Apparatus for spray coating a continuously advancing article

An apparatus for coating a continuously advancing article, comprising:

• a housing defining a spray chamber having an inlet end and an outlet end, wall means within the spray chamber forming an inlet buffer zone adjacent the inlet end, wall means within the spray chamber forming an outlet buffer zone adjacent the outlet end, with a spraying zone between and separate from the inlet and outlet buffer zones whereby the respective wall means form barriers between the spraying zone and the respective inlet and outlet buffer zones;
• conveying means for transporting articles to be coated through the spray chamber from the inlet to the outlet ends thereof;
• and
• a plurality of spray guns mounted on the housing in an array about the spraying zone to substantially surround an article on the conveying means transported through the spray chamber, the spray guns being adapted for spraying up to a 100% solids ultraviolet curable coating composition, substantially the entirety of the spray guns being located outside the spray chamber with substantially only nozzle portions of the spray guns being located inside the spray chamber thereby reducing the size of the spraying zone.