A spray device for dispensing a product includes a canister, a wand attached to the canister by a ball joint, a manually actuatable valve connecting the canister to the wand for dispensing a product through a nozzle at a free end of the valve. The wand may be telescoping. Applicator attachments are provided for securing to the free end of the wand for varying the delivery.

An apparatus (102) for delivering a glutinous substance (168) from a cartridge (166) to an applicator (254) comprises a sleeve (106) and a pressure-cap assembly (104). The pressure-cap assembly (104) comprises a pressure cap (110), proximate an inlet (124) of the sleeve (106). The pressure-cap assembly (104) also comprises an actuator (114), coupled to the pressure cap (110) and to the sleeve (106). The apparatus (102) further comprises an automated coupler (223), configured to automatically reversibly sealingly couple the applicator (254) with the leading end (167) of the cartridge (166).

A coating tool includes a holder having an applicator head extending between a first end and a second end. The applicator head is hollow along at least part of its length to define an internal cavity delimited by an inner wall. The applicator head has an outer rim at the first end. A foam applicator has a collar portion attached to the outer rim of the applicator head, and a body portion extending from the collar portion inwardly into the applicator head and disposed within the internal cavity to be displaceable relative to the inner wall. The foam applicator has an applicator opening extending through the collar portion and at least part of the body portion. The foam applicator is made of a foam material which, upon receiving a coating, expands inwardly to reduce a volume of the applicator opening. A coating method is also disclosed.

A robotic end effector includes a line painting system and a spray painting system for painting features on a surface. The line painting system includes a flexible wick for flowing lines onto the surface.

A pre-packaged and pre-loaded paint applicator includes a vacuum sealed package and a new paint applicator sealed within the vacuum-sealed package. The new paint applicator has a paint receiving portion pre-loaded with paint. The paint applicator is removed from the vacuum-sealed package and used when only the relatively small amount of paint that is pre-loaded onto the paint applicator is needed. The pre-packaged and pre-loaded paint applicator can be useful in applications such as, for example, paint samples, paint touch up, and the like.

A pre-packaged and pre-loaded paint applicator includes a vacuum sealed package and a new paint applicator sealed within the vacuum-sealed package. The new paint applicator has a paint receiving portion pre-loaded with paint. The paint applicator is removed from the vacuum-sealed package and used when only the relatively small amount of paint that is pre-loaded onto the paint applicator is needed. The pre-packaged and pre-loaded paint applicator can be useful in applications such as, for example, paint samples, paint touch up, and the like.

A facility for dip-coating a metal strip in continuous motion includes: a liquid coating metal bath from which the strip exits in a vertical strand; a bottom roller, a decambering roller, and, optionally, a stabilizing roller, all immersed in the liquid-metal bath; drying blades at an exit of the bath, for injecting compressed gas in order to remove excess coating that has not yet solidified so as to create a drying wave having a downward return stream of liquid metal; and a dissipating hydrodynamic-stabilization device placed between the drying blades and a last immersed roller, the dissipating hydrodynamic-stabilization device including a plurality of hydrodynamic pads for applying a load to at least one side of the metal strip and mounted so as to pivot around hinges so as to self-align the pads, the plurality of hydrodynamic pads extending transversely across a width of the strip.

A facility for dip-coating a metal strip in continuous motion includes: a liquid coating metal bath from which the strip exits in a vertical strand; a bottom roller, a decambering roller, and, optionally, a stabilizing roller, all immersed in the liquid-metal bath; drying blades at an exit of the bath, for injecting compressed gas in order to remove excess coating that has not yet solidified so as to create a drying wave having a downward return stream of liquid metal; and a dissipating hydrodynamic-stabilization device placed between the drying blades and a last immersed roller, the dissipating hydrodynamic-stabilization device including a plurality of hydrodynamic pads for applying a load to at least one side of the metal strip and mounted so as to pivot around hinges so as to self-align the pads, the plurality of hydrodynamic pads extending transversely across a width of the strip.

A pipe doping system for applying pipe dope to the external threads of a pin end member may comprise a pump fluidly coupled to a dope-containing reservoir and a dope manifold, the pump positioned to pump pipe dope from the reservoir to the dope manifold; an ejector coupled to the dope manifold and positioned to supply a fixed volume of pipe dope from the dope manifold to a dope distribution line; a dope applicator, the dope applicator fluidly coupled to a dope distribution line positioned to deposit pipe dope on the external threads, the dope applicator being located apart from the ejector and including a nozzle positioned to receive a flow of pipe dope from the dope distribution line and apply the pipe dope onto the threaded connection. The system may include a power source to increase the pressure of the pipe dope as it is dispensed by the ejector.

An apparatus (812) for loading and unloading a brush (822) to and from a brush-arm assembly (802) of an end-effector (102) is disclosed. The apparatus (812) comprises a base (814) and a carriage (818), which is movable along an axis (A) at least to a first position, a second position, or a third position relative to the base (814). The carriage (818) comprises a brush receptacle (820), configured to prevent movement of the brush (822) in a first direction, but not in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, when the brush (822) is placed in the brush receptacle (820). The apparatus (812) also comprises a stationary component (832), fixed relative to the base (814) and configured to prevent movement of the brush-arm assembly (802) in the second direction. Additionally, the apparatus (812) comprises a linear actuator (816), configured to move the carriage (818).