Method and apparatus for convolutely winding tubes of irregular shapes

Claim 2

In apparatus for forming a sheet into a tubular shape noncircular in cross section: an elongated rotatable mandrel having a non-circular shape in cross section; an elongated rotatable presser roll adapted to be oriented parallel and located adjacent to the mandrel and having a non-circular shape in cross section different from that of said mandrel; the shape of said presser roll being such that, when in surface to surface contact with the mandrel and when rotated at a varying angular velocity that establishes a surface velocity in the area of mutual surface contact equal to that of the mandrel when the mandrel is rotated at a constant speed, the axis of the presser roll will remain essentially stationary.

Claim 3

In apparatus for convolutely winding a sheet into a tubular shape non-circular in cross section: an elongated mandrel having a non-circular shape in cross section: means supporting said mandrel for rotation about its central longitudinal axis; means to rotate said mandrel about said axis; an elongated presser roll having a non-circular shape in cross section different from that of said mandrel; means supporting said presser roll for rotation about its longitudinal axis and witH its longitudinal axis parallel to and adjacent the axis of said mandrel; the shapes of said mandrel and presser roll being such that the combined distance from said axes to the respective adjacent surfaces of the mandrel and presser roll, in the plane of the two axes, remains constant when both the mandrel and the presser roll are rotated in opposite directions from a predetermined initial relationship at angular velocities that establish essentially equal surface velocities in the plane of the two axes; and means to rotate at least one of said presser roll and mandrel at a varying angular velocity relative to the other to establish essentially equal surface velocities thereof at a line of contact between the presser roll and either the mandrel or a sheet wound onto the mandrel.

Claim 4

In apparatus for convolutely winding a sheet into a tubular shape non-circular in cross section: an elongated mandrel having a non-circular shape in cross section: means supporting said mandrel for rotation about its central longitudinal axis; means to rotate said mandrel about said axis; an elongated presser roll having a non-circular shape in cross section different from that of said mandrel; means supporting said presser roll for rotation about its longitudinal axis and witH its longitudinal axis parallel to and adjacent the axis of said mandrel; the shapes of said mandrel and presser roll being such that the combined distance from said axes to the respective adjacent surfaces of the mandrel and presser roll, in the plane of the two axes, remains constant when both the mandrel and the presser roll are rotated in opposite directions from a predetermined initial relationship at angular velocities that establish essentially equal surface velocities in the plane of the two axes; and means to rotate at least one of said presser roll and mandrel at a varying angular velocity relative to the other to establish essentially equal surface velocities thereof at a line of contact between the presser roll and either the mandrel or a sheet wound onto the mandrel.

Claim 5

Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said presser roll is rotated at a varying angular velocity relative to said mandrel.

Claim 6

Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said last-named means includes a phase changer with an input shaft rotatably driven at a speed proportional to that of said mandrel, a rotatable output shaft for driving the presser roll, and means for varying the speed of said output shaft relative to the input shaft in a predetermined relationship.

Claim 7

Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 including means supporting said presser roll for movement toward and away from said mandrel and means yieldably biasing said presser roll toward said mandrel.

Claim 8

In apparatus for forming a sheet into a tubular shape non-circular in cross section: an elongated mandrel having a non-circular shape in cross section; means supporting said mandrel for rotation about its central longitudinal axis; means to rotate said mandrel about said axis; an elongated presser roll having a non-circular shape in cross section different from that of said mandrel; means supporting said presser roll for rotation about its longitudinal axis and with its longitudinal axis parallel to the axis of said mandrel; said mandrel and presser roll being shaped so that the radial distance from the axis to the surface of each, considered in the plane of the two axes, varies inversely with respect to that of the other, and the combined distances remain constant, when both the mandrel and the presser roll are rotated in opposite directions and in predetermined timed relationship from a predetermined initial relationship; and means to rotate at least one of said presser roll and mandrel at an increasing angular velocity when said radial distance decreases and at a decreasing angular velocity when said radial distance increases.

Claim 9

In apparatus for forming a sheet into a tubular shape non-circular in cross section: an elongated mandrel having a non-circular shape in cross section; means supporting said mandrel for rotation about its central longitudinal axis; means to rotate said mandrel about said axis; an elongated presser roll having a non-circular shape in cross section different from that of said mandrel; means supporting said presser roll for rotation about its longitudinal axis and with its longitudinal axis parallel to the axis of said mandrel; said mandrel and presser roll being shaped so that the radial distance from the axis to the surface of each, considered in the plane of the two axes, varies inversely with respect to that of the other, and the combined distances remain constant, when both the mandrel and the presser roll are rotated in opposite directions and in predetermined timed relationship from a predetermined initial relationship; and means to rotate at least one of said presser roll and mandrel at an increasing angular velocity when said radial distance decreases and at a decreasing angular velocity when said radial distance increases.

Claim 10

In apparatus for forming a sheet into a tubular shape non-circular in cross section: an elongated mandrel having a non-circular shape in cross section; means supporting said mandrel for rotation about its central longitudinal axis; means to rotate said mandrel about said axis; an elongated presser roll having a non-circular shape in cross section different from that of said mandrel; means supporting said presser roll for rotation about its longitudinal axis and with its longitudinal axis parallel to the axis of said mandrel; the shapes of said mandrel and presser roll being such that the combined distance from the central longitudinal axes to the respective adjacent surfaces of both, in the plane of the two axes, remains constant when both the mandrel and the presser roll are rotated in opposite directions from a predetermined initial relationship at angular velocities that establish essentially equal surface velocities in the plane of the two axes; means to rotate at least one of said presser roll and mandrel at a varying angular velocity relative to the other to establish essentially equal surface velocities thereof at a line of contact between the presser roll and either the mandrel or a sheet wound onto the mandrel; a vacuum table adjacent said mandrel for supporting a sheet being wound on the mandrel and for retarding movement of the sheet during winding; means for moving a sheet to be wOund onto said vacuum table; and means adjacent said vacuum table for applying adhesive to said sheet as the sheet is wound onto said mandrel.

Claim 11

In apparatus for forming a sheet into a tubular shape non-circular in cross section: an elongated mandrel having a non-circular shape in cross section; means supporting said mandrel for rotation about its central longitudinal axis; means to rotate said mandrel about said axis; an elongated presser roll having a non-circular shape in cross section different from that of said mandrel; means supporting said presser roll for rotation about its longitudinal axis and with its longitudinal axis parallel to the axis of said mandrel; the shapes of said mandrel and presser roll being such that the combined distance from the central longitudinal axes to the respective adjacent surfaces of both, in the plane of the two axes, remains constant when both the mandrel and the presser roll are rotated in opposite directions from a predetermined initial relationship at angular velocities that establish essentially equal surface velocities in the plane of the two axes; means to rotate at least one of said presser roll and mandrel at a varying angular velocity relative to the other to establish essentially equal surface velocities thereof at a line of contact between the presser roll and either the mandrel or a sheet wound onto the mandrel; a vacuum table adjacent said mandrel for supporting a sheet being wound on the mandrel and for retarding movement of the sheet during winding; means for moving a sheet to be wOund onto said vacuum table; and means adjacent said vacuum table for applying adhesive to said sheet as the sheet is wound onto said mandrel.

Claim 12

In a method of convolutely winding a sheet of paper or the like into a tubular shape of non-circular cross section, the steps comprising: securing an end of a sheet in fixed relationship to an elongated mandrel of non-circular cross sectional shape that is rotatable about its central longitudinal axis, biasing an elongated presser roll that is parallel to the mandrel and rotatable about its longitudinal axis against said sheet as the sheet is wound, said presser roll and mandrel being shaped so that the combined distance from the axes to the adjacent surfaces of both in the plane of the two axes remains constant when both are rotated in opposite directions from a predetermined initial relationship at angular velocities that establish essentially equal surface velocities in the plane of the two axes, rotating said roll and mandrel in opposite directions and at relatively varying angular velocities that continuously establish equal surface velocities of the presser roll and mandrel in the plane of the two axes at the line of contact between the roll and the tube, and maintaining continuous contact between the tube being wound and the presser roll essentially without relative osillation between said two axes.

Claim 13

In a method of convolutely winding a sheet of paper or the like into a tubular shape of non-circular cross section, the steps comprising: securing an end of a sheet in fixed relationship to an elongated mandrel of non-circular cross sectional shape that is rotatable about its central longitudinal axis, biasing an elongated presser roll that is parallel to the mandrel and rotatable about its longitudinal axis against said sheet as the sheet is wound, said presser roll and mandrel being shaped so that the combined distance from the axes to the adjacent surfaces of both in the plane of the two axes remains constant when both are rotated in opposite directions from a predetermined initial relationship at angular velocities that establish essentially equal surface velocities in the plane of the two axes, rotating said roll and mandrel in opposite directions and at relatively varying angular velocities that continuously establish equal surface velocities of the presser roll and mandrel in the plane of the two axes at the line of contact between the roll and the tube, and maintaining continuous contact between the tube being wound and the presser roll essentially without relative osillation between said two axes.

Claim 14

A method as set forth in claim 8 including the step of spraying a quick-setting adhesive on an upwardly facing surface of said sheet as the sheet is wound onto the mandrel.

Claim 15

A method as set forth in claim 8 including the step of supporting an unwound portion of the sheet on a vacuum table while the sheet is being wound and tensioning the sheet during winding by decreasing the ambient pressure beneath the sheet.

Claim 16

A method as set forth in claim 9 including the step of supporting an unwound portion of the sheet on a vacuum table while the sheet is being wound and tensioning the sheet during winding by decreasing the ambient pressure beneath the sheet.