PURPOSE: To let holding power be most effectively acted upon a strip by making the spacings between the plural non-contact holding means installed along the transfer line of the strip and the strip subsequently larger as they go away from the stationary supporting points.
CONSTITUTION: In the case of applying the foregoing non-contact holding means to continuous melt plating equipment, a strip 3 is passed in a plating bath 2 and is pulled up in the arrow direction at a constant speed and tension between the two stationary support points of sink rolls and top rolls. Fluid pads 7 are provided mutually opposedly so as to sandwich the transfer line of the strip 3 in the position above the gas wiping nozzles 5 closer to the sink rolls. The pads 7 are constituted by three sets of pads 7a, 7b, 7c by leaving spacings along the moving direction of the strip 7 and the spacings l1, l2, l3 between these three sets of the pads and the strip 3 are made l3>l2>l1 so that they become smallest on the stationary support side and become subsequently larger as they go away from the stationary support points. Even if the vibrations or warpages of the strip 3 during its movimg are caused, these are corrected within the permissible range.
NONAKA KOUSHIROU
SHIMOKAWA YASUO
SHIRATO SHIYOUJI
