Apparatus for distribution of particles on paper, process for providing paper with particles and particle coated paper

Process for providing the surface of a decor paper or an overlay paper for an abrasion resistant laminate with an even layer of particles consisting of aluminum oxide, silicon carbide and, said process comprising impregnating a continuously fed web of said paper with a liquid thermosetting resin composition and having the surface of the paper wetted with said resin, coating at least one side of the paper web with 2-20 g/m2 of the particles so that the particles are evenly distributed over the surface of resin on the paper web, the small hard particles having an average particle size of 20-150 μm and being selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, silica and silicon carbide, then drying the resin with the particles coated thereon, the particles being applied by means of an apparatus including a feed hopper containing the particles, the hopper having an outlet extending transversely of said fed paper web, a rotating doctor roll placed under the feed hopper and being in communication with said outlet for reception of said particles therefrom, said doctor roll being spaced from and in substantially parallel relation to said paper web fed under the doctor roll, and a means for releasing the hard particles from the doctor roll and distributing them evenly on the fed paper web, wherein the particles are released by a means comprising an electrode arrangement placed between the feed hopper and a downwardly directed vertical tangent of the doctor roll, the electrode arrangement is enclosed by a casing provided with a downwardly directed sliding plate, whereby the particles are lifted from the doctor roll and fluidized by means of an electric field between the electrode arrangement and the doctor roll resulting in an even distribution of particles falling down on the paper web continuously fed under the doctor roll.