US2123646A - Method of producing felt base floor coverings - Google Patents

Description

July 12, 1938. N. L. CAMPBELL METHOD OF PRODUCING FELT BASE FLOOR COVERINGS 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 26, 1938- July 12, 1938. N. 1.. C MPBELL 2,123 6 6 METHOD OF PRODUCING FELT BASE FLOOR CO VERINGS Filed April 26, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 VII/11111111111111 w r N 7 J? g 6 J6 I 2-. MA minim I I w 6 July 12, 1938. N. 1.. CAMPBELL METHOD OF PRODUCING FELT BASE FLOOR COVERINGS Filed April 26, 1938 e Sheets-Sheet 3 July 12, 1938. N. CAMPBELL 2,123,646

METHOD OF PRODUCING FELT BASE FLOOR COVERINGS Filed April 26, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 a II A 1177;.

' Z' ML? y wiwzgs July 12, 1938. N. CAMPBELL METHOD OF PRODUCING FELT BASE FLOOR COVERINGS Filed April 26, 1938 6 fl t s t 5 w v y 3 d2 7 .55 x 9 .9 .ifj' 2? v Z4 x I1I?71/11/111III/1111111111111Ill/11111111117550 w "IIIII/l 7 I i ;7 I 2 l g i 1 'llllllllllllllll'mllllllmllll July 12, 1938. N. L.AMPBELL 2,123 6 6 METHob OF PRODUCING FELT BASE FLOOR covmaxnes Patented July 12, 1938 METHOD OF PRODUCING FELT BASE FLOOR COVERINGS- Neil L. Campbell, Salem, N. J., assignor to Mannington Mills, Incorporated, Salem, N. J., a

corporation of New Jersey Application April 26, 1938, Serial No. 204,445 14 Claims. (Cl. 41-26) small percentage of wood fibers matted together by a regular felting process and subsequently impregnated with asphalt and other ingredients rendering the felt substantially waterproof.

In some instances one face of the impregnated felt sheet is coated with a suitable paint, usually of a solid color, to form the underside of the finished floor covering. In other instances the underside of the sheet is coated with rubber or a rubber compound but which, in either case, does not enter into the present invention.

The second face of the felt base sheet which is to form the top, wear, or exposed surface in use is usually decorated with designs of various characters, including mottled designs, floral and/or foliage designs, blocks, tiles, etc.

The decoration-of the top or wear surface is usually in the form of an aggregated coating of viscous pigments arranged in laterally adjacent abutting relationto each other and collectively depicting the design. The aggregating of the design elements is usually accomplished on what is known as a block printing machine, i. e. the impregnated base sheet or strip is intermittently advanced in a horizontal plane beneath a series of verticallyhreciprocable printing heads which are respectively provided on their under surfaces with wood cut blocks or flat faced pins or protuberances. Each head carries but one part of the design which is tobe applied to the wear surface of the impregnated felt. The number of blocks used in completing the design depends upon the number of different colors found in the completed design, as each blockis arranged to deposit but one color in proper .position on the prepared felt base sheet as the sheet is advanced s ep by step and brought to rest under the print-. ing blocks successively. During the period of rest a paint reservoir, provided with an applying roll, is traversed beneath each block, withrthe roller. incontact with the 50' wood cut or pin faces to apply a predetermined amount of the viscouspigment to the printing surface of the block, there being one reservoir for each block to apply the particular color required for the particular part of the designcarried by 55 the block.

REIS SUE raised and the felt advanced one step, to bring each partly completed design into registry with the next block to receive the portion of the design depicted by that particularblock.

After a predetermined length of the strip of felt emerges from the last printing blockthe strip is cut and the finished sheet of said predetermined length, usually a strip of approximately 80 feet in length, is carried into a suitable dryer in which the pigments are permitted to set and/or harden.

The object of the present invention is to produce two identical strips from or by but one printing of the complete design and thereby double the capacity of the machine. This object is attained by printing the design on but one strip in the manner above noted, with the coating thus aggregatively produced being of a predetermined thickness, and subsequently transferring a portion of the thickness of the coating and the design depicted thereby in toto from the one printed strip to a second strip, for example, by superimposing the second strip upon the printed face of the first strip and subsequently separating the two strips,

whereby the coating which has been applied to the first strip by the series of printing heads or blocks is split in a median plane-between the two strips and divided substantially equally between the two strips, thereby producing two identical finished products i. e. two products finished, at least insofar as the printing or formation of the design on the two strips is concerned, it being understood that after the printing and drying of the aggregated design coating of .a felt base floor covering the printed strip is sometimes given a finished coat of transparent varnish, lacquer,

or the equivalent .to preserve the design surface hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, of which Fig. la. and Fig. 1b, combined, constitute 9. diagrammatic longitudinal sectional elevation of the printing machine and dryer arranged in tandem;

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are diagrammatic plan views of the arrangement shown in Figs. 1a and 1b, with the dryer in section;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view, partly in section, illustrating the transfer of the pattern from the originally printed sheet to the inverted second sheet and the reversing of the second. sheet to bring the design bearing face uppermost;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 6-6, Fig. 5;

Fig. 7'is an enlarged longitudinal sectional elevation of one mechanism for transferring the printed design from the originally printed sheet to the second sheet;

Figs. 8., 9 and 10 are enlarged longitudinal sectional views of the two sheets illustrating the manner of transferring the design from the original to the second sheet by flat, pressed contact, as in Figs. 1b and 7;

Fig. 11 illustrates a modification of the invention wherein the transfer is made by continuous rotary contact;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged sectional elevation showing an intermittent rotary transfer of the pattern from the originally printed sheet to the second sheet;

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 12 and shows a modification of the intermittent rotary transfer;

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig: 5, and shows the intermittent rotary transfer of Fig. 12 and-a modified form of sheet reversing mechanism in connection therewith;

Fig. 15 is a sectional elevation taken on the line i5-l5, Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 is a view similar to a portion of Fig. 1b and illustrates a modified arrangement for handling the second sheet between the transfer and the placing of the sheet in the drying oven;

17 illustrates a preliminary step in'the handling of the second sheet, as shown in Fig. 16, or a modification thereof;

Fig. 18 is a modification of the invention illustrating the use of an intermediate transfer'element between theoriginally printed sheet and the second sheet; and

Fig. 19 is a detail view showing one method and means for synchronizing the movements of the mally in the printing of felt base floor coverings,-

and consists primarily of a long substantially rigid main frame I which is mounted on flanged wheels or rollers 2 arranged to ride on rails 3. The rails 3 extend transversely of the machine at relatively spaced points along the length of the machine. The frame I supports a rigid longitudinally extending and horizontally disposed platform 4. At each of the opposite sides of the platform 4 isan endless belt 5 which is provided with pins 6 at relatively spaced points throughout its length. The pins 6 are adapted to pierce the strip of felt x, which is disposed on the -'platform 4, adjacent the opposite marginal edges solely of the strip in. The belts 5 pass around drums or sprockets l6 which are intermittently rotatedto a predetermined extent for correspondingly advancing the sheet or strip .t step by step,

beneath a series of vertically reciprocable printing blocks I, I. Also vertically reciprocable with the printing blocks I, I is a press block 8 which presses the side edges of the sheet or strip :c down onto the pins 6 of the belts 5.

The means for intermittently rotating the sprockets or drums I6, and-for vertically reciprocating the blocks I and 8 in definite time relation to the movements of the sheet 2:, forms no part of the present invention and as such mechanism is a standard part of the block printing machine the same has been eliminated from the present drawings for the sake of simplicity.

Likewise, the paint pots 9 which are .provided with rollers III for making contact with the printing surfaces II of the printing blocks I, and which, for the purpose of making-such contact, to apply the pigment to the printing surfaces llof the blocks I, are reciprocated longitudinally of the machine, beneath the printing blocks I, when said printing blocks are in a raised position is effected in synchronization with the movements of the sheet, the belts 5 and the printing blocks I by mechanism standard to the machine, and which, therefore, has been eliminated from the present drawings.

Normally, the strip a: is received in the form of a roll :tl which, as shown in Fig. la, is mounted on a suitable rack I2. The strip :c'is threaded over and under rollers 13, i4 and I5 to and around a drum I1 and from said drum over rollers l8 and I9 to and around a roller 20 disposed adjacent the feed end 2| of the platform or table 4 which forms the backing up platen for the printing operation.

From the roller 20 the strip :cis fed under the press block 8 and is pressed onto the pins 6 of the belts 5 thereby. The belts: 5, as noted above,

move the strip it intermittently along the printing table 4, to the delivery end 22 of said table (see Fig. 117) from which the strip .1: passes over a cutting table 23, which is provided with a transversely reciprocating knife 24 by which a printed strip is .severed into completed sheets of predetermined length, preparatory to or during introduction of a leading end of such sheet into and through the drying oven.

The drying oven 3 is stationary, and, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, comprises a plurality of individual compartments 25a, 25b-and 25c.'

In order to align the printing table I of the printing machine A and the cutting table 23 with any one of the plurality of compartments of the drying oven B, the machine A is bodily moved transversely, by means .of the rollers 2 and rails 3, into the desired podtionand the cutting table 23, being provided with suitable supporting rollers 26, and if desired, rigidly connected to the frame I of the printing machine as at 21, Fig. 1b, is moved with the printing machine A into line with the compartment of thedrying oven B'which is to be loaded with strips or sheets a: after the printing thereof by the block printing machine.

In carrying out the present invention, the rack I 2, on which a plurality of the rolls :rl may be mounted, is extended vertically to provide an upper deck I2a for the reception of a plurality of rolls yi to provide the second strip or sheet 1! to which the printed pattern is to be transferred from the originally printed strip or sheet 2:, after completing of the printing of the design on the sheet at.

The-sheet y is led from the roll yl under the rolls l4, l4 around the roll l5 and the drum II, then over the roll i8 from which the sheet 11 passes to a roll 20a which forms one of-a series of l5 and thedrum l1, said roll and drum, or one or the other being driven either intermittently at the same rate of travel as the belts 5. or continuously to draw the strips or sheets a: and 1 off of the rolls xi, yl respectively, for feeding thereof to the rolls 20 and 200. at the receiving 'end 2| of the platform or table 4. Preferably the drum I1 is continuously driven to avoid shock by starting and stopping the rotation of the heavy rolls 2!, yi; and in order to keep a constant supply of the strips :r, g, the speed of the drum I1 is controlled, with respect to the intermittent 'movemrnts of thestrips or sheets 2:, 1 in such a manner as to provide loops :2, 112

between the drum l1 and the rolls 29 and 20a.

In that form of the invention shown in Figs. 1a and-1b, the strip or sheet 1; passes from a roll 28, near the delivery end 22 of the table 4, under a pair of rolls 29 and 39 which extend transversely of the machine A at opposite sides of the last of the series of vertically reciprocable heads of the machine, such as the heads which respectively carry the printing block I, and which is indicated at 3| in Fig. 1b.

As shown in Fig. 1b, and in the enlargement thereof Fig. 7, the rolls 29 and 39 are so positioned with respect to the printing table I, that the portion 113 of the strip or sheet 11, which extends from the roller 29 to the roller 30, is held in superposed vertically spaced parallel. relation a to the corresponding portion of the strip or sheet a: which is passing along the' table 4 and in such close relation thereto as to provide a very small amount of clearance or space 32 between the strip portion 3 and the upper sur face of the aggregated coating or layer of viscous pigment 2: which has been successively and periby printing surfaces ll of the odically deposited and built up on the sheet or strip a: by the individual deposits applied thereto various printing blocks! respectively.

The block 3|, which for the purpose of distinguishing from-the printing blocks I, will be hereinafter referred to as the transfer head";

receives vertical reciprocation at the same time as and together with the printing blocks 1, whereupon the, under surface 23 of the block 3| is caused to engage the upper surface of theportion 113 ofthe strip or sheet 1!; and to press the portion 113, which lies directly below the head 3|, downwardly -until the lower, surface of the strip portion 113 makes a substantially uniform flat contact with the upper surface of the design coating .2 previously deposited on the upper surface of the strip 3:.

The viscous nature of the pigments. and the condition ofthe surface of the strip 3] are such that the momentary contact causes the upper surface of the ag egated coating 2 to adhere firmly to the under surface of the strip 11, to the same degree substantially as the deposited layer sis adhering to the upper surface ."of the strip iii the deposit, and which is shown at 2|, adhering rolls 21 disposed above the highest point of elevato the sheet or strip a: while the second half 22 adheres to the strip or sheet 11. The efiect obtained is that the design previouslypri'nted on the strip or sheet x is transferred identically to the strip or sheet 3/. y

In order tomake the design coatings a! and 22 of sumcient thickness to provide a. substan- 1 tially wearing surface on the strips and 3 respectively, the deposits of .the viscous pigments applied by the printing blocks l, are preferably heavier than would'normally be applied to a single sheet, when that single sheet constitutes the sole finished product as in the normal man- '"her of producing these products prior. to the present invention.

In order to prevent any relative lateral, longitudinal or other horizontal movement between the strips or sheets a: and '31,- during the transfer.

operation, both strips :12 and y are secured together against relative horizontal movement by the pins 6 of the conveying tapes or belts 5 penetrating both strips or sheets a: and 1!, which, while preventing relative horizontal movement between the two sheets, will allow for the relative vertical movement between the'sheets necessary for effecting the transfer. V I a In order to prevent the second or top strip or sheet. 1 from sagging between the rolls 29 and, the portion 113 of the upper superposed strip 1/ is held under tension.

As a result of the 'pins 6 passing through both the lower strip a: and the superposed strip 11,

between the rolls 29 and 30, the movement of the strip :c by the belts 5 produces an identical movement of the'superposed strip 11,, thus relative movement between the two isprevented and absolute indexing of the successive transfers be-. low the head 3| is assured; and at the same time the sheet 3 is maintained under tension between the rolls 29 and 30. Furthermore, tension on the strip 11 is 'maintained by the weight of the lengthcf that portion of the strip extending from the drum l'l, through the loopy2 and over the, rolls 20a, 21 Y and 29, to the roller 29.

The tension beyond the 1'oll30 is maintained by pins 35 carried by belts 36, 39 disposed at opposite sides of the sheet 1 as shown in Fig. 5, g

which draw the strip 11 from the transfer point \on the roll 30 and deliver the strip to a cutting table 23mwhich is disposed' adjacent .the cutting table 22 over whichthe lower sheet :tis

delivered'by the belts 5, 5.

The cutting 'table 23a is provided, with a re- 1 ciprocating knife corresponding to the knife 24 of the table 22. 4

As a result of the abovenoted arrangement, in

.place of one strip 'being' delivered from the cutting table 23 to the drying oven B, a pair of identical strips or sheets are simultaneously delivere'd} to different compartments respectively ofthe' drying oven. v I

Inorder to deliver the strip or sheet :1; to the oven B, -with thedesign face thereof uppermost, it is necessary toreverse or invert thestrip 3/. As shown in Fig. 5 the top strip or sheet 1/, after passing around the roll, passes upwardly and around aroller 49, from which the strip or sheet 1! passes backwardly. over the machine A,

opposite direction to the strip :2. In order to v76 i. e. in a reverse direction to that in'. which feed the strips 2: and 1/ into the dryer simultanement 42. This brings the design face up and again reverses the direction of movement of the strip 1 to correspond to the direction of moveparallel laterally spaced relation to each other for feeding into the drying oven.

If desired the elements 4i and 42 may be in the form of rollers driven at a peripheral speed equal to or slightly greater than the normal linear speed of the strips .1: and 1 in passing through the printing machine A, as shown in Fig. 5, or the rollersmay be mere idlers. Any suitable form of .drive may be employed for rotating the rollers 4t and 42.

The rollers 4i and 42 are rotatably mounted in bearings 44 carried by and adiustably secured to beams 42 in the present instance. However, as shown in Fig. 14 the elements and 42 may be in the form of rigid bars adjustably secured to the beams 42 by clamps or other securing means. In either case the two turnover elements 4| and 42 are mounted on the beams 42 in such a manner that they may be moved closer together or further apart, as desired.

As previously noted, the strip a: is advanced step by step by the belts 5 and pins 6 thereon. The strip 1! is correspondingly advanced by said belts and pins as previously noted. In some instances it may be desirable to advance the strips :1: and 1! simultaneously and intermittently .5 at thedelivery end 22 of the table 4, by a 1 connecting shaft 4|. Under such circumstances the sheet 11 between the rollers 2| and 40 would move ina straight vertical line from the roller 3| to roller 4|, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 5.

At other times it may be'desirable to take of! the strip 1! in' a continuous uninten'upted movement, in which case the connection 4|, above referred to, is eliminated and a separate continuous drive of any suitable form, such as an independent motor with a variable speed connectiorrto the shaft 45 may be employed. In order to compensate for the differences of condi- ---tions arising from the intermittent movement of the sheet u up to the roller II and the continuous movement of the sheet beyond the roll 4|, a slack takeup mechanism shown in Figs. 1b and 5 is provided. This mechanism comprises a roller 5| which engages the strip 1! interme diate the rolls 2| and 4| and which is freely rotatably mounted at the outer end of a swing frame 5|. r

The frame'il, as shownv in 1b, is pivotally mounted in the present instance on the axis of the roller 2|. A spring 52 tends at all times to swing the frame ii and the roller 8| to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1b, to provide a tensioned loop 52 in the sheet 1!. As the sheet 1/ advances intemiittently from the roll 2|, with the roll 40, for example, moving at a lower'rate of speed than the sheet receives during each intermittent movement thereof, the spring 52, swinging the frame 5i and the roller about the axis of the roll 3|, takes up any slack which would otherwise develop in the strip 1!, between rolls 30 and 4|. Then, during the rest period between the intermittent movements of the sheet or strip 1 at the roll 2|, the roll 4|, revolving at a constant rate-of speed, continuously pulls the strip 1! and causes the loop |2to be reduced, whereby the roller III is swung in an opposite direction against the action of the spring 52 and the tension of the strip 1 is thereby maintained constant during the conversion of the intermittent movement ofthe strip into a constant movement thereof.

The strip 1!, as it approaches the upper drum 4! around which the belts 26 pass, is pressed down onto the driving points or pins 25 by a pair of grooved face rollers 52 rotatably mounted adjacent the drum or sprockets 4|, as clearly shown in 5. Thestrip 11 is strippedfrom the pins 25 at the lower end of the bands or belts 3| by the strip 1'! moving over the table 22:: at an angle to the plane in which the strip is held on J the bands or belts 2|.

delivery end 22 thereof as shown in Fig. lb. This incline may extend completely across the table or be arranged merely at the edges of the table and form a bridge directly above the sprockets or drums l| about which the belts 8 pass, whereby the strip :1: is lifted oil. the pins of said belts.

At times it may be desirable to feed the lower strip a: continuously into the drying oven 3, at the same time as the strip 11 is being fed continuously to the dryer. In'this case, as shown in Fig. 11, the table 22 may be completely dis-'-' connected from the frame I of the printing ma-- chine and the framework 5|, which supports the table 23, may be provided with supports for a roller 8| over which the strip 1: passes from the delivery end 22 of the table 4. the feeds being so regulated that a loop N is at all times maintained between the delivery end 22 of the table 4 and the roller 5|, whereby the intermittent movement of the strip a: from the table 4 may bereadily converted to a continuous movement over and beyondthe table 22.

It'may also be desirable to effect the transfer of the pattern from the primary printed sheet or strip a: to, the second sheet or strip 11 as a continuously rotary operation, in which case a second roll may be provided directly above the roll 5| with the two rolls coupled together and driven by-any suitable means at the same peripheral speeds; the positioning of the roller with respect to the roller 5| being such that the under surface of the strip 1!, at the bite between the aiaaese strip 1 is lowered into. contact with the upper surface of the strip 1! and then substantially equal splitting of the coating as the two strips advance beyond the rolls i8 and ",leaving substantially one half (zl) of the coating on the strip a: and the second half (22) of the coating on the strip 1!, thepattem previously provlded'by the J deposited pigment forming the printed coating 2 being duplicated in toto on thetwo strips a; and 1! respectively.

As shown in Hg. 12, the transfer may be made by intermittently rotating the rollers 58 and, in which case the roller 58 merely'raises ,the lower strip a: slightly above the surface of the table 4' able form of transmission mechanism, for example,.with variable speed control so that the rotation of the rolls 58 and 60 may be synchronized with the'linear movement of the bands 5, accurately, to prevent differential movements therebetween, which would result in destroying the perfect transfer of the pattern from the sheet or strip a: to the sheet or strip 11.

As shown in Flg.'13 the roll as may be sup- I planted by'a platen 6| which may be adjusted vertically through an opening 62 formed in the table 4 immediately below the transfer roller 60.

In order .to effect proper aligning of the strip engaging surfaceof the roll 60 with the strip supporting surface of the platen 6|, said platen is supported by an elevator 63. which may be supported by jack screws, wedges or other adjusting mechanism, in any suitable manner, on

and relative to the framework I of the machine A.

Delicate aligning of the slfifaces may be accomplished by theprovision of shims 64 inserted at desirable or necessary points between the adjusting elevator 63 and the platen plate 6|,

whereby the splitting of the printed coating z,

into two' portions of substantially equal thickneases throughout as illustrated at 2i and 22, may be accomplished. For the same purpose, i. e. for securing accurate aligning of the web or strip supporting surfaces, shims 65 may be provided between the block 3i of the transfer head shown in Fig. 7 and the vertically reciprocating frame block 3|.

In alike manner an adjustable portion 66 may be provided in the table I directly under the block II and provided with a more or less resilient pad 61 over which the strip a: is moved by the bands and which produces a cushioning eifect during the pressing 'of the upper strip 11 into contact with the upper surface of the printed be desirable to cut the .printing blocks slightly undersize around the marginal edges of each of the serious portions of the design respectively deposited on-the'strip a: by the various printing blocks 1, leaving, as clearly shownin Figure 8,

'a space 23 between the edges of each ofthe adjacent portions 24 of the design. Then as the.

which carries and operates the contact of demarsurface of the aggregate deposit on the strip a:, I

. and as pressure is applied in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 9 by the printing head block 3| the 'various independent deposits 24 are caused to spread until the marginal edges of the parts zl make contact and thereby form clean cut lines,

as illustrated at 25 in Fig. 9. Then, asthe strips a: andy are separated, as shown in Fig. 10, the I half portions zl and z! of the printed coating 2 break clean. and provide clean cut lines of demarcation between various elements of the completed design on each of the strips 2: and 11 respectively.

Such procedure is more particularly desirable in the; making of block designs and is not par ticularly necessary in the printing of foliage or similar designs where sharp lines of demarcation are not essential. However,.-in other instances where block or tile designs are formed. and lines of division between adjacent blocks, composed of a color different from that of-either series of blocks, are to be included in the design, a'pigment forming such lines may be deposited separately as a last step in the completion of the printed'design andwould cover the edges of the blocks previously deposited and thus provide the clean cut lines of demarcation, representing, for example, mortar lines between blocks representing tile.

In other instances the deposits forming the mortar lines may be deposited i'n'the spaces 23 shown in Fig. 8 to complete the entire design surface, with all parts in actual abutting relation to each other before the transfer .of Figs. 9 and 10 is begun. I r In some instances it may be desirable to employ a transfer element intermediate the strips 4: and 1; for picking up a portion of the thickness of printed coating in toto, corresponding to the portion a2, from the coating 2 applied to the printed sheet or strip a: and carrying such portion from the strip a: to'the strip y, at a point remote from the strip :2, as shown in Fig. 18,

wherein-a transfer drum I0 is employedforthe purpose.

the strip 11, would be mounted on a truck ll adjustable on rails 12 transversely withrespect to the machine, beyond'the delivery end 22 of the table 4. In this case the uprights 51 of the framework 56, which support the cutting table 23, would be extended to support the transfer roll 10 and the roll 60, about which the sheet or strip 11 passes, in definite relationship to each other and properly adjusted to effect the picking up of the one half of the coating 2 by-the drum Ill from the strips: and depositing the same in toto on the strip u'passing around the roll 60.

The cutting table 2311., for the strip-1!, would likewise be supported in this case in superposed relation to the table 23 for the strip at, directly above the table 23, the whole structure being movable transversely. with the frame I of the printing machine A on the rails disclosed in '11 the full length of the printing machine A, in

superposed relation thereto, as disclosed in Figs. la and 1b.

Fig. 18. The truck II in this case would be mov- 1 able relative to the frame 56' in order to replen- In place of the driving belts 3i, fcr'the strip 1!, as shown in Fig. 5, the strip 11 may be advanced either intermittently or continuously by means of a vacuum or suction'roll' I5, shown in Figs. 14 and 15, said roll comprising a perforated drum around which, throughout any suitable segment of its periphery, the strip 1! passes.

form of vacuum or evacuator pump 18, with the pipe ll connected to one end of the hollow axle II.

The opposite end of the axle 'll may be closed.

. as illustrated at 80, and function as a solid trunof horizontal shelves l5.

nion for the roll II, for providing support for said end of the drum and to which power may be applied for rotating the drum from any suitable source of power. In other instances the closed end of the hollow shaft 'I'I may be rigidly supported against rotation in suitable bearings and power applied from a suitable source to a gear wheel 8| mounted on one end of the drum II and providing rotation of the drum I5 around and relative to the shaft II.

The dryer B, as noted abovepis'divided into a plurality of compartments 25a, 25b, and 250 and each compartment is provided with a plurality For example, each compartmentmay contain eighty shelves with each shelf adapted to accommodate a complete strip of finished floor covering which, as noted above, in commercial practice are each eighty feet long. However, these numbers and measurements are immaterial insofar as the invention is concerned. Also, the dryer may include any number of compartments. I

As noted above, in normal Practice the printing machine is aligned first with-one compartment and the individual strips or sheets are drawn fromthe cutting table 23 and fed onto the shelves 85 of the dryer 3 until the one compartment is completely loaded, after which the whole machine is moved laterally into alignment with the next compartment for loading the same while drying is being effected in the previously loaded compartment.

PIhe machine is moved relative to the dryer for the loading of each of the successive compartments and after the drying is completed in the first loaded compartment 'thedried strips are removed therefrom, leaving the compartment vacant for reloading after the last of the compartments of the dryer has been filled with freshly printed strips. whereupon the machine is moved back into line with the emptied compartment for a repeat of the operations.

Where two sheets are provided by a single printing operation, in accordance with the present invention the loading of the gompartments is modified. For example, as shown in Fig. 2, the f x A and the cutting table 23- for the strip fare aligned ,with the compartment 254:. With the machine A and the cutting tables arranged in this manner the compartments 25c and 25b will be simultaneously loaded to half the capacity thereof. For example, forty strips a: will be run into compartment 25a, 'while forty strips 11 will be run into compartment 25b. The table 2311s then shifted into line with compartment 250 while the table 23 remains in line with the compartment 25a. Forty more strips :1: are then partment 25b, as shown in Fig. 4.

run into the compartment 25a while forty strips 1! are simultaneously; being run into compartment 25c, as shown in Fig. 3. The table 23a for the strips 1! is permitted to stand in line with the compartment 250 while the printing machine A and the table 23 are shifted from alignment with the compartment 250 into alignment with com- Forty strips :0 are then run into compartment 25b while forty additional strips are run into compartment 25c, thereby completing the loading of the dryis required or if slower drying is desired the capacity of the dryer may be multiplied to any desired extent, to keep pace with the printing, and the machine and other equipment may be moved into line with compartments thereof accordingly.

Any suitable means may be provided for drawing the strips .1: and 1! into the dryer B, for example, a cable 82 connected to a power driven drum 83 carried by a laterally shiftable truck 84 may be threaded through the spaces 86 between the shelves 85 and connected, by suitable clamps 81, to the'strips :cand 11 as the case may be, whereby power applied to the motor 88, which drives the drum 83', will effect drawing of the strips longitudinally of the dryer and the deposit thereof on the shelves 85.

In other instances the sheetjl. as shown in Fig. 16, may be hung in festoons over poles" prior to being drawn into the dryer B, thereby eliminating the necessity for the reversing mechanisms of Figs. 5 and 14. in which case the strip 11 after receiving the transfer is drawn backwardly with its printed side upwardly across the poles 90 and hung in festoons therebetween, as shown in Fig. 16 or permitted to lie flatly over the poles or over slats extending from pole to pole as shown in Fig. 17, until the full length of a strip has been completed, whereupon the cable 82 may be connected to the one end of the strip 11 and the strip drawn in a reverse direction overthe poles 90 and directly into the drying compartment. In this case, as in Fig. 18, the strips :1: and 1; would be superp s d directly above each other, whereupon forty strips :1: and forty strips 1! would be run into the first compartment 15a simultaneously and theentire machine moved intoline with compartment 25b for loading thereof, and so on;

- Normally the strips 2 and .1: are in excess of nine feet in width to receive designs nine feet wide and still provide margins forreceiving the pins 6 of the advancing belts 5 outside the design. In some instances the designs are continuous throughout the length of the strips and in other instances the designs are arranged to provide rugs of nine feet in width and three, six, nine or twelve feet etc. in length.

In some instances, both strips may be of lesser width, i. e. instead of being nine feet in width they may be only six feet in width. The conventional machine A described above, is normally adapted to accommodate strips of' varying widths, and for this purpose one or both of the drive bolts 5-, i and their drums I, are shiftable laterally with respect to the table 4, as is common in machines of this type,

As shown in Figs. 5 and6, t e strip 1!. between the drive belts 38, 36 is supported by a slatted or other platform 9| This platform is made with a removable center portion 92 whereby the platform may be reduced in width from nine to six feet, for example. Likewise the shafts which support the sprockets or drums which drive and support the belts 36, 36 are of a three-part telescopic form with the two ends keyed to the drum respectively and with sleeve sections 93 splined to the two end sections so that the drums and their respective shaft sections may be moved toward and away from each other as shown in i Fig. 6.

I claim:

1. The method of producing hard surface floor thickness of said face coating in toto onto one face of a second prepared base sheet, whereby duplicate finished floor coverings are produced by a single deposition of the facing material on but one of said base sheets.

2. The method of producing 'hard'surface fioor coverings which consists in printing a design on one face of one prepared base sheet in the form of a viscous coating of predetermined thickness, and subsequently transferring a portion of said thickness of said coating in toto onto one face of a second prepared base sheet, whereby said design is duplicated in toto on both'basesheets as a result of a single printing of said design on but one of said base sheets, said design on said second sheet being in reversed position with respect to the design on the first mentioned sheet.

3. The method of producing hard surface fioor coverings which consists in printing a design on one face of one prepared base sheet in the form of a viscous coating of predetermined thickness as an aggregation of a plurality of design parts respectively disposed in laterally adjacent relation to each other, and subsequently transferring a portion of said thickness of said coating in toto.

onto one face of a second prepared base sheet,

whereby said aggregative design is duplicated in toto on both base sheets as a result of a'single printing of said design on but one of said base sheets, said design on said second sheet beingin reversed position with respect to the design on the first mentioned sheet.

4. The method of producing hard surface fioor coveringswhich consistsin printing a design on one face of one prepared base sheet in the form of a viscous coating of predetermined thickness as an aggregation of a plurality of design parts respectively disposed in laterally adjacent spaced relation to each other, subsequently spreading said parts into abutting relationship to each other and transferring a portion of said thickness of said coating in toto onto one face of a second prepared base sheet by first pressing said second sheet firmly against the exposed common planar surfaces of the parts of the design originally printed on the first of said sheets, subsequently splitting the coating intermediate the two sheets, and separatingthe split coating and the sheets to which the respective portions of the coating adhere, whereby said aggregative design is duplicated in toto on both base. sheets as a result of a single printing of said design on but:

- one of said base sheets, said design on said seccoverings which consists in printing a design on one face-of one prepared base sheet in the form of a viscous coating of predetermined thickness, bringing one surface of a second prepared, base shejet into intimate contact with the exposed surface of the printed coating on the first said sheet, splitting the coating intermediate said sheets, and separating said sheets with the divided portions of the thickness of said coating adhering to said sheetsrespectively, whereby the design originally printed on the first sheet is transferred in toto onto the second sheet and two duplicate finished floor coverings are produced from a single print ing of the design on but one of said base sheets, said design on said second sheet being in reversed position with respect to the design on the first mentioned sheet;

6. The method of producing hard surface floor coverings which consists in printing a. design on one face of one prepared base sheet in the form of a viscous coating of predetermined thickness, bringing one surface of a second prepared base sheet into intimate fiat contact with the exposed surface of the printed coating on the first said sheets, splitting the coating intermediate said sheets, and separating said sheets with the divided portions of the thickness of said coating adhering to said sheets respectively, whereby the design originally printed on the first sheet is transferred in toto onto the second sheet and two duplicate finished iioorcoverings are produced from a single printing of the design on but one of said base sheets, said design on said second sheet being in reversed position with respect to the design on the first mentioned sheet.

7. The method of producing hard surface floor coverings which consists in printing a design on one face of one prepared base sheet 'in the form of a viscous coating of predetermined thickness, bringing one surface of a second prepared base sheet into intimate rolling contact with the exposed surface of the. printed coating on the first said sheets, splitting the coating intermediate said sheets, and separating said sheets with the divided portions of the thickness of said coating adhering to said sheets respectively, whereby the design originally printed on the first sheet is transferred in toto onto the second sheet and two duplicate finished floor coverings are pro-, duced from a single printing of the design on but one of said base sheets, said design on said second sheet being in reversed position with respect to the design on thefirst mentioned sheet.

8. The method of producing hard surface floor coverings which consists in printing a design on one face of one prepared base sheet in the form of a viscous coating of predetermined thickness, transferring a portion'of Said'thickness of said coating in toto onto an element complementary to said base sheet and subsequently retransferring said transferred designin toto onto one face of a second prepared base sheet, whereby two duplicate finished floor coverings are produced from a single printing of the design on but one of saidbase sheets,said design .on said second sheet being in reversed position with respect to the design on the first mentioned sheet.

of a viscous coating of predetermined thickness,

subsequently transferring a portion of said thickness of said coating in toto onto one face of a second prepared base sheet, whereby said design is duplicated .in toto on both base sheets as a result of a single printing of said design on but one of said base sheets, said design on said second sheet being in reversed position with respect to the design on the first mentioned sheet, and feeding said two finished floor coverings simultaneously in spaced relation to each other into a drying chamber for setting the divided coating portions respectively adhering to the two base sheets.

10. The method of producing hard surface floor coverings which consists in printing a design on one face of one prepared base sheet in the form of a viscous coating of predetermined thickness, subsequently transferring a portion of said thickness of said coating in toto onto one face of a second prepared base sheet, whereby said design is duplicated in toto on both base sheets as a result of a single printing of said design on but one of said base sheets, said design on said second sheet being in reversed position with respect to the design on the first mentioned sheet, and reversing the position of the second of said floor coverings relative to the first thereof after said transfer to bring the transferred coating uppermostfor drying of the same with the floor covering supported from below. 11. The method of producing hard surface floor coverings which consists in printing a design on one face of one prepared'base sheet in the form of a viscous coating of predetermined thickness, subsequently transferring a portion of said thickness of said coating in toto onto one face of a second prepared base sheet, whereby said design is duplicated in toto on both base sheets as a result of asingle printing of said design on but one of said base sheets, said design on said second sheet being in reversed position with respect to the design on the first mentioned sheet, reversing the position of the second of said floor coverings relative to the' first thereof aftervsaid transfer to bring the transferred coating uppermost for drying of the same with the floor covering support-ed from below, and feeding the two finished fioor coverings simultaneously into a dryer for setting the divided portions of the coating respectively adhering to said base sheets.

12. The method of producing hard surface floor coverings which consists in printing a design on one face' of one prepared'base sheet in the form of a viscous coating of predetermined thickness,

subsequently transferring a portion of said thickresult ,of' a single printing of said design on but one of said base sheets, said design on said second sheet being in reversed position with respect to the design on the first mentioned sheet, reversing the position of the second floor covering relative to the first and feeding the two in laterally spaced relation to each other into a drying chamber for setting the divided coating portions respectively adhering to the two base sheets.

13. The method of producing hard surface fioor coverings which consists in printing a design on one face of one prepared base sheet in the form of a viscous coating of predetermined thickness, subsequently transferring a portion of a said thickness of said coating in. toto onto one faceof a second prepared base sheet, whereby said design is duplicated in toto on both base sheets as a result of a single printing of said one face of one prepared base sheet in the form of a viscous coating of predetermined thickness,

subsequently transferring a portion of said thickness of said coating in toto onto one face of a second preparedbase sheet, whereby said design is duplicated in toto on both base sheets'as a result of a single printing of said design 'on but one of said base sheets, said design on said second sheet being in reversed position with respect' to the design on the first mentioned sheet, reversing the position of the second floor covering relative to the first, feeding the two in laterally spaced relation to each other into difierent laterally spaced drying compartments to set the divided coating portions respectively adhering to the two base sheets, and shifting the relative lateral positions of the two finished floor coverings for feed* ing the sheets into predetermined drying compartments respectively of a series thereof.

NEIL L. CAMPBELL.

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