Means Joining Indefinite Length Work Edge To Edge Patents (Class 156/544)
  • Patent number: 10850445
    Abstract: A head is disclosed for use with an additive manufacturing system. The head may include a housing, and a matrix reservoir disposed inside of the housing. The head may also include at least one roller located inside of the housing and configured to engage at least one of a ribbon and a sheet of reinforcement passing through the head. The head may further include a nozzle fluidly connected to the matrix reservoir, and a cure enhancer located outside of the housing and adjacent the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Continuous Composites Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan C. Stockett, Kenneth L. Tyler
  • Publication number: 20150075723
    Abstract: A tape dispenser, joining and dispensing a double-sided tape from two rolls of single-sided tape, includes a base having upper and lower sides, first and second spaced apart guide elements mounted to the upper side at first and second positions. First and second tape dispensing wheels, having rolls of single-sided tape mounted thereto, are mounted to the rearward portion of the upper side of the base. A handle extends from the lower side. A tape application roller is mounted to the forward portion of the base and extends above the upper side. A tape cutoff blade, or first and second cutoff blades, can be mounted to the base and extend above the upper side. An extension handle extending transversely to the handle, which can be at least 2 feet long or at least 4 feet long, can be removably mountable to the base plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventor: Shadrach J. Gibson
  • Publication number: 20140373998
    Abstract: A method for forming a geomembrane liner testable for leaks by securing adjacent panels together with the conductivity of the lower surface of an overlying panel broken along a line adjacent the panel overlapping edge, and the overlapping edges sealed along the line. A heat welder has slots for the overlapping panel edges, with a heated wedge between the slots and having a projection to break the conductivity of the overlying panel bottom surface as it passes the wedge. The slots merge to press the liner edges together to heat weld them along the line of broken conductivity as the welder is moved along the panel edges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Jimmie Gordon Youngblood, JR., David James Gallagher, Edward Joseph Zimmel
  • Patent number: 8905110
    Abstract: A device and method are disclosed for forming air filled cushions. The device includes a drive mechanism to move inflatable tubing through the apparatus, and an injector, optionally including an outlet, located continuously within, or within a portion of, the tubing. This arrangement can permit the formation of air filled cushions in a continuous stream. Also disclosed is a roll of plastic tubing that is sealed transversely at a succession of intervals, with each pair of seals stopping just short of a longitudinal center line of the tubing. Such tubing might be used in conjunction with the apparatus, the central gap between the seals allowing passage of the injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Pregis Innovative Packaging, Inc.
    Inventors: John Stuart Greenwood, Neil Glynn Price
  • Patent number: 8763668
    Abstract: A product sheet of composite material can be made by disposing composite materials of composite material in adjacent (side-by-side) relation with each other. The composite materials comprise fibers in a thermoplastic matrix material. The adjacent composite materials are bonded together to provide a product sheet of composite material. Preferably, a cross ply of composite material is disposed on the composite materials. The cross ply may be a unidirectional sheet and the fibers in the cross ply may be disposed in transverse relation to the fibers in the composite materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Polystrand, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward Pilpel, Benjamin Pilpel
  • Patent number: 8636863
    Abstract: A system and apparatus relating to connecting at least one first longitudinal periphery of at least one first magnetic sheet with at least one second longitudinal periphery of at least one second magnetic sheet by placing such first longitudinal periphery in adjacent relationship with such second longitudinal periphery; and connecting such first longitudinal periphery in adjacent relationship with such second longitudinal periphery; wherein such connecting step comprises the step of unitizing such at least one first magnetic sheet and such at least one second magnetic sheet into one unitary magnetic sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Magnum Magnetics Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas G. Love
  • Patent number: 8567466
    Abstract: A welding carriage which is movable in two directions of travel opposite one another comprises at least one welding device possessing at least one welding nozzle for welding two overlapping webs of material and having at least one pressing device for applying pressure to the upper web of material after the welding operation. The welding carriage is operable in both directions of travel, wherein in each direction of travel the welding nozzle is arranged or arrangeable ahead of the pressing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Steinel GmbH
    Inventor: Steve Dugan
  • Publication number: 20130276988
    Abstract: A membrane cartridge is manufactured by repeatedly folding and joining two strips of membrane to foam a cross-pleated cartridge with a stack of openings or fluid passageways configured in an alternating cross-flow arrangement. The cartridge can be modified for other flow configurations including co-flow and counter-flow arrangements. Methods for manufacturing such cross-pleated membrane cartridges, as well as apparatus used in the manufacturing process are described. Cross-pleated membrane cartridges comprising water-permeable membranes can be used in a variety of applications, including in heat and water vapor exchangers. In particular they can be incorporated into energy recovery ventilators (ERVs) for exchanging heat and water vapor between air streams being directed into and out of buildings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventors: Greg MONTIE, James Franklin DEAN, Curtis MULLEN, Robert HILL
  • Patent number: 8453701
    Abstract: Methods and other embodiments associated with a fabric welding machine are presented. The fabric welding machine includes a base, a welding machine body, and a support beam with a first end and a second end. A first roller is positioned adjacent to the first end of the support beam opposite the welding machine body. A swing arm with a body end and a roller end is attached to the welding machine body. The roller end is opposite the welding machine body and is configured to move to a first position and a second position. A heat element attached to the first end of the support beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Miller Weldmaster Corporation
    Inventor: Brian D. Henry
  • Patent number: 8272420
    Abstract: Methods and other embodiments associated with a fabric welding machine are presented. The fabric welding machine includes a base, a welding machine body, and a support beam with a first end and a second end. A first roller is positioned adjacent to the first end of the support beam opposite the welding machine body. A swing arm with a body end and a roller end is attached to the welding machine body. The roller end is opposite the welding machine body and is configured to move to a first position and a second position. A heat element attached to the first end of the support beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Miller Weldmaster Corporation
    Inventor: Brian D. Henry
  • Patent number: 8210224
    Abstract: An apparatus for joining a carcass ply, which butt-joins a wind start end and a wind finish end of a carcass ply wound around a cylindrical drum, is disclosed. The apparatus comprises: a joining section for joining the ends of the carcass ply; and aligning sections for aligning the ends of the carcass ply during joining by the joining section, the joining section and the aligning sections being disposed below the cylindrical drum supported in a horizontal state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Tachibana, Yoshinori Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 8201608
    Abstract: A product sheet of composite material can be made by disposing composite materials of composite material in adjacent (side-by-side) relation with each other. The composite materials comprise fibers in a thermoplastic matrix material. The adjacent composite materials are bonded together to provide a product sheet of composite material. Preferably, a cross ply of composite material is disposed on the composite materials. The cross ply may be a unidirectional sheet and the fibers in the cross ply may be disposed in transverse relation to the fibers in the composite materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Polystrand, Inc.
    Inventor: Edward Pilpel
  • Patent number: 8141609
    Abstract: A welding machine having a frame that includes end supports spanned by a top beam with a truncated V-shaped cross-section. A vacuum track assembly disposed vertically beneath the top beam retains fabrics to be welded on a perforated surface using suction. A welding head travels along the top beam and applies heat and pressure to the surface to weld the fabrics together. The top beam and vacuum track assembly are extendable by including additional unit segments from which the beam and assembly are constructed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Miller Weldmaster Corporation
    Inventors: Brian D. Henry, Vincent L. Haley
  • Patent number: 8043451
    Abstract: The invention relates to a wedge-shaped heating element (or heating wedge) for an apparatus for contact welding of plastic films or plastic sheets (2, 3) and to a method for producing it. In order to provide that the heating element (1) is usable for different plastic materials and has high strength, high abrasion resistance, and high temperature and thermal shock resistance to approximately 800° C., as well as corrosion resistance to the chemical factors that occur in welding various polymer materials, the invention proposes that a ceramic material be used as the material for the heating element (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Herz GmbH
    Inventors: Franz-Josef Herz, Jan Werner
  • Patent number: 7975745
    Abstract: In order to provide a good transferable and extremely usable transfer tool in which consumable supplies can be easily replaced while increasing rigidity in use and case assembling procedure is also simple, the transfer tool (A) includes a case body (1) which incorporates a transfer material (T), the case body (1) having a first case (2) for holding replacement parts including at least the transfer material (T); and a second case (3) engageable with and disengageable from the first case (2), for holding unchangeable parts constituting at least a part of feeding mechanism parts which feeds out the transfer material (T) to a transferred object, wherein a holding portion (K) for holding the case body (1) to a base (4) in a state where the first case (2) and the second case (3) are engaged, and a pivoting support portion (L) for pivotably supporting the second case (3) to the base (4) between a use position (P) in which the case body (1) is held to the base (4) by the holding portion (K) and a releasing retention
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Kokuyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kinya Matsushita, Hideto Shima
  • Publication number: 20110120638
    Abstract: A system and apparatus relating to connecting at least one first longitudinal periphery of at least one first magnetic sheet with at least one second longitudinal periphery of at least one second magnetic sheet by placing such first longitudinal periphery in adjacent relationship with such second longitudinal periphery; and connecting such first longitudinal periphery in adjacent relationship with such second longitudinal periphery; wherein such connecting step comprises the step of unitizing such at least one first magnetic sheet and such at least one second magnetic sheet into one unitary magnetic sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2010
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: MAGNUM MAGNETICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Thomas G. Love
  • Patent number: 7866360
    Abstract: A hot air welding nozzle for a hot air welding device for welding overlapping webs of sealing material. The hot air welding nozzle includes a connection for a hot air supply, a top and a bottom heat plate forming an air space, and at least one rear outlet between the top and bottom heat plate on a facing side that is oriented in a direction opposite to the moving direction of the hot air welding device, with at least one front outlet relative to the moving direction of the hot air welding device, and with air guides that extend beyond the facing sides of the heat plates, at least on the inner side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: LEISTER Process Technologies
    Inventors: Lukas Gisler, Mauriz Lustenberger, Adolf Niederberger
  • Patent number: 7854245
    Abstract: A method for forming a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag on a packing bag is disclosed and includes the steps of: equidistantly attaching RFID tags to a release film, one by one, to form a roll of tag web; installing the roll of tag web in a packing bag forming device to move the release film along a feeding direction of a packing material; changing a moving direction of the release film for peeling the RFID tags from the release film; intermittently pressing on the RFID tags for attaching the RFID tags to the packing material; bonding the RFID tags to the packing material with a melting technology; and processing the packing material by folding, sealing, and cutting to form packing bags securely installed with the RFID tags. A packing bag forming device for carrying out the method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Taiwan Lamination Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Yung-Shun Chen
  • Patent number: 7798193
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are various waterproof membranes that may be applied to a sill surface of an opening in a building structure to waterproof that surface as well as direct water that penetrates through the opening out of the structure. Generally, one or more flexible waterproof membranes are adhesively applied to the sill surface for purposes of waterproofing that surface. Such membranes may further incorporate a back dam structure that is disposed proximate to the rearward edge of a sill plate (i.e., disposed toward the interior of the structure) to direct water towards the front edge of the sill plate (i.e., toward the outside of the structure). Further, such membranes may include wicking material on one or more surfaces to allow for directing water out of a building structure. In various arrangements, one or more flexible membranes may be utilized to create an open fronted sill pan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Protecto Wrap Company
    Inventor: James Scott Ford
  • Patent number: 7686055
    Abstract: A welding machine for joining overlapping webs of sealing material, with a powered chassis supported by rolls, with a heating system for local heating of the webs of sealing material that is mounted laterally to the chassis (4) and can be placed between the webs of sealing material in edge regions, with at least a first pressure roll installed on the chassis for pressing together the webs of sealing material to be joined by means of heat, where a second pressure roll serving as a replacement pressure roll is placed in the chassis, whose weight rests on the drive shaft and which can be exchanged without tools for the first pressure roll that is coupled to the drive shaft of the welding machine and presses together the bitumen webs to be joined. In addition, the pressure roll (3) may have at least one contact surface made of hard metallic material; and a stripper element is provided whose free end contacts the contact surface or is in close proximity to the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Leister Process Technologies
    Inventors: Lukas Gisler, Adolf Niederberger
  • Patent number: 7412996
    Abstract: An apparatus for assembling and hemming fabrics by hot applying strips (5) or films (5) to which thermofusible plastic materials have been applied or spread, comprising, on a bearing framework, a strip or film supplying spool (4), the strip or film being entrained on a pulling roller (7), cooperating with a sensor roller (8) mounted on a swinging lever (9), supporting a strip guiding pawl (13), the strip being further entrained on a strip supply pulling element. Downstream of the pawl (13) a guiding assembly is provided, having an adjustable width, and at the outlet of said guiding assembly, a pressing roller (30) is arranged, which is associated with a foot assembly (31), cooperating with entraining grippers (33, 34) for driving with an indexing type of movement, the fabric materials on which the strip (5) is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: FRA-SER S.p.A.
    Inventor: Luciano Salotto
  • Patent number: 7335412
    Abstract: Block seals of pile weatherstripping (6), which may be inserted in doorjambs or window sash and are sometimes called dust plugs (15), are provided by hinged segments (16-21) of a continuous length of pile weatherstripping folded against each other. The pile may have an infiltration barrier providing a fin (4) which extends along a continuous serpentine path having loops (8) bridging the hinges (3). The hinged sections are connected by an adhesive-backed sheet (5). The block seals are adapted to be manufactured by a continuous process where the backing or base strip (7) of a continuous length of pile weatherstripping (1) is slit or notched from opposite spaced edges, leaving sufficient material in the backing to provide the hinges (3). The continuous serpentine barrier fin (4) allows the dust plug (15) to be installed oriented either with the ends or sides of the pile facing the moving member of the door or window to be sealed, while maintaining the fin infiltration barrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Ultrafab, Inc.
    Inventor: Grant E. Wylie
  • Patent number: 7172006
    Abstract: Dust plugs provide seals for openings in door frames and window frames to seal against air or water infiltration. The dust plugs are made continuously and automatically by feeding several weatherstrips having piles extending from rigid backing through a tool having side by side slots there through which extend from an anvil surface thereof. The backing strips rest on the surface in edge-to-edge relationship. An adhesive tape having a contact adhesive on one side thereof is fed synchronously with the pile weatherstripping in juxtaposition with the weatherstrips and in contact with the exposed sides of the backing strips. The dust plug material consists of the tape in contact with the weatherstrips and provides an assembly of the weatherstrips and the tape. Counter rotating puller belts engage dust plug material which may then be wound on a reel. For installation of the dust plug, the dust plug material is unwound from the reel and cut into dust plugs of desired length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Ultrafab, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter E. Day, Kevin R. Gale, Grant E. Wylie
  • Patent number: 7172008
    Abstract: A method of making a touch fastener includes coextruding, side-by-side, a plurality of lanes of polymeric material to form a sheet-form base. The sheet-sheet form base includes a lane of a first polymeric material disposed between two lanes of a second polymeric material, the second polymeric material is different from the first polymeric material. The method further includes molding a plurality of discrete fastener element stems extending outwardly from and integral with the sheet-form base in each of the two lanes of the second polymeric mateial and forming engageable heads on the stems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Velcro Industries B.V.
    Inventors: Brian J. Vanbenschoten, Ernesto S. Tachauer, Wallace L. Kurtz, Jr., Heidi S. Tremblay, Paul A. Dandurand, William P. Clune, Alexander J. Neeb, Joseph E. Pierce, Richard J. Schmidt, Richard W. Tanzer
  • Patent number: 7028736
    Abstract: A tape dispensing system for reducing the amount of time to mask surface areas in preparation of painting. The tape dispensing system includes a frame structure having a first frame and a second frame, a first spool and a second spool rotatably attached to the frame structure for supporting a first roll and a second roll of tape, and a first guide member and a second guide member attached to the frame for guiding the tape strips to overlap one another with the respective adhesive sides opposite one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Inventor: Dewey R. Miller
  • Patent number: 6913665
    Abstract: A method for the welding of plastic materials in the form of webs, films or the like by means of a heating wedge, welding being carried out without the use of a second pressure roller below the welded material webs. For this purpose, the heating wedge is placed onto the lower material web and is moved over the latter under pressure. The pressure is generated via a holding-down device which has a holding-down roller and which presses onto the upper material web and onto the heating wedge. A floating mounting for the heating wedge compensates for slight unevennesses on the lower material web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Inventors: Walter Zurmuehle, Paul Zimmerli
  • Patent number: 6635145
    Abstract: A packaging filler product and machine for making the product wherein the product includes an air-filled pouch having sealed edges and spots connecting the opposing sheets of the pouch together. The machine includes a frictional belt system for gripping a bulk supply of pouched package material and that urges the bulk material past an inflation device for serially introducing air to the interior of each pouch of the package material followed by employing a heater that heat seals the opening into the interior of each pouch. A trim cutter eliminates unnecessary material and individual pouches are separated from the bulk supply by using perforations provided between adjacent pouches. A feed mechanism including the belt system is provided for moving the bulk supply of pouches from a supply spool past the heater and through the trim cutter. Tensioning and idle rollers guide the bulk supply of pouches through the machine in an in-line series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Inventor: Andrew Cooper
  • Patent number: 6615892
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for continuously seaming cured EPDM membrane to form a composite sheet of predetermined width and indefinite length. The method includes the steps of providing at least two rolls of cured EPDM membrane having longitudinal marginal edges and feeding the cured EPDM membrane from the at least two rolls in a first direction. The longitudinal marginal edges of the cured EPDM membranes are positioned in an overlapping relationship as the cured EPDM membranes are fed in the first direction and then the overlapping longitudinal marginal edges are continuously seamed to form a composite sheet of indefinite length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Omnova Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Hubbard, Walter J. Kelly, Anthony Verrocchi, Raymond J. Weinert
  • Patent number: 6610159
    Abstract: An apparatus for seaming roofing membranes to one another, wherein one of the membranes is secured to an underlying support structure by at least one protruding fastener, the apparatus including a wheeled carriage having an upwardly extending push/pull bar, a power supply carried by the carriage, the power supply driving the wheeled carriage, a heating assembly carried by the carriage and powered by the power supply, the heating assembly including a fan and a heating element, wherein the fan blows ambient air over the heating element and generate a heated airflow sufficient to fuse the roofing membranes to one another, a nozzle coupled to the heating assembly for directing the heated airflow between the two membranes, the nozzle having a pair of outer channels and an elevated center channel disposed between the pair of outer channels, the elevated channel passing over the at least one protruding fastener, and a variable pressure roller assembly coupled to the carriage, the roller assembly having a pair of out
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: BFS Diversified Products, LLC
    Inventor: Jeffrey W. Henegar
  • Patent number: 6581663
    Abstract: A weld wheel assembly for disposition on a membrane welding machine, and for positioning a weld wheel adjacent a nozzle hot air outlet for pressing an overlying roof membrane heated by the nozzle against an underlying roof membrane heated by the nozzle, for welding the membranes together. The assembly includes a weld wheel rotatably mounted on an axle which is moveable toward and away from the membranes, and pressure exerting structure mounted on the machine and operable to bias the axle toward the membranes during operation of the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Sarnafil, Inc.
    Inventors: James Rubenacker, Brian Whelan, Paul Peterson, Claus Pfotenhauer
  • Patent number: 6537402
    Abstract: A roof membrane welding apparatus capable of applying a weld to a first membrane and an overlapping second membrane. The apparatus includes a movably supported chassis, a welder attached to the chassis for heating the top membrane to at least the vicant softening point to weld the overlapping second membrane and the first membrane, and at least one weld wheel rotatably attached to the chassis and located rearward of the nozzle relative to the direction of movement of the apparatus, the weld wheel including a marker having an indicia thereon that is transferred to a top surface of the second membrane only where the first membrane and the second membrane have undergone a phase change during heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignee: Omnova Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Harold T. Pate, Dave Scott
  • Patent number: 6524434
    Abstract: A tube-forming apparatus in a bag-forming, filling, and sealing machine has a longitudinal seam heat-sealing device for connecting edge regions of the packing material belt that are placed against each other inside surface to inside surface. In order to achieve a sufficient sealing temperature in a short time, a heating body that is embodied in a lamella-like fashion protrudes like a tongue between the edge regions. In order to aid the heating body, similar heating bodies rest against the outside of the edge regions. The heating bodies have a U-shaped electric resistance wire with elongated legs which is embedded in a longitudinally folded casing made of a thin, temperature-proof woven cloth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Domke, Herbert Stotkiewitz, Wolfgang Bloch, Frank Kurz, Alexander Lutz, Hans Schaefer, Helmut Rumes
  • Patent number: 6390168
    Abstract: The invention provides for improved welding of thermoplastic sheets by selectively reducing and optimizing the temperature gradient from the edge of the weld to the unheated body of the sheet by adding heating-surface-area, beyond that required to achieve a weld, to a heating tool for the purpose of raising the temperature of the material adjacent to and along the edge of the weld, in a controlled manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Inventor: Friedrich Struve
  • Patent number: 6379760
    Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus and a process for producing laminated materials. The process comprises the steps of: (a) supplying material from a first supply roller; (b) supplying materials from a system comprising a plurality of further supply rollers; (c) tracking lateral movement of the material leaving said first supply roller; and (d) adjusting the lateral position of said system in response to said lateral movement, such that the lateral alignment of the plurality of further supply rollers remains constant with respect to the material leaving the first supply roller. The adjustment step (d) may be manual, or it may be automatic e.g. in response to tracking in step (c) by means of an electronic sensor which tracks a control line on the material leaving the first supply roller. By maintaining constant lateral alignment, it is possible to manufacture laminated materials comprising a layer made from strips of material which abut but which do not overlap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Tecksom International Limited
    Inventor: Luen Sing Tang
  • Patent number: 6378589
    Abstract: The invention provides for improved welding of thermoplastic sheets by selectively controlling the amount of heat transferred from an improved heated tool to various areas of the weld, by modifying the heat transfer efficiency of selected areas of the tool's heating surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Inventor: Friedrich Struve
  • Patent number: 6347656
    Abstract: A veneer-jointing machine comprising a two-part worktable 1 with a fixed table plate 6 and a movable table plate 7, which can be joined to the fixed one, further comprising a heating device 2 that is arranged above the juncture of the table plates 6, 7 and can be lowered, a positioning jig 3 that is located opposite the heating device between the table plates 6, 7 and can be raised, a clamping rail 4 that is arranged above the fixed table plate 6 and operates in the direction of the table plate 6, as well as several pressure shoes 5 that are arranged side-by-side on the movable table plate 7 and can be moved at an acute angle to this plate, in the direction of the juncture. The veneer-jointing machine allows joining veneer strips with narrow widths. In addition, the user can exactly predetermine the surface appearance of the veneer to be produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2002
    Assignee: Holzindustrie Bruchsal GmbH
    Inventor: Volker Dreher
  • Patent number: 6340130
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for supplying foil material, the apparatus comprising a motor-driven supply roll, a withdrawal means and a consumption sensor provided between the supply roll and the withdrawal means for controlling the drive of the supply roll in response to the consumption of foil material, and at least one stationary deflection roller, at least one sensor roller and a sensor means, the sensor roller being supported and arranged such that it changes the distance from the stationary deflection roller in response to the difference between supply capacity and withdrawal capacity of the foil material, and the sensor means senses said change in distance and accelerates the supply roll when the distance is smaller than a first predetermined distance, and slows down the supply roll when a second predetermined distance is exceeded. Furthermore, the invention relates to a corresponding method for supplying foil material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2002
    Assignee: INDAG GmbH & Co. Betriebs-KG
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Wild, Eberhard Kraft
  • Patent number: 6325126
    Abstract: A nozzle for directing discrete streams of air along separated and parallel first and second paths includes a chamber for receiving air of a selected temperature, a first outlet arm extending from the chamber and having a first outlet at a distal end thereof and in a first outlet plane, and a second outlet arm extending from the chamber and having a second outlet at a distal end thereof and in a second outlet plane, an axis of the second outlet arm being generally parallel with an axis of the first outlet arm, the second outlet plane being offset from the first outlet plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: Sarnafil, Inc.
    Inventors: James Rubenacker, Brian Whelan, Paul Peterson, Claus Pfotenhauer
  • Patent number: 6213184
    Abstract: A hot wedge, automatic seam welder is disclosed. The welder is comprised of a chassis having a base plate, a motor housing and a support arm extending from the motor housing. An S-shaped guide for guiding opposing sheets of material is between the base plate and the motor housing. Disposed downstream from the motor housing, depending from the support arm, is vertically-movable suspension for a driven upper pressure roller which is occludable with a driven lower pressure roller on the base plate. Also depending from the support arm is vertically-movable and adjustable suspension for the hot wedge. A horn-shaped shroud for guiding material over and under the wedge, and for shrouding the wedge when in its disengaged mode, is disposed upstream from the wedge. Guides for performing lap welds, fin welds and hem welds, as well as many variations thereupon, are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Inventor: Frank Sinclair
  • Patent number: 6187122
    Abstract: A dual-weld heat welding apparatus capable of simultaneously welding a first membrane and an overlapping second membrane on opposite sides of a roof membrane fastening apparatus fastened through the first membrane and located under the overlapping second membrane. The heat welding apparatus includes a movably supported chassis, a hot air welder attached to the chassis including a nozzle having an outlet including at least one opening for simultaneously applying a weld on opposite sides of the roof membrane fastener to weld the overlapping second membrane and the first membrane, and at least one weld wheel rotatably attached to the chassis and located rearward of the nozzle relative to the direction of movement of the apparatus and capable of simultaneously applying pressure to the weld on each side of the roof membrane fastener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Omnova Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Hubbard, John Jordon
  • Patent number: 6186210
    Abstract: The invention concerns a heat-sealing device for overlapping heat-sealing of film edges, having pressure rollers, for pressing the film edges together after they are heated, which sit on shafts of which at least one is movably guided in the direction of the other shaft and vice versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Wegener GmbH
    Inventor: Michael Gehde
  • Patent number: 6170550
    Abstract: An automatic welding machine for waterproof sheeting with a pressing device for pressing lap-welded materials, where the pressing device has at least one press roll which is mounted on a shaft that is secured and is provided with an elastic sheathing on the circumference as a press surface on the contact surface of the material. The press roll is mounted by a pendulum bearing on the shaft which is centered with respect to the outside edges of the press surface and permits an additional limited pendulum movement of the press roll with respect to the shaft. The press roll remains parallel to the running gear of the automatic welding machine, but it can execute a pendulum movement on the basis of irregularities in the substrate, so that the pressure remains essentially constant even if the automatic welding machine is arranged at an inclination. In addition, the proposed press roll can also be driven by providing a rotationally fixed entraining unit between a drive shaft and the press roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Leister Process Technologies
    Inventor: Adolf Markus Niederberger
  • Patent number: 6155321
    Abstract: A machine for laying a thermoweldable strip covering includes a movable support chassis provided with a support for a strip of rolled-up covering and for the unrolling and application of this strip, and at least one unit for the production of hot air, prolonged by an ejection nozzle provided with an outlet opening in the form of a transverse slot and whose outlet flow is directed toward the thermoweldable undersurface of the covering strip immediately prior to its application onto the support to be covered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Soprema (Societe Anonyme)
    Inventors: Pierre Etienne Bindschedler, Denis Cartier
  • Patent number: 6153033
    Abstract: Liners are typically formed by several sheets of liner material that are welded together along an edge. Securing a liner in place could be vastly improved if a cable could be fixed to the liner. Therefore, several methods of securing a cable to the liner have been disclosed. In one embodiment, a passage is placed into a hot shoe wedge welder used in welding the liner sheets together. A cable is fed through the passage as thus is captured between the two portions of adjacent sheets being welded together. The cable can be unsheathed or slidable within a sheath. In the later case, the sheath would be fixed between the welded sheets, but the cable would still be slidable within the sheath. A sheathed cable could also be attached to a liner by melting a portion of the sheath and a portion of the liner and then pressing the two together. A modified hot shoe could be used in that process as well. Finally, a cable can be placed onto a liner and a plastic bead applied over the cable, attaching it to the liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: Olympic General Corporation
    Inventors: Kris Kriefske, Pat Kamesch
  • Patent number: 6149762
    Abstract: A nozzle includes a body, a substantially rectangular foot, air slots and a flow restrictor. The body directs a stream of hot air into the substantially rectangular foot. The foot has a top and bottom surface that includes air slots. The foot also has an outlet across one end for the air flow. A flow restrictor is positioned in the foot, substantially along the outlet to create a back flow of pressure within the foot. The back flow of air causes an even distribution of air across the foot and out the air slots. Thus, increasing radiant heat across the surfaces of the foot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Clements National Company
    Inventor: John Kobzan
  • Patent number: 6120628
    Abstract: A system for defining and making wooden panels and similar items for furniture includes the following in sequence: a first station for loading an unworked piece of defined thickness (S.sub.h) onto a second station for cutting the unworked piece lengthways into two or more strip elements of equal width (LR.sub.hi); a third station for working the leading end and the trailing end of each strip element as it moves forward so that the strip elements can then be glued together end to end in sequence to form a continuous strip of strip elements and a fourth station where the continuous strip is cut crossways into a plurality of unworked panel strips whose length (LU.sub.hij) is defined by a sum of multiples of the panels needed to make a unit required or programmed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: SCM Group Autec Division, S.p.A.
    Inventor: Giuseppe Pritelli
  • Patent number: 6050317
    Abstract: A welding apparatus is provided for welding overlapping film edges. In order to plasticize film edges, the apparatus includes a heating element with converging heating surfaces over which the film edges are guided. A least one leaf spring extends from a support to resiliently suspend the heating element to permit movement of the heating element perpendicular to the heating surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignee: Wegener GmbH
    Inventor: Reiner Weissfloch
  • Patent number: 6014999
    Abstract: A thermally conductive film that includes a film of polymeric matrix material having a thickness t defined between a top surface and a bottom surface. A plurality of fibers, having a greater thermal conductivity than the polymeric matrix material, is disposed in the film and extends between the top surface and the bottom surface. Each of the fibers are oriented in the film to form a fiber-to-film surface angle .theta. relative to the top and bottom surfaces that is greater than about 45.degree. but is less than arctan t/d, where t is the thickness of the film and d is the diameter of the fibers in the direction of the angle .theta.. A shear/extruder apparatus is used to form the thermally conductive film from a sheet of composite prepreg material. An upper die block and a lower die block separated by a predetermined distance form an extrusion slot therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2000
    Inventor: James M. Browne
  • Patent number: 5951801
    Abstract: The method for joining a metal foil with a synthetic material foil comprises unwinding both materials from a supply roll each, and subjecting the synthetics foil, prior to the application of an adhesive, to a corona discharge on a narrow border region. The metal foil and the synthetic material foil are then pressed together and irradiated by ultraviolet radiation causing polymerization of the adhesive. The composite foil material thus obtained is transferred to a further processing station. There the dental matrix can be punched out of such a composite sheet material, having a high tensile strength, whose metal portion can easily be inserted between two adjacent teeth whereas the transparent synthetic material part allows light curing of the dental filling material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: Hawe Neos Dental DR. H. v. Weissenfluh AG
    Inventors: Beat A. v. Weissenfluh, Beat Kilcher
  • Patent number: 5942077
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing laminated materials is provided, having a first supply roller, a system comprising a second and a third supply roller, and an electronic sensor which tracks lateral movement of a control line in material leaving the first supply roller, wherein the lateral positioning of said system is adjusted in response to said lateral movement such that the lateral alignment of the second and third supply rollers remains constant with respect to said material. By maintaining constant lateral alignment, it is possible to manufacture laminated materials comprising a layer made from strips of material which abut but which do not overlap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1999
    Assignee: Tecksom International Ltd.
    Inventor: Luen Sing Tang