Method and apparatus for coating articles

A method for coating exterior surfaces of rows of heated glass containers exiting continuously from a lehr at a controlled temperature on a lehr conveyor, comprising the steps of:

• (i) gripping each row of containers in succession at an upper region thereof;
• (ii) picking the row of gripped containers up form the lehr conveyor so as to hold the containers in upright stable suspension;
• (iii) conveying the gripped row of containers along a coating path located above the lehr conveyor so that the containers are arranged in a non-contact relationship with one another;
• (iv) dipping the row of containers being conveyed at least partially into a bath of ultraviolet light radiation curable liquid coating material so as to apply a coating of the coating material to exterior surfaces of the containers;
• (v) withdrawing the row of containers with the applied locating from the bath of liquid coating material;
• (vi) thermally aging the applied coating while continuing the convey the coated containers along the coating path;
• (vii) subjecting the coated containers being conveyed along the coating path to irradiation with ultraviolet light radiation so as to cure the coating, the containers being maintained in upright stable suspension throughout irradiation thereof;
• (viii) repositioning the gripped row of coated containers onto the lehr conveyor downstream from where the containers were picked up;
• (ix) releasing the grip on the row of coated containers to return the containers to the lehr conveyor;
• (x) said containers being conveyed continuously along the conveying path during steps iv, vi, and vii;
• and
• (xi) following withdrawal of the rows of containers from the bath of liquid coating material, tilting the suspended containers at an angle so as to cause any excess coating material to concentrate in a drip formation at a heel region of the containers, and the drip formation are blown from the containers with a gas blast.