Apparatus for heated pressurized fluid stream treatment of substrate

Abstract

Improved apparatus for treatment of relatively moving substrate materials by precise selective application of discrete, high temperature pressurized streams of fluid against the surface of the materials to impart a visual change thereto. The apparatus includes an elongate manifold for receiving pressurized heated fluid, such as air, disposed across the width of the relatively moving material and having a plurality of spaced parallel fluid stream discharge channels for directing the fluid into the surface of the material. Pressurized cool fluid, such as air, is directed into selected manifold discharge channels to block selectively the passage of pressurized heated air therethrough. The manifold is provided with heated air outlets which communicate by passageways with the manifold compartment to continuously bleed off heated air from the manifold, thereby counteracting localized cooling of the manifold adjacent the discharge channels and reducing pressure build up within the manifold when selected of the channels are blocked with the cool air.