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US 6,257,862 B1Granted
Sheet processing system
AssigneeWelex Incorporated
InventorFrank R. Nissel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sheet processing system for continuously producing plastic sheet which is continuously supplied to an intermittent take-up device, utilizing a sheet forming apparatus, a conveyor, an accumulator and take-up apparatus, the sheet being fed along the conveyor to an accumulator positioned compactly beneath the conveyor, the accumulator being controlled in a cyclic operation which provides for the accumulation of the continuously fed sheet material to permit intermittent operation of the take-up apparatus.
Claims9
A plastic sheet extrusion system comprising:
- (a) a sheet extrusion die,
- (b) extruder means connected to feed plastic material continuously in a downstream direction to and through said die,
- (c) a plurality of cooling rolls adjacent said sheet extrusion die and connected to conduct and cool said plastic material from said sheet extrusion die,
- (d) a roller cooling conveyor having a sheet carrying surface extending downstream of said cooling rolls, said conveyor extending substantially horizontally or inclined to the horizontal a length to cool the sheet,
- (e) a moveable roller forming said sheet into at least one extendible and contractable accumulator loop also extending substantially horizontally or inclined to the horizontal and positioned adjacent to and beneath said roller conveyor just below said sheet carrying surface,
- (f) a set of mechanically driven pull rolls downstream of said accumulator loop, and
- (g) a winder positioned to wind said plastic sheet on a take-up roll,
- whereby said accumulator loop serves to permit roll change at said winder at reduced speed or zero speed by temporarily accumulating the plastic sheet produced by said sheet extrusion die, and
- (h) means for increasing the speed of said pull rolls to empty said accumulator loop after said roll change has been completed.
6 more elements
A sheet processing system comprising:
- (a) a sheet forming means for continuously forming a sheet;
- (b) a cooling conveyor having an upstream portion and a downstream portion, for receiving and transporting said sheet from said sheet forming means, said conveyor extending substantially horizontally or at an angle to the horizontal a length to cool the sheet;
- (c) an accumulator connected to carry said sheet, said accumulator extending in a substantially horizontal direction beneath said conveyor, said accumulator comprising an intermittent sheet take-up system by forming said sheet into at least one substantially horizontally accumulated loop of said sheet;
- and
- (d) a sheet take-up means positioned downstream of said conveyor and including said intermittent sheet take-up system.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.