Method of plating metal sheets by passing the sheet upwards in close proximity to an upwardly directed nozzle

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIGS.
1 and 2 illustrate embodiments in which a plating method is applied to a continuously plating process of a steel strip.
The reference numeral 1 desigantes a plating metal supplying device; 2 is a plating metal; and 3 is a steel strip plated to be passed.
The plating metal supplying device 1 includes a guide member 4 for guiding upwards themetal material 2 of a solidus (sheet shape in this embodiment).
The guide member 4 has an upwardly-directed discharge nozzle 5 at its top end (upper end) for discharging the molten plating metal.
The guide member 4 is composed of a cylindrical body oblong in section in this embodiment.
The top end of the guide member 4 is provided with a heat melting means comprising a heating member 6 (a heater or the like) for melting a plating metal.
The plating metal supplying device 1 has a feed mechanism (not illustrated) comprising a feed roller or a cylinder unit for feeding the solidus plating metal 2 to the discharging nozzle.
The steel strip 3 passes upwards in close proximity to one side edge 51 of the upwardly-directed discharge nozzle 5 with respect to the plating metal supply device 1.
On the other hand the solidus plating metal 2 is successively fed towards the discharge nozzle within the supply device 1.
Subsequently, the materials 2 are molten in due order from the top ends thereof just before a port of the discharge nozzle, and discharged from the discharge nozzle 5.
The dischargeed molten plating metal (A) forms a pool of a liquid metal 8 at a corner 7 defined by a tip of the discharge nozzle and a surface of the steel strip.
The molten plating metal (A) of the pool 8 is adhered so as to be upheaved by the steel strip 3 moving upwardly, thus forming a plating film 9.
A gap between the side edge 51 of the discharge nozzle and the steel strip 3 is to be narrowed down to the strip so that the molten metal (A) of the pool 8 does not drop down from the gap.
If the gap is excessively small, however, the nozzle will impinge upon the steel strip