# US 5,341,543 A · Spreading and lap-forming machine

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- Number: US 5,341,543 A
- Document ID: US5341543A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 07/969,829
- Filed: 1993-02-01
- Granted: 1994-08-30
- Earliest claimed: 1991-06-03
- Assignees: Asselin (Societe Anonyme)
- Inventors: Robert Jean; Bernard Chatelet; Bernard Jourde
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5341543A

## CPC

- D04H 1/74: the fibres being orientated, e.g. in parallel {(anisotropic fleeces)}
- D01G 25/00: Lap-forming devices not integral with machines specified above (forming mats or batts of continuous filaments for non-woven fabrics D04H)
- Y10S 493/937: Textile
- D04H: MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL (weaving D03; knitting D04B; braiding D04C; net-making D04G; sewing D05B; tufting D05C; finishing non-woven fabrics D06); FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING {; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION}(non-woven fabrics having an intermediate or external layer of a different kind, e.g. of woven fabric, B32B)
- D01G: PRELIMINARY TREATMENT OF FIBRES, e.g. FOR SPINNING (winding or unwinding, conducting or guiding laps, webs, slivers or rovings in general, sliver or roving cans, depositing in sliver or roving cabs B65H; preparation of fibres for paper-making D21)
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

A web of fibers (4) is conveyed by conveyor belts (2, 5) which pass around rollers (32 to 43, 60 to 69). Some of these rollers are carried by main carriages (10, 14) which are capable of displacement in reciprocating motion above an apron (8) which moves in a direction parallel to the axes of the rollers and collects the web (4) in the form of a lap. Auxiliary carriages (16, 18) are provided for maintaining the length of the paths of the conveyor-belts (2, 5) at a constant value in spite of the reciprocating movements of the main carriages (10, 14). Each main carriage (10, 14) is connected to an auxiliary carriage by coupling means (92, 96) which are less extensible than the conveyor-belts (2, 5) and are so arranged as to be put under tension under the action of the means (84, 88) for driving the carriages. The invention is applicable to the manufacture of nonwoven fabrics.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A spreading and lap-forming machine for converting a web (4) to a lap (6) by folding in pleats, comprising:
at least two conveyor-belts (2, 5) which follow a closed path (20 to 31, 50 to 59) and are associated with rollers (32 to 43, 60 to 69) for respective guiding and displacing of said conveyor-belts, the closed paths (20 to 31, 50 to 59) being external to each other and adjacent to each other in a pinching zone (23, 53) delimited by guide rollers (35, 61; 38, 64) carried by two main carriages (10, 14) which are displaced in translational motion in a horizontal direction at right angles to longitudinal axes of the rollers (32 to 43, 60 to 69);
compensating means including at least one auxiliary carriage (16, 18) which is displaced in translational motion at right angles to the longitudinal axes of the rollers (32 to 43, 60 to 69) so as to maintain the length of each closed path (20 to 31, 50 to 59) at a substantially constant value, each closed path (20 to 31, 50 to 59) making a 180-degree turn around at least one guide roller (41, 67) carried by at least one auxiliary carriage (16, 18);
belt section means (20, 21,k 22) for conveying the web (4) to the entrance of the pinching zone (23, 53);
an apron (8) which moves in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axes of the rollers (32 to 43, 60 to 69) and receives the web (4) passing out of the pinching zone (23, 53); and
driving means (84, 85, 88, 89) for applying reciprocating movements of translation to the two main carriages (10, 14) and to the compensating means (16, 18);
wherein the driving means (84, 85, 88, 89) include at least one motion-transmission element (84, 88) which engages with a driving pinion (85, 89), said motion-transmission element (84, 88) being attached at one end to one of the two main carriages (10, 14) and at an opposite end to at least one auxiliary carriage (16, 18);
whereby rotation of the driving pinion (85, 89) in one direction pulls the main carriage (10, 14) in a first stage of the reciprocating movements and whereby rotation of the driving pinion (85, 89) in an opposite direction pulls the auxiliary carriage (16, 18) in a second stage of the reciprocating movements;
wherein each main carriage (10, 14) is connected to at least one auxiliary carriage (16, 18) by coupling means (92, 96) which are less extensible than the conveyor-belts (2, 5), said coupling means (92, 96) being put under tension under the action of the driving means (84, 85, 88, 89).

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A spreading and lap-forming machine according to claim 1, wherein the coupling means (92, 96) connect together one of the two main carriages (10, 14) and at least one auxiliary carriage (16, 18), each carriage (10, 14, 16, 18) making reciprocating movements which must take place at the same speed in order to maintain the length of one of the closed paths (20 to 31, 50 to 59) at the substantially constant value.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A spreading and lap-forming machine according to claim 1, wherein the means for coupling at least one auxiliary carriage (16, 18) to one of the two main carriages (10, 14) include at least one cable (92, 96) attached at one end to the auxiliary carriage (10, 16) and attached at an opposite end to the main carriage (10, 14), said cable (92, 96) being guided by pulleys (93, 94, 97, 98) between the auxiliary carriage (16, 18) and the main carriage (10, 14).

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

A spreading and lap-forming machine according to claim 3, wherein the means for coupling at least one auxiliary carriage (16, 18) to one of the two main carriages (10, 14) each include two lateral cables (92, 96) attached to said carriages (10, 14, 16, 18) on each side of the rollers (32 to 43, 60 to 69).

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A spreading and lap-forming machine according to claim 1, wherein at least one auxiliary carriage (16, 18) is located within a bottom passageway (70) which extends beneath the apron (8) and is separated therefrom by at least one partition-wall (72).

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

A spreading and lap-forming machine according to claim 5, wherein at least one auxiliary carriage (16, 18) is slidably mounted respectively on side rails (76, 80) which extend along the bottom passageway (70), said side rails (76, 80) being located at different heights therealong.