GB990615A - Film laminating process and apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

990,615. Laminates and laminating. L. J. VILUTUS, and M. J. VILUTUS, [trading as VILUTUS & CO.]. Nov. 29, 1963 [Jan. 7, 1963; Aug. 14, 1963], No. 47204/63. Heading B5N. Films are laminated together by excluding essentially all of the air from between them while applying a laminating pressure controlled by the tension in one of the films. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, apparatus employable comprises rolls 17, 21 from which films 15, 16 are drawn and fed, via the nip formed by a laminating roll 46 and friction roll 54, where they are laminated together, to a storage roll 14, driven at constant speed, and on which is applied pressure by a further friction roll 43, , film 16 having also passed through a floating tension and pressure applying apparatus which applies a tension to the film in the region 59 and a pressure between rolls 54 and 46 and 43 and 14, and which consists of an arm 29 pivotably mounted to a support 28 and having mounted thereon a friction roll 33, which contacts an idler roll 34, and pivotably mounted levers 42, 52, the former of which carries the laminating roll 46, an idler roll 50 and the friction roll 43, and the latter of which carries an idler roll 57 and the friction roll 54 which applies pressure to the laminating roll. All friction rolls are rubber covered. As the films enter the said nip, most of the air is squeezed from therebetween, but improved bonding may be achieved either by evacuating the space 60 or by enclosing the apparatus in a vacuum chamber 61. A third film 66 may be combined with films 15, 16 to form a three layer laminate. Optionally, high voltage electrodes 63, 74 may be used to apply an electrostatic charge to one of each pair of contacting surfaces. In the alternative embodiment of Fig. 2, only lever 42 of the floating tension and pressure applying unit is employed, said lever being pivotably mounted on a support 78, tension being applied to film 16 by slightly braking roll 21. In the embodiment of Fig. 3 (not shown), the films to be laminated are first brought together by directing both of them between rolls 31 and 34, and then subsequently laminated by passage between rolls 54 and 46. If desired, a layer of ink may be incorporated between the films prior to laminating. Suitable material which may be laminated include any combination of the following: P.V.C., polyvinyl acetate, cellulose acetate, cellulose butyrate, cellulose triacetate, cellulose nitrate, polyvinylidene chloride, rubber hydrochloride, polyamides, acrylic, regenerated cellulose, regenerated cellulose coated with a normally crystalline copolymer of vinyl chloride and vinylidene chloride, polyethylene, polystyrene, P.T.F.E., polyester, polyvinyl alcohol, polypropylene and normally crystalline copolymers of vinyl chloride and vinylidene chloride.