Method of continuous coating of metallic strip material

A method of continuous coating of metallic strip material comprising the steps of regulating the amount of a paint fed to a pickup roll to a predetermined film thickness by a thickness control member facing the surface of the pickup roll when the paint is transferred to an applicator roll, and successively transferring the paint from the applicator roll to the surface of the metallic strip material continuously travelling relative to the applicator roll to form a coating of a desired film thickness on the surface of the metallic strip material, the regulating of the amount of paint fed to the pickup roll being effected by the steps comprising:

• setting beforehand a first relation representing the relation between a thickness of the coating applied under constant pressure of the paint fed to the pickup roll and the size of a gap as viewed radially of the pickup roll between the roll surface and the thickness control member;
• selecting a size of the gap corresponding to said predetermined film thickness on the basis of said relation;
• and
• regulating the size of the gap at the selected value in a feedback control manner, said regulating step for the gap size including a direct measuring of an actual size of said gap at the opposite end portions of said pickup roll, said opposite end portions being separated from a mid portion of the pickup roll by paint drain grooves for protecting said opposite end portions from paint contamination.