Tape laying and compaction apparatus

An improved tape laying machine having a tape head movable along a horizontal path for depositing composite tape on a work surface, wherein the head includes an assembly of tape on a backing transported to a tape laydown point, at which point the tape is pressed to the surface and the backing is separated from the tape, and wherein the head also includes shoe means movable with respect to the head and means for causing the backing to follow shoe means movement, the improvement comprising:

• a horizontal reference plane defined on the work surface;
• a housing, mounted to said tape laying head, and movable therewith along said reference plane;
• a first slider, movably mounted to a vertical track on said housing;
• a second slider, movably mounted to a horizontal track on said housing;
• means for moving said second slider in forward and reverse directions;
• shoe means movably mounted on said housing and having a substantially vertical centerline, for pressing against said backing at a tape laydown point defined on said horizontal reference plane;
• means for biasing said shoe means against said backing;
• a first elongate link, having opposite ends, and pivotally connected at one end to said first slider about a horizontal pivot axis;
• a tail compaction roller, rotatably journalled at the other end of said first elongate link, about a horizontal roller axis and positioned between said backing and said tape;
• a second elongate link, having opposite ends, and pivotally connected at one end to said second slider about a horizontal pivot axis;
• means for pivotally connecting the other end of said second elongate link to said first elongate link about a horizontal pivot axis;
• cam means on said housing for controlling at least a portion of movement of said tail compaction roller;
• cam follower means on said first elongate link for contacting said cam means during said portion of movement of said tail compaction roller;
• lifting means engaging said first slider for lifting said shoe means against said biasing means;
• and
• means coupled to said first elongate link for moving said roller into and out of engagement with the tape;
• wherein the pivot axes and the roller axis are parallel to one another;
• and
• wherein the means coupled to said first elongate link produces motion of said link to raise and lower said first slider and said motion, raising said first slider, causes said lifting means to engage the shoe means for lifting said shoe means as said roller moves along a path having a horizontal component of movement toward the vertical centerline;
• and
• wherein, as the second slider continues movement in the direction away from said means for moving said second slider, the first slider will continue to move upwardly, in a coordinated manner, thereby causing the lifting means to lift said shoe means, while the backing follows the shoe means, and the tail compaction roller will move forward into contact with the tape at the tape laydown point.