Method for removing liquid edge bead

A method for removing liquid edge bead from the side marginal edges of a moving web which comprises:

• (a) providing a moving web having a top surface, a bottom surface, and two side marginal edges, the;
• (b) providing two or more pairs of manifolds, one pair of manifolds being arranged at one side marginal edge of the web, while the other pair of manifolds being arranged on the other side marginal edge of the web in an opposing relationship, each pair of manifolds consisting of a top and a bottom manifold, the top manifold being positioned above the surface of the moving web, while the bottom manifold being positioned below the surface of the moving web, the manifolds being capable of discharging a gas curtain onto the top and bottom surfaces of the moving web, approximately normal to the plane of the web, in each pair of manifolds the top and bottom manifolds being arranged in a substantially parallel relationship and also located substantially equidistant from the top and bottom of the moving web, each pair of manifolds being positioned parallel to each other and to the top and bottom surfaces of the moving web and rotated to an angle from about 10.degree. to about 80.degree. relative to the side marginal edges of the moving web, the individual manifolds extending beyond the side edges of the moving web;
• (c) introducing compressed gas to the manifolds to produce a gas curtain from each manifold approximately normal to the plane of the web, which curtains then impinge on the top and bottom surfaces of the moving web so that at least a portion of each gas curtain is deflected towards the side edges and the deflected gas curtains, in combination with the portion of gas curtains produced by those sections of the manifolds which extend beyond the side edges of the moving web, collide with each other and create turbulence at the side marginal edges of the moving web;
• (d) using the turbulence to dislocate and remove the liquid edge bead from the side marginal edges of the web;
• and
• (e) recovering the moving web substantially free of the liquid edge bead.