Process for coating the surface of elongated materials

A device for coating the surface of an elongated material with a metallic coating, comprising:

• (a) a coating tank containing a molten coating material bath, the coating tank being divided into an inner vessel having a base and an outer vessel provided so as to at least partially enclose the inner vessel, the outer vessel having walls that are higher than those of the inner vessel;
• (b) a through-duct arranged at the base of the coating tank below the surface of the molten material;
• (c) means for generating an electromagnetic force in a region where the through-duct opens into the molten material, said electromagnetic force being at least equal to the weight of the molten material and directed oppositely thereto and quantitively proportional to the product of the cross-sectional area of the through-duct opening and the metallostatic pressure to prevent the molten material from flowing out the through-duct;
• (d) a pre-melt tank associated with the coating tank and also containing a molten material bath, the coating tank enclosing a volume that is substantially smaller than a volume enclosed by the pre-melt tank;
• and
• (e) means for connecting together the coating tank and the pre-melt tank and for adjusting the melt bath level in the coating tank by transferring the molten material back and forth between the tanks, the connecting means including duct means for separately connecting the outer vessel and the inner vessel to the pre-melt tank for passage of the molten coating material.