Method and apparatus for producing laminated material

A method of laminating sheet material having a width together with at least one laminate web material having an adhesive coating on one side thereof, the method comprising the steps of:

• supplying laminate web material to upper and lower laminating means;
• picking up a leading marginal edge portion of a piece of sheet material by means of a vacuum pickup;
• moving the piece of sheet material by the leading marginal edge portion;
• pressing substantially the entire width of a marginal portion of a piece of sheet material to be laminated to the adhesive coating on the laminate web material;
• passing the sheet material and the laminate web material between the upper and lower laminating means for producing therebetween a continuous laminated web comprising the sheet material and the web material fed between the laminating means;
• separating the continuous laminated web from the laminating means into individual laminated sheets;
• stacking the individual laminated sheets after they are separated;
• and
• holding the stack of sheet material to be laminated and having a top sheet to be dispensed on top of the stack, and separating the top sheet from the stack, wherein the top sheet is separated by at least one substantially flexible protrusion mounted adjacent the stack holding means near the marginal portion of the sheet material wherein the protrusion extends at least partly over the marginal portion of the sheet material.

A laminating machine for laminating sheet material, having a width, together with at least one laminate web material having an adhesive coating on one side thereof, the machine comprising:

• a frame;
• upper and lower laminating rolls supported by the frame for producing therebetween a continuous laminated web from the sheet material and the web material when the sheet material and the web material are fed between the laminating rolls;
• means supported by the frame for supplying the adhesive coated laminated web material to the laminating rolls;
• means supported by the frame for holding individual sheets of sheet material such that leading marginal edges of each sheet are adjacent at least one of the laminating rolls;
• a vacuum bar supported by the frame for obtaining an individual sheet of sheet material from the holding means by the leading marginal edge of the sheet material and pressing substantially the entire width of the leading marginal edge portion of the sheet of sheet material to be laminated to the adhesive coating on the laminate web material;
• and
• wherein the means for holding the sheets of material has a top sheet to be dispensed on top, and further including means for separating the top sheet from the sheets, wherein the separating means includes at least one substantially flexible protrusion mounted adjacent the sheet holding means near the marginal portion of the sheet material wherein the protrusion extends at least partly over the marginal portion of the sheet material.

A laminating machine for laminating sheet material, having a width, together with at least one laminate web material having an adhesive coating on one side thereof, the machine comprising:

• a frame;
• upper and lower laminating rolls supported by the frame for producing therebetween a continuous laminated web from the sheet material and the web material when the sheet material and the web material are fed between the laminating rolls;
• means supported by the frame for supplying the adhesive coated laminate web material to the laminating rolls;
• means supported by the frame by holding individual sheets of sheet material such that leading marginal edges of each sheet are adjacent at least one of the laminating rolls;
• a vacuum roll supported by the frame for reciprocating pivoting movement relative to the frame, including a vacuum bar extendable from and retractable to a sheet transport position and having a substantially flat vacuum surface extending a substantial width of the vacuum roll, whereby the vacuum bar is extendable to obtain an individual sheet of sheet material from the holding means by only the leading marginal edge of the sheet material and, wherein the vacuum bar is retractable to the sheet transport position carrying with it the leading marginal edge, and wherein the vacuum bar and vacuum roll are reciprocatingly pivotable such that the vacuum bar can be extended to press substantially the entire width of the leading marginal edge portion of the sheet of sheet material to be laminated to the adhesive coating on the laminate web material;
• and
• wherein the means for holding the sheets of material has a top sheet to be dispensed on top, and further including means for separating the top sheet from the sheets, wherein the separating means includes at least one substantially flexible protrusion mounted adjacent the sheet holding means near the marginal portion of the sheet material wherein the protrusion extends at least partly over the marginal portion of the sheet material.