| abstract |
A process and apparatus for the gelatin coating of medicaments which includes a continuous conveyer system to advance a plurality of pallets through a loading station, at least one dipping station, at least one dryer station, a reorientation station and an unloading station. Medicaments to be coated are loaded into pallets at the loading station and advanced to the first dipping station where a vacuum is applied to secure the medicament to the pallet. The pallet is inverted and a first portion of each of the medicaments is dipped into a coating mixture. The pallet is then returned to its upright position, the vacuum is removed and the coating is dried. The medicaments are then transferred from the first pallet to a second pallet by a reorientation mechanism. The second pallet is then advanced to a second dipping station which operates in the same manner as the first dipping station. The second pallet is advanced through the dryer station and the fully coated medicaments are ejected from the pallet into a container. The pallets used to hold the medicaments include a plate-like support member, on which rests a flexible mat having a rectangular array of receptacles including compliant diaphragm portions such that when a vacuum is applied to the pallet, the medicaments are secured thereto. The drying means includes air directing plates having sinusoidal rows of air directing apertures under which the medicaments to be dried are passed. |