This invention relates to apparatus for applying cement, plaster, aggregates, and other surface building and decorating materials. Generally known as a Tyrolean Machine. A portable projection machine incorporating a hand driven rotating member.

According to this invention, the body of the machine is a container for the composition or material and provided with an opening through which the material may be projected in a rough spray.

An example of how the invention may be carried into practice will now be described as applied to a motorised version, powered by a 12 volt Direct Current Motor, over-rated to 24 volt Direct Current.

In using this motorised version the cement, or other suitable material is placed in the container so that the sprung blades, or 'Flickers', while revolving, dip into the material. A Flicker Regulating Bar obstructs the free movement of the flickers. This means that, as they are momentarily arrested and suddenly released, the material will be flicked or projected through the outlet opening towards the surface to be coated.

The hand-cranked version has been publicly known and used, world wide since 1947. The inventor, John Tomkin, stated in his British patent, number 588643, that the machine may be motorised by fitting a small electric motor but until the present, no satisfactory solution for motorising has been found in spite of various attempts over the years to power drive the machine using complex and cumbersome reduction gears and a variety of methods of supplying power. According to the Patent Office records. Patents have been granted for a number of them. All the power units lacked durability owing to the complex gearing-down of the motors. They all experienced extremely rapid wear and were foung to be uneconomical to manufacture.

This situation existed until the advent of my present invention, incorporating all the beneficial characteristics of a D.C.supply. Motorising a coating machine with a 12volt, D.CMotor of small size, light weight, integral gearing, and sufficient power, over-rated by a 24volt D.CSupply without undue deterioration. This was the only way of achieving the correct speed at the correct power. The optimum rotational speed of the Flicker Assembly has been found to be between 38RPM to 172RPM. Low rotational rates suffer from either or both of the following problems. Slow discharge of contents or insufficient throw of materials. High rotational rates suffer from mixing of the product as occurs in a food mixer rather than ejection. A D.C. Motor has a number of characteristics which make it specially suitable for use in this invention despite the disadvantages of having to rectify an A.C. source in order to supply it with power.

D.C. motors are self starting and with an excellent power-to-weϊght ratio unlike many A.C.motors. Shunt wound D.C. motors have the advantage of constant running speed in spite of changes in the load. Series wound motors have the advantage of high starting torque. The original hand cranked coating machine. Patent specification number 588643 first appeared in 1947. Although the inventor of the above invention suggested over 40 years ago that these machines may be powered by a small electric motor at a suitably low speed, and despite numerous attempts being made to motorise portable coating machines by using an AX. supply and other sources of power. All have been unsuccessful.

The present invention provides a portable coating machine characterised by the fact that it is driven by an integral reduction geared, 12volt, light weight, D.C. motor with a single transmission shaft driven by the motor incorporating a friction loading clutch in case the rotor should be inhibited by unsuitable material or solidification. Also characterised by a sealed unit and owing to it's low voltage makes the machine absolutely safe in wet conditions.

Regulating the supply of the sprayed coating material by adjusting the 4 speeds available. Two are on the specially designed transformer and two are on the motor.

The machine described above is entirely portable. It allows the coating of a large area in a very short time, the coating made with a variety of products.

Owing to the speed of the machine, the operator can render large surfaces by running the machine at a speed of 126RPM. and smoothing the coating off on the wall.

This produces a superior finish to a hand trowel owing to the fact that the mixture is wetter and this produces a superior bonding to the surface, and the mixture will penetrate deeper through the surface.

An embodiment of the invention will now be illustrated by reference to the accompanying figures of which FIG.l. shows the component parts of the machine and transformer.

The apparatus consists of the container (1) A Baffle (2) which restricts the opening (4) and assists in achieving the right angle in spraying ceilings.

A Flicker Assembly (3) which picks up the material and 'Flicks' or projects it through the Opening (4). The Flickers are caused to 'flick' by the Regulating Bar (5) and its Tension Adjustment Handle (20).

The Flicker Assembly (3) revolves on the specially designed Centre Rod (6). As a safety precaution, Friction Loading Clutches (7) are fitted at both ends of the Centre Rod (6). The Centre Rod (6) is pushed through the Container (1) and the centre of the Flicker Assembly (3) and screwed into the Motor Drive Shaft (7) by menas of the permanently fixed Hexagon Head (8).

The Centre Rod (6) is then made finger-tight by the Wing Nut (9). The specially designed Hexagon Head (8) and Wing Nut (9) have been devised to save rapid wear on the screw thread inside the Motor Drive Shaft (7) and to avoid a spring-like effect caused by turning the Hexagon Head (8) only.

This also permits the operator to dismantle and re-assemble the machine without tools.

Power to turn the Centre-Rod (6) and the Flicker Assembly (3) is provided by the 12volt. D.C. Motor (10) through a Reduction Gear-box (11). A Switch (12) provides 2 speeds of Motor rotation and an 'off position.

The Motor (10) is protected by a rubber sleeve (20) and bolted to the Container (1) by Mounting Bolts (22).

A 24volt D.C. supply is fed to the Motor (10), by Transformer (13) with sliding switch (18) providing an alternative supply of 12volts D.C. or 24volts D.C. The Transformer (13) is also protected by a lamp fuse (not shown) on the A.C. Mains Input (21) and a Samp fuse on the 12/24volt D.C. output. The transformer housing is also sealed by a weather-proof cover (not shown). A Two pin connector (14) and a 20ft. lead (15) carry the supply from the Transformer (13) to the Motor (10). A two-pin connector (16) is available to enable the machine to be used with a 24volt battery.