Wagner Spray Tech Corporation

Wayne M Bekius

Norman A Cyphers

John M Svendsen

Terry R Reents

Mark E Snetting

Steven A Anderson

Shawn Cameron Johnson

Robert D Cooper, Jr

Timothy D Steinberg

Thomas F Kruzel

Dennis A Gross

John J Anderley

Steven R Arvidson

Douglas K Rose

Robert M Barrett

Peter Bader

A diaphragm pump for pumping a fluid, such as paint, includes a diaphragm separating a first chamber for accommodating and dispensing the paint from a second chamber for accommodating a drive fluid, and a piston that reciprocates to drive the drive fluid within the second chamber in order to flex the diaphragm to provide the pumping action within the first chamber. The diaphragm pump also includes a backing ring mounted adjacent the diaphragm that is configured to distribute the drive fluid across the diaphragm to cause a flexible region of the diaphragm to flex toward the first chamber from the outer perimeter inward toward a central pumping surface in a rolling manner. This diaphragm movement results in substantially all of the paint adjacent the diaphragm within the first chamber to move out of the first chamber when the diaphragm reaches its travel limit, and thus improves the efficiency of the diaphragm pump. Additionally, the diaphragm pump includes a drive fluid inlet formed within the piston, such that reciprocating movement of the piston results in an inflow of drive fluid into the second chamber. An input port in the piston is continuously submerged in the drive fluid when open, thereby substantially eliminating the introduction of air into the drive fluid system and thus reducing drive fluid priming problems.

Hydraulically driven diaphragm pump

An improved internal feed paint brush having a flexible liquid-impermeable paint distribution manifold interior of a plurality of filaments formed of a flat, woven nylon cloth conduit coated with polyurethane film and sealed to a rigid plastic end cap and having a plurality of channels in the distribution manifold formed by a plurality of spaced-apart, longitudinally extending bonds in the coated nylon material. The manifold is sonically welded to the end cap and the filament and manifold assembly is sealed with epoxy.

Internal feed paintbrush

An airless spray paint gun having an improved swirl valve which is less susceptible to erosion and reduces the amount of sputtering in the paint spray. The spray paint gun includes a gun assembly including a handle, a motor, and a switch for controlling the motor. A pump subassembly mounted to the gun assembly includes a pumping chamber having a discharge end with a beveled seat, a piston mounted within a pump housing and driven by the motor for pumping paint from the container through the discharge end of the pumping chamber, and a swirl valve mounted within the discharge end of the pumping housing. The swirl valve includes a valve body having first and second opposite sides, three paint swirl apertures extending through the valve body between the first and second opposite sides, an annular flange that radially projects from the valve body between the first and second sides, and a beveled seat-engaging surface on the second side of the valve body having an elastomeric material thereon co-molded with the valve body. The elastomeric material is softer than the material of the valve body. The flange is interposed between a spray tip and the discharge end of the pumping chamber and contacts the discharge end when the spray tip is mounted to the pump housing. The flange thus prevents excessive axial forces from being applied to the swirl valve, and thereby prevents cold flow and the plastic deformation of the elastomeric material while allowing the elastic deformation of the elastomeric material on the swirl valve. The elastomeric material is relieved in a cavity surrounding each swirl aperture to prevent migration of the elastomeric material into the swirl apertures.

Flanged swirl valve with relieved elastomer seal

Painting equipment cart

A paint container retainer and convertible pump assembly cart for portable painting equipment. The retainer is adapted to support one of two differently sized paint containers in a generally upright position for providing a supply of paint for the sprayer. The paint container retainer also serves as a supporting foot and is interchangeable with a cart handle to convert the cart from a vertical to a horizontal orientation of the pump assembly.

Paint container retainer for portable painting equipment

A carrying case is provided for a paint sprayer that, when the paint sprayer is removed, functions as a paint container for the paint sprayer. The case has a removable top wall or lid to provide good access into the container for placing or removing the sprayer and other accessories. A standard, medium-sized garbage can liner can be placed inside the container, held in place when the lid is snapped on, to greatly simplify clean-up.

Combination carrying case/paint container

An improved check valve assembly of the type having a relatively flexible disc member retained between relatively rigid inflow and outflow housing portions. The inflow and outflow housing portions are removably threadably interengaged to permit serviceability of the check valve and the relatively flexible disc member has a generally perpendicular stem extending into the bore of one of the housing portions to avoid misalignment of the disc with the housing. A tongue and groove means circumferentially seals the housing portions together by deforming to a common taper angle between the tongue and groove to provide sealing therebetween.

Serviceable check valve

A convertible cart for a paint sprayer alternatively supports a sprayer pump assembly in either a horizontal or an upright position. When used in the upright position, the pump assembly is positioned for use with a smaller sized paint container, and the container can be securely moved about with the cart. When used in the horizontal position, the pump assembly is positioned for use with a larger sized paint container, and alternatively flexible suction and return hoses permit suction from larger paint containers.

Convertible cart for paint sprayers

Pump shroud

A ceramic flat spray tip for a spraying device such as a paint gun provides a flat spray tip composed of ceramic material secured in a surrounding holder which is itself secured into a nozzle assembly in a rotatable fashion. The ceramic spray tip engages the holder through an opening in the holder in such a fashion as to provide for efficient assembly and precise gluing. Alternate embodiments provide for precise insertion of the flat spray tip into the holder and properly aligning the spraying orifice with the holder.

Ceramic flat spray tip

Trim brush paint container

A nozzle assembly for being received on an end of a spray gun is provided in which there is a nozzle holder member having a through passage which is engageable with an end of the spray gun and which carries a nozzle member rotatingly therein, the nozzle member including a non-circular orifice. An actuating lever engages the nozzle member and has a manual engagement area graspable by a user such that the nozzle orifice can be rotated within the nozzle holder member upon rotation of the actuating lever. The actuating lever provides a visual indicator of the position of the nozzle orifice.

Flat tip for cup guns

An apparatus for applying a liquid to a surface comprising an applicator and a body member. The applicator is secured to an end of the body member, the body member defining a reservoir for housing a fluid. The body member includes a piston member for exerting a force on the fluid in the reservoir, and two channels, a first channel being in fluid communication with a channel in the applicator and a second channel being in fluid communication with an area outside the body member. The body member further including a valve for allowing fluid communication between the reservoir and either the first channel or second channel. An additional one-way valve which can be manually deactivated may be included in the second channel.

Growing community of inventors

Milaca, MN, United States of America

Wayne M Bekius