Abstract: A ferrous strip is galvanized by establishing an electrostatic potential on the strip which is then submerged on a fluidized bed of powdered galvanizing material and then allowing the adhered galvanized powder to be carried by the strip to a reflow station. The reflow station heats the strip and galvanizing material to liquidity the galvanizing material and establish the necessary alloy interface on the ferrous strip. Thereafter, the strip passes to a cooling zone wherein the reflowed galvanizing material is solidified before contacting a roller to use to direct the strip to the exit of the galvanizing apparatus. The atmosphere within the galvanizing apparatus is remained inert through the use of nitrogen which is also used as the fluid medium for the suspension of the galvanizing powder in the fluidized bed.

Abstract: A ferrous strip is galvanized by establishing an electrostatic potential on the strip which is then submerged on a fluidized bed of powdered galvanizing material and then allowing the adhered galvanized powder to be carried by the strip to a reflow station. The reflow station heats the strip and galvanizing material to liquidity the galvanizing material and establish the necessary alloy interface on the ferrous strip. Thereafter, the strip passes to a cooling zone wherein the reflowed galvanizing material is solidified before contacting a roller to use to direct the strip to the exit of the galvanizing apparatus. The atmosphere within the galvanizing apparatus is remained inert through the use of nitrogen which is also used as the fluid medium for the suspension of the galvanizing powder in the fluidized bed.

Abstract: Apparatus for the continuous annealing of strip steel or the like, wherein the apparatus comprises a furnace having an annealing chamber and input and output strip feed structures located on opposite sides of the chamber near the top thereof. The rate at which the strip is feed through the feed structures is regulated by a feed controller which establishes a catenary loop of strip between the feed structures. The strip feed structure includes a mechanism for connecting the trailing end of a section of strip to the leading end of a succeeding strip, whereby a continuous supply of strip is provided to the furnace from a supply of coils of strip or the like. The feed controller is operatively coupled to the input and output strip feed structures for controlling the respective rates of the feed structures, and thereby controlling the size of the loop such that the furnace may be operated concurrently to anneal the strip and function as an accumulator.

Abstract: An improvement in a device for plating a thin layer of a first metal onto the surface of a generally flat metal strip formed of a second metal as the strip is moving in a selected direction along a given path, wherein the device includes an anode in the chamber and means for supplying electrolyte containing ions of the first metal between the anode and the moving strip. The improvement involves providing the anode as an electrically conductive, non-consumable, anode element having an outer surface with a transverse width substantially as great as the width of the strip. A plenum chamber is formed behind the anode element and generally coextensive with the outer surface of the element so that apertures in the anode element direct jets of electrolyte through the anode element and directly against the surface being plated to provide a uniformly turbulent flow of electrolyte at the surface of the strip.