Lubricant mist coating of metal sheet

A method of coating the top surface of a metal sheet with a lubricant, comprising the steps of:

• providing a spray header above a pass line for a metal sheet,
• said spray header including a plurality of nozzles inclined at an angle and aligned longitudinally relative to said pass line,
• providing a first metal sheet having a first width
• conditioning said nozzles to provide a first nozzle arrangement corresponding to said first width,
• passing said first metal sheet having said first width below said spray header,
• spraying a lubricant mist for predetermined intervals of time above said first sheet which settles by gravity onto said first sheet,
• engaging said first sheet with a distribution roller,
• said roller including an absorbent surface for transferring said lubricant between said roller and said first sheet,
• providing a second metal sheet having a second width,
• conditioning said nozzles to provide a second nozzle arrangement corresponding to said second width,
• passing said second metal sheet having said second width below said spray header,
• spraying said lubricant mist for predetermined intervals of time above said second sheet which settles by gravity onto said second sheet,
• and engaging said second sheet with said distribution roller,
• thereby forming a thin film of said lubricant having a uniform thickness across said sheets.

A method of coating the top surface of a metal sheet with a lubricant, comprising the steps of:

• providing a spray header above a pass line for a metal sheet,
• said spray header including a plurality of nozzles inclined at an angle and aligned longitudinally relative to said pass line,
• providing a first metal sheet having a first width,
• conditioning said nozzles to provide a first nozzle arrangement corresponding to said first width,
• passing said first metal sheet having said first width below said spray header,
• spraying a lubricant mist above said first sheet which settles by gravity onto said first sheet,
• said mist including a high viscosity lubricant dispersed as a discontinuous phase in a relatively low viscosity liquid,
• engaging said first sheet with a distribution roller,
• said roller including an abosorbent surface for transferring said lubricant between said roller and said first sheet,
• providing a second metal sheet having a second width,
• conditioning said nozzles to provide a second nozzle arrangement corresponding to said second width,
• passing said second sheet having said second width below said spray header,
• spraying said lubricant mist above said second sheet which settles by gravity onto said second sheet,
• engaging said second sheet with said distribution roller,
• thereby forming a thin film of said lubricant having a uniform thickness of less than about 70 mg/m.sup.2 across said sheets.

A method of coating the top surface of a metal sheet with a lubricant, comprising the steps of:

• providing a spray header above a pass line for a metal sheet,
• said spray header including a plurality of nozzles inclined at an angle and aligned longitudinally relative to said pass line,
• providing a first metal sheet having a first width,
• conditioning said nozzles to provide a first nozzle arrangement corresponding to said first width,
• passing said first metal sheet having said first width below said spray header,
• spraying a mist for predetermined intervals of time above said first sheet which settles by gravity onto said first sheet,
• said mist including a high viscosity lubricant dispersed as a discontinuous phase in a relatively low viscosity liquid,
• engaging said first sheet with a distribution roller,
• said roller including an absorbent surface for transferring said lubricant between said roller and said first sheet,
• providing a second metal sheet having a second width,
• conditioning said nozzles to provide a second nozzle arrangement corresponding to said second width,
• passing said second metal sheet having said second width below said spray header,
• spraying said lubricant mist for predetermined intervals of time above said second sheet which settles by gravity onto said second sheet,
• engaging said second sheet with said distribution roller,
• thereby forming a thin film of said lubricant having a uniform thickness of less than about 70 mg/m.sup.2 across said sheets.