Patent GB-1052494-A (GB)
IPC: B27D1/10
Abstract: 1,052,494. Seaming non-metallic sheet material. H. KUPER, [trading as HEINRICH KUPER [firm of]]. Aug. 6, 1963 [Aug. 4, 1962; March 15, 1963], No. 30916/63. Heading B5K. [Also in Division D1] Veneers are joined in their longitudinal direction by gluing a thread 5 on the veneers in a wavy line, Fig. 2, or in the form of loops, Fig. 2a, extending across the join alternately on the abutting edge zones of the two veneers. In one embodiment, Fig. 1, two plate discs la, 1b rotate in opposite directions to press the edges of veneers passing through the machine together to form a tight joint. A guide 3 for the thread 5 is in the form of a funnel or an eye and is reciprocated transversely to the run-through direction of the veneers by an eccentric drive 4. The multifibre thread 5, e.g. a glass fibre thread, is previously wetted or coated with a thermoplastic adhesive and subsequently dried. A resiliently mounted pressure roller heated to a temperature of from 100-250‹ C. melts the adhesive coating and causes the thread 5 to adhere to the veneers. The discs la, 1b compensate for any slight differences in thickness between the two veneers by lever compensation. In an alternative embodiment, Figs. 3 and 6, two veneers 12a, 12b to be joined are fed to a resiliently mounted, smooth-surface pressure roller 17 of adjustable pressure in the direction of arrow "A" on a work-table 11 by plate discs 13a, 13b running in opposition directions or conveyer chains or belts. A glass fibre thread 22 is unwound from a spool 21, passes through a guide 23 to a gluing head 25 (see Division D1) in which it is wetted or coated with a thermoplastic adhesive, and is conveyed to a guide shoe 53 by reel wheels 30, 31 and 47 and guide rollers 48, 49. The wheels 30, 31, 47 each have a hub 33 having spokes 34 rigidly secured thereto. Each spoke 34 has a thin metal plate 35 extending in the direction of travel of the veneers secured thereto. As the thread 22 leaves the head 25 it is picked up by the plates 35 of the wheel 31 and conveyed to the wheel 30. The axle 30a of the wheel 30 is horizontal but the axle 31a of the wheel 31 is inclined thereto. The thread 22 is wrapped several times around both the driven wheels 30, 31 and then passes off the wheel 47 and through an eye 46a in the free end on a switch finger 46. If more thread 22 is fed than is required by the shoe 53 then the thread 22 drops downwards between the wheel 47 and the roller 48 and acts on the finger 46 which, on reaching a certain position, disengages a clutch 45 of the wheel 31 to arrest the wheels 30, 31 whilst the shoe 53 continues to operate. When excess thread is used up the tension thereof returns the finger 46 to its normal position to reengage the clutch 45. A push rod 51 is reciprocated by an eccentric drive 50 to cause a nose bearing 52 to oscillate, this movement being transmitted to the shoe 53 mounted thereon and also to a shaped extension 54 on the shoe 53 to lay the thread 22 on the veneers 12a, 12b. Air is blown through a nozzle 19, Fig. 6, into a housing 16, is heated by a thermostatically controlled coil 20 and thus heats the pressure roller 17 which secures the thread 22 to the veneers 12a, 12b. In a further embodiment, Figs. 8 and 9, the veneers 83a, 83b to be joined are placed on a work-table 70 one on each side of abutment plates 71 vertically movable by magnets 71a and compression springs 71b. A carriage 74 slidable on a rail 73 is moved in the direction of arrow " C " by driving means 85 and draw-in rollers 82a, 82b carried thereby grip the veneers 83a, 83b and pull them together as the plates 71 are automatically lowered. A thread 88 unwinds from a spool 87, passes through a gluing bath 89 and is dried as it passes to a guide 78 from which it passes to an eye 79 in an extension 80. The guide 78 is oscillated by an eccentric drive 77 so that the thread 88 is laid in wavy or loop form on the joint. A heated pressure roller 76 presses the thread 88 firmly on to the veneers 83a, 83b and softens the adhesive thereon to form the seal. After sealing, the driving means 85 returns the carriage 74 to its original position.