Patent ID: 7322311

Claim:
A system for continuously coating cores of gum material comprising: a mixer for breaking up sheets of gum material into individual cores of gum material; first conveyor mechanism for continuously transporting said cores of gum material from said mixer to a first elongated rotating drum member, said first drum member having a first end and a second end, and said first drum member being tilted at an angle relative to horizontal; said cores of gum material being continuously introduced into said first drum member at said first end and being removed from said first drum member at said second end, a plurality of nozzles positioned in said first drum member for applying coating materials on said cores of gum material in said first drum member as said cores of gum material proceed through said first drum member from said first end to said second end; first supply of heated air, said air having a first temperature and being introduced transmurally into said first drum member in order to dry the coating materials as they are applied to the cores of gum material; wherein said cores of material are processed in said first drum member on a first in-first out basis; second conveyor mechanism for continuously transporting said cores of gum material from said first rotating drum member to a second elongated rotating drum member in series with the drum member, said second drum member having a first end and a second end, and said second drum member being tilted at an angle relative to horizontal; said cores of gum material-being continuously introduced into said second drum member at said first end and being removed from said second drum member at said second end, a plurality of nozzles positioned in said second drum member for applying coating materials on said cores of gum material in said second drum member as said cores of gum material proceed through said second drum member from said first end to said second end; a second supply of heated air, said air having a second temperature and being introduced transmuraly into said second drum member in order to dry the coating materials as they are applied to the cores of gum material, said second temperature being higher than said first temperature; and at last one computer processor for controlling one or more of the following: air temperature in said first drum member and said second drum members; tilting angle of said first drum member and said second drum member; rotational speed of said first drum member and said second drum members; said plurality of nozzles; and air flow speed; and wherein said cores of material are processed in said second drum member on a first in-first out basis.