Running Length Work, Longitudinally Traveling Patents (Class 118/419)
  • Patent number: 5599392
    Abstract: A rigid metal housing is positioned downstream of a coating applicator. The housing supports a plurality of positionable contact elements formed of a low friction, high wear-resistant material, which extend inwardly from the housing to engage a slow speed rotating rod. At least one of the contact elements is adjustable to support the rod for stable rotation, and to retain an effective seal between the contact elements and the rod to thereby prevent leakage of clearing/lubricating fluid into the applied coating. The contact elements may be advanced inwardly as the elements and the rod wear, thereby extending the effective life of the rod holder apparatus. Screws may bear against a rear contact element through segmented backing plates allowing refinement of the coat weight along the width of the substrate. Furthermore, an air tube may be positioned between the housing and a rear fixture to adjust overall coating thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1997
    Assignee: Beloit Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Shihua Liang, Andrew W. Osburn, Gerald R. Garde
  • Patent number: 5597415
    Abstract: A metering device for use in a coating apparatus for coating a moving web running over a backing member wherein the metering device includes a metering blade having an edge disposed in close proximity to the web and a profiling device for selectively changing the profile of the blade edge. The profile bar is joined to a plurality of adjustment actuators by bar limiter elements that are mechanically interlocked such that the movement of each limiter element relative to an adjacent limiter element in the direction of bar deformation is limited to a maximum distance. The edges of adjacent limiter elements are provided with interfitted projections and slots with sufficient clearance to permit only limited relative movement of adjacent limiter elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1997
    Assignee: Voith Sulzer Paper Technology North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Edwin X. Graf
  • Patent number: 5591266
    Abstract: In an extrusion type coating head according to the present invention, a center line average roughness (Ra) of an inner wall surface of a pocket is made in a predetermined range of 3.5 .mu.m or less and preferably a curvature part is provided, in the part where a surface of a slit joins to a surface of the pocket, which has the radius of curvature R of within a predetermined range. By these configurations, an easiness of cleaning in the pocket of the extrusion type coating head which is difficult to be cleaned is remarkably improved in particular, the rate of operation is improved, labor is saved, and adverse effects are prevented that might be brought by insufficient cleaning on the product coating such as streak generated on the coating surface and thickness fluctuation in the coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1997
    Assignees: TDK Corporation, Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Osawa, Eizo Tsunoda, Ryuji Hosogaya, Akira Hatakeyama, Hideki Tanaka, Seiichi Tobisawa
  • Patent number: 5589659
    Abstract: A device for predosing coating composition on a traveling web of paper. A guide member extends obliquely toward the web. Downstream in the path of the web past the guide member, a doctor element is supported spaced from the tip of the guide member for defining a pressure space between the a guide member and the doctor element. Coating composition is fed through a feed channel between the guide member, on the one hand, and the doctor element and the supports for the doctor element up to the pressure space, on the other hand. An exit slot from the pressure space between the guide member and the web is defined at the tip of the guide member. The guide member has a guide surface down from the tip of the guide member, on the side of the guide member away from the doctor element which faces generally toward the web. The guide surface defines a return channel for coating composition that has moved out of the pressure space and through the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1996
    Assignee: J.M. Voith GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Kustermann, Ingo Gottwald, Manfred Ueberschar
  • Patent number: 5588998
    Abstract: A jet coating apparatus and method for applying coating mix onto a moving web in a noncontacting manner in ambient pressure. The apparatus includes an upper lip placed close to the web, a lower lip situated in the vicinity of the upper lip and arranged essentially on the trailing side relative to the moving direction of the web. The slot orifice bounding surface of the upper lip and the slot orifice bounding surface of the lower lip form a slot orifice suited for feeding the coating mix onto the web. In the slot orifice, at least the directional vector along the slot orifice surface of the lower lip has a vector component opposite to the tangential velocity vector of the web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1996
    Assignee: Valmet Corporation
    Inventor: Jukka Koskinen
  • Patent number: 5582645
    Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for coating magnetic dispersion coatings on a continuously moving web substrate wherein regions of high shear are provided both before and after a magnetic dispersion application region. The coating apparatus comprises a die unit having a magnetic dispersion inlet and outlet, a concave lip extending arcuately from the outlet of the die unit, and a cylindrical backing roller adjacent the die unit, the die unit having an internal region of high shear, the concave lip and the cylindrical backing roller sharing a substantially common axis and forming a region of high shear in the form of a narrow gap. A coat hanger distribution chamber or cavity is also provided within the die unit between the magnetic dispersion inlet and the magnetic dispersion outlet. To even out pressure differences, a healing slot or cavity and/or a rotating bar within a cylindrical distribution chamber may be provided downstream of the coat hanger distribution chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1996
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Trest, Matthias H. Regelsberger
  • Patent number: 5578125
    Abstract: The invention concerns a coating system for running webs of cardboard or paper which are carried, or backed, by at least two moving surfaces, in which system the coating substance is applied first on at least one moving surface carrying the web and thereafter transferred, in a press gap formed by the moving surfaces, on the web on one or both sides. The invention is characterized by the following features: the moving surfaces are formed by two continuous belts; the belts proceed jointly with the web contained in between successively through a first press gap and through a second press gap, with each press gap being formed by two rolls that are movable relative to each other; the rotatable roll body of each of the rolls of the second press gap is backed against flexure by means of a stationary element; the diameter of the rolls of the second press gap amounts to maximally one-half, preferably less than one-third, of the diameter of the rolls of the first press gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1996
    Assignee: Voith Sulzer Papiermaschinen GmbH
    Inventor: Ralf Sieberth
  • Patent number: 5575851
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a die coater comprising a die composed of upper and lower mold-pieces which form a manifold and a slit extending from the manifold, an inner deckle shaft disposed in the manifold, a deckle disposed in the slit in a fluid-tight state, and a deckle guide; the inner deckle shaft having a fluid-tight portion near an end thereof and capable of moving with its fluid-tight state kept, the deckle and the deckle guide being secured to the inner deckle shaft, and the deckle being connected with the fluid-tight portion of the inner deckle shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1996
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuo Abe, Hitoshi Hatashima, Kunihiko Ichikawa, Takefumi Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 5573594
    Abstract: In a coating apparatus where a coating composition is supplied from the lateral side of a manifold, a linear or curved taper along the width of the coating apparatus is given to the length a slit in the direction of flowing-out of the coating composition, so that the slit length is shorter in the counter-supply side than in the supply side of the manifold. The coating apparatus can make the distribution of the quantity of coating uniform in the case where the width of coating is large, or in the case where the quantity of flow per unit width in an individual layer is large.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1996
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Morikawa, Hideaki Usui, Kimiaki Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 5571328
    Abstract: A hot dip metal strip coating apparatus includes at least one roll submerged in a bath of molten coating metal for guiding the strip through the bath. The submerged rolls are mounted on the ends of support arms by bearings including a pair of substantially flat bearing surfaces disposed in planes parallel to and spaced from the horizontal axis of the roll shaft, with the planes of the flat surfaces intersecting one another at an angle within the range of about 90.degree. to about 150.degree.. The flat bearing surfaces are defined by inserts formed from a carbide material having excellent wear resistance and independently supported to contact the roll shaft tangentially during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1996
    Assignee: National Steel Corporation
    Inventor: Franklin R. Newland
  • Patent number: 5547510
    Abstract: An coating apparatus comprises at least two coating bars along which a support member is conveyed in a running direction, wherein a center line mean roughness (Ra) on the edge at the downstream side of the downstream bar is not larger than 0.5 .mu.m and the maximum height (Rmax) on the edge is not larger than 6.0 .mu.m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1996
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Aizawa, Seiichi Tobisawa
  • Patent number: 5545256
    Abstract: A coating head includes slit wall members forming a slit therebetween. A surface of the wall members corresponding in position to an exit portion of the slit is finished so as to have a center line mean roughness not larger than 0.1 .mu.m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1996
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Fukuda, Atsushi Saito
  • Patent number: 5538557
    Abstract: A short dwell coater apparatus is disclosed for applying coating material to a web supported by a backing member. The apparatus includes a housing which defines an application zone having an upstream and a downstream end. The application zone extends in a cross-machine direction across the web and is connected to a source of the coating material such that the coating material is applied to the web during movement of the web past the application zone. An elongate pipe is disposed within the application zone and extends in a cross-machine direction across the application zone. The pipe defines at least one orifice for the passage therethrough of the coating material. The pipe is connected to the source of coating material such that the coating material flows through the pipe and through the orifice for supplying coating material to the application zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Assignee: Beloit Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Leroy H. Busker
  • Patent number: 5538558
    Abstract: A slide bearing fashioned as a ball bearing or a roller bearing, wherein contact portions of a roll shaft and a bearing, and rolling elements are formed of a combination of a ceramic material and a solid lubricant material. The slide bearing is advantageously utilized in a continuous hot dipping apparatus in which ball bearings or roller bearings are used as bearings of a sink roll and guide rolls of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiko Ookouchi, Tamihito Kawahigashi
  • Patent number: 5538555
    Abstract: A device for coating a material web includes a rotatable applicator roll having a surface for collecting a film of a coating composition thereon. The roll has a length defined by first and second ends thereof and a middle region disposed between the first and second ends. The device also includes a blade having an edge. The blade is attached to a blade holder and extends along the length of the applicator roll. The blade and the applicator roll surface form an acute angle and define a coating composition sump. The blade edge and the applicator roll surface define an inlet gap. A doctor element attached to a doctor element holder is disposed downstream of the blade with respect to a direction of rotation of the applicator roll. The blade, the blade holder, the doctor element, and the doctor element holder define, at least in part, an application chamber. At least one of the elements defining the application chamber has bores or other openings for regulating coating composition thickness on the applicator roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Assignee: Voith Sulzer Papiermaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Wille, Richard Bernert, Oswald Satzger
  • Patent number: 5538559
    Abstract: The invention includes a vessel (24) for containing a bath (28) of molten coating metal such as zinc, a sink roll (30) submerged into the bath defining a path of travel for a metal strip (12) through the bath with the strip applying force to the roll as a result of tensile load on the strip and a pair of stabilizing rolls (32). Sink roll (30) is supported by a pair of spaced arms (36) and each stabilizing roll (32)is supported by a pair of spaced arms (44). Each roll has a cylindrical body (52) having an outer surface for being in contact with strip (12) and a trunnion (54) projecting axially from each end of the roll body. Each arm (36) has an upper end (38) and a lower end (40), the upper ends being mounted at positions (42) above the vessel and the lower ends for being submerged into the bath. Each lower end of the arms includes means (58) for supporting the roll and means (56) for restraining lateral thrust of the roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Assignee: AK Steel Corporation
    Inventors: David L. Kleimeyer, Ralph W. Martin, Robert D. Wines, II
  • Patent number: 5536312
    Abstract: A doctor device, notably for machines used to coat paper or cardboard, with a relatively bendable, flexible doctor element fitted in or on a separate holder. At least along its length in the holder, the device features a convex crowning of its working surface about its longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Assignee: Voith Sulzer Papiermaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Zygmunt Madrzak, Bernd Kaufmann
  • Patent number: 5534065
    Abstract: A coating apparatus comprises an upstream lip and a downstream lip defining a slot between the two lips through which a coating liquid can be extruded; and a pair of guide rollers disposed on opposite side of the lips for guiding a support to move past the lips such that the coating liquid can be applied thereto, wherein the downstream lip has a coating operation surface facing and curved toward the support and, a curvature k of the curved coating operation surface being given asP.sub.2 /T.ltoreq.k.ltoreq.P.sub.1 /Twhere T represents the tension in the coated portion of the support, and P.sub.1 and P.sub.2 represent the pressures of the coating liquid acting on the support at upstream and downstream ends of said coating operation surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1996
    Assignee: Kao Corporation
    Inventors: Junichi Masukawa, Nobuyuki Isshiki, Nobunori Ohji, Eiten Chin, Toshiharu Numata
  • Patent number: 5527563
    Abstract: This continuous galvanizing method and apparatus passes a linear element to be galvanized, e.g., wire, rod, or tube, through a surrounding, relatively short length of conduit which is attached as a cross-tee to the end of a delivery pipe rising from a centrifugal pump submerged in a vat of molten zinc, and continuously flooded with liquid zinc to coat the linear element. The zinc flowing from the open ends of the conduit, and falling as excess from the element being coated, drops back into the vat for recirculation. The vat is covered to provide a substantially closed operating space above the pool of molten zinc to enable the coating to take place in an inert atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1996
    Assignee: Allied Tube & Conduit Corporation
    Inventors: Carl H. Unger, Kalyan K. Maitra
  • Patent number: 5525751
    Abstract: Apparatus for moving a submerged web through a liquid, comprising a cylindrical tube with ends adapted to prevent fluid flow out of said ends and/or with a peripheral area containing a plurality of uniformly sized and spaced apertures. A liquid pump, e.g. a venturi, supplies a flow of liquid into the tube allowing a moving web to be carried on a liquid bearing over a part of the aperture-containing peripheral area. The tube can be rotated, e.g. by a fluid jet, to assist in conveying a porous web being treated with the fluid providing web floatation off the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Assignee: Monsanto Company
    Inventor: Reed J. Niederkorn
  • Patent number: 5522931
    Abstract: An extrusion-type coating apparatus for performing a uniform coating on a web by equalizing a flow rate distribution of a coating material along the widthwise direction of the web. The apparatus has a slit in a coating head to pass the coating material from the bottom of the slit to an opening of the same opened on a surface portion of the coating head, a feeder to feed the web on the surface portion in a direction from a front edge to a rear edge of the opening of the slit and a restricting member to restrict a gap of the slit by an insertion of the restricting member into the slit. The restricting member has a thickness pattern along its length so as to equalize the flow rate of the coating material along the length of the slit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1996
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Hironobu Iwashita, Takemasa Namiki, Shigetoshi Kawabe
  • Patent number: 5510018
    Abstract: System to re-circulate the treatment material in processes of surface treatment and finishing, which can be employed in association with a pickling and/or acid washing plant (12) or in association with a plant (12) for metal-coating with heat, the plant (12) comprising at least one dip tank (13) containing the treatment material (11), which is caused to circulate advantageously in countercurrent to the material to be treated, which is advantageously strip (14), the treatment material (11) being able to consist of acid baths or molten metal, such as zinc or aluminum, the dip tank (13) comprising a discharge conduit (18) and a feeder conduit (17), the system comprising at least two vessels (16a-16b) which can be hermetically sealed and are of a type resistant to pressure and which are positioned in parallel and associated with the discharge conduit (18) and with the feeder conduit (17), each of the vessels (16a-16b) including an independent inlet closure (20) and an independent outlet closure (19), each of the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignee: Danieli & C. Officine Meccaniche SpA
    Inventor: Giorgio Rey
  • Patent number: 5510150
    Abstract: A jet coating method for applying coating mix onto a moving web in a noncontacting manner in ambient pressure which includes the step of directing a jet of the coating mix counter to an approach direction of the web at a velocity sufficiently high to attain a splitting of the jet into a return flow and a coating mix application flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignee: Valmet Corporation
    Inventor: Jukka Koskinen
  • Patent number: 5505988
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an arrangement for coloring optical fibres, each fibre being drawn through an upper nozzle in a coloring tool into a color chamber, into which colorant is introduced, and further through a lower nozzle out of the color chamber. The colored fibre is passed onward through a quartz tube of a UV lamp curing the colorant. To reduce costs and to increase the production rate, the coloring tools are arranged close to each other in pairs in at least two different planes, and the fibres to be colored are drawn simultaneously through the coloring tools and further simultaneously through the quartz tube of the UV lamp common to the fibres to be colored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1996
    Assignee: Nokia-Maillefer Oy
    Inventors: Juha Tanskanen, Erkki Peltoluhta
  • Patent number: 5501737
    Abstract: In a coating head, the configurations of the gap quantity d of a slit, the ejection width w of the slit, etc. are established on the basis of a relational expression in which extremely important factors in practical coating, such as the coating composition viscosity in a reservoir, the pressure loss coefficient of coating composition and the coating composition viscosity in the slit, are taken into consideration, and at the same time, an exchangeable cylindrical shaft is inserted into the reservoir to make the flow resistance in the reservoir controllable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1996
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinsuke Takahashi, Norio Shibata
  • Patent number: 5498287
    Abstract: An apparatus for supporting a fluid and tape to be dispensed for sealing seams of wallboard panels comprising a bucket adapted to support a roll of tape and a quantity of a blending fluid; support mechanisms including a central shaft formed of two co-axial parts with a spring urging the parts axially outward thereof, a pair of upper bosses secured to the interior surface of the side wall of the bucket adjacent to the upper edge thereof with apertures receiving the opposed ends of the support rod and with the roll of tape supported at the central extent of the support rod; a guide rod rotatably secured in a lower extent of the bucket, the guide rod having opposed ends, a pair of lower bosses secured to the interior surface of the side wall of the bucket adjacent to the lower edge thereof with apertures receiving the opposed ends of the guide rod, the guide rod positioned to receive and guide tape extending from the support rod; and a slot in a generally horizontal orientation positioned through a lower extent
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Inventor: Ronald Barnfield
  • Patent number: 5496434
    Abstract: A method of forming a continuous structure includes the steps of preselecting a liquid reactive resin forming material, a particulate solid additive material and a porous blanket. The additive particles are mixed with the liquid resin forming material substantially continuously in a proportion significantly greater than that of the liquid resin forming material. Substantially all of the additive particles are encapsulated with the liquid resin forming material to a preselected thickness. A pool of the resulting mixture is formed on the blanket. The blanket is advanced at a rate sufficient to create movement of the additive particles within the pool and maintain the additive particles in suspension. Part of the liquid resin forming material is migrated through the blanket substantially uniformly prior to gelling of the liquid resin forming material to form a continuous resin matrix within the blanket. Also, apparatus forming the structure as well as the structure itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1996
    Inventor: LeRoy Payne
  • Patent number: 5492583
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for a low-cost, single-step method of in-line coating of pultrusion profiles to eliminate surface degradation of pultruded profiles due to outdoor exposure or corrosive attack. The method comprises pulling a combination of reinforcing fibers and resin through a pultrusion die to form a pultruded part, applying a coating to the pultruded part after it exits the pultrusion die and curing the coating on the coated pultruded part. The apparatus contains a pultrusion die for forming a pultruded part of a predetermined shape, a coating die with an exit area generally greater than the inlet area, a coating chamber located between the entrance and exit area of the coating die for applying a coating to the pultruded part, and a curing element for curing the coating on the pultruded part after it exits the coating die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1996
    Assignee: Geotek, Inc.
    Inventors: Conrad F. Fingerson, John C. Fingerson
  • Patent number: 5486378
    Abstract: A plurality of light waveguides are conducted side-by-side through a coating arrangement that will surround the waveguides and supply them with a coating material for enclosing the light waveguides to form a ribbon conductor. The light waveguides are guided freely running both proceeding as in the coating arrangement so that they essentially come into contact only with the coating material. A drag flow or entrained flow of the liquid coating material contributes to a self-centering of the light waveguides and is produced by the longitudinal motion of the light waveguides in the coating material of the arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1996
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ulrich Oestreich, Peter Dotzer, Siegfried Unterberger
  • Patent number: 5463801
    Abstract: A coating system and method of using same for coating a hot rolling strip coil, such as zinc coating of steel strip, is disclosed. The coating system includes sequentially arranged coil uncoilers, a strip welder, a pickling tank, a heating and deoxidizing furnace, a coating pot, and a coiler. A rolling mill with at least one cold rolling mill stand is interposed between the pickling tank and the heating and deoxidizing furnace. In certain operations with hot rolling strip coil having a larger than desired thickness, the cold rolling mill is operated to reduce the strip material thickness. In operations where the strip material is of proper desired thickness, the strip material is passed through the cold rolling mill without carrying out cold rolling. The system and method accommodate a single coating line usable with a wide variety of hot rolled strip material and finish coated material thicknesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 7, 1995
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Kajiwara, Teruo Yamagushi, Hitoshi Okoshi, Tsuneo Nakamura
  • Patent number: 5460652
    Abstract: The invention is related to a continuous coating apparatus for applying molten metal on a metal sheet or tape. The apparatus has an annular cylinder having an open lower section extending to a substantially closed upper section. An axle is mounted in the lower section normal to the cylinder axis, and a spool is mounted on the axle. A pair of tubes are mounted parallel to the cylinder axis inside the cylinder on oppositely facing surfaces so that a tape extending around the spool towards the upper section extends through the tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1995
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bruce A. Knudsen, Mark G. Benz, Anthony Mantone, Christopher G. King
  • Patent number: 5460651
    Abstract: A shallow vessel (50,52) for being horizontally disposed when containing a molten metal or metal alloy (66) for meniscus coating one side of a clean metal strip (34A) when the strip is moved vertically past one side of the vessel. The vessel includes a shell (68) such as austenitic stainless steel, a refractory lining (70), a molten metal departure lip (72) mounted on the upper surface of the side of the vessel, a spirally shaped induction coil (64) for maintaining the molten metal above its melting point and a flux concentrator (74). The induction coil is positioned below the refractory lining and the flux concentrator is positioned below the induction coil. The induction coil and the flux concentrator underlie the area occupied by the molten metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1995
    Assignee: Armco Steel Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Charles Flinchum, Gerald L. Barney, Gregory S. Burgess, David L. Kleimeyer, Larry E. Parella
  • Patent number: 5453127
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for meniscus coating one or two sides of steel strip with a metal or metal alloy. The apparatus includes a horizontally disposed coating tray for containing molten coating metal, gas heaters for maintaining the temperature of the coating metal above the melting point of the coating metal, stabilizing rollers for moving steel strip transversely past a departure lip positioned on one side of the coating tray and adding solid or molten metal to the coating tray for maintaining the level of the coating metal in the coating tray relative to the upper elevation of the departure lip so that an uninterrupted flow of the coating metal can be delivered over the departure lip to a surface of the strip. The coating tray may be rotatably mounted for adjusting the level of molten metal in the coating tray. The coating tray also may include a sled for lateral displacement for positioning the departure lip a predetermined distance away from the strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1995
    Assignee: Armco Steel Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Charles Flinchum, Timothy R. Roberts, Forrester Caudill, Larry E. Parrella, David L. Kleimeyer, Gerald L. Barney
  • Patent number: 5453128
    Abstract: An arrangement for dosing with a blade, in coating machines or similar, onto a running web of paper or cardboard carried by a roll in or with the arrangement. The blade is forced by means of a hold-down or several hold-down sections on the roll respectively the web. A transmitter transmits light, notably laser light. The blade features in the area between the contact line of the hold-down on it, and its contact line on the roll respectively the web, on its side away from the roll, at least one light-reflecting layer for reflection of the light ray directed by the transmitter at the layer. A receiver registers the position or angle of the ray reflected upon it by the light-reflecting layer of the blade. A controller is provided for controlling, dependent on the position signal of the receiver for the reflected light ray, the angular position of the blade, notably in its area between the contact line of the hold-down or the hold-down section and the roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1995
    Assignee: J. M. Voith GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Kustermann, Sergio Giuste
  • Patent number: 5453302
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for applying a coating to a continuous length of tubing. A coating chamber having entry and exit ports substantially encloses a portion of the tubing while permitting the tubing to pass continuously therethrough. Airflow into the coating chamber through the exit port strips excess coating material from the tubing surface. Air is withdrawn from the coating chamber by vacuum pumps through one or more separation chambers which separate entrained particles or droplets of coating material from the air. The coating chamber is preferably disposed at a distance from the separation chamber(s). The vacuum line connecting the coating chamber with the separation chamber(s) is preferably flexible or breakable. The separation chambers are preferably capable of being operated in series or in parallel. Adjustable masks are preferably provided at the entry and exit ports of the coating chamber. A seal is preferably provided at the entry port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1995
    Assignee: Allied Tube & Conduit Corporation
    Inventors: Manzoor A. Chaudhry, Jeffrey L. Lamber, Bruce E. Laumann, Edward E. Mild, Brian G. Muick, Stephen T. Norvilas, David S. Pliner, Stephen E. Seilheimer
  • Patent number: 5449525
    Abstract: A method for producing a magnetic recording medium while minimizing electrostatic charge buildup on the medium during production. The method comprises applying a liquid material over a surface of a moving web to form a continuous wet coating thereon and smoothing the wet coating with a flexible blade having two major surfaces. The flexible smoothing blade comprises a conductive layer and is positioned so that a portion of one major surface is in contact with the wet coating so that electrostatic charge on the coated web is continuously dissipated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1995
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: David J. Lundberg, David R. Boston, Delbert L. Olson, William L. Kausch
  • Patent number: 5447793
    Abstract: This invention relates to fiber reinforced composite materials, and to methods and apparatus for forming such materials. The apparatus includes an impregnation chamber having an elongate impregnation passageway with an entrance end and an exit end, means for supplying a polymer material to said impregnation chamber, and means for advancing continuous filament fibers into and through said impregnation chamber, entering through said entrance end and exiting through said exit end, so that the polymer material is immersed in said polymer material. Shear inducing means is mounted in said impregnation chamber and cooperates with said fibers for imparting shear to the polymer material as it contacts the advancing fibers to enhance the wetting and impregnation of the fibers by the polymer material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 5, 1995
    Inventor: Lawrence V. Montsinger
  • Patent number: 5439520
    Abstract: The invention relates to an applicator for coating webs of paper or cardboard, with a backing roll for supporting the web at least in the area of the applicator, and with a nozzle for supplying coating mixture. The nozzle is connected to or integrated with a support beam. A guide surface has an angular, sharp parting edge on the end of the guide surface and is attached to the support beam. The guide surface--toward the parting edge --steadily approaches the shell surface of the backing roll, while in the area of the parting edge deviating at an angle between 0.degree.-10.degree. from the tangential direction of the backing roll existing adjacent the parting edge. The guide surface and the backing roll define an applicator gap in which a hydrodynamic pressure prevails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1995
    Assignee: Voith Sulzer Papiermaschinen GmbH
    Inventor: Stefan Reich
  • Patent number: 5439521
    Abstract: A dispensing container for moist toilet tissue includes an elongated housing having a circumferential wall and a pair of endwalls. A dispensing opening for discharging tissue from said housing is provided and means for resisting full rotation of said housing about its longitudinal axis is provided. A solution which may include cleansing and medicinal constituents as well as others, is provided within the housing. In one embodiment a tubular portion defines a passageway for receipt of a toilet tissue roll holder rod. In one embodiment the housing has a hinged opening for permitting access to the interior thereof. In another embodiment the container is sealed and disposable and in another embodiment two sections are mechanically separable and rejoinable so as to facilitate refilling the solution and the toilet tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1995
    Inventor: Muralidhara S. Rao
  • Patent number: 5436031
    Abstract: A method for impregnating a flat, fibrous substrate penetrated by a low viscosity, fluid synthetic resin, the substrate web 1 being preheated by known device 2 and thereupon being made to pass over a friction roller 3 which is heated where called for and which is uniformly wetted at its surface 6 with the low viscosity, aqueous synthetic resin solution based on an aminoplastic resin, substantially a melamine resin 5 or based on a phenolformaldehyde resin 5' present in a bath, the low viscosity, aqueous synthetic resin solution being uniformly heated and at least part of it penetrating the surface of the substrate web 1, whereupon the substrate web 1 loaded with synthetic resin is fully impregnated in the bath 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1995
    Assignee: Isovolta Osterreichische Isolierstoffwerke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Helmut Payer
  • Patent number: 5435847
    Abstract: An extrusion type coating apparatus having a coating head with a back edge end face and a doctor edge end face set close to a flexible support which is continuously run and with which a coating solution is applied to the flexible support. The inner edge of each of a pair of coating width regulating members made of metal and which are arranged in the slot of the coating head at respective ends thereof, are formed to have a radius of curvature of 0.5 mm or less, and the downstream edge of the end face of each coating width regulating member is continuous with the upstream edge of the doctor edge end face, while the upstream edge of the end face of each coating width regulating member is abutted against the inner wall of a back edge forming the coating head with the distance between the slot forming edge of the back edge end face and the upstream edge of the end face of the coating width regulating member set to half or less of the gap width of the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1995
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norio Shibata, Tsunehiko Sato
  • Patent number: 5421886
    Abstract: A paste dispenser having a paste reservoir and an applicator for containing and applying paste to wallpaper. A package having a container and a base, transformable between a package configuration wherein the paste dispenser is received within the container and the container is closed by the base, and an applicator configuration wherein the base extends from the container and carries the paste dispenser. Arresting means in contact with the wallpaper for limiting the flow of paste from the paste dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1995
    Inventors: Robert N. Poole, Daniel L. Poole
  • Patent number: 5417181
    Abstract: A coating device bears against support roll via runners or guide members which are arranged on the two sides of the housing of the coating device. The coating device is displaceable along guides and is forced by a pressure force against the support roll. Each of the runners or guide members is finished with a reduced-friction coating and is preferably rotatably articulated via a pivot to the housing of the coating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Assignee: Hoechst Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hermann Idstein, Guenter Hultzsch, Dieter Toepfer
  • Patent number: 5411589
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide an apparatus for coating an advancing web on a backup roller Using a coating roller, which enables one to measure and control a coating gap between a lip surface of a coating die and the coating roller. The apparatus includes an extended portion which extends outward from each end of a slit portion of the coating die and has a reference surface parallel to the lip surface, the coating die is slidably located on a frame, a distance sensing means is fixed on each side of the coating roller, a distance is measured from the distance sensing means to the surface of the extended portion and the coating gap is controlled by sliding the coating die in a radial direction of the coating roller. Coating material is thereby controllably transferred from the coating roller to the web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1995
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Yoshida, Kazuyuki Shimizu, Eiichi Morita, Masato Fujimori, Hiromi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 5405442
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a coating hopper for applying one or more layers of photographic liquid onto a web of paper or film support. The device incorporates a liquid passage system with a metering slot of defined width which leads to an expansion section having an increasing width as liquid moves away from the metering slot. The expansion section is connected to a discharge slot having a defined width greater than that of the metering slot which delivers photographic liquid to a location on the coating device where a layer of that liquid is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1995
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Solomon T. Korokeyi
  • Patent number: 5401529
    Abstract: Paint or the like coating is applied to a gap between an elongated strip article and an extended surface, such as a coating head. A variable load, such as provided by air cylinders, is continuously exerted on the extended surface during operation for urging the extended surface against the applied layer on the strip, so as to maintain a uniform metering gap between the extended surface and the coated strip surface. The extended surface has a sensor for repetitively determining metering gap. A computer monitors the sensor output and causes load-exerting air cylinders to vary their applied load, in order to urge the coating head toward or away from the back-up roll, so as to reduce difference between the sensed metering gap and a predetermined gap, thus producing a uniform coating film thickness on strip articles having non-uniform surface topography.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1995
    Assignee: Alcan Aluminum Corporation
    Inventor: Carl A. Wollam
  • Patent number: 5399196
    Abstract: A die coater comprising a die composed of upper and lower mold-pieces which form a manifold and a slit extending from the manifold, a first paint supply pipe communicating with one end portion of the manifold, a second paint supply pipe communicating with another end portion of the manifold and a flow channel closing member disposed in the manifold in a fluid sealing state, the member being movable along the manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1995
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Kasei Corporation
    Inventors: Kunihiko Ichikawa, Takefumi Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 5383968
    Abstract: A method and device for keeping a coating rod and a rod cradle in a bar coater clean and for preventing leakage of the lubrication and/or cooling water used in the bar coater is disclosed. The invention is intended for a bar coater in which the coating rod is, supported revolvingly in a rod cradle substantially over its entire length. The rod cradle is attached to the frame constructions of the coater. The rod cradle is also provided with at least one groove substantially parallel to the coating rod and open towards said coating rod, in which grooves(s) water is circulated to lubricate, cleanse and/or cool the coating rod and the rod cradle. The coating rod is loaded towards the base to be coated by loading the rod cradle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1995
    Assignee: Valmet Paper Machinery Inc.
    Inventors: Rauno Rantanen, Markku Lummila, Hannu Korhonen, Petri Paloviita, Jukka Koskinen
  • Patent number: 5376177
    Abstract: The amount of coating applied by an applicator is locally adjusted by locally disturbing the flow to the metering outlet, for example, by locally bleeding selected amounts of coating from the metering chamber of the coater to thereby controllably profile the amount of coating applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1994
    Assignee: MacMillan Bloedel Limited
    Inventors: David R. Elvidge, Malcolm K. Smith
  • Patent number: 5376178
    Abstract: A coating apparatus for applying a coating on a flexible support which is continuously moving across a die characterized by the die having at least one lip portion with an extrusion slit separating the lip portion into a front blade surface followed by a smoothing blade surface. The improvements are that the smoothing blade surface has a pocket adjacent the slit and an upstream side of the smoothing blade surface lies on a tangent taken at a downstream edge of the front blade surface. The pocket may be formed by a planar surface which separates the slit from a curved surface of the smoothing blade surface or can be formed by the shape of a curved surface of the smoothing blade surface which has the leading or upstream edge disposed inward of the downstream side or edge of the front blade surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1994
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Shogo Sato