US1669429A - Method and machine for making vulcanized fiber - Google Patents

Description

May 15, 192s. G. W. TEMPLE METHOD AND MACHINE FOR MAKING' VULGANIZED FIBER Filed May 24, 1927 2 Sheets-Shee. 1

A' RNEYS,

May 15, 192s. 1,669,429

G. W. TEMPLE METHOD AND MACHINE FOR MAKING VULCANIZED FIBER I Filed May 24, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M ZID INVENTDR:

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Patented May 15, 1928.

UNITE-D STATES GEORGE W. TEMPLE, 0F FLUSHING, NEW YORK. v

METHOD AND MAcHINn Fon MAKING vULoANIznn FIBER.

Application med may 24,

This invention relates to a lmethod and means for manufacturing a product ordinarily known as liber through plying and vulcanization of fibrous sheet or web mate-` rial such as paper. In machines heretofore deisgned for this purpose, the fibrous base material-paper, after having been run through a bath of vulcanizing solution, was continuously built or plied upona revolvin cylindric mandrel until the desired thickness was obtained in the product. Thereupon, the ber was out from the mandrel; and in order to convert it into a flat sheet, had to be subjected to very high pressuresusually applied by hydraulic means-#for removal of the curl inherent in it as a consequence of. havin been formed on the cylindric surface of t e mandrel. The flattening treatment just referred to caused severe strain on the fibers, often resultingeither in transverse fracture, longitudinal splitting or *separationk between plies or layers, or buckling ofthe product, these tendencies obviously becoming more'pronounced with increase in the thickness.

The object of my invention is to overcome the difficulties above pointed out: in' other words, I aim'to enable direct manufacture of the fiber, i. e. without necessitating subsequent llattening, and to provide a very simple and reliable apparatus whereby this may be continuously and expeditiously accomplished.

In the drawings, Fig. I is a side elevation of a er making machine conveniently embodyi g my invention. r

Fig. II is an elevation of the machine, as viewed from the left hand end of Fig. I, with portions broken away and in section in accordance with the arrows II-II in the latter figure.

. Fig. III`is a longitudinal sectional view of the structure; yand Fig. IVis a diagrammatic view showing successive positions of the mandrel upon which the ber is built:

With reference first more particularly to i Figs. I and III of, these illustrations, it will 4 be observed that the fibrous web W which is to constitute the base for the product to be manufactured, is drawn from a supply roll 10 which is supported for free rot-ation between bearing standards 1.1 afforded by the side frames 12, 12 of the machine at one end. From the supply roll 10 the web W passes 1927. Serial No. 193,755.

to avat 13 supported at a higher elevation by laterally projecting arms 14 of the side.`

frames 12, said vat containing a suitable vulcaniamg solutionsuch as ordinarily employed 1n this art. A series of guide rollers 15, 16 and 17 serve to insure travel of the n web immersed in the solution; and a pair of directional rolls 18, 19 cooperate through g impartation of a slight drag or tension, to

remove the excess solution from the web as 1t leaves the vat. The rollers 16-19 are all carried by a frame 20 having pivotal connection for upward swinging about the axis of the roller 15 for convenience in initially threading, the web W in the machine. The now saturated web W proceeds overa transverse guide roller 21 with journal bearings in the side frames 12, 12, and then about and under a weighted pressure roller 22 resting upon v'the winding mandrel 23. This mandrel 23 has fiat side faces, and in the present instance is hollow and square in cross section. A pair of arms 24, 24 pivotally suspended from a transverse shaft 25 extending between the side frames 12, 12 of the machine at the top, are slotted at their lower ends to engage trunnions 26, 26 projecting axially from opposite ends of the' mandrel 23. These arms 24 serve to move the mandrel23 back and forth, swinging movement being imparted to said arms 24 by virtue of slotted engagement with rollers 28 eccentrically mounted on discs 29 which revolve in openings 30 in the side frames 12, see Figs. II and III. yAxed to the discs 29 are worm wheels 31 which are enclosed in housings 32secured exteriorly of the side frames 12 anddriven by worms 33 (Fig. I) at the lower ends of vertical shafts 34. The shafts 34 are in turn driventhrough bevel gear couples 35 from 4a horizontal shaft 36 journalled in appropriate bearings 37 on a horizontal bridging memberf 38 connecting the side frames 12, 12 of the machine at the top. At its mgiddle, th shaft 36 carries a worm wheel 3 arranged to be driven, at reduced speed, by a worm 4() on the shaft of an electric motor 41 which is also mounted on the bridgingmember 38.

At all of its eight corners the mandrel 23' is equipped with rollers 42 adapted to ride on horizontal tracks 43 projecting inward from the opposite side frames 12, 12 so as to define horizontal travel vof said mandrel under the action of the arms 24 in moving quence,

forward to the right from the full line position in Fig. IV. equipped at all eight corners with cupped lugs 44, whereof the rearmost ones at the top are adapted, incidental to movement of the mandrel 23 toward the right, to en age fixed stops 45 that project inward rom plates 46 bolted to the in-sides of the machine frames12, 12, see Figs. II and III. As the mandrel 23 reaches the forward limit of its horizontal movement in the direction just referred to concurrently with the enagementof the cupped lugs 44 with the xed fulcrum stops 45, the rollers 42 at that time at the lower right hand corners drop from the tracks 43-as shown in dotted lines in Fig. IV -and onto auxiliary curved tracks 47 having their centersof curvature co-incident with the stops 45, so that during rearward movement of the arms 24, said mandrel is obliged to swing about the .fulcrum stops 45-as indicated in dot and dash lines in Fig. IV, being thereby caused to turn lthrough an angle of ninety degrees before it again assumes the full line position in the illustration last mentioned. During the latter part of the return movement of the mandrel 23 toward the left, the rollers 42 riding on the curved tracks 47 encounter a pair of spring urged arms 48, forcing them rearward until engaged'in the shoulders 49 of said arms, as shown in full lines in Fig. IV. Upon initiation of the next forward movement ofthe mandrel 23 toward the right,

the arms 48 serve, with 'the 'assistance of helical tension springs 50 to which they are subject, 42 to the level of the straight tracks 43.

In order to permit free up and down movement of the roll 22 to insure uniform application of pressure and to accommodate the turning of the mandrel 23 corners beneath it, its shaft ends are mounted in journal blocks 51 guided in vertical slots of the plates 46 reviously referred to.

From igs. III and IV it will be noted that the trunnions 26 of the mandrel 23 are tubular for capacity to serve as passages for introduction and exhaust of steam. or other heating medium into the follow interior of said mandrel. Flexible steam supply and exhaust tubes or conduits 53, 54 are connected to the trunnions 26 by swivel couplings 55 so as not to interfere with or retard movements of the mandrel 23, see Fig. II. Any other suitable means may be employed for maintaining the mandrel 23 heated to expedite vulcanization of the ber.

In the operation of the machine, as the mandrel 23 moves to the right in Figs. III and IV, it is confined to horizontal travel by the straight tracks 43, and as a conseits upper face is progressed in true along a straight line beparallel relation 22. This roll neath the floating pressure roll to lift the rear lower corner rollers` The mandrel 23 is further 22 in following the dictates of the mandrel 23 is obliged to revolve thus drawing uponv the web W to lay and at the same time resa it on the top face of, said mandrel. I fter havin reached the limit of its movement towar the right, the mandrel 23 is turned clockwise, as previously explained, through a quadrant about the corner angle at that time beneath the roll 22, with consequent presentation to the latter, of the succeeding face for repetition of the laying and rolling operation described above. Such rotation ofthe mandrel occurs after each forward pass so that the o eration is continuous, the draft upon the we W being uniform except perhaps for the interval consumed in rounding corners. After ,the operation has been carried on to the desired extent, the fiber is cut along the corner edges of lthe mandrel 23 and removed in sheets that are perfectly dat, entirely devoid of imperfections and in a completely finished condition. It is to be particularly noted that by horizontal passage of the mandrel faces successively beneath the weighted roll 22, the plies are subjected to uniform pressure incidental to application of the fibrous base web surface or internal W so that the plies are firmly compacted to a uniform thickness of said faces.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. A fiber making machine comprising a mandrel with flat side faces, a cooperating ioating pressure roll, and' means to move the mandrel back and forth for passage of its upper face horizont-ally beneath the pressure roll, and means to rotate the mandrel at intervals for successive `presentation of' its faces to the pressure roll.

2. A fiber making machine comprising a mandrel with flat side faces, a cooperating fioating pressure roll, meanstomove the mandrel back and forth for passage of its top face horizontally beneath the pressure roll, and means to rotate the mandrel after each such ass for presentation of a succeeding face to the pressure roll.

3. A fiber making machine comprising a mandrel with flat side faces, a cooperating floating pressure roll, means to move the mandrel back and forth for passage of its top face horizontally beneath the pressure roll. and means to rotate the mandrel about an. upper corner angle as an axis after each such pass for presentation of a succeeding face to the pressure roll.

4. A fiber making machine comprising a mandrel with flat side faces, a cooperating oating pressure roll, means to move the mandrel back and forth relative to the pressure roll, means to determine horizontal travel of the mandrel when moving in one direction for passage of its upper face in a straight line beneath the pressure roll, and

throughout the extent ya succeeding face to the sure roll, a track to determine horizontal travel of the mandrel when moving in one direction for passage of its upper face in a straight line beneath the pressure roll, and means operative during return movement of the mandrel to rotate it for presentation of a succeeding face to the pressure roll.

, 6. A fiber making machine comprising a mandrel with flat side faces, a cooperating floating pressure roll, means to move the mandrelback and forth relative -to the pressure roll, tracks cooperative With corner rollers on the mandrel to determine horizontal travel of the latterl when moving in one direction for assage of its upper face in a straight line eneath the pressure'roll, and

.means operative during return movement aov of the mandrel to rotate it for presentation of a succeeding face to the pressure roll.

7. A fiber making machine comprising a mandrel with flat side faces, a cooperating floatingpressure roll, means to move the mandrel back and forth relative to the pressure' roll, means to determine horizontal travel of the mandrel when moving in one direction for passage of it-s upper face in a straight line beneath the pressure roll, fixed fulcrum stops to engage corner lugs on said mandrel as the` latter reaches the limit of its movement in the direction aforesaid and about which it is obli ed to rotate during the return movement/ `or presentation of a succeedingface to the pressure roll.

8. A fiber making machine comprising a mandrel with flat side faces, a cooperating floating ressure roll, means to move the mandrel. ack and forth relative to the pressure roll, a horizontal trJack to guide travel of the'mandrel'when moving in one direction for passage of its upper face in a straight line beneath the pressure roll, and acurved track to guide the mandrel inci-` dental to rotation during return movement for presentation of a succeeding face to the pressure roll. a

9. A fiber making machine comprising a mandrel with flat side faces, va cooperating floating ressure roll, Jmeans to move the mandrel ack and forth relative to the pressure roll, a horizontal track to guide travel of vthe mandrel when moving in one direction for passage of its upper face in a straight line beneath the pressure roll, means to determine rotation of the mandrel about its rear upper corner' angle as an axis during the return movement, and a curved track lto concurrently guide the diagonally opposite swinging corner angle of the mandrel.

10. A fiber making machine comprising a mandrel with flatside faces, a cooperating floating pressure roll, means to move the mandrel back and forth relative to the pressure roll including a pair of oscillating arms slotted to engage axial trunnions on said mandreland rotary means for swinging said arms, means to determine horizontal travel of the mandrel when moving in one direction for passage of its upper face in a straight line beneath the pressure roll, and

means, means to determine horizontal travel of the mandrel when moving 1n one direction for passage of its upper face in a straight line beneath the pressure roll, land means operative during the return movement of the mandrel to rotate it for presentation of a succeeding face to the pressure roll.

12. A fiber making machine comprising a mandrel with flat side faces, a cooperating floating pressure roll, means to move the mandrel back and forth relative to the pressure roll, horizontal tracks to support corner rollers at the bottom of the mandrel when moving in one direction for passage of lts -upper face in a straight line beneath the pressure roll, fulcrum stop means to engage upper rear corner rollers of the mandrel incidental to dropping o f the rollers at leading lower corners from the tracks aforesaid to determine rotation of said mandrel, and means to engage'the rollers at the swinging corners of the mandrel as the latter approaches the limit of its return movement to automatically raise them to the level of the tracks aforesaid.

GEORGE w. TEMPLE.

. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto

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