered and welded seams are completely formed
when the bodies enter the rails 15.
In order to apply the stripe 17 of protective material over the
seam area A (FIG. 7) of the can body, a spray gun 20 is secured to
the end of the stubhorn 10. This gun is so positioned that the can
bodies pass over it before passing into the rails 15.
The gun 20 is secured to the end surface 21 of the stubhorn by a
generally U-shaped bracket 22 secured onto the end of the stubborn
by a plurality of bolts 23. Bolts 19 similarly secure the gun 20 to
the opposite or downstream end 24 of the bracket 22. The bracket 22
may be omitted and, in fact, in one preferred embodiment is omitted
in which case the gun 20 is secured directly onto the end of the
stubhorn.
The spray gun 20 is of the so-called circulations flow type; that
is, there is a continuous flow of liquid or coating material to the
gun through a liquid inlet line 25. There is also continuous flow
of liquid or coating material from the gun via a line 26 (FIG. 4
and 5). As a result of this continuous flow, the temperature of the
liquid material may be maintained constant in the gun even when the
gun is not in use and when the liquid would otherwise be stationary
in the gun. Some can protective materials set up or harden at room
temperature so that it is important that these materials not be
permitted to stand and become hardened in the gun. The circulating
flow of liquid through the gun precludes this hardening or setting
of the material. In the case of other protective materials which
are applied at ambient or room temperature, temperature control is
not as important and a conventional non-circulating or one-fluid
line gun may be used.
The gun contains a check valve, indicated generally by the numeral
30, operable to open and close a passage 31 leading to an orifice
32 of a nozzle 33 in synchronization with movement of cans past the
orifice 32. The check valve is pneumatically opened by air pressure
supplied to the gun via an air line 35 and is spring biased to a
closed position. Air pressure at approximately 60 psi is supplied
to the gun in the line 35 from an air pressure source 36 through a
solenoid controlled valve 37. An electric photocell circuit
including a photocell 38 and receiver 39 control the flow of
electric current to the solenoid of the valve 37. The sender is
operable to direct a light beam through a hole 41 in the stubhorn
10 so that cans entering the striping station 16 break the circuit
and trip a solenoid 42, thereby causing the valve 37 to be opened
and air pressure supplied via line 35 to the gun.
The solenoid valve portion of the valve 37 is an on-off solenoid
valve. It is used in combination with a conventional four-way spool
valve 42, to one end of which air is alternately supplied from a
source 36 at a pressure of approximately 60 psi or to which air is
vented to atmosphere under the control of the solenoid. Air of
lesser pressure (as, for example, 20 psi) is supplied through the
line 43 to the opposite end of the spool within valve 37 at all
times, so that when the solenoid electrical circuit is broken, the
solenoid valve connects the high pressure end of the spool valve 37
to atmospheric pressure and a low pressure (20 psi) at the opposite
end then moves the spool toward the high pressure end. When the
electrical circuit again energizes the solenoid, the valve 37
connects the high pressure end of the spool to 60 psi, and the
spool immediately moves toward the low pressure end against the
resistance offered by the low air pressure in line 43. It has been
found that the valve 37 may be more reliable with a low pressure
line connected to the one end of the valve than it is when it
utilizes spring return. It has also been found that the solenoid
valve may act fast enough when used as a pilot valve to control
flow to the gun but that if used with higher flow capacities
without a second stage spool valve it may be too slow to keep up
with current can production lines.
Referring again to FIGS. 4 and 5, it will be seen that the gun 20
generally comprise a two-piece cylindrical body 45 within which
there is an axial or central bore 46. This bore comprises a fluid
chamber 47 adjacent the front end of the body, a smaller diameter
connecting chamber 48, and a large diameter piston chamber 49. The
rear side of the piston chamber 49 is open to the atmosphere
through a small diameter section 51 of the bore 46. An end cap 52
is secured to the body 45 by bolts (not shown) and closes the fluid
chamber 47. The cap 52 comprises a central disc 53 from which hub
sections 54, 55 extend rearwardly and forwardly, respectively. The
rearward hub 54 fits within, and with an O-ring, seals the fluid
chamber 47. The forwardly extending hub section 55 has an inwardly
extending flange 56. An axial bore 57 extends through the cap 52
and comprises a large diameter rear section 58 and a smaller
diameter front section 59.
A cylindrical metal insert 61 made from a hard material, as, for
example, tungsten carbide, is brazed or otherwise fixedly secured
within the small diameter section 59 of the cap. This insert 61
defines the seat of the check valve 30. The insert has a stepped
axial bore which comprises a large diameter rearward section 62 and
the small diameter passage 31 interconnected by shoulder 63. An
arcuate seat is machined into the shoulder at the point where the
shoulder joins the small bore 31. This seat is configurated to
cooperate with a generally semispherical end 64 of the check valve
head 65 to form a seal.
The nozzle assembly 33 is bolted onto the flanged end 56 of the end
cap 52. Referring to FIG. 4 and 6, it will be seen that this
assembly 33 comprises a nozzle mounting block 70 and a carbide
nozzle top 71. The block 70 is fixedly secured onto the end cap by
a pair of bolts 72. This block 70 has one bore 73 which
communicates with and is coaxial with the outlet passage 31 of the
gun and a second passage 74 which intersects at 90.degree. the
first passage 73. This second passage 74 also intersects the apex
of an inverted V-shaped groove 69 formed in the bottom of the block
70. This second bore or passage 74 extends completely through the
block 70 and has a small diameter threaded end section 75, an
intermediate diameter section 76, and a counterbored end section
77. The carbide tip 71 is brazed or otherwise fixedly secured in
the intermediate section 75 with a shoulder 78 of the tip abutting
the counterbored shoulder of the bore 74.
The tip 71 has an axial central bore 79 extending through it and
intersected at a right angle by a transverse bore 81. The bore or
aperture 81 communicates with and is coaxial with the bore 73 of
the mounting block 70 so that liquid may be transmitted through the
bore 73 into the nozzle bore 79.
There is a nozzle clean-out screw 82 threaded into the threaded
small diameter section 75 of the bore 74. The end 83 of this screw
is spaced from the rear end surface 84 of the nozzle tip so that a
turbulence chamber 85 is defined by the rear surface 84 of tip 71,
intermediate section 75 of the bore 74, and the inner end 83 of the
screw 82. As explained more fully hereinafter, it has been found
that the presence of this turbulence chamber 85 in combination with
the injection of liquid into the axial passage 79 of the nozzle tip
through the transverse bore 81 markedly improves the atomization
characteristics of the nozzle.
The outer end of the nozzle tip 71 is generally hemispherical in
configuration. The elliptical-shaped orifice 32 is machined into
the top of the dome so as to intersect at a right angle the axial
orifice 79 of the tip. Conventionally, this elliptical orifice is
machined into the dome by a tapered grinding wheel. Liquid emerging
at a high pressure or as a high pressure stream (as, for example,
at 200 to 1,000 psi) from the elliptical-shaped orifice atomizes
and assumes the elliptical pattern depicted by the dashed line 87
of FIG. 7.
Referring back to FIG. 6, it will be seen that as the high pressure
stream of liquid emerges from the nozzle orifice 32 it spreads out
or fans out to form a generally fan-shaped solid curtain 88 of
liquid. As the curtain moves away from the nozzle, ripples or waves
form in it, as indicated by the numeral 89. The ripples then break
up into longitudinal ligaments, indicated by the numeral 91. These
ligaments subsequently break up as they move away from the nozzle
into droplets which then atomize into a fine spray, as indicated by
the numeral 92.
In order to apply a sufficiently thin film of lacquer or other
coating material to the seam area A of a can and to limit the
sprayed material to the stripe area or to the area immediately
adjacent this stripe area, the film must be finely atomized before
it strikes the can surface. If not sufficiently atomized, the spray
or fog strikes the substrate, or the can side wall, with sufficient
velocity and impact that it bounces and splashes onto the can side
wall to form an oversprayed area on the area adjacent the same area
A.
One aspect of this invention is predicated upon the determination
that the overspray problem or the splash problem is materially
reduced or eliminated by the turbulence chamber 85. By inserting a
threaded plug or screw 82 into the threaded bore 75 of the nozzle
mounting block but having the end 83 of the screw terminate short
of the rear surface 84 of the nozzle tip 71, there is provided a
turbulence chamber 85 immediately behind the nozzle tip. This
turbulence chamber in combination with the injection of liquid into
the nozzle tip via a radial port 81 has the effect of materially
reducing the distance D required for the spray to atomize after
emerging from the nozzle orifice 32. Specifically, it has been
found that this arrangement reduces the distance D to approximately
one-fifth the distance otherwise required for atomization when the
same liquid is directed axially through the same size nozzle tip at
the same pressure and temperature. When the distance D is reduced,
the degree of atomization of the spray is improved and the velocity
with which it strikes the substrate or can body is materially
reduced. This finer atomization and reduction of particle velocity
in turn eliminates the problem of the spray bouncing and climbing
up the side walls 93 of the can outside the can stripe area A.
To further contain the finely atomized fog which results from this
improved nozzle, a pair of air curtains 94, 95 are preferably
provided adjacent the opposite ends of the elliptical-shaped
pattern 87 of the liquid spray. These curtains are also elliptical
in cross sectional configuration at the point where they strike the
substrate or can body adjacent the stripe 17. As indicated by the
cross hatched patterns 94A, 95A in FIG. 7, these air curtains 94,
95 have the effect of chopping off the ends 87A, 87B of the
fan-shaped pattern 87 of atomized liquid spray so as to confine it
to a width W.
To create the air curtains 94, 95, air is supplied to a pair of
elliptical-shaped nozzle orifices 97 and 98 in a pair of nozzles 99
and 100. This air is supplied to the nozzles in synchronization
with opening and closing of the check valve 30 of the gun 20. To
this end, the nozzles 99 and 100 are mounted in the ends of tubes
101 which extend upwardly and are mounted in a manifold block 102
secured to the gun. The block 102 has a central passage 103 which
communicates with the passages within the tubes 101. The passage
103 is supplied with air under regulated pressure of from 20 to 70
psig from the pneumatic line 35. It is also connected to a
pneumatic line 35A of the gun. Consequently, air is supplied to the
nozzles 99 and 100 in synchronization with opening and closing of
the check valve 30 of the gun.
In operation, can bodies 11 are formed over the stubhorn 10 at the
rate of approximately 550 plus or minus 50 cans per minute. This
rate varies from one can manufacturer to another, but quite
commonly today averages approximately 575 can bodies per minute per
line in the production of standard beer or beverage cans. As the
cans move along the stubhorn, a solder, adhesive or weld is
commonly applied to the overlapping or abutting edges 18 of the
sheet at the seaming station 14. This station is located
immediately in front of the striping station 16 where the stripe 17
of protective material from the nozzle 33 and spray gun 20 is
directed onto the seam. In the case of soldered cans, the seam is
subsequently completed and the striping material simultaneously
cured by the application of soldering heat to the seam at a
subsequent soldering station. Generally, this heat raises the
temperature of the seam to above 700.degree.-900.degree. F. so as
to cure the protective coating of the stripe during the soldering
operation. In the case of seam welded or seam adhered cans, the
striping material is either heat or air cured at a much lower
temperature farther down the can production line.
The emission of liquid spray from the nozzle 33 and the emission of
the air curtains from the nozzles 99 and 100 are turned on and off
in synchronization with movement of the can bodies 11 over the
stubhorn and through the striping station. This is accomplished by
the can bodies interrupting a light beam of the photocell sender
and receiver unit 38, 39. Upon interruption of the light beam and
after a predetermined time delay built into a solenoid control
circuit, the solenoid control circuit is operable to shift the
solenoid and move a valve spool of the valve 37 so as to connect
the air line 35 to the source of air pressure 36, thereby
connecting a forward end chamber 104 of the check valve control
piston chamber to high pressure, i.e., 60 psi air. This results in
movement of a piston 105 and opening of the check valve 30. Upon
opening of this valve, the liquid protective material in the fluid
chamber 47 is allowed to pass from the liquid chamber 47 past the
head of the valve into the conduit or passage 31 and subsequently
to the nozzle orifice 32 of the nozzle 33. Liquid in the chamber 47
is maintained at a pressure of approximately 250-800 psi, the
pressure at which it is supplied by a pump 106 from a reservoir
107.
A predetermined time after interruption of the light beam, that can
which has broken the light beam passes out of alignment with the
nozzle 33. After that predetermined time, a timer circuit
interrupts the signal to the solenoid causing it to be de-energized
and the control circuit to be reset preparatory to interruption of
the light beam by the next following can. Upon de-energization of
the solenoid, low air pressure, i.e., 20 psi, in line 43 or spring
pressure then moves the spool of the valve 37 to the position in
which the air line 35 is connected to atmospheric pressure. This
results in the venting of line 35A of the gun, causing the check
valve 30 to be closed, which immediately cuts off the flow of
liquid spray from the nozzle orifice 32 and the emission of air
from the nozzles 99 and 100 until the next following can again
interrupts the light beam.
In one preferred embodiment, the protective material applied to the
can seam of a soldered seam beer can 2 11/16 inches and 4 11/16
inches in length is an epoxy resin coating material manufactured by
the DeSoto Chemical Company of Chicago, Illinois, and designated as
their No. 563-803 Epoxy Resin Can Coating. It is supplied to the
nozzle at a temperature of 180.degree.-190.degree. F. at a pressure
of approximately 400 psi and at a Zahn No. 2 cup viscosity of 16
seconds, 77.degree. F. The preferred nozzle is one which has a flow
rate of 0.015 gallons per minute of water at 500 psi and at ambient
temperature. The nozzle orifice is preferably spaced 1 1/4 inch
from the can seam and lays down a protective stripe of material
nine-sixteenths inch to eleven-sixteenths inch in width W. The
resulting stripe of material when subsequently cured weighs
approximately 5 or 6 milligrams. Including the overspray, this
stripe never exceeds 1 1/16 inch in width W, which width is
adequately heated to curing temperature of approximately
750.degree. F. during the subsequent soldering operation.
Prior to this invention it has been difficult to control the
application of spray to a can seam so as to avoid overspray and
material being applied to the side walls of the can over so wide an
area that the material remained uncured even after the subsequent
soldering operation. Primarily, the problem occurred because of the
atomized spray bouncing off the seam stripe area of the can and
rolling up the inside walls of the can into areas adjacent the
stripe area, which areas never subsequently reached the material
curing temperature and which material therefore remained uncured.
By the practice of this invention, though, that problem is overcome
with the result that this invention enables airless spray
techniques to be utilized to apply a stripe of protective material
to the seam of a can. The use of airless spray techniques in turn
minimizes overspray and the quantity of material required to
adequately protect the overlapped seam of a can.
While we have described only a single preferred embodiment of our
invention, persons skilled in the art to which this invention
pertains will readily appreciate numerous changes and modifications
which may be made without departing from the spirit of our
invention. For example, those persons skilled in the can
manufacturing art will readily appreciate that the striping
apparatus of this invention is equally applicable to outside can
striping as to inside can striping. Therefore, we do not intend to
be limited except by the scope of the appended claims.
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