Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture – Methods – Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
Patent
1990-05-01
1991-10-01
Ball, Michael W.
Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
Methods
Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
28102, 152527, 156440, B29C 6714
Patent
active
050530984
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to a method of an apparatus for the manufacture of a flexible reinforced polymeric article and in particular though not exclusively to the manufacture of elongate breaker fabric for use in a pneumatic tire.
In accordance with one of its aspects the present invention provides a method for the manufacture of a reinforced polymeric article comprising feeding a layer of polymeric material to a conveyor, applying two flexible reinforcing elements to said layer of polymeric material whilst supported on the conveyor and laying a first of said reinforcing elements to extend successively to and fro across the polymeric material from a first edge region toward a second edge region of the conveyor and back to the first edge region, characterised in that the method further comprises laying a second of said reinforcing elements to extend successively to and fro across the polymeric material from the second edge region toward the first edge region and back to the second edge region, the two elements being laid in an arrangement in which portions of the second element are caused to lie in spaces between successive portions of the first element extending to and from said first edge region whereby successive portions of each element lie interdigitated with successive portions of the other element in a manner free of cross-over of the elements.
Preferably the reinforcing elements are laid at an angle in the range from 18-up to and including 90 degrees relative to the direction of movement of the conveyor.
It is further preferred that the reinforcing elements are laid across the layer of polymeric material whilst the conveyor is at rest, the conveyor being operated to advance the polymeric material in a carefully indexed step-wise manner only whilst the next portion of each element for laying on the polymeric material lies at an edge region of the conveyor.
The step-wise movement of the conveyor may be utilised to enable portions of each element to lie at edge regions in a direction parallel with the direction of movement of the conveyor.
The reinforcing elements may be covered by a second layer of polymeric material to form a reinforced article, such as a breaker ply fabric, in which the reinforcing elements are sandwiched between and embedded in two layers of polymeric material.
In a method involving use of two flexible reinforcing elements of corresponding size, the conveyor may be controlled to move in a step-wise manner alternately by a distance corresponding to three pitches of reinforcing element as measured in the direction of movement, and then by one pitch of the reinforcing element. In consequence there may be attained a uniform spacing of successive central portions of each reinforcing element in a central region of the polymeric article between the edge regions thereof.
In accordance with another of its aspects the present invention provides apparatus for the manufacture of a reinforced polymeric article comprising a conveyor for supporting a layer of polymeric material, feed means for supply of a layer of polymeric material to the conveyor, and laying head means operable to lay a first reinforcing element in a to and fro manner over a layer of polymeric material supported by the conveyor whereby the element extends in a direction at least a component of which lies tranverse relative to the direction of movement of the layer of polymeric material on the conveyor, characterised in that a second laying head means is provided and is operable to lay a second reinforcing element in said to and fro manner, two pairs of reinforcing element support means, each pair comprising two support means arranged one at each edtge of the conveyor and operatively associated with a respective laying head, and means to hold a reinforcing element at an edge region of the layer of polymeric material at least during a change in direction of lay of a reinforcing element by said laying head means.
The apparatus may additionally comprise a second feed means for supply of a second layer of polymeric material. This may
REFERENCES:
patent: 4123920 (1978-11-01), Bassist
patent: 4409059 (1983-10-01), Holroyd et al.
patent: 4484459 (1984-11-01), Hutson
Holroyd Colin
Perkins David J. B.
Ball Michael W.
Bridgestone/Firestone Inc.
Lorin Francis J.
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