Abstract: A sheet diverter apparatus diverts sheets into alternate paths by guiding the leading portion of each sheet through a gap in a horizontal conveyor into alternate diverter belt conveyor units where the sheet is firmly grasped for transfer. The one conveyor unit is a horizontal unit having a top belt conveyor and a bottom belt conveyor, one of which is offset downstream to form a diverting gap. A diverter is located to successively rotate through the gap and divert the alternate sheet into the angulated conveyor unit. In an upwardly angulated conveyor, the horizontal moving sheet is supported by the bottom conveyor belt of the horizontal unit. In a downward angulated conveyor unit, the length of the gap is selected to maintain sheet flow across a gap in the plane of the sheet. The top conveyor of the horizontal unit assists the support of the horizontal sheet. The linear or surface speed of the diverter cam is greater than the linear speed of the sheet.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for severing and stacking articles which have been differentially pressure formed in a sheet of thermoplastic material from the sheet. Apparatus is provided for moving the sheet in a horizontal path and relatively vertically moving opposed upper and lower trim dies into engagement with vertically opposite sides of the sheet to trim the articles from the sheet at a trim station. The articles free fall through an opening in the lower die and free fall to an underlying accumulator. The accumulator includes mechanism which is moveable from a stack forming position in the path of freely falling articles to receive and accumulate freely falling severed articles in a stack, and a releasing position in which a formed the stack is released for vertical free fall.

Abstract: Apparatus for differential pressure forming an article in a sheet of thermoplastic material having a pair of opposed differential pressure molds at a forming and trimming station moveable between open positions and closed positions engaging opposite sides of the sheet of thermoplastic material for differentially pressure forming an article in the sheet. Mechanism is provided for severing the article from the sheet and includes a pair of opposed trim dies mounted on the molds for movement therewith between spaced apart positions and sheet engaging positions when the molds are moved between open and closed positions. After the part is formed, wedge mechanism is moved transversely of the relative path of travel of the dies for incrementally indexing one of the dies toward the other of the dies to sever the article at the forming and trimming stations.

Abstract: A pelletizer for liquid polymers in which the severed pellets fall from cutter knives into an annulus on the surface of a body of cooling liquid. The annulus is defined by said surface and the confluence of a downwardly flowing ring of the cooling liquid and a downwardly and radially outwardly flowing cascade of the cooling liquid. The velocity and trajectory of the pellets are controlled by the projection of a spray of cooling liquid radially across the dies from which the pellets are severed. Band heaters in proximity to the dies maintain the polymer in a liquid state prior to extrusion.

Abstract: An automatic strand winding unit having a plurality of stations each comprising a strand supply such as glass roving, guide/traverse means, a horizontally positioned spindle for taking up strand material and automation for servicing the winding unit is described. The winding unit, including the automation, is programmed whereby, inter alia, the automation moves into a station having a full spindle, cuts the strand between the strand supply and the horizontally positioned full spindle and, while retaining the strand end from the strand supply, doffs the full spindle by pivoting the spindle to a substantially vertical or down position, and thereafter engages the strand end with a horizontally positioned empty spindle and restarts the winding operation. In a preferred embodiment the automatic winding unit is for winding glass roving using an improved coreless, expandable spindle having an automatic strand engaging and releasing mechanism.

Abstract: A take-up unit for winding strand material comprising a strand-tensioning device having a compensator arm and a compensator wheel at a free end thereof for carrying a strand material to be wound and an air cylinder having means for receiving air under pressure is described. The air cylinder is interconnected with the compensator arm, thereby compensating for a change in tension of the strand material being wound. A plurality of strand-tensioning devices are interconnected with a common air supply, permitting the adjustment of the tension in the plurality of strand-tensioning devices by regulating the air feed from the common supply.

Abstract: Apparatus for trimming and ejecting articles integrally thermoformed in a sheet of thermoplastic material from the sheet including a pair of opposed trim dies which will trim parts out of a web of thermoplastic material. Apparatus is provided for pushing the trimmed parts out of the trimming station at a greatly accelerated rate. The apparatus includes a pusher member reciprocally movable in a to-and-fro path of travel between a retracted position and a forward ejecting position. Apparatus is provided for moving the ejector mechanism in the to-and-fro path and includes a toggle linkage mechanism which engages a cam for movement between relatively folded positions on one side of a plane and relatively oppositely folded positions on the opposite side of the plane to rapidly advance and even more rapidly retract the pusher member.

Abstract: A winding unit having intelligence built into the winder and automation of the winder are described. The winders automatically perform functions such as open the roller bail of the winder, release a package on a winding spindle, secure a new package tube on the spindle, and set the machine to a pre-set speed through activation of a single switch. The winders are utilized either manually or with automation which will interface with the winder, cut and aspirate a strand, remove a full package from a spindle on the winding unit, install a new package tube on the spindle, and then re-thread the spindle. Since the intelligence is divided between the winding unit and the robot, the robot can be relatively simple in construction.

Abstract: A winder and method for winding a plurality of yarn strands on a package with each yarn strand on the package having the exact same length to provide an exceptionally low catenary yarn package is described. A plurality of yarn strands are fed individually to a plurality of godets, the first godet being driven at a slightly slower speed than the remaining godets to stabilize each yarn strand by underfeeding and tensioning each strand, and the remaining godets measuring and metering equally each strand, providing packages at predetermined tensions and package pressure for trouble-free unrolling and unwinding.

Abstract: A filter for flowing polymer having a filter element progressively advanced between an on-stream position communicating between the upstream and downstream passages and a backflush position. In the latter position, filtered polymer is forced through a segment of the element in the direction opposite to on-stream flow. The filter is advanced in steps alternately with the energization of a pump for creating the backflush pressure. The steps are determined to cause each filter portion to remain in the backflush position for at least two consecutive steps.

Abstract: An improved turret type winder incorporates articulated constant contact lay-on rolls mounted concentrically with chucks at the ends of the arms of the turret winder. The articulated constant contact lay-on rolls are continuously repositioned radially during winding and are able to either maintain constant pressure or to reduce lay-on roll pressure as the film bundle diameter increases. Web tension variations during transfer operations are minimized by maintaining an essentially constant wrap angle on the lay-on roll between the web and the lay-on roll. An improved web feed-in mechanism is incorporated to reduce web tension variations due to drag forces. An improved method for winding film bundles is also provided whereby the nip pressure is varied during winding and then maintained at an about constant value during turret rotation.

Abstract: Apparatus for vertically adjusting the position of a lower mold relative to an upper mold to control the shut height or spacing between the upper and lower molds when they are moved between vertically spaced apart, open positions, and closed positions engaging opposite sides of a thermoplastic sheet of material to form an object therein.A plurality of toggle links are pivotally coupled to each other and to the mold and frame for determining the final position of the mold and the closed position.The toggle link mechanism for the lower mold is mounted on the frame via a horizontally adjustable wedge mechanism which vertically adjusts another cooperating wedge mounting one pivotal end of the lower toggle links.

Abstract: Size reduction system for processing plastic articles is disclosed. The system includes granulating means operable to comminute articles delivered to it, an article feed means which serves to move articles in a generally vertical path from a loading point to the granulating means while simultaneously crushing each of the articles into a compacted form. The feed means includes projections which operate to pull the articles into the article feed means while concurrently puncturing those articles. The invention provides a simple and efficient means for processing articles into reduced size for reclaiming. The invention further provides a system which utilizes minimum operating space by virtue of the vertical orientation and integration of the feed system relative to the granulator and the functioning of the feed system to compact articles preliminary to entry into the granulator, thereby allowing for a granulator of reduced size.

Abstract: A trim press for severing articles differentially pressure formed in a thermoplastic sheet comprising a stationary die member and a movable trim die member mounted on a frame for movement toward and away from the stationary trim die member between a spaced apart position and a closed position in which the trim die members engage opposite sides of a sheet to sever the article from the sheet. Dynamically balanced drive mechanism is provided for moving the platen in a to-and-fro path of travel while concurrently oppositely moving a counterbalance weight movably mounted on the frame.

Abstract: A differential screw adjusting mechanism comprised of an externally and internally threaded adjusting nut which has a plurality of slots formed along its length. The internal threads of the adjusting nut cooperatively and threadedly engage screw threads at the end of each of the expansion rods. The rods are in turn fixed to the lip of the die via set screws or jam nuts. A spool having an internally threaded diameter and a slot along its length is engaged to the external threads of the adjusting nut. The head of the spool has a flattened portion to limit rotation of the spool when clamped in place. Thus, the slotted adjusting nut is overfit with the slotted spool. The entire assembly of spool, nut, and rod is clamped in place via a clamping arrangement affixed to the die. The tightening of the clamp serves to close the spool via the slot over the nut, and in turn, the nut, via its slots, over the rod.

Abstract: A take-up mechanism for winding strand material at low speeds comprising a take-up spindle and traverse mechanism driven by a torque motor having a flywheel interconnected in the drive system is described. The flywheel controls power fluctuation during the strand winding operation and provides for a substantially uniform tension on the yarn strand during winding.

Abstract: A differential pressure thermoforming machine has a female mold with a female mold cavity, and an opposing mold, with a mold closing portion cooperable therewith. A foam injection head is perimetrally separated from the mold closing portion and is provided on the opposing mold. When the molds are initially closed, a differential pressure is created in the molds to cause the heated plastic sheet to move into contact with the mold cavity and form a configured pocket in the sheet. Mechanism is provided for releasing the plastic sheet from the carriage in which it has been moved between the molds, after the molding operation, to the cavity in the female mold, after which the molds are restored to spread-apart position.

Abstract: Thermoforming machines with a heating station and a downstream mold station have carrier clamp frames for gripping the edges of sheets of plastic at a load station and indexing them successively to a heating station and a mold station. The carrier frame members to which the plastic may be releasably clamped carry their own remotely operated clamps and are themselves expandable and contractible to a condition in which, prior to molding, they control the sag in the sheet formed during heating of the sheets to differential pressure forming temperature. The plastic sheet can be molded to only a portion of a product which functions as a mold member.

Abstract: A system for producing generally concavo-convex synthetic plastic containers and like articles, such as picnic plates wherein a mold station has a stationary intermediate mold with projecting male mold parts on one side and directly opposite recessed female mold cavities in alignment therewith on the other side. A first movable mold, on the side of the intermediate mold having the male mold parts is provided with recessed mating female mold cavities of the same dimensions as the said cavities in the intermediate mold and a second movable mold on the other side of the intermediate mold has aligned projecting male mold parts mating with the cavities in the intermediate mold. A pair of heated, moldable synthetic plastic webs are advanced in unison to opposite sides of the intermediate mold and are later removed in unison from the mold station. The heated sections of the webs are moved in unison to opposite sides of the intermediate mold when the said first and second movable molds are separated therefrom.

Abstract: This relates to the provision of a stall shutdown circuit for a brushless direct current motor wherein energization of the windings of the stator of the motor is controlled by transistors. By providing a stall shutdown circuit for shutting down power to the transistors when a stall condition exists, the capacity of the power supply transistor may be reduced to one-third of that presently required, thereby greatly reducing the cost of the motor. The brushless direct current motor utilizing the stall shutdown circuit of the present invention is particularly useful in a textile machine such as a take-up device where it is necessary to stop a spindle to doff and don yarn packages.