Coating machines in which a machine body formed with a coating material atomizing
mechanism is detachably provided with a cartridge for filling a coating material wherein a cartridge attaching portion formed to the machine body is provided with a guide that slidably guides a new cartridge driven in from one end into a coupling position and drives a used cartridge pushed by the new cartridge from the coupling position to the other end.
. A cartridge exchange apparatus used for exchanging cartridges to coating machines in which a cartridge for filling a coating material is mounted detachably to a machine body provided with a coating material atomizing mechanism, and a cartridge attaching portion formed to the machine body is provided with a guide for slidably guiding a new cartridge driven-in from one end thereof to a coupling position and driving-out a used cartridge pushed by the new cartridge from the coupling position to the other end thereof, wherein the apparatus comprises a push-in guide for guiding a new cartridge to be exchanged to an exchange position where coating machines are positioned upon exchange of cartridges and a retraction guide for retracting a cartridge detached from a coating machine, formed on both sides of a guide formed to the attaching portion of the coating machine, and a handling unit for driving-in and attaching the cartridge to the coating machine positioned at the exchange position and recovering the cartridge driven-out to the retraction guide.
In coating machines of car bodies, coating materials using organic solvents are predominant, but it has been demanded to decrease volatile organic solvents that evolve in a great amount in the coating process with a view point of environment preservation and prevention of public pollution and, as a countermeasure, coating with aqueous coating materials has attracted attention.