Progressive Continuous Bonding Press (e.g., Roll Couples) Patents (Class 156/555)
  • Patent number: 6158492
    Abstract: A laminate-making system has a housing forming a tunnel extending in a transport direction and having a downstream end at an assembly station, a press-plate feeder for conveying a succession of press plates along a path through the tunnel to the assembly station, respective upper and lower supports holding respective upper and lower coils of metallic foil above and below the path at the assembly station, and a core-plate feeder for conveying a succession of core plates to a lay-up station adjacent the assembly station. Respective upper and lower foil feeders pull the foils off the respective coils and apply them to upper and lower faces of the press plates at the assembly station. A gripper beam engages leading ends of the foils and of the press plate in the assembly station for pulling the press plate and the foils from the assembly station into the lay-up station and depositing the press plate and foils atop the core plate therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: G. Siempelkamp GmbH & Co.
    Inventor: Rainer Vomberg
  • Patent number: 6159327
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for making a plurality of substrates laminated on two sides by applying a plurality of laminate sheets to corresponding plurality of substrates. The apparatus includes a lamina supply member capable of holding a supply of lamina from which successive sheets of lamina can be cut. One or more cutters are disposed in the apparatus such that the cutters are capable of cutting through the lamina to provide successive sheets of laminate. One or more heaters are provided for bonding sheets of laminate to corresponding sides of a substrate whereby the corresponding top and bottom laminated substrate is formed. The supply of lamina is characterized by a current leading edge. The supply of lamina is cut through along a cutting line at a predetermined distance from the current leading edge of the lamina. This provides a first sheet of laminate having a trailing edge at the cutting line. Cutting also provides the lamina supply with a successive leading edge at the cutting line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: Polaroid Corporation
    Inventor: Maurice J. Forkert
  • Patent number: 6156147
    Abstract: An apparatus for folding and sealing a sheet having a pressure sensitive adhesive positioned thereon includes a first roller having a number of sealing protrusions which extend therefrom. The apparatus also includes a second roller having a roller surface which is positioned in operative contact with the number of sealing protrusions of the first roller during advancement of the sheet between the first roller and the second roller. The apparatus also includes a biasing lever arm having a first end and a second end. The biasing lever arm is pivotally coupled to the frame member at a pivot location between the first end and the second end. The biasing lever arm is coupled to the first roller at a journal location between said first end of said biasing lever arm and said pivot location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Privatizer Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark E. Spitler
  • Patent number: 6153048
    Abstract: A mounting arrangement is provided for rollers in a pressure sealer wherein a folded business form is fed along a processing path between at least one pair of cooperating, rotating, first and second rollers. A support structure is provided for holding the rollers with the first roller in a fixed location while accommodating movement of a second roller along a plane in either of two opposite directions toward and away from the first roller. Each roller has a pressure-applying, cylindrical surface. Each roller has two spaced-apart bearing structures for engaging the support structure to accommodate rotation of a respective one of the rollers and for engaging one of the bearing structures of the other rollers to define a predetermined minimum spacing between the cylindrical surfaces of the first and second rollers. At least one spring is provided for urging the bearing structures of the second roller toward the bearing structures of the first roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: The Hedman Company
    Inventors: Richard J. Abramson, Rudolph Retzl
  • 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: 6149752
    Abstract: An apparatus for folding and sealing a sheet having a pressure sensitive adhesive positioned thereon includes a first roller. The apparatus also includes a second roller which is positioned in operative contact with the first roller during advancement of the sheet between the first roller and the second roller. The apparatus also includes a third roller having (i) a roller surface, and (ii) a sealing protrusion extending from the roller surface. The apparatus further includes a sheet stop positioned to halt forward movement of the sheet during advancement of the sheet between the first roller and the second roller and subsequently create a buckle in the sheet which is advanced into a roller nip defined by the first roller and the third roller. The sealing protrusion of the third roller is positioned in operative contact with the first roller during advancement of the sheet between the first roller and the third roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Privatizer Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig A. Matthews, Mark E. Spitler
  • Patent number: 6145563
    Abstract: A vertical pressure sealing assembly is disclosed for sealing four edges of a business form. The assembly defines a business form path in a single vertical plane. The assembly includes two sealing modules each having a frame to support upper and lower sealing wheels. The sealing wheels are aligned with the outer edges of the business form. Each sealing module includes a first and second pair of upper/lower sealing wheels on each side of the module frame. The first frame is positioned vertically above and offset from the second sealing module. The second sealing module is orthogonal to the first module. A form chute between the two sealing modules is positioned immediately below the first sealing module and adjacent the second sealing module. Conveyor belts and drive wheels are used to move the business form through the vertical pressure sealing assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Moore Business Forms, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael S. Kalisiak, Rebecca L. Parker, Richard S. Downing, Daniel F. Pustelnik, John Van de Ven, David G. Wagner
  • Patent number: 6145562
    Abstract: Mounted in a frame is a welding cylinder, which is provided with a rotary drive and welding bars, which are distributed at uniform angular distances over the circumference, run parallel to the axis of rotation, can be adjusted continuously in their radial direction by means of their supports, and can be moved in and out in the radial direction relative to their supports for the purpose of activation and deactivation. For the purpose of identifying the respective welding bar, which has executed a specific weld on a film tube passing through, an embossing die, which provides the welded web with a distinct marking, characterizing the welding bar, which has executed the respective weld, is mounted in the circumferential direction in front of or behind each welding bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Windmoller & Holscher
    Inventor: Hans-Ludwig Voss
  • Patent number: 6146490
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a leader device for initially feeding web materials between a set of nip rollers. The device comprises a pair of leg portions each having a nip roller engageable exterior surface and a web material engaging interior surface. The leg portions have connected end portions defining a leading end portion and free end portions movable apart from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Xyron, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas C. Ensign
  • Patent number: 6145564
    Abstract: A welding cylinder, which is mounted in a frame, is provided with welding bars, which can be adjusted continuously in the radial direction, run parallel to the axis of rotation, and are distributed at uniform angular intervals over the circumference. One part of the welding cylinder's circumference is enveloped by a continuous pressure belt, whose loose side travels over guide rolls and rollers of a web storage. Between the guide rollers, bordering the pressure strand of the pressure belt, the web, to be provided with cross welds, runs up onto the welding cylinder and down from it. To adjust in a simple manner the guide rolls of the pressure belt to the different diameters of the welding cylinder, two swivelling and locking levers, whose free ends bear the guide rollers, over which the pressure belt runs up onto the welding cylinder and down from it, are mounted in the machine frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Windmoller & Holscher
    Inventor: Ulrich Eckelt
  • Patent number: 6136142
    Abstract: A film applying apparatus is provided with preparatory bonding rolls, laminating rolls, a laminated film wound out from a film roll and a substrate conveyed by a substrate conveying device. The laminated film passes between these rolls and pressure bonding is performed. The diameter of the preparatory bonding rolls is made smaller than the diameter of the laminating rolls. The range of the elastically deformed area at the roll surface where the grasping of the substrate and the laminated film by the preparatory bonding rolls is begun, is made small, thereby limiting the range and reducing the generated amount of air holding or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: Somar Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Kitagawa, Shigeru Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 6132554
    Abstract: An integrated system is provided for folding, inserting, pressure sealing, delivering, and optionally separating into different jobs, mailer type business forms. A common housing mounted by wheels supports in, or on, it: a folder for folding paper sheets with pressure activated adhesive to form to form pre-mailers; an inserter for receipt of pre-mailers from the folder and for placing insert sheets into the pre-mailers; a conventional pressure sealer module for pressure sealing pre-mailers to form mailer type business forms; and a delivery device for delivering stacked forms horizontally out of a bottom portion of the housing. A separator modification of the delivery device may be provided for receipt of sealed mailers to separate the mailers into different stacked groups. Typically the forms move generally downwardly during processing. The inserter includes a pair of reversible vacuum drums which grasp a folded paper sheet and move it apart to receive a substantially linearly driven insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Moore Business Forms, Inc.
    Inventors: John E. Traise, Michael S. Kalisiak
  • Patent number: 6131636
    Abstract: A laminating machine of the type which laminates documents between sheets of plastic or on a substrate comprising a housing, first and second sets of upper and lower rolls within said housing having end shafts, one of the sets of rolls arranged to receive material to be laminated and move the material to the other of the sets of rolls, spaced apart end supports are in housing rotatably supporting the end shafts, drive means are connected to the lower rolls of each pair, to drive the lower rolls, the upper rolls of each pair are mounted in the end supports to move upwardly to accommodate material of variable thickness, resilient power transmission means are connected between the upper rolls and the lower rolls and driven from the lower rolls to maintain synchronization of rotation of the upper rolls with the lower rolls and to bias the upper rolls downwardly while permitting the upper rolls to move upwardly to an extent dependent on the thickness of material passing between the pairs of rolls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Inventors: Peter J. Anderson, Willis A. Murphy
  • Patent number: 6129809
    Abstract: The most important heat-sealing parameters must be able to be adapted to different conditions of use in a simple and accurate manner. This is accomplished by the hot air temperature, on the one hand, and the amount of hot air, the speed of rotation of the pressing rollers (8, 9) and/or the pressing pressure of the pressing rollers (8, 9), on the other hand, being able to be controlled via controllers (41, 37, 24, 29), wherein a basic setting of the set points of these controlled variables is performed as a function of material- and/or application-specific characteristics, and by the position of the hot air nozzle (16) in terms of height (H), distance (A) and/or of the oncoming flow angle (.alpha.) with respect to the roller gap being able to be set by motor operators (18, 19, 21) as a function of the intended use and/or the thickness of the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: G.M. Pfaff Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Bernd Ellenberger, Klaus Kutscher, Karl Herzer, Manfred Neurohr
  • Patent number: 6109326
    Abstract: An embosser can emboss two webs of sheet material with either nested or foot-to-foot embossments. The embosser includes two steel embossing rolls which are engraved with the same embossing pattern. When foot-to-foot embossments are desired, the embossing rolls are positioned so that the corresponding embossments on the two rolls are aligned. When nested embossed are desired, one of the embossing rolls is moved either axially or circumferentially, or both, relative to the other embossing roll so that embossments on the two rolls nest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Paper Converting Machine Company
    Inventors: Malcolm R. Leakey, Michael J. Baeten
  • Patent number: 6105651
    Abstract: A cylinder assembly is provided for transferring foil onto a substrate. A cylinder assembly includes a generally cylindrical core having an outer surface. The outer surface of the core includes a plurality of magnet receiving depressions therein. Magnets formed from rare earth metals are secured within corresponding depressions in the outer surface of the core. A die plate is positioned about the outer surface of the core. A heating structure heats the outer surface of the die plate to a temperature less than 475.degree. F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: Integrated Design Corp.
    Inventor: Anthony J. Leanna
  • Patent number: 6106658
    Abstract: A method of producing a laminate board (10) involves the steps of heating a continuous belt-like metallic sheet (2) by a heating furnace (1), laminating a thermoplastic resin film (3) on at least one of the surfaces of the metallic sheet, pressing and passing both of them between a pair of laminate rolls (4 and 5), and thermally bonding the film (3) to the metallic sheet (2), wherein the laminate sheet (10) coming out from between the pair of laminate rolls (4 and 5) is pushed by a deflector roll (6) in a transverse direction so as to bias the travelling direction towards the laminate roll (4) in contact with the film (3). The invention also discloses an apparatus (A) used for his method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: Toyo Kohan Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Noriaki Kaguma, Atsuo Tanaka, Hiroyuki Iwashita, Yoshiki Sakamoto, Hiroshi Inazawa
  • Patent number: 6086698
    Abstract: A roller assembly for folding and sealing a sheet includes a first roller having a first ring assembly secured thereto. The first ring assembly has (i) a first deformable inner ring member, and (ii) a first outer ring member secured to the periphery of the first deformable inner ring member. The roller assembly also includes a second roller having a roller surface. The first outer ring member of the first ring assembly of the first roller is positioned in operative contact with the roller surface of the second roller during advancement of the sheet between the first roller and the second roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: Privatizer Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark E. Spitler
  • Patent number: 6083336
    Abstract: Apparatus for coating metal sheets with plastic film, consisting of a sequential arrangement of metal sheet feed (1), oven (3), film feeding unit (4), corona stations (9), laminating rolls (10), texturing or smoothing rolls (7) and printing mechanism (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: BASF Coatings AG
    Inventor: Leonidas Kiriazis
  • Patent number: 6080251
    Abstract: A folder-sealer apparatus for folding and sealing a number of mailer forms includes a housing. The apparatus also includes a roller assembly for folding and sealing the number of mailer forms, the roller assembly being secured within the housing. The apparatus further includes an input guide for guiding the number of mailer forms into the housing and into a nip of the roller assembly. The input guide is configured to receive a first mailer form of the number of mailer forms from an output mechanism of a printing device during a first period of time. The apparatus also includes a manual feed tray which is securable to the housing. The input guide is further configured to receive a second mailer form of the number of mailer forms from the manual feed tray when the manual feed tray is secured to the housing during a second period of time. A method of folding and sealing a number of mailer forms is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: Privatizer Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: William D. Baker, Mark E. Spitler
  • Patent number: 6080259
    Abstract: A folder-sealer apparatus for folding and sealing a mailer form includes a housing. The apparatus also includes a roller assembly for folding and sealing the mailer form, the roller assembly being positioned within the housing. The apparatus also includes a postage device for securing postage indicia on the mailer form, the postage device being secured within the housing. A method of operating a folder-sealer apparatus is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: Privatizer Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Nadeau, William D. Baker
  • Patent number: 6080260
    Abstract: When producing a laminated metal sheet, the air bubbles taken in when laminating can be lessened so that a laminated metal sheet with low rate of air bubbles can be obtained. For this purpose, in a production method of a laminated metal sheet comprising the steps of laminating of plastic film 2 on at least one side of a metal sheet strip 1, the plastic film is heated to a temperature of between the glass transition temperature of the plastic film and a temperature at which the thermal shrinkage of the film attains 3% when the plastic film is kept for 30 minutes at a constant temperature, and just after the heating, the plastic film is brought into pressure contact with the metal sheet, by which laminated metal sheet in which air bubbles are hard to be taken in when laminating, and the rate of air bubbles is low can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: Toyo Kohan Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Yasunaka, Keisuke Takesue, Kenichi Miyata
  • Patent number: 6063227
    Abstract: A method of making a multi-row, multi-column laminated product including the steps of providing a printed rectangular paperboard sheet having a leading edge, two perpendicular side edges and a trailing edge parallel to the leading edge, feeding the leading edge of the sheet in a first direction and cutting out a narrow transverse segment in the middle of the sheet to produce a transverse gap, leaving connecting portions at each end of the transverse gap, the transverse gap being parallel to the leading edge, gripping the paperboard sheet and feeding its leading edge in the same first direction and continuously cutting the paperboard sheet into adjacent panels in a direction parallel to the side edges and perpendicular to the leading edge, thereby to remove strips of waste from between adjacent panels, and feeding the leading edge into a laminating roller nip with laminating sheets prior to cutting into the transverse gap and continuously gripping the sheet between its side edges at a distance from the laminat
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: Rand McNally & Company
    Inventors: David P. Raymond, Paul R. Stensvaag, Kenneth R. Bogner
  • Patent number: 6059003
    Abstract: Hot stamping apparatus and embossing apparatus for the production of holographic images on a substrate web, each apparatus comprising a heated roll and an anvil each having trunnions at its ends journalled for rotation in bearings in a frame with a cooling system for cooling the bearings for all the trunnions and for cooling the trunnions of the heated roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: Integrated Design Corporation
    Inventor: Eugene W. Wittkopf
  • Patent number: 6053230
    Abstract: The present invention provides a hot air welding apparatus that provides accurate and repeatable control of the drive wheel speed. To afford very precise control of the speed and relative rotation of the drive wheels at all times during the welding process, the present invention is provided with a computer control system and two high torque stepper motors, one for each drive wheel. The computer control system allows the speed and position of the drive wheels to be regulated with a very high accuracy. The computer control system allows the drive wheel settings to be adjusted while the seam is being welded and further includes an automatic ramp capability, a repeat mode, and a test strip mode. Further, the computer control system is capable of controlling the temperature of the air used in the welding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: Pelland Automation, Inc.
    Inventor: Ray Pelland
  • 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: 6036814
    Abstract: When a heat transfer pattern comprising a plurality of recesses is formed on a surface of a roll to provide a thermal transfer roll, a metallic sheet is heated by the thermal transfer roll to form a laminate plate and an integral drum-bottom type can is made of the laminate plate, ring-shaped scratches due to the thermal strain are produced on portions of the can which face recesses of the laminate plate. Bubbles are liable to be formed on the scratches so that corrosion resistance around the bubbles is degraded. The invention has its object to provide a thermal transfer roll free from such scratches. In the invention, a conventional transfer roll having a plurality of recesses formed in a surface thereof is covered by a thin metallic sleeve (130) over a substantially entire surface thereof. Alternatively, the recesses (106) are closed by a cover body (132).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: Toyo Kohan Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadashi Fujii, Hiroshi Inazawa
  • Patent number: 6032714
    Abstract: A nozzle assembly adapted for repeatably positioning the nozzle in a precise relationship to an article and method for using it in a seam-sealing operation, the nozzle assembly comprising a nozzle, an alignment plate, and an arm forming a unitary nozzle assembly, and an air conduit for connecting the nozzle to a source of pressurized air. The nozzle assembly may further comprise a base for mounting the integral nozzle unit alignment plate, and a linear actuator connected to the base for moving the base along a linear path from a first, operating position to a second, standby position. The nozzle may be oriented to avoid visually obstructing the article receiving air flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Inventor: Jay Thomas Fenton
  • Patent number: 6026884
    Abstract: A laminating device for manufacturing a laminated printed circuit board comprising a frame that supports sets of heated rollers along the path of movement of said laminated circuit boards while they are being manufactured. Each of said sets of rollers including two rollers. The rollers on one side of the path of travel of the printed circuit board blank are driven to move the blank through the device. The rollers are heated, and means are provided for selectively moving the rollers in each of said sets of rollers toward and away from each other to apply pressure to said printed circuit board blank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignee: Maintech, Inc.
    Inventor: Carl W. Spitko
  • Patent number: 6007670
    Abstract: A laminate suitable for formation of athletic lettering and other decoratives which has improved adhesion and reduced curling is formed by forming a laminate from a pigmented polyurethane and a polyester adhesive layer. Either the individual lamina prior to lamination, or the formed laminate are annealed for 1 to 100 hours at a temperature from 100.degree. to 250.degree. F. to relieve stress and prevent curling. Preferably, the polyurethane layer does not include any external lubricants and has a high durometer which, in turn, permits formation of letters on letters without bleedthrough and with improved adhesion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: Specialty Adhesive Film Co.
    Inventors: John Mahn, Jr., John Mahn, Sr.
  • Patent number: 6003581
    Abstract: A laminating apparatus (20) for laminating a longitudinal web (19) on a transverse web (28) by maintaining transverse fibrous elements (62) in the transverse direction as much as possible, wherein a skew correction device (39) for correcting the skew of the transverse web in contact with both selvage portions (57, 57) of the transverse web, includes first and second rolls (101, 102) arranged on the side of one selvage portion and the other selvage portion of the transverse web, a common roll (108) arranged on the opposite side of the transverse web with respect to the first and second rolls, and a support means (60) for supporting the first roll, second roll and common roll so as to hold one selvage portion (57) of the transverse web (28) by the first or second roll and an end of the common roll. The travelling speed of at least one selvage portion (57) of the transverse web (28) can be changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: Nippon Petrochemicals Company, Limited
    Inventor: Kintaro Aihara
  • Patent number: 5996665
    Abstract: Transferring and extracting sticky blanks. The apparatus including a thin layer disposed under tension stress in contact with the top of the go length and extending in the travel direction of said length downstream beyond the zone in which said length bends and as far as a zone where said layer co-operates with a takeup transporter. The apparatus is applicable to lines for shaping after prior pressing and heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Pinette Emidecau Industries
    Inventor: Laurent Poisson
  • Patent number: 5992493
    Abstract: A method for a production of a laminated metal sheet which can reduce the ratio of pinholes being caused in a synthetic resin film (the incidence of pinholes) upon deep draw forming of the laminated metal sheet involves superimposing the heated metal sheet on the synthetic resin film unwound from a film roll, passing the heated metal sheet and the synthetic resin film through a pair of laminating rolls to laminate the two together, the laminating process being carried out in a laminating chamber in which the concentration of fine particles having a mean particle diameter exceeding 3 .mu.m is kept below 100 pieces/ft.sup.3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: Toyo Kohan Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Yasunaka, Keisuke Takesue, Tadashi Fujii
  • Patent number: 5985088
    Abstract: An improved pull-roller system for a calender machine having at least a pair of main rollers and a pair of pull-rollers. The nip of the pull-rollers is located at an elevation below the nip of the main rollers. In addition, the axis of the top pull-roller is offset with respect to the axis of the bottom pull-roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignee: Hunt Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Cal L. Couillard, Bruce Adams
  • Patent number: 5979307
    Abstract: A double-belt system for processing viscous melts includes a driven upper belt having a lower working run, and a driven lower belt having an upper working run spaced beneath the lower working run to form a gap therewith for receiving a viscous melt. A gap-adjusting mechanism includes upper rollers engaging an upper surface of the lower working run, and lower rollers engaging a lower surface of the upper working run. A distance between the upper rollers and lower rollers is adjustable to vary a size of the gap. A compensation mechanism is disposed over the lower working run to apply an upward force thereto for pulling the lower working run against the upper rollers, thereby resisting sagging of the lower working run. At least one delivery mechanism applies a temperature-controlled liquid across an entire width of the lower working run for controlling a temperature thereof. The liquid is extracted by an extraction mechanism disposed downstream of the delivery mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Santrade Ltd.
    Inventors: Stefan Brauer, Werner Huber, Klaus Schafer
  • Patent number: 5968307
    Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for automatically affixing cards to a moving printed web which has a plurality of repeat lengths, each of the cards being automatically applied at the same relative location in each of a plurality of repeat lengths of the printed web. The apparatus includes a card feed device adapted to receive a web of cards having no registration holes formed therein and having a plurality of weakened links disposed between pairs of adjacent cards. The card feed device is adapted to cause the web of cards to pass through the card feed device so that there is substantially no slippage between the card feed device and the web of cards. The apparatus also includes a card handler operatively coupled to separate the web of cards into individual cards and cause them to be applied to the printed web and a controller adapted to control the card feed device so as to cause each of the cards to be applied to the printed web in a predetermined position in each of the repeat lengths of the printed web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Hurletron, Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven J. Siler, Cornelius de Veer
  • Patent number: 5961779
    Abstract: A multi-purpose laminating and adhesive transfer apparatus having a frame supporting rotatably engaging nip rollers. A replaceable cartridge is insertable into the frame and has upper and lower feed rolls which may be a laminate, film or paper, or an adhesively coated film or a film having an affinity for adhesive. The upper and lower feed rolls containing the webs of laminating or adhesive transfer material have tensioning caps which can be adjusted to provide the proper tensioning to prevent the rollers from overrunning as they rotate. Tensioning caps and the cartridges are pre-set and provided to the user. A cutter blade is positioned at the discharge side of the nip rollers and may be actuated to sever the master at any desired location. The apparatus may be operated to apply lamination to either top or bottom surfaces of a substrate or an adhesive to the top or bottom surface of the substrate or to both surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: Xyron, Inc.
    Inventor: Franklin C. Bradshaw
  • Patent number: 5961780
    Abstract: Apparatus is provided for making a multi-layer shingle by cutting an anterior layer of shingle material to have a headlap area and a tab area, and with a plurality of tabs being present in the tab area, separated by slotted openings. The tab area of the anterior shingle layer has a predetermined design that has a repeatability in the longitudinal direction, or from one edge of a shingle to another in the right-to-left direction, which repeatability is a function of the length of the shingle between said left and right edges, as well as being a function of the number of tabs in the anterior shingle layer, with the repeatability being smaller or greater than the length of the shingle in the longitudinal direction. Thereby, the apparatus produces an ornamental appearance that has a random, natural-looking effect when the shingles are laid up on a roof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: CertainTeed Corporation
    Inventors: Husnu M. Kalkanoglu, Joseph Quaranta, Kermit E. Stahl
  • Patent number: 5954914
    Abstract: A web lamination device for laminating a transverse web, having longitudinal fibrous elements extending generally transverse to the longitudinal conveying direction and opposite selvages, with a longitudinal web having longitudinal fibrous elements extending generally parallel to the longitudinal conveying direction at a laminating roll. The web lamination device includes skew correction means capable of contacting at least one of selvages of the transverse web running to the laminating roll of the web lamination device at a predetermined speed, for correcting the skew of the transverse web. The skew correction means includes a drive roll capable of selectively contacting one of the selvages of the transverse web, to drive one of selvages faster or slower than the conveying speed, when skew occurs in the transverse web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1999
    Assignee: Nippon Petrochemicals Company, Limited
    Inventor: Kintaro Aihara
  • Patent number: 5944946
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for activating longitudinal and transverse pressure sensitive adhesive strips in marginal edge portions of paper business forms are disclosed in the form of one or more roll sets which are formed to activate both the longitudinal and transverse strips while the form travels in a single orientation in a single direction that is parallel to the grain direction of the paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1999
    Assignee: Moore Business Forms, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard S. Downing, John E. Traise
  • Patent number: 5938880
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for activating longitudinal and transverse pressure sensitive adhesive strips in marginal edge portions of paper business forms are disclosed in the form of one or more roll sets which are formed to activate both the longitudinal and transverse strips while the form travels in a single orientation in a single direction that is parallel to the grain direction of the paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1999
    Assignee: Moore Business Forms, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard S. Downing, John E. Traise
  • Patent number: 5935379
    Abstract: A heat seal wheel for use with a heat sealing apparatus associated with a continuous packaging machine, for forming a longitudinal seal in a flat sheet of flexible film. The heat seal wheel is characterized by a planar heater comprising a laminar resistive heating element sandwiched in between a top layer and a bottom layer of a thermally conductive and electrically insulative material. The top layer is bonded to the bottom surface a bearing disk, in contact with and supporting a rotating heat seal wheel for conductively heating the seal wheel and producing a heat seal in the seams of a moving web of plastic film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: David Louis Frantz, Walter Ernest Lewis, Robert Vincent Jeral, Frederick Henry Fiesser
  • Patent number: 5888342
    Abstract: A device is provided for introducing a foil strip coming from a stock roll into the pinch between two rollers, for instance simultaneously with a plate or other flat object onto which the foil must be arranged by means of an adhesive layer. The device includes a braking member placed between the stock roll and a roller to exert a braking force on the foil strip, which braking member includes a fixedly disposed braking surface, which braking surface has a coating of PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), a silicone material or other smooth and adhesion-rejecting material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Assignee: Sallmetall B.V.
    Inventor: Johannes Antonius Maria Reinders
  • Patent number: 5873965
    Abstract: In a process and a device for carrying out a welding process on thermoplastic material webs, the value of the pressing force (F.sub.i) of a pair of pressure rollers is determined as a measured value representing the weld seam thickness and is used as the actual value of the controlled variable of a welding process regulating unit, and it is compared with a corresponding set value. The feed speed (V) of the welding device is used as the correcting variable of this regulating unit by increasing the speed in the case of decreasing weld seam thickness and decreasing the speed in the case of increasing weld seam thickness to compensate a possibly existing deviation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1999
    Assignee: G.M. Pfaff Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Peter Greller
  • Patent number: 5865942
    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: May 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Inventor: Frank Sinclair
  • Patent number: 5863373
    Abstract: Business forms are sealed by pressure with reduced tenting and pillowing. Each form has a strip of pressure sensitive adhesive of a predetermined width. In an automatic continuous, sequential manner, upper and lower rollers operatively biased together by spring pressure activate the pressure sensitive adhesive to affix one part of the form to another. The force applied by the rollers is applied only to the approximate area of the predetermined width of the adhesive, not over the whole form. Conveyor tapes are associated with the rollers to facilitate conveyance of the forms, and a pressure of about 120 lbs. per lineal inch is applied to the pressure sensitive adhesive. A buckle or insert folder can be used to fold the forms, and they are then fed to a first pressure sealing module. A 90.degree. transfer conveyor conveys the forms from the first pressure sealing module to a second module, and from the second module they are removed by a discharge conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: Moore Business Forms, Inc.
    Inventors: John E. Traise, Wilbur P. Hutchinson
  • Patent number: 5858167
    Abstract: Sealing rollers (23, 24, 25) serve for connecting tear-open strips with a film web (10) by applying heat and pressure, the sealing rollers (23, 24, 25) resting against the film web (10) in the region of the tear-open strips. Opposite of the sealing rollers (23, 24, 25) there are positioned counter rollers which make it possible to transfer pressure by means of the sealing rollers (23 to 25). The sealing rollers (23 to 25) are heated, specifically by radiant heat from a heated housing (31), which serves as a carrier for the sealing rollers (23, 24, 25).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: Focke & Co., (GmbH & Co)
    Inventors: Heinz Focke, Johann Koster
  • Patent number: 5853531
    Abstract: A laminating machine of the type which laminates documents between sheets of plastic or a document to a substrate comprising a housing together with a first set of rolls within the housing adapted to guide the material to be laminated between upper and lower heating platens and a second set of rolls within the housing arranged to receive the material from the platens. The first set of rolls, the platens and the second set of rolls define a passage through the housing. End supports for the rolls are provided in the housing defines. The rolls are rotatably supported between the end supports. A drive motor is connected to one of the rolls at one of the end supports, and gearing means are positioned on the rolls at the other of the end supports for transmitting rotation of the driven roll to the other rolls. The upper rolls of each pair are journaled in bearing arms which are pivoted to the end supports to permit acceptance of thick substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1998
    Assignee: 1 Figments 5, LLC
    Inventors: Willis A. Murphy, Peter J. Anderson
  • Patent number: 5849138
    Abstract: Apparatus and process for application of pamphlets to a backing web having preprinted labels including a pamphlet applicator featuring cylindrical drive cams which propel pamphlet grasping assemblies at different speed rates to achieve optimum spacing during pamphlet application to a laminate web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1998
    Assignee: Product Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald W. Olson
  • Patent number: RE36198
    Abstract: An improved pull-roller system for a calender machine having at least a pair of main rollers and a pair of pull-rollers. The nip of the pull-rollers is located at an elevation below the nip of the main rollers. In addition, the axis of the top pull-roller is offset with respect to the axis of the bottom pull-roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1999
    Assignee: Hunt Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Cal L. Couillard, Bruce Adams