Abstract: A slot coating die (10) is provided, comprising an upper die half (12) and a lower die half (14) attached together with a shim (16) disposed therebetween, each die half extending along an axis (18) and having a front and a back. The front of the upper die half includes a movable lip insert (22) extending substantially the entire width thereof and movable with respect to the upper die half toward and away from the front of the upper die half in a direction generally perpendicular to the axis. At least one adjustable die opening (20), which is adjustable independently of the movable lip insert, is defined by the upper and lower die halves and the shim plate disposed therebetween. A plurality of push-pull bolts (30) provide a coarse adjustment mechanism for adjusting the relative positions of the lower and upper die halves with respect to each other in a direction generally parallel to that in which the movable lip insert may be moved.

Abstract: A rotary coater device (12) is provided, comprising front and rear frame plates (30) having mounted therebetween: a die bracket assembly (100), a screen assembly (200), a heater hood assembly (300), and an impression roll assembly (400). The die bracket assembly (100) includes (i) a die (500) positionable within a screen (202) and having an opening (550), the die being movable from an operating position wherein the die opening is proximate to an inner surface of the screen to an idle position wherein the die is drawn away from the inner surface; and (ii) a pivotable support arm (102a) fixedly attached at one end to a positioning mechanism (112) and removably attached at an opposite end to the die, the pivotable support arm being pivotable away from the screen when the opposite end is detached from the die to expose the screen for removal from the coater device.

Abstract: A rotary coater device (12) is provided, comprising front and rear frame plates (30) having mounted therebetween: a die bracket assembly (100), a screen assembly (200), a heater hood assembly (300), and an impression roll assembly (400). The die bracket assembly (100) includes (i) a die (500) positionable within a screen (202) and having an opening (550), the die being movable from an operating position wherein the die opening is proximate to an inner surface of the screen to an idle position wherein the die is drawn away from the inner surface; and (ii) a pivotable support arm (102a) fixedly attached at one end to a positioning mechanism (112) and removably attached at an opposite end to the die, the pivotable support arm being pivotable away from the screen when the opposite end is detached from the die to expose the screen for removal from the coater device.

Abstract: A slot coating die (10) is provided, comprising an upper die half (12) and a lower die half (14) attached together with a shim (16) disposed therebetween, each die half extending along an axis (18) and having a front and a back. The front of the upper die half includes a movable lip insert (22) extending substantially the entire width thereof and movable with respect to the upper die half toward and away from the front of the upper die half in a direction generally perpendicular to the axis. At least one adjustable die opening (20), which is adjustable independently of the movable lip insert, is defined by the upper and lower die halves and the shim plate disposed therebetween. A plurality of push-pull bolts (30) provide a coarse adjustment mechanism for adjusting the relative positions of the lower and upper die halves with respect to each other in a direction generally parallel to that in which the movable lip insert may be moved.

Abstract: A support structure for a slot coating die is provided. The support structure comprises a plurality of support members connected with a frame, and a slot coating die head structure which rests on and is coupled to certain of the support members. The frame comprises a pair of spaced apart side frame members, and the plurality of support members comprises: (i) a pair of outer support members, each disposed adjacent a respective side frame member and pivotally supported thereon, (ii) a pair of intermediate support members, each disposed adjacent a respective outer support member and pivotally supported thereon, and (iii) a pair of inner support members, each disposed adjacent a respective intermediate support member and pivotally supported thereon. Each of the pair of inner support members has a respective support surface, and the slot coating die structure rests on the support surfaces of the pair of inner support members and is coupled to the pair of inner support members for movement therewith.

Abstract: A multi-orifice T-bar nozzle includes a nozzle body having a mounting plate adapted to connect to the body of a hot melt thermoplastic adhesive dispenser, and an internal adhesive flow path formed by an inlet at the top wall of the nozzle body adapted to receive adhesive from the adhesive dispenser, a number of outlets at the bottom wall thereof which extrude adhesive beads and a distribution passageway interconnecting the inlet and outlets. The nozzle body progressively tapers from the top, center portion thereof to its extremities, i.e., to the end portions and bottom of the nozzle body, so that the temperature differential between the adhesive entering the inlet of the nozzle body, and the adhesive discharged from the outlets, is minimized.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing adhesive in an elongated strand or fiber in a controlled, spiral pattern upon a substrate comprises a dispensing device having a nozzle formed with an adhesive delivery passageway and an air delivery passageway both of which terminate at the base of the nozzle. A nozzle attachment in the form of an annular plate is mounted to the base of the nozzle by a cap. The annular plate is formed with a throughbore which receives hot melt adhesive from the adhesive delivery passageway and ejects an adhesive bead through a nozzle tip formed on the outer side of the plate opposite the nozzle. An annular groove formed in the outer side of the plate facilitates drilling of air jet bores therein at an angle relative to the throughbore and adhesive bead ejected therefrom.

Abstract: An apparatus for melting and dispensing rapidly degradable reactive adhesive such as moisture curable hot melt adhesive from a thermally conductive, sealed container includes a housing within which the container is supported in a position to engage a heated surface of a platen. The platen is mounted within the housing in fluid communication with a heated manifold carrying a gear pump. The platen melts the adhesive within the container and provides for the transfer of heat uniformly throughout the stream of melted adhesive discharged through the outlet of the container. The melted adhesive is transmitted from the platen into the gear pump in the manifold which is thermally isolated from the platen to maintain the adhesive therein at a substantially constant temperature.

Abstract: Apparatus for intermittently dispensing substantially constant cross sectional thickness beads of molten hot melt material comprising a service block connected to a pressurized source of molten hot melt material, a dispensing gun module, and a return module. Both the dispensing gun module and the return module are mounted upon the service block, the connection being such that the inputs to both modules are received from the service block. Both the dispensing gun module and the return module have valve elements therein operable to open flow through the dispensing gun module and the return module alternatively so that the pressure of adhesive supplied to the dispensing gun module remains constant as hot melt material is dispensed from the dispensing gun module intermittently.

Abstract: Apparatus for applying multiple narrow, closely spaced beads of viscous liquid, such as hot melt adhesive, to a substrate comprises first and second blades between which there is a thin shim having a plurality of parallel, closely spaced slots open to and in fluid communication with a slot cavity in one of the blades such that high pressure, viscous liquid supplied to the slot cavity exits onto the substrate from between the blades through the slots in the shim.

Abstract: Apparatus for applying multiple narrow, closely spaced beads of viscous liquid, such as hot melt adhesive, to a substrate comprises first and second blades between which there is a thin shim having a plurality of parallel, closely spaced slots open to and in fluid communication with a slot cavity in one of the blades such that high pressure, viscous liquid supplied to the slot cavity exits onto the substrate from between the blades through the slots in the shim.

Abstract: Apparatus for melting and dispensing thermoplastic material including a hopper for receiving solid thermoplastic material, a flow-through grid melter secured to the bottom of the hopper and a reservoir mounted beneath the grid melter. The grid melter includes multiple parallel ribs extending across the width of the bottom of the grid melter. A single sinuous electrical resistance heater is cast in situ into the ribs of the grid melter. The underside of the grid melter is provided with recesses which function as accumulators to prevent the buildup of pressure on the underside of the grid melter upon remelt of solid thermoplastic material located above the level of the top of the grid melter.

Abstract: Apparatus for melting and dispensing thermoplastic material including a hopper for receiving solid thermoplastic material, a flow-through grid melter secured to the bottom of the hopper and a heated reservoir mounted beneath the grid melter. The reservoir has a bottom discharge opening through which molten thermoplastic material is supplied to a pump. To control the temperature of molten material supplied to the pump, there is a deflector shield over the bottom discharge opening of the reservoir. This shield has downwardly and outwardly sloping top surfaces operable to force molten material falling onto the shield to flow outwardly over the top surface of the shield and then downwardly and inwardly over the top surface of the bottom wall of the reservoir before flowing into the outlet opening of the reservoir. To input desired temperatures for the grid and reservoir into the apparatus and to read out temperature data, there is a control console mounted atop the housing of the apparatus.

Abstract: Apparatus for melting and dispensing thermoplastic material including a hopper for receiving solid thermoplastic material, a flow-through grid melter secured to the bottom of the hopper and a reservoir mounted beneath the grid melter. A pump is mounted in the bottom of the reservoir and is connected to the reservoir outlet via a flow passage which contains a gate valve operable to enable the passage to be blocked and the pump removed for repair or replacement without the need to first drain the reservoir of molten material. The pump is driven by a motor which is mounted upon a pivotally supported plate such that the motor may be easily and quickly disconnected from the pump to further facilitate quick repair or replacement of the pump.

Abstract: A hot melt adhesive dispensing system including a hot melt adhesive dispenser, a hot melt adhesive tank, and a hose for coupling hot melt adhesive from the tank to the dispenser. The dispenser, the tank and the hose are heated by electrical heaters to maintain the adhesive in a suitable molten condition for dispensing and for flowing from the tank to the dispenser. When the hot melt adhesive system is first energized, the hose and tank heaters are coupled to a source of electrical power and the temperature at either the tank or the hose is sensed. When the sensed temperature reaches a suitable preselected level, the dispenser heater is then energized by coupling the heater to a source of electrical power. In this way, as the adhesive in the dispenser is heated from a solid to a molten form, it is free to expand into the hose, with the adhesive in the hose adjacent the dispenser having already been heated to a molten state.

Abstract: A liquid dispensing device is disclosed in which there is a movable needle operable to open and close a valve seat located within a nozzle of the dispensing device. The needle valve is guided by longitudinal bushing surfaces contained within the nozzle bore. The nozzle has very nearly zero volumetric capacity internally of the nozzle within which liquid may collect between the closed valve seat and the outlet orifice of the nozzle. This "zero capacity" nozzle contains two needle valve engageable seating surfaces, the first of which is operable to close off flow through the nozzle from the dispensing device, and the second of which subsequently closes the nozzle orifice.

Abstract: An apparatus for melting and dispensing thermoplastic material comprising a melter tank, a pump contained within the melter tank, a dispenser, and a manifold block mounted on the bottom of the melter tank. Thermoplastic material melted in the tank flows from the melter tank, through the pump, through the manifold block, to the dispenser. The pump is mounted in the tank and is either a reciprocating piston type or a rotary gear type pump, the two being interchangeable upon the tank. If a gear type pump is used, it is provided with a built-in pressure control valve operable to circulate the pump flow back to the tank when the dispenser flow is terminated or when there is greater pump flow than is required at the dispenser. Contained interiorly of the manifold block in the flow path between the pump and the dispenser there is a replaceable filter.