U.S. patent number 3,804,696 [Application Number 05/230,282] was granted by the patent office on 1974-04-16 for applicator car for flowable material.
Invention is credited to Albert X. Lobmeier.
United States Patent |
3,804,696 |
Lobmeier |
April 16, 1974 |
APPLICATOR CAR FOR FLOWABLE MATERIAL
Abstract
An applicator machine for applying bitumen, adhesive, varnishes
or highly viscous materials to a surface or roof comprises a
wheeled frame having a storage tank for the flowable material and a
transversely extending application means for applying the material
to the surface. The wheels may be coated with silicone rubber to
prevent adhesion of the applied material to the wheels. The
application means includes a transversely extending distribution
channel which is formed by a pair of rubber apron side walls
defining an open slot at the lower ends thereof through which the
material flows to the roof surface. To assure flow of material into
the uphill section of the distribution channel when the machine is
on a sloped roof, a valve means may be operated to direct the flow
of material section of the channel means. Also, to assist working
on sloped roofs, the application chamber may be pivoted in
relationship to the tank.
Inventors: |
Lobmeier; Albert X. (Foschloch,
DT) |
Family
ID: |
5800449 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/230,282 |
Filed: |
February 29, 1972 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
Current U.S.
Class: |
156/499; 118/305;
156/575; 156/578; 118/108 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E01C
19/16 (20130101); E04D 15/07 (20130101); Y10T
156/179 (20150115); Y10T 156/1798 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
E01C
19/16 (20060101); E01C 19/00 (20060101); E04D
15/07 (20060101); E04D 15/00 (20060101); E04d
005/04 (); E04d 005/06 (); E04d 005/07 () |
Field of
Search: |
;156/71,289,574,575,577,499,578 ;118/108,207,305 ;161/206,406 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Fritsch; Daniel J.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Fitch, Even, Tabin &
Luedeka
Claims
1. An applicator machine for a flowable material comprising a frame
having wheels for movement in a given direction, a storage tank
carried by said frame for carrying said flowable material to be
applied to a surface over which the machine passes, application
means for applying the flowable material to the surface and
including a transversely extending chamber and a distribution
channel therein, said chamber being open on the bottom to permit
the material to flow downwardly through the open bottom of the
chamber to the surface, flexible aprons extending downwardly from
said bottom to define front and rear side walls for said chamber,
conduit means extending between said storage tank and said
application means to allow the material to flow therethrough and
into the distribution channel, valve means for controlling the
amount of material flowing to said distribution channel, means for
deflecting the discharge of the flowable material from said conduit
means in predetermined directions as toward the uphill side of the
channel means when the machine is on a sloped surface, and manually
adjustable means for controlling said deflecting means and movable
to reverse the direction of material deflection when said machine
has been
2. An applicator machine according to claim 1 including means for
mounting said application means for pivotable movement about a
longitudinally extending axis for said machine and relative to the
storage tank to
3. An applicator machine in accordance with claim 1 in which a
heating means surrounds the bottom of said storage tank to apply
heat thereto and further comprises a heating channel extending
transversely with said distribution channel to heat the material
flowing to and through said
4. An applicator machine according to claim 1 comprising rolls
spaced above said surface for engaging a roll of roofing material
to be applied to said surface, and further comprising a plurality
of spring plates disposed rearwardly of said rolls for applying
pressure to the roofing material.
5. A machine in accordance with claim 1 in which a silicone rubber
coating is provided on said wheels to prevent adhesion of the
flowable material to
6. An applicator machine in accordance with claim 1 in which said
rear apron is made of rubber and is provided with prongs on the
bottom edge
7. A machine in accordance with claim 6 in which said prongs have a
height of about 10 mm and the spacing between adjacent prong tips
on the bottom
8. An applicator machine in accordance with claim 1 in which said
front apron is made of rubber and is disposed at an angle of about
1.5.degree.
9. An applicator machine according to claim 1 including a trailing
means for engaging the surface with a compression force, and means
for adjusting the trailing means to control force applied by the
trailing means to said surface.
Description
The invention relates to an applicator car for flowable media,
particularly bitumen, adhesive substances, varnishes and similar
highly viscous masses.
Applicator cars of the kind mentioned are used to apply bituminous
adhesive substances and the like when covering inclined and
horizontal roof or other surfaces, in order to either cover these
surfaces or to use these substances as connective layer for roofing
paper and/or other coatings.
Until now, the applicator cars known from prior art were unable to
meet the requirements in practical operations.
Consequently, the invention is based on the problem of creating an
applicator car for flowable media, particularly highly viscous
substances, such as bitumen, adhesive substances, varnishes,
lacquers and the like which is free from the disadvantages of prior
art, of easy operation and simple design, and where one individual
is able to coat large areas within the shortest time, with savings
of a considerable quantity of the substance to be applied, with
which the application and pressing on of roofing paper is possible
in one operation and simultaneously with the application of the
bitumen, said car also being able to be put in operation after
prolonged down times and chilling of the bituminous mass, being
usable on both flat and inclined roofs, being able to travel over
adhesive substances already applied but not yet solidified, and
said car moreover being able to apply without difficulty the
adhesive substances to a marginal strip of tracks already laid for
the subsequent overlapping of the tracks.
It shall moreover be a problem of the invention to create a rubber
apron for use at the application chamber of an applicator car for
flowable media, particularly highly viscous media, making possible
the application both of highly viscous and of highly fluid masses
in the desired quantity by controlling the pressure of the chamber,
which achieves an absolutely uniform distribution of the masses
applied and avoids adhesion of the applied masses, which no longer
deforms under the effect of temperatures, and which has a long
life.
The problem is solved by the invention in that the applicator car
comprises a storage tank and an application chamber extending
transversely to the direction of movement of the car, for the
flowable medium, said chamber being open on the bottom and its
sidewalls consist of a rubber apron.
It is advantageous to apply to the rubber apron in rear position in
the direction of movement of the applicator car, serrations having
a prong height of about 10 mm and a distance from prong tip to
prong tip of about 3 mm.
For the equalization of unevennesses in the ground or floor surface
the applicator chamber may be of limited pivotability with regard
to the tank about its longitudinal axis. For easier operation it is
advantageous to arrange between the application chamber and the
supply tank a locking valve operable by remote control, and, in
order to make possible the renewed start of operations after an
interval, the application chamber may be provided with a heating
channel; moreover, an appropriate heating chamber fit for heating
with a gas burner may be present surrounding the supply tank on the
bottom and laterally and connected to the heating channel.
In order to make possible the application of a coating reel in one
operation, the applicator car may be provided with an entrainment
hook with wheels for trailing and rolling out, as well as with
compression springs for pressing on a reel of coating material.
For easier turning the applicator car according to the invention
may moreover have between the shaft of the compression springs and
the car trolley a spring-loaded knee lever which is rigid in its
stretched position and which can be placed by pressure against the
articulation for the collapsing and lifting of the springs and the
unwinding wheels.
In order to make possible a movement over surfaces already provided
with medium, the applicator car finally may be provided with a coat
or tread jacket of silicon rubber, in order to prevent adhesion of
the applied mass or with a coat of silicon rubber, available in the
trade under the designation F 36, Transparent, specific gravity
1.2, about 50 Shore, by Pampus KG.
Below an embodiment of the invention is explained in detail by
means of drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a view in perspective of an applicator car according
to the invention;
FIG. 2 shows a partial longitudinal section through an applicator
chamber, a heating channel and the distribution system for the
medium;
FIG. 3 shows a section through a wheel according to the invention,
and FIG. 4 shows the bottom side of a rubber apron on an enlarged
scale.
According to FIG. 1, the applicator car according to the invention
comprises a supply tank 1 for the medium (mass) to be applied, a
guide trolley 2, an application chamber 3 extending transversely to
the moving direction of said applicator car and rotatable wheels 4
being fastened to said supply tank.
The supply tank 1 is provided with an upper opening for feeding in
the mass and its bottom is provided for collecting the mass
remnants with obliquely converging walls and with a valve sphere 29
(FIG. 2) remotely operable by a Bowden cable 12 at the end near the
trolley.
The bottom and the sidewalls of the supply tank 1 are surrounded by
a heating chamber 7 having an opening (not shown) at the posterior
part of the car, through which a gas flame can be introduced. By
such a heating the content of the supply tank can be returned to
its application temperature after a possible solidification.
The trolley 2 is provided at its end with a handle 11, to which the
operating lever 13 for the Bowden cable 12 is fastened. The trolley
can be turned as needed, so that the applicator car also is
operable from its end or from the side.
For adjusting the compression pressure of the application chamber
3, the shaft 10 connecting the compression springs 9 is connected
by a lever 14 of variable length to the trolley 2. If the lever is
set at a greater length (lever 14), the application chamber is
placed higher between the wheels 4 and the springs 9 and the
compression pressure is reduced. As the lever 14 is shortened, the
effect is reversed.
The shaft 10 of the springs 9 bears moreover two thrust rollers 15,
the roofing paper web to be unreeled being placed ahead of said
rollers which coast above the ground, but free from it; they are of
limited pivotability in the horizontal plane and roll the roofing
paper web to be applied ahead of them.
The lever 14 is designed as spring-loaded knee lever, which is
rigid in stretched position, and is moved at a pressure applied to
the knee joint and then bends inwardly at once. That way the lever
can be pushed upward in order to be free from the roofing paper
reel, for pivoting and turning of the applicator car. Conversely,
it can likewise be lowered behind the roofing paper reel and there
it locks on automatically. Both the raising and lowering operations
can be carried out with one handle.
The moving wheels 4 of the applicator car are mounted proximal the
center between the center of the supply tank and the trolley-side
end, in order to balance thereby the weight of the application
chamber. In order to prevent upon movement over a surface to which
mass has been applied already, any adhering of said mass to the
wheels 4, the wheels 4 of the applicator car are provided with a
jacket of silicon rubber. FIG. 3 shows a wheel 4 in section with
the jacket 25 pulled thereover, which is made from silicon rubber.
The wheel is applied to the axle of the car via a hub perforation
26. Naturally, these wheels also may be used in any other equipment
which is moved at least at times or occasionally over a surface
which has been coated with bituminous adhesive substance.
The rubber strip 5 placed in front in moving direction, of the
application chamber, may have in its longitudinal direction
(transverse to the movement of the applicator car) a bias of about
1.5 percent. This bias prevents that upon heating of the rubber
plate 5 it undulates because of its longitudinal expansion at its
lower edge in relation to its clamping on.
The rubber apron 6 placed rearward in the direction of movement is
provided at its lower longitudinal edge with prongs 21 having a
distance from prong tip to prong tip of 3 mm and a prong height of
10 mm. If the applicator car is now pushed by a person, this person
may apply the pressure upon the application chamber at will and
thus upon the rubber apron 6 of the application chamber, and thus
adjust the quantity of the discharging material according to its
visosity via the prong bending.
In the center of the floor of the container 1 there is a valve
operable by the Bowden cable 12, comprising a sealing sphere 29, a
spring member 31 urging the locking sphere into closing position
and a feed pipe 32 for the mass inserted into the bottom of the
container 28 and extending upward slightly into the interior of the
container.
When the Bowden cable 12 is pulled up, the sphere 29 is moved
against the force of the spring member 31 from its seat toward the
feed pipe 32, and, depending on the position of the operating lever
13 of the Bowden cable 12, it releases a more or less large annular
gap for the feeding of the mass from the supply tank 1 into the
application chamber 3. When the Bowden cable 12 is returned, the
sphere 29 closed again. That way the quantity of the discharging
mass can be metered precisely.
The feed pipe 32 itself can be of limited pivotability, either by
the elasticity of the tank bottom 28 and of the heating chamber 27
or by additional means not shown, with regard to the longitudinal
axis of the supply tank 1, in order to enable the application
chamber 3 to adjust to unevennesses of the surface to be
coated.
The application chamber 3 itself comprises a distribution channel
22, with a heating channel 8, 24 being placed on top of said
channel 22 which bears at its longitudinal sides, with the aid of a
guiding angle 16, the rubber aprons 5 and 6, which converge at the
end of the distribution channel where they form laterally
overlapping lips.
According to FIG. 2 the distribution channel 22 has a rectangular
cross-section and the mass discharges through apertures placed in
the center and at the lateral ends of the pipe bottom, into the
area between the rubber aprons 5 and 6.
A valve member 23 is placed above the central aperture of the pipe
bottom, said valve member being adjustable via an adjustment lever
33, which is lockable and guides, depending on its position, the
mass in a uniform manner into both sides of the distribution
channel 22 and into the center of the area between the rubber
aprons 5 and 6 or, for example in a moving direction transversely
to the inclination of a surface, it can guide the mass primarily or
entirely into one side of the distribuion channel 22, the side
being on top in each particular instance.
The apertures not shown, placed proximal the ends of the
application chamber 3 make sure that the area between the rubber
aprons 5 and 6 is supplied adequately with mass in all sections.
The valve member 23 itself comprises a deflection panel fastened
with a screw for deflecting the incoming mass into one of the sides
of the distribution channel 22 when the adjustment lever 33 is
inclined accordingly, and also a semi-circular part engaging into
the central aperture of the bottom of the distribution pipe 22,
said part closing in case of a tilting of lever 36 the central
aperture in an increasing measure.
The heating channel 8 is connected to the heating chamber 7, and
both may be heated jointly by a gas burner if the mass to be
applied should be chilled and solidified, for example following an
interruption of the operation. The heating gas current thereby
discharges for example through ventilation openings 19.
The applicator car solves the problems demanded of it in a most
simple manner. Its particular advantage consists in that,
surprising to the person skilled in the art, it offers savings of
up to 30 percent in the mass to be applied and assures moreover a
pressing on of the roofing paper in a manner which otherwise is
impossible.
The shaft 10 trailed for this purpose has a large number of steel
spring leaves 9, placed transversely to the direction of movement,
and 2 mm thick for example, which deliver a uniform pressing force,
as their surface of adhesion is extremely low and the individual
spring is resilient.
The application chamber is provided at its end with vertically
extending reinforcement bars 34 and elastic supporting members
placed thereunder to prevent a bending of the rubber strips 5 and 6
at the ends.
* * * * *