US 2002/0134882 A1Published application

Web-processing apparatus

AssigneeFaustel, Inc.

InventorMatthew R. Lind

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Abstract

The invention comprises improved web-processing apparatus. The web-processing apparatus comprises an improved dryer with air-turn apparatus for flotatingly supporting a web and, preferably, for changing a direction of web movement. The air-turn apparatus may be used in the web dryer or with other suitable web-processing equipment, particularly in applications where a coated web side faces the air-turn apparatus. Preferred forms of the air-turn apparatus comprise a body having an outer surface defining a web flotation zone facing a coated side of the web and a plurality of openings in the body positioned along the web flotation zone. An air-conducting conduit provides pressurized air to the body and body openings thereby forming an air cushion at the web flotation zone on which the coated web is flotatingly supported without contacting the body.

Claims24

Dependent claims

In a dryer for drying a coated web having a frame with a web inlet, a web outlet and a web path therebetween, dryer apparatus mounted with respect to the frame along the web path, at least one web-turning apparatus mounted with respect to the frame for changing the direction of web movement and cooling apparatus mounted with respect to the frame for cooling the coated web after drying, the improvement wherein the at least one web-turning apparatus comprises:

a body having an arcuate outer surface defining an arcuate web flotation zone facing a coated side of the web and a plurality of openings in the body positioned along the web flotation zone;
and
an air-conducting conduit at least partially in the body, the conduit having an inlet for receiving pressurized air and at least one outlet in communication with the body openings thereby providing a passageway through which pressurized air may be directed out of the body to form an air cushion at the web flotation zone;
whereby the coated web is supported by the air cushion at the web flotation zone so that the coated side of the web does not directly contact the air-turn apparatus and the dryer is free of web-cooling apparatus upstream of the at least one web- turning apparatus.

1 more element

A rotatable air-turn apparatus for flotatingly supporting a coated web having a coated side facing the air-turn apparatus comprising:

a cylindrically-shaped body having first and second end walls, a body center axis, an arcuate outer surface defining an arcuate web flotation zone facing the coated side of the web and a plurality of openings in the body positioned along the web flotation zone;
an air-conducting conduit at least partially in the body, the conduit having an inlet for receiving pressurized air and at least one outlet in communication with the body openings thereby providing a passageway through which pressurized air may be directed out of the body to form an air cushion at the web flotation zone;
and
a first mount along the body first end wall and a second mount along the body second end wall, the mounts provided for rotatably supporting the body;
whereby the coated web may be supported by the air cushion at the web flotation zone so that the coated side of the web does not directly contact the air-turn apparatus.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.