Coating apparatus

Claim 1

Apparatus for depositing a fluidized metal layer on a ceramic substrate, comprising: a plasma torch having a cathode, anode and an arc therebetween at its outlet and a source of plasmagenic gas at its inlet selected from the group consisting of helium, argon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and mixtures enabling an outlet speed of plasmagenic gas of at least 100 m/s; a soruce of powdered metal; an adjustable delivery distributor fed from a plasmagenic gas source enabling a fine metallic powder from said powder metal source containing hardly any agglomerates to be injected into the plasmagenic gas by said plasmagenic gas acting as a fluidizing carried gas; said distributor fitted with a sieve, spout, vibrating means, and delivery duct; an adjustable substrate holder means, whose distance from the anode at the outlet of the torch is adjustable; means to move the substrate holder means in a first direction; means to move the substrate holder means in a second direction transverse to the first direction; mounting means for the substrate holder means; the substrate holder means being mounted for movement in said two mutually transverse directions to that the substrate is swept by the plasma flame of the torch; resistance heating means in thermal contact with said substrate holding means for controlling the temperature of the substrate; means adjacent the anode of said plasma torch for blowing air onto the substrate; and, circulating liquid cooling means in said substrate holder means for cooling the substrate.