Claims
- 1. An applicator for applying a flowable coating to a suspended cable comprising:
- a supply reservoir,
- an open top housing defining a coating reservoir therein,
- fluid passage means between and in fluid communication with said supply and coating reservoirs for supplying said coating reservoir with the coating and for draining the coating from said coating reservoir,
- said fluid passage means comprising a conduit means for defining a single flow passageway in fluid communication with said supply and coating reservoirs, said passageway being the sole fluid means for supplying and draining fluid to and from said coating reservoir,
- means for selectively maintaining a predetermined level of fluid in said coating reservoir,
- a coating roller having a circumferential groove adapted to receive the cable therein, and
- means for rotatably supporting said roller in said housing so that at least a portion of said roller is immersed in said coating reservoir.
- 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 and further comprising supporting means for detachably suspending said housing from said cable.
- 3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said housing has at least one side and said supporting means comprises at least one roller extending over said groove in said coating roller and means for supporting said roller from said side of said housing.
- 4. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said suspending means comprises at least one roller and means for supporting said at least one roller over said groove in said coating roller.
- 5. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for maintaining a predetermined level of coating in said reservoir comprises:
- pumping means for reversibly pumping coating between said supply reservoir and said coating reservoir through said single passageway and
- means for automatically controlling said pumping means in response to the detection of a fluid level in said coating reservoir different than said predetermined level.
- 6. The invention as defined in claim 5 and further comprising means for manually controlling said pumping means.
- 7. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the depth of said groove in said coating roller is greater than the diameter of said cable so that said cable is confineable within the radially outermost edge of said coating roller.
- 8. The invention as defined in claim 7 wherein said groove tapers radially inwardly toward the center of said coating roller.
- 9. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said groove is defined by edge walls tapering radially inwardly toward the bottom of said groove.
- 10. The invention as defined in claim 9 wherein said housing includes recessed wall portions aligned with said coating roller and extending below the bottom of said groove.
- 11. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said fluid passage means comprises an elongated, rigid conduit and means for fixedly securing said conduit to said housing in fluid communication with said supply and coating reservoirs.
- 12. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said conduit means comprises: an elongated, rigid conduit having said single passageway formed therein; and means for fixedly securing said conduit to said housing in fluid communication with said supply and coating reservoirs.
- 13. An applicator for applying a coating to suspended cable comprising:
- an open top housing defining a coating reservoir said housing having one side and an opposite side;
- fluid passage means in fluid communication with said coating reservoir for supplying said coating reservoir with said coating and for draining said coating from said coating reservoir;
- a coating roller having a circumferential groove adapted to receive the cable therein;
- means for rotatably supporting said coating roller in said housing so that at least a portion of said coating roller is immersed in said coating reservoir; and means for detachably suspending said housing from the cable comprising a first support bracket mounted to said one side of said housing and a first suspension roller rotatably mounted to said first support bracket, said first suspension roller extending outwardly from said first support bracket to define a first opening for receiving said cable, said first opening positioned above said opposite side of said housing, said means for detachably suspending said housing further comprising a second support bracket mounted to said opposite side of said housing and a second suspension roller rotatably mounted to said second support bracket and extending outwardly from said second support bracket to define a second opening for receiving said cable, said second opening positioned above said one side of said housing such that said first and second suspension rollers may be placed upon the cable by aligning said first opening and said second opening beneath said cable and moving the housing upwardly and then rotating said housing to position said first and second suspension rollers above said cable for engagement of said cable.
- 14. The invention as defined in claim 13 wherein said first and second support brackets have means for resiliently maintaining said first and second suspension rollers over said groove in said coating roller.
- 15. The invention as defined in claim 14 wherein said means for resiliently maintaining said first and second suspension rollers comprise said first and second support brackets being made of resilient and flexible material.
- 16. The invention as defined in claim 14 wherein said means for resiliently maintaining said first and second suspension rollers comprises means for securing said first and second support brackets to said housing.
- 17. The invention as defined in claim 13 wherein said fluid passage means comprises an elongated, rigid conduit and means for fixedly securing said conduit to said housing in fluid communication with said reservoir.
- 18. An applicator for applying a coating to suspended cable comprising:
- an open top housing defining a coating reservoir, means defining a single fluid passageway in fluid communication with said coating reservoir, said single passageway being the sole means for supplying said coating reservoir with said coating,
- a coating roller having a circumferential groove adapted to receive the cable,
- means for rotatably supporting said coating roller in said housing so that at least a portion of said coating roller is immersed in said coating reservoir, and
- means for detachably suspending said housing from the cable comprising at least one first suspension roller and first means for rotatably supporting said suspension roller over said groove from one side of said housing,
- wherein said means for rotatably supporting said at least one suspension roller comprises a lid and means for pivotally securing said lid to one side of said housing.
- 19. The invention as defined in claim 18 and further comprising nozzle means for discharging a spray of coating into said coating reservoir.
- 20. An applicator for applying a flowable coating to a suspended cable comprising:
- an open top housing defining a coating reservoir,
- means for defining a single fluid passageway, said passageway being the sole means for supplying coating to said reservoir, said means for defining a single fluid passageway having means for discharging fluid under pressure into said housing, and means for detachably suspending said housing from the cable,
- wherein said detachably suspending means comprises a lid, means for pivotally securing said lid to said housing so that said lid is pivotable between a first position covering the open top of said housing and a second position angularly displaced from the open top, at least one support roller, and means for rotatably mounting said support roller to said lid.
- 21. The invention as defined in claim 20 wherein said means for discharging comprises at least one nozzle, and further comprising means for securing one of said at least one nozzle to said lid such that said nozzle fluidly communicates with said reservoir.
- 22. The invention as defined in claim 21 wherein said applicator comprises a grooved coating roller and means for rotatably mounting said roller in said housing under said nozzle.
- 23. The invention as defined in claim 21 and further comprising an airless, high pressure pump, and means for coupling said pump in fluid communication with said at least one nozzle.
- 24. The invention as defined in claim 20 wherein said means for discharging comprises at least two nozzles and means for mounting said nozzles so that they discharge coating at circumferentially spaced positions about said cable.
- 25. The invention as defined in claim 20 wherein said means for rotatably mounting comprises means for adjusting the position of the axis of each of said support rollers with respect to said lid.
- 26. The invention as defined in claim 20 wherein said lid is formed from a flat plate.
- 27. The invention as defined in claim 20 wherein said lid is longer than said housing and includes end portions extending outwardly beyond said housing, and wherein each of said means for rotatably mounting said at least one support roller is mounted to said end portions of said lid, such that said support rollers are positioned outside of said reservoir.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
The present application is a continuation-in-part of Application Ser. No. 628,857 filed July 9, 1984 entitled AN APPLICATOR FOR COATING SUSPENDED CABLE now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (7)
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
628857 |
Jul 1984 |
|