Method and apparatus for applying protective coatings

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR LINING A HEATED TUBULAR MEMBER COMPRISING A CONTAINER FOR A BED OF FUSIBLE PARTICLES, ROTATABLE MEANS, A MEANS TO SUPPORT A HEATED TUBULAR MEMBER ON THE ROTATABLE MEANS, FIRST CONDUIT MEANS FOR PASSING THE PARTICLES FROM THE CONTAINER INTO ONE END OF THE TUBULAR MEMBER, SECOND CONDUIT MEANS CONNECTABLE TO THE OTHER END OF THE TUBULAR MEMBER FOR WITHDRAWING EXCESS PARTICLES THEREFROM, SEPARATOR MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID SECOND CONDUIT MEANS, SUCTION MEANS OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID SEPARATOR MEANS FOR MOVING THE PARTICLES THROUGH SAID HEATED TUBULAR MEMBER, AND MEANS FOR ROTATING THE ROTATABLE MEANS.

Claim 3

A METHOD OF LINING A TUBULAR MEMBER COMPRISING FORMING AN AERATED BED OF PARTICLES IN A CONTAINER APPLYING SUCTION TO A HOLLOW PISTON MOUNTED IN THE CONTAINER, RAMMING THE PISTON INTO THE AERATED BED AND THEREBY PASSING THE PARTICLES AT HIGH VELOCITY THROUGH THE PISTON AND THEREFROM THROUGH A HEATED ROTATING TUBULAR MEMBER AND INTO A SEPARATOR MEANS, THEREAFTER WITHDRAWING PARTICLES FROM THE BED THROUGH THE PISTON AND EXCESS PARTICLES THROUGH THE TUBULAR MEMBER BY SUCTION APPLIED THROUGH SAID SEPARATOR MEANS, INCREASING THE ROTATIONAL SPEED OF THE TUBULAR MEMBER UNTIL A SUITABLE FUSED LINING IS FORMED ON THE TUBULAR MEMBER, WITHDRAWING THE PISTON FROM THE BED AND THEREBY TERMINATING THE PASSAGE OF PARTICLES FROM THE BED, AIR SCOURING THE TUBULAR MEMBER OF EXCESS UNFUSED PARTICLES, TERMINATING THE SCOURING OF THE TUBULAR MEMBER, CONTINUING ROTATION OF THE TUBULAR MEMBER UNDER SUBSTANTIALLY HIGH SPEED ROTATION UNTIL A SMOOTHENED LINING IS FORMED ON THE TUBULAR MEMBER, AND SUBSEQUENTLY TERMINATING THE ROTATION THEREOF.

Claim 4

A METHOD OF LINING A TUBULAR MEMBER COMPRISING FORMING AN AERATED BED OF PARTICLES IN A CONTAINER APPLYING SUCTION TO A HOLLOW PISTON MOUNTED IN THE CONTAINER, RAMMING THE PISTON INTO THE AERATED BED AND THEREBY PASSING THE PARTICLES AT HIGH VELOCITY THROUGH THE PISTON AND THEREFROM THROUGH A HEATED ROTATING TUBULAR MEMBER AND INTO A SEPARATOR MEANS, THEREAFTER WITHDRAWING PARTICLES FROM THE BED THROUGH THE PISTON AND EXCESS PARTICLES THROUGH THE TUBULAR MEMBER BY SUCTION APPLIED THROUGH SAID SEPARATOR MEANS, INCREASING THE ROTATIONAL SPEED OF THE TUBULAR MEMBER UNTIL A SUITABLE FUSED LINING IS FORMED ON THE TUBULAR MEMBER, WITHDRAWING THE PISTON FROM THE BED AND THEREBY TERMINATING THE PASSAGE OF PARTICLES FROM THE BED, AIR SCOURING THE TUBULAR MEMBER OF EXCESS UNFUSED PARTICLES, TERMINATING THE SCOURING OF THE TUBULAR MEMBER, CONTINUING ROTATION OF THE TUBULAR MEMBER UNDER SUBSTANTIALLY HIGH SPEED ROTATION UNTIL A SMOOTHENED LINING IS FORMED ON THE TUBULAR MEMBER, AND SUBSEQUENTLY TERMINATING THE ROTATION THEREOF.