US2196921A

US2196921A - Web handling apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2196921A
Application number: US237755A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alpheus O Hurxthal
Original assignee: Proctor and Schwartz Inc
Current assignee: Proctor and Schwartz Inc
Priority date: 1938-10-29
Filing date: 1938-10-29
Publication date: 1940-04-09
Anticipated expiration: 1957-04-09

Description

April 9, 1940- A. o. HURxTHAL 2,196,921

WEB HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 29, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l www@ April 9, 1940- A. o. HURxTHAl. 2,196,921

' WEB HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Oct. V29, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 figg I l l Z/ l l l l l ll l' l il l: l: I l: l I I 4 n of a series of loops or `festoons; andisparticul'arly commonly known inthe kart 'I'he material is usually fed continuously tojithe 'Patented pr. 9, 1940 unir-Plazo STATES' -Wnn HANDLINGAPPARATUS Alpheus 0. Hurxtlial, Philadelphia, Pa., assigner Y to Proctor & Schwartz, Incorporated, Phila-` delphia,` Ba., a corporation of APennsylvania Application octoterze, 193s, serial No. 237,755

' v.12 claims.v (or 271-22) This invention relates to an apparatus for handling web materialspsuch as textile fabrics, etc. in subjecting the materialto some prescribed treatment, such as the -drying of textile fabrics 'v after processing, dyeing, etc. The'invention relates to the handling of web materials in the form `applicable to what is as loop dryers. l v e In a loop dryer, the web lis hung `"over and be- "tween a series .of supports which Aarearranged in substantially parallel .laterally spaced relation jgto 'each other, in a substantially horizontal plane.

supports, at one end o f thedryer, while vthe sup,-

ports are advancing horizontally below the feeding apparatus, whereby the material is formed.

into successive loops or festoons whiclif advance through the dryer to the opposite endthereof where the material is constantly ,withdrawn from .p the loops or festoons successively, the festooned material, intermediate the formation of the loops vor festoons at the one end of 4the medium in circulation'within the dryerI Disadvantages of the loopv dryer have been marking of the material'where, it madecontaet with the festoon supports; and non-uniformityofv drying throughout the length of theweb.y These disadvantages have been causedloy the moisture from the upper portions of the lor'lpsl or festoons running down through the materialto the lower l 4.portions'of the loops, which caused'the portions of the material which were restingonthe supports to dry more rapidly than the portions of the mate'- rial inthe lower portions of the loops'.

Many attempts have ,been made inthe pastto` 'overcome the above-noted .difliculties :for` .example, by rotating the supports for the loopsas the series of loops is advanced through the dryer,

to effect a relative movement between the material and the loop. supports, ythe purpose of such .relative movement being two-fold. f l

. InV the iirst place, the relative'm'ovement between the material and the supportswas intended to prevent any portions of thematerialfromlying constantlypin,` contact with the vloop supports throughout the whole of theA drying Vor other" `processing cycle. Secondly, thefrelative move-v ment betweenthe supports and the material was f intended toV move thematerial from the tops to the bottomsv of the festoons and viceversa, one or more times during the drying or treating cycle, f

I dryer andthe removal ofthe material from the loops or festoons atthe opposite end of the dryer being subjected .to

. the inuenc'e of air 4or other drying or treating toobtain greater uniformity in the drying or v other treatment of the material.

f The rotating support vhas only partially solved the problem confronting the makers and users of this type' of dryer, in' that there has been ,no

assurancev that the material will move with the.,A be moved.

carrying surfaces of the supports or thereby as the supports rotate. c

In the case ofltextile fabrics, the movement of l the web with and by the rotating supports ismost f elicient while the material is inits extremely wet condition, but, as the material begins to dry vtracrtionfloetvv'een the material and the carrying surfaces ofthe supportsfdec'reases,resulting in the materialmoving or being-moved inl varying degrees vas Ithe supports revolve. This causes the vfestoons to vary in length. Eventually the longer loops rob the shorter loops and in some instances the shorter loops are eliminated' entirely. This frequently results in the elongated loopsdragging. Valongythe vrbottom jot/the dryer, damaging the 'material' l In order to `avoid or.' reduce toa minimum the vabove objections, some manufacturers and users of theloop type of drying mechanism have resorted to lroughening the carrying. surfaces of the supports, inorder to'increase the tractive engagement between the supports and the material.

'Such yprocedure has been'but partially successful and has added other difficulties in the form of mentV between thecarrying surfaces of the supports andthe material passing laround the sup,- ports.v lThe object of thepresent invention-is to provide an apparatus for applying an extraneous pressure 4to the-Web where andas it makes contact with the *rotating v supports,y to insure tractive Aengagement between'the material and the. carrying surfaces of ljthe supports, whereby, as the supports revolve,

the material will'be moved-'concurrently therel withk ,and to an equal extent" with'the carrying surfaces of the supports. Thus,` by constantly Arotating the supponsnas they travel from approxif 3o" Aabrasion of the surfaceofthe material, without providing any positive `assurance of equal .movemately ,the point of formation of the festo'ons to approximately the point where. the` material is l withdrawn from the `festoons, the relation betweenthe carrying'surfaces of the supports and the portions of the material making contact with the carrying surfaces of the supports islconstantly changing; and the material is caused `to progress constantly'. through the `fes'toons-from the .tops

thereof to thefbottoms thereofv and viceversa, whereby marking of the materiall by the supports is entirely eliminated and uniform drying of the material is eiciently effected.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 diagrammatically illustrates a loop dryer equipped with pressure exerting means in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of a portion of the pressure applying means illustrated in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, illustrating a modified form of pressure applying means; and

Fig.y 4 is a view similar to Figs. 2 and 3, illustrating a still further modification of the inven-V `transversely of the casing I. l Ill are rotatably supported `at their opposite ends tion.

As shown in Fig. 1, the drying or other processing device comprises a casing I through which the material to be dried or otherwise treated is advanced from the feed end 2 of the casing to the discharge end 3 thereof. It will be understood that any desired form of treatment may take place within the casing I. The treating medium may be maintained in circulation within the casing by anysuitable means, not shown, whichper se forms no part of the present invention.

In the present instance the web W is formed into a series of loops or festoons X, overY and between a series of supports Ill, I0 which extend The supports I9,

respectively by trunnions II, II, which form orl which are coaxially arranged with the pintles connecting adjacent links I2, I2 of a pair of 'laterally spaced side chains, which together with the supports I0, I0 form a suitable conveyer I3 by which ther loops X respectively carried lby the supports I0, Ii! are moved longitudinally through the casing I, from the feed end 2 thereof to the discharge end 3 thereof.

. `The supports I il, I0, in the present instance,

are in the form of round poles or rollers constituting girts extending transversely of the conveyer I3 from one of the side chains thereof, composed of the links I2, to the other of the side chains of the conveyer.

The side chains of the conveyer I3 pass around sprockets I4, I5, I6 and I'I-wh'ich may be supported and driven in any suitable manner and by any suitable means to move the conveyer I3 in the direction of the arrows illustrated inFig. 1, it being. noted that the conveyer I3 is of the endless type and that the loops or festoons X are supported by the girts Ill along the upper run i8 of the conveyer, while the lower run I9 of said conveyer is disposed a substantial distance below the upper run I8 and the lower ends of the loops or festoons X carried thereby. y

As shown in Fig. 2, each of the girts IB, adjacent one or both ends thereof, is provided with the gear wheel 2B. Along the upper run I8 of the conveyer I3, the teeth of the

gears

20, 20 are adapted to mesh with the teeth of a stationary. gear rack 2l. The toothed rack or racks 2| are maintained in fixed position in and with respect to the casing I, whereby as the upper run I8 of the conveyer I3 is moved in the direction of the arrow a, Fig. 2, the girts I0 are constantly rotated in the directions of the arrows b, Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 2 the upper portions :c of the loops or festoons X pass around the upper sides of the rotary girts I0. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, extraneous pressure, i. e., pressure other than that exerted by the weight of the material itself in the festoons or loops X, is applied tothe upper portions zr, :I: of said loops or festoons where these portions of thevfestooned material make contact with the peripheral carrying surfaces of the girts I Il.

In the preferred form of the invention, as illustrated in Figs. l and 2 of the drawings, the extraneous pressure, applied to the upper portions :c of the festooned material for the purpose of kinsuring tractive engagement between the carrying

surfaces

22, 22 of the girts Il), It and the web W, is produced by a series of freely rotatable cylindrical weights, in the form of

rollers

25, 25, which are arranged in vertical alignment with the axes of the girts IU, I9 and bear on the upper portions m, :r of the material W, preferably, though not necessarily, from side to side of the material.

` It will be understood that, while it is preferred to employ solid rollers extending continuously from side to side of the material, the rollers may be of a hollow or tubular construction; and furthermore it will be understood that the rollers 25 may consist of two or more independent sections arranged in end `to end abutting, or relay tively spaced axially aligned relation to each other, as desired.

The pressure exerting rollers 25, in the present instance, are provided with trunnions 26, 2G at each of their opposite ends, which may constitute the connecting pintles between

successive links

21, 21 of endless carrying or spacing chains 28, respectively disposed at opposite ends of said rollers, or the Vtrunnions 26 may be independent kof the chain pintles and be rotatably mounted in vsuitable bearings carried by the chains 28. l The chains 28 pass around sprockets 29 and 3D which aredisposed adjacent the feeding and discharging -ends 2 and 3 respectively of the casing I. thereof, may be operated by any suitable means, from any suitable 'source ofl power whereby the lower runs 3I of the chains 28 will be moved con-l currently, in the direction of the arrow a, Fig. 2,4 with the upper runs I8 of the side chains ofr thek conveyer I3, whereby vthe

pressure exerting rollers

25, 25 are maintained in horizontal laterally spaced relation to each other and in vertical alignment with the revolving girts Il), Ill of the upper run I8 of the conveyer I3 lat all times during the travel of the girts I0. ID, from the point Aat which the festoons or loops are formed to the i point at which the web is withdrawn from said loops or festoons successively.

The material W is fedto they conveyer I3 by a drum 32, under a roller 33 disposed above the upper run. I8 of the conveyer I3, by which, as the girts ID, I0 pass successively under the roller 33, as the upper run of the conveyer I3 moves ,in the direction of the arrow c. Fig. 1, the web Wis caused to be laid over the successive girts II), I0 to form the upper parts :c of the loops or festoons X, and between the successive girts I0, I0 to form the lower portions rl of the loops X successively.

The material W is withdrawn from the loops, adjacent the delivery end. 3 of the casing I, between a pair of guide rollers 34, by a drum 35 which delivers the dried material to any suitable form of folding, piling. or rolling device.

l'l'.'he drums 32 and 3 5 andthe conveyer I3 are driven at the proper relative speeds yby any suitable variable speed transmission etc. for accom.

plishing the formation and withdrawal of the web W into and from the loops X; and the weight carrying conveyer chains 28, or the supporting sprockets '29` and SI1 thereof, are driven at the The sprockets 29 and 30, or leither ler v y 2,196,931 .proper speed with respect to the` speed `of the conveyer, I3 to maintain vertical alignmentfbetween `the girts I0 in the upper rungof thefconveyer |3 and the freely rotatable weights 25 -at "all times.

K From the above it will be clearvthat as'the upper run of the conveyer I3 advances in the direction of vthe arrow c, Fig. -1,ithe web-W is formed into the loops X successivelyaroundthe constantlymoving girts I0 andthe constantly moving girts I0 are continuouslyrotated lfrom `the point of formation of the loops X to the point'of derangement of said loops, bythe gears 2 Il;.being invconstant driving contact'w'ith the ,teeth of the stationary rack 2|.V It will also be obvious that as the loop supporting girts II! pass Aunder the sprockets 29 one of the pressureexerting weight rollers 25 will be laid .on top-of each loop supporting girt IG, in contact with the upper portion m of the web W, andv maintained in vertical alignment with the loop supporting girt1 throughout its travel through vthe casing"|,. and that the Weight roller 25 in each instancewill produce and maintain an extraneous pressure on the web W, whereby tractive engagement be,- tween the web W and the carrying surfaces 22'of the girts I0 is at all times insured; and whereby the constant rotation of the girts I0 will advance the web W progressively through the loops X with the portions a: of the loops alternately changing position with the'lower portions :nl of the loops to prevent running of the moisture from the upper portion of a loop into the lower portion thereof, whereby uniform drying of the web is maintained and marking of the web by the girts as a result of the web laying'constantly and .l

quietly on the girts is prevented.

As shown in Fig. 3, the weight rollers instead.

of being maintained in vertical ,alignment with the respective girts I0, I0, as in Figs. 1 and 2,- are positioned intermediate each adjacent pair of girts I0, Ill, in tangential relation to the portions a; `of the web W which pass around the girts ID. 'The weight rollers 25a in this instance function as nip rolls to pinch the web W bey tween the cylindrical peripheral faces of the nip rolls 25a and the carrying faces 22, 22 of. the pair of girts Il), I 0, between which each positioned.

As in the case of the weight rolls 25 shown in Fig. 2, the nip rolls 25a of Fig.. 3 are rotatably.

mounted at their oppositeends in side chains 28a which pass around sprockets 29aand lay the nip rolls in position between the girts and remove said nip rolls from said position at ther feed and delivery ends of the casing respectively.` In Fig. 4 the rolls 25l or 25a are supplanted by a continuous belt or belts 40 which are of the endless type' and pass around drums `or belt wheels 4I which take the place of the sprockets 29 and 30 of Fig. l. The belt 40 maybe vof a width corresponding to the width of ,the cony veyer I3 or said belt may be composed of' a plu-y rality of sections disposed in lateral abutting or relativelyspaced relation to each other as desired. v The lower run ,'43 of the belt isadapted't'o rest on top of the portions mpx of the 'web W passing around the girts Ill, I0 in the upper run of the conveyer I 3, to exert a pressure on the portions of the webW sulcient to in'sure tractive engagement between portions- :c1-of the web W and the carrying surfaces 22 of the girts I0, Ill.

It will be undersood that the drums or Wheels nip roll is g waboutwhich the belt 40-passesmaybe driven at such a speed that the vlower run 43 ofthe belt 40 will travel in the direction of the arrow d,' Fig. 4

at the: same-speed as the carryingsurfaces of fthegirts I0, as produced bythe movement of the'Lmperfrun I8 oij'the Aconveyer 'I3 andthe engagement ofthe gears 2D onthe girts Illwith the vteeth of the xedl rack 2|;

If desired,A additional pressure may be exerted on theportions a; a: of the web W through the belt 40 by rollers 44, M bearing against the up#- per surface offthe lower run' 43' of the' belt 40 and which may be so mounted within `the casing in-a manner to be held against movement longitudinally of the casing whilepermitting vertical movement of the rollers'44 within the cas#- king, the said rollers being freely rotated vbytrac- ,tion with/the upper surface of the lowerfrund?,

ofthe'be'lt 40.

I claim: i y f 1 1. The combination of a series of web supports, vmeans-for advancing said supports along a pre- ,determined path', lmeans for .rotating said suprports en route, and means continuously traveling concurrently with said supports for applying tacting said supports en route.

`v2t A extraneous pressure to portionsof the'webgconl 2. 'Ihe combination of a seriesfof web supA ports, means for advancing said `supports alongv a predetermined path, means for rotating said supports en route, and meansadapted to travel with said supports for applying extraneous pressure to portions of the web in 'contact with the plurality of said supports simultaneously.

3. The combination of a seriesof web sup--r ports,l means forv advancing said supports along a predetermined path, means for rotating said supports en route, and weight means adapted to travel with said supports for applying extraneous pressure to portions of the webl incontact with the plurality'of said supports simultaneously'.y

4. Ihe combination of a series of web supports, means for advancing saidl supports along f a predetermined path means for rotating said with said supports'for applying extraneous pres-fl lsure. simultaneously to portions of the web con- -tactng said supports en route.

6. The combination of a series rof web supports, means for advancing said supportsalong a predetermined path, means for rotating said supports en route, and'means' comprising a series of rollers continuously traveling concurrently with said` supports and movable substantially perpendicular to the /plane of travel of said supports' for applying extraneous pressure simultaneously to portions of the web contacting said supports en route. I

v'7. The combination of a series of Web sup-` ports, means for advancing'said supports along,v`

apredetermined path, means for rotatingsaid supports en route, and means comprising a series of freely rotatable rollers continuously traveling concurrently with said supports for applying extraneous pressure simultaneously to portions-of the web contactingzsaid.supports en route.

` L8. The ycombination of a series of web supports,fmeans for advancing said supports along a predetermined path, means for rotating said supports en route, and means comprising a series of freely rotatable rollers continuously traveling concurrently with said supports and movable substantially perpendicular to the plane of travel of said supports adapted to travel with said supports for applying extraneous pressure simultaneously `to portions of the web contacting said supports en route.

` 9. The combination of' a series of Web supports, means for advancing said supports along a predetermined path, means for rotating said supports en route, and means comprising a series cf rollers adapted to travel continuously with said supports in vertical alignment With said `supports respectively for applying extraneous pressure simultaneously to portions of the web contacting said supports en route,

i0. The combination of a series of web supports, means for. advancing said supports along a predetermined path, means for lrotating said supports ren route, means comprising a series of rollers adapted to travel with said supports in .vertical alignment with said supports respec- .tivelyforapplying extraneous pressure simultaneously to portions of the Web contacting said supports en route and means for causing said rollers to travel concurrently with saidsupports` 'throughout substantially the full length of said ports, means for advancing said supports along a predeterminedy path, means for rotating said supports en route, and means comprising a belt lying above and movable concurrently with said supports in contact with and for applying extraneous pressure to portions of the web contacting said supports en route.

A LPHEUS O. HURXTHAL.