referring now to the drawings and particularly to fig1 there is shown an applicator device in accordance with the invention , generally identified with 10 . the applicator device 10 serves to apply a coating medium 12 to the surface 14 a of a material web 14 which , in the area of the applicator unit 10 is led around a support roll 16 . as a result of rotation of the support roll 16 , the material web 14 travels past the applicator device 10 , in the direction of arrow l . the applicator device 10 includes a spray nozzle 18 which releases the coating medium 12 in atomized form , that is , in the form of coating medium droplets and / or particles 12 a , to the material web 14 . the droplets and / or particles 12 a making contact with the material web surface 14 a , flow and form a coating layer 20 on the material web surface 14 a . in the embodiment of the invention according to fig1 the spray nozzle 18 is located in a chamber 22 , which is enclosed by a housing 24 . the housing 24 is open toward the support roll 16 and is located from it at a small distance such that the material web 14 enters the area b of chamber 22 without making contact and also exits this area b complete with coating layer 20 without making contact . however , the distance is small enough that it is ensured at the same time that the atmosphere in chamber 22 cannot escape from this chamber 22 . steam 28 is supplied to the chamber 22 through a supply line 26 , as is shown in fig1 by arrow z . this steam 28 creates a moist atmosphere in chamber 22 which prevents drying out of the droplets and / or particles 12 a on their journey from the spray nozzle 18 to the material web 14 . this maintains a low viscosity of the coating medium 12 , which is desirable for the formation of the coating layer 20 , so that the droplets and / or particles 12 a flow well after making contact with the material web surface 14 a , thereby enabling them to form a coating layer 20 with a smooth surface . beyond that , a part of the steam 28 precipitates on the material web 14 or the coating layer 20 , thereby further aiding the flowability of the coating medium 12 . this additional moistening of the material web 14 or the coating layer 20 can easily be tolerated , since material web 14 and / or coating layer 20 must be dried in any case following the coating process in the applicator device 10 . the drying is necessary due to residual water that is in the material web 14 from the manufacturing process and / or the water serving as carrier liquid for the coating medium 12 . an amount of steam 28 must be supplied to the chamber 22 through supply line 26 which is consistent with that which has escaped from the chamber 22 , due to condensation on the material web 14 and / or the coating layer 20 and due to the carry - along effects on the surface of the coating layer 20 . the steam atmosphere prevailing in chamber 22 is therefore relatively stable . it specifically does not affect the spray jet of coating medium 12 emitted from spray nozzle 18 through turbulence , so that , moreover , the coating layer 20 is relatively uniform . in addition , the coating medium 12 can be applied by the spray nozzle 18 without , or substantially without , excess to the material web 14 ( 1 : 1 application ). thus , only leveling , not metering , of the coating layer 20 is necessary following the applicator device 10 , viewed in flow direction l . the coating medium 12 is supplied to the spray nozzle 18 through a supply line which connects to the longitudinal ends of spray nozzle 18 , which are located in front or at the back of the plane of projection , viewed in cross direction q of the arrangement . in addition , the housing 24 is equipped with an outlet line 30 at its lower end through which coating medium 12 which inadvertently does not reach the material web 14 and which has deposited itself on the walls of the housing 24 , can be discharged from the chamber 22 ( direction of arrow a ). spray nozzle 18 is a single substance spray nozzle which atomizes the coating medium , for example through ultra sound . fig2 illustrates another variation of the applicator device , according to the invention which , particularly in its operation , is consistent with the design form in fig1 . therefore , the same components in fig2 are identified with the same reference numbers as in fig1 but increased by 100 . further , the embodiment according to fig2 will be described only in as far as it differs from the embodiment illustrated in fig1 and to the description of which we expressly refer . the major difference of the applicator device 110 according to fig2 compared to the applicator device 10 in fig1 is that instead of a single substance spray nozzle 18 , a two - substance spray nozzle 118 is utilized for spraying the coating medium 112 . the coating medium 112 is ejected at an outlet opening 118 a of the spray nozzle 118 where it is captured by the water steam 128 which is supplied through supply line 126 , atomized and guided to the surface 114 a of the material web 114 which is guided around roll 116 , where it precipitates in the form of coating layer 120 . maintenance of the moisture in the atomized coating medium droplets or particles 112 a is ensured by the atomizing medium , that is , the steam 128 , without the spray nozzle 118 being enclosed by a steam chest similar to housing 24 in fig1 . however , this does not preclude such a steam chest additionally being provided for the applicator device 110 illustrated in fig2 especially in order to achieve a certain moisture level of material web 114 and the coating layer 120 . as a further measure in improving the coating result in the arrangement illustrated in fig2 specifically when covering the material web 114 with the coating medium 112 , a steam blower 132 is provided prior to the spray nozzle 118 , viewed in flow direction l . steam blower 132 is set at an acute angle against the surface 114 a of material web 114 , in opposite direction to the direction of rotation l of roll 116 , similar to how a blade would be . the steam blower 132 blasts a steam jet 134 , which “ scrapes off ” an air boundary layer 136 from the material web surface 114 a which otherwise may impede coating of the material web 114 with the coating medium 112 . naturally , such a steam blower 132 may also be provided in the arrangement according to fig1 . although according to fig2 the spray nozzle 118 is illustrated in a rough schematic as a two - substance spray nozzle operating according to the external mixing principle , two - substance spray nozzles operating according to the internal mixing principle may also be utilized according to the invention , as shown by spray nozzle 138 ( fig4 ). fig3 illustrates a further embodiment of the applicator device according to the invention , which essentially is consistent with the embodiment in fig1 . therefore , the same reference numbers are used in fig3 for the same components as in fig2 but are increased by an increment of 100 , that is , compared with fig2 increased by 200 . also , the embodiment according to fig3 will only be described in as far as it differs from the embodiment illustrated in fig2 the description of which we otherwise expressly refer to . in the applicator device 210 illustrated in fig3 a rotary spray nozzle 218 is utilized for coating of surface 214 a of the material web 214 which is guided around the roll 216 , instead of the two - substance spray nozzle which operates with steam atomization . the rotary spray nozzle 218 includes a spray disk 240 which is driven by motor 242 and rotates at high speed . the rotary spray element 240 is supplied via a supply line 244 with coating medium 212 which is being thrown radially toward the outside due to centrifugal forces , thereby being atomized . after the coating medium droplets 212 a have left the spray element 240 , they are picked up by a steam jet which is emitted in ring form around the spray element 240 and are diverted to the material web surface 214 a where they deposit themselves in the coating layer 220 . diversion of the radially thrown droplets and / or particles 212 a may also be achieved with the assistance of electrostatic forces . in fig3 this is suggested in that the spray nozzle 218 is connected with a high voltage source via a connection 246 , while the roll 216 is connected to ground potential . this enables the droplets and / or particles 212 a to be electrically charged during spraying and to be drawn to the material web surface 214 a by the potential differential between nozzle 218 and roll 216 . regarding the avoidance of drying out of the droplets 212 a and / or their back moistening , reference is made to the relevant explanations , in their entirety , relating to the arrangement illustrated in fig2 . furthermore , the spray nozzle 218 in fig3 may also be located in a steam box , similarly to fig1 . finally , it is also feasible to remove the air boundary layer that is carried along by the material web 214 from the material web surface 214 a , prior to the rotary spray nozzle 218 , when viewed in flow direction l . the fact that the coating medium according to the invention is supplied to the material web in a back - moistening and / or moistening atmosphere , thereby maintaining its flowability characteristics , has the further advantage of reducing the risk of caking of coating medium at the nozzle opening and the chamber walls . the device of the current invention , therefore , may be operated for long periods between subsequent maintenances and the down times required to carry out such maintenance are short . with the coating method and / or the applicator device of the current invention , solid , powdery coating mediums can also be converted . it is the function of the steam to supply sufficient moisture to the atomized powder granules and the material web surface that the coating medium can flow to the desired extent after making contact with the material web . although the coating medium is applied directly to the material web in all three previously discussed design forms , it is also feasible for the coating medium to be applied to the surface of a transfer roll which then transfers the coating layer to the material web . in addition to water , other mediums , for example toluol , are also suitable for the creation of a back - moistening and / or moistening atmosphere . while this invention has been described as having a preferred design , the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure . this application is therefore intended to cover any variations , uses , or adaptations of the invention using its general principles . further , this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims .