Patent Publication Number: US-11654469-B2

Title: Device for the production of appropriately configured roll assemblies of expanded aluminium mesh adapted to efficiently fill fuel containers

Description:
THE FIELD OF THE ART 
     The invention relates to the field of production of aluminum mesh that is manufactured from an aluminum foil, which is provided with a plurality of equally sized apertures arranged along the longitudinal axis of the foil and is subsequently expanded laterally to produce rolls of expanded aluminum mesh adapted to fill fuel tanks and provide suppression of ignition and combustion of the fuel contained therein. 
     THE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Safety problems are encountered with the processing, storage and transport of fuels of various kinds, such problems arising from risks of fire and explosions, as well as from the inherently environmentally hazardous evaporation of liquid fuels. Fuel processing plants comprising a plurality of fuel tanks are particularly vulnerable to such risks. A major threat is also present in the transport of combustible substances contained in trucks carrying tanks filled with such substances. 
     Greek Patent Certificate 0.1004528 disclosed a machine for the production of a roll of an expanded aluminum mesh adapted to fill fuel tanks and provide suppression of ignition and combustion of the fuel contained therein. A second unreeling-rereeling machine was disclosed in Greek Patent Certificate 1005763, this machine being employed to produce rolls of specific diameters from the rolls of GR-1004528 and attach an angular plate along a transverse edge at the end of each roll to avert fraying and deterioration of the expanded mesh. A further Greek patent certificate GR20120100644 proposes an anti-fraying plate supersonically welded along a transverse edge of the expanded aluminium mesh. 
     The aforementioned product of expanded aluminum mesh rolls has been successfully tested in fuel tanks which are filled with such roles and subjected to conditions that would otherwise cause the ignition and explosion of fuel and have under such conditions demonstrated adequacy of the product to provide suppression of ignition and combustion of fuel that would inevitably lead into seriously catastrophic consequences. This advantageous capacity of the product of expanded aluminium mesh rolls is due to the structure thereof that is formed by laterally stretching an aluminium sheet having a plurality of slits cut therein, the slits being oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aluminium sheet. The product works through the effected separation of flame arising within a fuel tank into a plurality of minute burning loci corresponding to the plurality of slits of the mesh thereby substantially reducing the flame potential in effecting a devastating combustion of fuel, further through the absorption by the mesh of heat generated by the flame thereby minimizing the heat available for fuel evaporation and finally through the mesh acting as a physical barrier to the promotion of the front of the flame, thereby averting increase of speed thereof and consequently of the build up of destructive pressures being generated through heat release of rapidly promoted self-sustained combustion of vapours or gases inevitably leading to catastrophic explosions. It is herein noted that the proposed expanded aluminium mesh rolls provide the abovementioned suppression of ignition and combustion of fuel whilst occupying a very small percentage of the order of less than 2% of the volume of the fuel tank. 
     It has however been found that the efficiency of the aforementioned product is dependent on the degree of filling of the tanks with the expanded aluminum mesh roll product and in many cases a sufficient degree of filling cannot be accomplished due to the configuration and sizing of the tank. 
     It is therefore the object of the present invention to disclose a device for the production of appropriately configured roll assemblies of expanded aluminium mesh adapted to efficiently fill fuel containers, wherein the device uses the cylindrically shaped rolls of expanded aluminium mesh provided by the machines disclosed in the aforementioned Greek patent certificates GR-1004528 and GR-1005763 to produce a variety of expanded aluminium mesh roll assemblies configured in a plurality of shapes and sizes, e.g. linearly, squarely, triangularly or elliptically configured mesh roll assemblies, so that a combination of such available expanded aluminium mesh roll assemblies of varying shapes and sizes may be employed to provide a maximally efficient filling of fuel tanks and subsequently increasing the efficiency thereof in the suppression of ignition and combustion of fuel contained therein. 
     An object of the invention is to provide a system for the production of selectively configured roll assemblies of expanded aluminium mesh adapted to efficiently fill fuel containers of all kinds used in the storage and transport of fuel, such system comprising in combination a first machine employed to produce rolls of expanded aluminum mesh having a standard relatively large diameter, a second unreeling-rereeling machine employed to be supplied with said first roll of expanded aluminum mesh and adapted to produce second rolls of selectively defined smaller diameters and a third machine employed to be supplied with said second rolls of selectively defined smaller diameters of expanded aluminum mesh and adapted to form selectively configured roll assemblies of expanded aluminium mesh, wherein an appropriate combination of said selectively configured roll assemblies of expanded aluminium mesh is employed for efficiently filling fuel containers of varying dimensions and configurations to provide suppression of ignition and combustion of the fuel contained therein. 
     An object of the invention also is the disclosure of a method of filling containers of varying sizes and configurations used in the storage and transport of fuel with an appropriate combination of the hereinabove mentioned selectively configured roll assemblies of expanded aluminium mesh so as to obtain maximal filling of the containers and thereby substantially increase the capacity of the product of the invention to provide suppression of ignition and combustion of fuel. 
     An object of the invention also is the disclosure of specific parameters of the configuration, composition and dimensions of the proposed expanded aluminum mesh product that would optimize its effectiveness for achieving the intended effect of efficiently suppressing ignition and combustion of the fuel content of containers, which have been appropriately filled with the hereinabove mentioned selectively configured roll assemblies of expanded aluminium mesh of the invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention discloses a device for the production of selectively configured roll assemblies of expanded aluminium mesh adapted to efficiently fill fuel containers, the device sequentially comprising a roll of expanded aluminium mesh being mounted at the inlet of the device and providing a mesh web flowing from the inlet to the outlet of the device, a mechanism adapted to provide tensioning of the mesh web, a mechanism adapted to provide a forward movement of the mesh web, a mechanism adapted to transversely cut a predetermined portion of the mesh web, a mechanism adapted to securely fold the edge of the transversely cut end of the mesh web to avert fraying and deterioration of the mesh, at least one arrangement of guiding rollers of the mesh web flowing from the inlet to the outlet of the device and a mechanism adapted to provide setting up a mesh roll assembly in varying configurations, such as linear, square, rectangular, triangular, elliptical, etc., wherein the mesh rolls used in setting up such a desirably configured assembly are selectively obtained from an unreeling-rereeling machine that produces mesh rolls of desired diameters, and wherein the mesh roll assembly is thereafter mounted onto a rotatable disc of this mechanism and is being wound with the mesh web flowing in the device of the invention to provide an end product of a variety of selectively configured roll assemblies of expanded aluminium mesh adapted to efficiently fill fuel containers, wherein the mesh roll assembly is being driven by the abovementioned mechanism adapted to provide a forward movement as soon as a predetermined portion is cut, whilst it is subsequently being driven through rotation of the abovementioned rotatable disc. 
     The invention further discloses a system for the production of the hereinabove mentioned selectively configured roll assemblies of expanded aluminium mesh adapted to efficiently fill fuel containers of all kinds used in the storage and transport of fuel, such system comprising in combination a first machine employed to produce rolls of expanded aluminum mesh having a standard relatively large diameter, a second unreeling-rereeling machine employed to be supplied with this first roll of expanded aluminum mesh and adapted to produce second rolls of selectively defined smaller diameters and a third machine employed to be supplied with the abovementioned second rolls of selectively defined smaller diameters of expanded aluminum mesh and adapted to form the selectively configured roll assemblies of expanded aluminium mesh, wherein an appropriate combination of said selectively configured roll assemblies of expanded aluminium mesh is employed for efficiently filling fuel containers of varying dimensions and configurations to provide suppression of ignition and combustion of the fuel contained therein. 
     The invention also discloses detailed structural parameters of the expanded aluminium mesh product that is formed by laterally stretching an aluminium sheet having a plurality of slits cut therein, the slits being oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aluminium sheet and illustratively having a hexagonal configuration 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1   a    shows a planar view of a portion of the expanded aluminium mesh sheet product of an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG.  1   b    shows a detail of the expanded aluminium mesh sheet of  FIG.  1     a.    
         FIG.  1   c    shows a cross-sectional view along a transverse axis of a portion of the expanded aluminium mesh sheet of  FIG.  1     a.    
         FIG.  1   d    is a view of a longitudinal edge of the expanded aluminium mesh sheet of  FIG.  1     a.    
         FIG.  2    shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the device of the invention adapted to form appropriately configured roll assemblies of the expanded aluminium mesh. 
         FIG.  2   a    shows a frontal view of the device of  FIG.  2   . 
         FIG.  3    shows a detail view of the mechanism adapted to provide tensioning of the expanded aluminium mesh web being driven from the inlet to the outlet of the device of  FIG.  2    to produce a desirably configured mesh roll assembly from the initially cylindrical mesh roll. 
         FIG.  4    shows a detail view of the device of  FIG.  2    downstream of the tensioning mechanism of  FIG.  3   , comprising a mechanism adapted to provide a forward movement of the expanded aluminium mesh web, a mechanism adapted to transversely cut the mesh web following completion of the winding thereof around the desirably configured mesh roll assembly at the outlet of the device of  FIG.  2   , and a mechanism adapted to provide folding of the cut edge of the mesh web. 
         FIG.  5    shows a detailed perspective view of the mechanism adapted to provide a forward movement of the expanded aluminium mesh web. 
         FIGS.  5   a  and  5   b    show a cross-sectional view of the mechanism adapted to provide a forward movement of the expanded aluminium mesh web that is shown in  FIG.  5    in an idle condition and in an active condition of performing the forward movement of the mesh web respectively. 
         FIGS.  6   a  and  6   b    show a detailed perspective view of the mesh web cutting mechanism in an idle condition and in an active condition of cutting the mesh web respectively. 
         FIGS.  7   a  and  7   b    illustrate a detailed perspective view of two discrete phases of operation of the mechanism adapted to provide folding of the cut edge of the mesh web. 
         FIGS.  8   a - 8   d    sequentially show the operations of mesh web cutting by the mesh web cutting mechanism, of folding of the cut edge of the mesh web by the mechanism adapted to provide folding of the cut edge of the mesh web and of forwardly moving of a new mesh web portion after completion of the previous operational cycle with the removal of the cut mesh web portion and folding of the cut edge thereof. 
         FIG.  9    shows an exploded perspective view of the components and parts making up the mechanism adapted to provide setting a desirably configured mesh roll assembly and of winding the mesh web around this mesh roll assembly to provide an end product of the device of the invention. 
         FIG.  9   a    shows a side view of the assembled mechanism of  FIG.  9   . 
         FIG.  9   b    shows a perspective view of the assembled mechanism of  FIG.  9   . 
         FIG.  9   c    shows a top planar view of the assembled mechanism of  FIG.  9   . 
         FIG.  9   d    shows a detail view of an angularly configured motion transmission mechanism that is mounted proximally to each one of the four sides of a rotatable upper table of the mechanism depicted in  FIG.  9   . 
         FIGS.  10   a  and  10   b    show successive phases of operation of the assembled mechanism of  FIG.  9    further provided with a disc at each side of a rotatable square platform of this mechanism, each disc being adapted to provide the means of sequentially setting up a desirably configured mesh roll assembly and winding the mesh web around this mesh roll assembly to provide an end product of the device of the invention. 
         FIG.  11   a    shows an exploded perspective view of a disc of the mechanism of  FIGS.  10   a ,  10   b   , of the pins selectively mounted onto the disc and of the mesh rolls being mounted onto these pins in order to produce an eventual end product of the invention being configured in a square shape. 
         FIG.  11   b    shows a perspective view of a squarely shaped end product of the invention prior to winding around it the mesh web being provided in the device of the invention. 
         FIG.  12   a    shows an exploded perspective view of a disc of the mechanism of  FIGS.  10   a ,  10   b   , of the pins selectively mounted onto the disc and of the mesh rolls being mounted onto these pins in order to produce an eventual end product of the invention being configured in a triangular shape. 
         FIG.  12   b    shows a perspective view of a triangularly shaped end product of the invention prior to winding around it the mesh web being provided in the device of the invention. 
         FIGS.  13   a - 13   e    show perspective views of a disc of the mechanism of  FIGS.  10   a ,  10   b    with an array of selectively employed pins mounted thereupon with a scope of producing the mesh roll assembly being configured in the shape depicted adjacently to the disc. 
         FIG.  14   a    shows a standardized type of a fuel tank filled with an appropriate combination of the expanded aluminium mesh roll assembly products of the device of the invention and  FIG.  14   b    shows an illustrative transverse sectional view of the fuel tank displaying the filling thereof with the aforementioned expanded aluminium mesh roll assembly products. 
         FIG.  15   a    shows another standardized type of a fuel tank filled with an appropriate combination of the expanded aluminium mesh roll assembly products of the device of the invention and  FIG.  15   b    shows an illustrative transverse sectional view of the fuel tank displaying the filling thereof with the aforementioned expanded aluminium mesh roll assembly products. 
         FIG.  16    shows an integrated system for the production and appropriate forming of expanded aluminium roll assemblies adapted to fill containers used for the storage and transport of fuels. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     According to at least one exemplary embodiment, the present invention is related to appropriately forming previously manufactured rolls of expanded metallic mesh that comprises a plurality of equally sized apertures along the longitudinal axis of the foil, e.g. aluminium foil, wherein the expanded metallic mesh is being configured in an appropriate variety of shapes that can be used in appropriate combinations for attaining nearly thorough filling of fuel tanks and provide averting of ignition and combustion of the fuel content thereof that might occur due to exposure of the fuel tanks to varying risks, such as crashes, fire, terrorist activity, erroneous maintenance or human error. The herein proposed expanded metallic mesh occupies a minimal percentage of less than 2% of the net volume of the tank despite of the fact that it is being arranged to cover a maximal percentage exceeding 90% of the space within a tank containing fuel. 
       FIGS.  1   a - 1   d    illustratively depict an expanded metallic mesh  100  adapted to provide suppression of combustion and evaporation of combustible substances contained in a tank that is appropriately filled with the expanded metallic mesh  100 . The expanded metallic mesh  100  may be manufactured by the mesh production apparatus described in Greek Patent Certificate 1004528, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. The expanded metallic mesh  100  may be formed by laterally stretching a sheet of metal foil with slits cut therein, the slits having been previously cut parallel to the longitudinal axis of the sheet of the metal foil. 
     The metallic sheet used for the production of the expanded metallic mesh  100  preferably is an aluminium alloy. The composition of this aluminium alloy may comprise up to 0.25% Si, up to 0.40% Fe, up to 0.10% Cu, up to 0.10% Mn, between 2.20% and 2.40% Mg up to 0.15% Cr, up to 0.10% Zn, and Al remainder. Moreover, in some embodiments, the alloy may additionally contain up to 0.15% of other metals, if desired, with each of these metals being used in a percentage lower than 0.005% in the alloy composition. As a consequence of the lateral stretching of the sheet of aluminium alloy foil, the expanded metallic mesh  100  shown in  FIG.  1   a    is formed with a plurality of substantially hexagonally shaped apertures  110 . In some exemplary embodiments, the spacing between the slits may be approximately 2 mm to approximately 3 mm in the longitudinal direction, and approximately 1.0 mm to 1.5 mm in the transverse direction. Consequently, as shown in  FIG.  1   b   , the apertures  110  may be oriented such that the axis  112  between a pair of opposite vertices  114  of each aperture  110  is disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis  116  of the mesh  100 . Apertures  110  may be bounded by continuous metal strips  118 , all strips  118  having substantially the same widths with respect to each other. In some exemplary embodiments, the widths of the strips  118  may be approximately 1.0 mm to 1.5 mm. The transverse axes  120  of strips  118  may be oriented obliquely to the plane of mesh  100 , so as to present a substantially stepped configuration, as shown in  FIG.  1   c   . Mesh  100  may have any desired length or width, which may depend on the desired application of mesh  100 , for example the volume, shape, and configuration of the container in which rolls of mesh  100  may be disposed. In some embodiments, the sheet of metal foil from which mesh  100  is formed may have a width between approximately 75 mm and approximately 125 mm, with the sheet then being stretched to a desired width. Furthermore, the sheet of metal foil may have a thickness of approximately 70 pm, as thinner sheets may be unstable, while thicker sheets may be stiffer, have greater weight, and occupy a greater volume without increasing the efficacy of the mesh. In some exemplary embodiments, the longitudinal edges  122  of expanded metal mesh  100  may be crimped so as to reduce the likelihood of fraying of mesh  100  at the longitudinal edges  122 , thereby preventing the detachment of mesh particles from mesh  100 . Edges  122  may further be crimped so as to present an undulating profile, as shown in  FIG.  1   d   . Crimping of edges  122  may be accomplished during the manufacturing process of mesh  100 , or may be accomplished post-manufacture. 
     As shown in  FIG.  17   , the present invention relates to an integrated system for the production and appropriate forming of the expanded aluminium rolls adapted to fill containers of combustible substances. A first machine  102  as described in Greek Patent Certificate 0.1004528 is employed to produce an expanded aluminum mesh adapted to fill fuel tanks and provide suppression of ignition and combustion of the fuel contained therein. A second unreeling-rereeling machine  104  as described in Greek Patent Certificate 1005763 is employed to produce rolls of specific diameters. Eventually, a third machine  106  being disclosed in the present invention is employed to form roll assemblies in appropriate configurations for filling containers of combustible substances in the potentially maximal extent so as to provide a maximally efficient performance of the expanded aluminium mesh  100 . 
     As described in Greek Patent Certificate 1004528, a desired quantity of the expanded metal mesh  100  produced by the aforementioned first machine  102  may be wound into a first mesh roll  102   a . In some exemplary embodiments, the first mesh roll may have a diameter of, for example, greater than 60 cm. The first mesh roll  102   a  can then be utilized with an exemplary embodiment of the second aforementioned unreeling-rereeling machine  104 , which can generate at least one second mesh roll  104   a  from the first mesh roll  102   a . The diameter of the second mesh roll  104   a  is less than the diameter of the first mesh roll  102   a  and can be adjusted as desired depending on the size and configuration of the particular container in which rolls  104   a  may be disposed. Second mesh rolls  104   a  are further thereafter being used in the third aforementioned machine  106  to be described hereinafter, which performs appropriate forming of roll assemblies  17  for efficiently filling fuel containers of various dimensions and configurations. 
     As shown in  FIG.  2    the device adapted to perform forming of roll assemblies of varying configurations of the expanded aluminium mesh  100  comprises a metal frame onto which are being mounted the mechanisms adapted to provide functioning of the device. 
     Specifically, a roll  1  of the previously produced expanded aluminium mesh is obtained from the output of either the aforementioned unreeling-rereeling machine  104  and is positioned onto a shaft  1   a  at the inlet of the device  106  of the present invention and a continuous expanded aluminium mesh web  15  is arranged to flow from the roll  1  at the inlet to the output of the device wherein, as illustratively shown in  FIG.  2    and in  FIG.  2   a   , the expanded aluminium mesh web  15  is adapted to be wound around a square-shaped roll assembly  16 . 
     A mechanism  5  adapted to provide tensioning of mesh web  15 , a mechanism  6  adapted to provide a forward movement of mesh web  15 , a mechanism  7  adapted to transversely cut mesh web  15 , a mechanism  8  adapted to securely fold the edge of the cut end of mesh web  15 , at least one arrangement of guiding rollers  9  and a mechanism  10  adapted to provide setting a desirably configured mesh roll assembly and winding mesh web  15  around this mesh roll assembly to provide an end product are sequentially mounted between the inlet and outlet of the device of the invention. 
     As shown in the detailed view of  FIG.  3    of the mechanism  5  adapted to provide tensioning of web  15  of the expanded aluminium mesh and ensure a predetermined tension thereof, this mechanism comprises a pair of rollers  2  and  4 , which are spaced apart at a distance that corresponds to the diameter of a tensioning roller  3  that is mounted within a socket being formed by the web  15  being sunk downwardly in between the aforementioned rollers  2  and  4 . As web  15  flows from the inlet to the outlet of the device, the tensioning roller  3  is adapted to slide vertically within the abovementioned socket thereby downwardly pulling the flowing web  15  to ensure a steady predetermined tension thereof. 
     The mechanism  6  illustrated in  FIGS.  5 ,  5     a  and  6   b  is adapted to provide a forward movement of web  15  being derived from the roll  1  of the previously produced expanded aluminium mesh at the inlet of the device, such forward movement being initiated immediately after completion of an operational cycle with a web portion having been transversely cut and being led at the mechanism  10  arranged to produce the desirably configured mesh roll assembly that is the end product deliverable at the outlet of the device of the invention. The forward movement of web  15  powered by the mechanism  6  is terminated as soon as web  15  abuts and is appropriately stapled along a transverse line of stapling  29  shown in  FIG.  2    onto the mesh roll assembly  16  provided onto a rotatable disc  12   c  of mechanism  10  since thereafter further movement of web  15  is powered by the rotatable disc  12   c.    
     As shown in  FIG.  5   , the mechanism  6  adapted to provide a forward movement of web  15  comprises a pair of equally sized rollers  6   a ,  6   b  oriented in parallel, below and above the flowing web  15  respectively. A fixedly mounted base  27  is provided at one side of roller  6   a  underlying web  15  and a rotatable centrally oriented longitudinal shaft of roller  6   a  passes through this base  27  and is connected to a drive gear  25   a . Accordingly, a gear  25   b  is connected at the end of a centrally oriented longitudinal shaft of roller  6   b  overlying web  15 , wherein this shaft of roller  6   b  passes through a base  26  that is supported by an array of pillars  27   a  that protrude perpendicularly upwardly from the abovementioned fixedly mounted base  27 , wherein pillars  27   a  and henceforth base  26  are adapted to move reciprocatingly by means of a pneumatic drive that is not depicted in the drawings, such reciprocating movement of base  26  alternatively providing engagement of gear  25   b  with drive gear  25   a  ( FIG.  5   b   ) or disengagement of the same ( FIG.  5   a   ). Drive gear  25   a  is being driven by motor  28  illustrated at the side thereof. The reciprocating base  26  is adapted to alternatively provide engagement of gear  25   b  with drive gear  25   a  thereby initiating, through activation of motor  28  a forward stroke of mesh web  15  flowing in between rollers  6   a ,  6   b  or disengagement of gear  25   b  from drive gear  25   a  thereby allowing free passage of mesh web  15  flowing in between rollers  6   a ,  6   b.    
     The mechanism  7  adapted to transversely cut mesh web  15  is shown in an idle condition in  FIG.  6   a    and in an active condition in  FIG.  6   b   . Mechanism  7  comprises a fixedly mounted base member  7   a  that is mounted underneath the flowing mesh web  15  and a cutting blade  7   b  that is arranged above base member  7   a  overlying the mesh web  15  and moving downwardly during a cutting operation to be brought in abutment with base  7   a  and perform transverse cutting of the mesh web  15  contained therebetween. 
       FIGS.  7   a  and  7   b    show an illustrative embodiment of mechanism  8  that is adapted to securely fold the edge of the cut end of mesh web  15  and is located downstream of cutting mechanism  7  described hereinabove. Mechanism  8  comprises a parallelepipedal block member with an upper base  80 , a lower base  82  and a lateral base  87  interconnecting upper base  80  and lower base  82 , wherein upper base  80 , lower base  82  and lateral base  87  extend along the transverse direction of mesh web  15 . A pair of vertically oriented pneumatic cylinders  81  is disposed in between upper base  80  and lower base  82  and is adapted to provide reciprocating movement of the lower base  82 . A plate  85  having dimensions equivalent to those of the lower base  82  is pivotally mounted onto the lateral base  87  exteriorly of the parallelepipedal block member and overlying the flowing mesh web  15  whilst mechanism  8  is found in idle condition as illustrated in  FIG.  8   a   . A pair of pneumatic cylinders  83  is adapted to perform a rotational stroke of plate  85  and bring the latter in a position underlying lower base  82  as illustrated in  FIGS.  8   b ,  8   c   , such rotational stroke being initiated immediately after the performance of a cutting operation of mesh web  15 . Furthermore, a pneumatic cylinder  86  and piston  86   a  arrangement is provided at one of the narrow sides of the parallelepipedal block, such cylinder  86  and piston  86   a  arrangement being adapted to provide a reciprocating movement of a plate  84  that has dimensions equivalent to those of the lower base  82  and of the plate  85  that is rotated to be brought underneath the lower base  82  after the performance of a cutting operation of mesh web  15 . Prior to that rotational stroke of plate  85 , the aforementioned cylinder and piston arrangement  86 - 86   a  initiates a linear movement of plate  84  that results in plate  84  being brought underneath lower base  82  and underneath mesh web  15  that abuts the upper surface thereof as shown in  FIG.  7   a    and in  FIG.  8   a   . It is then that the rotational stroke of plate  85  is initiated ( FIG.  8   b   ) and, when this rotational stroke is terminated, plate  84  lies in between the lower base  82  and plate  85  with the mainstream mesh web  15  lying above it and the end portion thereof with the transversely cut edge lying underneath it as shown in  FIG.  8   c   . In this position a folded edge of the cut web portion is obtained through operation of the pneumatic cylinders  81  that provide a downward movement of base  82  and exertion of a slight pressure onto the underlying plate  84  and accordingly onto the mesh web  15 . Following completion of an operational cycle as described hereinabove, a rearward linear movement of plate  84  is performed as shown in  FIG.  7   b    and a return rotational stroke of plate  85  is also initiated by the pneumatic cylinders  83  so as to bring mechanism  8  at an idle condition, ready to accept a new mesh web portion  15  being promoted by an operational cycle of mechanism  6  described hereinabove. 
     Mechanism  10  is provided at the outlet of the device of the invention and is adapted to provide setting up a desirably configured mesh roll assembly  16  and thereafter to provide winding mesh web  15  around this desirably configured mesh roll assembly  16  that is mounted onto shaft  16   a  to provide an end product  17  composed of the combination of mesh rolls of the expanded aluminum mesh contained in the aforementioned roll assembly  16  including a predetermined number of turns thereupon of the mesh web  15  derived from roll  1  at the inlet of the device. 
     As illustrated in  FIG.  9   , the aforementioned mechanism  10  that provides the desirably configured end product  17  composed of the combination of mesh rolls of the expanded aluminium mesh comprises a fixed lower table  11   b  and an upper rotatable table  11   a . A tubular shaft  39  extends vertically upwardly from the center of the upper surface of the fixed abovementioned lower table  11   b  and a shaft  36  with a gear  37  at the free end thereof extends vertically downwardly from the center of the bottom surface of the upper rotatable table  11   a , wherein shaft  36  is inserted within the tubular shaft  39  and is adapted to rotate therein. Motors  31   a  and  32   a  with drive gears  33 ,  34  respectively at the shafts thereof are provided within supporting structures  31  and  32  respectively provided onto the upper surface of the fixed abovementioned lower table  11   b.    
     Bearings  38  are mounted onto upwardly oriented support structures  38   a  provided onto the upper surface centrally at the edge of each of the four sides of the rotatable upper table  11   a . An angularly configured motion transmission mechanism  50  is mounted proximally to each one of the abovementioned bearings  38 . As illustratively shown in  FIG.  9   d   , each angularly configured motion transmission mechanism  50  comprises a vertically extending shaft  50   a  that passes through a hole  50   a ′ of upper table  11   a  and a horizontally extending shaft  50   b  that passes through the respective bearing  38 . Flanges  14   a ,  14   b  are provided in shafts  50   a  and  50   b  respectively, wherein flange  14   a  is adapted to fixedly mount the angularly configured motion transmission mechanism  50  onto the upper table  11   a , whilst flange  14   b  is adapted to mount mechanism  50  centrally onto each one of four vertically oriented discs  12   a ,  12   b ,  12   c ,  12   d  correspondingly provided in each of the four sides of the rotatable table  11   a . A gear  35  is mounted at the end of shaft  50   a  of each one of the mechanisms  50  that protrudes from the bottom of table  11   a , such gear  35  being adapted to engage drive gear  34  of motor  32   a , whereby as the rotatable table  11   a  performs a 90° rotational stroke at each time, one of the four vertically oriented discs  12   a ,  12   b ,  12   c ,  12   d  is alternatively brought in a condition wherein the gear  35  of the mechanism  50  thereof is engaged with the drive gear  34  of motor  32   a  and therefore this disc is rotated to implement winding of mesh web  15  around the desirably configured mesh roll assembly  16  that has been mounted onto a shaft  16   a  thereof. A predetermined number of turns of the rotatable disc to produce an appropriate end product is normally of the order of 5-10 turns. 
       FIG.  11   a    shows an exploded perspective view of a disc  12   a  of the mechanism  10  that provides the desirably configured end product  17  composed of the combination of mesh rolls of the expanded aluminium mesh. Disc  12   a  is provided with a plurality of through holes  13   a  adapted to receive a plurality of pins  13 . An appropriate number and location of pins  13  is selectively employed for obtaining a desirably configured end product of the device of the invention.  FIG.  11   a    shows a large central roll  18  that is adapted to be fitted onto the pin  13  located at the center of disc  12   a , four intermediately sized peripheral rolls  19   a , smaller than the aforementioned roll  18 , which are being fitted at four pins  13  located around the circumference of the central roll  18 , such four rolls  19   a  defining the four corners of a square and further eight even smaller peripheral rolls  19   b , a pair of such smaller rolls  19   b  being mounted at a correspondingly spaced pair of pins on either side of each pin  13  adapted to receive the intermediately sized roll  19   a . defining a corner of the square. As shown in  FIG.  11   b   , a squarely shaped mesh roll assembly  16  is obtained and a squarely shaped end product  17  of the invention is obtained following winding of mesh web  15  around the roll assembly  16 . Accordingly, the triangularly shaped mesh roll assembly  16  of  FIG.  12   b    is obtained with disc  12   a  being provided with an appropriately designed locating and spacing of pins  13 . 
     Furthermore, various exemplary mesh roll assembly products may be obtained as illustrated in  FIGS.  13   a   - 13   e.    
     By way of example, an elongate planar mesh item  17   a  as shown in  FIG.  13   a    may be produced with a pair of pins  13  spaced at a distance corresponding to the length of mesh item  17   a  on the surface of the adjacently shown disc  12   a.    
     According to another example shown in  FIG.  13   b   , a series of small sized rolls  19   b  may be mounted onto a series of appropriately spaced pins  13  onto the surface of adjacently shown disc  12   a , such serial roll assembly being thereafter wound with mesh web  15  to produce the depicted end product of an elongate parallelepipedal item  17   b.    
     According to yet another example shown in  FIG.  13   c   , four small sized rolls  19   b  may be mounted onto a squarely configured arrangement of pins  13  onto the surface of adjacently shown disc  12   a , such squarely configured roll assembly being thereafter wound with mesh web  15  to produce the depicted end product of a small square item  17   c.    
     According to yet another example shown in  FIG.  13   d   , a pair of small sized rolls  19   b  may be mounted onto a pair of correspondingly spaced arrangement pair of pins  13  onto the surface of adjacently shown disc  12   a , such pair of rolls being thereafter wound with mesh web  15  to produce the depicted end product of a small elliptical item  17   d.    
     Another example presented in  FIG.  13   e    produces an end product  17   e  consisting of a pair of unequally sized rolls wound with the mesh web provided in the device of the invention. 
     An inexhaustible variety of end product configurations may be produced with the device of the invention to serve the scope of maximally filling a fuel container. 
     The employment of four discs  12   a - 12   d  at each one of the four sides of the rotatable table  11   a  of the mechanism  10  adapted to provide the desirably configured end product  17  enables obtaining a maximal productivity by speeding up the process of setting up a desirably configured roll assembly and at the same time carrying out a process of winding a predetermined number of turns of the mesh web  15  provided by the device of the invention around this roll assembly  16  and eventually delivering a ready made final product  17 . 
     Following completion of a first step of mounting a necessary number of pins  13  onto each one of the discs  12   a - 12   d , such pins being spaced in accordance with a specified predetermined design of the item to be produced and collection of a supply of appropriately sized rolls for the production of a specified number of end items, as seen in  FIG.  10   a   , the following processes can be simultaneously carried out in mechanism  10  of the device of the invention:
     a. Placement of a first number of roll components onto the disc  12   a . By way of example the central roll  18  of the squarely or triangularly configured item of  FIG.  11   b    or  FIG.  12   b    respectively may be mounted onto disc  12   a.      b. Placement of a second number of roll components onto the disc  12   b  to complete the desirably configured roll assembly. By way of example the peripheral rolls  19   a ,  19   b  of the squarely or triangularly configured item of  FIG.  11   b    or  FIG.  12   b    respectively may be mounted onto disc  12   b.      c. Winding of the appropriately configured mesh roll assembly  16  mounted onto disc  12   c  with the mesh web  15  provided by the device of the invention, and   d. Removal of the delivered ready made product from disc  12   d.      

     Each time an operational cycle is completed with the simultaneous performance of the four hereinabove described four processes, the upper table  11   a  of mechanism  10  is rotated by an angle of 90° so that the empty disc  12   d  is brought at the position previously occupied by disc  12   a  and the subsequent discs also proceed a forward step of an equivalent angle of 90° so that a new operational cycle begins and the production process continues until a desired predetermined number of end items configured in a specific desired shape is obtained. 
     The object of the invention is to provide a variety of configurations of roll assemblies so as to obtain a maximally efficient filling of fuel containers. By way of example,  FIGS.  14   a  and  15   a    depict standardized types of a fuel tank  41  and  42  respectively, which are being filled with an appropriate combination of the expanded aluminium mesh roll assembly products of the device of the invention with a scope to provide suppression of ignition and combustion of the fuel contained therein.  FIGS.  14   b  and  15   b    accordingly show an illustrative transverse sectional view of fuel tanks  41  and  42  respectively displaying the filling thereof with the aforementioned expanded aluminium mesh roll assembly products of the invention. 
     In particular, as shown in  FIG.  14   b   , fuel tank  41  is filled with a pair of adjacently mounted squarely shaped mesh roll assembly products  17  and a variety of other mesh roll assembly products including the hereinabove described products  17   b ,  17   c ,  17   c  and independent rolls of larger and smaller diameter  19   a  and  19   b  are used to fill the perimeter around the pair of adjacently mounted squarely shaped mesh roll assembly products  17 . Further in  FIG.  15   b    fuel tank  42  is also filled with a pair of adjacently mounted squarely shaped mesh roll assembly products  17 , whilst the variety of other mesh roll assembly products used to fill the perimeter around the pair of adjacently mounted squarely shaped mesh roll assembly products  17  includes the hereinabove described products  17   a ,  17   b ,  17   d  and arrays of independent rolls  19   a.    
     It is estimated that the employment in each particular instance of an appropriate combination of the variously configured mesh roll assembly products of the invention will provide an efficient filling of fuel tanks of all kinds at a percentage exceeding 90% of the volume thereof, thereby providing an enhanced effect of suppression of ignition and combustion of the fuel contained therein.