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US 5,397,523 AGranted
Method and apparatus for sizing composite tows
AssigneeCincinnati Mliacron Inc.
InventorWilbur R. Curry
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for forming composite tows of uniform width comprises a tow tensioner mechanism which carries a reel having a length of tow of non-uniform width, a tow sizing unit, a drive roller unit and a tow winding device. A single tow is fed from the tensioner mechanism to the tow sizing unit where the side-to-side or width dimension of the tow is sized, and then the sized tow is transmitted through the drive roller unit to the tow winding device which winds the sized tow onto a reel. The tow sizing unit includes a rotatable sizing wheel having a circumferential flanged groove, and a presser roller, which cooperate to confine the tow on all four sides, i.e., top, bottom and opposed side edges, as the tow is pressed therebetween to form a finished, sized tow having a substantially uniform width.
Claims23
A method of sizing a composite tow, comprising:
- directing a composite tow from a tow source into at least one widening member to form the tow with at least a predetermined minimum width;
- directing said composite tow into a groove of a tow sizing member, the groove forming a bottom surface, opposed side surfaces, an inwardly tapering inlet portion, and a lower groove portion in which the side surfaces adjacent the bottom surface are essentially parallel to each other;
- and
- moving the composite tow into the groove through the inlet portion and between the opposed side surfaces of the groove and against the bottom surface thereof so that the composite tow emerges from the lower groove portion of the tow sizing member having a substantially uniform width.
1 more element
A method of sizing a composite tow, comprising:
- heating a composite tow supplied from a tow source;
- directing the heated composite tow into a groove in a tow sizing member, the groove having a bottom surface, opposed side surfaces, an inwardly tapering inlet portion, and a lower groove portion in which the side surfaces adjacent the bottom surface are essentially parallel to each other;
- moving the composite tow through the inlet portion and between the opposed side surfaces of the groove and against the bottom surface thereof so that the composite tow emerges from the lower groove portion of the tow sizing member having a substantially uniform width.
A method of sizing a composite tow, comprising:
- heating a composite tow supplied from a tow source;
- directing the heated composite tow into at least one widening member to form the tow with at least a predetermined minimum width;
- directing the heated composite tow into a flanged groove formed in a sizing wheel, the flanged groove having opposed side surfaces, a substantially cylindrical bottom surface, an inwardly tapering inlet portion, and a lower groove portion in which the side surfaces adjacent the bottom surface are essentially parallel to each other;
- moving an idler roller into the lower groove portion of the flanged groove while rotating the sizing wheel to force the heated composite tow between the opposed side surfaces of the lower groove portion of the flanged groove and against the bottom surface thereof, whereby the composite tow enters the groove through the inlet portion and emerges from the lower groove portion of the sizing wheel with a substantially uniform width.
1 more element
A method of sizing a composite tow, comprising:
- heating a composite tow supplied from a tow source, the composite tow having a width dimension, opposed side edges and opposed faces;
- directing the heated composite tow along at least one widening roller to form the tow with at least a predetermined minimum width;
- directing the heated composite tow into a flanged groove formed in a sizing wheel, the flanged groove having opposed side surfaces, a substantially cylindrical bottom surface, a lower groove portion in which the side surfaces adjacent the bottom surface are essentially parallel to each other, and an inwardly tapering inlet portion of the groove which narrows in width from the groove inlet down to the groove's lower portion;
- moving an idler roller into the lower groove portion of the flanged groove while rotating the sizing wheel to force the heated composite tow between the opposed side surfaces within the lower groove portion of the flanged groove and against the bottom surface thereof, whereby the composite tow enters the groove through the inlet portion and emerges from lower groove portion of the sizing wheel with a substantially uniform width.
1 more element
A method of sizing a composite tow, comprising:
- heating a composite tow supplied from a tow source, the composite tow having a width dimension, opposed side edges and opposed faces;
- directing the heated composite tow along at least one widening roller to form the tow with at least a predetermined minimum width;
- directing the heated composite tow into a flanged groove formed in a sizing wheel, the flanged groove having opposed side surfaces, a substantially cylindrical bottom surface, a lower groove portion in which the side surfaces adjacent the bottom surface are essentially parallel to each other, and an inwardly tapering inlet portion of the groove which narrows in width from the groove inlet down to the groove's lower portion;
- moving an idler roller into the flanged groove while rotating the sizing wheel to force the heated composite tow between the opposed side surfaces of the flanged groove within the lower groove portion and against the bottom surface thereof, whereby the composite tow enters the groove through the inlet portion and emerges from the lower groove portion of the sizing wheel with a substantially uniform width;
- cooling the widening roller, sizing wheel and idler roller while the composite tow moves therepast;
- cooling the composite tow;
- and
- winding the composite tow on a take-up reel.
5 more elements
A method of sizing a composite tow, comprising:
- heating a composite tow supplied from a tow source, the composite tow having a width dimension, opposed side edges and opposed faces;
- directing the heated composite tow along at least one widening roller to form the tow with at least a predetermined minimum width;
- directing the heated composite tow into a flanged groove formed in a sizing wheel, the flanged groove having opposed side surfaces, a substantially cylindrical bottom surface, a lower groove portion in which the side surfaces adjacent the bottom surface are essentially parallel to each other, and an inwardly tapering inlet portion of the groove which narrows in width from the groove inlet down to the groove's lower portion and has generally curvilinear shape;
- moving an idler roller into the flanged groove while rotating the sizing wheel to force the heated composite tow between the opposed side surfaces of the flanged groove within the lower groove portion and against the bottom surface thereof, whereby the composite tow enters the groove through the inlet portion and emerges from the lower groove portion of the sizing wheel with a substantially uniform width;
- cooling the widening roller, sizing wheel and idler roller while the composite tow moves therepast;
- cooling the composite tow;
- and
- winding the composite tow on a take-up reel.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.