1397811 Seaming non-metallic sheet material DUFAYLITE DEVELOPMENTS Ltd 21 Aug 1973 [23 Aug 1972] 39317/72 Heading B5K Apparatus for adhering together slices 16, 16SP1/SP of structural honeycomb material in the unexpanded state to form continuous expandable material ,comprises a magazine 5, 10, 13, 14, 15 for holding a supply of the slices and delivering them singly to a ramming station, a guideway 19, 23 for receiving the slices from the ramming station and holding the received slices positively located, a ram 21 for ramming the slices into an through the guideway in turn by moving them in their expansion direction against the reaction of slices previously rammed into the guideway, and an adhesive applicator 25 for applying to the slices adhesive positioned to adhere the slices together as they are rammed through the guideway. As shown, layers 4 of slices of honeycomb material are positioned on a lift platform 1 of a fork-lift stillage 2 with their expansion direction perpendicular to the plane of Fig. 1. When a platform 5 is empty, the uppermost layer 4SP1/SP is slid thereon by a set of shoes 6 mounted on a head 7 movable along a track 8 by a pneumatic ram 9. The stillage 2 is raised hydraulically at any time after the shoes 6 have returned to their Fig. 1 position. An upper clamp 10 formed of bars 11 linked by rods 12 is lowered to grip the slices against the platform 5. A pneumatic ram 13 drives a bar 14 to feed the slices individually to the rear 5SP1/SP of the platform 5 whilst downward pressure is maintained by rams 15. The rearward slice 16 is pressed into contact with a check bar 17 and extends over a shutter 18 comprising rods. The bar 17 and the shutter 18 are retracted by rams 26, 27 and the slice 16 falls on to a bed 19 formed by rails 20. The slice 16 is rammed under a clamp 23, similar to the clamp 10, by a ram 21 driven by an actuator 22, downward pessure being applied by rams 24. The ram 21 engages the slice 16 via a glueing head 25 which applies patches of liquid adhesive, e.g. an aqueous dextrin adhesive, spaced apart along the slice. The bar 17 and the shutter 18 are then driven into a position to receive the next slice. When the bar 17 is retracted, a clamp 28 is forced down by an actuator 29 to prevent the slices being advanced over the edge of the platform 5. After the platform 5 has been cleared of slices, a further layer is fed from the stillage 2. The continuous unexpanded honeycomb obtained at the end 30 of the clamp 23 may be taken direct to a manufacturing point, e.g. for producing doors or panels, by a feedway 31 or to a lapping apparatus described in Specification 1,397,812.
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