Apparatus for sizing composite tows
AssigneeCincinnati Milacron Inc.
InventorWilbur R. Curry
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An 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.
Claims28
Apparatus for sizing a composite tow, comprising:
- a tow sizing member having a groove which forms a bottom surface, opposed side surfaces, an inwardly tapering tow inlet, and a lower groove portion in which said side surfaces adjacent said bottom surface are essentially parallel to each other;
- a directing means for directing a composite tow from a tow source to said tow sizing member, the composite tow having a first width dimension and thickness;
- a moving means for moving the composite tow into said groove through said tow inlet and between said opposed side surfaces of said groove and against said bottom surface thereof so that the composite tow emerges from said lower groove portion of said tow sizing member with a substantially predetermined uniform second width.
Apparatus for sizing a composite tow, comprising:
- a tow sizing member having a groove which forms a bottom surface, opposed side surfaces, an inwardly tapering tow inlet, and a lower groove portion in which said side surfaces adjacent said bottom surface are essentially parallel to each other;
- directing means for directing a composite tow from a tow source to said tow sizing member, the composite tow having a width dimension and a thickness;
- a heating means for heating the composite tow, said heating means disposed between said tow source and said tow sizing member;
- and
- moving means for moving the composite tow after it has been heated into said groove through said tow inlet and between said opposed sidle surfaces of said groove and against said bottom surface thereof so that the composite tow emerges from said lower groove portion of said tow sizing member with a substantially predetermined uniform width.
Apparatus for sizing a composite tow, comprising:
- a tow sizing member having a groove which forms a bottom surface, opposed side surfaces, an inwardly tapering tow inlet, and a lower groove portion in which said side surfaces adjacent said bottom surface are essentially parallel to each other;
- means for directing a composite tow from a tow source to said tow sizing member, the composite tow having a first width dimension and a thickness;
- flattening means, located upstream from said tow sizing member, for at least partially flattening the composite tow so that the composite tow has at least a predetermined minimum second width dimension;
- and
- means for moving the composite tow into said groove through said tow inlet and between said opposed side surfaces of said groove and against said bottom surface thereof so that the composite tow emerges from said lower groove portion of said tow sizing member with a substantially predetermined uniform third width.
A composite tow sizing apparatus for producing a composite tow of substantially uniform width, comprising:
- a means for directing a composite tow from a tow source to a sizing wheel having an axis of rotation;
- said sizing wheel having a circumferential sizing groove forming a substantially cylindrical shaped bottom surface, a pair of opposed side surfaces extending radially outwardly from said bottom surface, an inwardly tapering tow inlet, and a lower groove portion in which said side surfaces adjacent said bottom surface are essentially parallel to each other;
- a moving means for moving the composite tow into said groove;
- said side surfaces of said groove having a curvilinear shape extending radially outwardly from said lower groove portion and extending progressively further apart from one another in a direction radially outwardly from said axis of rotation;
- said circumferential sizing groove operable to receive and size a width of the composite tow between said opposed side surfaces and against said bottom surface thereof.
A composite tow sizing apparatus for producing a composite tow of substantially uniform width, comprising:
- a sizing wheel having an axis of rotation;
- said sizing wheel having a circumferential sizing groove forming a substantially cylindrical shaped bottom surface, a pair of opposed side surfaces extending radially outwardly from said bottom surface, an inwardly tapering tow inlet, and a lower groove portion in which said side surfaces adjacent said bottom surface are essentially parallel to each other;
- said side surfaces of said groove having a curvilinear shape extending radially outwardly from said lower groove portion and extending progressively further apart from one another in a direction radially outwardly from said axis of rotation;
- means for moving a composite tow between said opposed side surfaces of said circumferential sizing groove and against said bottom surface thereof so that the composite tow is formed with a substantially predetermined uniform width within said circumferential sizing groove.
A composite tow sizing apparatus for producing a composite tow of substantially uniform width, comprising:
- a shaft having an outer surface and an axis of rotation;
- a first flange member carried by said shaft, said first flange member having a first side surface extending radially outwardly from said outer surface of said shaft;
- a second flange member carried by said shaft in axially spaced relation to said first flange member along said axis of rotation of said shaft, said second flange member having a second side surface which faces said first side surface of said first flange member and which extends radially outwardly from said outer surface of said shaft, said first and second flange members forming a sizing groove for receiving a composite tow;
- adjustment means for adjusting the position of at least one of said first and second flange members relative to the other along said shaft to vary an axial spacing therebetween and thus vary a groove width of said sizing groove.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.