Device for applying a coating to a material web

In a device for the continuous application of a coating of constant thickness to a material web, being transported over a rotating mating roll of the type including an elastic coating knife having two edges, one of said edges being fixed in a clamping jaw and the other edge being free, said coating knife being initially in an unstressed condition, the fixed edge defining a fixing line in said clamping jaw and said free edge being parallel thereto, said free edge abutting said material web along a line defining an abutting line at a predetermined angle of incidence between said coating knife and said material web, the coating material being applied to said moving web such that the coating material passes between the free edge of said knife and said web for controlling the thickness of said coating material applied thereto, said coating knife being supported between said abutting line and said fixing line by support means along a line defining a supporting line, and said clamping jaw being pivotable about said abutting line and around an axis outside said fixing line for setting said predetermined angle of incidence, the improvement comprising:

• means for moving said fixing line to impart to and vary the stress of said coating knife and thereby adjust the thickness of said coating material under continuous coating operating conditions and for maintaining the geometric configuration of said coating knife between said abutting line and said supporting line substantially fixed relative to said mating roll upon movement of said fixing line, said moving means including linear guidance means connected to said clamping jaw for shifting the clamping jaw and thereby said fixing line relative to said mating roll linearly along a plane defining an acute angle with respect to the plane of said unstressed coating knife whereby said angle of incidence is substantially unchanged upon varying of the stress of said coating knife.