Abstract: The disclosure relates to an apparatus for applying a polymeric covering to a workpiece such as a cylindrical workpiece (10). In order to apply smooth surfaced coating firmly bonded to the workpiece in a single operation the workpiece is rotated in a lathe about an axis (11) and a rubber applying head is traversed parallel to the axis along the workpiece. The head has a freely rotatable tapered feed roller (19) forming a nip with the workpiece to apply polymeric material to the workpiece, a main roller (23) adjacent the feed roller and also forming a nip with the workpiece to pressurise and render plastic the rubber coating applied by the feed roller to masticate and compound the layer, a pressure surface (24) adjacent the main roller and incorporating a retractable plough (25) to dig into the rubber coating and release any entrapped air and a finish roller (26) to apply the required surface finish to the rubber coating.

Abstract: Rubber is applied to a cylindrical workpiece by a feed surface arranged to form a nip with the workpiece into which the rubber is caused to be drawn by movement of the feed surface along the workpiece. The resulting compression of the rubber in the nip renders the rubber plastic so that the rubber flows onto the workpiece to form a layer of thickness determined by the spacing of the feed surface from the workpiece on the workpiece surface. The layer of rubber is then smoothed either by roller or smoothing plate and is then vulcanized.