US3118583A

US3118583A - Apparatus for transporting flexible material in a short loop dryer

Info

Publication number: US3118583A
Application number: US90981A
Authority: US
Inventors: Haas Hermann
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1961-02-23
Filing date: 1961-02-23
Publication date: 1964-01-21
Anticipated expiration: 1981-01-21

Description

' Jan. 21,' 1964 Filed Feb. 25. 1961 H. HAAs 3,118,583 APPARATUS FoR TRANsPoRTING FLEXIBLE MATERIAL TN A SHORT LooP DRYER 4 Sheets-Sheet l HERMANN HAAS /NvENoR BY Hwa/l MM d- @MAH/Lay Jan. 21, H. HAAS APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORTING FLEXIBLE MATERIAL IN A SHORT LOOP DRYER Filed Feb. 23, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 3

HERMANN HAAS /NvENoR W Wwf? e Ffm:

Jan. 21, 1964 H. HAAs 3,118,583

APPARATUS FOR TRANsPoRTING FLEXIBLE MATERIAL IN A SHORT LooP DRYER Filed Feb. 23, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 HE R MANN HAAS /NvENoR BVM, M' A l 10M @Moi/mmf@ Jan. 21, 1964 H HAAS 3,118,583

APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORTING FLEXIBLE MATERIAL IN A SHORT LOOP DRYER Filed Feb. 23, 1961 4 Shee'bS--Slleel'I 4 Fig. 8

HERMANN HAAS /NvENoR BYQ ,I i. 10% b4 abba/n.140@

United States Patent Ohee iifi Patented Jan. 2i, 1964 3,118,583 APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORTING FLEXIBLE MATERIAL IW A SHORT LOOP DRYER Hermann Haas, Postschiiessfach 25, Remscheid-Lennep, Germany Filed Feb. 23, 1961, Ser. No. 90,981 2 Claims. (Cl. 226-105) This invention relates to apparatus for transporting `ilexible material in a drying chamber, and more particularly to such apparatus for use in a drying chamber having a relatively short material transport dimension.

In the drying of webs of damepned textile material, vfor example, it is customary to pass the web through a heated chamber. In order to minimize the size of the drying chamber, it is preferable to employ a stack of horizontal belts or like means to carry the web, passing the web from one to the other of the belts as vfor example from the uppermost belt to the second uppermost belt. To conserve space alternate belts move in opposite directions. This requires the web to pass off the end of one belt, drop to the next belt, and change direction. This change of direction must be accomplished carefully to prevent damage to the material.

This change of direction has been accomplished successfully under the teachings of the prior art. However it may be desired to increase the drying capacity of a given size dryer. One manner of doing this is to speed up the dryer or raise the temperature. This may be injurious to the fabric.

Itis an object of this invention to provide flexible web transport apparatus which will facilitate an increase in capacity of a dryer and simultaneously will facilitate the reversal of the web as may be required.

in the accomplishment of the invention in a preferred embodiment, a textile web is transported by a series of rollers which are moved the length of the dryer by means of a chain drive. The web is caused to fall into loops between the rollers which are spaced apart for the purpose, and novel means are provided for withdrawing the loop from between the rollers at web reversing points.

The objects and features of the invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds with the aid of the laccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. l is a diagrammatic side view of a drying chamber according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic transverse View of the dryer of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side view of the reversing structure of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary front View, partially in section, of a transport roller and associated reversing structure;

FIG. 5 is a view taken on the line 5--5 of FIG. 4;

FlG. 6 is a fragmentary front view, partially in section, of the preferred transport roller reversing structure.

FIG. 7 is a view taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a pair of transport bars showing different size web loops.

Referring to the above-mentioned drawings for a more particular description, FIG. 1 shows a short loop dryer constructed according to the invention in which the web of dampened textile material 1Q is introduced into the dryer as =at 12 and deposited on a first web carrier 14 near the top of the dryer. After traveling the length of the irst carrier 14 the deb 1t) is deposited at 16 on a second, lower, web carrier 18. The second carrier 18 transports the web back through the dryer Whereupon it is deposited on a third, still lower, web carrier 20 continuing in this fashion until the web is delivered from the dryer as at 22.

FIG. 2. is an end view of the dryer showing two stacks of

web carriers

14, 18, 2d and 24 by means of which two webs may be simultaneously dried. Heating elements as for example steam pipes 26 are positioned on either side of the dryer and air is forced past them by fans 28. Battles indicated at 3G, 32 and 34 are used to most etiiciently direct the drying air laround the webs.

The web carriers 14, 18, Z@ and 24 are substantially identical in construction and consequently only the carrier 14 Will be described. The web carrier 14 includes a series of parallel spaced-apart rollers 36. The rollers 36 are carried through the dryer by chains or similar conventional transport means. The web 10 is fed onto the series of rollers 36 and is positioned to drape or loop between them as seen in FIG. 8 where webs it?, 16m, and ib illustrate web loops of varying depth. It will be obvious that such disposition of the web greatly increases the web holding capacity of the drier without increasing its operating speed.

The web 1d is caused to fall into appropriate lops by a novel cross element indicated at 38. The cross element 3S comprises a shaft 4"? journaled for rotation parallel to the web carrier 14. A bracket 4Z cross-shaped in coniiguration is secured to the shaft it? at either end and rollers 44 are journaled at the end of each leg of the cross element 33. The cross element 38 is driven in synchronization with the web carrier 14 and is positioned so that a roller 44 is caused to dip between each pair of web rollers 36 `as they pass beneath it. This action results in the forming of a loop of web itl between each pair of rollers 36, the depth of the loop depending on the distance to which the roller 44 dips between the pair of -web rollers 36. FIG. l shows a cross element 3S at 46 at the beginning of web carrier 14- and a second cross element 38 at 48 at the end thereof, the latter being employed, in part, to insure uniformity of loop depth as the web 16 approaches the end of the web carrier 14.

The looped or draped configuration of the web 1i) presents a problem, however, as to delivery of the web l@ from one web carrier to another, as from carrier 14 to carrier 18. lt will be noted that the web l@ must not only drop to the lower carrier but must also reverse direction. In order to accomplish this, the loops must be drawn out prior to reversal of the web 1t?. On the other hand the loops must be prevented from drawing out prior to the termination of the web carrier on which the web is moving.

These two objects are accomplished by novel operation of the rollers 36. A shaft Sil is provided extending axially from the ends of each roller 36 as seen in FIG-S. 4 `and 6. An idler wheel 52 is journaled on the shaft 46 adjacent the roller 36 and rides on a guide way 54 which runs substantially the whole length of the web carrier, terminating just short of the end thereof. This structure supports the rollers 36 during most of their travel. Adjacent the idler 52 the chain system or other roller connecting means is connected to the shaft Sti at 56. The connecting means illustrated in Fig. 3 is a series of bar elements 53. Adjacent the connection point 56 of the bar elements 53 to the shaft 5t), a sprocket wheel 60 is positioned as seen in the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6. A shoulder 62 is formed on the inner side of the sprocket wheel 60. The shaft Si? is secured to sprocket wheel 6% so that rotation thereof will cause rotation of the roller 36.

In order to prevent the loops of web 10 from drawing out prematurely the rollers 35 are caused to rotate in reverse direction to the line of travel of the web carrier. This is accomplished by positioning an endless drive chain 64 to engage the lower periphery of the sprocket wheels 60 and by driving the chain 64 in the same direction as the web carrier. This causes the rollers 36 to rotate in reverse direction thereby slightly urging the web backward and preventing any given portion of web l0 from continuously engaging a roller 3e which condition might otherwise mar the materiar, and simultaneously preventing the loops rfrom drawing out prematurely.

When, however, the web reaches the end of the web carrier ldthe loops must b e drawn out so that the web may be delivered to the next lower web carrier. This is accomplished by causing `the sprocket wheel en to engage a fixed cam or? which is attached as at e8 to a stationary portion of the apparatus generally aligned -with an end roller 7@ over which the web carrier i4 passes. The cam 66 in the preferred embodiment shown in FTG. v6 engages the shoulder 62, on the sprocket wheel (all. This causes the roller 36 to rotate to draw out the loop. The length or the cam 66 is selected to cause roller 36 to only draw out the loop, and is not long enough to cause roller 36 to operate so as to stretch the fabric. It will be noted that sprocket wheel 60 has been disengaged from chain drive eilprior to engagement with cam 66.

An alternative embodiment is shown in 1FIGS. 4 and 5 wherein the earn e6 is provided with a series of bars 74 yformed by bolts 72 to engage the sprocket wheel 66, Although satisfactory, the engagement of the sprocket wheel 6h and cam 'e6 is abrupt and under certain conditions may occasion excessive wear on the two elements. As a result the engagement of a smooth cam 66 with the shoulder 62 ispreferablel It will be noted that by positioning a cross element 38 at 43 close to the end of web carrier 14 the web 16 is prevented rom drawing out bacli along the web in any appreciable degree.

It is my intention to claim all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for purposes of disclosure which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope o the invention.

I claim:

l. Apparatus for transporting a looped web of ilexible material through a dryer comprising; an endless conveyor Web carrier having a plurality of uniformly spaced cylindrical rollers for receiving and carrying said looped web from a start point to a nish point; means for placing said web upon said rollers at the start point so that web loops are formed between each successive pair of rollers; means for moving said endless conveyor web carrier through the dryer; idler wheels supporting said rollers; a guideway upon Iwhich said idler wheels travel; means for revolving said rollers to drive said web loops in a direction opposed to the line of travel of said web carrier, said revolving means including a shaft projecting -from one end of each roller, a sprocket wheel xed on each said shaft and in engagement with means for driving said sprocket; and a fixed member having `a surface extending along the path of said rollers vadjacent the Vfinish point of roller travel, said fixed member positioned to successively engage a portion of each said sprocket wheel thereby rotating each said sprocket wheel to drive the web portion in contact with the affected roller in the direction of web carrier travel whereby each loop of web material Vis drawn taut vprior to being transported to the-next web carrier.

2. The apparatus of claim l further characterized by said sprocket wheel having an integral shoulder and said fixed member having an arcuate regular surface positioned to engage said integral shoulder.

References Cited in the rile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,988,255 Colker lune l3, l96l FOREIGN PATENTS 606,978 Germany Dec. 14, 1934 742,857 Germany Dec. 13, 1943

Claims

1. APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORTING A LOOPED WEB OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL THROUGH A DRYER COMPRISING; AN ENDLESS CONVEYOR WEB CARRIER HAVING A PLURALITY OF UNIFORMLY SPACED CYLINDRICAL ROLLERS FOR RECEIVING AND CARRYING SAID LOOPED WEB FROM A START POINT TO A FINISH POINT; MEANS FOR PLACING SAID WEB UPON SAID ROLLERS AT THE START POINT SO THAT WEB LOOPS ARE FORMED BETWEEN EACH SUCCESSIVE PAIR OF ROLLERS; MEANS FOR MOVING SAID ENDLESS CONVEYOR WEB CARRIER THROUGH THE DRYER; IDLER WHEELS SUPPORTING SAID ROLLERS; A GUIDEWAY UPON WHICH SAID IDLER WHEELS TRAVEL; MEANS FOR REVOLVING SAID ROLLERS TO DRIVE SAID WEB LOOPS IN A DIRECTION OPPOSED TO THE LINE OF TRAVEL OF SAID WEB CARRIER, SAID REVOLVING MEANS INCLUDING A SHAFT PROJECTING FROM ONE END OF EACH ROLLER, A SPROCKET WHEEL FIXED ON EACH SAID SHAFT AND IN ENGAGEMENT WITH MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID SPROCKET; AND A FIXED MEMBER HAVING A SURFACE EXTENDING ALONG THE PATH OF SAID ROLLERS ADJACENT THE FINISH POINT OF ROLLER TRAVEL, SAID FIXED MEMBER POSITIONED TO SUCCESSIVELY ENGAGE A PORTION OF EACH SAID SPROCKET WHEEL THEREBY ROTATING EACH SAID SPROCKET WHEEL TO DRIVE THE WEB PORTION IN CONTACT WITH THE AFFECTED ROLLER IN THE DIRECTION OF WEB CARRIER TRAVEL WHEREBY EACH LOOP OF WEB MATERIAL IS DRAWN TAUT PRIOR TO BEING TRANSPORTED TO THE NEXT WEB CARRIER.