CA1068098A - Apparatus for controlling the size of a gap - Google Patents

Apparatus for controlling the size of a gap

Info

Publication number
CA1068098A
CA1068098A CA242,446A CA242446A CA1068098A CA 1068098 A CA1068098 A CA 1068098A CA 242446 A CA242446 A CA 242446A CA 1068098 A CA1068098 A CA 1068098A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
web
piston
blade
cylinder
cylinder unit
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA242,446A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Elsworth R. Delves
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Purpose Engineers Ltd
Original Assignee
Purpose Engineers Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Purpose Engineers Ltd filed Critical Purpose Engineers Ltd
Priority to CA242,446A priority Critical patent/CA1068098A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1068098A publication Critical patent/CA1068098A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Landscapes

  • Extrusion Moulding Of Plastics Or The Like (AREA)

Abstract

Abstract of the Disclosure Apparatus for controlling the depth of material laid on a web and comprising a head for laying the material, means for continuously moving the web past the head, first and second members defining an extrusion gap for receiving the web, and a control device arranged to effect movement of one member relative to the other to vary the size of the gap, the control device comprising a fluid-pressure operated piston and cylinder unit including a plurality of relatively movable cylinders and pistons individually extensible and retractable to vary the length of the unit, and switch means for individually operating the cylin-ders.

Description

`:~068098 i This invention relates to apparatus for controlling the size of a gap, for examplel for controlling the depth of extrusion. In this specification, "extrusion" is used tD rnPan the carrying of any fluid material through a con-stricted gap. One example is the laying of a given thickness of material on a - web by extrusion through a gap as carried out in the manufacture of leather substitute . Another example is the manufacture of vinyl plastics coated wall-paper involving extrusion between two rollers to effect coating of a paper web.
In such manufacturers, it is important that the s;ze of an extrusion gap is accurately controlled and the present invention provides apparatus which can be 10 used to permit such accurate control.
In accordance with this invention, apparatus for controlling the size of a gap comprises first and second members which directly or indirectly define the gap, the members being relatively movable to adjust the size of the gap, and a control device arranged to effect said adjustment movement, the control device comprising a fluid-pressure operated piston and cylinder unit including a plur-ality of relatively movable cylinders individually extensible and retractable to vary the length of the unit, and switch means for individually operating the cylinders.
The control device preferably includes a ramp surface serving to convert 20 variation in length of the unit to a proportional reduced incremental movement, of said one of the members.
The gap may be defined, for example, between a pair of rollers, or between .~a blade and a roller, or between a web, supported by two rollers, and a blade, or between two dies of an extrusion mould.
The invention may reside in apparatus for controlling the depth of mater- -ial, laid on a web, comprising a head for 1aying the material~ means for contin- `
uously moving the web past the head, first and second members defining an extru-sion gap for receiving the web, and a control device arranged to effect move-;~ment of one of the members relative to the other to vary the size of the gap, `30 the control device comprising a fluid-pressure operated piston and cylinder unit .
:. :
including a plurality of relatively movable cylinders individually extensible and retractable to vary the length of the unit, and switch means for individ~
ually operating the cylinders. -'. ,~. . - :~
~ -2-. ~, . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .

-` 1068~98 ~
1 Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:-Figure 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of apparatus for making leather substitute;
Figure 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of a part of the apparatus with a control device for varying the depth of an extrusion gap;
Figure 3 is a more detailed view of a multiple piston and cylinder unit of the control device showing a switch arrangement; ¦:
Figure 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of a modification of the control device of figure 2;
F;gure 5 is a diagrammatic illustration of apparatus for making, for ex-ample, a tarpaulin, using the control device of figure 4;
Figure 6 is a diagrammatic illustration of a modified apparatus according to the invention; and Figure 7 is a diagrammatic illustration of apparatus for making a resin-coated paper. -. Referring to Figure 1, there are shown feed rollers 11, 12, 13, which feed ;~
. . ~
a web 15 of silicone impregnated paper to a support roller 14 of a plastics laying head 16. The head 16 includes a hopper 17 from which the plastics mater-. ial issues in fluid condition and a blade 20, which is supported by lugs at 21 The blade is arranged above the support roller to define an extrusion gap 22 therewith. Movement of the web draws plastics material deposited on the web ;~ through the extrusion gap, so that the depth of material on the web is control-led by the size of the gap 22.
The web lS, w;th its layer 23 of plastics material, is fed through an oven . arrangement 25 to cure the plastics material, which defines a flexible layer .~
: of the final product. ~:
From the oven, the web 15 passes beneath an adhesive laying head 26 over a further support roller 27. This head is similar to the plastics laying head , . 16 and includes a hopper 28 and a blade 29, def;ning an extrusion gap 30 with the roller 27.
From the adhesive laying head, the web passes through the nip of a pair of rollers 33, 34 and a textile web 35 is passed through the nip from a feed . roller 36. The textile web is adhered to the plastics layer 23 by the adhesive layer 37. The gap between the rollers 33, 34 controls the depth of penetrat . , .. 3 . ., .; , .
. . . ~ . .. - , . .

iQ68~g~
1 ion of the textile web into the adhesive and the final extrusion thickness of the material is thereby controlled. A~ter this step, the material may be em-bossed to provide a leather-like grain.
Referring to figure 2, the blade 20 of the plastics laying head 16 is shown mounted by its lugs 21 (only one shown) on a slide 50 in turn mounted on a frame member 51. An adjusting device is provided comprising a frame 57 mount-ing a multiple piston and cylinder unit 56. The output piston of the unit carries a wedge 54 forming a ramp surface 53. The wedge is located between two needle rollers 52, 58, the second 58 of ~hich is fixed to the frame 57 and the first 52 of which is mounted on a slidable çarrier 55 and seats on the ramp surface 53. A coarse-adjustment screw 62 engages with the carrier 55 and is lockable -in a predetermined relative position by a lock nut 63. The slide 50 seats on the screw 62. The multiple piston and cylinder unit 56 provides fine adjust- -ment of the position of the blade through the agency of the wedge 54 to control the depth of extrusion of the plastics layer.
There is also provided a piston and cylinder unit 61 exerting a reaction force on the slide 50. The force provided by this unit 60 is overcome by oper-~re uJ6~ !
ation of either the multiple unit 56 or the coarse adjustment unit 6~
` A sim;lar arrangement may be provided on the adhesive laying head 26 or pn -the roller 33 or 34. The control device could act on the support roller 14 `` instead of the blade.
A multiple unit, together with a wedge, may also be used to control the ;
angular position of the blade, by pivoting of the blade about the lugs 21.
Referring now to figure 3, the multiple piston and cylinder unit 56 is ~;
. shown in more detail. The unit includes a main cyl;nder 70 housing a first l~
.~ j ,, .
piston 71 movable between predetermined limits. A first sub-cylinder 72 is ': :
slidable in the main cylinder and abuts the first piston 71 for movement there- `
by. The first sub-cylinder 72 houses a second piston 73 and a second sub-cyl-inder 74 is provided in the main cylinder for movement by the second piston 73. ~;
This second sub-cylinder 74 also mounts a third piston 75, which is connected to the wedge 54. A separate air inlet 76, 77, 78, respectively, is provided to extend each piston 71, 73, 75, individually and each air inlet is connected to a pneumatic source 80 by a respective valve switch 81, 82, 83. Each piston can thereby be extended individually to provide a predetermined extension of the ~4~
.. ~. - - . - - . .. . . . . - - - . . . - . .

1068C19~
1 unit as d ~hole (i.~. the extension of the third piston 75) by actuation of the appropriate valve s~1itch. The unit is under pneumatic bias to return the pistons to their retracted positions with the corresponding valve switch closed. This bias is provided at air inlet 85 by the sa~e pneumatic supply 80, the differen-tial piston areas permitting the bias to be over-ridden. A port 86 is provided vented to atmosphere.
Referring no~ to figure 4, a similar arrangement to figure 2 is shown, wherein a coarse adjustment multiple piston and cylinder unit 90, similar to B that shown in figure 3, is provided. With this arrange~ent,~ , predetermin-ed increments of movement ~ the blade can be provided by the unit gO and fine increments provided by the unit 56. Coarse adjustment may be provided to fac- ' ; ilitate clearing or to lift the blade 20 over a particle, which otherwise mi~t provide a score along the extruded material.
As shown in figure 5, the extrusion gap may be indirectly provided by '~
rollers 100, 106. In this apparatus, a web 101 is fed past a head 103 includ-ing a blade 102 and a hopper 104 by rollers 105, 106, 100 and 108. Plastics 1`~
material is extruded between the blade 102 and the web 101 to form a ~yer 110.
The height of the blade is controlled by an arrangement as shown in figure 4.
This apparatus is used for the manufacture of directly impregnated webs such as ~i tarpaulin. The web may be supported by a band over the rollers 106, 100, whose tension is adjustable. It is envisaged that a single control device may be used to effect the operation described with respect to both figure 4 and figure 5, 3 ~` as desired by providing for movement of the control device. The coarse adjust-ing device 90 need only be used in manufactur;ng tarpaulin, for example. i, Referring now to figure 6, a main cylinder 120 is shown, mounted on the body 121 of a machine for coating a web with plastics material. The cylinder ; fixedly supports an upper needle roller 122 and a first piston 123, in the cylinder, supports another needle roller 124. A multiple cylinder 125, as shown in figure 3, is provided, together with a wedge 126 engaged between the - 30 rollers. The cylinder defines first and second chambers 130, 131, the first of which contains the first piston 123. A second piston 133 is provided and defines` with the cylinder 120, the second chamber 131 and a third chamber 132. The second cylinder has opposite shoulders 135, 136 between which is received a head 137 on an extension of the first piston 123. The shoulders limit rela-5_ ,, .. .. - - - . . . .

106809l~
1 tive movement of tl~e pisto~s. The second piston 133 carries an output shaft 138 whiCil supports a slide such as 50, as described with respect to figure 2.
The slide and blade are therefore suspended in this example. Respective first, second and third ?orts 141, 142, 143 lead to the first second and third chamb-ers, and a vent 144 to atmosphere connects with the chamber containing the wedge126. A pneumatic bias is applied at the first port 141 to hold the lower roller124 against the wedge 126. A similar bias is applied at the second port, so that the shouldèr 135 contacts the head 137. On operation of the multiple cylinder unit 125, the output shaft can therefore be raised or lo~ered by small incre-ments. Application of pressure at the third port 143 will overcome the press-!, ure at the second port 142 to raise the second piston to the extent permitted -by the shoulder 136, acting on the head 137 to provide a coarse adjustment of the blade. ;
Referring to figure 7, there is illustrated apparatus for coating a ~per web with a resin, such as a vinyl resin in making wallpaper. The apparatus com-prises feed rollers 211, 212, 213, which feed a paper web 214 through an extru- -sion gap 215 between a support roller 216 and a transfer roller 217, the web being led from the machine by a roller 220. The transfer roller transfers : , liquid plastics resin to the web, the thickness of the layer being determined ~-by the extrusion gap 215. The liquid is fed to the transfer roller 217 by a take-up roller 21~3 to which is fed the resin from a feed device 219. A multi-ple piston and cylinder unit as shown in figure 3 is set up generally as shown ~;
in figure 2 to adjust the position of the transfer roller 217 with respect to the support roller 216, or vice versa. , The described apparatus in each example permits control of manufacture of articles involving extrusion with great ease, control being provided simply by ;
.~;
operation of the s~itch valves, and with great accuracy. ;
..
'.'` .:
. j; . ..
' . ~".'' ,.,," .
.. .
:
.

,

Claims (8)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. Apparatus for controlling the depth of material laid on a web and comprising a head for laying the material, means for continuously moving the web past the head, first and second members defining an extrusion gap for receiving the web, and a control device arranged to effect movement of one member relative to the other to vary the size of the gap, the control device comprising a fluid-pressure operated piston and cylinder unit including a plurality of relatively movable cylinders and pistons individually extensible and retractable to vary the length of the unit, a ramp surface serving to convert variation in length of the unit to a proportional reduced incremental movement of said one of the member and switch means for individually operating the cylinders.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the piston and cylinder unit comprises a main cylinder, a plurality of auxiliary cylinders each slidable in the main cylinder, a corresponding piston slidably engaged in each of the auxiliary cylinders or the main cylinder, one of said pistons being pro-vided with a piston rod projecting from the main cylinder and arranged to act on said one of the members, each of the other pistons being arranged to act on a next adjacent one of the auxiliary cylinders, a corresponding fluid pressure inlet communicating with each cylinder, and a fluid pressure line connected to each inlet, the switch means comprising a corresponding switch in each of said lines.
3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first member is a roller which serves to support the web and the second member is a blade or a further roller.
4. Apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3 including a reaction fluid-pressure operated piston and cylinder unit acting against the piston and cylinder unit.
5. Apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3 including a screw adjustment device for coarse adjustment of the position of said one of the members.
6. Apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3 including an additional piston and cylinder unit arranged to effect coarse adjustment of the position of said one of the members.
7. Apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3 for making a plastics coated web wherein the second member is a blade, the piston and cylinder unit is arranged to act on the blade, and supply means is provided adjacent to the blade for directing liquid resin to the blade adjacent the extrusion gap.
8. An assembly for making a leather substitute comprising a first station provided with apparatus as claimed in claims 1, 2 or 3 for making a plastics coated web wherein the second member is a blade, the piston and cylinder unit is arranged to act on the blade, and supply means is provided adjacent the blade for directing liquid resin to the blade adjacent the extrusion gap for applying liquid plastics material to the web, a second station at which the plastics material is cured, a third station for applying adhesive to the cured plastics coating on the web and provided with apparatus as provided at the first station but adapted to supply adhesive instead of plastics material and a fourth station for applying a textile material to the adhesive coated surface.
CA242,446A 1975-12-23 1975-12-23 Apparatus for controlling the size of a gap Expired CA1068098A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA242,446A CA1068098A (en) 1975-12-23 1975-12-23 Apparatus for controlling the size of a gap

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA242,446A CA1068098A (en) 1975-12-23 1975-12-23 Apparatus for controlling the size of a gap

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1068098A true CA1068098A (en) 1979-12-18

Family

ID=4104828

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA242,446A Expired CA1068098A (en) 1975-12-23 1975-12-23 Apparatus for controlling the size of a gap

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA1068098A (en)

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US5979308A (en) Flat embossing machine with a foil loop store
RU2647233C1 (en) Method for manufacturing decorated wall or floor panel
DE2852615C2 (en) Production of a dimensionally stable, decorative floor covering
EP0151518B1 (en) Adjustable air knife
CN101412303B (en) Method for register correction of a processing machine, and a processing machine
IT8922814A1 (en) WORK PROCESS AND CONTINUOUS PRESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CHIPBOARD AND FIBROUS PANEL TAPES OF THE SAME THICKNESS OVER THEIR WIDTH.
CA2234133A1 (en) High speed web machine
DE10333626A1 (en) Device for printing on flat workpieces
US7150226B2 (en) Apparatus for positioning a roll in an inking or damping unit of a rotary press
CN106394034B (en) The digital continuous overprinting method of intaglio plate
CA1068098A (en) Apparatus for controlling the size of a gap
CN201214297Y (en) Printing pressing roll apparatus with independent control of back pressure roller
US4052958A (en) Apparatus for controlling the size of a gap
US4899691A (en) Precision positioning system for a coater
CN106379043A (en) Gravure digital integral printing machine
DE3138454A1 (en) ADJUSTMENT DEVICE FOR THE SCRATCHING ROLLER OF A SCRAPER, IN PARTICULAR FOR USE IN THE CARDBOARD AND PACKAGING INDUSTRY
US4441418A (en) Overvarnish apparatus for decorator machine
CN201033855Y (en) Glue content quantitative control device of gumming machine
CN114379198B (en) Discharging tension matching method
KR100683913B1 (en) Apparatus for manufacturing wrapper
GB1594419A (en) Apparatus for testing a printing or coating-applicator cylinder for operating on web material
CN113442555A (en) Flexible plate printing machine with accurate color register and control method
EP1539373B1 (en) Device for placing a paper bag bottom
GB2053801A (en) Method of manufacture of patterned tiles
JPH08221B2 (en) Method, apparatus and decorative plastic web for making decorative plastic web or sheet