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US 4,542,859 AGranted
Method and apparatus for rolling mats
OwnerRoland W. Gerstenbergerinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus is provided for tightly rolling mats. The mats are moved in a horizontal direction in their flattened condition to a rolling section which includes a plurality of fixed curved fingers and a corresponding plurality of curved spring-loaded fingers. A roller is further provided to move the mat upwardly from the conveyor forming a tight cylindrically shaped mat inside the curve of the fingers. Upper belts are provided above the fingers to further ensure that the mat is rolled tightly.
Claims5
An apparatus for rolling a flat flexible workpiece, having a leading edge, comprising:
- a conveyor section;
- a rolling section including a lower portion;
- said conveyor section for transporting said workpiece at a predetermined linear speed in its flattened condition to said rolling section;
- said lower portion of said rolling section including a plurality of spaced apart curved first fingers;
- said plurality of curved first fingers located in a horizontal row adjacent one another;
- each of said curved first fingers having feed-in and feed-out portions located on opposing ends of said curved first fingers;
- said feed-in portions located adjacent one end of said conveyor section for receiving said workpiece from said conveyor section;
- said first fingers each substantially simultaneously adapted to contact the leading edge of said workpiece;
- a plurality of spaced apart rollers driven by a common drive means;
- said rollers located in a horizontal row adjacent one another;
- at least a portion of one of said rollers located between at least two adjacent curved first fingers and between said feed-in and feed-out portions of said adjacent first fingers;
- said rollers each substantially simultaneously adapted to contact the leading edge of said workpiece;
- said rollers having substantially non-skid outer surfaces to grip said workpiece;
- said rollers adapted to contact the workpiece to drive it along said first fingers for forming said flat workpiece into a rolled workpiece;
- an upper portion of said rolling section;
- said upper portion including a second plurality curved fingers detached from said first plurality of fingers but forming approximately a continuation of the arc of said first plurality of fingers, said second fingers biased inwardly toward said lower portion to insure a tight roll yet will move outwardly away from said lower portion as the circumference of the roll increases;
- said second fingers being in a horizontal row and being mounted on a common substrate so that said second fingers will all move in a simultaneous fashion;
- an open area between one end of said second fingers and said conveyor section;
- said open area being free from any curved fingers.
16 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.