APPARATUS FOR THE APPLICATION OF SURFACING MATERIAL ON SURFACES IN THE AREA OF EDGES OR CORNERS OF SUPPORT ELEMENTS

Abstract: Apparatus for applying a surfacing sheet such as a plastic sheet, veneer or the like to an optionally radiused edge of a panel, or to a column or the like, in which an applicator bar which is, optionally heated and is preferably flat, is urged against the surfacing sheet to press it onto the surface of the panel column or the like. Means are provided for ensuring that lateral movement of the applicator bar takes place relative to the panel or column to stretch and smooth the surfacing sheet onto the surface of the panel or column. The applicator bar is preferably carried on an arm arrangement held between two spaced rotatable end supports and the biasing is carried out by a number of spaced pneumatic or hydraulic piston and cylinder assemblies acting transverse to the arm arrange­ ment. The biasing means is preferably carried on a frame member carried by the rotatable end supports.

Description: APPLICATION OF SURFACING SHEETS TO SUPPORT MEMBERS THEREFOR FIELD OF INVENTION THIS INVENTION relates to tbe application of surfacing sheets to support members such as panels, columns and tfle like and, more particularly, but not exclusively, to panels of the nature of a door or a desk top. Numerous different sheet materials are desiraDly secured to the surfaces of doors, desk tops or other panels or columns witfl the object of providing a pleasing and durable appearance. In particular, but witflout detracting from tne scope of this invention, tfle application of nard wearing attractive plastic sheets to tne surfaces of carrier members, for example itiade of composition board or chip board, block board or the like, is highly desirable. In other instances where the surfacing sheet is simply selected to provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance, such as in the case of wood veneers, heat activated adhesive are often pre-applied to the surfacing sheet so that they can be secured to the substrata witn tne aid of heat and pressure. In some ether cases neat is not even necessary. lt is the object of tflis invention to provide apparatus whicn will enable tne aDove described operation, whether or not heating is required, to be carried out more effectively and in a männer in which tne sheet material is applied more positively to tfle surface of a carrier member around a usually, not not necessarily radiused corner or edge. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with trilE invention there is provided apparatur for applying sheet material around an edge or corner of a carrier member, said apparatus comprising a frame, a support arranyement for the carrier member for supporting it in a roughly predetermined position, an applicator bar associated with the frame and extending along the required length of the support arrangement, means for urging the applicator bar towards the surface of a carrier member supported in the apparatus, means for causing simultaneous lateral movement of the applicator bar relative to said surface whilst in contact therewith,; ; and lateral restraining means for inhibiting üncontrolled or undesired lateral movement of the applicator bar. Further features of the invention provide for tfle applicator bar to be fiat and to embody heating means for selectively heating tne bar when reguired; for the applicator bar and lateral restraining means associated therewith to be carried on rotatable end supports rotatable in unison and supporting therebetween frame members for mounting the urging means and lateral restraining means for the applicator bar; for the support arrangement to. be movable relative to the applikator bar either by providing a table and clamp arrangement movable relative to the applicator bar or, alternatively, by providing end supports in tne form of rotatable mounting assemblies optionally movable laterally relative to the applicator bar; and for the apparatus to include a jig member for locating an edging strip relative to a panel so tilat a surfacing sheet is adnered to tne major surface of botn the panel and the edging strip prior to tne sheet being rotated around radiused edges to tne panel and the edging strip with tne surfacing sileet being simultaneously and automatically adhesively secured to the radiused edges of the panel itself and that of the edging strip. Preferably, and for the most common use of the apparatus, a pair of rotatable end supports carry between them a pair of laterally spaced parallel primary frame members witfl a plurality of spaced urging means carried by one of such primary frame members. Tfle urging means preferably assume the form of pneumatic or hydraulic piston and cylinder assemblies. Tne axes of such piston and cylinder assemblies are preferably at roughly right angles to tfle plane in weich tne applicator bar is to operate and the lateral restraining means, which may be in tfle form of pivotaliy mounted arms or plates, may be hinged to the ether frame member. Tne urginy zneans can act directly on tfle applicator bar or on the arms or plates forming tne lateral restraining means. Preferably the arms or plates defining tfle lateral restraining means are at roughtly right angles to the axes of the piston and cylinder assemDlies (je parallel to the surface of the carrier member being engaged at any time by the applicator bar). Tne applikator bar is hingedly connected to the member carrying same to provide for limited free movement so tnat it can assume an operative position according to its contact witn a surface. Wnere tne surfacing sheet can be susceptible to damage of any sort as a result of lateral sliding of tfle applicator bar thereon, an interposed protective, but usually oleat conductive sheet, may be interposed between the applicator bar and tne surfacing sheet. Sheets such as veneers may reguire this type of protection. In all cases the not ion of the applicator bar provided by apparatus of this invention relative to tfle surfacing sheet is one in which the applicator bar tends to pull and smootn the surfacing sheet in a taught condition onto the surface with a sliding motion. In some cases tfle edges or carrier being surfaced may be sharp (e.g. wnere veneer is employed as the surface sheet) but generally it will be radi used. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the invention may be more fully understood one embodiment tflereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in weich : Fig. 1 is an isometric schematik view of apparatus according to this invention, Fig. 2 is a schematic end elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a schematik end elevation sflowing only tfle applicator bar and its mounting arrangement witfl a second position thereof being illustrated in dotted lines; ; Figs. 4 and 5 are similar to Figs. 2 and 3 respectively but illustratiny an added feature, Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate,in schematic end view, a particular variation of tbe use of the apparatus; Fig. 8 is a schematik front elevation of apparatus having rotatable mounts for a column or the linke, and, Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along line lx - IX in Fig. 8. In tfle embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 (Figs. 4 and 5 merely including modifications) tfle apparatus comprises a support frage, yenerally indicated by numeral 1, whicfl supports a table 2 and co-operating clamp assembly 3 for clamping panels or doors to the table. Tfle clamp assembly is preferabiy operated Dy a plurality of spaced pneumatic or hydraulic piston and cylinder assemblies 4. A pair of end supports 5 are rotatable about an axis 6 wnich is located, in operation, in the vicinity of tfle corner 7 of a projectiny end of a panel 8 to be covered witfl a sheet material 9. Tfle edge of tfle panel is radiused, as indicated above, but by using the apparatus of tnis invention, the radius of curvature can be as little as Bmm for the sheet material employed as a cover and weich is tfle Same as flas been used heretofore with a minimum radius of curvature of 16mm. The advantage nere, as will become more clear from the following, is attained by the fact that contact heat is employed and the heat is applied to the region of the sheet where it is necessary in order to achieve a bending thereof. In the prior art, as mentioned above, the Eheet was initially heated using infra red radiation weich was removed prior to the bending operation taking plane. This provided time for it to cool appreciably as described. The end supports carry between them a pair of longitudinally extending beams 10 and 11 the one of which is angularly off set from the other relative to the axis of rotation of the end supports. Tfle one support beam 10 nas pivotally attached thereto an arm arrangement 12 which is conveniently in the form of a continuous metal plate and wnich extends inwardly towards a region in which tile projecting edge of a panel will be in use. This assembly carries at its free end a hingedly mounted, substantially flat applicator bar 13 extending along the length of the apparatus. A row of pneumatik piston and cylinders 14 is mounted to the other support beam 11 which is orientated such that tfle pneumatik piston and cylinder assemolies can be employed for urging the free ends of the arm arrangement,and thus the applikator bar 13, towards a projecting end of a panel or the like clamped to the table in use. The applicator bar is, in this embodiment of the invention, provided witfl a resistance neating element 15 herein so that its temperature can be controlled to a temperature at weich tfle surfacing sheets are not damaged but are, nevertheless, rendered sufficiently pliable to bend them around a radiused end of a panel or door. As indicated above the contact heat is hignly desirable and provides extremely advantageous results. The apparatus illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 and 4 and 5 are substantially identical but, in the embodiment of Figs. 4 and 5, the table 2 is mounted to the upper end of a pair of supporting piston and cylinder assemblies 16 which can be either hydraulic or pneumatic as may be required. The table 2 may be adjusted in heignt and the clamp 3 operates against the piston and cylinder assemblies 16. Thus, by increasing tfle pressure in tfle piston and cylinder assemblies wnich support the table, tfle whole clamp arrangement and panel 8 can be moved upwardly and downwardly relative to tne applicator bar 13. This arranyement has a tremendous advantage wflere extremely thick panels or other arrangements having a hign front face are to be surfaced using the sheet materials under consideration. In use, a panel, such as a chip board door, for example, is firstly provided witn radiused edges by means of suitable cutters in known manner. Generally, only the two major longitudinal edges of a door would be covered with a sheet of surfacing material as well as at least tne outer major face thereof. In order to form a door of this nature a sheet of known incompletely cured thermosetting resin surfacing material is bonded to tfle major surface of the door and tne surfacing sheet is allowed to project beyond the edge 7 of the door. With tne surfacing sheet in this condition the door or panel is clamped to the table of the above described apparatus witn the edge of tfle door projecting over the table edge but substantially parallel thereto. Generally speaking the above arrangement would be such that tfle surfacing sheet would be uppermost and, in such a case, the end supports for the applicator bar assembly are located in a position in wflicn tfle applicator bar can be engaged properly with such upper surface immediately adjacent the radiused edge of the door or panel Tne pneumatic cylinders 14 associated with the applicator bar are activated and tfle applicator bar is thereby urged against the surfacing sheet to move it into intimate contact witn tfle surface of the door. The arm arrangement is sufficiently flexible to twist or bend to accommodate misalignment or other non-conformities. If tne end supports are then rotated in a direction such tnat tfle applicator bar moves away from the major portion of tfle door or panel itself it will be drawn, wnilst engaging the surfacing sheet around the edge, thereby tending to stretcfl tfle sneet somewhat towards tfle projecting edge thereof. As tne applicator bar reiches the radiused edge it will contlnue to urge, by reason of the presence of the pneumatic piston and cylinder assemblies, the surfacing sheet into intimate contact with the radiused edge of the door or panel. Being hingedly mounted, the applicator bar will assume a post ion in which it contacts the longest surface area in tfle region being treated. lt will be understood that, for surfacing sheets which require heat in order for its application to be effective, the resistance heating element in the applikator bar will be activated during tne above described process. The process is ttius carried out at a speed sufficiently slow to enable adequate neat transfer from tfle applicator bar to the surfacing sheet material to take place without the sheet material being overheated bunt, with the sneet material being neated to an Optimum extent. As indicated above, it has been found that by usiny apparatus according to tnis invention a smaller radius of curvature can be achieved in the bend of tfle surfacing sheet around a radiused edge of a door or panel as well as a full 180 degree bend arrangement can be produced to fold the surfacing sheet completely around a projecting radiused endge of a door. During this process the arm arrangement which is located basically on the side of the pneumatik piston and cylinders opposite the door edle, prevents unwanted lateral movement of the applicator bar. The movement of the applicator bar 13 may be controlled further. Thus, adjacent each of the edges, tfle bar can be held stationery relative to the surfacing sheet to ensure that proper adhesion is acnieved in tfle regions immediately adjacent a radiused part thereof. The applicator bar can tnen be moved around tne radiused edge and again held stationary relative to a vertical front face 17 of a tnick panel (see Fig. 4) or the like again immediately adjacent the radiused corner. This ensures that the surfacing sfleet is properly adflered to the panel or tfle like immediately adjacent tfle radiused corners. At this stage, in the case of the embodiment of Figs. 4 and 5, tne table 2 can be moved upwardly so tnat the surfacing sfleet is applied to tne ratner high front face of the panel and, wflen the applicator bar is adjacent tne lowermost radiused edge, the table may be stopped and tfle end supports 5 can be further rotated to cause the applicator to apply the surfacing sfleet to a lower radiused corner. Again the applicator Dar can be stopped for a predetermined period of time at botn sides of the radiused edge to ensure proper adhesin. Tne apparatus accordiny to tnis invention flas a nignly desirable effect in that the surfacing sheet is almost stretched onto tne surface of the panel or the like so tflat no regions of tne surfacing sneet remain out of contact witfl tne surface to which it is bonded. Tfle contact neating of the sheet material in tne areas and zones where tne oleat is required at any one time has been found to be nighly advantageous wnen compared to the prior art preheating metflod followed by application. Turning now to the variation of tfle invention sflown in Figs. 6 and 7 the device is substantially tfle same apart from the introduction of a jig member 18 weich is shaped to co-operate witn a rebated end 19 of a door or desk top panel 20 or tne like. An edging strip 21 is located by the jig member 18 in proper spaced relationship relative to the panel 20 and a surfacing sfleet 22 which has been applied to tne surface of tfle panel projects over tfle edging strip 21. The edging strip also has a rebated edge 23 so trat, when it is rotated about 90#, it will co-operate properly witfl the rebated end of tfle panel. Tne final position of tfle edging strip 21 and panel 20 is illustrated in Fig. 7. Tne outer surfaces of the rebated end and the lower edge 24 of the edging strip are radiused and, after tne surfaciny sheet 22 nas been secured to the edging strip, the jig member 18 can be swung out of tfle way, it being suitably mounted to do this. The apparatus described above witfl reference to Figs. 1 to 5 can then be used in tfle normal way and the applicator bar will initially engage the surfacing stieet 22 wflere it is bonded to the surface of tfle door panel ad3acent its radiused edge 25. The jig member defines a space 26 of the surfacing sheet between the edging strip and the panel so that this reyion can become bonded to the radiused edge 25 of tne door panel. In its initial position of engagement the applicator bar engages the edge of the panel and, if it is not too wide, extends over the surfacing sheet between the panel and over tne part of tne surfacing sileet covering the edging strip. Tfle applikator bar remains in tflis position for long enougfl to effect tne required neating and bonding of the surfacing sheet to the edging strip and then starts to move laterally around the radiused edge of tfle door. Tne edging strip, which flas been released in consequence of the jig moving to an inoperative position, moves into its proper position in weich tne restes 19 and 23 co-operate. Suitable adhesive is used, or preapplied to tne co-operating surfaces of tfle rebates so that tne edging strip becomes bonded into its final position as illustrated in Fig. 7. Tne applicator bar moves to permanently bond the surfaciny sheet to any ratfler enlarged vertical surface of tfle edge of tne panel wflere tfle edging strip was too wide to be covered by tne applicator bar initially, and tnereafter around the lower radiused edge 19 of tne edging strip. In order to acflieve this the verticaliy movable table 2 can be employed if tfle fleiyflt of tne edging strip is sufficiently great to warrant it. Otnerwise tfle table can be neid stationary wfliist tfle applicator Dar heats and applies the surfacing sheet. In tne event tflat a surfaciny sneet is to be applied to a column or tfle like, wflether it be of circular or non-circular cross-sectlon, tne end supports need not necessarily be employed or, alternatively, if tfley are present tney could be neid stationary and the column rotated by an arrangement as illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9. To tflis end, tfle apparatus can comprise a pair of rotatable mounting assemblies 27 supported on tne main support 2 of apparatus according to tflis invention and tfle mounting assemblies can be axially retractable so as to grip a column 29 end-on tnerebetween. In this vase, tne applicator bar 30 is again uryed towards tfle surface of a column 29 held by tfle rotatable mounting assenblies 27 and tfle end supports 31 can be neld stationary or, alternatively, can be fixed relative to tne frame 28 of the apparatus. Similar pneumatic piston and zylinder assemblies 32 are employed for urging tfle applicator bar 30 towards tne surface of tne column 29 and lateral restraining arms 33 are again provided, conveniently in tfle form of a plate as outlined above. If required, and dependiny on tne size range of columns to be treated by apparatus as described above, the end supports 31 could be made movable in a direction towards and away from tfle axis 34 of rotation of tfle rotatable mounting assemblies 27 or, alternatively, tne axis of tne mountiny assemblies could be made movable relative to the end supports. In einer event tfle sitze ranges wnicn can be accommodated by tne apparates is determined by tnis type of adjustment or movement. Wnere tne surfacing sfleet is of a nature such tflat it is susceptible to damage by tfle sliding act ion of the applicator Dar tflereon a protective sfleet can be employed to be located between the surfacing sheet and applicator Dar. To this end, on tne side of the clamp 3 remote from tfle end supports, and as sflown in Figs. 4 and 5, a roll of a protective sheet material indicated by numeral 35 may De provided. Tne sneet material is sucn tnat it can be drawn under the clamp 3 so as to be positioned between tfle clamp -and- a surfacing sneet 9 being applied. Tne protective sfleet 35 is passed between a pair of rollers 36 carried by tfle end supports and extending parallel to tfle longitudinally extendiny beams 10 and 11 to wnicn the arm arrangement 12 is mounted. Witn tflis arrangement tne protective sneet 35 extends rougnly parallel to tne arm arrangement. Tne protective sneet, wflicn extends from between tne rollers 36, is preferably attached to a take-up roller 37 carried by tfle frame and located beneatn the table 2. Alternatively a weight 38 (sAown in dotted linkes3 could be attached to tfle free end and the weight could be moved along tne length of the protective sheet as and when required. lt will be understood that with the protective sheet, which may be Kraft paper, plastic foil or the like, the surface of the surfacing sheet will not be damaged in any way as a result of the applicator bar being drawn laterally across the sheet while being urged towards it. lt must be noted that tne protective sheet must be sufficiently oleat conductive where the applikator bar is of tile heated type so as to avoid unnecessary heat losses or inadequate neating of adhesive. lt will be understood tflat the above described embodiment of the invention can be varied in many ways witnout departing from the scope of this invention In particular, tne applicator bar, wnich is in these embodiments of the invention a flat bar, could be replaced by a bar having a right-angled section so that, as the material is folded about the radiused corner of a panel, the two surfaces joined by tne corner can be pressed into engagement with the surfaces of the door or panel simultaneously for a short while. This may not be necessary in most cases. Furthermore, the exact arrangement whereby the applicator bar is mounted to the apparates can be varied widely and tfle arrangement descriDed above could be varied in many ways involving only structural changes, but none in principle. The rather multitudinous pneumatic piston and cylinder assemblies could be decreased in number or replaced with mechanical or other forms of urging or biasing the applicator bar such as a leaf spring arrangement, for example.

Claims: CIjAIMS 1. Apparatus for applying sheet material around an edge or corner of a carrier member, said apparatus comprising a frame, a support arrangement for the carrier member for supporting it in a rougnly predetermined position, an applicator bar associated with tfle frame and extending along the required lengtfl of tne support arrangement, means for urginy tfle applicator bar towards the surface of a carrier member supported in the apparatus, means for causlng simultaneous lateral movement of the applicator bar relative to said surface whilst in contact therewith and lateral restraining means for inhibiting uncontrolled or undesired lateral movement of tfle applicator bar. 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in weich tfle applicator bar embodies heating means for selectively neating the bar as requi red. 3. Apparatus as claimea in einher of claims 1 or 2 in weich the applicator bar and lateral restraining means associated therewith are carried on end supports rotatable in unison relative to the frage. 4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 in which there are at least two primary frame members extending between tne two end supports, one of which carries the urging means and tfle ether of which carries the lateral restraininy means. 5. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the urging means comprises a series of individual biasing arrangements spaced apart along the length of the applicator bar. 6. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the urging means are composed of a plurality of pneumatic or flydraulic piston and cylinder assemblies. 7. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the lateral restraining means is an arm arrangement extending transverse to the direction of urging of the applicator bar. 8. Apparatus as claimed in any one of tfle preceding claims in whicn the support arrangement is table and clamping member co-operating therewith. 9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 in which the table is vertically movable. 10. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 in weich the support arrangement includes a pair of opposed rotatable mounting assemblies for mounting columns or the like tnerebetween. 11. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in weich a jig is included for locating an edging strip relative to an edge of a panel or the like. 12. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the precediny claims in weich a support for a roll of protective sheet material is provided on tfle frame. 13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 in whicn guide rollers are associated witfl the applicator bar arrangement for guidiny sucn protective sheet. 14. Apparatus as claimed in any one of tfle preceding claims in weich tfle applicator bar is flingedly mounted relative to said urging means. 15. Apparatus as claimed in any one of tfle preceding claims in which tfle applicator bar is substantially fiat.

Inventors: HENDERSON, P. M., SCHMITT, K. H.
Applicants: HEINRICH BRANDT MASCHINENBAU GMBH
Application year: 1984
Main classification: B29C63
IPC codes: B29C53, B29C63, B29C37