Abstract: For vacuum deposition plating steel strip, a vacuum deposition plating apparatus is used including an inlet-side vacuum sealing device provided in front of a vacuum deposition plating chamber, with an inlet-side inactive gas replacement chamber provided between the inlet-side vacuum sealing device and an annealing furnace. An outlet-side vacuum sealing device is provided at the rear of the vacuum deposition plating chamber, with an outlet-side inactive gas replacement chamber provided between the outlet-side vacuum sealing device and the atmosphere. An inactive gas circulating/purifying device circulates an inactive gas from vacuum chambers of both the vacuum sealing devices to atmospheric pressure chambers of both the vacuum sealing devices and removes water, oil and oxygen from the inactive gas. Oxygen and hydrogen in the inactive gas are regulated to provide 60 ppm or less of oxygen and 0.2 to 2.0% of hydrogen, and also to regulate the dew point of the inactive gas to -50.degree. C. or less.

Abstract: A vacuum deposition plating apparatus having an inlet-side vacuum sealing device provided in front of a vacuum deposition plating chamber, an inlet-side inactive gas replacement chamber provided between the inlet-side vacuum sealing device and an annealing furnace, an outlet-side vacuum sealing device provided in the rear of the vacuum deposition plating chamber, an outlet-side inactive gas replacement chamber provided between the outlet-side vacuum sealing device and the atmosphere, and an inactive gas circulating/purifying device for circulating an inactive gas from vacuum chambers of both the vacuum sealing devices to atmospheric pressure chambers of both the vacuum sealing devices and for removing water, oil and oxygen from the inactive gas; a pressure gauge provided on the annealing furnace; a pressure gauge, a control valve, an automatic valve, a hydrogen concentration detector and a discharge valve provided on the inlet-side inactive gas replacement chamber; a pressure gauge and an automatic valve prov

Abstract: A continuous vacuum deposition apparatus for coating a metal strip in which a control means for changing the width of the metal vapor channel so that strips of various widths can be deposition-coated with transversally uniform thickness distribution is disclosed.

Abstract: A vacuum evaporation equipment for continuous vacuum evaporation of a metal onto a band or strip of product including at least one vacuum sealing station, provision of ducts that are disposed surrounding the band product and extending from the point of vapor deposition where the band product is subjected to a vacuum evaporation process an a chamber held at a reduced pressure or vacuum state to the extent that substantially no reevaporation of once deposited metal is effectively prevented from occurring. The ducts are adapted to be heated to a temperature substantially higher than the temperature of the steel band product. In addition, there is provided at least one vacuum sealing station with rolls rotatably mounted in the interior of a casing and a complementary sealing bar mounted in a complementary engagement relationship with the rolls having a close gap therebetween.

Abstract: Disclosed is a combined continuous plating apparatus for hot-dip plating and vacuum deposition plating characterized in that the outlet of the gas reduction annealing furnace of a conventional continuous hot-dip plating apparatus and the inlet of the seal roll chamber of a known continuous vacuum deposition plating apparatus are connected through a pressurized chamber in order to prevent invasion of hydrogen-containing reduction gas into the vacuum deposition chamber, whereby is prevented the possibility of the hydrogen-containing gas causing an explosion should air leak into the vacuum deposition chamber.

Abstract: In a continuous vacuum deposition plating of a metal strip, thinner coating at the edges can be prevented by maintaining the pressure of the deposition chamber in which an evaporation chamber is housed at a properly higher level than the pressure of the evaporation chamber.

Abstract: In the continuous vapor deposition coating of a metal strip, the coating amount can be rapidly changed by keeping the vapor flow at acoustic velocity and changing the cross-sectional area of the vapor path.