GB917584A - Textile splicing - Google Patents

Abstract

917,584. Seaming non-metallic sheet material. MINNESOTA MINING & MANUFACTURING CO. Oct. 27, 1959 [Oct. 27, 1958], No. 36408/59. Class 42 (1). [Also in Group XVI] An apparatus for splicing lengths of textile fabric in end to end relationship comprises a horizontal splicing table 20 supported by a base 16 mounted on wheels 17. The table 20 can be raised by shafts 21, 21<SP>1</SP> by linkages 22, 21<SP>1</SP> actuated by a shaft 27 and a manually-operated lever 28. An upper jaw 45 is fixed to a piston rod 38 of an air cylinder 37 mounted on an arm 36 of a post 35. The jaw 45 is tapered in cross-section and has a layer 46, Fig. 5, of plastic material covered with flexible sheets 47, 48. A heating element 50 in the form of a continuous ribbon is disposed between the sheets 47 and 48. A narrow splicing jaw 55 is positioned in the table 20, the upper surface of the jaw being covered with a layer 56 of plastic material covered with a sheet 57 enclosing an air space 60. In operation, the end portion of a length 62 (Fig. 2, not shown) of cloth is placed on a row of pins 61 and pressed downwardly into engagement with the jaw 55, Fig. 5. A length of bonding film 66, Fig. 1, is then drawn from a roll 65 across the width of the length of cloth. The film 66 is a thermosetting resinous material that becomes soft and tacky on heating and rapidly cures to become a non-tacky solid. The end portion of a length 62<SP>1</SP> (Fig. 2, not shown) is placed on pins 62<SP>1</SP> and pressed downwardly into engagement with the film 66. The table 20, Fig. 1, is then raised to splicing position by the lever 28, such that the jaws 45 and 55, Fig. 5, engage, thereby closing a microswitch, not shown. The microswitch actuates a timing device, not shown, such that current is supplied to the heating element 50. After a delay sufficient for the element 50 to attain working temperature, air is supplied to the cylinder 37, Fig. 1, to press the jaw 45 downwardly. After a further delay sufficient to permit bonding of the cloth by the film, the element 50 is deenergized and the supply of air to the cylinder 37 is turned off. The hand lever 28 is actuated to lower the table 20 to permit removal of the spliced lengths of cloth.