Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

James C Perry

Dolph D Wright

A color change system for supplying paint to a remote spray head uses a paint manifold and suitable valving for supplying paint to either of two supply lines extending to the spray head to enable one supply line to be flushed with cleaning fluid and filled with paint of a new color while the other line is supplying paint of another color. Part of the necessary valving is located at the spray head and that valving includes pressure regulating valves controlled by air pilot pressure to accurately regulate the paint pressure and thus the paint flow rate to paint spray devices.

Paint color change and flow control system

A spray device having a body member including a nozzle at one end thereof formed with an orifice and a pressure chamber formed in the other end thereof. The body member is provided with a first passage which serves to deliver sprayable liquid to the orifice under the control of an axially movable needle valve which is adapted to open and close the orifice. A second passage is formed in the body member for simultaneously directing pressurized air to the pressure chamber and to the nozzle for atomizing the sprayable liquid as it flows through the orifice. An actuator mechanism is provided in the pressure chamber and is operatively connected to one end of the needle valve for controlling flow of the pressurized air between the second passage and the pressure chamber so as to automatically maintain a closing force on the needle valve that is substantially equal to but less than the force required to open the needle valve so as to insure that after initial use of the spray device the needle valve will not open to allow the sprayable liquid to flow to the orifice until the pressurized air is at a pressure sufficient to atomize the sprayable liquid.

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Almont, MI, United States of America

James C Perry