US2668572A - Method of and apparatus for coating fabric on either or both faces - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 9, 1954 H. c. BosTwlcK 2,668,572

METHOD oF AND APPARATUS FOR coATING FABRIC ON EITHER OR BOTH FACES 4 Sheets-SheaI l Filed Nov. 29. 1950 NGN INVENTOR.

M Zmyzgm Pride/IEX( Feb. 9, 1954 H. c. BosTwxcK 2,668,572 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR COATING FABRIC ON EITHER OR BOTH FACES Filed Nov, 29, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 9, 1954 H. c. BosTwlcK n 2,668,572 METHOD OF' AND APPARATUS FOR COATING FABRIC ON EITHER OR BOTH FACES Filed Nov. 29, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 4+] 5&5

INVENTOR.

fram/'5,47

Fie 9, 1952? H. c. BosTwlcK 2,668,572

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS F'OR COATING FABRIC ON EITHER OR BOTH FACES Filed NOV. 29, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 fj@ @am vlam( Patented Feb. 9, 1954 METHOD F AND APPA FABRIC ON EITHE RATUS Fon coA'rlNG l n on Born FACES Henry C. Bost-wick, Coventry Township, Summit County, Ohio, assigner to Akron Standard Mold Company, Akron, IOhio, a corporation of Ohio Application November 29, 1950, Serial N o. 198,094

12 claims. 1

The general purpose of this invention is to enable the application of a sheet of `coating material to either one or to both sides of a sheet of fabric as the fabric is fed into the supply roll of a stock storing apparatus, commonly called a servicer. In addition, the invention is designed to maintain a uniform tension of the material that is being fed into the Servicer.

The invention is accomplished by passing a strip of fabric through feed rolls and by applying to the fabric, either at the top or bottom or Aboth faces thereof, a layer of rubber or similar material and pressing such layer against the fabric so as to make it adhere thereto. provide a coating mechanism carrying a roll or rolls of sheet rubber and having motor-driven pressure rolls to press the rubber onto the fabric and feed the fabric thus coated to the Servicer.

As the fabric passes from the feeding rolls of the coater into the Servicer, it falls in a bight or festoon and the extent of the festoon is utilized for controlling the operation of the Servicer motor. Thus, if the fabric is being discharged from the coater at a rate faster than .it would be fed into the Servicer, the Servicer motor is automatically stopped. This is accomplished by a floating roller in the bight which according to its position may actuate a switch-controlling circuit of the Servicer motor. At the start of the operation theA manually controlled motor of the coating mechanism is operated to feed a length of coated fabric Sunicient for engagement by the feeding device of the Servicer, but Athe Servicer motor does not start until the roller in the bight has dropped down to a predetermined position.

In practice, the Servicer motor is designed to run at a somewhat faster speed than the coater motor, in order to prevent the festoon from exceeding a certain maximum degree.

There is an additional switch for controlling the operation of the Servicer motor, whichy operates to out off the flow of current to the motor whenever the end of the coated strip is nearly wound up on the storage roll, thus enabling the ready attachment of a subsequent strip.

My invention includes the method of coating a fabric and supplying it to a stock storage device as above outlined and as more fully described hereinafter. It includes likewise the method of building a tire or band by the product of the coating device. It also includes the apparatus illustrated 'in the drawings hereof and explained in the descrip-tion, which apparatus is useful in carrying out the above-outlined method and also embodies a number of novel features not specifically mentioned above1 but hereinafter fully set out.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing the association of the coating mechanism with a Servicer and a tire making machine for a continuous operation; Fig. 2 is a side view von a larger scale of the coating mechanism and the feed control to the Servicer; Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section in offset planes indicated by the line 3-3 in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section in oifset planes indicated .by the line i4 in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan of the feeding portion of the coating mechanism, being a horizontal section taken on the plane indicated by the line 5 5 on Fig. 4; Fig. `6 is a fragmentary plan illustrating the roll-supporting brackets of the coating mechanism, being a horizontal Section taken in a plane indicated by the line 6-6 in Fig. 2; Fig. 7 is a vertical section of a stock roll and its liner roll in the Servicer; Fig. 8 is a wiring diagram for the motor which operates the intake mechanism of the Servicer; Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view illustrating several double-coated layers with intervening fabric, such as may be mounted on a storage roll or a band-building drum.

Referring rfirst to Fig. 1 of the drawings, I indicates the coating apparatus, I-00 the Servicer and 230 a conventional drum such as used in building of tires or bands.

Brieny, and as hereinafter more fully explained, the coating mechanism has abase I0 from which rise standards II carrying, by suitable brackets !2 and I3, two supply rolls I5 and I6 of rubber strip and associated liner strip and two take-up rolls I 'I and I8 for the freed liner strips. Intermediate of these two sets of rolls the standards II carry cross heads I4 and I9 (see Fig. 3) on which is mounted the mechanism for pressing the layers together and feeding the composite strip.

The fabric strip A is fed from a suitable source (not shown) through the coating apparatus, where a layer of rubber B pressed onto its upper surface or a layer B' pressed onto its lower surface, or both coatings are effected. After this, the composite strip designated C passes to the Servicer where it is wound up on a suitable storage roll. The rubber layers Bor B' on their respective rolls are interleaved by a strip of liner canvas which passes with the rubber layer to the fabric strip A, but after ,pressure is applied causing the rubber to adhere to the fabric is stripped from the rubber and passes, as indicated at D and D to receiving rolls for such liners.

As the composite strip C enters the Servicer a liner designated E: (Fig. '7) is fed from a ksuitable liner roll and wound up with the composite sprocket wheels -turret |06.

Yendless belts which 22 carries a cam 23 (Fig.

up on the -,nearly wound up on the Storage roller the the storage roll layers of fabric with rubbe r.fac-y ing, the different layers being Separatedfby the liner Sheet of the Servicer. The layers on the Servicer rolls may be similar to that indicated in the diagram,Fig. 9, whereE. would indicate the liners.

The storage rolls and rolls in the Servicer comprise two sets, which are mounted in a turret adapted to'be revolved 180 on a vertical axis. Thus one set of rolls, namely, the set at the left in Fig. 1, is in position to receive the stock while the other set atl'the right in this figure, is in positionto allow Athe discharge to the building drum.

The Servicer as shown may, for instance, be of the form shown and described in my Patent No. 2,242,810, issued May 20, 1941, and illustrated herein in Fig. 1, and in that case each set of stock 'rolls' rI0I yand associatedliner rolls |02 are mounted on endless chains |03 passing over |04 on shafts |05 journaled in a This turret is mounted on a vertical axis above a supporting frame |01. Suitable mechanism (not shown) is provided for turning the turret 180.

on the turret operate driverollers ||5 which may frictionally engage the lowermost stock rolls of the Servicer and thus rotate such roll in the direction to wind up the composite fabric thereon, as in the left handposition of Fig. 1, or in the direction to unwind it as in the right hand position, where the composite fabric C' passes A pair of motors downwardly to the tire building drum 200.

Resting in the bight of the fabric C, as it passes from the coater to the Servicer is a dancing roller 20 which is shown as mounted on arms 2i car- 4ried by a rock shaft 22 (Fig. 5) pivoted to the i9 of the coater. The shaft 2) which may actuate the motor IIO of the cross heads I4 and a switch 25 controlling( Servicer.

The composite fabric C, as it passes into the Servicer, passes across a roller |20 carried by a rocking frame and lpressed upwardly by a counter-weight l2 I. The fabric in being wound Servicer holds this roller depressed, as Shown in Fig. l, but when the strip has 'been weight of the strip on the counter-weight roller is so reduced that the counterweight Swings`the roller also in circuit to the 'motor I l0 to stop the winding operation. By properly Setting the counterweightY on the teeterbar, the Servicer may be Stopped when the fabricstill hangs down a foot their associated liner t of the Servicer to wind in AS the Servicer, when operating, pulls in the comupwardly. This movement opens a switch |25 Y l It will be seen that a circuit passes in Series through a manual switch designated26 through the Switch |25of the Servicer and through the switch 25 of theA coater. This manual Switch, Shown diagrammatically in Fig. 8, may con- 'veniently comprise a push button device on the edge of the feed table as Supported by the cross rising from the base I0. Y

In starting the operation, the fabric is led up the feed table 21 ofthe coater and coater motor 30 (Fig. 4) Vis energized by a manual Switch 3| to feed a suflicient length of composite fabric 21 of the coater, shown heads and a bracket 28 Figs. 2 and Y by momentum,

posite -Stripfsomewhat faster than it iS fed out by the coater,1such operation Shortens the festoon of the, composite Strip and thus raises the dancing roller-:to a point where it opens the Switch 25, which..l fops the loading movement of the Servicer.'"f'

It rwill' beseenthat the loading operation of the Servicer-is intermittent while the coater operates'cont" uously, but by operating the Servicer fasteryt'han the coater and periodically interrupting the -bperation by l the vfestoon-controlled switch, applicant'.v is able-to make the ultimate progress of the composite strip Substantially the same in the two machines.

I will-now give a specific description of the coating mechanism by which the continuous discharge of the coated fabric is obtained, reference being had to Figs. 2 to 6 inclusive.

Mounted on each of the vertical standards I| of thecoater frame are the brackets I2 and I3 heretofore mentioned which carry the supply rolls I5 Vand IB andthe liner rolls I1 and I8. Each bracket is a compound of two leaves each having projecting ears 40 embracing a vertical pin 4| carried by supporting ears 42 and 43 projecting from the standard II. In normal use, the bracket leaves align with each other and are locked in this position by notched latch bars 45 pivoted to the standard II and engaging the bracket leaves, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6.

Each bracket leaf |2 and I3 carries a pair of rollers 41 overlapping each other as shown in 6. Each of the supply and liner rolls is mounted on a Square Shaft 48 which has rounded end portions 49 resting in the Space between the peripheries of the two rollers 41. The different rolls thus are retained in position by gravity andare free torotate on the antifriction bearing provided by the rollers 41, though all of thel rolls' are prevented from undue turning by means hereinafter described.

Any stock or liner roll may be removed from the machine by endwise movement off of its Shaft by merely releasing the corresponding latch 45 rand swinging outwardly the corresponding leaf of the supporting bracket.

The feeding mechanism for the various layers which constitute the composite Strip is carried by the frame cross heads I4 and I9. This feeding mechanism comprises six rollers, designated 5I to 56 respectively, arranged in three vertical pairs. of which one member as 5 I, 54 and 55 is a smooth Surface metal roller and the other member as 152, 53 and 56 is covered with rubber or other yielding material. The shafts on which the rubber covered rollers areA tightly mounted are journaled in the cross heads and carry driving sprocket wheels, aS hereinafter explained. The smooth covered rollers 5I, 54 and 55 are each mounted on rocker arms 5|, 64 and 05 respectively, which are on rock shafts oscillatably mounted in the cross heads. These rock shafts carry at their outer ends rock arms 66, 61 and 68, as shown in Fig. 2. Connected to each of these rock arms is a piston rod 10 mounted in cylinders respectively member consisting fabric.

designated '11,154 and 15. 'Byadinitting .fluid to one end or the .other of these lcylindersithe Acorresponding pistons are operated wto rock the .rock

nism is preferably ,effected by compressed rair through 'suitable conduits '12 leading to opposite ends of the `cylinders from three suitably manually operated control valves, each .designated '16.

vThese control valves may 'be conveniently mounted on a bracket "i1 carried by the ntop cross member of `the 'frame and each maybe 4actuated by a.convenient'hand lever 18.

The fabric strip A extends between each Vpair .of feed rolls as shown in Fig. 4. One rubber lsheet designated B with its surmounting canvas liner D leads from the roller il 5 downwardly and loops in a bight about the swinging roller '51 which by pressure, effectedby the cylinder 'H and its piston and rock arm 66 afiixes the rubber surface tothe fabric strip A, while the `liner`D vpasses upwardly to its roll |11. .-Similarly, the rubber strip -B', with an underlying liner sheet, passes upwardly from .the roll I6 and extends 'in .a bight over the smooth roller 54 .and the 'liner D jpasses downwardly to the take-up roll I8. This strip, therefore.,rprovides for coating the undersurface of .the The final pair of rollers .55, 56 are 'for feeding the composite strip composed of the fabric A coated on one or both sides.

The turning of the rubber faced rollers 52, A53

.and 56, to effect the feeding operation abovementioned is caused by an endless sprocket 'chain 89 which engages sprocket wheels 8l on the shafts of the three rollers and also a driving sprocket 82 geared with the motor 30. Suitable extra sprockets 33 and 84 are provided 'to Vdivert .the course of the sprocket chain and make a "better engagement with certain of the sprocket wheels.

It will be seen that when the motor 30 is operated, each of .the rubber covered rollers '52, 53, 56 is rotated, all in the direction to have their 'surfaces which are adjacent the smooth rollsmoving toward the right in Fig. 4 to advance the strip.

As the same time that .the strip is advanced as just described, the .two `take-up rolls l1 and |'8 for the liners are rotated to wind in the liners'D and D as the same is freed .on thedischarge side of the rollers 5I and 54. vThis rotation ofthe take-up roll 'l1 is effected by a spring `belt 8.5 looped about a pulley on the shaft of the roller 52 and a pulley on .the shaft 48 of the .takemp'roll Similarly the take-up roll I8 'is rotatedby a spring belt 8S passing .about a vpulley on the Vshaft ofthe `roller 53 and apulley on .the shaft of thetake-up roll I'S.

It will be seen that when the motor 30 is operated all of the rolls of the three pairs `of "feed rolls Aare rotating and likewise the two take-up rolls so that the fabric with the liner "is drawn from either the roll I5 or the roll 16 or both -rolls Asimultaneously and pressed into Acontact with Athe fabric strip A and lthat such .coated strip is given the final feeding movement by the rotating `rollers '55 and .56, the rotating take-up rollers rolling up the liner as the feeding takesplace. The spring .belts 85 and .86 of the `takenip rolls allow slippage to compensate 'for 'the vincreasing radius of such .rolls as theybecome loaded.

However, whenever desired .the-liner rolls .may be ydisconnected .from Ythe drive effected .by the motor .30. This .is accomplished byactuating .one or the other of the shipper levers 91', Fig. '5, to

6 shift the l.corresponding driving-.pulley -51 Y-or 58 out of 'engagementwith anormally engaged driving 'head 159 tighten the shaft of theroller 52 or the roller `54 as the case maybe.

.Toprevent-undue'rotation bymomentum of the stock rolls f5 and Af6 "as `the lmaterial is pulled from them by the driven take-up rolls, I provide aifbrake on each stock lroll. These brakes consist of 'tension `'springs 90 and 9| yextending in a 'U-course about pulleys 92 land -93 tight of the 4shafts ofthe-two-stock rolls, such springs being anchored at ltheir ends to ystationary bars, as 94 and 95,\projectinglfrom-the frame of the machine.

To keep the vmaterial centered 4on the lstock rolls A|15 and 15, I-provide pairs of guides 9B `and 91 to engage the Vedges `oftlrxe stock. These guides are vadjustable in and out by being threadingly mounted on a 'horizontal right-and-left hand screw. Such screw is Kshown vin detail at 98 in Fig. '3 for lthe guides e5, and the screwfor the guides '91 `'is similar. The screws `may `be turned l'as desired lby cranks 99 on `their ends.

As 4my ccoating apparatus mayserve to lcharge vlall lof the relis of 'the servicer before the operation of the A-tire vbuilding drum has exhausted the ldelivery vrol-ls, it may be convenient -to have one coating lmachine serve -a number of rservice machines. 'To reffect this, `I 'may -provide lsupporting wheels 2 -on axles 3 and n'4 ycarried bythe base l0 of "the icoater frame on itsunderside. These 4wheels `trackon vrails-5 Aextending in a region at the front of the battery of servicers. On one of the Lwheel axles, I-prov-ifde'asprocket ywheel 6 connected by 'sprocket chain 1 with ya driving sprocket on Va motor 8 mounted on the frame Vl 0. The 'operation ofthis motor, under the control of a 'suitable switch, not shown, propels the Ventire vcoating yapparatus `in one direction vor the -other as desired. This 4same provision yallows the 'coater to'be rolled out ofthe Away when it Jis desired to feed uncoated fabric into the Servicer.

It Willibeseenthat have provided a comparatively simple coating apparatus suitable for use #withone or more serviccrs, with the feed to the v-servicer Aautomat-ical-ly controlled.

The control of the motor of the servicer by `a dancing .roller inthe festoon ofthe discharged r`composite lstrip allows the continuous operation of 'the coating -apparatus andthe corresponding intermittent operation of `the serVicer, so that the composite 'strip maybe wound up in the :Servicer as fast 'as discharged by thev coater. One of the advantages -of this operation is that one operator utakes ca-re of feeding the stock into lthe coater 4and attending to the serVicer.

My apparatus serves to press a `layer -of rubber `or (similar adhering material lsnugly vonto either side of a strip `of fabric, or onto both sides at the -same time, and'to feed such composite layer to 'the .adjacent Servicer, where `the 'same maybe wound Aup with a smaller member of liner sheets than formerly.

:By coating both sides `of the fabric so that such composite layer may Y*be placed as `a unit on the drum for ,building the 'band or tire with interposed strips of uncoated fabric, indicated at E 'in Fig. 9,1 reduce the number of 'rolling down operations at the edge of each layer, commonly .called "fstitching, and increase the speed of "building .up the band .or Lt'ire.

Iclaim.:

1. A system .of applying .one ormore layers of coating material to .a sheet of .fabric .during vthe v passage of 'the .fabric .towards .a .motor .driven roll upon which'it is wound, comprising pressing fabric and feeding such composite strip in. a fes- -toon to the motor driven roll, providing an electric switch for energizing the drivingfmotor of lthe roll and controlling the switch by the position of a floating member supported in theT bight 'of the festooned composite strip. Y v .j

2. An apparatus for applying a strip to either the upper or under face of a fabric strip comprising means for holding two spaced rolls of the material to be applied, an interrnediatelyv located feedermechanism for the fabric strip, and roller means` operatively disposed adjacent each face of the fabric` strip forcoaction in .directing a sheet to be applied from one rollv to one face of the fabric strip and La sheet to be applied to the other face from the other roll. to Vcontact with vthe fabric strip while the-same is 'being advanced.

3. A Yfabric coating apparatus comprising a base, a pair of standards rising therefrom, means carried by said standards for holding rolls of rubber strip one spaced above the other, cross heads carried by the standards on the intermediate regions between the rolls, two pairs of,cloacting feeding rollers carried by the crossv heads vwhereby one of the strips to be applied maybe looped around one of the rollers of the first pair andthe strip to be applied to the other face may be `looped around the otherroller of the second pair, and means for feeding a fabric strip past theA two pairs of coacting rollers vand between the 3 rubber strips.

4. In a machine for applying a rubber strip 'to a fabric strip, the combination of a, roll mounted on a fixed axis, a coacting roll mounted between a pair of rock arms and movable about a fixed axis toward and from the fixed roll a piston and cylinder couple, one memberof which is connected with the rock armsto shift the movable roll about the rock arm axis, means for controlling the pressure in the cylinder, whereby variable pressure may be obtained on a strip of material extending about the movable roll in contact with the fabric and means for rotating one y of the rolls of the pair to advance the composite strip.

5. The combination of a frame, a roller therein mounted on a fixed axis, mechanism for rotating said roller, a coacting roller mounted on a rocking frame for movement toward and away from the fixed roller, a pistonand-cylinder mechanism for operating the rocking frame about the axis whereby a strip of rubber looped around the movable roller may be pressed against a strip of fabric between the rollers, the driving of the fixed axis roller serving to cause the rotation of both rollers and the advancement of the4 composite strip.

6. The combination of a standard, two pairs of rolls carried thereby, the rolls of each pair being one above the other, the lower roll of one pairV being on a fixed axis and the upper vroll of the otherpair being on a fixed axis and the .other rolls of the two pairsv being. movable, means for Aguiding a fabric strip successively between therolls of the two pairs, means forrholding rubber strips in loops respectively about the movable rolls of the two pairs, and mechanism for operating the two movable rolls topress the rubber strip extending about the movableA roll against.

the fabric strip and feed the composite strip.

, 7. The combination of a frame, two pairs of Vrollers carried thereby, the rollersl of each pair being located one Vabove the other, means for Y positively driving Vthe lower roller ofone pair 'rubber strip comprising a roller on a fixed axis, Va

and the upper roller of thek other pair, pistonvand-'cylinder mechanisms for actuating the other two rollers of the pairs, means for carrying two rollsof sheet rubber with adjacent liner sheets in wound up form respectivelylabove and below said sets of rollers, whereby a sheet and liner ,from the upper roll may be looped about the lower .face of one of the movable rollers and the strip lmechanisms for operatingY the two movable lrollers, to press the two rubber strips against the fabric strip, and a pair of' manually operated valves for controlling the two piston and cylinder mechanisms.

. l 8. The combination of a frame, two pairs of coacting rollers carried by the frame, the rollers of each pair being one above the other, the lower roller` of one pair being on a fixed axis, the upper roller on-the other pair on the fixed axis, the ,other rollers on the two pairs being carriedby vrocking frames, means for supporting rolls of rubber'above and below the said rollers, whereby Va rubber strip from one roll may be loopedv around the underside of the upper` movably carried roller and a rubber strip from the lower roll may be looped around the upper side of the under movably carried roll, mechanism for rotating the two Axed axis rolls, and mechanism for pressing the two movable rolls toward the fixed axis rolls to coat the fabric strip on both sides and feed the same forwardly. l .Y

9. In an apparatus for coating fabric with a roller on a rocking frame adapted to b e moved towards and away from the fixed roller for coaction therewith, means for supporting a roll of rubber and adjacent liner, whereby such rubber strip and its liner may be looped about the movable roller, a roller for taking up the liner after the same has been freed from the pressure rollers, mechanism for pressing the movable roller on its rocking frame toward the fixed roller, mechanism for rotating one of the pressure rollers and .the take-up roller whereby rubber strip and liner is withdrawn from the supply roll and pressed against the fabric strip and the liner is discharged and wound up and the composite Vcoated fabric strip moved forward.

- 10. The combination of a frame, two pairs 'of feeding rollers carried thereby, each pair comprising a roller on a fixed axis andV a roller on a movable axis, the fixed-,axis rollerbeing the lower roller in one pair and the upper roller in the other pair, means for guiding a fabric strip to pass successively between the two pairs, means for looping two rubber strips around the two movable rollers, a driving motor having a sprocket wheel,

and an endless sprocket chain engaging said sprocket wheel and sprocket wheels on the two Arollers mounted on fixed axes.

ll..An apparatus for applying a rubber strip to a fabric striprcomprising a pair of rollers between which the fabric strip may pass, a roll having a wound-up course of rubber and having a liner which pass together in a loop about one lof the rollers, mechanism for pressing one of the rollers toward the other roller to press the rubber strip against the fabric strip, mechanism for continuously rotating one of said rollers to feed the composite strip, a take-up roller for the liner after it has cleared the pressure rollerA about which the liner loops, and a spring belt for rotating the take-up roller to wind up the liner While allowing slippage of the roller as the diameter of the Wound-up material increases.

12. The combination of a servicer device having stock receiving rolls, a coating device adapted to coat a strip of fabric, means for continuously progressing the fabric strip through the coating device and towards the Servicer device, other means for collecting the coated fabric onto the stock-receiving rolls of the Servicer device at a rate faster than the fabric strip progresses through the coating device, and means coacting with the coated fabric strip as it passes from the coating device to the Servicer device to periodically interrupt the fabric collecting means and thereby make the ultimate progress of the coated strip substantially the same in both devices.

HENRY C. BOSTWICK.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Keller June 13, 1893 Forsberg July 9, 1907 Waring Dec. 16, 1913 Foothorap June 30, 1925 Pfeier Mar. 21, 1933 Stacey Dec. 25, 1934 Hild Jan. 14, 1941 Bostwick May 18, 1948 Kuier Dec. 6, 1949 Kastner Sept. 12, 1950 Cleland et al Mar. 4, 1952

Images