Apparatus for preparing belts

Apparatus for fabricating belts comprising, in combination,

• (a) a belt loop forming station comprising
• (1) supply means for supplying a web having a leading edge from a web supply roll to said belt loop forming station,
• (2) a web receiving platform,
• (3) web retention means adapted to temporarily retain said leading edge of said web on said web receiving platform,
• (4) web pick up means adapted to temporarily grip said web and pull said leading edge a predetermined distance downstream from said web receiving platform,
• (5) web cutter means adapted to sever said web to form a web segment having a trailing edge, a midsection and said leading edge,
• (6) a first invertable gripper means adjacent to said web receiving platform, said first invertable gripper means being adapted to temporarily grip the lower surface of said trailing edge of said web,
• (7) means to invert said first invertable gripper and loop said trailing edge of said web segment over said midsection of said web segment,
• (8) a second invertable gripper means spaced downstream from said first invertable gripper means, said second invertable gripper means being adapted to temporarily grip the lower surface of said leading edge of said web,
• (9) means to transport said web pick up means and said leading edge of said web upstream to a location adjacent to and above said second invertable gripper means,
• (10) means to invert said second invertable gripper and loop said leading edge of said web segment over the midsection of said web segment whereby said leading edge forms a lap joint with said trailing edge and said midsection of said web segment forms the bottom of a loop loosely suspended from said lap joint, and
• (11) reciprocating means to alter the relative distance of the upper surface of an anvil from said first invertable gripper and said second invertable gripperupper surface of an anvil;
• (b) a belt welding station comprising means adapted to weld said lap joint;
• (c) a belt conveying anvil comprising
• (1) an elongated arm having a free end, a supported end and at least one opening extending along the upper surface of said elongated arm, and
• (2) means to form a partial vacuum within said opening;
• (d) an anvil transporting means adapted to support said supported end of said anvil and adapted to position said upper surface of said elongated arm below and spaced from said lap joint of said web;
• (e) means to activate said reciprocating means to simultaneously lower said first invertable gripper and said second invertable gripper to transfer said web at said lap joint to said upper surface of said elongated arm of said anvil;
• (f) means to activate said means to form a partial vacuum within said opening of said anvil to secure said lap joint to said upper surface of said elongated arm of said anvil;
• (g) means to activate said reciprocating means to simultaneously raise said first invertable gripper and said second invertable gripper away from said elongated arm of said anvil;
• (h) means to convey said elongated arm and said loosely suspended loop from said belt loop forming station to said belt welding station;
• and
• (i) means to activate said welding station to weld said lap joint while said lap joint is secured to said elongated arm of said anvil to form a welded belt.