1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a foam spraying rig and more particularly to a more dependable machine for the purpose of spraying plural component foams, for example, insulation known as Polyisocyantes. More particularly, this invention relates to an improvement over applicant's earlier foam spraying rig disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,264,178 which issued on Sep. 4, 2007.
2. Description of the Related Art
Plural component foams, spray foams and polyurea coatings are used as insulation and as liners for truck bodies and other applications. At least two components are combined and discharged from a spray nozzle at approximately 150° F. under a pressure of approximately 1500 psi or more. The equipment available today for applying the product derives from the commercial factory foam industry such as boat hull fill or factory foamed panels for buildings and cold storage. The equipment is meant to be used in a controlled environment and a relatively unabusive manner. The use of the equipment into the mobile market of home and industrial building insulation has been accomplished by taking the delicate equipment, mating it to a large mobile generator, and placing the equipment in a truck along with barrels of raw material and approximately 300 feet of fragile hose.
The problems associated with the current prior art mobile equipment are many. The electronics used in the factory setting are prone to expensive failure when used in a mobile or outdoor situation. The systems used to heat the material are electric resistance heaters and are very problematic, particularly in the area of the material hose that runs from the machine to the spray gun. Computer panels, connectors, and other electronic devices which control and maintain the heating system and other functions, as well as the material hose, are very susceptible to failure and are very expensive to replace. Further, the generators required to run the equipment are very costly, usually approximately $15,000, as well as expensive to operate and maintain.
The components of the process come in 55 gallon drums or other containers and must be kept warm (approximately 75° F.) in storage in the truck prior to being processed through the spray equipment. This is difficult, particularly in the winter.
The foam spraying rig disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,264,178 has met with considerable acceptance. However, during the use of the foam spraying rig of the above-identified patent, applicant has developed a method and apparatus which increases the efficiency of the earlier foam spraying rig of the '178 patent. In particular, an internal combustion engine, other than the truck engine of the '178 patent, is utilized as well as other heat recovery devises. Applicant's earlier patent and the drawings thereof will be incorporated herein to set the stage and to provide antecedent basis for Applicant's instant invention.
This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key aspects or essential aspects of the claimed subject matter. Moreover, this Summary is not intended for use as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
In general, the problems of the prior art have been solved by eliminating the expensive generator employed therewith and by using an engine other than the truck engine to produce heat and air required to dispense the raw materials at the proper temperature and pressure. Heat generated by the engine coolant, engine exhaust system, hydraulic pump and air compressor is used to heat the first and second spray components.
It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide an improved foam spraying machine.
A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the type described wherein the components of the raw materials are heated by means of one or more of the hot water of the coolant of the water cooled engine within the cargo body or trailer, engine exhaust system, hydraulic pump and air compressor.
A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the type described which is economical of manufacture, durable in use and refined in appearance.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified.
Embodiments are described more fully below with reference to the accompanying figures, which form a part hereof and show, by way of illustration, specific exemplary embodiments. These embodiments are disclosed in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. However, embodiments may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense in that the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims.
In
A plurality of electrical resistance heating elements 58 are positioned below the tank 24 and are of the one hundred ten volt type. Similarly, a plurality of electrical resistance heaters 60 are provided below the tank 30 and are of the one hundred ten volt type. The heaters 58 and 60 are utilized when the vehicle is in storage so that the components in the tanks 24 and 30 may be heated during the night or heated at the job site when one hundred ten volt power is available.
The numeral 62 refers to a hot water heater in the form of copper pipe or tubing which is operatively fluidly connected to the heated coolant of the engine so that as the truck is being driven to the job site or idled at the job site, the hot water from the coolant system of the vehicle will be circulated through the heater 62 to further heat the component within tank 24. Similarly, a hot water heater 64 is positioned beneath the tank 30 and is operatively connected to the heated coolant of the vehicle engine to heat the component within the tank 30. The heaters 64 and 62 are series connected, as seen in
The numeral 66 refers to an air compressor which is driven by the vehicle engine or the electrical system thereof with the discharge lines 68 and 70 extending therefrom to the tanks 24 and 30, respectively, to apply approximately 50 pounds per square inch pressure within the tanks 24 and 30 to force the components therein through the heat exchangers 36 and 38 in the heat exchanger tank 40 when the pumps 46 and 48 are activated. Hose or line 72 extends from air compressor 66 through the hose bundle 55 to the spray nozzle 56.
As seen in the schematic of
Assuming that the truck or vehicle is being stored or parked for the evening, the components 1 and 2 will be pumped into the tanks 24 and 30 in conventional fashion. The electrical heaters 58 and 60 will be connected to a source of one hundred ten volt power so that the components in the tanks 24 and 30 will be heated during the night.
When it is time to travel to the job site, the heaters 58 and 60 will be disconnected from their source of electrical power. As the vehicle moves to the job site, the hot water from the engine coolant system will be forced through the heaters 62 and 64 as well as the heat exchanger tank 40 so that the components are heated as the vehicle is traveling to the job site and will be heated when the truck is parked and idled at the job site. The operator will operate the nozzle 56 so that the components are supplied thereto by way of the pumps 46 and 48 with the components being supplied to the nozzle 56 at approximately 1500 psi. As seen, the storage tanks 24 and 30 are enclosed within insulated housings or compartments 68 and 70, respectively, and the heat exchanger 40 is enclosed within an insulated housing or compartment 72.
Referring now to the instant invention of
In
The numeral 118 refers to the heating system of this invention which includes a heat exchanger 120. In
As seen in
Component tank 128 is in fluid communication with the proportioning pump 124 by feed line 142 while component tank 130 is in communication with proportioning pump 124 by feed line 144. The discharge side of pump 124 is in fluid communication with the heat exchanger 120 by means of lines 146 and 148. The discharge side of heat exchanger 120 is in fluid communication with the spray gun 132 by means of lines 150 and 152.
Thus it can be seen from the schematic of
Although it is preferred that additional heat is supplied to the heat exchanger 120 from each of the hydraulic pump 112, engine 106, engine exhaust system 116 and the air compressor 114, there may be situations wherein the additional heat is provided to the heat exchanger 120 by only one or more of the hydraulic pump 112, engine 106, engine exhaust system 116 and air compressor 114.
Thus it can be seen that an extremely efficient heating system has been provided for heating the components which are sprayed onto the surface or the like by the spray gun 132. It can therefore be seen that the invention accomplishes all of its stated objectives.
Although the invention has been described in language that is specific to certain structures and methodological steps, it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific structures and/or steps described. Rather, the specific aspects and steps are described as forms of implementing the claimed invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be practiced without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.