Patent ID: 6986814

Claim:
An apparatus for vapor coating of articles with a metallic coating, which comprises: (1) a coating container having a base, a top spaced from the base, and a side wall connecting the top and the base; (2) a gas distributor comprising: (a) a gas inlet; (b) a gas outlet head in communication with the gas inlet for receiving a flow of gas from the gas inlet and having a peripheral surface; (c) a plurality of gas outlets spaced along the peripheral surface, the gas flow exiting as a gas stream from each gas outlet; (d) a plurality of gas deflectors, each deflector being proximate to one of the gas outlets and at least initially directing the gas stream exiting the gas outlet in at least a generally centripetal path (3) at least one holder for each article to be coated positioned within the coating container and below the gas outlet head of the gas distributor; (4) at least one holder for a source of the metallic coating positioned within the coating container and below the gas outlet head of the gas distributor.