Belt press for making panels

Abstract

A belt press has horizontally extending and vertically spaced upper and lower plates defining a horizontally extending gap, vertically spaced upper and lower upstream drums rotatable about respective horizontal drum rotation axes at the upstream press end, and vertically spaced upper and lower downstream drums rotatable about respective horizontal drum rotation axes at the downstream press end. Each of the downstream drums is supported for at least limited pivoting about a vertical axis generally intersecting the respective drum rotation axis. Upper and lower endless belts spanned over the respective upper and lower drums each have a working stretch lying between the plates and a return stretch. Upper and lower pairs of horizontally spaced outer adjustment rollers rotatable about respective horizontal axes fixed each engage the respective working stretch in a predetermined vertical direction and respective upper and lower central adjustment rollers positioned between the respective outer rollers engage the respective working stretch in a vertical direction opposite to the respective outer rollers. Each central adjustment roller can pivot about a horizontal axis generally centrally passing perpendiculary through the respective central adjustment roller. Sensors detect the position of the belt transversely of the direction and a controller pivots the drums and central adjustment rollers about the respective adjustment axes in response to the respective detected belt position.