Title:
METHOD OF FORMING COIL PACKAGES OF METAL FOIL STRIPS
United States Patent 3648350
Abstract:
Method of forming a coil comprising a plurality of overlapping foil strips including the steps of forming a ribbon of the foil strips by bonding the strips together with an adhesive, coiling the ribbon, and then removing the adhesive.
US Patent References:
Method for forming steel strip into loose coil
Urushiyama et al. - August 1966 - 3268998
METHOD OF MAKING SHEET MATERIALS OF DESIRED SIZE FROM SMALLER SHEETS JOINED TOGETHER
Reissner - April 1969 - 3436290
/1296934.html
Drovilly - March 1919 - 1296934
Method for forming steel strip into loose coil
Urushiyama et al. - August 1966 - 3268998
METHOD OF MAKING SHEET MATERIALS OF DESIRED SIZE FROM SMALLER SHEETS JOINED TOGETHER
Reissner - April 1969 - 3436290
/1296934.html
Drovilly - March 1919 - 1296934
Inventors:
Cassidy, Patrick E. (Austin, TX)
Lowell, Philip S. (Austin, TX)
Lowell, Philip S. (Austin, TX)
Application Number:
04/756729
Publication Date:
03/14/1972
Filing Date:
08/19/1968
View Patent Images:
Export Citation:
Assignee:
Tracor, Inc. (Austin, TX)
Primary Class:
Other Classes:
428/906, 156/191, 156/155
International Classes:
B65B63/04; B65H29/00; H01Q15/14; B65B63/00; B23P17/00
Field of Search:
156/155,157,159,191,192-193,264,266,291,332,344 29/423-424,493
Primary Examiner:
Dier, Philip
Parent Case Data:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
The instant patent application is a continuation and claims priority based upon the invention disclosed in application Ser. No. 683,221, now abandoned, entitled "Method of Forming Coil Packages" filed Nov. 15, 1967 in the names of Patrick E. Cassidy and Philip S. Lowell as inventors.
Claims:
What is claimed is
1. The method of forming a coil containing a plurality of strips of metal comprising
2. The method of forming a coil as defined by claim 1 wherein said adhesive is removed by a solvent.
3. The method of forming a coil as defined by claim 1 and further including the step of crimping the segmented ribbon before winding said ribbon.
4. The method of forming a coil containing a plurality of strips of material from a sheet of metal said material comprising the steps of:
5. The method of forming a coil as defined by claim 4 wherein said adhesive is removed by a solvent.
6. The method of forming a coil as defined by claim 4 wherein the bonding of said segments includes overlapping said segments after first applying said adhesive to the overlapping portion of at least one of said segments, and applying pressure to said overlapping portions.
7. The method of forming a coil as defined by claim 4 wherein the bonding of said segments includes applying a modified methoxylated polyvinyl alcohol to the edge portion of one segment, overlapping said edge portion with the edge portion of another segment, and applying heat and pressure to the overlapped edge portions.
8. The method of forming a coil as defined by claim 4 and further including the step of crimping each of said ribbons before winding said ribbons into a coil.
1. The method of forming a coil containing a plurality of strips of metal comprising
2. The method of forming a coil as defined by claim 1 wherein said adhesive is removed by a solvent.
3. The method of forming a coil as defined by claim 1 and further including the step of crimping the segmented ribbon before winding said ribbon.
4. The method of forming a coil containing a plurality of strips of material from a sheet of metal said material comprising the steps of:
5. The method of forming a coil as defined by claim 4 wherein said adhesive is removed by a solvent.
6. The method of forming a coil as defined by claim 4 wherein the bonding of said segments includes overlapping said segments after first applying said adhesive to the overlapping portion of at least one of said segments, and applying pressure to said overlapping portions.
7. The method of forming a coil as defined by claim 4 wherein the bonding of said segments includes applying a modified methoxylated polyvinyl alcohol to the edge portion of one segment, overlapping said edge portion with the edge portion of another segment, and applying heat and pressure to the overlapped edge portions.
8. The method of forming a coil as defined by claim 4 and further including the step of crimping each of said ribbons before winding said ribbons into a coil.
Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to a method for handling material, and in particular to a method for forming coil packages of metal foil strips.
Thin strips of metal foil, referred to as "chaff," have been used as a radar counter measure since World War II. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, aluminum foil cut into strips about half a wavelength long at the radar frequency was commonly used during World War II to give false echos when dispersed from aircraft. Typically, the strips are on the order of 50 mils wide and less than 1 mil thick. The length depends on the radar frequency, which according to the Encyclopedia Britannica may be 1 or 2 centimeters to a few meters.
At shorter wavelengths, from 1 to 20 or 30 centimeters for example, the packaging of the foil does not present much of a problem since the strips are relatively short. Strips less than 10 centimeters in length are commonly packaged in bales with the foil strips in parallel axial alignment. However, longer strips, over 20 centimeters in length for example, lack the axial rigidity or stiffness to be packaged in this manner.
A novel chaff package has been devised for the longer chaff wherein the foil strips are coiled rather than baled. In this package, the strips are wound on the coil with each strip overlapping the succeeding strip. While the package is technically successful, hand packaging techniques have been too expensive to make the package economically feasible.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly, a long foil ribbon comprising a plurality of foil strips of the desired dimensions is formed with the foil strips being lap bonded by a suitable adhesive. A desired coil is made with the foil ribbon, and then the adhesive is removed by means of a solvent, heat, or other suitable means, thus providing a coil package comprising a plurality of overlapping foil strips.
Typically, the metal foil is supplied in the form of a relatively wide and long sheet. In accordance with this invention, the sheet is cut into segments equal in length to the desired length of the foil strips. Thereafter, the strips are lap bonded into a continuous sheet by the adhesive. The reconstructed sheet is then cut into ribbons of the desired width, crimped if desired, and the ribbons are then coiled. Alternatively, the reconstructed sheet is coiled, and then a coil of the desired width is cut from the coiled sheet. Thereafter the adhesive is removed by solvent, heat or other suitable means.
The invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description and appended claims when taken with the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sheet of metal foil prior to processing in accordance with this invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of segments of a metal foil sheet lap bonded together.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a segmented metal foil ribbon being wound in a coil.
DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, a metal foil sheet 10 is shown in the typical form as received from a supplier. Normally, the metal foil, aluminum or other suitable material, is on the order of 4 inches wide, several hundred feet long and 1 mil or less in thickness. For ease of handling, the metal foil sheet is usually transmitted in a roll.
In accordance with this invention, the metal sheet 10 is cut along the transverse dotted lines 11 to produce foil segments 12 of a length equal to the desired chaff length, usually of the order of 20 centimeters or longer.
Referring to FIG. 2, the metal foil sheet 10 is reconstructed by lapping and bonding the metal foil segments 12. No special preparation is required for the foil, but care should be taken not to get the foil oily or dirty. A suitable soluble adhesive is provided between the overlapping portion 13 of the segments to provide the adhering bond. Such a suitable adhesive may be preferably soluble in an organic solvent such as benzene or toluene. Alternatively, a modified methoxylated polyvinyl alcohol, which is soluble in water, can be used as the adhesive. The lap joint bond may be improved by the application of pressure and/or heat depending on the type of adhesive used.
After the foil segments are lap bonded as shown in FIG. 2, the sheet is cut along the longitudinal dotted lines 15 to produce ribbons 20. The ribbons are cut to have a width equal to the desired width of the chaff strips, typically 50 mils.
Each ribbon 20 may then be crimped to improve its axial rigidity and resiliency and then wound to produce a coil 25 as shown in FIG. 3. The coil 25 has an inside and an outside diameter of the desired coil package. Coil 25 is then supported to prevent the uncoiling of the segments, and a solvent is applied to remove the adhesive which holds the segments together. Applicants have found that the soluble adhesive is best removed by submerging the coil in an agitated container filled with the solvent, or by passing the coil under a solvent spray. Since many of the materials may be heat and acid resistant, an adhesive can also be removed by the application of heat or by a suitable acid solution.
Thus, in accordance with this invention a chaff coil package is provided comprising a plurality of overlapping chaff strips without the need for time consuming manual operations or complex equipment.
While the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, the description is illustrative and not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. Various modifications and changes may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
This invention relates generally to a method for handling material, and in particular to a method for forming coil packages of metal foil strips.
Thin strips of metal foil, referred to as "chaff," have been used as a radar counter measure since World War II. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, aluminum foil cut into strips about half a wavelength long at the radar frequency was commonly used during World War II to give false echos when dispersed from aircraft. Typically, the strips are on the order of 50 mils wide and less than 1 mil thick. The length depends on the radar frequency, which according to the Encyclopedia Britannica may be 1 or 2 centimeters to a few meters.
At shorter wavelengths, from 1 to 20 or 30 centimeters for example, the packaging of the foil does not present much of a problem since the strips are relatively short. Strips less than 10 centimeters in length are commonly packaged in bales with the foil strips in parallel axial alignment. However, longer strips, over 20 centimeters in length for example, lack the axial rigidity or stiffness to be packaged in this manner.
A novel chaff package has been devised for the longer chaff wherein the foil strips are coiled rather than baled. In this package, the strips are wound on the coil with each strip overlapping the succeeding strip. While the package is technically successful, hand packaging techniques have been too expensive to make the package economically feasible.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly, a long foil ribbon comprising a plurality of foil strips of the desired dimensions is formed with the foil strips being lap bonded by a suitable adhesive. A desired coil is made with the foil ribbon, and then the adhesive is removed by means of a solvent, heat, or other suitable means, thus providing a coil package comprising a plurality of overlapping foil strips.
Typically, the metal foil is supplied in the form of a relatively wide and long sheet. In accordance with this invention, the sheet is cut into segments equal in length to the desired length of the foil strips. Thereafter, the strips are lap bonded into a continuous sheet by the adhesive. The reconstructed sheet is then cut into ribbons of the desired width, crimped if desired, and the ribbons are then coiled. Alternatively, the reconstructed sheet is coiled, and then a coil of the desired width is cut from the coiled sheet. Thereafter the adhesive is removed by solvent, heat or other suitable means.
The invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description and appended claims when taken with the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sheet of metal foil prior to processing in accordance with this invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of segments of a metal foil sheet lap bonded together.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a segmented metal foil ribbon being wound in a coil.
DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, a metal foil sheet 10 is shown in the typical form as received from a supplier. Normally, the metal foil, aluminum or other suitable material, is on the order of 4 inches wide, several hundred feet long and 1 mil or less in thickness. For ease of handling, the metal foil sheet is usually transmitted in a roll.
In accordance with this invention, the metal sheet 10 is cut along the transverse dotted lines 11 to produce foil segments 12 of a length equal to the desired chaff length, usually of the order of 20 centimeters or longer.
Referring to FIG. 2, the metal foil sheet 10 is reconstructed by lapping and bonding the metal foil segments 12. No special preparation is required for the foil, but care should be taken not to get the foil oily or dirty. A suitable soluble adhesive is provided between the overlapping portion 13 of the segments to provide the adhering bond. Such a suitable adhesive may be preferably soluble in an organic solvent such as benzene or toluene. Alternatively, a modified methoxylated polyvinyl alcohol, which is soluble in water, can be used as the adhesive. The lap joint bond may be improved by the application of pressure and/or heat depending on the type of adhesive used.
After the foil segments are lap bonded as shown in FIG. 2, the sheet is cut along the longitudinal dotted lines 15 to produce ribbons 20. The ribbons are cut to have a width equal to the desired width of the chaff strips, typically 50 mils.
Each ribbon 20 may then be crimped to improve its axial rigidity and resiliency and then wound to produce a coil 25 as shown in FIG. 3. The coil 25 has an inside and an outside diameter of the desired coil package. Coil 25 is then supported to prevent the uncoiling of the segments, and a solvent is applied to remove the adhesive which holds the segments together. Applicants have found that the soluble adhesive is best removed by submerging the coil in an agitated container filled with the solvent, or by passing the coil under a solvent spray. Since many of the materials may be heat and acid resistant, an adhesive can also be removed by the application of heat or by a suitable acid solution.
Thus, in accordance with this invention a chaff coil package is provided comprising a plurality of overlapping chaff strips without the need for time consuming manual operations or complex equipment.
While the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, the description is illustrative and not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. Various modifications and changes may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.