Method and apparatus for electro-depositing a metal or alloy coating onto one or both sides of a metal strip

An apparatus for electro-depositing a material on at least one side of a metal strip that is conveyed past the apparatus, comprising:

• at least one casing comprising:
• a first container section, adapted to store under pressure a liquid including the material;
• a second container section in communication with the first container section and adapted to receive a portion of the liquid from the first container section and store the portion of the liquid unpressurized;
• and
• a panel comprising:
• an active portion adapted to be electrically polarized at a first polarity;
• at least one first outlet which is in communication with the first container section and which is adaptable to output at least a portion of the liquid stored under pressure in the first container section in a direction toward the metal strip when the metal strip is conveyed past the panel;
• and
• at least one second outlet which is in communication with the second container section and which is adaptable to output at least a portion of the liquid stored in the second container section in a direction toward the metal strip when the metal strip is conveyed past the panel;
• and
• wherein the panel is divided into a plurality of sections which are adjacent to each other in a direction transverse to the direction in which the strip is conveyed past the panel, and wherein the at least one first and second outlets are disposed in the section which is in a middle of the panel.

A method for electro-depositing a material on at least one side of a metal strip that is conveyed past at least one casing comprising first and second container sections and a panel having at least one first outlet therein and at least one second outlet therein, comprising the steps of:

• storing under pressure a liquid including the material in the first container section;
• passing a portion of the liquid stored in the first container section into the second container section, and storing the portion of the liquid unpressurized in the second container section;
• conveying the metal strip past the panel;
• ejecting under pressure the liquid stored in the first container section through the at least one first outlet in a direction toward the strip;
• ejecting the portion of the liquid stored in the second container section through the at least one second outlet in a direction toward the strip;
• and
• adjustably controlling flow rate of the liquid between the first and second container sections to maintain a desired pressure in the first container section.

An apparatus for electro-depositing a material on at least one side of a metal strip that is conveyed past the apparatus, comprising:

• at least one casing comprising:
• a first container section, adapted to store under pressure a liquid including the material;
• a second container section in communication with the first container section and adapted to receive a portion of the liquid from the first container section and store the portion of the liquid unpressurized;
• and
• a panel comprising:
• an active portion adapted to be electrically polarized at a first polarity;
• at least one first outlet which is in direct communication with the first container section without communicating with the second container section, and which is adaptable to output at least a portion of the liquid stored under pressure in the first container section in a direction toward the metal strip when the metal strip is conveyed past the panel;
• and
• at least one second outlet which is in direct communication with the second container section without communicating with the first container section, and which is adaptable to output at least a portion of the liquid stored in the second container section in a direction toward the metal strip when the metal strip is conveyed past the panel.

A method for electro-depositing a material on at least one side of a metal strip that is conveyed past at least one casing comprising first and second container sections and a panel having at least one first outlet therein in communication with the first container section and at least one second outlet therein in communication with the second container section, comprising the steps of:

• storing under pressure a liquid including the material in the first container section;
• passing a portion of the liquid stored in the first container section into the second container section, and storing the portion of the liquid unpressurized in the second container section;
• conveying the metal strip past the panel;
• ejecting under pressure the liquid stored in the first container section through the at least one first outlet without passing through the second container section in a direction toward the strip;
• and
• ejecting the portion of the liquid stored in the second container section through the at least one second outlet without passing through the first container section in a direction toward the strip.