US3866875A - Method and apparatus for support of sheet material - Google Patents

Method and apparatus for support of sheet material Download PDF

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Publication number
US3866875A
US3866875A US330103A US33010373A US3866875A US 3866875 A US3866875 A US 3866875A US 330103 A US330103 A US 330103A US 33010373 A US33010373 A US 33010373A US 3866875 A US3866875 A US 3866875A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
ports
sheet
pressure
air
stoppers
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US330103A
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English (en)
Inventor
Yves Fournier
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Saint Gobain Industries SA
Compagnie de Saint Gobain SA
Original Assignee
Compagnie de Saint Gobain SA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Compagnie de Saint Gobain SA filed Critical Compagnie de Saint Gobain SA
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3866875A publication Critical patent/US3866875A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G49/00—Conveying systems characterised by their application for specified purposes not otherwise provided for
    • B65G49/05—Conveying systems characterised by their application for specified purposes not otherwise provided for for fragile or damageable materials or articles
    • B65G49/06—Conveying systems characterised by their application for specified purposes not otherwise provided for for fragile or damageable materials or articles for fragile sheets, e.g. glass
    • B65G49/061—Lifting, gripping, or carrying means, for one or more sheets forming independent means of transport, e.g. suction cups, transport frames
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G49/00—Conveying systems characterised by their application for specified purposes not otherwise provided for
    • B65G49/05—Conveying systems characterised by their application for specified purposes not otherwise provided for for fragile or damageable materials or articles
    • B65G49/06—Conveying systems characterised by their application for specified purposes not otherwise provided for for fragile or damageable materials or articles for fragile sheets, e.g. glass
    • B65G49/063—Transporting devices for sheet glass
    • B65G49/064—Transporting devices for sheet glass in a horizontal position
    • B65G49/065—Transporting devices for sheet glass in a horizontal position supported partially or completely on fluid cushions, e.g. a gas cushion
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H23/00—Registering, tensioning, smoothing or guiding webs
    • B65H23/04—Registering, tensioning, smoothing or guiding webs longitudinally
    • B65H23/24—Registering, tensioning, smoothing or guiding webs longitudinally by fluid action, e.g. to retard the running web
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H5/00—Feeding articles separated from piles; Feeding articles to machines
    • B65H5/22—Feeding articles separated from piles; Feeding articles to machines by air-blast or suction device
    • B65H5/222—Feeding articles separated from piles; Feeding articles to machines by air-blast or suction device by suction devices
    • B65H5/224—Feeding articles separated from piles; Feeding articles to machines by air-blast or suction device by suction devices by suction belts
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G2249/00—Aspects relating to conveying systems for the manufacture of fragile sheets
    • B65G2249/04—Arrangements of vacuum systems or suction cups
    • B65G2249/045—Details of suction cups suction cups
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2406/00—Means using fluid
    • B65H2406/10—Means using fluid made only for exhausting gaseous medium
    • B65H2406/11—Means using fluid made only for exhausting gaseous medium producing fluidised bed
    • B65H2406/112—Means using fluid made only for exhausting gaseous medium producing fluidised bed for handling material along preferably rectilinear path, e.g. nozzle bed for web

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT Sheet material e.g., strip
  • panels provided with a first plurality of apertures connecting to a source of suction to maintain a sub-ambient pressure between the sheet and panel over a central area of the upper surface of the sheet and a second plurality of apertures connecting to a source of pressure to maintain a supra-ambient pressure over a surrounding peripheral area of the upper surface of the sheet.
  • the present invention pertains to gaseous support of material in strip or sheet form, optionally flexible, and particularly to the gaseous support of thermoplastic materials such as glass. It is an object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus for the generation of gaseous cushions or bearings for such support. While in general any gas may be used in the invention, reference will hereinafter for brevity be made to air only.
  • a device for producing a suction or negative pressure type air cushion therefore comprises essentially a plurality of outlet ports for exhausting air from the region of interest, connected through conduits of suitable flow resistance to a source of negative pressure.
  • the supporting regions of the cushion operated at subatmospheric pressure are surrounded by a stabilizing belt at supra-atmospheric pressure, or in any event at a pressure higher than the ambient one.
  • the inlet openings, for supply of air to the air cushion, and in particular those supplying air at the peripheral regions of the cushion receive air at supra-ambient pressure.
  • the apparatus of the invention comprises at least one panel disposed crosswise of the direction of motion of the sheet (in the case of a moving strip to be supported). lnlet and exhaust ports open onto the smooth lower surface of the panel, below which the strip or sheet is to be supported, with the inlet openings, supplied with air at supraatmospheric pressure, occupying generally a peripheral area of the panel surrounding a central area occupied by the exhaust ports at which a sub-ambient pressure is maintained.
  • Plural such panels may be disposed side by side in suitable number so as to constitute a surface which may be either plane, or of desired curvature with the purpose of making it possible for the sheet to be shifted in level.
  • the ports may be disposed in rows, the rows being grouped in pairs with each inlet row corresponding to an exhaust row. It is further possible to dispose the ports in diagonal fashion with respect to each other for the purpose of avoiding all risk of marking of the sheet, either on start-up or during operation.
  • the panel or panels may comprise two groups each of two rows of complementary inlet and exhaust ports, the rows extending transversely of the direction of mo tion of the sheets or strip. These rows of ports may be rectilinear and may be disposed transversely or at right angles to that direction.
  • each of these inlet and outlet ports is formed as a slot left between a borein the panel and a stopper inserted in the bore and incompletely closing it.
  • the bore may include a counterbore at the exposed surface of the panel.
  • the stopper may have a longitudinal slot or fiat along its length so as not to fill the bore, and it may have a head with a flat incompletely filling the counterbore.
  • a narrow channel which opens via a zig-zag or labyrinth into a chamber of larger section which is disposed on the side of the head of the stopper. It is convenient to provide this channel by machining flats on the stopper.
  • the inlet and exhaust ports thus take, at the exposed surface of the panel, the form of circular segments, preferably disposed with their limiting chords in a direction essentially parallel to that of the rows of ports and therefore perpendicular to the sense of motion of the sheet. Differences of temperature, either imposed or accidental, may exist between the sheet and the circulating air of the cushion.
  • the ports i.e., the segments
  • the ports may be inclined to this direction by an angle which is below 30 and is preferably between and
  • the stoppers which help to define the inlet and exhaust ports may be flush with the surface of the panel or they may lie above that surface, i.e., be farther than that surface from the sheets being supported.
  • the inlet and outlet ports may be formed with stoppers having similar heads, but the exhaust ports are of greater cross section so as to present a smaller resistance to the flow of air.
  • the ratio of the two cross sections may be of the order of two.
  • FIG. 1 is a vertical section taken on the line I-I in FIG. 4 through a panel in accordance with the invention and through a sheet supported by it;
  • FIG. 2 is a diagram showing air pressure in the space between the panel and sheet of FIG. 1 as a function of position crosswise of the panel;
  • FIG. 3 is a view in perspective of the panel sectioned along the line IIIIII of FIG. 4;
  • FIG. 4 is a plan view of the panel from beneath, showing a presently preferred distribution of inlet and outlet ports and showing how a plurality of panels may be associated together;
  • FIG. 5 is a sectional view at an enlarged scale of one of the ports, showing how the port is defined between an aperture in the panel and a stopper partly closing the aperture;
  • FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the stopper of FIG. 5.
  • the invention includes a plate 1 whose lower face 2 adjacent the sheets 3 to be supported is smooth.
  • the plate includes rows of exhaust ports or openings 4 and inlet ports or openings 5 for passage of a gas, which may be air, to provide the gaseous cushion for support of the sheet 3.
  • the plate 1 is fixed to a body 7 in which are provided chambers or manifolds 8 and 9.
  • Center chamber 8 communicating with ports 4 over a central area of plate 1, connects by a conduit or conduits 10 with a source of suction, schematically indicated as a pump 6.
  • the plate 1, with its stoppers 15 presently to be described, and the member 7, make up a panel according to the invention, generally indicated at reference character 24. A number of such panels may be combined, as seen in FIG. 4. In FIG. 1 the sheet may move from left to right or from right to left.
  • FIG. 2 indicates schematically, for the space between the plate 1 and the sheet 3 of FIG. I, the variation in pressure with position crosswise of the panel.
  • pressure is plotted vertically and crosswise position horizontally, zero pressure signifying the ambient or atmospheric pressure. The average pressure is seen to be below ambient. At the edge of the panel, the pressure is atmospheric. It rises to a supra-atmospheric maximum at the inletor supply ports 5, and declines to a minimum, below atmospheric, opposite the exhaust ports 4.
  • the plate 1 includes for the ports 4 and 5 cylindrical openings or bores 13 which extend from the chambers 8 and 9 down to counterbores 14 of larger. diameter. These counterbores constitute chambers open to the working face 2 of the panel.
  • the stoppers 15 are disposed in passages defined by the bores and counterbores. Each stopper has a stem 15' and a head 12 disposed respectively in one of the bores 13 and counterbores l4. Flats l6 and 17 are formed on the stem and head, joined at a fillet 18 which constitutes a plane surface perpendicular to those flats and which leaves a free space between the stopper and the wall 19, which latter constitutes the bottom of the counterbore.
  • the space 20 between the flat l6 and the bore 13, the space 22 between the fillet 18 and the bottom 19 of the counterbore, and the space 21 between the flat l7 and the counterbore thus form together a port or passage of zig-zag or slightly labyrinthine shape.
  • the flats 16 are wider than on the stoppers of the inlet ports 5, so that the passages 20 are of greater flow cross section in the exhaust than in the inlet ports.
  • the pressure change in the exhaust ports 4 between the chamber 8 and the surface 2 of the plate 1 may be as little as one-fifth of the pressure change in the inlet ports 5 between the chambers 9 and the surface 2.
  • the stoppers may include at the upper end of their stem a bevelled portion 23.
  • the inlet and exhaust ports may be disposed diagonally with respect to each other.
  • Apparatus for the support of sheet material from above against the force of gravity comprising a plate having a plurality of exhaust ports there through for the aspirated exhaust of gas from beneath said plate and having a plurality of inlet ports therethrough for supply of gas through the plate to the space below it, said inlet ports being disposed at least in part on opposite sides of said exhaust ports, a stopper partly obturating each of said ports, the stoppers in the inlet ports being of a different size from those in the outlet ports means to maintain a sub-ambient pressure at said exhaust ports and means to maintain a supra-ambient pressure at said inlet ports.
  • apertures comprise a bore and counterbore and wherein said stoppers comprise a stem and a head respectively partially filling said bore and counterbore.
  • chords limiting said segments are inclined at an angle between 0 and 30 to the direction perpendicular to the direction of motion of said material.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Advancing Webs (AREA)
  • Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)
  • Invalid Beds And Related Equipment (AREA)
US330103A 1972-02-10 1973-02-06 Method and apparatus for support of sheet material Expired - Lifetime US3866875A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR7204433A FR2171644A5 (xx) 1972-02-10 1972-02-10

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3866875A true US3866875A (en) 1975-02-18

Family

ID=9093266

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US330103A Expired - Lifetime US3866875A (en) 1972-02-10 1973-02-06 Method and apparatus for support of sheet material

Country Status (10)

Country Link
US (1) US3866875A (xx)
JP (1) JPS4948082A (xx)
BE (1) BE795260A (xx)
DE (1) DE2306263A1 (xx)
FR (1) FR2171644A5 (xx)
GB (1) GB1420023A (xx)
IT (1) IT978970B (xx)
NL (1) NL7301773A (xx)
NO (1) NO133888C (xx)
SE (1) SE399872B (xx)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0277683A2 (en) * 1987-02-03 1988-08-10 SOCIETA' ITALIANA VETRO- SIV-SpA Process and device for applying forces to glass sheets, in particular at a high temperature
US20080041526A1 (en) * 2006-08-16 2008-02-21 Pass Thomas P Single-sided etching
EP2779882A1 (en) * 2011-11-18 2014-09-24 NIKE Innovate C.V. Switchable plate manufacturing vaccuum tool
US11273514B2 (en) 2011-11-18 2022-03-15 Nike, Inc. Multi-functional manufacturing tool

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4892243A (en) * 1988-09-21 1990-01-09 Eastman Kodak Company Air-bearing center-guiding apparatus and method
CN110255189A (zh) * 2019-06-10 2019-09-20 安徽鸿玻玻璃科技有限公司 一种异形玻璃的装载装置

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2781554A (en) * 1956-03-02 1957-02-19 Tile Council Of America Method and apparatus for making tile panels
US3220723A (en) * 1963-09-25 1965-11-30 Control Data Corp Suction pick up with air bearing
US3267798A (en) * 1963-10-04 1966-08-23 Itek Corp Support and transport system

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2781554A (en) * 1956-03-02 1957-02-19 Tile Council Of America Method and apparatus for making tile panels
US3220723A (en) * 1963-09-25 1965-11-30 Control Data Corp Suction pick up with air bearing
US3267798A (en) * 1963-10-04 1966-08-23 Itek Corp Support and transport system

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0277683A2 (en) * 1987-02-03 1988-08-10 SOCIETA' ITALIANA VETRO- SIV-SpA Process and device for applying forces to glass sheets, in particular at a high temperature
EP0277683A3 (en) * 1987-02-03 1989-12-13 Italiana Vetro-Siv-Spa Societa' Process and device for applying forces to glass sheets, in particular at a high temperature
US20080041526A1 (en) * 2006-08-16 2008-02-21 Pass Thomas P Single-sided etching
EP2779882A1 (en) * 2011-11-18 2014-09-24 NIKE Innovate C.V. Switchable plate manufacturing vaccuum tool
EP2779882B1 (en) * 2011-11-18 2018-07-18 NIKE Innovate C.V. Switchable plate manufacturing vaccuum tool
US11273514B2 (en) 2011-11-18 2022-03-15 Nike, Inc. Multi-functional manufacturing tool
US11389972B2 (en) 2011-11-18 2022-07-19 Nike, Inc. Manufacturing tool with selective activation of pickup zones
US11911893B2 (en) 2011-11-18 2024-02-27 Nike, Inc. Manufacturing tool

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2171644A5 (xx) 1973-09-21
NO133888B (xx) 1976-04-05
SE399872B (sv) 1978-03-06
BE795260A (fr) 1973-08-09
NL7301773A (xx) 1973-08-14
JPS4948082A (xx) 1974-05-09
DE2306263A1 (de) 1973-08-23
IT978970B (it) 1974-09-20
GB1420023A (en) 1976-01-07
NO133888C (xx) 1976-07-14

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