Apparatus for surface forming sheet material

Abstract

Abstract AN APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR FORMING IRREGULARITIES IN THE SURFACE OF A SHEET OF MATERIAL BY WORKING SAID SURFACE WITH A PLURALITY OF PROTRUSIONS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE SURFACE OF A ROTARY DIE OR DRUM. IN ONE FORM, A PLUKRALITY OF NEEDLE OR SPINE-LIKE MEMBERS OR FORMATIONS ARE PROVIDED IN THE OUTER SURFACE OF A DRUM AND A SHEET OF MATERIAL TO BE FORMED IS FED TO AND COMPRESSED AGAINST THE SURFACE OF THE DRUM AS THE DRUM IS POWER ROTATED IN A MANNER TO CAUSE PENETRATION OF SAID SPINE LIKE MEMBERS INTO THE SURFACE STRATA OF THE SHEET CAUSING THEM TO LIFT PORTIONS OF THE MATERIAL OF THE SHEET OUTWARDLY FROM THE SHEET WITHOUT DETATCHING SAID PORTIONS FROM THE SHEET. THE SHEET MAY BE PRESENTED AT AMBIENT OR ELEVATED TEMPERATURE TO FACILITATE THE DEFORMING OF THE PORTIONS PENETRATED BY THE DRUM FORMATIONS. IF AT AMBIENT TEMPERATURE, THE SHEET MAY COMPRISE A METAL OR POLYMER. BY ELEVATING THE TEMPERATURE OF A SHEET OF POLYMERIC MATERIAL, IT MAY BE SOFTENED TO A DEGREE WHEREBY THE DRUM PROTRUDING FORMATIONS DIP INTO THE SURFACE OF THE SHEET AND REMOVE PORTIONS THEREFROM WITH LITTLE RESISTANCE TO SAID ACTION. COOLING MEANS IS PROVIDED TO RAPIDLY SOLIDIFY OR SET THE SURFACE OF TE SHEET BEFORE THE FORMATIONS SO FORMED FLOW BACK INTO THE SURFACE OF THE SHEET. PLATE OR SHEET MADE OF METAL SUCH AS ALUMINUM MAY ALSO BE HEAT SOFTENED BELOW ITS MELTING POINT PRIOR TO BEING SO DEFORMED TO FACILITATE THE DEFORMATION THEREOF.

Inventors

• 👤 Jerome H Lemelson

Bibliographic Details