Hot air apparatus for glossing sheets

An apparatus for glossing a sheet having a thermoplastic resin on the surface thereof, said thermoplastic resin being capable of forming a film which imparts gloss upon the application of heat, comprising:

• sheet supporting means;
• sheet feeding means for feeding said sheet onto said supporting means, passing said sheet along said supporting means, and removing said sheet from said supporting means, thereby defining a sheet feeding path, wherein the resin side of said sheet is away from said sheet supporting means;
• a housing mounted above said supporting means;
• a heating element mounted within said housing;
• a blower mounted for blowing air through said heating element to generate hot air which is blown onto said sheet;
• said housing defining an open lower end adjacent said supporting means;
• a first baffle mounted within said housing for directing air flow from said blower through said heating element and toward said open end;
• a second baffle mounted at a lower portion of said housing to extend over and parallel to said feeding path, said second baffle closing a portion of said open end and terminating so as to define an opening at a lower portion of said housing;
• said first baffle further terminating at a lower end remote from said second baffle, whereby said first baffle further defines a recirculation path from said opening to said blower, and said second baffle provides a shield for a sheet moved by said feeding means past said opening.