Surface application processing device

Claim 2

In a surface application processing device for forming a pool of processing solution which is engageable with the under surface of a material transported therethrough, the combination comprising: a tray for containing a processing solution; a pair of spaced apart compressible solution applying rollers mounted for rotation within said tray and partially immersed within a processing solution within said tray for transporting a material through the processing device and applying solution thereto; and an associated solution expelling roller interposed between said pair of solution applying rollers and arranged to compress one of said solution applying rollers and to substantially peripherally engage the other of said solution applying rollers to form, during rotation of said solution applying and expelling rollers, a pool of processing solution supported by said solution applying and expelling rollers, said pool of processing solution being engageable by the material transported through the processing device by said solution applying rollers.

Claim 3

The invention according to claim 1 wherein said solution applying rollers each have a solution absorbing resilient peripheral layer for absorbing solution.

Claim 4

The invention according to claim 2 wherein said layer is formed from a sponge-like material.

Claim 5

The invention according to claim 1 wherein each of said solution applying rollers has an axis and a normal uncompressed radius of one distance and said solution expelling roller has an axis and a radius of another distance, and said expelling roller is arranged relative to at least one of said solution applying rollers such that the distance between said axes of said expelling and applying rollers is less than the sum of said one and another distances whereby said one of said solution applying rollers is compressed.

Claim 6

In a surface application processing device for fOrming a plurality of successive pools of processing solution engageable by the undersurface of a material transported therethrough, the combination comprising: a tray for containing a processing solution; pairs of spaced apart compressible rollers mounted within said tray for transporting a material and applying solution thereto, each of said compressible rollers having an axis, a normal uncompressed radius of one distance, and a solution absorbing resilient peripheral layer partially immersed in the solution; and a solution expelling roller having an axis and a normal radius of another distance and interposed between each pair of said compressible rollers and arranged to cooperate with said compressible rollers in such a way that the distance between an axis of one of said compressible rollers of each pair and the axis of said expelling roller interposed therebetween is less than the sum of said one and another distances whereby said one of said compressible rollers of each pair is compressed for expelling solution therefrom forming successive pools of solution supported by each pair of said compressible rollers and interposed expelling roller, which pools during operation of the processing device are engageable by a material transported through the processing device by said compressible rollers.

Claim 7

In a surface application processing device for fOrming a plurality of successive pools of processing solution engageable by the undersurface of a material transported therethrough, the combination comprising: a tray for containing a processing solution; pairs of spaced apart compressible rollers mounted within said tray for transporting a material and applying solution thereto, each of said compressible rollers having an axis, a normal uncompressed radius of one distance, and a solution absorbing resilient peripheral layer partially immersed in the solution; and a solution expelling roller having an axis and a normal radius of another distance and interposed between each pair of said compressible rollers and arranged to cooperate with said compressible rollers in such a way that the distance between an axis of one of said compressible rollers of each pair and the axis of said expelling roller interposed therebetween is less than the sum of said one and another distances whereby said one of said compressible rollers of each pair is compressed for expelling solution therefrom forming successive pools of solution supported by each pair of said compressible rollers and interposed expelling roller, which pools during operation of the processing device are engageable by a material transported through the processing device by said compressible rollers.

Claim 8

The invention according to claim 5, and further comprising material guiding means spaced from said solution applying rollers for guiding and holding material in engagement with the top of said solution applying rollers and the upper surface of the pools of solution.

Claim 9

The invention according to claim 5 wherein said peripheral layer of each of said solution applying rollers is formed from a sponge-like material.