Back to results
US 4,416,713 AGranted
Method and apparatus for joining abutting edges of sheet material
OwnerRonald H. Brooksinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Loading patent…
Loading patent…
OwnerRonald H. Brooksinventor
Estimating the term…
A method and apparatus for adhesively bonding together in edge abutting relationship two sheets of woven, felted or other textile such as carpet using a joining tape which includes electrically conductive-metal foil or wires and an integral layer of heat softenable adhesive. Electric current is passed through the foil or wires to thereby heat and soften the adhesive. A control circuit senses the voltage and current in the foil or wires and controls the current in accordance with an adjustable predetermined value to heat the adhesive to a temperature at which the adhesive becomes tacky. The control circuit maintains the adhesive in the tacky state while the abutting edges which overlap the tape are adjusted as required to form the desired join. The control circult is then adjusted to increase the current in the foil or wires to increase the temperature thereof and melt the adhesive so that it flows into the material of the sheets. The current is terminated when the adhesive is fully melted so that the adhesive sets to bond the edge portions of the sheets to the tape.
A method of joining together abutting edges of woven, felted or other textile sheets, such as carpets, using a web which includes a strip of metal foil or electrically conductive wires and a heat softenable adhesive composition, said method comprising the steps of
In apparatus for use in joining together abutting edges of woven, felted or other textile sheets, such as carpets, using a web which has a backing strip of paper or paper like material, a strip of metal foil reinforcing filaments or threads at least some of which extend in a substantially transverse direction, and a heat softenable adhesive composition, said backing strip, metal foil and reinforcing material being secured together by a plurality of lines of stitching extending longitudinally of the web, the improvement comprising
Apparatus for use in joining together abutting edges of woven, felted or other textile sheets, such as carpets, using a web which includes a strip of metal foil or electrically conductive wires and a heat softenable adhesive composition, said apparatus comprising means including a transformer having an output of about 30 volts for connecting an electrical power source to spaced points on said strip of metal foil or electrically conductive wires to enable current to be passed therethrough, means to sense the voltage applied to the metal foil or electrically conductive wires and means to sense the current flowing therethrough, control means including a Triac in the circuit of said transformer to regulate the current to a predetermined value which will generate heat sufficient to soften the adhesive composition without fully melting the adhesive, said Triac being triggered in response to sensed output current and voltage and the predetermined desired current value, and means selectively operated to increase the current to fully melt the adhesive.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.