Tape laying method and apparatus
First Claim
1. The method of laying composite tape between boundaries defining an area of a work surface that is to be covered with a plurality of strips of tape comprisingstretching a strip of tape between a first boundary and a second boundary adjacent said work surface with one end of said strip at said first boundary,pressing said strip against said surface at a pressure area of said tape strip,moving said pressure area along said tape strip across said work surface area while holding said tape strip stretched across and adjacent said work surface area, said tape being mounted on a carrier belt and wound on a supply reel mechanism,mounting the supply reel mechanism and a belt take-up mechanism beyond said first and second boundaries, said steps of pressing said strips comprising mounting a tape pressure head adjacent said work surface, andmoving said supply and take-up mechanisms independently of said pressure head around the boundaries of said work surface area to define tape paths between the mechanisms that extend at all orientations across the work surface so that the carrier belt and a tape strip may be stretched between the mechanisms across said work surface area in any orientation.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Improved laying of high strength composite tape is achieved by stretching a strip of tape entirely across the area on which the tape is to be laid before pressing any part of the tape against the work surface, and then pressing the tape against the surface while the tape is stretched across and adjacent the work surface. The tape is held and stretched across the work surface on supply and takeup reels on opposite sides of the work surface, so that the reels need not move along the tape with the moving pressure foot. The pressure foot and both reels are mounted for independent motion completely around the work surface to enable tape strips to be laid in all directions across the work surface without rotating the work surface.
77 Citations
37 Claims
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1. The method of laying composite tape between boundaries defining an area of a work surface that is to be covered with a plurality of strips of tape comprising
stretching a strip of tape between a first boundary and a second boundary adjacent said work surface with one end of said strip at said first boundary, pressing said strip against said surface at a pressure area of said tape strip, moving said pressure area along said tape strip across said work surface area while holding said tape strip stretched across and adjacent said work surface area, said tape being mounted on a carrier belt and wound on a supply reel mechanism, mounting the supply reel mechanism and a belt take-up mechanism beyond said first and second boundaries, said steps of pressing said strips comprising mounting a tape pressure head adjacent said work surface, and moving said supply and take-up mechanisms independently of said pressure head around the boundaries of said work surface area to define tape paths between the mechanisms that extend at all orientations across the work surface so that the carrier belt and a tape strip may be stretched between the mechanisms across said work surface area in any orientation.
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8. Apparatus for laying tape comprising
a work table, first, second, and third carriages mounted adjacent said work table, a supply reel receiver mounted on said first carriage and adapted to carry a reel of tape mounted upon a carrier belt, a take-up mechanism mounted on said second carriage and adapted to receive a carrier belt withdrawn from a supply reel on said supply reel receiver, said first and third carriages being mounted for mutually independent motion along said work table, a pressure head mounted on said third carriage, said head including means for pressing said tape against said work table, and means for driving said third carriage and said pressure head toward said first carriage and said supply reel receiver while pressing said tape against the work table.
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22. Apparatus for laying elongated strips of material comprising
a work table, a material head including means for pressing material against said table, means for mounting said material head for motion relative to said table, a supply reel receiver adapted to carry a reel of material upon a carrier belt, means for mounting said supply reel receiver for motion relative to said table independently of motion of said material head, whereby said material head may be moved relative to said supply reel receiver while pressing material against said table, a take-up mechanism adapted to receive a carrier belt extending across said table from a supply reel on said supply reel receiver, and means for mounting said take-up mechanism for motion relative to said table independently of motion of said supply reel receiver.
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35. In combination,
a work table, first and second carriages independently mounted on said track for mutually independent motion along the track, first and second working heads mounted on said first and second carriages, respectively, means for independently driving said carriages along said track to position said working heads in mutual opposition across said work table on a line extending at any orientation across said work table, and means for orienting said working heads for alignment with each other and with said one line.
Specification