US2094349A - Coating and feeding device - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 28, 193 7.

F. P. CARLSO COATING AND FEEDING Filed May 8, 19

DEVICE INVENTOR. Han/r1? (22213022 ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 1937 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,094,349 coa'rme m FEEDING DEVICE mm P. Carlson, New York, N. Y.

Application May 8, 1935, Serial No. 29,347

.7 Claims.

This invention relates broadly to coating and feeding devices and forms a continuation in part of my application Serial No. 732,782, filed by me June 28th, 1934, under the heading Double and single coating device.

In the above mentioned application, there is disclosed an apparatus for coating and manipulating work in the form of relatively soft, pliable, thin, individual sheets, possessing either very little or no stiffness of their own, and which work is intended to be coated in an endless, close succession, similating the coating of a continuous web, all without the necessity of gripping the individual sheets prior to, during or after'the coating operation.

The presently known methods of coating work in the form of individual sheets apply principally to sheets having a natural body stiffness or rigidity, that is to say, work sheets of a relatively heavy body, such as cardboard, metal sheets and the like. Such sheets may be relatively easily handled prior to, during and after a coating operation. They are not easily subject to deformations during the feeding and coating processes, andwill readily stripf, that is, they will not adhere to the devices by means of which the coating is applied to them, due to their natural stiifness.

In heretofore well known devices for coating soft, .pliable, firmness-lacking sheets, so-called grippers" are employed for propelling the sheets during many or all stages of such operations, which grippers not only leave undesirable marks upon the coated work, but the use of which grippers" preclude a rapid, continuous operation, such as is possible when coating a continuous web. a

The present invention deals with the process of applying a coating to work, consisting of individual, soft, pliable, thin sheets of material, which lack a natural stiffness, without the use of grippers, which work would be unsuitable and impossible to handle by heretofore known coating devices, unlessv grippers were employed.

Therefore, the principal object of this invention is the process of applying a coating, be it in the form of gumming, varnishing, printing or the like, to work consisting of individual, thin, soft, pliable sheets, possessing relatively little stiffness of their own, producing such coating in a. continuous succession, so as to similate the coating of a continuous web, all without the employment of grippers for propelling the work prior to the coating operation, while being coated, and when discharged after the coating operation.

Another important object of this invention is to provide suitable means for handling work of the above stated nature without the use of grippers, and whereby the individual sheets are constantly maintained under desired control, from the time they leave the place where they are stacked, until the point when they are discharged after having been coated.

Another important object of this invention is to provide means for accurately controlling the position, the approach and the timing of each individual sheet, while the work is fed into the machine and through the device in close success1on.

The foregoing and a number of other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the ensuing descrlption, in connection with the appended diagrammatical drawing, which latter serves more or less for explanatory purposes only, and which therefore is not intended to limit my invention to the specific structure shown, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a preferred form of my device, and

Figure 2 is a fragmental end elevation, as seen from the stack end of my device.

In thefigures, numeral l0 denotes a well or container, partially filled with a liquid medium, such as ink, glue, varnish or any other applicable substance, indicated at H. Numeral l2 denotes a relatively long supply elevating roller or cylinder, which partially extends into the liquid l I. Adjacent to roller l2, and adjustable relative thereto, is a doctor roller l3, by means of which the amount or thickness of liquid, elevated from the well, is governed. I

Numeral ll denotes one or a plurality of ad Justable, primary applying rollers, which are in cooperating contact with supply roller l2.

Numeral I 5 indicates one or more secondary applying rollers which are in cooperating contact with primary applying rollers ll. These secondary applying rollers are also adjustable and their number corresponds to the number of primary applying rollers l4. I

Numeral l6 denotes reciprocating distributing rollers, in operative contact with secondary applying rollers l5. Rollers l6 are mounted in pairs, one pair for each secondary applying roller l5. These distributing rollers are shown in broken lines for the reason that they may or may not be used, depending upon' whether the work is to be coated either at both of its faces or at one of its faces only.

Numeral I1 denotes feed-in conveyors which extend from their right-hand receiving point II to their left-hand discharge point I8, and are arranged between primary applying rollers ll. Thus, their range of operation extends into the range of operation of rollers l4 and I8.

Numeral 20 denotes resilient, adjustable, workpositioning rollers, mounted in pairs, which may be manipulated by means of a spring controlled arrangement 2!. These rollers are preferably held within a pivoted arm 22, which is hinged at 23 to fixed arm 24. The rollers 20 operate permanently between the belts of feed-in conveyors I1, and are so positioned as to always remain out of possible contact with said conveyors.

To the right of conveyors I], there will be seen a stack of soft, pliable, relatively thin, individual sheets, supported by a movable platform 25, and which stack is held in its proper position by a suitable frame work, as indicated at 26, the end 26' of. which is adjustable for guiding work of various dimensions. Each of the sheets is adapted to be individually handled by a sheet separating device, as indicated at 21, and which may consist of a suction arrangement by means of which each individual sheet may be elevated as seen at 28, and brought forward so as to become engaged between the belts of the feed-in conveyors and the position-controlling rollers 20.

At the left end of conveyor l1, there will be observed a drying conveyor 29, the construction and operation of which is explained in the aforementioned co-pending application,

Operation The arrangement of my device readily facilitates coating work either at one or simultaneously at both of its faces. When both faces are to be coated, distributing rollers it are employed. The coating material is lifted from well ID by means of supply cylinder l2. The thickness of the coating is controlled by doctor'roller I3. The material lifted by cylinder I2 is transferred to primary applying roller or rollers It. From the primary roller, the coating material is transferred to upper or secondary applying roller It. It is to be noted from Figure 2 that not the entire surface area of the applying rollers is employed for engaging and coating sheet 28'.

Now, when sheet 28 is passed between the feed-in conveyors I1 and the position-controlling rollers 20, the sheet is caused to be propelled by belts ll towards applying rollers M and It. By

adjusting rollers 20, the front or leading edge of the sheet may be accurately positioned and maintained at any desired angular relation to rollers II and I5 and exactly timed.

It is also to be observed that the distance between the centre line of the position-controlling rollers 20 and the centre line of applying rollers H and I5, marked A, is considerably shorter than the length of the sheets, marked B. Due to this arrangement, the sheets become engaged by applying rollers ll and [5, while they are still being held under control of rollers 20, whereby the sheet is constantly maintained under their influence, that is, prior to and during the coating application.

The employment of relatively narrow rollers I4 and I5 is particularly intended for what is known as "edge coating, that is to say, the application of the coating in stripe form along the edges of the sheets. Due to the fact that the coating applying area of the primary applying is not completely covered by the latter, a portion of the coating material will be transferred to the secondary roller, which transferred coating material is then distributed by distributing rollers it over the entire applying area'of the secondary roller II, from which it is applied to the upper surface of the work.

Assuming now that the sheet 28 reaches the applying rollers, the primary roller will transfer a portion of its coating upon the bottom surface of the sheet, while the secondary roller will simultaneously apply a similar coating on the top surface of the sheet, and as the coating application is taking place, the sheet is being propelled by both the feeding conveyor and the applying rollers, while still being maintained under the control of work-positioning roller 20, until the sheet is discharged from the applying rollers.

In order to prevent the adherence of the relatively thin, pliable sheets to the upper or secondary applying roller, I provide suitable means for so-called stripping" the sheet. In this case,

there is illustrated one or more arms 30, adapted to deflect the sheet against drying conveyor 28. For the purpose of assuring uniformity of the coating in the places designated or desired, it is absolutely essential that the sheets be delivered to the coating applying rollers, at regular intervals and at uniform position, which uniformity is achieved by the exact adjustment and setting of position-controlling rollers 20.

When the coating is to be applied onlyto one face of the work, the entire mechanism, as illustrated in the drawing, remains the same with the exception of the upper distributing rollers 18, which are temporarily disengaged from secondary applying roller IS. The difference in opera-- tion between the simultaneous double coating and the single coating of the work lies in the fact that whatever coating is transferred to the secondary coating roller, it is prevented from reaching the upper surface of the work. This is accomplished by so timing and positioning the sheets that they reach the secondary applying roller exactly at the same spot, one after the other, whereby the applying surface of the secondary roller is constantly being blanked or blotted by the preceding sheet. For this purpose, the circumference of the upper roller must either correspond to, or exceed the length of the work, as is clearly described in the above cited co-pending application. 7

Summarizing, the foregoing description clearly states that the present invention is intended for handling soft, pliable, individual sheets lacking body stiffness, which are intended to be fed in an endless succession, that is to say, one sheet following the other as closely as practicable, so as to similate the progress of an endless web, and that during the entire operation of feeding the sheets into the applying device and during the application of the coating upon the work, the latter is not gripped, and therefore is not marred by the heretofore mentioned unsightly marks on the coated surface. For both single or double-face coating, it is important to adjust, time and control the position of the sheet relative to the applying rollers, and to maintain the work thus controlled while the application of the coating is taking place, and while the individual sheets are in motion.

While I am aware of various devices for coating, without gripping, relatively still work in sheet form, I truly believe that I am the originator of coating soft, pliable, individual sheets, possessing either very little or no stiffness of their own, and handling them in an endless succession, to similate the handling of a continuous web, without the application or use of gripping means. Furthermore, I am not aware of any devices by means of which the positioning, timing and propulsion of such soft, pliable, individual sheets may be accomplished, except by those as described herein.

While I have mentioned and illustrated specific forms of my device, it is obvious that my invention is not to be limited bysuch disclosure, and I therefore reserve for myself the right to modify and improve upon the structural details thereof, all within the broad scope of my invention, as covered by the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. In means for applying coating to soft, pliable work in individual sheet form, without the use of grippers, work control means for accurately .positioning, timing, spacing and propelling individual sheets and for maintaining the moving sheets in their controlled position prior to, and during the coating operation, said means including coating applying elements, work propelling elements extending into and beyond the range of operation of said applying elements, and adjustable, yieldingly. mounted work-positioning elements in cooperation, but out of possible contact with said work propelling elements.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a plurality of coating applying means, designed for coating soft, pliable work in individual sheet form without the use of grippers, of work control means for accurately timing, spacing and propelling individual sheets and for maintaining the moving sheets in their controlled position prior to, and while being engaged by said coating applying means, said work control means including movable work supporting and work feeding means, and individually adjustable workposition controlling means in cooperation but out of possible contact with said work supporting and feeding means.

3. In a device as set forth in the immediately preceding claim, said movable work supporting and feeding means extending into and beyond the the range of operation of said coating applying means, and said work-position controlling means being so positioned relative to said coating applying means, as to maintain their controlling influence upon the sheets prior to their engagement and after becoming engaged by said coating applying means.

4. In a gripper-less device for applying a coating, printing or the like to a continuous succession of individual pieces of work, coating applying means, a work feed for conveying work pieces at a desired sequence and evenly spaced apart, and at least two resilient, individually adjustable tension-controlled governing means in permanent cooperation but out of possible contact with said work feed for positioning and for maintaining the position of the work pieces during and relative to the direction of their travel, until and after being engaged by said applying means, said work feed comprising spaced belt conveyors, and, said governing means consisting of a pair of rollers, each disposed between two adjacent belts.

5. In a gripper-less feeding means for coating mechanism, including coating applying means, a feeding mechanism, comprising the combination with means for separating and individually manipulating single workpieces in a desired sequence, of work conveying means in cooperation with said work separating means, a pair of individually adjustable, tension-controlled work positioning means in permanent cooperation but out of possible contact with said conveying means, the latter adapted to support the work while it is being subjected to the coating operation, and said pair of positioning means being adapted to maintain the work at its desired relation to said coating applying means, prior to, and after becoming engaged by the latter, by urging the work against said conveying means according to their individual adjustment.

6. In a feeding mechanism for a device for applying coating to one surface of soft, pliable work in the form of individual sheets of uniform length, without the employment of grippers, said device including coating applying means, work feeding means extending into the field of operation of the latter, a pair of work positioning means, in permanent cooperation but out of possible contact with said feeding means, adapted to control the position of the work until the latter reaches and is engaged by said coating applying means, said work feeding means being so timed as to deliver successively each individual sheet to said coating applying means, while the latter is in a certain predetermined position, thereby preventing the application of the coating to the opposite face of the work, and work stripping means disposed in near proximity to said coating applying means for deflecting the coated work from the latter.

7. In a gripperless feeding mechanism .for coating applying devices, intended for soft, pliable work in the form of individual sheets of uniform length, said coating devices including coating applying means, said feeding mechanism comprising a plurality of spaced belt conveyors extending into and beyond the field of operation of said coating applying means, a pair of tensionally induced, individually adjustable, resilient work positioning rollers, disposed, individually, between two adjacent belt conveyors and adapted to permanently cooperate with the latter without the possibility of ever coming in contact therewith, said rollers adapted to control the position of the work relative to said belt conveyors, de*-,

pending upon their individual adjustment, the I' rollers being further adapted to hold the work under their influence until and after the work is engaged by said coating applying means, said feeding mechanism being so timed as to deliver successively, each individual sheet of the work to the coating applying means in a continuous, close order, and at any desired position relative to said coating applying means, and work stripping means in cooperation with said coating applying means for deflecting the work from the latter after the completion of the coating operation.

FRANK P. CARLSON.

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