Apparatus for applying protective coatings to graphite bodies

An apparatus for applying protective coatings to cylindrical graphite bodies, comprising:

• a base;
• a first shaft rotatable about a first axis and mounted on said base;
• a second shaft rotatable about a second axis and mounted on said base in a closely spaced-apart relationship with said first shaft and forming a first guideway therebetween for said graphite bodies, said first axis and said second axis lying in respective parallel planes;
• variable-length means between said base and an end of at least one of said shafts for displacement of said axis thereof within said respective plane thereof to form a variable angle of less than 30.degree. with said axis of said other shaft;
• reversible driving means on at least one of said shafts for the reversible rotation thereof and the reciprocal displacement thereby along said guideway of said bodies;
• a battery of coating tools adjacent said guideway intermediate the ends of said shafts for applying said coating to said bodies;
• a pair of electrodes respectively positioned above said guideway to either side of said battery of coating tools at locations fixed along said axes;
• slip rings formed on at least one of said shafts;
• and
• an electric-arc current supply connected to said electrodes and said slip rings for leading current to the electrodes.