Liquid coating method and apparatus

Claim 1

An apparatus for liquid coating the exterior wall of an inflated flexible tubing during its longitudinal movement comprising: (a) first flexible and resilient means with an inner circular opening having slightly smaller diameter than the diameter of the inflated flexible tubing exterior wall, the first means being transversely positioned relative to the tubing axis and arranged such that the inflated flexible tubing may be moved in its longitudinal direction through said inner circular opening, so as to displace the circular opening edge while maintaining rubbing contact therewith; (b) means for supplying said liquid to said first means (a) for distribution thereby, so as to be applied to the longitudinally moving inflated flexible tubing exterior wall during said rubbing contact; (c) second flexible and resilient means with an inner circular opening, the second means being rotatable around the opening center and the opening having slightly smaller diameter than the diameter of the inflated flexible tubing exterior wall, said second means being transversely positioned relative to the tubing axis and adjacent to but spaced downstream from the first means (a) with respect to the longitudinally moving tubing such that the tubing with the coating on its external wall may be moved through said inner circular opening of said second means so as to displace the rotating circular opening edge while maintaining rubbing contact therewith for smoothing the applied liquid on the tubing exterior wall as a film of uniform thickness; and (d) means for rotating said second means (c) around the tubing axis during its longitudinal movement through said second means so as to maintain said rubbing contact while smoothing said liquid into a continuous film of substantially uniform thickness on the tubing exterior wall.

Claim 2

An apparatus for liquid coating the exterior wall of an inflated flexible tubing during its longitudinal movement comprising: (a) first flexible and resilient means with an inner circular opening having slightly smaller diameter than the diameter of the inflated flexible tubing exterior wall, the first means being transversely positioned relative to the tubing axis and arranged such that the inflated flexible tubing may be moved in its longitudinal direction through said inner circular opening, so as to displace the circular opening edge while maintaining rubbing contact therewith; (b) means for supplying said liquid to said first means (a) for distribution thereby, so as to be applied to the longitudinally moving inflated flexible tubing exterior wall during said rubbing contact; (c) second flexible and resilient means with an inner circular opening, the second means being rotatable around the opening center and the opening having slightly smaller diameter than the diameter of the inflated flexible tubing exterior wall, said second means being transversely positioned relative to the tubing axis and adjacent to but spaced downstream from the first means (a) with respect to the longitudinally moving tubing such that the tubing with the coating on its external wall may be moved through said inner circular opening of said second means so as to displace the rotating circular opening edge while maintaining rubbing contact therewith for smoothing the applied liquid on the tubing exterior wall as a film of uniform thickness; and (d) means for rotating said second means (c) around the tubing axis during its longitudinal movement through said second means so as to maintain said rubbing contact while smoothing said liquid into a continuous film of substantially uniform thickness on the tubing exterior wall.

Claim 22

A method for coating the exterior wall of a longitudinally moving inflated flexible tubing with liquid comprising the steps of: (a) continuously moving the inflated flexible tubing in the longitudinal direction along a straight line; (b) providing first flexible and resilient means with an inner circular opening of slightly smaller diameter than the diameter of the inflated tubing exterior wall; (c) supplying liquid to said inner circular opening of the first means; (d) moving said inflated tubing through said inner circular opening of said first means and maintaining rubbing contact with the opening edge so as to displace said opening edge and simultaneously apply said liquid to, and distribute the applied liquid around, the inflated tubing exterior wall; (e) providing second flexible and resilient means with an inner circular opening of slightly smaller diameter than the diameter of the inflated tubing exterior wall; (f) rotating said second means around its centerline axis; and (g) moving said inflated tubing with said liquid applied on its exterior wall through the rotating second means inner circular opening and maintaining rubbing contact with the opening edge so as to displace said opening edge while simultaneously smoothing the liquid coating as a continuous film of substantially uniform thickness on the tubing exterior wall.

Claim 23

A method for coating the exterior wall of a longitudinally moving inflated flexible tubing with liquid comprising the steps of: (a) continuously moving the inflated flexible tubing in the longitudinal direction along a straight line; (b) providing first flexible and resilient means with an inner circular opening of slightly smaller diameter than the diameter of the inflated tubing exterior wall; (c) supplying liquid to said inner circular opening of the first means; (d) moving said inflated tubing through said inner circular opening of said first means and maintaining rubbing contact with the opening edge so as to displace said opening edge and simultaneously apply said liquid to, and distribute the applied liquid around, the inflated tubing exterior wall; (e) providing second flexible and resilient means with an inner circular opening of slightly smaller diameter than the diameter of the inflated tubing exterior wall; (f) rotating said second means around its centerline axis; and (g) moving said inflated tubing with said liquid applied on its exterior wall through the rotating second means inner circular opening and maintaining rubbing contact with the opening edge so as to displace said opening edge while simultaneously smoothing the liquid coating as a continuous film of substantially uniform thickness on the tubing exterior wall.

Claim 29

A method for coating the exterior wall of a longitudinally moving inflated flexible cellulose tubing with liquid smoke comprising the steps of: (a) continuously moving the inflated flexible tubing in the longitudinal direction along a horizontally oriented straight line; (b) providing first flexible and resilient means formed of an absorbent open-cell polyurethane foam having Wicking Capability with an inner circular opening between about 12% and about 20% smaller diameter than the Normal Outside Diameter of the inflated tubing exterior wall; (c) supplying liquid smoke to the outer perimeter of said first means as a multiplicity of discrete streams spaced around the first means outer periphery, and inwardly distributing the so-supplied liquid therethrough to the edge of said inner circular opening by absorptive dispersion; (d) moving said inflated tubing through said inner circular opening of said first means and maintaining rubbing contact with the opening edge whereby said opening edge is displaced, and simultaneously applying said liquid to distribute the applied liquid around the inflated tubing exterior wall; (e) providing second flexible and resilient means formed of open-cell polyester foam absorbent material without Wicking Capability and having an inner circular opening between about 4% and about 7% smaller diameter than the Normal Outside Diameter of the inflated tubing exterior wall; (f) rotating said second means; and (g) moving said inflated tubing with said liquid smoke applied on its exterior wall through the rotating second means inner circular opening and maintaining rubbing contact with the opening edge whereby said opening edge is displaced while simultaneously smoothing the liquid coating as a continuous film of substantially uniform thickness on the tubing exterior wall.

Claim 30

A method for coating the exterior wall of a longitudinally moving inflated flexible cellulose tubing with liquid smoke comprising the steps of: (a) continuously moving the inflated flexible tubing in the longitudinal direction along a horizontally oriented straight line; (b) providing first flexible and resilient means formed of an absorbent open-cell polyurethane foam having Wicking Capability with an inner circular opening between about 12% and about 20% smaller diameter than the Normal Outside Diameter of the inflated tubing exterior wall; (c) supplying liquid smoke to the outer perimeter of said first means as a multiplicity of discrete streams spaced around the first means outer periphery, and inwardly distributing the so-supplied liquid therethrough to the edge of said inner circular opening by absorptive dispersion; (d) moving said inflated tubing through said inner circular opening of said first means and maintaining rubbing contact with the opening edge whereby said opening edge is displaced, and simultaneously applying said liquid to distribute the applied liquid around the inflated tubing exterior wall; (e) providing second flexible and resilient means formed of open-cell polyester foam absorbent material without Wicking Capability and having an inner circular opening between about 4% and about 7% smaller diameter than the Normal Outside Diameter of the inflated tubing exterior wall; (f) rotating said second means; and (g) moving said inflated tubing with said liquid smoke applied on its exterior wall through the rotating second means inner circular opening and maintaining rubbing contact with the opening edge whereby said opening edge is displaced while simultaneously smoothing the liquid coating as a continuous film of substantially uniform thickness on the tubing exterior wall.