Abstract: An enclosed pressure gravure roll coating applicator, particularly designed for applying pressure sensitive films to web types substrates, and method of operating such coater. A downstream blade and an arcuately spaced upstream blade are positioned with respect to a roll to be coated. An intermediate gap-forming body between the blades forms a running gap with the surface of the roll to be coated. Substantially air free liquid coating is applied under pressure to an offrunning chamber adjacent the offrunning blade with excess coating flowing through the gap to an onrunning chamber adjacent the upstream blade. The pressure in the onrunning chamber is regulated at a relatively constant positive value sufficient to prevent air from entering the onrunning chamber past the upstream blade.

Abstract: A thermal actuator system controls the position of a moveable die lip (32, 34) on a flat film extruder die (30) to control the gauge of the extruded plastic film, and includes thermal actuators each of which has an outer thermal bolt (70) and an inner bolt (80) extending through the outer bolt. The inner and outer bolts have outer ends which are connected together, while the outer bolt is connected to the die body and the inner bolt has an operative end connected to a die lip. An air passage (90) is formed between the inner and outer bolts and through which air is applied for cooling the inner bolt with respect to the outer bolt. Thermal expansion of the outer bolt is controlled by an external heater (75) mounted on the outer bolt.