Sheet applying apparatus

Claim 1

IN A DEVICE FOR APPLYING TO A SURFACE TO BE COVERED A SHEET WHICH ADHERES TO SAID SURFACE, IN COMBINATION, CARRIAGE MEANS MOVABLE ALONG THE SURFACE TO BE COVERED; ROLL CARRYING MEANS TURNABLY SUPPORTED BY SAID CARRIIAGE MEANS FOR CARRYING A ROLL OF THE SHEET TO BE APPLIED TO SAID SURFACE SO THAT DURING MOVEMENT OF SAID CARRIAGE MEANS ALONG SAID SURFACE THE SHEET WILL UNROLL ONTO SAID SURFACE, SAID ROLL CARRYING MEANS SUPPORTING SAID ROLL IN A POSITION WHERE AT ANY GIVEN INSTANT DURING MOVEMENT OF SAID CARRIAGE MEANS AND UNROLLING OF SAID ROLL A SURFACE PORTION OF SAID ROLL IS DIRECTED TOWARD AND ABOUT TO MOVE INTO CONTACT WITH SAID SURFACE AND DEFINES AN ELONGATED GAP WITH SAID SURFACE; HEATING MEANS CARRIED BY SAID CARRIAGE MEANS AND EXTENDING ALONG SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF SAID ROLL CARRYING MEANS FOR HEATING A SHEET CARRIED BY THE LATTER, SAID HEATING MEANS BEING FORMED WITH BURNER OPENINGS, WHICH ARE DIRECTED TOWARD SaID GAP FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY HEATING SAID SURFACE AS WELL AS SAID SHEET AT THE PORTION OF THE LATTER WHICH IS ABOUT TO MOVE IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PORTION OF THE SURFACE HEATED BY SAID HEATING MEANS; AND POSITIONING MEANS CARRIED BY SAID CARRIAGE MEANS AND BEING RESPONSIVE TO THE THICKNESS OF THE ROLL CARRIED BY SAID ROLL CARRYING MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY MAINTAINING SAID HEATING MEANS AT A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE FROM THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE ROLL AS THE THICKNESS THEREOF DIMINISHES.