Abstract: A system, method, and device for measuring camber in a film is disclosed. The system generally includes: a flat surface with a longitudinal axis, at least three sensors spaced apart along the longitudinal axis, and a computing device operatively connected to each sensor. When the film is positioned in relationship to the sensors, the computing device computes the camber of the film. The flat surface may be a table with a film holder. At least one of the sensors may be a LED sensor. The computing device may have an output means, such as a monitor, a printer, or both. The computing device defines a straight line between the first and third sensor based on the position of the film, and the camber is a deviation of the film, measured by the second sensor, from the straight line.

Abstract: A system, method, and device for measuring camber in a film is disclosed. The system generally includes: a flat surface with a longitudinal axis, at least three sensors spaced apart along the longitudinal axis, and a computing device operatively connected to each sensor. When the film is positioned in relationship to the sensors, the computing device computes the camber of the film. The flat surface may be a table with a film holder. At least one of the sensors may be a LED sensor. The computing device may have an output means, such as a monitor, a printer, or both. The computing device defines a straight line between the first and third sensor based on the position of the film, and the camber is a deviation of the film, measured by the second sensor, from the straight line.

Abstract: Apparatus for continuously filtering molten polymer comprising: an arbor seated in a fixed support, the arbor having inlet and outlet ports for respectively receiving contaminated and discharging filtered melt, the ports communicating with openings in a pair of housings rotatably mounted on the arbor; a plurality of filter pod assemblies outwardly of and mounted on the rotatable housings, each assembly having a filter for contaminated melt and intake and discharge openings intermittently alignable with the ports on rotation of the housings to position a clean filter in the path of the contaminated melt and to remove the filter from the path when blocked with contaminants; passages associated with the inlet and outlet ports of the arbor and the housings for gradually establishing a flow of melt into a clean filter as it is rotated into filtering position; and thermally dilatable seal between the rotatable housings and the arbor to seal the housings and the arbor during the filtering of contaminated melt by a f

Abstract: Thermoplastic sheet comprising plasticized polyvinyl butyral has a regular pattern of ridges and channels integrally formed and arranged in each face at an angle of intersection with respect to each other of at least 25 degrees, the ridges tapering to flattened V-shaped peaks of tight radius of less than 0.0034 inch, each face of the sheet having a surface permanence of at least 70%.

Abstract: Plasticized polyvinyl butyral sheet optionally containing a gradient color band is formed by continuously extruding a sheet having a predetermined region across its width formed from melt issuing from a die at an increased mass flow rate in comparison with other portions of the melt forming the rest of the sheet and then forwardly distorting such sheet immediately after forming by preferentially stretching the side containing the predetermined region to form an arcuate shape of substantially uniform thickness. Arcuately shaped sections are then cut from the sheet to form discrete, shaped interlayer blanks having improved thickness uniformity and dimensional stability providing improved performance when used in laminated safety glass.

Abstract: A process for forming intermediate sheeting for forming shaped interlayer blanks comprising extruding plasticized polyvinyl butyral melt into an endless straight-sided sheet having a gradient color band extending along one side, the melt forming the region of the sheet laterally of the color band extruding at a greater thickness than that forming the portion containing the color band, thereby providing a wedge-shaped thickness profile in the sheet, quenching the extruded sheet to set the polymer and winding the sheet in roll form. The intermediate sheet is at least about twenty inches wide and the wedge-shaped cross section gradually increases from about 28 to 32 mils at one edge to about 33 to 40 mils at the other edge.

Abstract: A process for forming discrete, shaped interlayer blanks comprising extruding thermoplastic melt into an endless, distortable straight-sided sheet having a gradient color band along one side, the melt forming the region of the sheet laterally of the color band extruding at a greater thickness than that forming the portion containing the color band, stretching the side of the sheet containing the region formed from the greater thickness melt more than the other side while extrusion continues to shape the sheet into an arcuate form of substantially uniform thickness having different radii along each edge, the edge of greater radius being on the side formed from the greater thickness melt, quenching the sheet to set the polymer, advancing the shaped sheet to a cutting station and cutting shaped quadrilateral sections out of the sheet having the gradient color band along one longitudinal side to form the blanks.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming discrete, shaped interlayer blanks comprises, in combination, an extrusion die containing a slot for forming a sheet from thermoplastic melt, means associated with the die for causing a portion of the melt to exit the slot at a greater mass flow rate than that of the remainder of the melt exiting the slot, means adjacent the die for quenching the sheet immediately after forming and frusto-conical pull rolls for forwardly shaping the sheet into arcuate form, the surfaces of said rolls adjacent the edges of greatest circumference positioned to contact the portion of the sheet formed from the melt exiting the slot at the greater mass flow rate.