Patent GB-822418-A (GB)
Title: Machine for making a filament reinforced laminated fabric
Inventor: ESTEE RALPH GREENE
IPC: B29C70/00
Filed: 1957-08-23
Abstract: 822,418. Laminating apparatus, laminates, reinforced paper. GLAS-KRAFT Inc. Aug. 23, 1957, No. 26694/57. Classes 96 and 140. A machine for making a laminated fabric comprises means for advancing a web of sheet material through the machine, a swinging frame for traversing a plurality of continuous filaments back and forth across said web during the travel thereof, an endless belt at each side of the web carrying a plurality of pins about which the filaments are looped at each reversal of their traverse, the pins being held stationary on the belts, means for moving the belts in unison with each other and at the rate of travel of the web, and means for guiding the frame across the web in a path having a dip at each end thereof so as to carry the filaments between the pins below their upper ends. As shown in Fig. 1 a web 25 of sheet material is advanced over guide rolls 26 and 27, between adhesive-applying rolls 28 and 29, over guide-rolls 30 and 31 and platform 32. During its passage along platform 32, reinforcing filaments 33 are laid across the moving web by the swinging frame 45. The web 25 with the filament layer thereon is guided over guide-roll 34, beneath heated roll 35, into contact with a second web 25<SP>1</SP> in the bight of rolls 36 and 37, and so between the calender rolls 38 and 39. The swinging frame 45 (Fig. 9) comprises sidemembers 46 rigidly secured to each other by cross-members 47 and a header 48. The header is formed of a hollow cylinder and is adjustably mounted at its ends so that it may be raised or lowered relatively to the frame 45. The frame 45 is pivotally secured at each side to a lever 55 at 56. This lever is pivotally secured at its other end 58 to a main frame member 57. Each side of the swinging frame is pivotally secured at its upper end 60 to one end of a walking beam 59. The other end 61 of the walking beam is pivotally attached to a stationary bracket 62. Two crank-wheels 63 (only one shown) are mounted on a shaft journalled in bearings supported on the main frame of the machine. A connecting-rod 66 has one end eccentrically attached to wheel 63 at 67 and the other end pivotally secured at 56. Thus as the wheel 63 rotates, the header moves back and forth along the curved path 69. In a modification (not shown) a cam track is substituted for the link 55, to obtain a similar path. The swinging frame is provided with a plurality of equally-spaced filament guides, each of which may be a flexible tube of helically wound wire covered with a stretchable continuous wall tubular covering or a pair of telescoping stiff tubes. One end of each guide is secured to stationary support, and the other to header 48. The header is provided with a like number of tubular guides terminating in nozzles 76. The filaments are passed through a reed and over a guide roll (not shown) and so into the guides. The threading of the filaments through the guides may be accomplished by the use of compressed air. Endless belts 85 are provided, one on each side of the web and parallel to its path. The belts are of V-shape and are trained over pulleys 86 and 87 (Fig. 1), of which pulley 86 is adjustable to vary the tension of the belt, whereas pulley 87 is driven. The upper stretch of belt 85 is prevented from sagging by plate 99 mounted on support 88 (Fig. 9). The belt is provided with a plurality of pins 100 which project upwards and away from the web. Guards (not shown) on each side of the belt overlap it and form a longitudinal slot along which the pins travel. The pins are spaced apart by a distance equal to the distance between the filament guides and travel at the same speed as the web. The supports 88 rest on brackets which are adjustable towards and away from one another to suit webs of different widths. At each end of the swing of frame 45, the frame dips and the filaments are carried between and around the pins. The length of the frame 45 is equal to the distance travelled by the web during one complete oscillation of the frame, so that an uninterrupted series of filaments is laid across the web. The filaments adhere sufficiently to the adhesive-coated web to be disengaged from the pins without material disturbance. The webs may be, for example, of paper or metal foil, and the filaments may be of glass, and may be spaced, for example, at three to the inch.