US3125268A

US3125268A - bartholomay

Info

Publication number: US3125268A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1964-03-17
Anticipated expiration: 1981-03-17

Description

March 17, 1964 Filed March '7, 1963 VR. P. BARTHOLOMAY 3,125,268

WEB INVERTER ARRANGEMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 RT R BARTHOLOMAY ROBE INVENTOR.

BY 7.. '1 9M ATTORNEYS March 17, 1964 R. P. BARTHOLOMAY 3,125,268

WEB INVERTER ARRANGEMENT Filed March 7, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTOR/VE Y5 of New Jersey Filed Mar. 7, 1963, Ser. No. 263,578 14 Claims. (Cl. 226-97) This invention relates to a web inverter and, more particularly, to an air cushion web inverter device useful for inverting webs having a surface which might be damaged by physical contact.

In the manufacture of webs, particularly webs which are coated with materials subject to smearing or scratching considerations, it has been the practice to dry these webs, usually on conveyors, until they may be handled without damage. One approach to the problem has been to coat or print only one side of the web, whereby the other side of the web may be transported in contact with rollers without damage to the web. However, such an arrangement prevents coating of both sides of a web material while a first coated side is still too soft or wet for handling. This problem is particularly acute in photographic film manufacture where it is normal practice to apply one or more coatings to each side of a base or support web. Using prior art arrangements, the web is usually hung on loop conveyers which transport it through a dryer With sufficient duration to dry at first coating before a second coating may be applied. Another approach to the problem has been to twist the web which, with a web of substantial width such as 48", results in rather large equipment and many square feet of floor space.

Therefore, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a reliable and compact air cushion web inverter.

One embodiment of the present invention utilizes a hollow equilateral triangular web inverter having a plurality of apertures throughout the path of a web wrapped therearound. Air supplied to the hollow inverter passes through apertures to impinge upon and support a wet or soft surface of the web being inverted, with the web following a tortuous path including three 120 inversion bends whereby the web is ultimately inverted in a substantially straightline continuous path.

The subject matter which is regarded as my invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of this specification. The invention, however, as to its organization and operation together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side plan view of the web during its path over theweb inverter;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of one embodiment of the web inverter of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side plan view of the web inverter of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a detail sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIG. 2 illustrating one conduit arrangement;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the conduit arrangement; and

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, in which like numbers refer to similar parts, a soft web 16 having a smearable or soft lower surface is inverted as shown in FIG. 1 by moving from left to right as follows: The far side of the soft web 10 initially folds over a first curved portion 12 (FIG. 2) of the inverter and shortly thereafter the intermediate section and near side also fold over the curve 12. Thus inverted, the soft web 10 moves forward (out of the paper) with the near side first'engaging and mov- United States Patent 0 "ice ing over a second curved portion 13 (FIG. 2) of the inverter. Lastly, the near side of the soft web (now being the far side) again first inverts at the curved region as at 14 whereby the web has been inverted in a straightline path.

This action is more easily seen in FIG. 2, where the soft web 10 is shown in phantom with its position being under control of lateral positioning means 15 which present the soft web 10 to the equilateral inverter 16 in a line parallel to one side, such as the curved side 13. As will be understood by analogy to light reflections, the web is also presented so that its center line effectively follows paths in each lap which are equidistant from the center of the inverter 16. The inverter 16, in accordance with the present invention, is shown in solid lines and is provided with enclosed cut-off

portions

17, 18 and 19 at the three corners to provide suitable conduit access area so that air pressure may be provided within the inverter. These corner cut-off

regions

17, 18 and 19 also provide useful support access regions at points remote from the web path.

The far side of the web 10, as referred to in connection with FIG. 1, is designated A and shown at the top of the input portion of FIG. 2, and the near side is designated B. The soft web 10 is one which has at least a lower surface which may be damaged by contact with solids. It proceeds over the top surface of the inverter 16 in a first lap of travel with the side A first reaching the curved portion 12. Later, side B finishes its first lap and moves over the curved portion 12. Slide B has a longer travel distance over the top surface and shorter distance in a second lap of travel beneath the inverter 16, as indicated by the dashed lines A and B. The side B first reaches the curved portion 13 with the side A having travelled a greater distance. With reference to the last curved portion 14, the side A now travels the shorter distance in the third lap of travel, whereby it is inverted by the curved portion 14 prior to side B". Thus, the soft web 19 leavesthe inverter 16 in a fourth lap of travel, having sides A' and B, reversed by comparison to sides A and B. By using the equilateral configuration and the controlled presentation, the soft web 10 has been inverted with sides A and B traveling equal distances and side 13'' aligned with side A. Such inversion leaves the soft surface of the web 10 on top whereby the lower surface may be processed without waiting for additional drying of the soft surface, now on top. It is fairly obvious that at least some tension must be maintained on the soft web 10 during its inversion. However, the tensioning means is most often within downstream processing equipment, which is not a portion of the present invention.

Initially, the soft-web 10 is engaged and supported by air flowing from a plurality of apertures or orifices in

rows

20, 21, 22, 23 and 24. The provision of rows of apertures which remain aligned throughout all four laps of travel, as distinguished from random apertures, allows valving control of each row whereby webs of substantially different widths may be transported with equal facility by the inverter 16. Thus, each of the rows 20-24 supports a particular lateral section of the web throughout its traversal of the inverter. Usually, since air will tend to escape more rapidly from the outermost rows, the air pressure applied to the outer rows will be greater than that applied to the inner rows.

As is shown more clearly in FIG. 3, the inverter 16 is stepped so that the soft web 10 does not rub upon itself during its passage in the overlapping laps of the present inversion process. An input step 26 supporting the soft web surface during its first lap of travel is substantially above a base plate surface 28 supporting the web in its third lap. Also, an output step 30 supporting the web during its fourth lap of travel is substantially below the bed plate surface 32 supporting the web on its second lap. The depth of the

steps

26 and 30 is determined by the tension in the soft Web 10 as well as its thickness and width. Usually one inch will be suflicient for the step 26, with the step 30 being similar or larger de pending on the expected droop of the web in the second lap of travel compared to the droop in the fourth lap.

Referring now to FIG. 4, one valving control arrangement is illustrated wherein each of the rows 20-24 is supplied by

separate conduit nozzles

34, 35, 36, 37 and 38, respectively. The conduit nozzles each supply fluid such as air to each of the apertures of the rows 20-24. If desired, this air may be heated or cooled to process further the soft surface. The air is supplied to the conduit nozzles 34-38 through

conduits

40, 41, 42, 43 and 44, each of which is coupled by a

control valve

46, 47, 48, 49 and 50, respectively, to a pressure tank 52. When it is desired to transport a web having a maximum width over the air cushion web inverter 16 of my invention, all valves 46-50 will be opened at least partially to provide an air cushion support of the full width of the web. If, on the other hand, a smaller web is transported having, for instance, a width 60% that of the maximum width web, only three out of five of the valves 46-50 would be open, preferably with the ones on the extreme

lateral positions

46 and 50 being closed so that the web may be transported over the central portion of the inverter 16. Such central transport will maintain alignment of the web input and output sections. However, with the several access regions or

corners

17, 18 and 19 being assembled for allowing conduits as well as support, the web may be transported on fewer than all of the rows of apertures and one or more of the valves at one end may be closed without developing damaging unbalance of the system.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the rows of orifices 20-24 have been eliminated and the surface of the web inverter 16 is made with small porous openings or apertures with porous strips 20', 21', 22', 23' and 24 again having air supplied selectively through the conduit nozzles 34-38 and valves 46-50. This arrangement also provides support to individual regions or rows so that webs of various widths may be transported with facility. FIG. also illustrates air loss reduction flanges 54 which tend to reduce the loss of air from the outer rows of apertures. I prefer that these flanges 54 be substantially below the soft surface of the web in one embodiment wherein the web is of a predetermined width. In another embodiment wherein the web 10 is of a fixed width, the flanges 54 extend slightly above the edges of the web to provide guide means throughout the length of the tortuous path traversed thereby. When using such flanges 54, I prefer to omit substantially all of the intermediate apertures of the rows 21-23 or 21-23 and provide air only at the beginning and end of the tortuous path except for the

outer rows

20 and 24 or 20' and 24.

Referring now to FIG. 6, a 45 right angle, triangular inverter 16 is illustrated for use in applications where it is preferred to slightly offset the path of the soft web 10 in the inversion process. In other words, the output side A of the fourth lap output is no longer aligned with the input side A. It is fairly obvious that the amount of offset attainable by use of the inverter 1-6 is controllable by varying the design. Also, it is apparent that only one step portion 30 is required in this configuration and that this step portion, although shown as the output step, could be on the input step by simply reversing the direction of movement of the web 10 on the construction illustrated. In using this embodiment, the Web 10 is presented perpendicular to the hypotenuse. Another detail that differs from the construction shown in FIG. 2 is the access region 17 which may be made substantially larger than is usually convenient with the equilateral construction.

By analogy to optical reflections, other triangular configurations will invert the soft web 10 and will usually tend to change its line of motion. However, the selection of the line of presentation of the web to an acute triangular inverter configuration will result in alignment or paralleling of the input and output laps. Moreover, the directing of the soft web 10 toward the inverter 16 at an angle other than perpendicular to the hypotenuse will result in the fourth lap being other than parallel to the first lap. However, this is not usually desirable in standard flow processes where it is most often the case that equipments are most conveniently placed in lines parallel to the sides of a building.

While I have shown and described particular embodiments of the present invention, other modifications may occur to those skilled in this art. For instance, when my invention is used in an established process wherein the width of the soft web 10 may not be reasonably expected to be varied, the rows of apertures 20-24 may be made random, the conduit nozzles 34-38 may be omitted, and all but one of the conduits 40-44 and the valves 46-50 may be omitted. In such an arrangement, I prefer that the peripheral apertures be either larger or more dense than the inner ones. Moreover, with wide Webs, the apertures in the region of the second lap should be reduced to conserve air because of some expected droop of the web 10. Preferably, a portion of the apertures should be omitted, especially in the region adjacent to side A, as this part of the web 10 tends to droop the most, whereby gravity will accomplish separation of the web from the surface 32. Also, the configuration of FIG. 6, for example, will reverse the soft web 10 without inversion if the fourth lap is omitted. I intend, therefore, to have the appended claims cover all modifications which fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A web inverter arrangement for inverting a web having at least one soft surface comprising:

a hollow body portion having a triangular, equilateral cross section and defining a plurality of surface apertures throughout a tortuous path therearound having a first, second, third and fourth lap portion with alternate laps overlapping and with curved portions between each of the laps;

means for presenting a web to said body portion so that it may follow said tortuous path lap by lap;

an input step portion defining the level of the first lap and having a thickness sufficient to prevent contact of the web upon itself while traversing both the first lap and the third lap;

a second similar step portion defining the level of the fourth lap to separate the second from the fourth lap; and

means for controlling air pressure within said hollow body to develop an air cushion between said web and said body by means of the apertures.

2. A soft web inverter arrangement comprising:

a hollow body having triangular, equilateral crosssection and defining surface openings throughout a tortuous path therearound having a first, second, third and fourth lap portion with curved portions between each of the laps;

guide means for presenting a soft web to said body so that it may follow said tortuous path lap by lap;

an input step portion defining the level of the first lap and having a thickness sufiicient to prevent contact of the web upon itself while traversing both the first lap and the third lap;

means for controlling air pressure within said hollow body at a level forcing air through the openings to support the soft web throughout the tortuous path.

3. A web inverter as defined in claim 2 in which said guide means is arranged to present the soft web parallel to a second of the curved portions so that the first and fourth laps are parallel.

4. A web inverter arrangement comprising:

a hollow body having a triangular cross section and defining a plurality of rows of surface apertures extending throughout a tortuous path therearound having a first, second, third and fourth lap portion with curved portions between each of the laps;

guide means for presenting a web to said body so that it may follow said tortuous path lap by lap;

an input step portion defining the level of the first lap and being of a thickness sufiicient to prevent contact of the web upon itself while traversing both the first lap and the third lap; and

means for selectively controlling air pressure applied to each of the rows of apertures to regulate the support: provided to each of the lateral portions of the we 5. A web inverter arrangement as defined in claim 4 in which the tortuous path has the first and fourth laps parallel.

6. A web inverter arrangement as defined in claim 5 in which the first and fourth laps are aligned.

7. A web inverter arrangement comprising:

a hollow body of a generally triangular cross section, said body defining a plurality of surface apertures throughout a tortuous path therearound so that a web following such path will fold upon itself three times;

a step portion on said body of a thickness sufiicient to prevent contact of the web upon itself when traversing said body in an overlapping relationship; and

means for developing air pressure within said body sufficient to support the web throughout the region of the tortuous path defined by the apertures.

8. A web inverter arrangement as defined in claim 7 in which the surface apertures define a tortuous path in which a first and last lap thereof are aligned and means are provided to present the web to said hollow body so that it follows such tortuous path.

9. A web inverter arrangement comprising:

a hollow body of a generally 45 right triangular plan cross section, said body defining a plurality of surface apertures throughout a tortuous path therearound so that a web following such path will fold upon itself three times during traversal of four distinct laps;

means for guiding the web so that it approaches the surface apertures of said body along a path perpendicular to the hypotenuse thereof whereby the fourth lap is similarly perpendicular to the hypotenuse;

means for developing air pressure within said body sufficient to support the web over the surface apertures throughout the region of the tortuous path.

10. A web inverter arrangement comprising:

a hollow body of a 45 right triangular plan cross section, said body defining a plurality of rows of surface apertures throughout a tortuous path therearound such that a soft web following such path will fold upon itself three times during traversal of four distinct laps;

means for guiding the soft web so that it approaches said body to enter such path perpendicular to the hypotenuse of the right triangular portion thereof whereby the fourth lap is similarly perpendicular to the hypotenuse;

a step portion on said body of a thickness sufiicient to prevent contact of the soft web upon itself when traversing said body in an overlapping relationship; and

means for developing air pressure within said body in the region of each of the rows of surface apertures selectively sufficient to support the soft web throughout the length of the tortuous path in accordance with the width of the soft web.

11. A web inverter arrangement comprising:

a step portion defining the level of one of the laps and being of a thickness sufficient to prevent contact of the soft web upon itself while traversing both the one lap and another overlapping lap; and

means for selectively controlling air pressure applied to each of the rows of apertures to regulate the support provided to each of the lateral portions of the soft web in accordance with the width of the web and its position laterally over the tortuous path.

12. A web inverter arrangement as set forth in claim 11 in which said guide means is arranged to present the soft web at an angle such that the first lap and the fourth lap are parallel.

13. A web inverter arrangement comprising:

a hollow body having a triangular cross section and defining a plurality of surface apertures extending throughout a tortuous path therearound having a first, second, third and fourth lap portion with curved portions between each of the laps;

a step portion defining the level of one of the laps and being of a thickness sufficient to prevent contact of the soft web upon itself while traversing both the one lap and another overlapping lap;

means for selectively controlling air pressure applied to the apertures to regulate the support provided to the soft web; and

flanges along the outer edge of the tortuous path for reducing the lateral loss of air.

14. A web inverter arrangement comprising:

a step portion defining the level of one of the laps and being of a thickness suflicient to prevent contact of the soft web upon itself while traversing both the one lap and another overlapping lap;

means for selectively controlling air pressure applied to each of the rows of apertures to regulate the support provided to each of the lateral portions of the soft web in accordance with the width of the web and its position laterally over the tortuous path; and

Taylor June 10, 1884 Meyer May 31, 1929

Claims

7. A WEB INVERTER ARRANGEMENT COMPRISING: A HOLLOW BODY OF A GENERALLY TRIANGULAR CROSS SECTION, SAID BODY DEFINING A PLURALITY OF SURFACE APERTURES THROUGHOUT A TORTUOUS PATH THEREAROUND SO THAT A WEB FOLLOWING SUCH PATH WILL FOLD UPON ITSELF THREE TIMES; A STEP PORTION ON SAID BODY OF A THICKNESS SUFFICIENT TO PREVENT CONTACT OF THE WEB UPON ITSELF WHEN TRAVERSING SAID BODY IN AN OVERLAPPING RELATIONSHIP; AND MEANS FOR DEVELOPING AIR PRESSURE WITHIN SAID BODY SUFFICIENT TO SUPPORT THE WEB THROUGHOUT THE REGION OF THE TORTUOUS PATH DEFINED BY THE APERTURES.