Continuous laminating machine

In a continuous laminating machine for exerting a pressure over an area on a moving panel of material, which machine includes a stationary supporting structure composed of two supporting elements, each supporting element presenting a parallel pair of planar outer faces and semicylindrical outer end faces extending between the planar faces, two steel pressing belts each supported by a respective supporting element and each disposed to press against a respectively opposite side of such a panel in the region of one planar outer face of a respective supporting element for applying such pressure thereto, bearing means providing a rolling bearing between each pressing belt and its respective supporting element, and clamping plates connecting the supporting elements together, the improvement wherein:

• said bearing means comprise a plurality of cylindrical rolling elements and a plurality of spacer profiles alternating with said rolling elements and provided with arcuate recesses adapted to the configuration of said rolling elements so that each spacer profile forms a slide bearing cup for one side of an adjacent one of said rolling elements, said rolling elements and spacer profiles being disposed between each said pressing belt and its respective supporting element such that the compression reaction forces produced by such a panel are transferred from said rolling elements under the influence of rolling friction to said supporting elements and into said clamping plates;
• said clamping plates are provided with support surfaces inclined to said planar outer faces of said supporting elements and said supporting elements are provided with support countersurfaces parallel to, and engaging, said support surfaces;
• and said machine further comprises adjusting means including threaded spindles threadedly engaging said clamping plates for moving said clamping plates in mutually opposite directions in a manner to vary the spacing between said supporting elements over a continuous range.