a liquid dispenser and contact applicator having an applicator member which in a preferably comprises at least one roller for contacting advancing workpieces and applying liquid to surfaces thereof as they pass . a cyclically repeatable volumetric displacement pump accurately meters predetermined quantities of the liquid from a source to a dispensing tube extending axially along the applicator member , and applies pressure to the liquid within the dispensing tube so as to periodically and repeatedly expel metered quantities of the liquid out of the dispensing tube as a spray , into the hollow interior confines of roller type applicator members . the roller of such applicators is highly perforate in nature to conduct the liquid through its sidewall and into a compressible outer cover through which the liquid passes to be present at the outer surface , for application thereby to the advancing workpieces . in preferred embodiments , the metering pump is a reciprocating plunger device which extends through a metering chamber or orifice , for accurately repetitive precise metering of discrete quantities of the liquid , and the roller includes a supportive tubular inner shell of a highly perforate nature , with a cover comprised of resilient open - celled polymeric foam , self - wicking felt or fiber , etc .