Apparatus for surface treatment of a steel strip

An apparatus for the surface treatment of a steel strip, particularly a strip from a continuous annealing apparatus, which strip is adversely affected if allowed to become dry prior to the time it leaves the surface treatment apparatus, said surface treatment apparatus comprising:

• (1) a plurality of guide rolls for moving the steel strip along a predetermined path;
• (2) a pickling vessel through which a portion of said steel strip path extends, and a first pickling liquid spray means in said pickling vessel for spraying a pickling liquid toward at least one surface of said steel strip as it passes through the pickling vessel, said path extending upwardly out of said pickling vessel and around one of said guide rolls;
• a further pickling liquid spray means positioned adjacent the top of the path from said pickling vessel at the point where the strip passes around said one of said guide rolls for spraying pickling liquid onto said one surface for keeping the surface wet with pickling liquid;
• (3) a first rinsing vessel through which a portion of said steel strip path extends and which is located downstream with respect to the movement of the strip along said path of said pickling vessel, first rinsing water spray means in said first rinsing vessel for spraying rinsing water toward said at least one surface of the steel strip as it passes through said first rinsing vessel, said path extending upwardly out of said first rinsing vessel and around one of said guide rolls;
• a further rinsing water spray means positioned adjacent the top of the path from said first rinsing vessel at the point where the strip passes around said guide roll for spraying rinsing water onto said one surface of the steel strip for keeping the surface wet with rinsing water;
• (4) an electrolytic treating vessel for containing an electrolytic treating liquid and through which a portion of said steel strip path extends and which is located downstream of said first rinsing vessel, and at least one anode positioned in said electrolytic treating vessel at a position below the level of the electrolytic treating liquid therein and facing the said one surface of the steel strip, and means operatively associated with said electrolytic treating vessel for controlling the temperature of the electrolytic treating liquid;
• said path extending upwardly out of said electrolytic treating vessel and around one of said guide rolls;
• an electrolytic treating liquid spray means positioned adjacent the top of said path from said electrolytic treating vessel at the point where the strip passes around said guide roll for spraying electrolytic treating liquid on said one surface of said strip for keeping said surface wet with electrolytic treating liquid;
• (5) a second rinsing vessel through which a portion of said steel strip path extends and which is located downstream of said electrolytic treating vessel, second rinsing water spray means in said second rinsing vessel for spraying rinsing water toward said at least one surface of the steel strip as it passes through said second rinsing vessel, said path extending upwardly out of said second rinsing vessel;
• and
• (6) said guide roll at the top of the path from said electrolytic treating vessel being of a conductive material, and voltage applying means for applying an electrolyzing voltage between said anode and said conductive material guide roll.