US1763314A - Method of and apparatus for sheeting linoleum or the like - Google Patents

Description

M. s. MCCONOUGHEY 1,763,314

June 10, 1930.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SHEETING LINOLEUM OR THE LIKE Filed June 22, 1927 iii : INVENTOR N m Mel-lg Jijyrlonoufl @51 MATTORNEY Patented June 10, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT .IOFFICE MERLE S. MOCONOUGHEY, OF LLANERCH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO CONGOLEUM- NAIRN, INC., A CORPORATIONOF NEW YORK METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SHEETI NG LINOLEUM OR THE LIKE Application filed June 22',

My present invention relates more particularly to the manufacture of linoleum floor coverings from plastic compositions of different colors, which are charged into a hopper in gravity feed relation to sheeting rolls whereb they are drawn in, elongated and consoli ated to produce a sheet of inlaid linoleum which is variegated in accordance with the coloring of the plastic compositions. In such primary sheet, the color patches are much too elongated, and my invention includes overlapping and cross-rolling the primary sheet, preferably soas to. widen the color patches in something like the same ratio that they were lengthened by the original sheeting operation.

In such a product, the ultimate details of the color pattern are necessarily and desirably somewhat haphazard,but by proper. selection of sizes, proportions, and plasticities for the compositions, 'the variations can be controlled sufficiently to ensure continuous production of any desired standard type of patterns, notwithstanding the infinite variation in its details.

While the standard types or patternsproduced in this way may be'varied within wide limits, my method is particularly adapted for the production of patterns which are substantially devoid of any grain or striated formation and in which the several colors are sharply defined, thereby simulating the appearance of natural marble. To this end,

the rolls for cross rolling the piles, are preferably rotated at approximately the same peripheral speed so that the color areas are widened and consolidated without smearing, of the surface such as is likely to occur where the rolls are run at different speeds.

In most cases it will also be found desirable, for similar reasons (to rotate the primary sheet rolls at approxinn'itely the same peripheral speed. It will be understood, however, that the primary rolls operating on the cooler, less dense material from the hopper, have less tendency to heat and smear than do the secondary rolls that operate on the piles of sheets which have already been subjected to one consolidating operation.

I have discovered that the heating etl'ect 1927. Serial No. 200,614.

in the second pair of rolls for cross rolling the \prefer'to use mixtures of standard stiffness which do develop considerable heat. For the latter mixtures, and preferably for all mixtures, I have discovered that the clearnes's of the marble effects producible by my method can be greatly improved by chilling one of the rolls, preferably by means adapted to maintain a temperature near or below normal atmospheric temperature, that is, degrees to 60 degrees Fahrenheit, or below.

While the above features of my invention are applicable to formation of separate sheets, an important feature of my invention is cutting oil" the primary sheet in suit-- able lengths, overlapping the individual sheetslaterally so as to afford at least four thicknesses of overlap material, maintaining a continuous supply of such overlapped sheets, and passing the continuous pile of overlapped sheets to the second pairof rolls, for the purpose and with the result of forming a continuous marbleized sheet adapted for employment in the well known block in- .lay machine of the Walton or Batten type.

Preferably each individual sheet is folded along its margin axls, prior to-pilingsuch sheets in overlapping relation, and-the folded edge of each succeeding sheet is positioned to overlay the preceding sheet. These features of folding and positioning are of considerable importanee for I have discovered that if the individual sheets are presented with free edges toward the cross rolling rolls. there is likely to be a visible joint or discontinuity in the pattern of the resulting continuous sheet, 7

and this may be avoided by folding and presenting the folded edge toward the rolls.

Heretofore. attempts have been made to produce, from vari-eolored plastic material. a continuous sheet having a decoration which would simulate natural marble. These attempts consisted in general in mixing lumps of differently colored material and consolidating such lum s by pressure by means of a pair of calen er rolls. The sheets produced, however, failed to give the appearance of natural marble, since they possess a regularstriated or.grained effect which is foreign to the characteristic appearance of marble. Similarly, the use of finely divided or granular material is well known, to produce a plastic sheet having a clouded or granite appearance which may or may not be free from grained or striated formation, but this product does not in any way resemble natural marble since the colors are blended so intimately as not to admit any well defined color areas.

I will now describe, by means of a very specific example, one mode of carrying out the preferred form of my particularly to the production of a continuous sheet of linoleum composition, although it is understood that other plastic materials,

which have the same general characteristics of linoleum composition, may be used in carrying out my method. Likewlse, the apparatus herein described or referred to is being used for illustration only, and my invention is not to be construed to be limited thereby.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of an apparatus by means of which my invention may be carried out;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig 1;

Fig. 3'is a sectional elevation taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a detailed view of the cooling jacket hereinafter referred to.

In these drawings, the hopper 1 is continuously supplied with the plastic linoleum composition 2, preferably in the form of lumps or sausages. Preferably, each lump or sausage is of substantially uniform color, the variegations being due to employing a mixture of two or more kinds of .the differently colored lumps. The mixture may comprise particles of any shape down to average pea size or larger, but without much, if any, granular or finely divided material such as will not produce the desired result. In typical cases lumps or sausages have been used as small as one-quarter inch diameter, but three-sixteenths to one-half inch diameter by one-half inch up to, say, three inches length are preferable.

The lump mixture from the hopper is drawn into a pair of sheeting rolls 3, 3, which elongate, flatten and consolidate the lumps to form a continuous sheet 4, with correspondingly. elongated varicgations due to the different colors and sizes of the lumps. The sheet thus formed passes to a suitably driven conveyor 8, and is cut off in suitable lengths by means of a knife 9, mounted upon a cutter drum 6 in cooperative relation with a roinvention; I will refer tary cutting bed or roll 7. The length of the severed sheets 10 will be predetermined aecording to the width of the final sheet to be produced, such length being substantially the same or slightly greater than said width. The desired width of the final sheet having been determined, the size of the cutter drums or their speed of rotation will be governed accordingly. In a particular case, the primary sheet may be, say, 36 inches in width, foldable to 18 inches, and the length may be, say, 76 inches.

The variegated sheets 10, being formed of lump material, have clearly defined color areas, grained effect lengthwise in the direction of rolling and elongation of the lumps. According to the preferred form of my invention, therefore, the sheets 10 are folded one or more times, preferably once, alongapproximately the longitudinal center line, as at 11.- Obvionsly, the sequence of steps in the production of the individual folded sheets may be somewhat varied, in that the primary continuous sheet 4 may be continuously folded, either by hand or by sheet-folding.

mechanism and v severed into the proper lengths after the folding. The folded sheets 16 are carried by the conveyor 8, to a position suitable for transfer to chute 12, on which they are successively deposited in transversely overlapping relation, substantially as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The folded edge 15 of each sheet is preferably forwardly presented in the chute and the overlap is such as to bring this forward edge in approximate iregistry with the center line of the folded sheet which it overlaps, so that the thickness of the pile at any point will not be greater than four times the thickness of the primary sheet. The folded sheets'being placed in the proper overlapping relation, they are continuously fed down the inclined chute 1'3. to a second pair of calender rolls 13, 13'. Preferably, the thickness of the pile of oven lapped folded sheets is not more than four to six times the thickness of the final sheet to be formed therefrom. These features ma v. however, be varied as desired and will depend upon the relative thickness of the individual and final sheets, and upon the number of folds, etc. In a special case. the thickness of the primary sheet may be inch. giv ing inch thickness for the folded sheet and inch for the overlapped pile which may he rolled down to a final sheet, say, inch or more in thickness.

lVhile I have pointed out the advantages to be derived from folding of individual sheets. and the positionin of the folded edge of the sheets overlaying tiie preceding sheet in forming a continuous overlapping pile, nevertheless, it should be understood that it is within the purview of my invention to utilize the individual sheet without folding. even but also have a pronounced striated or t the pass between the rolls 13,13 as compared with the number of sheets and the total thickness of the sheets in the overlapped piles supplied to said roll. It is not essential that the widening of the pattern'by cross rolling be the same as the elongation in the primary rolling,- but approximate e uality will be found in most cases to give tie best simulation of natural marble.

' In the conventional calendering apparatus, the rolls are provided with'axial passages. Throughone roll, steam or other heating fluid is usually circulated, while cold'water v is passed through the other. This operates to maintain a small temperature differential between the two rolls, so that the plastic sheet because of its greater tendency to adhereto the cooler surface, will always follow and be carried by the water cooled roll. Preferably, the'chute 12 extends over the warmer roll 13,

in the form of an apron conforming to the curvature of the roll and terminating on a line 17, adjacent the nip of the rolls 1-3, 13. In this manner, the individual overlapping sheetsare maintained out of contact with the warmer roll 13, until they reach a point adjacent the nip of the rolls, Where they are engaged by the cooler or sheet carrying roll 13, and consolidated into one continuous sheet 18. This method of feeding the overlapping variegated sheets to the final sheeting rolls avoids pulling or crowding ofthe sheets in the bite of the rolls, thus aiding in preventing the blending or clouding of the several colors. The continuous sheet thus formed is stripped from the sheet carrying rollby the doctor blade 14. It is to be noted that I have shown and described the relation of the overlapping folded sheets to be such that the folded portion 15 will be in advance of .the body ofthe sheet and will be firstengagged by the nip of the rolls 13, 13'. These features of folding and overlapping in the defined manner, are of importance in forming the desired decorationand in )roducing a continuous sheet which is free sheets. Another feature is that the individual sheets 10, being of uniform length predetermined .by the width of the final sheet, result in the formation of a c ntinuous sheet of uniform width.

In some cases, as for example where the individual sheets 10 are relatively soft because a relatively soft binding cement is rom mark- I ings indicating the junctions of the individual used in the linoleum composition, or because the sheeting rolls 13, 13are overheated (i. e. 125 degrees to 17 5 degrees by the friction developed in a rapid sheeting operation, it

- vent the smearing of the colors. Accordingly, where there is a tendency for the several colors in the individual folded sheets to become smeared or clouded in the final consolidating operation, I provide for positively controlling the temperature of the sheet carrying roll 13, whereby such roll is continuous y maintained at a temperature sufficiently low to substantially prevent such smearing. In using the ordinary linoleum mix, maintaining the. mix at a mean or average temperature of approximately 80 degrees F. or below during the final consolidating operation will be found satisfactory and, as before stated, this may be accomplished by keeping the contact surface of the sheet carrying roll 13 at or below normal atmospheric temperature, that is to say, at a mean or average temperature of degrees to 60 degrees Fahrenheit or below. With linoleum compositions having-a softer cement, alower temperature will be required, while with relatively harder cement, a slightly higher temperature may be used. In general, 1t may be said that the lower the temperature of the mix and of the sheet carrying roll 13, the more sharply defined will be the several color areas-in a variegated sheet, and the less the tendency to produce a grained or striated formation.

While any desired expedients may be employed for controlling the temperature of the sheet carrying ,roll 13' and for maintaining the said roll at a relatively low predetermined temperature to prevent the smearing or blending of the several colors, I have illustrated herein an apparatus which is specifically claimed-in my companion application Ser.

the cooling fluid, the amount of heat to be dissipated, and the ultimate temperature which it is desired to maintain. Since a rapid transfer of heat is desired, the jacket is preferably made of copper or other metal or substance having a relatively high co-efli the roll to cooling fluid in the jacket. Suitable openings 20, 21 are provided for the inlet and outlet of the cooling fluid, such cooling fluid being water, brine, or any other well known refrigerating medium. As shown, the upper side of the jacket 19 is carried by the supporting frame by means of pins 23 resting in the notches 24. Pivoted in this manner, the jacket rests freely upon the roll 13, and by gravity induced frictional engagement, an efficient heat transferring relation is maintained. By this means the temperature of the roll 13 may be positively-controlled throughout the process of consolidating the individual overlapping sheets, not only to prevent any excessive rise in temperature due to the heat developed in the sheeting operation, but when desired to maintain the temperature of the roll below the predetermined maximum temperature to prevent smearing or blending of the several colors of the variegated sheet.

As stated above, the primary sheet 10 has a very definite and regular striated or grained appearance while the final continuous sheet 18, obtained by my method of folding, overlapping and consolidating, is substantially free from all grained or striated formation. Furthermore, the differently colored mate rials, while distributed in an irregular manner, form sharply defined color areas in contrast to the blended or clouded effects produced from consolidating intimately mixed granular material, for example.

The linoleum sheet 18 may be applied in continuous length to a suitable backing, such as burlap, saturated felt or the like, in the usual manner of producing linoleum floor coverings, or it may be employed with other sheets similarly variegated, or of solid color, to make block inlaid linoleum in the wellknown automatic block inlaying machines of the \Valton or Batten type.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, this invention contributes an important advance in the linoleum industry in that it provides for the first time a method and apparatus capable of producing by a continuous process of rolling, overlapping and cross-rolb i'ng, a continuous sheet of indefinite length simulating the appearance of natural marble. In the teaching of method and apparatus for producing such a marbleized sheet of high ornamental quality and of such continuity lengthwise that it can be used, for example, in the automatic high speed inlaying ma chines of the lValton or Batten type, the present inventor asserts his pioneership.

I claim:

1. A method of producing a continuous sheet of linoleum having marble appearance, which consists in continuously forming sheets of predetermined length from lump linoleum composition of different colors, said sheets having a grained or striated effect in their longitudinal direction, folding said sheets, laying the folded sheets in a transversely overlapping relation, and consolidating the overlapping sheets by cross rolling transversely of their length to produce a continu' ous sheet.

2. A method of producing a continuous sheet of linoleum composition, having a variegated or marbled effect, which consists in mixing material of different colors, rolling the material into sheets of length predetermined by thewidth of the final sheet to be produced, folding said sheets, the fold being longitudinal thereof, laying said folded sheets in a transversely overlapping direction, and rolling said overlapping sheets in a direction at right angles to the first rolling, to produce a continuous sheet.

3. A method of producing a continuous sheet of linoleum composition having a variegated or marbled effect, which consists in mixing lump material of different colors. rolling the lump material into sheets of length predetermined by the width of the final sheet to be produced, folding said sheets, the fold being longitudinal thereof, laying said folded sheets in a transversely overlapping .direction, the folded portion of each sheet being adjacent to the nest preceding folded sheet, and rolling said overlapping sheets in a direction at right angles to the first rolling, to produce a continuous sheet.

4. A method of producing a continuous sheet of plastic material having the appearance of natural marble, which consists incontinuously forming sheets of predetermined length from lump plastic material ofdifferent colors, said sheets'having a grained or striated formation in their longitudinal direction, folding said sheets, the fold being longitudinal thereof, laying the folded sheets in a transversely overlapping relation, and consolidating the overlapping individual folded sheets by rolling transversely of their length to produce a continuous sheet.

5. A method of producing a continuous sheet of linoleum having marble appeal-mice. which consists in continuously forming sheets of predetermined length from lump linoleum composition of different colors. said sheets having a grained or striated effect in their longitudinal direction, folding said sheets, the fold being longitudinal thereof, laying the folded sheets in a transversely overlapping relation, consolidating the overlapping sheets by cross rolling transversely of their loo lflll length to produce a continuous sheet, and maintaining the temperature of the sheet carryingroll below that temperature at which any substantial smearing or blending of the several colors will occur.

6. A method of producing a continuous sheet of linoleum having marble appearance,

which consists in continuously forming sheets of predetermined length from lump linoleum composition of different colors, said sheets having a grained or striated effect in their longitudinal direction, folding said sheets, the fold being longitudinal thereof, laying the folded sheets in a transversely overlapping.

temperature at which any substantial smearing or blending of the several colors will occur.

7. A method of producing a continuous sheet of plastic material, having the appearance of natural marble, which consists in continuously forming sheets of predetermined length from plastic material of different colors,said sheets having'a grained or striated formation in their longitudinal direction, folding said sheets, the fold being longitudinal thereof, layng the folded sheets in a transversely overlapping relation, consolidating'the overlapping individual folded sheets by rolling transversely of their length to produce a continuous sheet, and maintaining the temperature of the sheet carrying roll below'that temperature at which any substantial smearing 'or blending of the several colors will occur.

8. A method of producing. a continuous sheet of-linoleum composition, having a variegated or marbled effect, which consists in mixing material of different colors, rolling the material into sheets of length predetermined b the width of the final sheet to be produce folding said sheets, the fold being longitudinal thereof, laying said folded sheets in a transversely overlapping direction, rolling said overlapping sheets, in a direction at right angles to the first-rolling, to produce a continuous sheet, and maintaining the temperature of the sheet carrying roll at approximately atmospheric temperature throughout the'final consolidating operation.

9. A method of producing a ontinuous sheet of plastic material, having the appearance of natural marble, which consists in continuously forming sheets of predetermined length from lump plastic material of dlfi'erent colors, said sheets having a grained or striated formation in their longitudinal direction, folding said sheets, the fold being longitudinal thereof, laying the folded sheets in a transversely overlapping relation,

consolidating the overlapping individual folded sheets by rolling transversely oftheir length to produce a continuous s maintaining the temperature of the sheet carrying roll at approximately atmospheric temperature throughout the final consolidating operation.

10. A method of producing a continuous sheet of linoleum having the appearance of natural inarble, which includes rolling lump linoleum composition of different colors into sheets of predetermined length, the pattern formed by the lumps being lengthened longitudinally of the sheet so that the pattern widths in the sheet are much less than in the desired natural marble pattern; overlapping the sheets laterally maintaining a continuous supply of transversely overlapped thickness-' es thereof, and cross rolling the overlapped sheets transversely of their length to produce a continuous sheet and widen the pattern at right angles to the original elongation to the extent required to produce the natural marble appearance. l

11. A method of producing a continuous sheet of linoleum having the appearance of natural marble, which includes rolling lump linoleum composition of different colors into primary sheets of predetermined lengths, the pattern formed by the lumps being lengthened lon 'tudinallyof the sheet so that the pattern widths in the sheet are much less than in the desired natural marble pattern; overlapping the primary sheets laterally; maintaining a continuous supply of transversely overlapped primary sheets; consolidating and. cross rolling the overlapped sheets transversely of their length to produce a continuous sheet and to widen the pattern at right angles to the original elongation to the extent required to produce a natural marble appearance; and refrigerating the sheet carrying roll to prevent the temperature of its peripheral surface from increasing substantially above atmospheric temperature during the consolidation of the overlap ping primary'sheets.

12. In a machine for making inlaid linoleum or the like, in combination, a source of supply of plastic material, a pair of primary sheeting rolls supplied thereby and adapted to form a continuous sheet from said plastic material, conveyor means in receiving relation to said pair of primary sheeting rolls, means for severing said continuous sheet into individual sheets of predetermined length, a support on which the individual sheets may be piled in transversely overlap ping relation, a second pair of sheeting rolls in receiving cross-rollmg relation to said overlapped sheets, and means for refrigerateet, and

ing the periphery of one of said second pair of sheeting rolls.

13. In a machine for making inlaid linoleum or the like, in combination, a source of supply of plastic material, a pair of primary sheeting rolls supplied thereby and adapted to form a continuous sheet from said plastic material, conveyor means in receiving relation to said pair of primary sheeting rolls, means for severing said continuous sheet into individual sheets of predetermined length, a support on which the individual sheets may be piled in transversely overlapping relation and a second pair of sheeting rolls in receiving cross rolling relation to said overlapped sheets.

14. A method of producing sheet material having the appearance oi": natural marble by a continuous process resulting in a sheet of indefinite length and of generally uniform decorative effect from end to end which is characterized by mixing lump plastic material of different colors to provide a continuous supply of the mixture having substantially homogeneous color composition; continuously forming said mixture into sheet material having longitudinal color striations; overlapping said sheet material to produce a succession of layers forming a laminated sheet of a thickness substantially greater than that intended "for the finished product and of continuous indefinite length in a direction transverse to said color striations; and then rolling the laminated sheet transversely of said longitudinal striations to modify the striations and produce a continuous consolidated sheet of reduced thickness.

15. In a machine for making sheet material or the like, in combination, means to supply a substantially continuous mixture of lump plastic material of ditl'erent colors; a pair of primary sheeting rolls. in operative relation to said supply means to receive said mixture of lump plastic material and form it continuously into sheet material; conveyer means in receiving relation to said primary sheeting rolls to receive said continuously formed sheet material and convey it toward a supporting means next recited; a supportmg means constructed to receive said sheet material in over-lapping relation to provide a secondary supply of laminated sheet material of a thickness substantially greater than that intended for the finished product and a second pair of sheeting rolls arranged to receive the laminated sheet material continuously from said secondary supply and to roll it in a direction transverse to the rolling by the primary sheeting rolls to produce'a sheet of continuous indefinite length.

Signed at New York city in the county of New York and State of New York this 21st day of June, A. D. 192?.

MERLE. S. idoCONOUGHEY.

Images