US2133214A - Coating apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 11, 1938. H. T. SCOTT- COATING APPARATUS Original Filed Oct. 16, 1934 5 Sheets-Shet 1v CRWMWI H. "r. SCOTT COATING APPARATUS Original Filed Oct. 16, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 11, 1938. H. T. SCOTT COATING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Oct. 16, 1954 FI I.

Oct. 11, 1938. H. T. scoTT COATING APPARATUS ori inalriled Oct. 16, 1954 5 Sheets- Sheet 4 WWW/mm Oct. 11, 1938.

Origifial Filed Oct. 16, 1934 H. T. SCOT'II" 2,133,214

COATING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I m l I,

Patented Oct. 11, 1938 COATING APPARATUS Henry T. Scott, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to The American Paper Bottle Company, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Original application October 16, 1934, Serial No. 748,563. Divided and this application October 29, 1936, Serial No. 108,258

12 Claims.

This invention relates to coating apparatus and particularly to apparatus for applying coatings to containers primarily intended for the packaging and dispensing of liquids.

In Patent No. 2,047,891, issued July 14, 1936, is disclosed a paper container which, while well adapted to serve as an envelope for commodities of various kinds, is particularly suitable for the packaging of liquids. It is fabricated of relatively stiff paper and is in the form of a tube of rectangular cross section with its upper and lower ends sealed. Where liquids are to be charged into the container prior to sealing it is essential that the container in its entirety be given a coating of some substance which will render the same liquid proof so that no leakage may subsequently occur. The coating material which I may employ may vary considerably, or in accordance with the characteristics of the materials which are to be packaged. Where food products are to be'packaged, particularly milk or milk products, it is highly desirable that the liquid proofing coating substance should be of such character as to remain neutral in the presence of the liquid contents of the package while at the same time performing its function of preventing contact with the paper of the liquid contents of the container, thereby preventing softening of the walls of the container and also occupying any minute openings in the paper itself or between the joints of the container and thereby preventing direct leakage.

The mechanism which comprises the subject matter of the present invention has been designed especially to receive from a container fabricating machine a container of the'type shown in my patent above referred to, to move this container through a bath of molten paraffin to drain the excess parailin therefrom after issuing from the bath, and finally to eject the container from the parafllning apparatus and to position the same so as to be readily engageable by a conveyor mechanism for transporting to other apparatus for charging, closing and sealing. The container as it comes to the paraflining unit has its bottom closed and top open. It is introduced into the bath of paraffin bottom end foremost so that the molten paraflin has access to the interior of the container only after the open end of the container has been moved below the surface -of the paraffin bath. As the container fills 'with paramn the air which is contained therein is displaced by the paraffin, the incoming stream of paraffin running immediately to the bottom of the container and the level of the liquid rising rapidly from the bottom toward the open top thereof thus insuring that all contained air is expelled. After the container has been completely submerged it is carried through the pa'raflln bath in such manner that all of its surfaces are thoroughly exposed to the par'aihn, the container not being positively held by any of the carrying mechanism but being so transported in a carrier that it may have limited movements relatively to the carrier in all directions and may freely respond, to a limited extent, to the surging movements of the paraflin bath brought aboutby the operation of the mechanism. Each individual paper fiber of the container, both upon the outer and inner surfaces thereof is so exposed to the coating substance that the container as it issues from the bath is completely and thoroughly coated with the impregnating substance.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 748,563, filed October 16, 1934.

While primarily the coating apparatus which I disclose by way of example is designed for the handling and treating of paper containers of square cross-section, it will be obvious to one skilled in the art that, by making changes in the design and arrangement of the component elements of the invention, the apparatus may be readily adapted for the coating of containers which vary widely in shape, size and materials of construction. I

In the drawings: I

Figure 1 is a view of the coating apparatus taken from the side, many of the parts being shown in section and others having been removed for the purpose of more fully disclosing interior details;

Figure 2 is a view of the apparatus as it would be seen from the right (Figure 1) certain of the operating'parts being shown in elevation and certain parts being broken away to show the underlying elements;

Figure 3 is a" view of theapparatus-as from the left (Figure 1) certain of the-parts being shown in section and others partially broken Figure 4 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of a container receiving unit which forms part of the apparatus; I I

Figure 51s a section on line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a section on line 'I| of Figure 3; Figure 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Figure 6;

and e Figure 9 is a container carriers.

perspective view of one of the The apparatus is designed for the rapid handling of a continuous series of paper containers,

receiving successive containers presented to it, passing these containers through the paraifin bath and effecting the discharge thereof. It is primarily intended to form portion of a rapidly operating automatic machine in which blanks are rapidly detached from a pack, erected into tubular form, closed at one end, coated, charged, closed and sealed. It may of course be made to have any desired capacity and rate of operation.

The casing or housing in which the bath of paraffin is enclosed and which also houses the operating ports of the coating mechanism is indicated at III, the lower portion of this housing being especially designed for the retention of a substantial body of molten paraflin while the upper portion may be of lighter construction. A removable bottom plate is indicated at H and this plate may be taken off whenever it is desired to clean the apparatus. The normal parafiin level is indicated by the letter L and it will be understood that additional quantities of paraiiln will be introduced from time to time to replace that which passes out in the shape of surface coatings upon the containers which pass through the apparatus. A conveyor chain is indicated at |2 this chain being endless and is supported upon three sprockets l3, l4 and I5 one of which, as for instance the sprocket l5, may be intermittently driven by any suitable mechanism. A guide l6 serves to support the conveyor chain at one point where it changes the direction of its travel. Mounted upon certain of the individual links of this chain are container carrying elements I8 and there are a relatively large number of these elements, only a few being illustrated. Carriers l8 are closely spaced and the chain isso driven that each carrier is advanced from its container receiving position, indicated at B in Figure 1, to its container discharging position, indicated at D, by a series of step by step movements. One of the carriers is shown in perspective in Figure 9 and it is shown in this figure at the angle which it makes with the horizontal when the conveyor chain link to which it is secured is moving in a vertical path. It comprises essentially a five-sided. box-like member with .somewhat greater interior dimensions than the exterior dimensions of the container, indicated at C in chain lines, which it is to house and to transport through the bath. Any suitable means may be utilized for securing the rear wall of the container to a chain link and the rear wall of the carrier, which faces the open side, is also provided with a series of apertures |9 through which paraffin may enter the carrier and which also permit the introduction of ejecting rods for effecting the discharge of the container, in a manner to be hereinafter more fully described.

The other two larger walls of the carrier, indicated at 20 and 2|, are imperforate and the wall 20 is also curved or made concave, as shown, while the wall 2| is preferably flat. The end walls of the carrier have apertures 22 formed therein to permit the free entry and escape of liquid paraffin. That end of the carrier which is lowermost at the time that the container to be coated is introduced therein, is provided with an inner central transversely extending rib 23 which acts as a limiting stop for the movement of the container toward that end of the carrier during the paraflining operation, thus preventing the end flaps E of the container from striking the end of the carrier and safeguarding these ends against injury from such contact.

The carriers shown to the right (Figure 1) descend in the operation of the device and are empty. As each carrier reaches the position of the carrier indicated at B the motionof the conveyor chain is temporarily halted and a container is introduced into the same to occupy the position shown in Figure 9. The means for introducing the container will now be described.

A container receiving chute is indicated generally at S, this chute being vertically disposed to receive containers successively dropped into the same by mechanism which is not illustrated. The chute includes oppositely facing stationary guide plates 30 and oppositely facing swinging guide plates 3|. Plates 3| are secured at their lower ends to the upstanding side members 32 of a U-shaped frame generally indicated at 33. Frame 33 has integral therewith a laterally extending cylindrical bearing member 34 which is rotatably supported upon a cylindrical stud 35 mounted in the end of a supporting frame member 36. The frame, therefore, together with the plates 3|, may swing or oscillate about the axis of stud 35 from the position in which it is shown in Figure 4 to the position in which it is shown in Figure 5. Assuming that a container is dropped into the chute with open end lowermost, as indicated at C in Figure 4, the swinging motion of the movable portion of the chute, including the plates 3| and frame 33, effects the movement of the container to the position indicated at C in Figure 5, the closed bottom of the container being then lowermost and the container occupying a position inclined to the horizontal.

To effect this swinging movement, the frame 33 is operatively connected to a drive shaft'31, the

within a camway formed within a cam 46 mounted upon shaft 31. Rotation of cam 46 therefore results in oscillation of the frame from its upper vertically disposed position to its lower inclined position in timed relation to the other operating parts of the mechanism.

The movements of the container positioning frame just described are coordinated with the movements of the conveyor chain and, when a container has been removed to the position indicated at C" in Figure 5, it is in register with the carrier B within the housing In, and also in register with an aperture formed in the wall of the housing. It is therefore in a position to be moved laterally inwardly of the housing and into the mouth of carrier B which is positioned to receive it. The means for effecting this inward movement includes the pusher 40' slidably mounted upon the frame for horizontal movement, the pusher 40' having the same inclination to the horizontal as have the apertures formed in the housing and also the carrier B. For effecting sliding movement of the pusher it is connected to an intermittently oscillating lever 4| by means of link 42', lever 43, and link 44', the lever 43' being mounted upon a fixed pivot 45'.

The means for oscillating lever 4| is not illustrated, but it will be understood that any suitable means may be employed to operatively'connect this lever to shaft 31 and to produce oscillations and the frame 33 and blades 3| are swung to vertical position to receive a-following container. The conveyor chain is actuated and as the carrier just changed moves downwardly, an unloaded carrier coming into register with the container charging opening formed in" the housing wall and ready to receive the next following container. The carrier B within which a container has just been placed will be moved downwardly into the paraflin bath, thence horizontally toward the left (Figure l) and finally upwardly until it occupies the position D. 1

As may be seen from an inspection of Figure 1,

one of the bottom edges of thecontainer C first reaches the level of the upper surface of the paramn and the bottom of the container is lower most during the time that the container is actu-- ally undergoing the process of immersion so that any air originally within the same'is displaced by molten paraffin, flowing upwardly and making its escape from the paraffin bath. Eventually the carrier turns around the axis of sprocket l3 and assumes a horizontal position. In this movement the open side of the carrier is turned downwardly and, when the carrier has reached a completely horizontal position, as indicated at B, is facing directly downwardly, the container either resting against that wall of the carrier which has heretofore been designated the rear wall, and which is connected to the associated chain link, or resting against the curved guide plate 41 and being moved along this plate by the action of the carrier.

When the carrier reaches the position indicated at B the container which it carries is about to emerge from the parafiin bath with its closed bottom uppermost so that the parafiin will drain rapidly from its interior. Eventually, and after a further series of step-by-step movements of the conveyor, the carrier with its coated container reaches the position D (Figure l) and may then be ejected from the housing. For the purpose of bringing about this ejection, an ejecting mechanism is provided which includes a plurality of parallel ejecting fingers 50 supported at their rear ends upona vertically disposed plate 5| the lower end of which is slidably supported upon guide rods, one of which is indicated at 52.

Each finger 50 is in alignment with an aperture formed in a perforated guide plate 53 and also in alignment with the perforations l9 formed in the rear wall of carrier D when thatcarrler has reached the discharge position shown in Figure 1. Slide 5| is operatively connected by means of a link 54, lever and link 56 with the upper end of oscillating lever ll previously referred to and will be reciprocated forwardly and rearwardly when lever 4| is actuated. When reciprocated forwardly or to the left (Figure 1), the fingers 50 after passing through the perforations in guide plate I3 and through the registering perforations I! in the rear wall of the carrier D will contact with the inner wall of the container 0 housed within the carrier and will thrust this container outwardly through an aperture formed in the housing to permit its passage and into a rocking frame which at that instant is positioned to receive it. The rocking frame 80 ineludes a member 6| one end of which is provided with two hubs 62 and 63 rotatably mounted upon member 6|.

. 66 lying intermediate hubs 66 and 6! of frame member ii. A springxpressed detent I! carried by hub it normally hasits outer end projectin within shallow recess 68' formed in hub 62 and hence hubs 62, 63 and 68 wlllnormally rotate in unison about the axis of stud 04.. Secured to the i ends of frame members BI and. respectively are the guiding and retaining blades II which are container holding members, having inturned outer ends 10' to insure retention of thecontainer as the entire frame as an entirety swings downwardly.

As will be seen from Figure 6, a container just discharged from the housing will occupy the position C its open end being lowermost. It will be understood of course that as the container is ejected from the housing, the receiving frame just described is in register with the aperture formed in the housing. A rotatory movement is then transmitted to the stud 64 by mechanism which is illustrated in Figure 3 and is seen to include a segment 1| fixed on stud 64, the teeth of this segment meshing with the teeth of a segment 12 pivotally supported at 13' upon a frame member. Oscillation of segment 12 is effected by means 'of link 14 the lower end of which is connected to a lever 15 carryinga roller 16 which is-in engagement with a cam 11 mounted on shaft 31.

Two cushioning springs 18, adapted to be engaged by one or the other. of abutment 19 respectively on link 14, dampen shocks incidental to the operation of the mechanism just described, the adjacent ends of these springs bearing against a common central spring abutment 80.

By reason of the fact that the hubs of frame members 6| are not positively connected to the oscillating driving studs 64 but are only releasably connected to this stud through the intermediary of the detent 61, it is not possible for breakage to occur should for instance a container come to rest after having been only partially introduced into the rocking frame and between the container supporting blades 10, portion of the container for instance still overlying 'the edge of the discharge aperture formed in the housing. Should the rocking frame, including members GI and 65, start downwardly with a container in such position as this the opposition to the movement of frame member BI and its associated blades 10 offered by the container will he sufiiciently great to cause the detent 61 to be cammed into its receiving recess and out of recess 68, thus permitting rotation of hub Stand frame member 65 relatively to hubs G2 and 63 and frame ration of the two elements of the transfer frame will stop the machine and remove the jammed container whereupon the frame member 6| may :be again swung to its normal relative position with respect to frame member 65, the detent 61 again entering recess 68 and releasably locking the hubs together.

After a container discharged from the housing The operator perceiving the sepain a normal manner has been lowered to the position in which it has been indicated at C in Figurge6 it is to be removed from between the arms Ill and moved forwardly into a position to be engaged by a conveyor. This movement from between arms lli is effected by means of an extractor 82 which comprises an angular member the lower horizontal end of which is secured to a reciproeable member II and the vertical portion of which lies parallel to the housing wall and, in its rearmost position, lies within a recess formed within the housing wall. Member 83 is guided in its reciprocating movements by means of parallel guides one of which is indicated at 84 and to the under side of this member is secured a rack 85 the teeth of which mesh with the teeth of a gear 86 fixed upon a shaft 81. Shaft 81 is rotatably supported in a bearing 88 and carries at its outer end a pinion 89 the teeth of this pinion meshing with the teeth of a rack 90 slidably supported for longitudinal movements and carrying a roller 9| which lies within a camway formed in the revoluble cam 82 also fixed on shaft 31. Revolution of cam 82 therefore results in reciprocating movement of slide 83 and hence causes the extractor finger to move outwardly between blades 18 at the proper time and to remove a container which may be standing between these blades.

As mentioned previously, the container will then pass on to a suitable conveyor which is not il lustrated. The transfer frame including frame members GI and 65 is enclosed save for a container outlet port formed in the forward wall thereof and within this housing is located a heating unit, in this case including the conduit 93, for a heating medium such as steam, as it'is desired to maintain the paraffin upon the container walls in liquid condition at this point. Also mounted upon this housing is a steam chamber 94 for maintaining the interior temperature of the housing at the proper point.

The various mechanisms described are of course actuated in a desired timed relationship, a container to be coated being inserted into an empty carrier at the same time that a coated container is being ejected from the housing.

I find it to be preferable, in fabricating containers to be subsequently coated with a coating substance such as paraffin, to utilize a paper which is porous in order that the paraffin may penetrate into the interstices thereof. Hard papers can be rendered liquid-proof only with great difiiculty and the coating is often nonuniform over the surface of the article made therefrom. To insure that the paper used has the necessary mechanical strength and stiffness,

and at the same time the necessary porosity, a somewhat thicker sheet is used than would be necessary were the paper harder. A paper of the solid bleached sulphite type having a weight of approximately .028 pound per .001 inch thickness per square yard has been found to be satisfactory. Kraft paper may also be used and also combinations of kraft and sulphite papers. In any event, paper of the desired porosity will have a considerable nap comprising projecting 'fibers or filaments and it is desired that all of these projecting fibers be thoroughly coated dm ing the coating operatio As the containe enters the prafiin bath, the moisture and air be ween the fibers of the paper is expelled by the action of the parafiin. It is essential that the spaces left vacant by the exclusion of moisture and air be filled with coatingmaterlal so that a continuous leakproof coating is provided. As the container enters the parafiin bath, its lowermost side wall is first presented to the liquid paraffin in such a position that the air and moisture in the pores of the paper may pass freely upward. Following this, the then uppermost side wall will be-so presented and immersed. The bottom also is disposed at such angle that the discharge of moisture and air therefrom is facilitated. As the container progresses further into the parafiin bath, to the horizontal position, the sides of the container which were previously vertical, become horizontal and the air and moisture locked in the pores of the paper may escape more easily from these sides. Further movement of the container through the parafiin bath is accompanied by rotation thereof so that the two remaining sides are in an approximately horizontal position facilitating the escape of the air and moisture. The movement of the container through the bath is such that the container is rolled within the bath to present the several sides of the container successively to the horizontal or at least causes them to assume substantial angles to the vertical. This is desirable inasmuch as the moisture content of the paper, as well as the minute quantities of air caught in the interstices of the fibers, are more readily dislodged from horizontally disposed paper surfaces than from vertically disposed paper surfaces. Thus particles of moisture and air expelled from the lower portion of a vertically disposed paper sheet will tend to re-attach themselves as they move upwardly or downwardly, as the case may be, along the surfaces of the sheet. When the sheet is horizontally disposed, or disposed at a substantial angle to the vertical, any particles of moisture or air once discharged will rapidly separate themselves from the sheet by moving vertically upwardly or downwardly and will not have opportunity for 'such re-attachment. It is important, therefore, that the mechanism be'of such character that the container as it passes through the bath causes each of the flat sides thereof, at one time or another, to be disposed either horizontally or at a substantial angle to thevertical.

It will be appreciated that, due to the fact that the container has parallel opposing side walls, when it is disposed in a truly horizontal position, air expelled from the upper surface of the lower side wall, and some air expelled from the vertical side walls may, upon rising, be intercepted by the upper horizontally disposed side wall and trapped against the lower surface thereof. Likewise water expelled from the upper side wall and vertical walls will descend and be intercepted by the lower horizontal side wall. Because of the further rolling motion imparted to the container, however, any such intercepted water or air is not permitted to remain upon or cover any'spot upon which it is originally deposited, but will be caused to flow laterally so that at one time or another every portion of the entire area of each wall of the container is fully exposed to the bath. My invention. contemplates the provision of any suitable means for passing paper articles successively through a bath of parafi'ln and by means of which the positions of the articles are so changed during their progress through the paraffin that each of .the several sides of each article are at one time or another disposed either horizontally or at an angle which so departs from the vertical that the moisture and air particles may freely rise or fall therefrom, depending upon the specific gravity thereof as compared with that of the bath. The carriers which I employ for the purpose of immersing the containers are sumciently large interiorly to permit limited axial and transverse movements of any container housed therein during the coating operation. The containers will, to a considerable extent, oscillate within their respective housings in passing through the bath due to the surging of the paraflin bath itself, produced by the action of the carriers which are successively entering the bath upon one side and successively leaving it upon the other side of the machine. The loose retention of the containers within the carriers permits the paraflin to reach all surfaces of each container, both the interior and the exterior surfaces, and the slight movements which each container mayhave within its carrier are sufficient to insure the complete and thorough coating of all the projecting fibers. It is highly important that these fibers be coated as, in the absence of such protective coating upon a fiber, it will absorb moisture from the air or moisture with which it comes in direct contact and will transmit this moisture to the wall of the container, thereby softening the same and decreasing its mechanical strength. It is, of course, of equal importance that the air and moisture between the interstices of the paper fiber of the container walls themselves be expelled and :replaced by paraflin. Complete impregnation of. the fibers themselves by paraifin is not desired, but thorough continuous coating is essential.

With containers fabricated of paper such as have been described, it has been found that an immersion of substantially ten seconds produces the desired effect upon the walls thereof, the air and moisture being expelled and the projecting filaments or fibers being completely coated while at the same time mechanical strength is maintained. Longer immersion oftentimes results in production -of containers of decreased strength due to impregnation of the fibers. When the paper is immersed for approximately ten seconds, as aforesaid, the temperature of the paraflin is preferably maintained at approximately F. It will be appreciated that with different weights and types of paper the time of immersion will'vary and also that the temperature to which the paraflin has been heated will have a bearing. In any case, the object will be to immerse the paper for a sufficient time to insure that its moisture'and air content is expelled, the projecting fibers thereof coated, and the interstices of the paper wall filled with paraffin. Continued immersion after these results have been achieved is detrimental.

For the purpose of maintaining the paraffin at the desired temperature, suitable heating elements are incorporated within the housing l0. Such a heating element is indicated generally at I00 and is seen to comprise a suitable tortuous conduit through which steam or other heated fluid may be passed. Gas heated or electrically heated elements may, of course, be substituted for that shown. Also, and for the purpose of heating the upper portion of the mechanism enclosed within the housing, a second heating unit m is provided, this unit in the present instance also comprising a tortuous conduit for the circulation of steam. All parts of the conveyor, all of the carriers, and in fact, all parts enclosed within the housing, are maintained at all times at a temperature above that of the melting point of paramn so that any paraffin which is carried upwardly out of the bath upon the conveyors will remain liquid and fall again to the bath without congealing and thereby clogging the machine.

The time of immersion of the containers may be varied in various ways, as by regulating for instance, the speed of the conveyor. Inasmuch as the coating unit may comprise a portion of a complete automatic machine, however, it is not desirable to vary its operating speed and hence the time of immersion of the containers may be conveniently regulated by varying the depth of the paraffin bath, lowering the level of the upper surface of the bath resulting in a decreased time of immersion, and raising of the level of the upper surface resulting in an increased time of immer- The lowermost surface of the container.

the container with the carrier, permitting the paraflin to have maximum opportunity to escape between the lower wall of the container and the convex inner surface of the then bottom supporting Wall of the carrier. The duration of the draining of the containers may be approximately eighteen seconds, but at any ratesufficientl y long to permit the flowing off of all free flowing parafiin.

When a freshly immersed container reaches the discharge position, in which position the carrier in which it is housed occupies the'position indicated at D in Figure 1, its walls are substantially free of excess paraffin, the draining operation being substantially completed. A slight further drainage occurs, however, after ejection of the container from the carrier and during inversion of the container by the mechanism previously described and which is illustrated in Figure 6. Thus, after the container has been again positioned vertically with closed end lowermost, as indicated at C in Figure 6, there is a slight downward drainage along the vertical walls and this paraflin when later solidified, stiffens, reinforces and renders entirely leakproof the bottom section of the container, where the pressure of any liquid later introduced is naturally the greatest.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

-1. An apparatus for coating tubular flat sided paper containers comprising a closed compartment the lower portion of which constitutes a receptacle for a bath of molten coating material, heating means in said compartment above the surface of the paraffin, for maintaining the temperature of the atmosphere within the compartment higher than that at which the coating material solidifies, an endless chain within the compartmcnt and guided to have an elongated vertical reach, and article carriers mounted on the chain and adapted to be submerged in the bath, carriers emerging from the bath being carried upwardly along said vertical reach of the chain and through a heated atmosphere to a point of discharge, whereby perfect drainage of the containers is realized.

2. In 'a coating apparatus, in combination, a

carrier member substantially rectangular in transverse section and having an open side for the introduction of articles to be retained thereby, the side wall opposite said opening having av minor aperture for the insertion of apusher element to eject any article within the carrier, and

a conveyor upon which the carrier is mounted.

3. In a coating apparatus, in combination, a carrier member comprising an elongated box-like structure for the reception of a fiat walled tubular container having opposed parallel flaps projecting from one end thereof, said carrier having a part projecting inwardly from one end wall thereof to engage a container intermediate the end flaps thereof and thereby prevent the flaps from engaging said end wall.

4. Coating apparatus comprising in combination, a receptacle for a bath of liquid coating material, an elongated boxlike carrier member polygonal in transverse section and adapted to envelop and retain a container of similar polygonal cross-section but having a slightly smaller crosssection than the carrier member so as to have limited movement therein, said carrier member being provided with apertures for the inflow and outflow of liquid, and means for moving the carrier member into, through and out of the bath.

5. Coating apparatus comprising, in combination, a receptacle for a bath of liquid coating material, an elongated box-like carrier member polygonal in transverse section and adapted to envelop and retain a container of similar but smaller polygonal cross-section, said carrier being open at one side and having means at its ends to limit longitudinal movement of a container therein, and means for moving the carrier member into, through and out of the bath.

6. In a coating apparatus, in combination, a carrier member comprising an elongated boxlike structure for the reception of a flat walled tubular container, one wall having a convex inner face upon which a container may rock when the carrier member and container are immersed.

7. In an apparatus for coating elongated paper containers, each having an open end and a closed end, comprising a receptacle for a bath of molten paraffin or the like, a casing above the receptacle and having spaced apertures therein for the insertion and discharge of containers, mechanism adjacent the container insertion aperture for successively receiving containers, p sitioning them with their major axes inclined to the vertical and passing them through said insertion aperture, and a conveyor enclosed by the receptacle and casing for receiving, while so inclined, containers successively inserted through said insertion aperture, lowering them into the bath while so inclined, lifting the coated containers from the bath and presenting the same to the discharge aperture, the conveyor being mounted for movement in a plane and having means to support the containers received and carried thereby at an angle to said plane.

8. In an apparatus for coating elongated paper containers, each having an open end and a closed end, comprising a receptacle for a bath of molten paraflin or the like, a-casing above thereceptacle and having spaced apertures therein for the insertion and discharge of containers, mechanism adjacent the container insertion aperture for successively receiving containers, positioning them with their major axes inclined to the vertical and passing them through said insertion aperture, a conveyor enclosed by the receptacle and casing for receiving, whileso inclined, containers successively inserted through said insertion aperture, lowering them into the bath while so inclined, lifting the coated containers from the bath and presenting the same to the discharge aperture, the conveyor being mounted for movement in a plane and having means to support the containers received and carried thereby at an angle to said plane, and means within the casing for successively ejecting coated containers through said discharge aperture.

9. The combination set forth in claim 8 in which said mechanism includes means for receiving containers with axes vertically disposed and bottom end uppermost and revolving the container until the bottom end is lowermost.

10. The combination set forth in claim 8 in which a device is positioned without the casing and adjacent the container discharge port for successively receiving containers and depositing the same, bottom end lowermost, upon a container receiving element.

11. In a coating apparatus, in combination, a receptacle for a bath of fluid coating material, a plurality of article carriers, each being constructed to retain a tubular fiat sided open ended paper container with the axis of the container at all times in substantial coincidence with the axis of the carrier, and means upon which said carriers are mounted and by which they are successively when being lowered into the bath, being so disposed that the tubular container carried therein is inclined with its axis at an angle to the horizontal and inclined to the plane of the endless path in which the carriers are moving, whereby all of its flat surfaces are angularly disposed with respect to the surface of the bath during the immersion thereof.

12. An apparatus for coating tubular flat sided paper containers comprising an endless chain, guide means therefor whereby the chain is supported for movement in a plane, a plurality of box like open sided container carriers mounted on the chain, each being so formed and so attached to the chain that a paper container supported therein will have its flat sides disposed angularly to the plane in which the chain is supported, and stationary means for preventing escape of containers from the carriers during a portion of the travel of each carrier.

HENRY T. SCO'I'I.

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