Apparatus and process for vapor coating

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR COATING A HEAT-SENSITIVE PLASTIC SUBSTRATE BY VACUUM-EVAPORATING ALUMINUM AND CONDENSING ALUMINUM VAPORS ON THE SUBSTRATE, SAID PROCESS COMPRISING THE STEPS OF PROVIDING A PLURALITY OF COATING STATIONS IN A VACUUM CHAMBER, EVACUATING SAID CHAMBER, EVAPORATING ALUMINUM IN SAID CHAMBER, MOVING SAID SUBSTRATE PAST SAID COATING STATIONS, CONTACTING SAID SUBSTRATE BY A STREAM OF ALUMINUM VAPORS DURING MOVEMENT PASS EACH OF SAID COATING STATIONS, SUBSTANTIALLY IMMEDIATELY AFTER PASSING EACH COATING STATION BRINGING SAID METAL COATING IN CONTACT WITH A SURFACE COOLED TO A TEMPERATURE BELOW ABOUT 0* C. AND MAINTAINING SAID METAL COATING IN CONTACT WITH SAID COOLED SURFACE UNTIL SUBSTANTIALLY ALL THAT HEAT IS REMOVED FROM THE SUBSTRATE WHICH WAS TRANSMITTED TO SAID SUBSTRATE BY THE METAL VAPORS WHICH CONDENSED TO FORM SAID METAL COATING, AND MAINTAINING AT A TEMPERATURE ABOVE ABOUT 1300* C. THOSE VAPORS CONTACTING SAID SUBSTRATE PRIOR TO THE TIME WHEN IT HAS A REFLECTANCE OF ABOUT 70%, THE METAL COATING APPLIED AT EACH COATING STATION BEING BROUGHT INTO CONTACT WITH SAID COOLED SURFACE IN LESS THAN ABOUT ONE SECOND AFTER FORMATION THEREOF.