DEVICE FOR MAKING LAMINATED ARCH CORRUGATED STRUCTURES

DISPOSITIF POUR LA FABRICATION DE STRATIFIES ARQUES ET ONDULES

English Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
An apparatus for making laminated dual and multiple arch
corrugated structures including a first unit for making
single-face corrugated members formed of a corrugated member and
an attached liner and a second unit for combining one or more
single-face corrugated structures into a double-face structure.
The subject invention includes a novel mechanism for laminating
one or more portion of the single-face or double-face corrugated
structures and/or for impregnating one or more of the members of
the such structures with an impregnating substance. The subject
improvements also reside in a novel hold down roll construction to
prevent wrinkling of the edge portions of web members used in the
construction of corrugated panels.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive
property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. Apparatus for making corrugated panel structures having
a laminated corrugated web formed by at least two connected
together web members having peaks and valleys, and a facer member
attached to the corrugation peaks on one side thereof comprising:
a supply of separate web materials to be laminated and
corrugated to form a corrugation medium and a supply of a web
facer member to be attached to the corrugation peaks on one side
of the corrugation medium;
a first applicator roller having a cylindrical surface
formed by a plurality of spaced surface depressions distributed
uniformly thereover, means to apply an adhesive substance to the
surface of the first applicator roller including a container
positioned adjacent to the first applicator roller in position to
expose a portion of the cylindrical surface thereof to the
adhesive substance in the container whereby adhesive is
transferred from the container to the first applicator roller to
cover the cylindrical surface and fill the surface depressions
therein;
means to rotate the applicator roller;
means forming a scraping edge on said container biased into
engagement with and in opposition to the direction of rotation of
the cylindrical surface of the applicator roller during rotation
thereof to scrape said surface and remove therefrom excessive
adhesive substance except for the adhesive substance contained in
the surface depressions which scraped and removed adhesive flows
back into said container;
means to maintain a portion of one of the web members to
form the corrugation medium engaged with the cylindrical surface
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over a predetermined arcuate portion thereof and for a time period
sufficient to permit transfer of the adhesive substance remaining
in the depressions to the one web member;
means to bring the separate web members together with the
adhesive substance therebetween to form a laminated medium
therefrom;
means including a pair of cooperatively engaged corrugating
rollers forming a corrugation nip therebetween;
means for feeding the laminated medium into the nip between
the corrugating rollers to corrugate the medium and form peaks and
valleys therein;
means including a second applicator roller positioned
adjacent to one of the corrugating rollers for applying an
adhesive substance to the corrugation ridges on one side of the
corrugated medium;
a pressure roller positioned adjacent to said one
corrugating roller to form a nip therewith; and,
means to bring the web facer member into contact with the
corrugation peaks of the corrugated medium to unite the facer
material and the corrugated medium to form a single face
corrugated member.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the supply of web
facer member includes at least two supply rolls of web facer
materials, a third applicator roller for applying an adhesive
substance to the web facer material from one of said supply rolls,
said third applicator roller having a cylindrical surface defined
by a plurality of surface depressions distributed uniformly
thereover;
means to apply adhesive substance to the cylindrical surface
of the third applicator roller including a container positioned
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adjacent to the third applicator roller in position to expose a
portion of the surface thereof to the adhesive substance contained
in the container whereby adhesive substance is transferred from
the container to the third applicator roller to cover the surface
thereof and fill the surface depressions therein;
means forming a scraping edge on said container biased into
engagement with and in opposition to the direction of rotation of
the surface of the third applicator roller to positively scrape
and remove adhesive substance from the surface thereof except for
the adhesive substance remaining in the depressions which scraped
and removed adhesive substance flows back into said container;
means to effect contact between the web facer material from
the one supply roll and the cylindrical surface of the third
applicator roller over a predetermined arcuate portion thereof to
allow time for the adhesive substance contained in the depressions
to transfer from the surface of the third applicator roller as a
pattern of uniformaly distributed distinct dots to the web facer
material from said one supply roll; and
means to produce a laminated facer member by bringing the
web facer member from the two supply rolls of web facer material
together to produce a bond therebetween.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the adhesive substance
in the container is a high solids, high viscosity adhesive.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 including means to synchronize
the speed of rotation of the second applicator roller to the speed
of movement of the medium so that the medium does not move
relative to the surface of the second applicator roller while
engaged therewith.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 including a hold down roller
positioned adjacent to the first applicator roller to hold the one
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web member against the first applicator roller at the location
thereof.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 including means to maintain
the one web member relatively uniformly engaged with the first
applicator roller across the width thereof, said means including
at least one idler roller positioned in spaced relation to the
first applicator roller, said idler roller having annular tapered
enlarged members adjacent to the ends thereof which increase the
diameter thereof where the edge portions of the web engage the
idler roller.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said web facer
material and said separate web materials to form the corrugation
medium are paper.
8 . The apparatus of claim 1 including at least one idler
roller positioned in spaced relation to one side of the first
applicator roller in position to engage the one web member and to
maintain the one web member engaged with the first applicator
roller over a predetermined arcuate portion of the cylindrical
surface thereof.
9 . Apparatus for making corrugated structures wherein at
least one portion is formed by a laminated member comprising
a source of a single-face web including a source of
corrugated member formed with spaced ridges and valleys and a
liner member attached to the ridges of the corrugated member on
one side thereof;
an applicator roller having a cylindrical surface formed by
a plurality of spaced depressions distributed relatively uniformly
over the surface thereof;
means to rotate the applicator roller;
a source of fluid material including a container therefor
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mounted adjacent to the applicator roller in position so that the
fluid material in the container is exposed to a portion of the
applicator roller whereby some of said fluid material adheres to
the applicator roller as the roller rotates.
scraper means formed on said container having a scraping
edge biased into engagement with and positioned in opposition to
the direction of rotation of the cylindrical surface of the
applicator roller so as to press against and positively scrape the
roller surface and remove the fluid material therefrom except for
the fluid material contained in the depressions, which scraped and
removed fluid material flows back into said container
means for feeding the single-face web such that the
corrugation ridges on the second side thereof move into engagement
with a portion of the cylindrical surface of the applicator roller
including means to maintain the corrugation ridges engaged with
the applicator roller over a predetermined arcuate portion of the
cylindrical surface whereby the fluid material contained in the
depressions has time to transfer as a plurality of uniformaly
distributed distinct dots from the depressions to the corrugation
ridges engaged therewith;
means to produce a liner member for attaching to the
corrugation ridges on the single-face web including first and
second sources of liner webs;
a second applicator roller having a cylindrical surface
thereon defined by spaced depressions distributed relatively
uniformly over the surface thereof;
a supply of a second fluid material including a container
therefor positioned adjacent to the second applicator roller
whereby a portion of the cylindrical surface thereof is maintained
in contact with the second fluid material and picks up such
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material as the second applicator roller rotates;
second scraper means formed on said container having a
scraping edge biased into engagement with and positioned in
opposition to the direction of rotation of the surface of the
second applicator roller to remove by positively scraping excess
of said second fluid material therefrom except for the second
fluid material that fills the spaced depressions;
means to feed one side of said first liner web into
engagement with the cylindrical surface of the second applicator
roller including means to maintain engagement between said first
liner and a predetermined arcuate portion of the second applicator
roller;
means to bring the first and second liner webs into contact
with each other to form a laminated liner member;
means to bring the laminated liner member into engagement
with the corrugation ridges on the second side of the single-face
member; and,
means to maintain the laminated liner engaged with the
single-face web to allow the fluid materials applied to the
members to cure.
10 . The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the corrugated member
of the single-face web is a laminated member.
11 . The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the liner member of
the single-face web is a laminated member.
12 . The apparatus of claim 9 including a second source of
single-face web, separate means including a third applicator
roller engageable by the corrugation ridges on the second single
face web for applying fluid material thereto, and means for
bringing the corrugation ridges on the second single-face web into
engagement with the liner side of the aforesaid single-face web to
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form a structure which combines the two single-face webs into a
unitary corrugated structure.
13 . In an apparatus for producing corrugated structures
from separate elongated web members having spaced opposite edges
the improvement comprising means for applying fluid material to a
surface of one of the web members comprising
an applicator roller having a cylindrical surface formed by
a plurality of distinct surface depressions distributed uniformly
thereover;
means for rotating the applicator roller;
a container containing a supply of a fluid material
positioned adjacent to the cylindrical surface of the applicator
roller in position to expose a portion of the applicator roller to
the fluid material contained therein;
scraper member having a scraping edge formed on said
container biased into positive engagement in opposition to the
direction of rotation of the cylindrical surface of the applicator
roller to scrape off fluid material therefrom in excess of the
fluid material contained in the surface depressions;
means to guide one of the separate elongated web members
during feeding thereof into contact with the cylindrical surface
of the applicator roller, said guide means including means for
maintaining a predetermined length of the one web member engaged
with the applicator roller over a predetermined arcuate portion of
the surface thereof whereby each portion of the one web member is
engaged with the applicator roller during movement thereof for a
time that is sufficient for the fluid material in the uniformly
distributed depressions to transfer to the one web member as a
uniform pattern of distinct dots, and
means on said guide means to prevent wrinkling of said one
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web member adjacent to the edges thereof as it moves in contact
with the applicator roller.
14 . In the apparatus of claim 13 wherein the guide means
includes at least one guide roll member positioned in spaced
relation to the applicator roller, the means on the guide means to
prevent wrinkling including at least one separate removable low
angle sleeve providing a gradual increase in the diameter of the
guide roll member adjacent to the corresponding end thereof.
15 . In the apparatus of claim 13 wherein the guide means
includes a pair of spaced guide roll members located in spaced
relation to the applicator roller substantially on opposite sides
thereof, at least one of said guide roll members having at least
one separate removable low angle sleeve providing a gradual
increase in diameter adjacent to the corresponding end thereof.
16 . In the apparatus of claim 15 further including a
pressure roller positioned adjacent to the applicator roller to
form a nip therewith, the one web member extending through the nip
between the applicator roller and the pressure roller.
17 . In an apparatus for producing corrugated structures
from separate web members the improvement comprising
a plurality of separate sources of web members,
means for applying fluid material to a surface of one of the
web members including an applicator roller having a cylindrical
surface formed with a plurality of distinct surface depressions
therein,
means for rotating the applicator roller,
a container for a supply of a fluid material positioned
adjacent to the cylindrical surface of the applicator roller in
position to expose a portion of the applicator roller surface to
the fluid material contained therein,
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a scraper member biased into engagement with the cylindrical
surface of the applicator roller for scraping the surface thereof
to remove fluid material therefrom except from the depressions
therein,
means to guide the one of the separate web members during
feeding thereof into contact with the surface of the applicator
roller, said guide means including means for maintaining a portion
of the one web member engaged with the applicator roller over a
predetermined arcuate portion of the surface thereof whereby as
the one web member is fed every portion thereof as it moves into
engagement with the applicator roller is maintained in engagement
therewith for a long enough time for the fluid material contained
in the depressions to transfer to the one web member as a
plurality of dots,
means to bring the surface of the one web member on the side
of the plurality of dots into engagement with another of said
separate web members to form a laminated web member therewith,
means for corrugating the laminated web member to form
corrugating ridges and peaks therein,
means for applying a material having adhesive
characteristics to the corrugation ridges on one side of the
corrugated laminated web member, and
means for uniting the laminated corrugated web member with a
third of said separate web members from one of said plurality of
sources to form a single face corrugated structure.
18. In the apparatus of claim 17, the means for corrugating
the laminated web member includes a pair of corrugating rollers
having interlocking surfaces formed by adjacent ridges and valleys,
means for feeding the laminated web member between the
corrugation rollers to corrugate the laminated web member,
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means for applying another substance having adhesive
characteristics to the corrugation ridges on the opposite surface
of the corrugated laminated web member from the third separate web
member, and
a web material from a fourth of said plurality of sources of
web members including means for feeding the fourth separate web
member into engagement with the corrugation ridges on said
opposite surface of the corrugated laminated web member from the
fourth source to form a bond between the fourth web member and the
corrugated laminated web member to produce a double face
corrugated structure.
19. In the apparatus of claim 17 wherein the third of said
separate web members is a laminated member.
20. In the apparatus of claim 17 wherein the fourth of said
separate web members is a laminated member.
21. In the apparatus of claim 17 wherein the plurality of
separate sources of web members includes a first pair of source
rolls containing distinct web members for forming the corrugated
laminated web member, and a second pair of source rolls containing
distinct web members for forming the third of said separate web
members.
22. In the apparatus of claim 21 including a second
applicator roller having a cylindrical surface,
means for rotating the second applicator roller,
a container for a supply of fluid material positioned
adjacent to the cylindrical surface of the second applicator
roller is position to expose a portion of the surface thereof to
the fluid material contained therein,
a scraper member biased into engagement with the cylindrical
surface of the second applicator roller for scraping the surface
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thereof to remove fluid material therefrom except from the
depressions therein, and
means to guide one of the distinct web members from one of
the rolls of the second pair of source rolls into engagement with
the surface of the second applicator roller, said guide means
including means for maintaining a portion of the one distinct web
member engaged with the second applicator roller over a
predetermined arcuate portion of the surface thereof whereby every
portion of the one distinct web as it is fed is engaged with the
applicator roller for a long enough time for the fluid material
contained in the depressions to transfer to the one distinct web
member as a plurality of distinct dots, and
means for bringing the distinct web members from the second
pair of source rolls into engagement with each other to form a
laminated web liner member.
23. In the apparatus of claim 18 wherein the fourth source
of web material includes a fourth pair of source rolls each having
a distinct fourth web member thereon, and
means including a fourth applicator roller having a
cylindrical surface formed with a plurality of distinct surface
depressions therein,
means for rotating the fourth applicator roller,
a container for a supply of fluid material positioned
adjacent to the cylindrical surface of the fourth applicator
roller in position to expose a portion of the fourth applicator
roller surface to the fluid material contained therein,
a scraper member biased into engagement with the cylindrical
surface of the fourth applicator roller for scraping the surface
thereof to remove fluid material therefrom except from the
depressions therein,
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means to guide the web from one of the fourth pair of source
rolls during feeding thereof into contact with the surface of the
fourth applicator roller, said guide means including means for
maintaining a portion of the said web engaged with the fourth
applicator roller over a predetermined arcuate portion of the
surface thereof whereby every portion of the web as it is fed is
engaged with the fourth applicator roller for a long enough time
for the fluid material contained in the depressions to transfer to
the surface thereof as a plurality of dots, and
means to bring the web members from the fourth pair of
source rolls into engagement with each other to form a laminated
web member.
24. In the apparatus of claim 17 wherein the means for
maintaining a portion of the one web member engaged with the
applicator roller over a predetermined arcuate portion of the
surface thereof maintains the contact over an arcuate portion from
between about 40° and about 120°.
25. Apparatus for making corrugated members having
laminated mediums and a facer member attached to at least one
opposite surface thereof comprising at least three separate
sources of web material, means to separately feed material from
each of the sources, an applicator roller for applying an adhesive
material to one surface of one of the web members having a
cylindrical intaglio surface formed thereon, means mounting said
applicator roller for rotation in a direction corresponding to the
direction of feed of said one web member, means for applying an
adhesive material to the intaglio surface of the applicator
roller, wiper means positioned to engage the intaglio surface of
the applicator roller to remove excess adhesive therefrom except
for the adhesive that remains in cavities that form the intaglio
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surface, means to maintain the one web member against the intaglio
surface of the applicator roller over a predetermined arcuate
portion thereof during feeding to allow time for transfer of
adhesive from the intaglio surface to the one web member, means
for moving the surface of the one web member to which adhesive is
transferred into engagement with the surface of another of the web
members from a different source to bond the web members together,
corrugating means and means for moving the bonded web members
therethrough to form corrugation ridges and valleys therein, means
including a second applicator roller having a cylindrical intaglio
surface, means to apply adhesive thereto, second wiper means
positioned to engage the intaglio surface to remove excess
adhesive therefrom, means to maintain the corrugation ridges on
one side of the bonded corrugated member engaged with the second
applicator roller for long enough for adhesive to transfer
thereto, and means for bringing the web member from the third
source into engagement with the corrugation ridges to adhesively
bond the third web member thereto to form a facer member thereon.
26 . The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the corrugating means
includes a pair of corrugating rollers, the axes of the
corrugating rollers and the axes of the first and second
applicator rollers being parallel.
27 . The apparatus of claim 25 whereby the adhesive is a
high-solids, high-viscosity adhesive.
28. The apparatus of claim 25 including means to
synchronize the speed of rotation of the applicator roller to the
speed of movement of the said one web member so that the web
member does not move relative to the surface of the applicator
roller when engaged therewith.
29 . The apparatus of claim 25 including means to hold the
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said one web member against the applicator roller including a
hold-down roller positioned adjacent to the applicator roller to
form a nip therebetween.
30. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the means to maintain
the said one web member engaged with the applicator roller include
means to maintain the one web member engaged over an arcuate
portion of the intaglio surface thereof from between about 40° and
about 120°.
31. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the web materials
from the three separate sources are paper.
32 . The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the third web member
is a laminated member.
33 . The apparatus of claim 25 wherein at least one of said
web members has an impregnation chemical applied thereto.
34 . The apparatus of claim 1 including means to
synchronize the speed of rotation of the second applicator roller
to the speed of movement of the medium so that the medium does not
move relative to the surface of the second applicator roller while
engaged therewith.
35 . In the apparatus of claim 9 wherein the fluid
material applied by said applicator roller is an adhesive selected
from vinyl-acetate ethylene, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl alcohol
and other like synthetic copolymer, compound or resin in a liquid
vehicle therefor.
36 . In the apparatus of claim 9 wherein the fluid mateial
applied by said second applicator roller includes a coating or
impregnant selected from waxes, sealents, varnishes, tintings,
urethanes and other like materials,
37 . The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the corrugated
member of the single-face web is a laminated member.
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38. The apparatus of claim g wherein the liner member of
the single-face web is a laminated member.
39. Apparatus for making corrugated members having
laminated mediums and a facer member attached to at least one
opposite surface thereof comprising at least three separate
sources of web material, means to separately feed material from
each of the sources, an applicator roller for applying an adhesive
material to one surface of one of the web members having a
cylindrical intaglio surface formed by a plurality of spaced
surface depressions distributed uniformly thereover, means
mounting said applicator roller for rotation in a direction
corresponding to the direction of feed of said one web member,
means including a container for adhesive material for applying the
adhesive material to the intaglio surface of the applicator
roller, scraper means having a scraping edge formed on said
container and positioned to rest against and positively engage the
intaglio surface of the applicator roller and in a direction such
that rotation of the applicator roller causes the scraping edge to
press against the surface of the applicator roller along the
length thereof to remove excess adhesive therefrom except for the
adhesive that remains in surface depressions formed in the
intaglio surface, means to maintain the one web member against the
intaglio surface of the applicator roller over a predetermined
arcuate portion thereof during feeding to allow time for transfer
of adhesive from the depressions in the intaglio surface to the
one web member, means for moving the surface of the one web member
to which adhesive is transferred into engagement with the surface
of another of the web members from a different source to bond the
web members together, corrugating means and means for moving the
bonded web memebers therethrough to form corrugation ridges and
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valleys therein, means including a second applicator roller having
a cylindrical intaglio surface, means to apply adhesive thereto,
second scraper means having a scraping edge positioned to rest
against and positively engage the intaglio surface in a direction
such that rotation of the applicator roller causes the scraping
edge to press against the intaglio surface along the length
thereof to remove excess adhesive therefrom, means for applying
adhesive to the corrugation ridges on one side of the bonded
corrugated member, and means for bringing the web member from the
third source into engagement with the corrugation ridges to
adhesively bond the third web member thereto to form the facer
member thereon.
40. The apparatus of claim 39 whereby the adhesive is a
high-solids, high-viscosity adhesive.
41. The apparatus of claim 39 including means to
synchronize the speed of rotation of the second applicator roller
to the speed of movement of the bonded web members so that the
corrugated web member does not move relative to the surface of the
second applicator roller when engaged therewith.
42. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein the means to
maintain the said one web member engaged with the applicator
roller include means to maintain the one web member engaged over
an arcuate portion of the intaglio surface thereof from between
about 90° and about 120°.
43. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein at least one of said
web members has an impregnation chemical applied thereto.
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44 . Apparatus for making corrugated panel structures having
a laminated corrugated web formed by at least two connected
together web members having peaks and valleys, and a facer member
attached to the corrugation peaks on one side thereof said
apparatus being especially designed for use of high solids, high
viscosity adhesives comprising:
a supply of separate web materials to be laminated and
corrugated to form a corrugation medium and a supply of a web
facer member to be attached to the corrugation peaks on one side
of the corrugation medium;
a first applicator roller having a cylindrical surface
formed by a plurality of spaced surface depressions distributed
uniformly thereover, means to apply a high solids, high viscosity
adhesive substance in a liquid form when applied to the surface
of the first applicator roller including a container positioned
adjacent to one side of the first applicator roller in position
to directly expose a portion of the cylindrical surface thereof
to the adhesive substance in the container whereby adhesive is
transferred from the container to the first applicator roller to
cover the cylindrical surface and fill the surface depressions
therein;
means to rotate the applicator roller;
said container being closed at both ends and along both
sides and including means to limit the depth of adhesive that can
be in said-container so that the area of the applicator roller
that is exposed to the adhesive in the container remains
substantially constant and so that an excess of adhesive can be
fed into the container without substantial change in the adhesive
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depth therein;
means forming a scraping edge on said container biased into
engagement with and in opposition to the direction of rotation of
the cylindrical surface of the applicator roller during rotation
thereof to scrape said surface and remove therefrom excessive
adhesive substance except for the adhesive substance contained in
the surface depressions which scraped and removed adhesive flows
back into said container;
means to maintain a portion of one of the web members to
form the corrugation medium engaged with the cylindrical surface
of said applicator roller over a Predetermined arcuate portion
thereof and for a time period sufficient to permit transfer of the
adhesive substance remaining in the depressions while in liquid
form to the one web member;
means to bring the separate web members together with the
adhesive substance therebetween to form a laminated medium
therefrom;
means including a pair of cooperatively engaged corrugating
rollers forming a corrugation nip therebetween;
means for feeding the laminated medium before the adhesive
is fully cured into the nip between the corrugating rollers to
corrugate the medium and form peaks and valleys therein;
means including a second applicator roller positioned
adjacent to one of the corrugating rollers for applying an
adhesive substance to the corrugation ridges on one side of the
corrugated medium;
a pressure roller positioned adjacent to said one
corrugating roller to form a nip therewith: and,
means to bring the web facer member into contact with the
corrugation peaks of the corrugated medium to unit the facer
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material and the corrugated medium to form a single face
corrugated member.
45. The apparatus of claim 44 wherein the supply of web
facer member includes at least two supply rolls of web facer
materials, a third applicator roller for applying an adhesive
substance to the web facer material from one of said supply rolls,
said third applicator roller having a cylindrical surface defined
by a plurality of surface depressions distributed uniformly
thereover;
means to apply a high solids, high viscosity adhesive
substance to the cylindrical surface of the third applicator
roller including a container positioned adjacent to one side of
the third applicator roller in position to directly expose a
substantially constant area of the surface thereof to the adhesive
substance contained in the container, said container being closed
at both ends and both sides and including means to maintain a
predetermined depth of adhesive in the container whereby a uniform
amount of the adhesive substance is continuously transferred from
the container to the third applicator roller to cover the surface
thereof and fill the surface depressions therein;
means forming a scraping edge on said container biased into
engagement with and in opposition to the direction of rotation of
the surface of the third applicator roller to positively bear
against said surface substantially uniformly along the length
thereof and to positively and uniformly scrape and remove adhesive
substance from the surface thereof except for the adhesive
substance remaining in the depressions which scraped and removed
adhesive substance remains in said container;
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means to effect contact between the web facer material from
the one supply roll and the cylindrical surface of the third
applicator roller over a predetermined arcuate portion thereof to
allow time for the adhesive substance contained in the depressions
to transfer in liquid form from the surface of the third
applicator roller as a pattern of uniformly distributed distinct
dots to the web facer material and,
means to produce a laminated facer member by bringing the
web facer member from the two supply rolls of web facer material
together to produce a bond therebetween.
46 . The apparatus of claim 44 wherein the adhesive
substance in the container is a high solids, high viscosity
adhesive.
47 . The apparatus of claim 44 including a hold down roller
positioned adjacent to the first applicator roller to hold the one
web member against the first applicator roller at the location
thereof.
48 . The apparatus of claim 44 including means to maintain
the one web member relatively uniformly engaged with the first
applicator roller across the width thereof, said means including
at least one idler roller positioned in spaced relation to the
first applicator roller, said idler roller having annular tapered
enlarged members adjacent to the ends thereof which increase the
diameter thereof where the edge portions of the web engage the
idler roller.
49 . The apparatus of claim 44 including at least one idler
roller positioned in spaced relation to one side of the first
applicator roller in position to engage the one web member and to
maintain the one web member engaged with the first applicator
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roller over a predetermined arcuate portion of the cylindrical
surface thereof.
50. Apparatus for making corrugated structures wherein at
least one portion is formed by a laminated member comprising
a source of a single-face web including a corrugated member
formed with spaced ridges and valleys and a liner member attached
to the ridges of the corrugated member on one side thereof;
an applicator roller having a cylindrical surface formed by
a plurality of spaced depressions distributed relatively uniformly
over the surface thereof;
means to rotate the applicator roller;
a source of high solids, high viscosity adhesive material
including a container therefor mounted adjacent to one side of the
applicator roller in position so that the adhesive material in the
container is directly exposed to a portion of the applicator
roller whereby some of said adhesive material adheres to the
applicator roller as the roller rotates, said container being
closed at both ends and both sides and including means to limit
the depth of the adhesive material therein whereby the surface
area of the applicator roller exposed directly to adhesive
material does not exceed a predetermined surface area:
scraper means formed on said container having a scraping
edge biased into engagement with and positioned in opposition to
the direction of rotation of the cylindrical surface of the
applicator roller so as to press against said surface
substantially uniformly along the length thereof and positively
and uniformly scrape the roller surface and remove the adhesive
material therefrom except for the adhesive material contained
-38-

in the depressions, which scraped and removed adhesive material
remains in said container:
means for feeding the single-face web such that the
corrugation ridges on the second side thereof move into engagement
with a portion of the cylindrical surface of the applicator roller
including guide roll means spaced apart from said applicator roller
to maintain the corrugation ridges engaged with the applicator
roller over a predetermined arcuate portion of the cylindrical
surface whereby the adhesive material contained in the depressions
has time to transfer as a plurality of uniformly distributed
distinct dots thereon from the depressions to the corrugation
ridges engaged therewith;
means to produce a liner member for attaching to the
corrugation ridges on the single-face web including first and
second sources of liner webs;
a second applicator roller having a cylindrical surface
thereon defined by spaced depressions distributed relatively
uniformly over the surface thereof;
a supply of a second high solids, high viscosity adhesive
material including a container therefor positioned adjacent to one
side of the second applicator roller whereby a portion of the
cylindrical surface thereof is directly maintained in contact with
the second adhesive material and picks up such material as the
second applicator roller rotates;
said container being closed at both ends and both sides and
including means to limit the depth of adhesive material that can be
in said container;
second scraper means formed on said container having a
scraping edge biased into engagement with and positioned to
-39-

positively bear against said surface of said second applicator
roller substantially uniformly along the length thereof and in
opposition to the direction of rotation of the surface of the
second applicator roller to remove by positively and uniformly
scraping excess of said second adhesive material therefrom except
for the second adhesive material that fills the spaced depressions
which scraped excess adhesive material remains in said container:
means to feed one side of said first liner web into
engagement with the cylindrical surface of the second applicator
roller including means to maintain engagement between said first
liner over a predetermined arcuate portion thereof in a range of
from about 40° to about 120° of the second applicator roller, the
tension of the web against the second applicator roller being
sufficient to allow the adhesive in the depressions time to
transfer to the first liner web:
means to bring the first and second liner webs into contact
with each other to form a laminated liner member;
means to bring the laminated liner member into engagement
with the corrugation ridges on the second side of the single-face
web; and,
means to maintain the laminated liner engaged with the
single-face web to allow the adhesive materials applied to the
members to cure.
51 . The apparatus of claim 50 including a second source of
single-face web, separate means including a third applicator roller
engageable by the corrugation ridges on the second single face web
for applying adhesive material thereto, guide roll means spaced
apart from the applicator roller for maintaining the corrugation
ridges engaged with tile surface of the applicator
-40-

roller over a predetermined arcuate portion thereof whereby
adhesive material in liquid form is transferred to the corrugation
ridges, and means for bringing the corrugation ridges on the second
single-face web into engagement with the liner side of the
aforesaid single-face web to form a structure which combines the
two single-face webs into a unitary corrugated structure.
52 . In an apparatus for producing corrugated structures from
separate elongated web members having spaced opposite edges the
improvement comprising means for applying adhesive material to a
surface of one of the web members comprising
an applicator roller having a cylindrical surface formed by a
plurality of distinct surface depressions distributed uniformly
thereover;
means for rotating the applicator roller;
a container containing a supply of an adhesive material
positioned adjacent to one side of the cylindrical surface of the
applicator roller in position to directly expose a portion of the
surface of the applicator roller to the adhesive material contained
therein;
said container being closed at both ends and both sides and
including means to limit the depth of adhesive material that can be
contained in said container to maintain the area of the applicator
roller exposed to adhesive material in the container substantially
constant:
a scraper member having a scraping edge formed on said
container biased into positive engagement in opposition to the
direction of rotation of the cylindrical surface of the applicator
roller to bear against the surface thereof substantially uniformly
along the length thereof to uniformly scrape off adhesive material
therefrom in excess of the adhesive material contained in the
-41-

surface depressions such that said scraped adhesive material
remains in said container:
guide means spaced apart from the applicator roller to guide
one of the separate elongated web members during feeding thereof
into contact with the cylindrical surface of the applicator roller,
said guide means including means for maintaining a predetermined
length of the one web member engaged under the tension in said one
web member with the applicator roller over a predetermined arcuate
portion of the surface thereof whereby each portion of the one web
member is engaged with the applicator roller during movement
thereof for a time that is sufficient for the adhesive material in
the uniformly distributed depressions to transfer to the one web
member as a uniform pattern of distinct dots, and
means on said guide means to prevent wrinkling of said one
web member adjacent to the edges thereof as it moves in contact
with the applicator roller.
53. In the apparatus of claim 52 wherein the guide means
includes at least one guide roll member positioned in spaced
relation to the applicator roller, the means on the guide means to
prevent wrinkling including at least one separate removable low
angle sleeve providing a gradual increase in the diameter of the
guide roll member adjacent to the corresponding end thereof.
54. In the apparatus of Claim 52 wherein the guide means
includes a pair of spaced guide roll members located in spaced
relation to the applicator roller substantially on opposite sides
thereof, at least one of said guide roll members having at least
one separate removable low angle sleeve providing a gradual
increase in diameter adjacent to the corresponding end thereof.
55. In the apparatus of claim 54 further including a
-42-

pressure roller positioned adjacent to the applicator roller to
form a nip therewith, the one web member extending through the nip
between the applicator roller and the pressure roller.
56. The apparatus of claim 44 including means to synchronize
the speed of rotation of the second applicator roller to the speed
of movement of the medium so that the medium does not move relative
to the surface of the second applicator roller while engaged
therewith.
57. In the apparatus of claim 50 wherein the fluid material
applied by said applicator roller is an adhesive selected from
vinyl-acetate ethylene, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl alcohol and
other like synthetic copolymer, compound or resin in a liquid
vehicle therefor.
58. The apparatus of claim 50 wherein the corrugated member
of the single-face web is a laminated member.
59. The apparatus of claim 50 wherein the liner member of
the single-face web is a laminated member.
60 . Apparatus for making corrugated members having laminated
mediums and a facer member attached to at least one opposite
surface thereof comprising at least three separate sources of web
material, means to separately feed material from each of the
sources, a supply of cold set adhesive material in liquid form, an
applicator roller for applying said adhesive material from said
supply to one surface of one of the web members having a
cylindrical intaglio surface formed by a plurality of spaced
surface depressions distributed uniformly thereover, means mounting
said applicator roller for rotation in a direction corresponding to
the direction of feed of said one web member, means including a
container for the adhesive material mounted adjacent to one side of
the applicator roller for applying the adhesive material directly
-43-

to the intaglio surface of the applicator roller, said container
being closed at both ends and both sides and including means in the
container to maintain a predetermined depth of adhesive therein and
to thereby maintain the area of the applicator roller exposed
thereto relatively constant, scraper means having a scraping edge
formed on said container and positioned to rest against and
positively engage the intaglio surface of the applicator roller and
in a direction such that rotation of the applicator roller causes
the scraping edge to uniformly press against the surface of the
applicator roller along the length thereof to remove excess adhesive
therefrom except for the adhesive that remains in the surface
depressions formed in the intaglio surface, means to maintain the
one web member engaged against the intaglio surface of the
applicator roller over a predetermined arcuate portion thereof from
between about 40° and about 120° thereof during feeding to allow
time for transfer of adhesive from the depressions in the intaglio
surface to the one web member, means for moving the surface of the
one web member to which adhesive is transferred into engagement with
the surface of another of the web members from a different source to
bond the web members together, corrugating means and means for
moving the bonded web members therethrough to form corrugation
ridges and valleys therein before the adhesive is fully cured, means
including a second applicator roller having a cylindrical intaglio
surface, container means to apply adhesive directly thereto, second
scraper means having a scraping edge positioned to rest against and
positively engage the intaglio surface in a direction such that
rotation of the applicator roller causes the scraping edge to press
uniformly against the intaglio surface along the length thereof to
uniformly remove excess adhesive therefrom, said second applicator
-44-

roller means applying adhesive to the corrugation ridges on one
side of the bonded corrugated member including means to maintain
the corrugated web member engaged against an arcuate portion of the
face of the applicator roller, and means for bringing the web
member from the third source into engagement with the corrugation
ridges to adhesively bond the third web member thereto to form the
facer member thereon.
61. The apparatus of claim 60 whereby the adhesive is a
high-solids, high-viscosity adhesive.
62. The apparatus of claim 60 including means to synchronize
the speed of rotation of the second applicator roller to the speed
of movement of the bonded web members so that the corrugated web
member does not move relative to the surface of the second
applicator roller when engaged therewith.
-45-

63. Apparatus for making corrugated panel
structures having a laminated corrugated web formed by at
least two connected together web members having peaks and
valleys, and a facer member attached to the corrugation
peaks on one side thereof, comprising:
a supply of separate web materials to be laminated
and corrugated to form a corrugation medium and a supply
of a web facer member to be attached to the corrugation
peaks on one side of the corrugation medium;
a first applicator roller having a cylindrical
surface formed by a plurality of spaced surface
depressions distributed uniformly thereover, means to
apply an adhesive substance in liquid form when applied
to the surface of the first applicator roller including a
container positioned adjacent to one side of the first
applicator roller in position to directly expose a
portion of the cylindrical surface thereof to the
adhesive substance in the container whereby adhesive is
transferred from the container to the first applicator
roller to cover the cylindrical surface and fill the
uniformly distributed surface depressions therein;
means to rotate the applicator roller;
said container being closed at both ends and along
both sides and including means to limit the depth of
adhesive that can be in said container so that the area
of the applicator roller that is exposed to the adhesive
in the container remains substantially constant and so
that an excess of adhesive can be fed into the container
without substantial change in the adhesive depth therein;
means forming a scraping edge on said container
biased into engagement with and in opposition to the
direction of rotation of the cylindrical surface of the
applicator roller to positively bear against said surface
substantially uniformly along the length thereof during
rotation thereof to positively and uniformly scrape said
surface and remove therefrom excessive adhesive substance
46

except the adhesive substance contained in the surface
depressions, which scraped and removed adhesive remains
in said container;
means to maintain a portion of one of the web
members to form the corrugation medium engaged with the
cylindrical surface of said applicator roller over a
predetermined arcuate portion thereof and for a time
period sufficient to permit transfer of the adhesive
substance remaining in the depressions while in liquid
form to the one web member;
means to bring the separate web members together
with the adhesive substance therebetween to form a
laminated medium therefrom;
means including a pair of cooperatively engaged
corrugating rollers forming a corrugation nip
therebetween;
means for feeding the laminated medium before the
adhesive is fully cured into the nip between the
corrugating rollers to corrugate the medium and form
peaks and valleys therein;
means including a second applicator roller
positioned adjacent to one of the corrugating rollers for
applying an adhesive substance to the corrugation ridges
on one side of the corrugated medium;
a pressure roller positioned adjacent to said one
corrugating roller to form a nip therewith;
means to bring the web facer member into contact
with the corrugation peaks of the corrugated medium to
unite the facer material and the corrugated medium to
form a single face corrugated member.
64. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein the supply
of web facer members includes at least two supply rolls
of web facer materials, a third applicator roller for
applying an adhesive substance to the web facer material
from one of said supply rolls, said third applicator
47

roller having a cylindrical surface defined by a
plurality of surface depressions distributed uniformly
thereover;
means to apply an adhesive substance to the
cylindrical surface of the third applicator roller
including a container positioned adjacent to one side of
the third applicator roller in position to directly
expose a substantially constant area of the surface
thereof to the adhesive substance contained in the
container, said container being closed at both ends and
both sides and including means to maintain a
predetermined depth of adhesive in the container whereby
a uniform amount of the adhesive substance is
continuously transferred from the container to the third
applicator roller to cover the surface thereof and fill
the surface depressions therein;
means forming a scraping edge on said container
biased into engagement with and in opposition to the
direction of rotation of the surface of the third
applicator roller to positively bear against said surface
substantially uniformly along the length thereof and to
positively and uniformly scrape and remove adhesive
substance from the surface thereof except for the
adhesive substance remaining in the depressions, which
scraped and removed adhesive substance remains in said
container;
means to effect contact between the web facer
material from the one supply roll and the cylindrical
surface of the third applicator roller over a
predetermined arcuate portion thereof to allow time for
the adhesive substance contained in the depressions to
transfer in liquid form from the surface of the third
applicator roller as a pattern of uniformly distributed
distinct dots to the web facer material; and
means to produce a laminated facer member by
bringing the web facer member from the two supply rolls
48

of web facer material together to produce a bond
therebetween.
65. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein the adhesive
substance in the container is a high solids, high
viscosity adhesive having a viscosity greater than 500
cps.
66. The apparatus of claim 63, including a hold
down roller positioned adjacent to the first applicator
roller to hold the one web member against the first
applicator roller at the location thereof.
67. The apparatus of claim 63, including means to
maintain the one web member relatively uniformly engaged
with the first applicator roller across the width
thereof, the means including at least one idler roller
positioned in spaced relation to the first applicator
roller, said idler roller having annular tapered enlarged
members adjacent to the ends thereof which increase the
diameter thereof where the edge portions of the web
engage the idler roller.
68. The apparatus of claim 63, including at least
one idler roller positioned in spaced relation to one
side of the first applicator roller in position to engage
the one web member and to maintain the one member engaged
with the first applicator roller over a predetermined
arcuate portion of the cylindrical surface thereof.
69. The apparatus of claim 63, including means to
synchronize the speed of rotation of the second
applicator roller to the speed of movement of the medium
so that the medium does not move relative to the surface
of the second applicator roller while engaged therewith.
49

70. Apparatus for making corrugated structures
wherein at least one portion is formed by a laminated
member comprising:
a source of a single-face web including a corrugated
member formed with spaced ridges and valleys and a liner
member attached to the ridges of the corrugated member on
one side thereof;
an applicator roller having a cylindrical surface
formed by a plurality of space depressions distributed
relatively uniformly over the surface thereof;
means to rotate the applicator roller;
a source of liquid adhesive material including a
container therefor mounted adjacent to one side of the
applicator roller in position so that the adhesive
material in the container is directly exposed to a
portion of the applicator roller whereby some of said
adhesive material adheres to the applicator roller as the
roller rotates, said container being closed at both ends
and both sides and including means to limit the depth of
the adhesive material therein whereby the surface area of
the applicator roller exposed directly to adhesive
material does not exceed a predetermined surface area;
scraper means formed on said container having a
scraping edge biased into engagement with and positioned
in opposition to the direction of rotation of the
cylindrical surface of the applicator roller so as to
press against said surface substantially uniformly along
the length thereof and positively and uniformly scrape
the roller surface and remove the adhesive material
therefrom except for the adhesive materials contained in
the depressions, which scraped and removed adhesive
material remains in said container;
means for feeding the single-face web such that the
corrugation ridges on the second side thereof move into
engagement with a portion of the cylindrical surface of
the applicator roller including guide roll means spaced

apart from said applicator roller to maintain the
corrugation ridges engaged with the applicator roller
over a predetermined arcuate portion of the cylindrical
surface whereby the adhesive material contained in the
depression has time to transfer as a plurality of
uniformly distributed distinct dots thereon from the
depressions to the corrugation ridges engaged therewith;
means to produce a liner member for attaching to the
corrugation ridges on the single-face web including first
and second sources of liner webs;
a second applicator roller having a cylindrical
surface thereon defined by spaced depressions distributed
relatively uniformly over the surface thereof;
a supply of a second adhesive material including a
container therefor positioned adjacent to one side of the
second application roller whereby a portion of the
cylindrical surface thereof is directly maintained in
contact with the second adhesive material and picks up
such material as the second applicator roller states;
said container being closed at both ends and both
sides and including means to limit the depth of adhesive
material that can be in said container;
second scraper means formed on said container having
a scraping edge biased into engagement with and
positioned to positively bear against said surface of
said second applicator roller substantially uniformly
along the length thereof and in opposition to the
direction of rotation of the surface of the second
applicator roller to remove by positively and uniformly
scraping excess of said second adhesive material
therefrom except for the second adhesive material that
fills the spaced depressions which scraped excess
adhesive material remains in said container;
means to feed one side of said first liner web into
engagement with the cylindrical surface of the second
applicator roller including means to maintain engagement
51

between said first liner over a predetermined arcuate
portion thereof in a range from about 40 degrees to about
120 degrees of the second applicator roller, the tension
of the web against the second applicator roller being
sufficient to ally the adhesive in the depressions time
to transfer to the first liner web;
means to bring the first and second liner webs into
contact with each other to form a laminated liner member;
means to bring the laminated liner member into
engagement with the corrugation ridges on the second side
of the single-face web; and
means to maintain the laminated liner engaged with
the single-face web to allow the adhesive materials
applied to the members to cure.
71. The apparatus of claim 70, including a second
source of single-face web, separate means including a
third applicator roller engageable by the corrugation
ridges on the second single-face web for applying
adhesive material thereto, guide roll means spaced apart
from the application roller for maintaining the
corrugation ridges engaged with the surface of the
applicator roller over a predetermined arcuate portion
thereof whereby adhesive material in liquid form is
transferred to the corrugation ridges, and means for
bringing the corrugation ridges on the second single-face
web into engagement with the liner on the one side of the
aforesaid single-face web to form a structure which
combines the two single-face webs into a unitary
corrugated structure.
72. In an apparatus for producing corrugated
structures from separate elongated web members having
spaced opposite edges the improvement comprising means
for applying adhesive material to a surface of one of the
web members comprising:
52

an applicator roller having a cylindrical surface
formed by a plurality of distinct surface depressions
distributed uniformly thereover;
means for rotating the applicator roller:
a container containing a supply of an adhesive
material positioned adjacent to one side of the
cylindrical surface of the applicator roller in position
to directly expose a portion of the surface of the
applicator roller to the adhesive material contained
therein;
said container being closed at both ends and both
sides and including means to limit the depth of adhesive
material that can be contained in said container to
maintain the area of the applicator roller exposed to
adhesive material in the container substantially
constant;
a scraper member having a scraping edge formed on
said container biased into positive engagement in
opposition to the direction of rotation of the
cylindrical surface of the applicator roller to bear
against the surface thereof substantially uniformly along
the length thereof to uniformly scrape off adhesive
material therefrom in excess of the adhesive material
contained in the surface depressions such that said
scraped adhesive material remains in said container;
guide means spaced apart from the applicator roller
to guide one of the separate elongated web members during
feeding thereof into contact with the cylindrical surface
of the applicator roller, said guide means including
means for maintaining a predetermined length of the one
web member engaged under the tension in said one web
member with the applicator roller over a predetermined
arcuate portion of the surface thereof whereby each
portion of the one web member is engaged with the
applicator roller during movement thereof for a time that
is sufficient for the adhesive material in the uniformly
53

distributed depressions to transfer to the one web member
as a uniform pattern of distinct dots; and
means on said guide means to prevent wrinkling of
said one web member adjacent to the edges thereof as it
moves in contact with the applicator roller.
73. In the apparatus of claim 72 wherein the guide
means includes at least one guide roll member positioned
in spaced relation to the applicator roller, the means on
the guide means to prevent wrinkling including at least
one separate removable low angle sleeve providing a
gradual increase in the diameter of the guide roll member
adjacent to the corresponding end thereof.
74. In the apparatus of claim 72, wherein the guide
means includes a pair of spaced guide roll members
located in spaced relation to the applicator roller
substantially on opposite sides thereof, at least one of
said guide roll members having at least one separate
removable low angle sleeve providing a gradual increase
in diameter adjacent to the corresponding end thereof.
75. In the apparatus of claim 74, further including
a pressure roller positioned adjacent to the applicator
roller to form a nip therewith, the one web member
extending through the nip between the applicator roller
and the pressure roller.
76. In the apparatus of claim 70, wherein the
adhesive material applied by said applicator roller is an
adhesive selected from vinyl-acetate ethylene, polyvinyl
acetate, polyvinyl alcohol and other like synthetic
copolymer, compound or a resin in a liquid vehicle
thereof.
77. The apparatus of claim 70, wherein the
54

corrugated member of the single-face web is a laminated
member.
78. The apparatus of claim 70, wherein the line
member of the single-face web is a laminated member.
79. Apparatus for making corrugated members having
laminated mediums and a facer member attached to at least
one opposite surface thereof comprising at least three
separate sources of web material, means to separately
feed material from each of the sources, a supply of cold
set adhesive material in liquid form, an applicator
roller for applying said adhesive material from said
supply to one surface of one of the web members having a
cylindrical intaglio surface formed by a plurality of
spaced surface depressions distributed uniformly
thereover, means mounting said applicator roller for
rotation in a direction corresponding to the direction of
feed of said one web member, means including a container
for the adhesive material mounted adjacent to one side of
the applicator roller for applying the adhesive material
directly to the intaglio surface of the applicator
roller, said container being closed at both ends and both
sides and including means in the container to maintain a
predetermined depth of adhesive therein and to thereby
maintain the area of the applicator roller exposed
thereto relatively constant, scraper means having a
scraping edge formed on said container and positioned to
rest against and positively engage the intaglio surface
of the applicator roller and in a direction such that the
rotation of the applicator roller causes the scraping
edge to uniformly press against the surface of the
applicator roller along the length thereof to remove
excess adhesive therefrom except for the adhesive that
remains in the surface depressions formed in the intaglio
surface, means to maintain the one web member engaged

against the intaglio surface of the applicator roller
over a predetermined arcuate portion thereof from between
about 40° to about 120° thereof during feeding to allow
time for transfer of adhesive from the depressions in the
intaglio surface to the one web member, means for moving
the surface of the one web member to which adhesive is
transferred into engagement with the surface of another
of the web members from a different source to bond the
web members together, corrugating means and means for
moving the bonded web members therethrough to form
corrugation ridges and valleys therein before the
adhesive is fully cured, means including a second
applicator roller having a cylindrical intaglio surface,
container means to apply adhesive directly thereto,
second scraper means having a scraping edge, positioned
to rest against and positively engage the intaglio
surface in a direction such that rotation of the
applicator roller causes the scraping edge to press
uniformly against the intaglio surface along the length
thereof to uniformly remove excess adhesive therefrom,
said second applicator roller means applying adhesive to
the corrugation ridges on one side of the bonded
corrugated member, and means for bringing the web member
form the third source into engagement with the
corrugating ridges to adhesively bond the third web
member thereto to form the facer member thereon.
80. The apparatus of claim 79, wherein the adhesive
is a high solids, high viscosity adhesive having a
viscosity greater than 500 cps.
81. The apparatus of claim 79, including means to
synchronize the speed of rotation of the second
applicator roller to the speed of movement of the bonded
web members so that the corrugated web member does not
move relative to the surface of the second applicator
roller when engaged therewith.
56

Description

~.Zs.;~26~7
DEVICE FOR MAKING hAMINATED ARCH CORRUGATED STRUCTURES
Backqround of the Invention
Applicant is owner of co-pending Canadian Application
Serial No. 595,765 filed April 5, 1989, and entitled
IMPROVEMENTS TO CORRUGATING MACHINES.
The present invention relates generally to corrugating
machines, and more specifically to improvements to units that
adhesively laminate either mediums or liners prior to their
connection together, apply coatings to either of these, and/or
impregnate either or both with performance enhancing
chemicals. This invention significantly improves the
performance to cost of corrugated paper packaging, and has
dramatic applications in packaging heavy items and fresh food
products.
The unit referred herein includes means to meter the
adhesives or coatings onto an intaglio roll surface which is
then used to transfer or "print" such adhesive material onto a
web surface, and includes mechanisms to maintain predetermined
contact between such web surfaces and the surface of the
intaglio roll. The invention can be used to laminate two or
more mediums to be corrugated to produce what is commonly
referred to as dual or multi-arch corrugated mem~er, yet can
also be used to laminate liners to each other for either
strength enhancing or graphic results, or simply to apply
surface coatings or impregnations for such purposes as
moisture barriers, scuff resistance or web

~ 2~Z6tjt7
coloring, the use of which was either very difficult or
impractical under prior art methods.
DescriptiQn of the Related Art
There exists an increasing need for a corrugating machine
capable of producing combined board having increased strength
properties, as well as variable coating and/or impregnation
capacities. These properties need to be applied to either the
fluted medium, the flat liners, or both, and need to be capable of
being applied when the individual rolls of materials are combined
into the corrugated product. These needs must be fulfilled in a
device that is consistent with the application rate, simplicity of
operation, economy in production, as well as flexible for various
applications of materials and flow rates. The subject
improvements should also be compatible for incorporating into
existing corrugating machines with minimal change and expense.
The typical corrugating process involves the fluting or
corrugating of a web called a "medium", and attaching this fluted
medium to a facer member or liner by a machine known as a
single-facer. Such combined fluted and flat members can then be
attached to another facer liner on the opposite side of the fluted
peaks by a machine known as a double-facer. The in-line
collection of such machines performs the entire process and is
called a ~corrugator~. The majority of the vertical strength in
the final product is the result of the fluted web. To increase
strength it has heretofore been the practice to increase the basic
weight, and therefore the thickness of the web material that is
fluted. However, as the thickness increases, it becomes more
difficult to accurately form the fluted curvatures because the
medium tends to fracture on the outer radii at the flute bends and
in direct proportion to the thickness of the medium. The more

lZ~Z667
costly but heretofore most practical alternative to thicker
mediums has been to increase the liner basic weight and/or to add
additional fluted pl~s into what is known as "doublewall" or
"triplewall" board. It has also been apparent in the industry
that the ability to apply other chemicals at the corrugator which
would enhance the original liner and medium properties would be
beneficial, if a device could be developed that would have both
practical operating capabilities as well as economic results.
Most existing coating devices use either a three-roll
metering/applicator~hold down system in contact with the web
medium, or a "squeegee" blade backing a fluid puddle onto the
surface of the advancing web. Devices capable of producing a dual
or double thickness medium have generally used either a very crude
gravity flow of the adhesive stream or streams onto the lower of
two advancing webs to be laminated or they have used a squeegee
blade and puddle, or some other complex system such as those
disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,495,011 and 4,498,943. Prior to
this invention it has not been practical to flute more than two
plys of medium, hence the industry's terminology has been
restricted to "dual" arch. As used herein, ~dual arch~ and any
number of multiple plys are considered to be synonymous, and not
restricted to simply two plys. Nor should any statements herein
be considered as restricting the application of this invention to
reverse the corrugation process, paper webs, or both.
All of the known previous devices have inherent difficulties
in establishing and maintaining consistent and precise material
application rates both across the web width and throughout the
various machine speeds typical in the corrugating process.
Additional operating difficulties occur with prior art means
whenever a web splice, tear, or complete breakout happens, when
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lZ9Z667
webs of different absorbancy rates are used, or when the desired
end product requires that materials be applied which have a
relatively high viscosity (over 500 centipoises). Because of the
physical damage to the web from mechanical stress created by
applicator units such as those described by U.S. Patent Nos .
4,495,011 and 4,498,943, dual or multiple arch production on
single facers using either vacuum or air pressure means to retain
the fluted medium against the lower corrugating roller has been
impractical due to the tendency of the low viscosity adhesives
used in the other systems to penetrate the web and contaminate the
single-facer itself.
Finally, the existing adhesive applicator devices are not
compatible with the operating needs for adhesively combining more
than a single narrow web across a longitudinally wider base web,
either as a dual arch medium or as a laminated liner. Such
capacity is advantageous when the added strength is required on
only a portion of the full web width, and when multiple units of-
this product are to be produced simultaneously across the width of
the corrugator.
Summary of the Invention
The present improvements to corrugating machines overcome
many of the shortcomings and disadvantages associated with known
laminators and/or coaters, and teach the construction and
operation of relatively simple, effective and economical
laminators and coaters. For example, the present device has means
to wrap the liner and/or medium web against and over the
respective applicator rollers thus allowing the applicator roller
time to transfer the precise volumes of adhesive material, which
were metered by the doctor blade precisely filling the depressions
in the roller's surface, directly onto the respective liner or
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medium web. This process permits the use of relatively high
solids/high viscosity adhesive materials that enhance the final
corrugated product with superior bonding and coating properties.
The volumes of adhesive materials to be transferred is controlled
by the intaglio roll cell configuration including the arrangement
and depth of the roll depressions. If these volumes are desired
to be applied at different application rates for different end
products, the device is constructed so that the intaglio roller
can be easily and quickly exchanged.
It is preferable that the web receiving the adhesive
impregnating or coating material be held against the intaglio
applicator roller by tension within the web itself as it is pulled
forward by the inherent resistance of the corrugating machine, and
not by the incorporation of any pressure point or hold down roller
and associated nip. Certain webs used in the corrugating process
may have a tendency to curl away from the applicator roller at the
edges. If this occurs, and a bowed wrap bar similar to that
included at the entry portion of most single-facers is chosen not
to be used, it has been found that this edge tension can be
controlled by the strategic placement of low angle sleeves
positioned on the wrap rollers. Such sleeves minutely increase
the roller's diameter by a desired amount at the precise location
of the edge curl and thereby eliminate any tendency for loose
edges.
It is normally preferred that the applicator roller be
driven at the same speed as the advancing web. However, under
some uses it has been found to be advantageous to either ~smear`'
the applied material onto the web by operating the applicator
roller at a speed that is slightly slower than the advancing web,
or "scrub~ the applied material by driving the applicator roller

12~?Z667
somewhat faster than the advancing web. Adhesives and/or coatings
can be applied to either the top surface or to the bottom surface
of an advancing web. The location of the device herein described
and the threading paths for the web will determine the surface on
which the material is to be applied.
A principal object of the present invention is to provide
means to produce improved coated or impregnated laminated liners
and/or laminated corrugated board media.
Another object is to teach the construction and operation of
machinery to produce corrugated board having greater strength,
improved barriers to migratory elements such as moisture, grease
and oils and improved stacking characteristics as compared to
prior constructions.
Another object is to produce corrugated board having
improved surface coating characteristics and therefore improved
graphic appearance and physical characteristics.
Another object is to produce improved dual or multi-arch
combined board by using two or more laminated mediums bonded
together with adhesives having higher viscosity than has been
practical with prior constructions.
Another object is to teach the construction and operation of
machinery to produce corrugated board having more consistency in
its coatings and in its laminations.
Another object is to teach the construction and operation of
machinery to accomplish the above items, which machinery has
improved economic and operating capabilities.
Another object is to teach improvements to corrugating
machines that can be incorporated for use in existing machines or
built into original equipment.
These and other objects and advantages of the present

lZ9Z~67
invention will become apparent after considering the following
detailed description of a preferred embodiment in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Description of the Drawings
FIGURE lA is a side elevation of a single-facer unit of a
corrugating machine embodying the teachings of the present
improvements;
FIGURE lB iS a side elevational view of a double-facer unit
of a corrugating machine embodying other teachings of the present
improvements;
FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of an applicator
roller and associated means employed in the present improved
construction;
FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing a portion
of the surface of the applicator roller of FIGURE 2;
FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along
line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;
FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view showing a
modified form of a web wrap roller;
FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary perspective view showing one
possible material flow construction; and,
FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing an
alternative embodiment of material flow for use in the present
construction.
Description of the Preferred Embodiment
Referring to the drawings more particularly by reference
numbers wherein like numbers refer to like parts, number 10 refers
to the entire assembly shown in FIGURES lA and lB which together
consitute a machine for producing corrugated board. The
corrugating machine 10 comprises at least one single-facer unit 12

lZ9Z~
(shown in FIGURE lA) and at least one double-facer unit 14 (shown
in FIGURE lB). The single-facer unit 12 is connected by one or
more bridges or single-facer accumulation means such as bridge 16
which receives the output of the single-facer unit 12 and
accumulates it for feeding to the double-facer unit 14.
The single-facer unit as shown in FIGURE lA, includes two
laminating units 18 and 20 as depicted, and either or both of such
units may be employed, the precise locations of which may be
varied within limits which is an advantage in that it
substantially contributes to the flexibility and versatility of
the machine. In the single-facer unit 12 two separate mediums 22
and 24 are fed from respective supply rolls 26 and 28 and are
laminated together to form a double thickness medium 30 by passing
the top web 22 circumferentially around a portion of an adhesive
covered intaglio roller 32 shown in more detail in FIGURE 2, and
bringing the adhesively coated medium web 22 into contact with the
second medium web 24 at a point such as that produced by roller
34. Thereafter the double thickness laminated medium 30 passes
around attaching member or roller 36 and then is directed through
and between cooperatively engaged first and second corrugating
rollers 38 and 40. An adhesive applicator roller 42 is employed
in the unit 12 to apply adhesive to the advancing flute tips 44 of
the now laminated corrugating medium 46.
A liner is simultaneously formed by two liner web members 48
and 50 fed from separate source rolls 52 and 54. The webs 48 and
50 are laminated together by having one of the webs (web 48)
exposed to an intaglio applicator roller 56 and thereafter coming
into contact with the other web 50 as the two webs pass around
portions of other rolls 58 and 60 positioned as shown. This
brings the adhesively coated side of the web 48 into contact with
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the second liner web 50 and bonds them together as they are fed
around the rolls 58 and 60 to form laminated liner member 66. The
member 66 is then fed to and around a pressure roller 62 and
through a nip 64 formed by and between the pressure roller 62 and
the second corrugating roller 40. The two laminated web members
46 and 66 are brought into contact with each other as they move
around and through the nip 64. In so doing, the laminated liner
66 will contact the flute tips of the corrugated web 46 and be
adhesively bonded thereto to form single-face web 68. The
single-face web 68 may be guided by means constructed as shown
onto an accumulation device or platform such as the bridge 16
where it accumulates in an accordian-like manner and is drawn off
therefrom adjacent to the opposite end of the bridge 16 to be fed
over a series of other spaced rollers to be described later for
feeding into the double-facer unit 14 shown in FIGURE lB.
In FIGURE lB a laminating unit 70 is depicted and may be
employed in tandem with units 18 and/or 20 in FI~URE lA or
separately. The unit 70 may likewise be positioned in a variety
of places as desired which adds to the versatility of the machine
and makes it possible to install the subject improvements on
existing corrugating machines as well as in new machines. The
double facer machine 14 receives an input from the single-facer
machine 12 by way of the accumulation on the bridge 16. A
controlled drag producing means such as suction means 72 is
provided adjacent to the bridge 16 as shown and engages the smooth
or liner side of the single-face member 68 and operates to
maintain controlled suction tension thereon as the web 68 is fed
to the double-facer unit 14. In the double-facer unit 14,
adhesive is applied to the flute peaks on the under side of the
single-face web 68 which is the opposite side from the side that

lZ~2~&7
is attached to the liner 66. This occurs while the single-face
web 68 is passing through an adhesive applicator unit 74. Also in
the double-facer unit 14, second liner members 76 and 78 from
respective source rolls 80 and 82 are brought together for
laminating into a laminated web 84 by passing the upper web 76
around idler rollers 86 and 88 and then circumferentially around a
portion of an adhesive coated intaglio applicator roller 90
included in the unit 70. The adhesively coated liner web 76 is
then brought into contact with the second liner web 78 after the
web 78 has moved around guide rollers 92 and 94 by passing the two
engaged webs 76 and 78 around a portion of another roller 96. The
two webs 76 and 78, which are now laminated into the web 84 and
are thereafter brought into contact with and bonded to the flute
tips of the single-face web 68 to complete the construction of the
double-face corrugated web 98. The completed web 98 thereafter
passes between means such as endless belt 100 and support member
102 which members cooperate to hold the parts of the double-face
web 98 together for a sufficient period for the adhesives to
bond. The various supply rolls used to supply the individual web
members that form the liners and parts of the corrugated medium
need to be resupplied from time-to-time as materials run out.
This procedure is routine in all corrugating machines.
Additional similarly constructed single-facer units such as
the unit 12 shown in FIGURE lA may optionally be provided and
utilized within the same overall machine 10 to separately or
simultaneously produce additional single-face webs for use in
producing multiple layered corrugated structures in a double-facer
similar to that shown in FIGURE lB for assembling single-face
webs. Such a second single-face web 104 is shown in dotted
outline in FIGURE lB and is accumulated on another bridge
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lZ~2667
structure similar to the bridge 16. The second single-face web
104 is fed through another adhesive applicator unit 106 wherein
the corrugation peaks of the web 104 have adhesive applied to them
in the same manner as in the case of the web 68. Thereafter the
web 104 is bonded to the liner side of the web 68 to produce a
double-fluted corrugated panel. Additional single-facer units can
also be included in the overall machine 10 depending on the
desired construction of the output corrugated panel.
The adhesive units 18, 20, and 70 may be employed using
either identical web widths that are the same across the width of
the machine, or they can accommodate one or more webs that are
less than the full width of the members being constructed and
strategically placed as desired. The adhesive units 18, 20, and
70 are depicted as applying adhesive material to the lower
surfaces of the upper web members that pass therethrough.
However, the adhesive units may be installed with wrap rollers
strategically positioned so as to bring the top surfaces of the
lower webs into contact with the respective applicator rollers and
thus apply adhesive material to the top surfaces of the lower webs
instead of to the bottom surfaces of the upper webs. The adhesive
units may also be constructed to impregnate or saturate the
respective webs, as well as to apply surface coatings.
It is important that the present improvements can be built
into new equipment as well as adapted to be installed in e~isting
state of the art corrugating machines including those that employ
either mechanical guide fingers to hold the medium against the
lower corrugating rollers, as well as those that employ either
vacuum or air pressure to hold the web in place against the lower
corrugating rollers. The fact that the subject improvements can
also be applied with minimal machine modifications to existing
i

lZ~266~
corrugators is an important advantage because it means that the
subject improvements will be able to have broad acceptance in the
corrugating industry with minimal labor and expense.
The applicator roller 32 (or 56) shown in FIGURE 2 is
positioned adjacent to a doctor blade/adhesive reservoir assembly
108 containing adhesive 110. In this way some of the adhesive
110, or other application material, is continuously being picked
up by the intaglio surface 112 of the applicator roller 32 as the
roller 32 rotates. The roller 32 is shown in FIGURE 2 rotating in
a counterclockwise direction, and the adhesive material 110 being
picked up is preferably selected from among adhesives such as a
vinyl-acetate ethylene, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl alcohol or
other synthetic co-polymers, compounds or resins, although other
types of materials may also be used. Coatings and impregnations
when used may be selected from among the waxes, sealants,
varnishes, colored tintings, urethanes, and any other materials
that can be formulated so that sufficient viscosity and cohesive
properties exist. The application devices are preferably located
a sufficient distance away from the other portions of the
corrugating machines so as to permit ease of operating as well as
to insulate or substantially insulate the applicators from the
relatively high temperatures normally used by many known
corrugators .
A wiper or doctor blade 114, which may form one side of the
reservoir assembly 108, is located to be in contact with the
intaglio surface 112 of the applicator roller 32. The blade 114
is preferably biased into engaqement with the roller surface 112
and the scraping edge of which is directed opposite to the
direction of rotation of the applicator roller 32. The wiper or
scraper blade 114 is included to provide means to remove by a
; -12-

129Z667
positive scraping action excess adhesive or coating from the
surface 112 of the applicator roller 32 as the roller turns, but
without removing the adhesive material that has accumulated in the
plurality of small surface depressions 116 which form the intaglio
roller surface 112 (FIGURES 3 and 4). The form or shape, depth,
and locations of the depressions 116 are important and will be
more fully understood by reference FIGURES 3 and 4. The shape of
the depressions 116 should preferably also be such that they do
not have straight side edges parallel to the axis of the roller
32. This improves the metering and releasing action of the doctor
blade 114 as it moves over the surface 112. The small amounts of
adhesive material that remain in each of the depressions 116 after
the surface has been scraped by the blade 114 is thereafter
transferred as in a printing action from the roller surface 112
onto the surface of the medium or liner during the time that such
members or portions thereof are held and maintained in contact
with the surface 112. The maintaining of the liner or medium in
contact with the roller 32 can be accomplished in various ways,
including providing means such as tension producing wrap rollers
118 and 120 positioned as shown in FIGURE 2. Also, in the
embodiment shown in FIGURE 2, contact occurs between the web 22
and the roller 32 over an arc of the roller 32 which is preferably
from between about 40 to about 120, although the exact amount of
engagement is not critical and depends to some extent on certain
parameters such as, on the roll speed, the properties of the
adhesive material being applied, and the related dyne factors of
the components. By incorporating wrap adjustment mechanisms such
as provided by the rollers 118 andJor 120, a relatively wide arc
of contact between the web member to which adhesive is to be
applied and the applicator roll 32 can be achieved. The important
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lZ~Z667
thing is that the contact be of long enough duration for the
adhesive to transfer from the depressions 116 to the web member,
as a continuous pattern of dots. After leaving contact with
applicator roller 32, the web is drawn forward until it contacts
the web member to which it is to be attached and an adhesive bond
is produced between them. If the subject machine is being used as
a coater or impregnator, a second or unimpregnated web is not
normally incorporated and the coated web is drawn into the
corrugator in the normal manner.
In some applications it may be desired to install a hold
down" roller 122 (shown in dotted outline in FIGURE 2) so that a
nip 124 is formed between the applicator roller 32 and the hold
down roller. This feature may also help to eliminate some web
flutter. However, use of such a hold down roller generally has
resulted in accumulation of small portions of the coating material
on the hold down roller which is undesirable, and this feature
also does not usually allow for very close tolerances between the
hold down roller 122 and the applicator roller 32 to be maintained.
If web flutter especially adjacent to the edges of the web
is a problem, it has been found that the use of strategically
placed low angle sleeves such as the sleeve 126 shown in FIGURE 5
can be installed on one or both opposite ends of the wrap rollers
118 or 120 to eliminate the flutter. Such sleeves 126, when used,
usually are of minimal size and angle, and it is contemplated to
form the wrap rollers themselves with enlarged end portions to
accomplish the same result. The principal web tension producing
means and the controls therefor may be of various known designs.
The important thing is to bring one of the webs to be laminated
into contact with the applicator roller surface such, as with the
surface 112 in FIGURE 2, and to the extent possible to prohibit
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1292667
web wrinkle as the web enters the corrugating machine proper.
Referring to FIGURE 4, the cross-sectional shape of the
several of the depressions 116 is shown. The depressions or
indentations 116 can be formed by having the roller surface
indented, etched, engraved or otherwise treated and the treatment
should be uniform and should extend over as much of the surface
112 as possible. The shape and depth of the depressions 116 are
designed for each diferent adhesive material to be applied, and
is based on the idea that one volume or ~dot~ of adhesive material
110 is transferred to the web by contact of the webs for each
distinct depression 116. The spacing and geometry of the
depressions 116 is selected so that the resultant transfer of
material onto the web is correct for the product to be
manufactured. Also, the ability to be able to quickly and easily
exchange applicator rollers, or build applicator devices with
multiple applicator rollers is contemplated to accommodate
different flow or transfer rates as needed.
In forming the multi-ply medium 46, a certain amount of
machine-direction slippage will take place between the webs which
form the medium as they pass into the flute formation means
including the corrugating rolls 38 and 40. This machine direction
slippage is usually an advantage as it serves to further spread
the adhesive as well as to lubricate the webs which permits them
to individually better conform to the flute peaks and valleys in
the labyrinth of rollers 38 and 40.
Speed synchronization including electronically controlled
variable speed drive motors and tracking sensors (not shown) may
be used to control the surface speeds of the applicator rollers
such as of the roller 32 to precisely match the speed of the web
advancing into the corrugator machine. It has been found that
-15-

~ ~?26~7
most applied adhesive materials and webs will perform best when
these speeds are identical. It is contemplated, however, that for
certain applications the applicator rollers will be driven at
speeds somewhat different than the speed of the advancing web in
which case some slippage may be desired.
The webs constructed and combined into corrugated sheet or
board using the improvements discussed herein have strength
properties, barriers and/or graphic qualities that are far
superior to those produced by the methods and machinery currently
known and available.
FIGURE 6 shows another possible construction for an adhesive
container and reservoir assembly 130. The assembly 130 includes a
wiper blade 132 as a portion thereof, the edge of wiper blade 132
being inclined in a direction opposite to the direction of
rotation of associated applicator roller 32 to positively engage
and scrape the roller surface. The assembly 130 is located
adjacent to one side, as distinguished from at the bottom of an
applicator roller such as the roller 32, and the adhesive material
134 contained therein is fed to the container through an inlet
conduit 136 such as depicted. A predetermined depth of adhesive
is maintained in the assembly by means such as spaced end dams
138, the upper edges 140 of which control the depth of the
adhesive.
FIGURE 7 shows another embodiment of a device 142 for
applying adhesive to the applicator rollers such as to the roller
32. In this case the roller 32 is partially submerged in a bath
of adhesive 144 in container 146. The roller 32 is shown rotating
in a clockwise direction, and a doctor blade 148 is resiliently
and positively engaged with the roller surface to remove by
scraping adhesive material in excess of that which is contained in
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129Z6~7
the depressions 116, the doctor blade 148 may be formed as part of
the side wall of the container 146. All of the adhesive material
144 so removed drains back into the container 146 where it can be
re-used.
Thus there has been shown and described novel, non-obvious,
improvements to corrugating machines used for producing
single-face, double-face, and multiple ply corrugated panels or
boards that have laminated members in them, including improvements
at the single-facer and at the double-facer units which fulfill
all of the objects and advantayes sought therefor. It will be
apparent to those skilled in the art, however, after a review of
this description that many changes, modifications, variations and
other uses and applications for the subject constructions, in
addition to those which have been disclosed, are possible and
contemplated, and all such changes, modifications, variations and
other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit
and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the
invention which is limited only by the claims which follow.

Representative Drawing