Hand held rotary atomizer spray gun

Abstract

An improved hand held rotary atomizer spray gun is disclosed. The spray gun includes a housing with a depending handle. A paint tube within the housing delivers paint to a rotatable bell atomizer which is mounted adjacent the front of the gun. A turbine assembly includes a turbine rotor which drives a turbine shaft which mounts the bell atomizer. The turbine shaft is supported by a bearing air chamber. A turbine air passageway and a bearing air passageway supply turbine air to the turbine rotor and bearing air to the bearing air chamber. When a trigger is squeezed paint is supplied to the atomizer bell while turbine air rotates the turbine shaft and the bell atomizer. An air shuttle assembly prevents air flow to the turbine unless sufficient bearing air is flowing to the bearing air chamber. In a preferred embodiment shaping air is supplied to shaping air openings in a housing air cap and the atomizer bell includes serrations on its inner edge. The shaping air directs the atomized paint particles toward the target. A supplemental crossover passageway provides shaping air to the turbine to maintain proper turbine speed during initial delivery of paint to the atomizing bell. In another embodiment, a high voltage ladder is mounted within the handle and its outlet internally charges the paint to a high voltage. In this embodiment electrostatic forces and mechanical forces are used to atomize the paint particles.