Machine for manufacturing ducting

Claim 2

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first means includes at least one pair of guide rollers for each edge of the wrapper, each of said pairs of guide rollers being effective to roll along the opposite sides of its respective edge and thereby grip the edge as the wrapper is fed through the forming station, control means operatively coupled to said pairs of rollers and effective to vary the positions of the pairs whereby the position of an edge varies as it travels between the rollers, and a pickup for scanning an edge and producing a signal corresponding to the position thereof, said pickup being coupled to the control means and effective to vary the position of a pair of rollers to maintain the edge at a predetermined elevation as it travels between the rollers.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the sealing station includes means for applying a bonding material to at least one edge of the wrapper, and means for forcing said edges together to bond said seam together.

Claim 4

Apparatus for continuously making indefinite lengths of a substantially cylindrical insulated duct having an inner layer of insulation and an outer protective wrapper, said apparatus including the combination of a storage station for storing the components of said duct including a strip of said protective wrapper and a blanket of said insulation, first means for gripping the opposite edges of said strip of protective wrapper as it leaves the storage station whereby the center portion of the strip is suspended therebetween, said first means being effective to control the positions of said edges and the transverse tension in said suspended center portion of said strip, second means for guiding the blanket of insulation onto the top of said wrapper whereby said blanket is carried upon said suspended center portion of the wrapper, a forming station for continuously forming said blanket of insulation and wrapper into a substantially cylindrical shape corresponding to the shape of said duct whereby the opposite edges of said wrapper are disposed adjacent each other as they leave the forming station, and a sealing station for continuously sealing said adjacent edges together to form a seam which extends the length of said duct.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 5 including means for guiding a central core onto said blanket of insulation, and said forming station is constructed and arranged to form said blanket of insulation and strip of protective wrapper around said core.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said first means includes at least one pair of mating guide rollers for each edge of said strip of protective wrapper, the rollers in each of said pairs being effective to clamp its respective edge therebetween to thereby guide the edge and said strip as they continually travel through said first means, a pickup for scanning said edge and producing a signal corresponding to the position thereof, and control means operatively coupled to said pairs of rollers for controlling the positions of said rollers, said control means being responsive to said signal and effective to position the rollers to maintain said edge at a predetermined elevation as it travels through said first means.

Claim 7

A machine for continuously making indefinite lengths of duct having an inner layer of insulation and an outer cover, said machine including the combination of a storage station including means for storing an indefinite length of said layer of insulation and means for storing an indefinite length of said outer cover, a transport for continuously feeding the indefinite lengths of said outer cover from said storage station and into and through said machine, a forming station for continuously forming said layer of insulation and cover into the shape of said duct, first guide means for continuously guiding the layer of insulation onto said cover as the cover continuously travels from the storage station to the forming station, second guide means for continuously guiding each of the opposite edges of said cover as it continuously travels from the storage station and into the forming station, and a sealing station for continuously sealing said edges of the cover together.

Claim 8

The machine of claim 8 wherein the second guide means includes a pickup means for each edge of the cover, each of said pickup means being adapted to scan the respective edge of said cover and produce a signal corresponding to the position of said edge, and positioning means for each edge of the cover effective to control the position of said edge, said positioning means being coupled to the respective pickup means and responsive to the signal therefrom to maintain said edges properly positioned relative to each other and to the forming and sealing stations.

Claim 9

The machine of claim 9 wherein each of said pickup means includes aligned airholes positioned adjacent the respective edge of the cover to produce air pressure signals corresponding to the position of said edge, and said positioning means is responsive to said air pressure signals and is effective to move said edge relative to the airholes.

Claim 10

The machine of claim 9 wherein each of said positioning means includes a pair of rollers positioned to engage the opposite sides of the cover and clamp the edge therebetween, and means for varying the positions of said rollers whereby the positions of the edge changes as it travels therebetween.

Claim 11

A machine for continuously making indefinite lengths of duct having an inner layer of insulation and an outer cover, said machine including the combination of a storage station including means for storing an indefinite length of the layer of insulation and means for storing an indefinite length of said outer cover, said outer cover being a thin, flexible sheet which is wider than the layer of insulation, a transport for continuously feeding the indefinite length of said cover through said stations, guide means for continuously guiding the layer of insulation onto said cover as the layer and cover continuously travel from the storage station, a forming station for continuously forming said cover and the layer of insulation thereon into a cylindrical shape corresponding to the shape of said duct, and a sealing station for continuously sealing said cover in said cylindrical shape and around the layer of insulation.

Claim 12

The machine of claim 12 wherein said transport applies a tractive force on said cover whereby said cover acts as a conveyor for carrying the cover and insulating layer into the forming station.

Claim 13

The machine of claim 13 wherein the sealing station includes means for applying glue to at least one edge of the cover, and means for folding the edges of the cover over each other whereby said edges are glued together and a seam is formed.

Claim 14

The machine of claim 14 including a ''''caterpillar'''' having a pair of endless belts positioned on the opposite sides of said seam for applying pressure thereto for compressing the edges together as they pass therethrough.

Claim 15

A machine for continuously making indefinite lengths of a cylindrical duct having an inner flexible core surrouNded by an insulating layer and an outer vapor barrier, said machine including the combination of means for continuously feeding an indefinite length of a strip of said vapor barrier axially into said machine, means for continuously feeding an indefinite length of a blanket of insulation onto said strip with at least one edge of said strip extending beyond the edge of said blanket, means for continuously feeding an indefinite length of said flexible core longitudinally onto said blanket so as to extend lengthwise thereof, guide means for continuously and progressively forming said strip and insulating blanket circumferentially around said core with the edges of the strip being positioned adjacent each other, means for continuously and progressively forming said edges into a seam extending lengthwise of said duct and sealing said seam, and a pair of counter rotating drivers disposed on the opposite sides of the seam, said drivers engaging the opposite sides of the seam and compressing it together.