Abstract: In order to form a band of coating material around the shanks of a plurality of headed articles, an arrangement is provided for conveying each article along a conveying path with a predetermined orientation past a coating applicator. The articles are initially supplied by a feeding device which emits, via a transfer device, the articles with the desired orientation onto the conveying path. The transfer device receives the articles from the feed device, accelerating them to a predetermined speed and transfers them to the subsequent conveying path with a predetermined minimum distance between each article. The subsequently arranged conveying path is formed by a pair of relatively horizontal and generally parallel conveyer elements, which elements are supported in a spaced relationship with a drive arrangement being provided for moving one of the elements relative to the other in a direction along the conveying path.