Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02176349 1996-05-10
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CONTACT LUBRICATOR WITH METERED SUPPLY
FIEL OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to apparatus for applying a film of liquid to the
surface of a
workpiece by contact transfer, and more particularly to a device of this type
which
utilizes one or more roller members for rotatably contacting the workpiece as
it is
advanced for manufacture or finishing and transferring a desired liquid to the
surface of
the workpiece during such contact. In addition, the invention relates to
liquid applicators
of this general type which provide accurately metered supply of the lubricant
to be
applied, such that the amount so applied is accurately controlled and
regulated, preferable
by use of a positive-displacement pump for repeatably metering out and
directing metered
volumes of the liquid to the applicator members, whether rollers or otherwise.
The
apparatus may include appositely disposed applicators such as rollers, 'which
contact the
workpiece from opposite sides, to apply the liquid to both such sides, and in
this
configuration the invention provides means by which a single such pump may be
utilized
to provide adjustable and relatively variable amounts of the liquid to each of
two such
opposed applicator members. Accordingly, the invention also relates to means
for
providing metered amounts of such liquid to the applicator members of contact-
type liquid
dispensers.
BACKGROUND
Many different industrial processes involve a continuously-advancing supply of
material which is machined and processed in various ways to produce finished
products,
for example sheet metal and other such stock which progressively advances
through
various formative stages. Throughout these different stages of manufacture,
the
continuously-advancing stock often requires the application of liquid
lubricants, coolants
and the like, and the same is sometimes true with respect to individual
workpieces which
progress as a continuing stream through various additional processing steps.
At times,
such liquid lubricants and the like may be applied as a spray or mist, but in
other
instances it is more advantageous to transfer the liquid by contact with an
applicator
member which makes contact with the advancing workpieces as they pass a
particular
location.
One form of such an applicator device which has demonstrated its suitability
for
such processes is a roller, typically covered on its surface by some
relatively soft material
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CA 02176349 1996-05-10
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(eg., felt or carpet stock) which will absorb and hold a certain amount of the
liquid and
readily transfer it by contact to the workpiece as it passes by the roller.
In most instances, the liquid lubricant or the like is applied to such rollers
from
the outside, by spraying the roller surface or by disposing a drip tube above
it from which
liquid may fall by gravity onto the surface of the roller. Sometimes, the
roller is
mounted above a supply tank or container in which the liquid is maintained at
a level
sufficiently high to contact the roller as it rotates in contact with the
workpiece or stock.
In either such case, the supply of liquid to the roller is not subject to
careful or precise
control, and in order to avoid running dry, the supply is usually maintained
at a level
sufficient to produce an excess on the roller, thereby inevitably causing
spatter and throw-
off of liquid from the roller and producing a corresponding messy and
contaminated area
which necessitates various other measures and expense, as well as wasting the
liquid and,
frequently, applying an undesirable excess amount to the workpiece or stock.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a new and improved form of contact liquid
applicator for installations and uses of the above type, by which the
indicated problems
known in the prior art are resolved advantageously and effectively, as well as
in a
desirable cost-effective manner.
From a first perspective, the invention provides a new and accurately
controlled
surface applicator which utilizes a repeating cyclical positive-displacement
pump for
metering out accurate and controlled amounts of the liquid to the applicator
member on an
ongoing basis, such that the applicator member carries a predetermined amount
of the
liquid on its surface for transfer to the workpiece. In instances where (as is
often true)
the apparatus utilizes a pair of applicator members in mutually opposed and
narrowly
Spaced relation, with the workpiece passing between the applicators, the
invention
provides means for proportionally varying the metered output of the pump so as
to apply
predetermined portions thereof to each of' the two such applicators in a set
thereof.
From another perspective the invention provides a new and advantageous
structural
configuration for such contact applicators, particularly suitable for applying
liquid
lubricants and the like in large-area surface applications, wherein at least
one of the
applicator members comprises a roller which is arranged to be contacted by and
rotate
with the advancing workpieces or stock and to apply the liquid lubricant or
the like to
surfaces of the workpiece or stock by contact therewith, and wherein such
roller has a
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CA 02176349 1996-05-10
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liquid-transmissible peripheral wall and the liquid is provided to the
interior of the roller
under pump pressure, from where it is distributed to the interior of the
liquid-
transmissible wall for conveyance through the latter to the outer surface,
where it forms a
dispersion over the entirety of such surface, for uniform application to the
advancing
workpieces during rotational contact therewith.
In a still further embodiment, the invention provides a surface lubricator for
sheet
stock and the like having at least one pair of elongated rollers disposed in
mutual
alignment and closely adjacent relation to receive and pass a workpiece
therebetween,
wherein at least one of the rollers in the pair is structurally configured to
have a generally
hollow rigid sleeve-like cylinder with multiple perforations which is readily
transmissible
by liquid lubricant, and an outer cover of generally resilient material
telescoped over and
carried on such cylinder. In on particular preferred embodiment, this outer
cover is of
open-celled foam-type material, although other generally similar media (e.g.,
felt) may
also be used depending upon the circumstances, however, the cover must in any
event be
readily transmissible by the liquid lubricant, and the apparatus includes
means inside the
roller for spraying the liquid lubricant outwardly against the porous internal
cylinder for
migration therethrough to the resilient outer cover, through which the liquid
is drawn by
capillary action as the film or dispersion of liquid on the outer surface of
the resilient
cover is continuously depleted by transfer of liquid to the continuously-
advancing
workpiece.
The foregoing features and attributes of the invention will become
increasingly
clear upon consideration of the ensuing detailed specification and the
attached drawings,
depicting certain preferred embodiments of the invention, provided for
illustration of the
underlying concepts as well as of such particular embodiments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
Fig. 1 is a front perspective view showing a first embodiment of the
invention;
Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus shown in Fig 1;
Fig. 3 is a fragmentary end elevation showing the apparatus illustrated in
Fig. 1
and 2, with outer portions broken away to better show certain internal
features;
Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing another embodiment or alternative
configuration
of the invention;
Fig. S is a fragmentary end elevation showing the structure illustrated in
Fig. 4,
with outer portions broken away to better show certain internal features;
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CA 02176349 1996-05-10
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Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary end elevation similar to Fig. 3 showing
further
details of the structure;
Fig. 7 is a further enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional side elevation, taken
along
the plane 7-7 of Fig. 6, showing various structural details at one end of a
roller, including
the mounting thereof;
Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a preferred pump for usage in
the
invention;
Fig. 9 is an end elevational view of the pump shown in Fig. 8; and
Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the structure shaven in Fig. 8.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
As may be seen in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 6, the first embodiment of the invention
comprises a single-station contact applicator 1U which basically includes a
pair of
vertically opposed, horizontally extending cylindrical rollers 12 and 14 that
are mounted
within trough-like housings 16, 18, respectively, and supported in position by
brackets
20, 22 mounted on and projecting outwardly from upper and lower main supports
24, 26,
respectively, that are mounted between end plates 28, 30. As illustrated, all
such
structural members are securely fastened together, as by the bolts
illustrated, to form a
rigid frame.
As best seen in Figs. 3 and 6, the upper mounting bracket 20 is preferable a
one-
piece U-shaped member with downwardly-depending end extremities 20a, which
preferably extend laterally from the main support 24 at an angle, to provide
an offset
mounting extremity 20b at their lowermost end. The aforementioned upper roller
housing
16 is preferably mounted in a pivotal manner at extremity 20b by a pin 32,
which thus
provides an axle or trunnion about which the upper housing 16 and the roller
12 mounted
therewithin may be pivoted so as to move the upper roller 12 toward or away
from the
lower roller 14. Preferably, such pivotal motion is controlled by a pneumatic
cylinder 34
or the like which is mounted on the side of the upper support beam 34 and
which has its
piston 34a pivotally connected by a pin 36 or the like to the upper roller
housing 16 by
means of an angle bracket 38. Preferably, the pneumatic cylinder 34 is
actuated through
an adjustable pressure regulator 40 having a gauge 42, such that the amount of
pressure
applied may be adjusted for different operating conditions, as noted further
below. Of
course, this requires a pneumatic pressure input, which is supplied through an
inlet tube
44 coupled by appropriate fittings to the regulator 40. Thus, pneumatic
pressure applied
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CA 02176349 1996-05-10
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to the inlet 44 at a first level will actuate the cylinder 34 at a second,
typically lower and
regulated level whereupon cylinder 34 will pivot the upper roller 12 and its
housing 16
together in a counterclockwise direction about pin 32, so as to bring the
upper roller 12
toward the lower roller 14 and into contact with workpieces, sheet stock, or
the like
passing between the upper and lower rollers at a predetermined pressure.
The apparatus 10 described above is designed to be modular in nature and may
be
readily moved from one location to another, and installed in a variety of
different
environments to accomplish a variety of different purposes. While the size of
such a
module may of course be widely varied to accomplish particular purposes and
accommodate various working conditions, it may also be ganged together with
other like
modules to provide operating units of various different widths, to accommodate
various
lateral areas and various widths of sheet stock, etc. An illustrative such
ganged apparatus
is shown in Figs. 4 and 5, wherein a pair of the modules 10, 10' are disposed
in laterally
adjacent, staggered relationship, such that their respective rollers 12, 12'
and 14, 14' are
disposed in coplanar relationship with one another but slightly offset
laterally from one
another.
In this ganged arrangement, each of the adjacent modules 10, 10' may have its
own actuator 34, 34' for moving the upper rollers 12, 12' toward and away from
the
lower rollers 14, 14', although the two different such actuators may if
desired be supplied
pneumatic actuating pressure by a common regulator 40, particularly, where (as
is
typically true) simultaneous actuation of the rollers is desired.
Alternatively, separate
sources and different regulators may be utilized, particularly where non-
simultaneous or
differing-pressure applications are involved. As will be apparent, other
components of
the additional (ganged) module 10' which correspond to those of module 10 are
designated by primed numbers corresponding to those used in the description of
module
10, but end plates 28 and 30 thereof are replaced by directly similar but
essentially
double-sized end plates 128, 130 which are sized appropriately to mount the
multiple
modules 10, 10' involved.
The preferred structure for each of the rollers 12, 14 is illustrated in more
detail
in Fig. 7. Each such roller member comprises a cylindrical member having a
generally
rigid sleeve-like inner support member 50 of sheet metal or the like which is
generally of
an openwork nature, i.e. , having numerous perforations or apertures extending
throughout
its peripheral wall. Telescoped over the perforate internal cylinder 50 is an
outer cover
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CA 02176349 1996-05-10
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52 that, in a particular preferred embodiment, is of open-celled polymeric
material, eg.,
polyurethane foam. While various other materials may be used for the outer
member 52,
(e.g., resilient felt or the like) it must be moisture-transmissible and is
preferably
resiliently compressible in nature although it is to be noted that in certain
circumstances a
more rigid moisture-transmissible member may be utilized instead.
Each end of the perforated cylinder 50 is closed by an end cap 54 (Fig. 7)
(one
such end being shown for illustration), generally comprising a flat cup-like
member in its
overall nature, having a central opening for insertion of a bearing 58 by
which the
cylinder is rotatably mounted. As illustrated each of the end caps 54 mounts
one end of
its corresponding roller in a freely rotatable manner, supported upon the
adjacent end wall
20a, 22a of the corresponding roller housing 16, 22. For example, each such
end wall
may have a mounting aperture at a predetermined position, for receipt of the
protruding
cylindrical end portion 60a of a corresponding fitting 60, with end portion
60a providing
a trunnion in the form of a stub shaft 60c that receives the inside race 58a
of the bearing
58. Preferably, the end cap 54 is press-fit into the end of the perforate
cylinder 50, and
the bearing 58 is press-fit into the end cap 54, such that the perforate
cylinder 50, outer
cover 52 and end cap 54 at each end all rotate with the respective bearings
58, about an
axis defined by a pair of oppositely disposed stub shafts 60c, which support
the roller unit
at each opposite end. As illustrated, the central portion 60b of each fitting
60 is
externally threaded, and carries a corresponding lock nut 62. The
aforementioned
aperture through the end wall of housing 16 and 18, through which the fittings
60 extend,
is internally threaded to engage the threaded outer portion 60b of fittings
60, such that
when the nuts 62 are then tightened against the face of the aforementioned
housing end
walls, they will lock the fittings 60 securely in place, thereby
correspondingly mounting
the roller units 12, 14 in position.
As also illustrated in Fig. 7, at least one of the fittings 60 supporting each
roller
unit 12, 14 has an axially extending internal passage 60c through which liquid
may be
conveyed. Inside each of the rollers 12, 14, an internal supply tube 68
extends axially
between the corresponding stub shaft portions 60a of the two oppositely
disposed fittings
60 carrying that roller, to convey liquid provided to the internal passage 60c
by an
external supply tube 70 which is disposed in flow communication therewith.
Each such
internal supply tube 68 has a predetermined number of spray apertures 66,
which are
preferably sized in accordance with the viscosity and surface tension of the
liquid to be
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CA 02176349 1996-05-10
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dispersed thereby, together with pressure under which such liquid is pumped,
to thereby
provide a desired spray pattern or dispersion condition inside each roller,
while at the
same time retaining all liquid within tube 68 when the supply pressure is
removed from it
(i.e., not dripping). The downstream end 68a of internal tube 68 will normally
be closed,
since it typically need not convey liquid onwardly to other stations.
Consequently, end
68a may merely be crimped off, as shown, or it may, like the upstream end, be
press-
fitted into the internal passage 6Uc of the corresponding downstream fitting
60, and the
passage in the latter suitably closed by a plug or the like.
As indicated, each of the internal tubes 68 is provided liquid to be dispersed
inside
the rollers 12, 14 by the external supply tube 70 (Fig. 7) and the latter is
secured to the
fittings 60 in sealed relationship, as for example by a compression coupling
64 which is
seated in the fitting 60. The external supply tubes 7U receive the liquid to
be dispensed
within the rollers 12, 14 from a pump 72 (Figs 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6), to which the
liquid is
supplied from a reservoir (not shown) through a supply tube 74. Pump 72 is
preferably
self-priming so that the liquid need not be supplied to it under pressure. In
the ganged
embodiment 10, 10' shown in Figs 5 and 5, separate pumps 72, 72' are shown,
each for
supplying a corresponding roller set 12, 14, although in some applications a
single such
pump may be used for this purpose, preferably with corresponding flow-dividers
of a
conventional nature (not shown) that may be adjustable to vary the
proportional amount of
liquid provided to each roller set as well as to each roller in a set.
The pump 72 is preferably, in accordance with preferred embodiments, a
positive-
displacement, cyclically operable volumetric metering device, preferably of
the type
shown in Figs. 8, 9, and 10. As there illustrated, each such pump unit
actually
comprises a pump module 75 and a manifold block 76 by which fluid is provided
to the
pump module 75 and by which its output is distributed. As may be recognized,
the
preferred pump module 75 is preferably of a type whose overall nature is
generally
known, comprising a block-like housing 78 having a particularly configured
longitudinal
internal passage and corresponding piston to positively displace metered
amounts of fluid
from a metering chamber formed therein. In the embodiment shown, fluid from
the
external supply which is conveyed to the inlet aperture 82 of manifold 76 by
supply tube
74 is routed to the pump module 75 through internal passages 83, 85 and passes
into the
pump chamber 87, in which the piston 80 is reciprocally disposed. The output
of the
pump module 75 is ejected through the dual outlet passages 84, 86 and their
respective
_7_
AMENDED SHEE1
CA 02176349 1996-05-10
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outlet apertures 98, 100, and comprises a continuing succession of precisely
metered
volumetric quantities.
The internal structure of the particular preferred embodiment of pump module
75
is shown in Fig. 8, where it will be seen that piston 80 is retained in place
by annular
bushing 88 which also provides a guide through which the forward end of piston
80 is
reciprocated. Guide bushing 88 is secured precisely in place by a snap ring 90
or the
like and preferably has an annular seal 91 around its outer periphery.
Internally, a
centrally disclosed pump section 92 of piston rod 80, of enlarged diameter,
moves back
and forth through the internal metering chamber as a function of mechanical
pumping
force applied to an outer end portion 94 of the piston rod 8() that preferably
carries a
replaceable, smoothly rounded bearing cap. Thus, as seen in Fig. 8, piston rod
80 is
forced to the right by the application of such pumping forces, against the
resilient
pressure of a return spring 96 disposed in the pumping chamber, which normally
keep the
forward face of the pump section 92 seated against the rearward face of the
guide bushing
88.
Accordingly, the supply tube 74 provides the tluid which is to be metered out
to
the rollers 12, 14 through an inlet aperture 82 in the manifold block 76
(Figs. 8 and 10),
which communicates with an orthogonal passage 83 therewithin leading to the
downwardly extending supply passages 85 that connect to the metering chamber
within
the pump housing 78. As the piston 80 is reciprocated back and forth laterally
within the
pump housing 78, the pump section 92 of the piston acts to displace a
continuous
succession of metered quantities of fluid, which are forced outwardly from the
metering
chamber and into one or the other of the outlet passages 84, 86 that lead to
and
communicate with the outlet apertures 98, 100 (Fig. 10) in the manifold block
76. More
particularly, in the preferred embodiment shown, the pump 72 is double-acting,
i.e., each
time piston 80 moves to the right (as sown in Fig. 8) it ejects a metered
charge of liquid
out of the right-hand passage 86 and outlet 100 (Figs 9 and 10), and as the
piston moves
to the left it ejects a basically identical charge out passage 84 and outlet
98.
In regard to the pumping action of piston 80 as just described, it should be
noted
that the pump 75 preferably includes certain check valves, e. g. , valves 102,
104, 104'
shown in Figs 8 and 9, which in this implementation are believed novel. More
particularly, each such valve comprises a one-piece elastomeric device of the
type known
generally as a "Duck-bill" check valve, which is typically used in other types
of
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CA 02176349 1996-05-10
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applications, e.g., on the ends of conduits, etc. Thus, while of a nature
generally known
in the art, the use of such a device in a pump or the like, such as is
illustrated in Figs 8
and 9 is believed novel, and contributes valuable efficiencies of manufacture
and
assembly, as well as good pumping operation. As will be understood, each such
device
comprises basically a small resilient tube extending from an annular collar at
one end,
with the other end of the tube forming a slit-like opening in the nature of a
pair of lips.
Thus, positive pressure from the collar end readily forces the "lips" open to
pass fluid,
whereas the opposite condition closes the "lips" to block fluid flow. fhe
operation of
such check valves to open or close passages 84, 85 and 86 for fluid flow
during the
pumping strokes of piston 80 is believed to be readily apparent, but it is to
be expressly
noted that, in accordance with the present invention, the annular collar
mentioned above
is used as a seal, analogous to an O-ring, between the pump module block 78
and the
manifold block 76, thereby obtaining further economic advantage and
manufacturing
efficiency.
Reciprocation of the pump piston 80 in the aforementioned matter is desirably
made to be synchronous with rotation of the rollers 12 and 14, so that the
resulting
quantities of liquid pumped to the rollers may maintain a predetermined
continuous rate of
application to the sheet stock or workpiece(s) continuously feeding between
the rollers, in
a manner that is independent of the workpiece feed rate. By so doing, the
supply of
liquid to the rollers may be made to be consistent with the transfer of liquid
from their
surface. While this desired end may be achieved in a number of different ways,
one
preferred way is to actuate the pump piston 80 directly by one or the other of
the rollers
themselves, as a function of its rotary movement, and in accordance with a
preferred
embodiment of the invention this is accomplished by mounting the pump assembly
72
directly adjacent one end of one of the rollers, eg., the lower roller 14
(Figs. 2-6) (or the
upper roller 12, Fig. 1). By providing an appropriately positioned hole (Fig.
7) through
the adjacent end wall of the lower trough or housing 18 (and its mounting
bracket portion
22), the outer end portion and bearing cap 94 of the pump piston 80 may engage
and ride
against the annular interior surface of the adjacent end cap 54 and, by
providing a rotary
cam surface 56 on end cap 54, in the form of an undulating annular surface,
the rotation
of the roller unit is transferred directly to the bearing cap 94 on the end of
the pump
piston 80 thereby pushing the latter inwardly and allowing it to be returned
back
outwardly by return spring 96 upon each rotation of the roller. Of course,
various cam
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CA 02176349 1996-05-10
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configurations may be imparted to the end cap 94 to accomplish essentially any
desired
number of pump strokes per revolution (the particular example illustrated in
Fig. 7
showing a single such stroke). At the same time, the pump piston motion is
made to be
synchronous with roller rotation, and it is also made smooth and consistent.
As already
indicated, pump action may be accomplished in a number of different ways, but
the
particular embodiment just described has definite advantages since few if any
additional
parts are needed, the pump-actuating motion is already present by virtue of
roller
rotation, and the action is positive, foolproof and extremelyy reliable. In
addition, pump
operation may readily be altered by substituting other end caps having other
cam profiles
machined or otherwise formed in them.
As may be seen from the foregoing, the reciprocal movement of the pump piston
80 by the cam surface 56 on end cap 54, and the resulting volume of liquid
displaced
outwardly by the pump each time the piston is reciprocated is, in the first
instance, a
direct function of the relative height of the cam surface 56 with respect to
that at which'
the pump piston occupies the position shown in Fig. 8, with pump section 92
seated
against the guide bushing 88. That is, the relative height of the cam surface
56 will
determine the length of the pump piston stroke and the corresponding distance
that the
pump section 92 moves in traversing the metering chamber. A further and
readily
adjustable control over the amount of liquid pumped on each pump stroke is
provided by
the manually-adjustable nuts 108, 110, since by threading nut 108 further onto
the
threaded pump piston extremity 106 from the position shown in Fig. 8, the
allowable
return of the pump piston toward the bushing 88 becomes increasing reduced,
and as a
result the effective length of the pump stroke is correspondingly reduced.
Thus,
continuous minute adjustments may be made in the amount of liquid metered by
the pump
in each of its cycles of operation, Of course, the second nut 110 is merely to
lock the
first such nut 108 in its position of adjustment.
As will now be understood, the described apparatus operates as a contact
applicator for applying various liquid media to surfaces of workstock or
workpieces
moved continuously or intermittently between the two rollers 12 and 14. In
this regard,
the preferred form of roller shown and described in conjunction with Fig. 7
has definite
advantages, in that it facilitates reliable, continuous, trouble-free
distribution of the
precisely metered liquid onto the outer roller surface, for transfer to even
irregularly
shaped or uneven workpieces by rolling contact with them. Further, the
described
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CA 02176349 1996-05-10
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resiliently compressible felt or open-celled polymeric foam outer cover 52
facilities the
overall uniformity and controlled dispersion of the liquid sprayed outwardly
from internal
roller tube 68, which passes outwardly to the cover through the numerous
openings in the
perforated cylinder 50. Of course, controlled operation of the actuating
cylinder 34 may
impart greater or lesser degrees of resilient compressive deformation of outer
cover 52,
whose thickness may vary from one application to another as a function of, and
to best
accommodate, the particular circumstances involved, and in this manner the
liquid to be
distributed may be applied at various depths to irregular or undulating
surfaces of sheet
stock or individual workpieces passing by in contact with the outer cover. Of
course,
such rolling deformation of the cover 52 also enhances the continuous
distribution and
redistribution of liquid through it in a uniformly dispersed manner, due to
what is in
effect capillary action within the minute passages extending throughout the
cover.
The convenient precise control afforded by the preferred positive-displacement
pump 72 facilitates the operational capability noted above, since it provides
for ready
adjustability as well as consistent precise control of the amount of liquid
carried by the
out roller portion or cover 52. As a result, the application of liquid to the
workpiece is
always in the desired amount, and is always synchronized with the particular
feed rate of
the workpiece, increasing or decreasing automatically with feed rate. The
preferred roller
configuration insures that the liquid to be dispensed in distributed uniformly
across the
width of the roller for equal application to all parts of the workpiece, and
in fact the
modular configuration of the apparatus enables the system to apply different
quantities of
the liquid to different area across the width of the workpiece in the event
that is desired,
since each different module may employ a different pump or metering orifice
which may
be adjusted for a different amount of liquid delivery that the other roller
receives. At the
same time the accurate liquid control provided by the system greatly reduces
or eliminates
throw-off or other inadvertent, extraneous dissipation of the liquid at the
point of
application, since an excess supply at the roller may be eliminated by proper
adjustment
of the system. Thus, little cleanup is required, and there is no excess liquid
to be
recovered, recirculated, or otherwise treated. This provides a cleaner work
area, reduces
waste and corresponding expense, and essentially eliminates an area of
environmental
concern. In addition, it enables increased production rates as well as
improved product
quality and lower overall system maintenance.
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CA 02176349 1996-05-10
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As may be perceived from the foregoing, the apparatus and system in accordance
with the invention is particularly well-adapted to the application of liquid
lubricants to
sheet metal stock in metalworking operations such as punching, stamping, fine
blanking,
roll forming, etc. , but it is also of considerable advantage in other such
industrial
processes and the like, eg. , application of various finished, protective
coatings, etc.
The foregoing description is of preferred embodiments only, and it will be
readily
appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications may be made to such
embodiments, and the invention may be implemented in other particular ways
without
departing from the concepts disclosed. All such modifications and other
embodiments are
to be considered as included in the following claims, unless these claims by
their language
expressly state otherwise.
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