U.S. patent number 3,767,510 [Application Number 05/192,945] was granted by the patent office on 1973-10-23 for laminating apparatus.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Matherson-Selig Co.. Invention is credited to Eric Gustafson, deceased.
United States Patent |
3,767,510 |
Gustafson, deceased |
October 23, 1973 |
LAMINATING APPARATUS
Abstract
Apparatus for laminating two or more strips of web material
which may have different flow characteristics to a web backing
element in abutting side by side relation. The laminating apparatus
includes a drive system for isolating the laminating section from
the takeup station and includes a tensionless web guide which
compensates for strips of material which may have been cut unevenly
and automatically guides them into a tight abutting relation.
Inventors: |
Gustafson, deceased; Eric (LATE
OF Chicago, IL) |
Assignee: |
Matherson-Selig Co. (Chicago,
IL)
|
Family
ID: |
22711671 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/192,945 |
Filed: |
October 27, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
156/494; 156/543;
156/544; 156/549; 156/324; 156/547; 156/555 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B32B
38/1808 (20130101); B32B 37/144 (20130101); B29C
66/1122 (20130101); B29C 66/435 (20130101); Y10T
156/1727 (20150115); Y10T 156/1715 (20150115); Y10T
156/1741 (20150115); Y10T 156/1722 (20150115); B29L
2009/00 (20130101); Y10T 156/1712 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
B29C
65/00 (20060101); B32B 37/14 (20060101); C09j
005/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;156/324,494,495,533,539,541,542,544,545,586,549,550,552,555,562 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Leavitt; Alfred L.
Assistant Examiner: Simmons; David A.
Claims
I claim:
1. Apparatus for laminating strip material to a backing element
comprising: a drive motor; a frame including means carrying a web
supply of said backing element and a web supply of said strip
material; a first pair of nip forming rollers journaled on said
frame; a second pair of nip forming rollers having outer surfaces
fabricated of resilient material journaled on said frame and
coupled to said motor; said second pair of nip forming rollers
controlling the rate of speed of said strip material and said
backing element; means applying adhesive to one one side of said
backing element; means forming a path along which said backing
element is trained past said adhesive applicator and through the
nips of each of said roller pairs; means guiding said strip
material through the nips of said first and second roller pairs
whereat the strip material is pressed against said backing element
and is laminated thereto; and motor driven take-up means for
receiving and rewinding the strip material laminated to the backing
element.
2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including additionally;
means forming a path for said strip material from the supply
through said guide means to the first roller pair and wherein said
guide means include a reference plane and fixed means continuously
urging the strip material in the direction of said reference
plane.
3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said guide means
further include a pin having a taper at one end extending in the
direction of said reference plane and located at a given distance
which is slightly larger than the nominal width of said strip
material; means for adjusting the given distance between said pin
and said reference plane, and wherein said strip material is drawn
against said taper and continuously urged against said reference
plane.
4. Laminating apparatus for laminating two or more webs of strip
material of differing thickness in side-by-side relation to a
backing element comprising: a frame: a first pair of nip forming
idler rollers having hard surfaces journaled on said frame; a
second pair of nip forming driving rollers having cushioned
operating surfaces journaled on said frame and coupled to a drive
motor; means for controlling the nip pressure of the idler rollers
and the driving rollers; an adhesive applying station for applying
adhesive to one side of said backing element; means defining a path
for said backing element from a supply thereof through said
adhesive applying station and through the nips of said idler
rollers and said cushioned driving rollers; means defining separate
paths for said strip materials from respective supplies thereof
through the nips of said idler rollers and said cushioned driving
rollers including means guiding said strip material in
substantially side-by-side relation with the edge of one strip
overlapping the adjacent edge of an adjacent strip; said idler
rollers pressing the strip material of greatest thickness against
the adhesive coated surface of said backing and said cushioned
rollers pressing each of said strips against the glue coated
surface of said backing material, whereby the pressure of said
idler rollers against said strip materials causes shifting of one
strip material on the backing relative to the other to effect
edge-to-edge contact of said strip materials.
5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 4 including additionally;
means for individually adjusting the nip pressure of each of said
roller pairs.
6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said strip
materials have substantial flow characteristics and wherein said
backing element has a relatively small flow characteristic,
including additionally; a motor driven take-up station for
rewinding the laminated material and wherein said driven cushioned
rollers control the rate of speed of said material and backing
element and isolate the tension of the strip materials and backing
element between the laminating section of the apparatus and the
take-up section thereof.
Description
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates in general to laminating apparatus and in
particular relates to apparatus for laminating two or more strips
of material having different flow characteristics to a backing
element which has very little tendency to stretch. More
particularly, this invention relates to apparatus for laminating
strips of material having substantial flow characteristics in
tight, abutting side by side relation to a backing element.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Charts or pamphlets on which samples of various materials are
mounted for comparison or for display to a customer are very
popular and are commonly used to facilitate the sale of many
products. Such charts may be employed in the automobile industry
for showing a potential customer the available choice of seat cover
materials, headliner materials and other interior coverings. Such
sample charts are also used in the fabric industry to show a
potential wholesale or retail buyer the choice of fabrics or
materials in which a sample of clothing or other articles may be
purchased.
In the manufacture of such charts it is, of course, desirable that
they be assembled or compiled automatically by machinery capable of
accommodating the samples which have previously been cut to a given
size and mounting them on the various charts or brochures as may be
desired.
Many of the sample patches of fabric or other material are air
permeable, while the apparatus for picking up the samples to mount
them on the chart often employs air or suction as the lifting
medium.
The serious problem of lifting and conveying samples of air
permeable materials by applying a suction or vacuum is clearly
pointed out and defined in U.S. Pat. No. 2,797,010 issued June 25,
1957 to Adolph P. Neer, entitled "Sample Chart and Method of
Fabricating the Same," said patent being assigned to the same
assignee as the subject application. In accordance with the
teaching of the Neer patent the problem is solved by attaching an
air impervious layer or backing to one surface of the fabric and
then applying the suction or vacuum to the impervious layer to
thereby pick up the air permeable fabric and place it in its proper
position on the chart.
Although the patent to Neer solved the problem of picking up
samples of air permeable fabric and materials, there still existed
the problem of attaching or otherwise securing the air impervious
layer to the air permeable fabric.
Fabric or other air permeable material is typically supplied to the
chart maker in strip form rolled into a coil from which the sample
swatches are then cut. Prior to this invention, when following the
teachings of Neer the strip material was manually glued to the air
impervious layer or backing. When performing this manual operation
it was extremely important to glue the strip material on the
backing very carefully so as to have a neat appearing product.
While this was difficult when laying only one strip on a backing
the difficulty increased multi-fold when laying two or more strips
on the same backing as is necessary when it is desirable to show
two or more coordinated colors or materials which a prospective
purchaser may wish to choose. For instance, in an automotive fabric
sample chart it is desirable to display to a prospective purchaser
a sample of the material which may be used to upholster the seat
and a coordinated material which may be used to cover the headliner
or other interior surfaces.
When displaying two or more coordinated materials it is desirable
to lay them on the backing in a tight, abutting, side by side
relation so that there are no loose threads or fuzzy edges exposed
to thereby give the color chart a neat, desirable appearance.
When, in the prior art such strips were manually laid on the
backing there was a high rejection rate due to the materials being
placed unevenly on the backing, which led to a great waste of both
material and labor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The normal difficulty of placing the strip material evenly on the
backing is increased due to the fact that various strip materials
have different flow characteristics and the backing typically had a
flow characteristic different than any of the strip materials. By
the term "flow characteristic" is meant that the different
materials stretch to different degrees when a given tension is
applied. The different flow characteristics can cause the material
to bunch, gather or warp after being glued to the backing if care
is not taken to eliminate all tension on the strip material as it
is being glued.
This invention obviates the above mentioned problems and
difficulties encountered in laying one or more strips of material
on a backing element, particularly when the strip materials have
flow characteristics which differ from one another and when the
flow characteristics of the strip materials differ from the flow
characteristics of the backing element. The invention also obviates
the problem of placing strip materials on a backing in a neat,
straight manner, and causes the material to be adhered more tightly
to the backing than was practical by the hand method.
In accordance with the invention, a laminating apparatus is
provided, including a supply for the backing material and separate
supplies for any number of strip materials. The backing element and
the strip materials are trained along independent paths to a point
whereat the strip materials are applied or laid on a surface of the
backing element which has previously been coated with an adhesive.
The strip material and backing are then trained through the nip
formed by a pair of smooth, hard surfaced laminating rollers which
combine the strip material having the greatest thickness, with the
backing element. From the laminating rollers the material and
backing are fed through the nip formed by a pair of cushioned
surfaced drive rollers which combined or press each of the strip
materials onto the backing element. The cushioned drive rollers are
driven by a variable speed motor which directly controls the rate
of speed of the laminating apparatus. The drive rollers also
isolate the combining or laminating portion of the apparatus from
the take-up station at which the laminated strip material and
backing element are re-wound.
The laminating apparatus also includes a novel guide station
located adjacent to the region whereat the strip materials are
applied to the backing element. The guide station includes means
for independently, tensionlessly, laterally guiding each of the
strips onto the backing element so that they are placed in a tight,
abutting, side-by-side relation.
In some instances the edge of one strip material may be placed on
the backing in slightly overlapping relationship to the edge of an
adjacent strip. The overlap is eliminated as the strip materials
pass through the nips of the hard, smooth surfaced laminating
rollers which tightlly squeeze the strip material and the backing
and cause the overlapping material to shift in a lateral direction
to form a tight, abutting edge seam.
Accordingly, the primary object of this invention is to provide
laminating apparatus for laminating strip material to a backing
element.
Another object of this invention is to provide laminating apparatus
for laminating two or more strip materials having different flow
characteristics to a backing element which has an entirely
different flow characteristic.
An additional object of this invention is to provide laminating
apparatus for laminating one or more strips of material in a
straight, uniform, neat appearing manner to a backing element.
Another object of this invention is to provide, in a laminating
machine guide means for compensating for slight tolerances in the
width of strip material being laminated to a backing element and to
tensionlessly guide said strip material so that adjacent edges
thereof are in tight, abutting relation.
It is a further object of this invention to provide apparatus for
laminating a first strip material having a thready or fuzzy edge
and second strip material which has a clean edge to a backing
element, so that the thready or fuzzy edge of the first material is
substantially covered by the clean edge of the second material.
Additional objects of this invention will become apparent to those
versed in the laminating art upon an understanding of the following
detailed description of the laminating apparatus of the invention
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which a
preferred embodiment of the invention is shown and wherein:
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the laminating apparatus of
the invention illustrating the major assemblies and components and
their positions relative to each other.
FIG. 2 is a slightly enlarged front elevational view of the
laminating apparatus of the invention with the front wall of the
frame removed, exposing and clearly illustrating the drive
train.
FIG. 3 is a greatly enlarged front elevational view of a portion of
the laminating apparatus showing in detail the path of the strip
materials through the guide station, the path of the backing
element through the gluing station, and the path of the strip
materials together with the backing element through the laminating
and drive rollers.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged top plan view of one strip material guide
element as viewed along lines 4--4 of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged left side elevational view of three guides
for guiding three strips of material in side by side relation
illustrating the cooperation between the guide elements and
illustrating the path of the strip materials therethrough, as seen
along line 5--5 of FIG. 3.
FIG. 6 is a greatly enlarged sectional elevational view of the
cushioned rollers and their cooperation with the strip materials
and backing element as seen along lines 6--6 of FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the laminating apparatus of
the invention comprises a main frame generally referred to by
reference numeral 10 and includes a supply station 12 of the
backing element web and supply stations 14, 16 and 18 of strip
materials in web form which are to be placed on the backing
element. The laminating apparatus also includes a take-up station
20 at which the laminated strip material and backing are rewound, a
glue or adhesive applying station 22, a guide station 24, a pair of
hard, smooth surfaced laminating rollers 26 and 28, a pair of
cushioned drive rollers 30 and 32 and a variable speed drive motor
34.
As best seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 in addition to FIG. 1, frame 10 is
fabricated of spaced apart rigid front and back walls 36 and 38
respectively which are fabricated from heavy plate steel. Many of
the various drivers and non-driven members including rollers,
shafts and mandrels are mounted in suitable bearings or journals
provided in both the front and back walls or are otherwise secured
to the walls to lend great stability to the construction. The
portion of the frame adjacent drive motor 23 and take-up station 20
is fabricated of angle iron for reduced weight.
To facilitate identification of the strips or webs of materials and
the backing element described in connection with this invention,
each will be referred to by a letter designation. In accordance
therewith, the backing element will be referred to by letter A, and
the strip materials carried at supply stations 16, 18 and 20 will
be referred to by letters B, C and D respectively.
The coiled supply of the backing element A is secured to a mandrel
40 journaled between side walls 36-38. Mandrel 40 includes an air
brake, not shown, which is actuated by an air brake control 37
(FIG. 2) in conjunction with an air cylinder 54 which comprises
part of a constant tension control to regulate and control the
tension under which the backing element is unwound from the
spool.
Backing element A is trained along a path which includes an idler
roller 42 journaled on a shaft 44 secured to frame 10. The element
is also trained beneath an idler roller 46 journaled on a shaft 48
which is carried at one end of a generally horizontal rocker arm 50
pivotally secured at 52 to the front surface of frame wall 38. The
opposite end of rocker arm 50 is coupled to the air cylinder 54.
Actuation of the air cylinder causes pivotal movement of arm 50 and
corresponding movement of roller 46. The interaction between the
air cylinder and air brake control 37 equalizes the tension of
backing element A as it is uncoiled from supply station 12.
Backing element A is subsequently trained over an idler roller 56
journaled at 58 to the frame 10 and then passes under a pair of
spaced apart rollers 60 and 62 located above the gluing station in
generally straddling relation thereto. As the backing element
passes over the gluing station the underside of the web engages the
surface of a rotating glue applicating roller 64 which, in a
well-known manner picks up glue or adhesive from a glue pot 66 and
applies it to the web. Conventional doctoring means (not shown)
cooperating with the roller are provided for adjusting and
controlling the amount of glue or adhesive applied to backing
A.
The backing is then trained against a guide 69 comprising a
stationary shaft 70 and a pair of guide rollers 71-71'. The backing
passes between the edges of the guide rollers which may be adjusted
inwardly or outwardly to afford lateral adjustment of the backing.
Backing A then continues over a large roller 72 journaled on a
shaft 74 at which point the strip material is laid onto the backing
element in a manner which will be described in greater detail
hereinafter.
Element A, along with the strip material which has been applied
thereto as will be described hereinafter, is then trained through
the nip formed by the pair of hard surfaced, smooth laminating
rollers 26-28 and the pair of soft, cushioned drive rollers 30-32
after which the laminated product is rewound at the take-up station
20.
Supply webs 14, 16 and 18 of strip materials B, C and D are
journaled on mandrels 80, 82 and 84 respectively. Each mandrel is
secured to frame 10. The core friction between the spools or coils
of each of these materials and their respective shafts may be
adjusted in any conventional manner so as to regulate the tension
at which the strip materials are uncoiled or unwound from their
respective supplies. This adjustment may be necessary due to the
fact that the strip materials typically have different flow
characteristics, that is, one of the materials may stretch more
than another of the materials and may stretch significantly more
than the backing element. Since it is desirable to maintain stretch
to a minimum, for certain materials the only tension applied is the
minimum core friction. In this connection it should be noted that
the backing element typically employed is paper or a very light
cardboard, although, other air impervious backing elements such as
light plastic may be used.
As best seen in FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 5 strip material B is trained
from supply 14, under a small idler roller 86 and through an upper
guide generally referred to by reference numeral 88 which comprises
a first stationery round bar 90, and a second stationary round bar
92 disposed a slight distance away from the first bar. Bars 90 and
92 each accommodate an outer guide block 94 having an inner surface
96 which defines a guide reference plane. Each bar also
accommodates an inner guide block 98. Guide block 98 includes an
opening which receives a pin 100 having a tapered end 102 which
extends into the open space between the two blocks.
As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 5 the path of strip material B passes
over shaft 90, under the tapered end 102 of pin 100, then under
shaft 92 after which the material is trained onto the glue coated
surface of backing element A and thence through the roller
nips.
By maintaining a slight tension on strip material B the upper side
of one edge engages the under side of tapered end 102 and the
cooperation between material B and the angle of the taper
continually urges the material along the taper and causes the
opposite edge of the material to engage and align with reference
plane 96. Thus, the material is constantly urged towards this plane
to compensate for varying tolerances of strip material.
Each of the other guides, namely, a center guide 104 for strip
material C and a lower guide 106 for strip material D are similarly
constructed.
Guides 88, 104 and 106 guide strip materials B, C and D in spite of
the fact that the materials pass through the guides with very
little tension applied thereto. A minimum of tension is important
because of the stretch or flow characteristics of the material. In
accordance with the invention, guiding with very little tension
applied to the strip material is accomplished due to the
cooperation of the stationary bars, the taper and the blocks which
define the lateral position of the strip material.
As clearly seen in FIG. 3, strip materials B, C and D each contact
backing element A at the surface of roller 72, however each of the
strip materials form different angles of contact with the backing
element. Specifically, it is clearly seen in FIG. 3 that strip D is
applied to backing element first, after which strip C is applied
and finally strip B is applied to the backing element.
Accordingly, in the event one of the strip materials was fabric
having a fuzzy edge or an edge containing loose threads, that strip
would be placed on supply spool 18 (designated as strip B) and it
would be laid on the backing element first with its fuzzy edge
positioned so that it would be covered by the edge of strip C which
would be guided so that it slightly overlapped strip B. Similarly,
if strip material C had a fuzzy edge or an edge with loose threads,
it would be laid down so that the edge containing the loose threads
would be covered by the edge of strip D which would then be guided
so that it slightly overlapped the fuzzy edge of strip C as will be
described hereinafter.
The position and relationship between strip material guides 88, 104
and 106 are shown in detail in FIG. 5 where it can be seen that
guide 106 urges material D in the direction of material C, that
guide 104 urges material C in the direction of material D, and that
guide 88 urges material B in the direction of material C.
Guides 88, 104 and 106 may each be laterally adjusted by loosening
binding screws 108 and sliding the blocks along their respective
bars. Fine adjustment of the blocks is effected by individual
micrometer controls such as control 110 of guide 88 shown in FIG.
4. By means of these controls the exact position of each strip
material on the backing element can be accurately controlled and
maintained.
Turning now to the nip forming operating rollers, as best seen in
FIG. 3 lower roller 28 is journaled on a fixed shaft 112 secured to
frame 10 while upper roller 26 is journaled on a shaft 113 secured
to one end of a swinging arm 114. The other end of arm 114 is
secured to the frame 10 on a pivot 116. As best seen in FIG. 2,
pivotal movement of arm 114 is controlled by actuation of an air
cylinder 118 through an air control valve 120 to thereby regulate
the nip pressure between rollers 26 and 28 and to separate the
rollers for threading the materials in a manner which will be
described in further detail hereinafter.
It will be recalled that the operating surfaces of rollers 26-28
are smooth and hard, accordingly the use of air pressure to
regulate nip pressure functions as a safety feature to prevent an
operator who may get his fingers caught in the apparatus from being
seriously injured.
Turning now to the second pair of nip forming rollers, upper roller
30 is journaled on a shaft 122 secured to one end of a swinging arm
124. The other end of arm 124 is pivotally secured to the frame at
126. Pivotal movement arm 124 is controlled by actuation of an air
cylinder 127 through a control valve 129 in a manner similar to
that described in connection with rollers 26-28. Rollers 30-32 are
covered with a soft, cushioned material having a durometer rating
of 40-45. The function and operation of rollers 26-28 and 30-32
will be described in greater detail hereinafter.
Turning now to the drive train, as best seen in FIG. 2 drive motor
34 is mounted on a base 131 located at the lower left portion of
the apparatus. Drive motor 34 is a DC variable speed motor and
includes an output sprocket 130 coupled by a link chain 132 to a
sprocket 134 carried on a main jack shaft 136 journaled to the
frame. Jack shaft 136 carries a second sprocket 138 which is
coupled by a link chain 140 to a sprocket 142 secured to a shaft
143 which is coupled to take-up spool 120 through a variable speed
air clutch, not shown, which enables regulation of the spool
take-up tension. Jack shaft 136 also has secured thereto a small
sprocket 144 which is coupled by a long generally horizontal link
chain 146 to a sprocket 150 secured to a secondary jack shaft 148
journaled between frame sides 36-38. Jack shaft 148 also includes a
small sprocket 152 which is connected through a chain 154 to a
sprocket 156 carried on a shaft 158 having an end which extends
through frame side 36. Glue applying roller 64 is secured to the
extending end of shaft 158. Proper tension is maintained on link
chain 154 by a spring loaded roller 160.
Secondary jack shaft 148 includes additionally an intermediate
sprocket 162 connected by a short link chain 164 to a sprocket 166
journaled between frame side walls 36-38.
Jack shaft 126 carries a control arm 170 having a control end 172.
The jack shaft is journaled through control arm 170 and is movable
independent thereto. Control arm 170 and swinging arm 124 form an
articulated support. Shaft 126 also includes a gear 176 which
meshingly engages a similar gear 178 carried on shaft 122 journaled
to swinging arm 124. Shaft 122 extends through the front of frame
wall 36 and carried upper cushioned roller 30.
The dual acting air controlled cylinder 127 is mounted on the frame
above control arm 170 and includes a piston actuated rod 184
connected by a link 186 to arm 170. Cylinder 182 is actuated in a
downwardly direction to regulate the nip pressure between cushioned
rollers 30-32. By use of air pressure to provide the nip pressure
between the rollers a safety feature is provided in that the nip
opening will yield upon the introduction into the nip of foreign
material such as the fingers or limbs of an operator. The air
cylinder also functions to lift roller 30 for proper set-up and
threading of the webs through the rollers.
The limit of the nip pressure is manually adjusted by a knob 190
and a threaded shaft 192 having an end which cooperates with
control end 172.
In a similar manner the nip pressure of smooth, hard rollers 26-28
is controlled by air cylinder 118 which includes a piston connected
to an actuating rod 196 coupled by a link 198 to an arm 200 which
is journaled on a shaft 116 secured between the frame side walls.
As described above, shaft 116 also carries arm 114 which carries
shaft 113 on which roller 26 is journaled. Arms 114 and 200 are
articulated in the same manner as described above in connection
with arms 124 and 170 and the nip pressure limit is manually
adjusted in a manner similar to that described above with respect
to rollers 30-32, by a manual adjustment 206.
As shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus of the invention also includes a
control panel 210 comprising a number of air gauges 212 and air
pressure regulator controls 214. An upper pair of pressure gauges
212 and regulators 214 are coupled by suitable air lines, not
shown, to dual acting air cylinder 127 for regulating the "up"
pressure and the nip pressure of rollers 26-28. In regulating the
nip pressure, the control regulates the amount of pressure at the
nip of rollers 26-28 thereby determining the pressure transferred
to the strip material of greatest thickness for laminating it to
the backing. The "up" pressure applied to the cylinder determines
how rapidly roller 26 disengages from roller 28. After setting the
proper up and down pressures, the up and down movement of the
roller may then be controlled by the two way air valve 129 which is
coupled by suitable air conduits to air cylinder 127.
Similarly, a set of gauges 218 and accompanying regulators 220
function to regulate the nip pressure and "up" pressure of
cushioned roller 30 against cushioned roller 32 through air
cylinder 118 and two way air control valve 120. In addition, gauge
224 and accompanying regualtor 226 may be adjusted to control the
unwind tension of the backing element supply 12 and a similar
pressure gauge 228 and regulator 230 are provided for controlling
the take-up tension of rewind or take-up spool 20.
Operationally, the strip material and backing element are threaded
through the machine along the path shown in FIG. 1 by raising
rollers 26 and 30 through actuation of air control valves 120 and
127 respectively. The backing element is then first threaded
through the machine and onto the take-up spool after which the
strip materials are threaded through their respective guides and
past the respective pressure rollers which are then lowered into
place by operation of the air valves. When placing the supplies of
strip materials B, C and D on the machine the material which it is
desired to lay down first on the backing element should be placed
on supply spindle 84, the material which it is desired to lay down
second should be placed on supply spindle 82 and the material which
it is desired to lay down last should be placed on supply spindle
80. The sequence in which the materials are laid on the backing
element is clearly shown in FIG. 3 wherein it may be clearly seen
that the angle between material D and the backing element A is
substantially less than the angle between material C and backing
element A. Similarly, the angle between material B and the backing
element is substantially greater than either of the angles just
noted.
Accordingly, should it be desired to laminate a material having a
thready or loose edge, that material is placed on spindle 84 with
the loose edge inward of the apparatus so that it is laid on the
backing element first. In this manner, as seen in FIG. 6, the strip
material C which is laid down second can be laid so that its edge
adjacent the thready edge of material D slightly overlaps the
thready edge thereby covering any threads which would be otherwise
exposed. Similarly, in the event material C contained an edge which
is thready or loose that edge should be placed inwardly of the
apparatus so that material B can be laid slightly overlapping
it.
As the strip materials and backing element pass through the nip of
rollers 26-28 the nip pressure of the roller acts primarily on the
material having the greatest thickness, to firmly press that
material against the adhesive coating previously applied to backing
element A. In so pressing the material against the coating of
backing A, the overlapping edge of material B is firmly pressed
against the adjacent, thready edge of material C to cover that edge
and present a product having a desirable appearance.
After passing through the nip of rollers 26-28 the material then
passes through the nip of cushioned rollers 30-32. These rollers
further compress the strip material B and also, due to the soft
cushioned covering, firmly engage strip materials C and D to firmly
press those materials against the adhesive coated backing element.
In so compressing the materials, since the adhesive applied to
backing material A has not fully dried, the strip material may
shift along the adhesive coating of the backing element so that the
strip materials are firmly pressed into place with the adjacent
edges in abutting relationship.
In the disclosed embodiment, a backing element of given width is
shown with three strip materials laid thereon. It should be noted
that the machine may be used with two strip materials, or,
alternatively additional guides and material supplies may be added
so as to enable the lamination of four or more segments of strip
material onto a backing element of sufficient width.
The location at which the strip material is laid on the backing
element may be accurately adjusted by means of micrometer
adjustments similar to adjustment 110 of guide 88. Similar
adjustments are provided for guides 102 and 104. By means of these
micrometer controls the exact amount of overlap may be accurately
set.
An important aspect of the invention is the adaptability of the
apparatus to guide materials which have substantial flow
characteristics and at the same time guide the material upon which
the flowable materials are being laminated but which in itself does
not readily flow. In this connection it should be noted that the
strip materials B, C and D are substantially tensionlessly guided,
and depend upon the core friction against the mandrel as the sole
tension. On the other hand, a definite tension is placed on the
backing element.
Also, it is important to note the function of the rubber drive
rollers. It is these rollers which maintain and control the
laminating speed of the apparatus. Due to their cushioned surfaces,
these rollers isolate or separate the tension of the rewind or
take-up spool from that of the laminating section of the apparatus,
thereby enabling lamination of strip materials and a backing
element, each of which have different flow characteristics.
It is obvious that upon study by those skilled in the art, the
disclosed invention may be altered or modified both in physical
appearance and construction without departing from its inventive
concept. Therefore, the scope of protection to be given this
invention should not be limited by The embodiment described above,
but should be determined by the essential descriptions thereof
which appear in the appended claims.
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