Method and apparatus for securing sheets to slats and in spaces therebetween for forming a composite structure

A method of making a composite structure comprising:

• providing a plurality of elongate rigid slats, each of said slats having an upper surface and a lower surface;
• arranging the slats in an array in which the slats lie parallel with one another and in transversely spaced relation with predetermined spaces between adjacent slats;
• feeding the array of slats in the longitudinal direction of the slats through apparatus in which a first flexible sheet is secured to the upper surfaces of the slats of said array and a second flexible sheet is secured to the lower surfaces of the slats of said array;
• subsequently deforming said first sheet and said second sheet towards one another in the spaces between adjacent slats as the slats and said first and second sheets are conveyed in the longitudinal direction of said slats whilst causing concomitant movement of said slats closer towards one another to permit such deformation of said sheets, until said first sheet and said second sheet are brought into contact with one another in the spaces between the slats, so that said first and second sheets meet in regions of contact intermediate said upper surface and said lower surface of the slats of the array;
• and
• securing said sheets together in said regions of contact between said sheets, whereby each slat is tightly encapsulated between the first and second sheets and the sheets, in the regions of contact of said sheets between adjacent slats, form respective hinge strips interconnecting the adjoining slats.

Apparatus for making a composite structure comprising means for receiving and locating a plurality of slats in a parallel, side by side arrangement with established predetermined spaces between adjacent ones of said slats to thereby form an array of said slats having a first side and a second side with each of said slats having a surface portion forming part of said first side of the array and a surface portion forming part of said second side of the array, means for securing to said first side of said array of slats, a first flexible sheet;

• conveying means for conveying said array of slats in the longitudinal direction of the slats;
• deforming means for deforming said first flexible sheet secured to said first side of said array towards the second side of the array in the spaces between adjacent slats, as the slats, with said first sheet, are conveyed in the longitudinal direction of said slats, said means for deforming causing concomitant movement of the slats towards one another to reduce transverse spacing between the slats in the array, means for applying to said second side of said array, a second flexible sheet;
• and
• means for securing together the first and second sheets in the spaces between adjacent slats whereby each slat is tightly encapsulated between the first and second sheets and the secured together sheets form respective having strips interconnecting the adjacent slats.

Apparatus for making a composite structure comprising means for receiving slats, for locating a plurality of said slats in a parallel side by side arrangement and for establishing predetermined spaces between adjacent ones of said slats whereby an array of said slats is formed, having a first side and a second side with each of said slats having a surface portion forming part of said first side of the array and a surface portion forming part of said second side of the array, means for securing to said first side of said array a first flexible sheet and for securing to said second side of said array a second flexible sheet, conveying means for conveying said array of slats, in the longitudinal direction of the slats, deforming means for deforming said first flexible sheet and said second flexible sheet, applied respectively to said first side of said array and to said second side of said array, towards each other in the spaces between adjacent slats, as the slats, with said first and second sheets, are conveyed in the longitudinal direction of said slats, whilst allowing concomitant movement of the slats towards one another to reduce transverse spacing between the slats, the apparatus including means for securing said first and second sheets together in said spaces between adjacent slats at locations intermediate said first and second sides of said array, whereby each slat is tightly encapsulated between the first and second sheets and the secured together sheets form respective hinge strips interconnecting the adjacent slats.