Apparatus for the continuous formation of foraminous elastomeric sheet material from a coagulable liquid

Abstract

Abstract APPARATUS AND METHOD ARE DISCLOSED FOR THE CONTINUOUS FORMATION OF FORAMINOUS ELASTOMERIC SHEET MATERIAL FROM A COAGULABLE LIQUID, SUCH AS A LATEX. THE COAGULABLE LIQUID IS DEPOSITED ON A FORMING MEANS SHOWN PROVIDED ABOUT THE FACE OF A ROTATABLE CYLINDER, OR ALTERNATIVELY ALONG AN ENDLESS CONVEYOR BELT. THE LIQUID RECEIVING SURFACE OF THE FORMING MEANS INCLUDES A SPACE SEPARATED PLURALITY OF PROJECTIONS. THE REGIONS BETWEEN THESE PROJECTIONS PROVIDE OPEN FACED LOCATIONS FOR THE RECEPTION OF THE COAGULABLE LIQUID. A MEANS FOR DEPOSITING THE LIQUID AS A LAYER ON THE FORMING SURFACE IS PROVIDED. THIS DEPOSITING MEANS INCLUDES A SPREADING MEANS AT ITS EXIT WHICH ESTABLISHES THE TOP SURFACE OF THE LIQUID. AN ACTIVE GELLING OR COAGULATING AGENT IS APPLIED TO THE LIQUID LAYER IMMEDIATELY EMERGING FROM UNDER THE SPREADING MEANS TO PREVENT THE FORMATION OF A GELLED OR COAGULATED FILM OVER THE PROJECTION TOP SURFACES, AND FORM A HOLE IN THE DEPOSITED LAYER AT EACH PROJECTION LOCATION. IN THE DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS THE SPREADING MEANS IS PROVIDED BY A FLEXIBLE BLADE MEMBER WHICH WIPES ALONG THE TOPS OF THE PROJECTIONS. THE SURFACE COAGULANT ALSO SERVES TO PREVENT THE BUILD-UP OF A COAGULUM ALONG THE BLADE SPREADING REGION. THE LIQUID IS COAGULATED AND STRIPPED FROM THE FORMING SURFACE AS SHEET MATERIAL. IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE COAGULATION TIME, A HEAT-SENSITIVE COAGULABLE LIQUID MAY BE USED, WITH APPROPRIATE HEAT BEING APPLIED TO THE FORMING SURFACE.

Inventors

• 👤 Peter D Kaspar

Bibliographic Details