Apparatus and method for controlling the delamination of a laminate

In apparatus for delaminating a composite sheet structure comprising a vertically frangible layer having a first surface adhesively bonded to a first sheet at a substantially uniform strength and an opposite surface abutting areas of which are, respectively, adhesively bonded to a second sheet at strengths less than and greater than the uniform strength and having a marginal portion extending beyond the first sheet, comprising:

• a lower peel roller and an upper peel roller disposed in space relation, said upper peel roller being mounted for movement toward and away from said lower peel roller,
• guide means for directing said composite sheet along a first composite sheet path between said spaced peel rollers,
• stop means disposed forwardly of said spaced peel rollers for intercepting the forward edge of a composite sheet moving along said first composite sheet path,
• a strip sheet roller and a deflector roller disposed one adjacent the other below said first composite sheet path,
• each said lower peel roller and said strip sheet roller and said deflector roller being mounted on a rotatable plate for movement about a pivot point,
• means for rotating said plate upwardly to a position wherein said strip sheet roller is pressed against said upper peel roller with said composite sheet disposed therebetween, to create a second composite sheet path, and wherein said lower peel roller is pressed against said upper peel roller with said composite sheet therebetween, and
• drive means for rotating said lower peel roller in a direction to move said composite sheet rearwardly along said second composite sheet path,
• said drive means being reversible to rotate said lower peel roller in the opposite direction to move said composite structure forwardly, and
• drive means for rotating said strip sheet roller with said lower peel roller being driven in said opposite direction such that said sheets are moved separately, one upwardly between said strip sheet roller and said upper peel roller and the other contacting a lower surface of and being directed downwardly from said deflector roller,
• the improvement wherein the surface of rotation of said upper and lower peel rollers are equal to or of greater width than the width of said composite sheet, and said strip roller surface of rotation is of lesser width than the width of said composite sheet.