US 4,097,039 AGranted

Strip laying apparatus

AssigneeApplied Power Inc.

InventorThomas A. Fischer

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Abstract

An apparatus for laying an elongate strip in substantially uniform layers and side-by-side rows includes a conveyer assembly for receiving a generally horizontally traveling material and for delivering the same to the upper end of a hollow, generally vertically extending, universally pivotable feed chute. The lower end of the feed chute is coupled to a first slider which is mounted for reciprocal sliding movement in a first horizontal direction on a second slider mounted in turn on the main frame for reciprocal sliding movement in a second horizontal direction normal to the first. A drive assembly reciprocates the first slider at a first rate of speed and simultaneously reciprocates the second slider in the second direction and at a slower speed rate for delivering the material in the desired pattern from the lower end of the feed chute. A speed matching assembly adjusts the speed of the strip laying apparatus to that of the strip received from other process machinery.

Claims37

Dependent claims

Apparatus for laying strip material including support means,

first translating means movably mounted on said support means for reciprocating movement in a first direction and in an opposite direction,
said first translating means comprising slider means, first slider supporting means mounted on said support means for supporting said slider means for sliding movement in said first and opposite directions on said support means,
said first slider supporting means including elongate means extending in said first direction, said slider means includes tubular means slidably mounted and telescopingly received on said elongate means,
second translating means mounted on said first translating means for reciprocating movement in a second direction generally normal to said first direction,
said second translating means including second elongated slider support means extending in said second direction and tubular means slidably mounted on said second slider supporting means for reciprocating movement thereon,
elongate material distributing means universally pivotally mounted adjacent to an end on said support means and extending generally downwardly therefrom to define upper and lower ends, said material distributing means being constructed and arranged for receiving material at its upper end and discharging the same from its lower end,
said distributing means being coupled adjacent its lower end to said second translating means for movement therewith,
drive means coupled to each of said translating means for moving said first translating means in said first and said opposite direction and for reciprocating said second translating means in said second direction on said first translating means,
an elongate, upwardly inclined conveyor means having one end elevated and disposed adjacent the upper end of said material distributing means, said conveyor means being constructed and arranged for receiving an elongate strip of material,
said conveying means including elongate means movable generally upwardly toward the upper end of said distributing means, said conveying means including pressure means for biasing a strip of material against said elongate means whereby the latter moves said material upwardly to said distributing means and guide means disposed above the upper end of said conveying means for redirecting said strip material downwardly to the upper end of said distributing means,
said drive means including first crank means mounted for rotation about an axis generally parallel to said first direction and linkage means connecting said crank means to said second translating means for moving the second translating means in said second direction, and means for adjusting the distance from said axis that said crank means is engaged by said linkage means so that adjustment thereof will change the magnitude of reciprocation of said second translating means.

8 more elements

Apparatus for laying a strip material including support means,

first translating means movably mounted on said support means for reciprocating movement in a first direction and in an opposite direction,
second translating means mounted on said first translating means for reciprocating movement in a second direction generally normal to said first direction,
elongate material distributing means universally pivotally mounted on said support means and extending generally downwardly to define upper and lower ends for receiving material at its upper end and discharging the same from its lower end,
said distributing means being coupled adjacent its lower end to said second translating means for movement therewith,
drive means coupled to each of said translating means for moving said first translating means in said first and said opposite direction and for reciprocating said second translating means in said second direction on said first translating means,
and conveyor means for receiving an elongate strip of material and conducting said material upwardly and for delivering the same to the upper end of said distributing means, said first translating means comprising slider means, first slider supporting means mounted on said support means for supporting said slider means for sliding movement in said first and opposite directions on said support means, said first translating means also including second slider supporting means extending in said second direction, said second translating means including tubular means slidably mounted on said second slider supporting means for reciprocating movement thereon.
said first slider supporting means includes elongate means extending in said first direction, said slider means includes tubular means slidably mounted and telescopingly received on said elongate means,
said drive means including first crank means mounted for rotation about an axis generally parallel to said first direction and linkage means connecting said crank means to said second translating means for moving the second translating means in said second direction, and means for adjusting the distance from said axis that said crank means is engaged by said linkage means so that adjustment thereof will change the magnitude of reciprocation of said second translating means.

5 more elements

Apparatus for laying a strip material including support means,

first translating means movably mounted on said support means for reciprocating movement in a first direction and in an opposite direction,
second translating means mounted on said first translating means for reciprocating movement in a second direction generally normal to said first direction,
elongate material distributing means mounted on said support means for generally universal pivotal movement and for receiving material at one end and discharging the same from its other end,
said distributing means being coupled to said second translating means for movement therewith,
drive means coupled to each of said translating means for moving said first translating means in said first and said opposite direction and for reciprocating said second translating means in said second direction on said first translating means,
and conveyer means for receiving an elongate strip of material and conducting said material upwardly to the one end of said distributing means, said drive means includes crank means pivotally mounted about a pivot axis for movement in a plane generally parallel to one of said directions and linkage means connected to one of said first and second translating means and to said crank means at a distance from said pivot axis for moving the one of said first and second translating means in the one of said directions and means for adjusting the distance from said pivot axis that said crank means is engaged by said linkage means so that adjustment thereof will change the magnitude of reciprocation of said one of said first and second translating means.

3 more elements

Apparatus for laying a strip material including support means,

first translating means movably mounted on said support means for reciprocating movement in a first direction and in an opposite direction,
second translating means mounted on said first translating means for reciprocating movement in a second direction generally normal to said first direction,
distributing means coupled to said second translating means for movement therewith,
conveyer means for receiving an elongate strip of material from other apparatus and for conducting said material to said distributing means and for delivering the same thereto at a given rate, and
drive means coupled to said conveyer means and having an adjustable output for driving said conveyer means to discharge said material at a rate functionally related to the speed at which said output means is adjusted,
and speed matching means for matching the speed of said output means in relation to the delivery speed of material from said other apparatus and including sensing means for providing a signal in response to the rate at which material is delivered from said other apparatus and control means coupled to said sensing means for receiving said signal and to said output means for controlling the speed of said output means in relation to the delivery rate of said material.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.