Apparatus for coating wire on a spool

An apparatus for coating a continuous element, such as a wire tire cord, wound on a spool comprising:

• a. an elongated chamber having openings at opposite ends, closures at said ends for said openings to permit the passage of said spool and for sealing from the ambient atmosphere, said chamber having a transverse cross section larger than the longitudinal cross section of said spool;
• b. a trackway extending longitudinally of said chamber for guiding said spool through the chamber,
• the trackway having a width at least as great as the length of said spool and being inclined from the horizontal such that said spool will roll, by gravity, along the trackway;
• c. means for circulating liquid coating, under pressure, to the chamber;
• d. means for creating at least a partial vacuum in the chamber;
• e. means coacting with the vacuum creating means (d) for alternately creating fluid pressure in the chamber;
• f. outlet means for removing residual liquid coating from said chamber;
• and
• g. means for circulating a heated fluid through the chamber to dry liquid coating on the element.