Apparatus for steam lamination
AssigneeAstechnologies, Inc.
InventorsGeorge M. Elliott, Ervin L. Watford, Jr., George W. Howell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Two sheets of material are laminated together using a heat-activatable or moisture-curing adhesive by: (a) forming a layered composite of the material with a layer of the adhesive in between; (b) passing steam (preferably superheated) through one sheet of material into the adhesive layer; (c) compressing the heated composite before the adhesive sets; (d) releasing the pressure on the composite; and (e) allowing the adhesive to fully cure. A laminating machine is disclosed that pulls the composite between two open weave belts, past narrow jets of the steam.
Claims22
Apparatus for continuously laminating two sheets of material together, using a heat-activatable or moisture-curing adhesive, wherein at least one of the sheets is steam-permeable, which comprises:
- (a) first and second opposed, open mesh, endless conveyor belts, disposed so as to permit a composite of two sheets of material and an intermediate layer of adhesive to be clamped therebetween in a clamping zone, each belt having an inside surface and an outside surface, the outside surface being the surface which touches the composite when it is clamped between the belts;
- (b) means for revolving the belts in opposite directions so as to convey the composite between them;
- (c) a platen mounted adjacent the inside surface of the first belt, said platen having an enclosed chamber with a perforated surface facing the first belt in the clamping zone;
- (d) means for supplying superheated steam to said platen chamber under sufficient pressure to eject the steam through the perforations in the platen with enough force to pass through the first belt;
- (e) means for cooling the second belt during its return to the clamping zone;
- and
- (f) a pair of pressure rollers mounted adjacent to the end of the first belt, said rollers being adapted to receive and compress the composite after the composite has run off the end of said belt.
Apparatus for continuously laminating two sheets of material together, using a heat-activatable or moisture- curing adhesive, wherein at least one of the sheets is steam-permeable, which comprises:
- (a) a pair of opposed, air-permeable, endless conveyor belts, disposed so as to permit a composite of two sheets of material and an intermediate layer of adhesive to be clamped therebetween, each belt having an inside and an outside, the outside being the surface which touches the composite when it is clamped between the belts;
- (b) means for revolving the belts in opposite directions so as to convey the composite between them;
- (c) a platen mounted adjacent the inside of the first of said belts, said platen having an enclosed chamber with a perforated surface facing the adjacent belt in the zone where the two belts clamp against the composite;
- (d) means for supplying superheated steam to said platen chamber under sufficient pressure to eject the steam through the perforations in the platen with enough force to pass through the adjacent belt;
- (e) means for cooling the second of said belts during its return to the head of the clamping zone;
- and
- (f) means for compressing the composite after it leaves the steam ejection zone.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.