Abstract: A method for bonding expanded polymeric parts without an adhesive. The method comprises wetting the surfaces to be bonded with water or water containing from about 1% to 2% wetting agent, positioning the surfaces to be bonded in a nonmovable abutting relationship, encapsulating the joint formed by the abutting surfaces with a mold, and, while encapsulated, passing high frequency electrical energy therethrough to effectuate a bond.

Abstract: A labelling device having a main body member mounted on its frame for rotation about a central axis. The device includes a labelling station, a glue applicator station and a label applicator station circumferentially spaced about a central axis. At least one arm member is slidably mounted on the main body member and projects radially from the central axis. A head is pivotally mounted on each arm for movement about a secondary axis parallel to the central axis. The head has an outer surface which is curved in the plane of rotation of the head about the central axis and is rotatable with the main body with the outer surface disposed in a path passing through the label storage, glue applicator and label applicator stations. The outer surface of the head has a leading edge disposed in the direction of rotation of the main body and a trailing edge disposed in the opposite direction.

Abstract: In welding apparatus of the type comprising a pair of opposed pressing boards, and a heated platen inserted into and retracted from a space between the pressing boards and the surfaces of the articles to be welded together are fused by the heated platen and then welded together by applying a pressure to the articles, there are provided holding mechanisms for holding the article at the opposing surfaces of the pressing boards and a spacer for defining predetermined gaps between the heated platen and the pressing boards.

Abstract: A sealing wheel has a pneumatic tire with means whereby the flexure of the tire may be altered to compensate for dimensional differences in associated parts so that a required sealing pressure may be maintained. In one embodiment, a plurality of sealing wheels are mounted on a common shaft, the tire of each wheel being coupled with a source of compressed air, the air line for each tire having a pressure regulator so that the several tires may be regulated independently of each other, or coupled with a common source so that all tires may be regulated together. In one embodiment of the invention there may be a partial filling of the tire with liquid of a type which will bring about a more even distribution of heat where there is heat sealing.

Abstract: A process for the seaming of two sheets of thermoplastic polymers, especially fabrics comprising thermoplastic fibres, by passing them around and through a pair of nip rolls and directing a pulsed laser beam at their line of confluence.

Abstract: In a label applicating apparatus a self-contained vacuum generating means is incorporated in the applicator drum so that a partial vacuum may be established at a predetermined peripheral portion of the drum in response to the rotation of said drum. The generated partial vacuum is maintained for a predetermined portion of each cyclically rotary movement of the drum.

Abstract: Apparatus for laminating pieces of sheet material comprising a base of rigid material having a flat upper surface formed with a plurality of spaced apart perforations distributed substantially uniformly over the surface, a support member having a flat upper surface supporting an underside of said base and having a plurality of concentric interconnected grooves defined and in communication with said perforations, means for developing a partial vacuum in said grooves for causing fluid flow through said perforations around one or more pieces of sheet material placed in contact with the upper surface of the base, a cover of flexible, fluid impervious transparent sheet material movable between an open position out of overlaying relation with said base and a closed or overlaying position covering said base along with any pieces of sheet material places on the base to be laminated together and means for sealing around the periphery of said base and said cover when said cover is in said overlaying position.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying a label to an article while the article is being transported along a path of travel by a conveyor, including a vertically movable applicator foot operable to pick up a label from a source and apply such label to the surface of an article and a vertically movable compressor foot operable to engage the applied label to cause it to conform to the contour of the article surface. The applicator foot and compressor foot are independently supported for conjunctive movements with the article in the direction of conveyor travel, while operably engaged therewith.

Abstract: The variable resist laminator receives a heated panel between two identical vacuum bails and the leading edge of a web of photoresist material is placed on opposite sides of the panel simultaneously prior to feeding the panel and attached webs between a pair of application rolls. Identical cutter mechanisms shear the webs into sheets of the desired length and the length may be varied for different length panels. Vacuum means are provided for maintaining control of the trailing edges of the cut sheets until they are applied to the panel to prevent the formation of wrinkles or other defects due to premature application. Vacuum means is also provided for removing flakes or debris as the webs are sheared. A gated conveyor system feeds the panels and the conveyor system has means for controlling the operation of the vacuum bails, the cutters, and the application rolls.

Abstract: A feeder mechanism for a labelling machine to transfer gum from a gumming apparatus to labels at a label supply location, and then to convey the labels to a transfer means. The mechanism includes a feeder member which carries at least one label receiving element mounted on the feeder member by means of a pivot shaft. The feeder member is rotatably driven about an axis and bodily driven in a circular path about a central axis, the feeder member axis being eccentric to said central axis. The pivot shaft is parallel to the rotary axis of its associated feeder member, whereby the movement of the pivot shaft perpendicular to its axial direction describes a looped hypotrochoid. The orientation of each label receiving element about the axis of its pivot shaft is controlled in dependence on the orientation of the feeder member about its rotary axis.

Abstract: An apparatus for receiving a plurality of electrical components having a body portion and coaxial leads extending in opposite directions therefrom and securing said components in lengths of heat sealed tape on their extremities.

Abstract: A drum continuously rotating on a vertical axis carries at least two pairs of label transfer members spaced circumferentially around its axis and rotatably connected to the drum on vertical axes. One of the transfer members in each pair is a pick-up member and the other a delivery member, with the pick-up members alternating with the delivery members. The pick-up members are continuously rotated on their axes in one direction while the delivery members are rotated in the opposite direction at the same speed. Each of the transfer members has a label-contact surface provided with a vertical row of air inlets, the contact surface of each pick-up member facing away from the axis of the drum when that member is in pick-up position at the label magazine, at which time suction is applied to the air inlets to withdraw a label from the magazine.

Abstract: There is provided an attachment for use on a somewhat standard sheet laminating machine of the type including two vertically spaced upper and lower heating elements defining therebetween a pass along which sheet material moves in a direction from the front to the back of the elements. Each heating element has a front facing, curvilinear heated donor surface extending transversely of the workpiece pass and curved in a direction generally parallel to the pass. This type of sheet laminating machine also includes two vertically spaced pressure rolls behind the heating elements and extending transversely of the pass with one of the rolls on each vertical side of the pass. The attachment includes first and second heat conducting elements formed from a metal havng high thermal conductivity, with each of the heat conducting elements having generally flat platen plates and integral heat receptor portions.

Abstract: An applicator is disclosed for applying pieces of tape having a fibrous surface on one side and a heat-activatable adhesive on the other side onto a receptor. The tape may be hook and loop-fastening tape and the applicator utilizes an applicating pad having wire bristles which engage the fibrous tape surface. The wire bristles support the tape such that the same may be moved into contact with a heater and then moved to apply the tape to a surface. The pad serves to uniformly affix the tape to the surface and the bristles will penetrate the fibers and force the backing and adhesive onto the surface to which the tape is to be applied. The tape may be applied to the brush and then cut to lengths or predetermined lengths of tape may be placed onto the brush.

Abstract: Apparatus for manufacturing large, disposable specialty drapes such as laparotomy sheets. Strips of stock material are automatically drawn from a supply and glued together to form the required width. A reinforcement patch is attached and then a fenestration cut through the patch and the underlying stock material. Subsequently, the fenestrated stock material is cut off to provide the finished sheet. The work stations at which the reinforcement patch is applied, the fenestration cut and the finished sheet cut off are spaced so that these operations can be performed simultaneously on different sheets in a line. A control unit is provided to control these operations simultaneously.

Abstract: A machine of introducing sound-insulating members of a resilient material at predetermined places in concrete beams formed by a lower concrete element, preferably coffer-shaped, and an upper concrete element in the form of a slab. The machine comprises means to raise the upper element from the lower element so as to form therebetween a gap intended to receive the sound-insulating members, means to sense the vertical dimensions of said gap, means to cut off a piece of insulating material the vertical dimensions of which agree with those of the gap, means to apply an adhesive to said member, and means to position said member in the gap in the predetermined position. The invention ensures that the total thickness of concrete beams including such a sound-insulating layer is equal for all beams thus composed irrespective of the individual thickness of the discrete concrete elements.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying glue to chips, fibers and the like of wood, bagasse and other cellulose containing substances, which comprises a substantially cylindrical mixing chamber in which a shaft rotates equipped with radially extending mixing and/or glue applying tools. These tools immerse with their head region partly into a ring of chip material rotating at a relatively high speed. The glue applying tools comprises a glue conveying passage which in the lower region of the glue applying tools communicates with a glue feeding conduit associated with the driving shaft and in its upper region has a glue exit opening. The upper section of the glue applying tool has a glue discharge passage extending in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the glue applying tool. The end region of the glue discharge passage has at least one glue discharge opening.

Abstract: Heater bars for a film sealing machine with traveling bands which grip and transfer heat to the film laminae, the heater bars having heat transfer slides spring pressed and guided for tilting in a horizontal plane against the bands and tiltable to accommodate variations in film thickness between the bands to continuously apply heat to all adjacent portions of the films traveling with the bands.

Abstract: A heat sealing unit for producing a heat sealed seam on plastic films wherein a plurality of fins made of thin ductile metal having good heat conducting properties are mounted on a thin flexible heating element. The heating element is in turn mounted on a resiliently compressible back-up pad. The fins are closely spaced and flattened against the heating element in overlapping relation so that they provide a relatively large heat sink and at the same time enable the unit to flex so as to conform to the contour of the plastic films to be heat sealed.

Abstract: Bonds are made between two work pieces by using foils exploded by electrical energy typically stored in a large capacitor. To increase the uniformity of the bond area, a foil having at least one slit cut in the direction of current flow is used. The foil strips separated by the slit are attracted together by the pinch effect when current is applied, tending to eliminate loss of foil through a jetting action during explosion. Platings are made by pressing the foil between the work piece and a plastic layer to which the foil does not adhere. In both bonding and plating, the capacitor is charged with energy sufficient to bring the foil just to its boiling point. This "tuning" is more efficient and minimizes heat and blast effects that might otherwise damage a small work piece.