Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Finishing Brands Holdings Inc.

John P Wojcik

Donald L Van Erden

Parimal M Vadhar

Juergen O Rathgeber

Frederick A Kish

James W Stone

Deepak H Mehta

Jan Toczycki

James Paul Baltz

Yrjo Suolahti

David Martin Seitz

Roger T Cedoz

Werner K Diehl

Ghaffar Kazkaz

Eldridge Presnell

Lee A Sheridan

Yrjö Suolahti

Roger M Maki

David E Fredericksen

David E Frederickson

Parimal M Vedhar

David M Seitz

A spray applicator system is provided with a reservoir manifold assembly having a separate reservoir for each different coating to be applied. Reservoirs are filled from a coating supply system and isolated electrically from the supply system when coating is dispensed from a reservoir to the applicator. Multiple sets of reservoirs can be used, so that an empty reservoir in one set can be filled while coating is dispensed from a reservoir in the other set. The set of reservoirs in which a reservoir is being filled is isolated electrically from the applicator, and of the set of reservoirs in which a reservoir is dispensing coating to the applicator is isolated electrically from the supply system.

Spray coating applicator system

A wrapping machine and a method for wrapping a plastic foil web (F) around an object. A gripping and cutting device () is connected to a lifting frame () supporting a circular guide track of a foil dispenser () so as to be vertically movable with the lifting frame. In the method, the wrapping action is started from a freely chosen point relative to the vertical direction of the object and ended correspondingly at a freely chosen point relative to the vertical direction of the object.

Method of wrapping a plastic foil web around an object

In a wrapping machine for wrapping a plastic foil web (F) around an object, a gripping and cutting device () is connected to a lifting frame () supporting a circular guide track of a foil dispenser () so as to be vertically movable with the lifting frame.

Wrapping machine for wrapping a plastic foil web around an object

A highly stretched film has permanently heat-sealed edges that are nearly invisible. A folding apparatus folds the edge portions of a film to form folded edges. The folded film then is passed through a bridle mechanism having two heated rolls. A series of nips apply pressure to the folded film as it is heated by the heated rolls. The nip pressure, combined with the heat imparted by the heated rolls, causes thermal welding of the folded edges resulting in permanent heat-sealed edges. Because the film edges are folded prior to the hot-stretching, the hot stretch process performs dual functions of stretching the film and heat sealing the folded edges. The resulting stretched film has permanently heat-sealed edges that do no separate, and which prevent tearing of the film edges during subsequent processing and use.

Process for making stretch film having heat-sealed edges

An apparatus and high speed process for heating and stretching a film having a bridle mechanism comprising a first heated roll and a second heated roll. The film is stretched as the film is transferred from the first heated roll to the second heated roll which rotates at a speed greater than the speed at which the first heated roll rotates. The film is fed into the bridle mechanism at a rate of about 1,500 fpm to about 2,500 fpm wherein it is stretched to a length that is up to about 450% greater than its initial, pre-stretched length. The increased contact between the large diameter heated rolls and the film and the short draw gap between the two heated rolls result in a highly stretched film having minimal neck-in.

Apparatus and high speed process for making highly stretched film

A method and apparatus for wrapping and securing film about a load by positioning a first arm retaining an end portion of film toward the load, wrapping a layer of film about the first arm so the first arm is between the wrapped film and the load, withdrawing the first arm retaining the film from between the wrapped film and the load, and releasing the end portion of film retained by the first arm to position and secure a first film portion between the wrapped film and the load. The load is further wrapped and a second arm is subsequently positioned toward the load, and a layer of film is wrapped about the second arm so the second arm is between the wrapped film and the load. A roped film portion is captured and retained by the first and second second arms. The roped film is then severed and an end portion of the severed film is retained by the first arm for subsequently wrapping another load. The other end of the severed roped film portion is retained by the second arm, which is withdrawn from between the wrapped film and the load to position and secure a second film portion between the wrapped film and the load. The arms are withdrawn along a relatively straight path by laterally translating the arms while pivoting thereby reducing contact between at least the portion of the arm retaining the film tail and the wrapped film.

Method and apparatus for wrapping and securing stretch film about a load

A method and apparatus for mounting a panel on a rail member having first and second resilient legs separated by a channel. A groove disposed along a first side of the panel receives a portion of one of the resilient legs of the rail member. The groove extends from a lower surface of the panel toward an upper surface of the panel so that the upper surface extends over the resilient leg received in the groove. The groove includes a first side surface with a first inclined portion and a second side surface with a second inclined portion. The second side surface of the groove is engagable with the inner leg surface of the resilient leg received in the groove to outwardly urge the resilient leg away from the channel of the rail member and toward the first inclined portion of the groove to retain the panel on the rail member. An elongate retention member having a base disposable through a recess in the panel and into the channel of the rail member outwardly urges one of the resilient legs away from the channel and toward the panel to further retain the panel on the rail member.

Method and apparatus for mounting a panel on a support member

A continuous, automated method and apparatus for transporting and electrostatically powder coating articles such as fasteners. Articles in an unoriented state are oriented one behind another, transferred in succession to and magnetically retained on a face of a rotating feed wheel at a first position with respect to the feed wheel, transported to a second position by rotation of the feed wheel, transferred in succession at the second position to a respective portion of a moving conveyor, and releasably suspended magnetically and electrically grounded at the respective portion of the conveyor. Magnets used to suspend the articles from the conveyor are shielded from direct contact with the articles to avoid coating the magnets. While the articles remain suspended magnetically from the conveyor by their end portions, they are conveyed through a coating booth where they are electrostatically powder coated.

Method for electrostatic powder coating of fasteners magnetically

A seamless tube useful in making a roofing batten is extruded from a polymeric material consisting essentially of a major amount of poly(ethylene terephthalate) and a minor amount of at least one polyolefin, flattened in a vacuum sizer so as to define two plies, and milled and drawn so as to orient the tube longitudinally. As milled and drawn, the tube is oriented so as to have a tensile strength of at least about 25,000 psi in a longitudinal direction. The plies are punched so as to have holes therethrough at spaced intervals along the tube. When used to make a roofing batten to coact with conventional fasteners, such as roofing screws, the tube exhibits superior characteristics of split resistance and pull-through resistance.

Method of making roofing battens

A continuous, automated method and apparatus for transporting and electrostatically coating articles including providing a plurality of articles in an unoriented bulk state, each article having a first end portion, orienting each article and transporting them into a desired position, transferring each article in succession to a moving conveyor, suspending each article from the conveyor by its end portion and conveying the articles for electrostatic coating and curing.

Growing community of inventors

South Barrington, IL, United States of America

John P Wojcik