Patent GB-1432264-A (GB)
Title: Installation for the contrinuous production of panels of synthetic materials
IPC: B29C43/30
Filed: 1973-06-22
Abstract: 1432264 Laminating apparatus SOC INDUSTRIELLE DE STRATIFIES 22 June 1973 [23 June 1972] 29744/73 Addition to 1382165 Heading B5N An installation for the continuous production of a panel including a core of synthetic material comprises means for feeding, substantially horizontally, two continuous webs to form the faces of the panel to be produced, means for distributing between the webs the liquid phase synthetic material intended to form the core of the panel, first shaping means co-operating with the composite assembly of the webs and synthetic material to distribute the synthetic material in the liquid phase evenly between the webs, second shaping means including endless conveyer belts disposed above and below the plane of motion of the composite assembly to hold the webs against the synthetic material, the belts extending from the immediate vicinity of the outlet of the first shaping means to the outlet of the installation, and flexible sheeting which has a mesh structure permitting the sheeting to be deformed in all directions and the upstream portion of which is fixed, the sheeting being positioned to press against the upper side of the upper conveyer belt and covering substantially the entire zone between the inlet to and the outlet from said second shaping means, and a third shaping means located between the outlet of the first shaping means and the outlet of the installation and consisting of two-flexible lateral guides which press the longitudinal edges of the webs against the synthetic material, the flexibility of the guides being adjustable. In the embodiment described, the starting material e.g. a liquid polyurethane foam forming reaction mixture is distributed by one or more movable or fixed pouring heads 1 is distributed over a continuous web 2, a second continuous web 3 is applied to the liquid starting material and the assembly fed via a first shaping means 4, 5 having a spreading action and designed mainly to apply pressure to the starting material to a nip formed by two conveyer belts. The upper span of the lower conveyer belt is supported by a plate 8, and the lower span of the upper conveyer belt is held against the upper web 3 by a flexible sheeting comprising two separate metallic mesh sheets 9 and 9a which are deformable in all directions, the sheet 9a being disposed behind the sheet 9 and the sheeting effectively covering the entire zone between the ends of the belt 7 and co-operating with the plate 8 1 . In the arrangement shown the upstream portion of sheet 9 is fixed and the sheet 9a is adapted to be unrolled on to the belt from reel 10; alternatively the sheeting, which may have portions-of different weights resulting in varying pressures, may be a single piece. Two rows 13 and 14 of adjustable rollers are advantageously provided at the downstream end of the installation. The guide 15 for pressing the longitudinal edges of the webs against the synthetic material consists of two separate parts 16 and 17 each secured to a support rail 18 the height of which corresponds substantially to the thickness of the finished panel. The part 16 consists of two cables 19 and 20, which, at the upstream end pass around studs 21 and 22 and are connected to tensioning device 23 enabling the tension therein to be adjusted, the cables being inclined to the direction of travel of the panel and connected at their downstream ends to the respective upstream ends of members 24, 25 forming part of the second part 17 of the guide, the members 24, 25 being in the form of plates, e.g. of steel bent to form flexible blades 24a, 25a which extend parallel to the support 18 and are in contact with the edge portions of each of the faces 2, 3 of the panel. The plates 24 and 25 are secured to the support 18 to provide a space between the blades 24a, 25a and the support 18, a resiliently deformable element 26, 27, e.g. one or more inflatable diaphragms or strips of elastomeric material being fitted within each space.