Agfa Gevaert Nv

Jan J Ghys

Willem Mues

Hendrik J Geerts

A curtain coater for applying a layer or film of a liquid coating composition as a falling curtain on a surface of a continuous web moving around an arc of a backing roller, has a curved air shield arranged in closely spaced parallel relation to the roller periphery extending around a segment of said periphery directly upstream of the falling curtain to define an air gap through which the web passes before reaching said curtain. At the opposite end regions of the air shield and also at opposite side regions thereof are provided means, such as projections or sections of increased thickness, for increasing the resistance to air flow in the gap at the end and side regions compared to the air flow resistance in the region of the shield intermediate the end and side regions. A suction device communicates with the gap in the intermediate region to reduce the air pressure therein. The effect of this air shield is improved removal of the boundary layer of air at the surface of the moving web prior to the coating curtain and thereby allow increased speed of the moving web.

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Bouwel, Belgium

Jan J Ghys