Curtain applicator

A method for coating a continuous material web with a liquid and/or pasty application medium, the method comprising:

• providing at least one applicator head formed with at least one outlet edge that extends substantially over an entire width of the applicator head;
• providing a housing block having a transverse distribution chamber and a nozzle gap formed therein, and said housing block being surrounded at least in sections by an outer lining, where most of a front of said housing block, in a web movement direction, is surrounded by said outer lining and a thermally insulating layer that comes into contact with an exterior of the housing block;
• causing application medium to pass out of the applicator head in the form of a free-falling curtain and to subsequently come into contact with the material web;
• and
• selectively subjecting a region of at least one of the at least one outlet edges to a flowing gaseous rinsing medium;
• and
• at least partially forming the thermally insulating layer by a gaseous insulation medium at least partially provided by the flow of gaseous rinsing medium inside a gap between said housing block and said outer lining;
• and
• wherein the applicator head has an upper side and a lower side and said outlet opening is formed at said lower side, causing the rinsing medium that at least partially provides the insulation medium to flow downwardly to said outlet edge.