Apparatus for imparting visual surface effects to relatively moving materials

In apparatus for pressurized heated fluid stream treatment of a relatively moving substrate material to impart a change in the appearance thereof and including an elongate fluid distributing manifold assembly disposed across the path of relative movement of the material and closely adjacent the surface thereof for discharging at least one discrete stream of heated pressurized fluid against the surface of the material;

• the improvement wherein said manifold assembly comprises
• first and second elongate manifold housings defining corresponding first and second fluid-receiving compartments extending across the path of relative movement of the material;
• said first housing including inlet means for introducing pressurized heated fluid into said first compartment generally uniformly along its elongate length, outlet means located remotely from said inlet means for discharging heated fluid from the compartment generally uniformly along its elongate length, said first housing inlet and outlet means defining a flow path through said housing which is generally perpendicular to its length, the axis of fluid flow introduced into said first compartment by said inlet means and the axis of fluid flow discharged from said first compartment by said outlet means being substantially parallel;
• said second manifold housing including inlet means for receiving pressurized heated fluid into said second compartment generally uniformly along its length, fluid stream discharge outlet means in said second housing for directing said at least one stream of fluid against the surface of the substrate material, said second housing inlet and outlet means defining a flow path of heated fluid through said housing which is generally perpendicular to its length;
• and means attaching said second housing to said first housing, with said outlet means of said first housing communicating with said inlet means of said second housing, and with the axis of discharge of said fluid stream discharge outlet means disposed at a substantially right angle to the heated fluid flow path through said first manifold housing.