Method and apparatus for producing continuous surface elements

Abstract

A method of and apparatus for producing continuous surface elements, e.g. for so-called air supported shelters, according to which a tubular foil, preferably of plastic material, is wound in several layers between two drums spaced from each other by a distance substantially equaling half the width of the surface element or integral multiples thereof. Immediately prior to winding the tubular foil between the drums, adhesive is applied to the foil so that the outward side of the tubular foil on a preceding winding adheres along a greater or less path to the inward side of the tubular foil in the following winding. After winding a suitable number of loops, in conformity with the desired length of the surface element, the windings are cut mainly perpendicularly with regard to the longitudinal direction of the tubular foil, whereupon the two outer tubular foils in the stack thus obtained are pulled from each other along their whole length, and suitable braces may be introduced into each individual tubular foil section.

What I claim is: 
     
       1. Method for producing continuous surface elements, for instance for the so-called air supported shelters, and consisting of tubular formed units of flexible material lying side by side characterized in winding tubular foil, preferably of plastic material, in several layers between two drums, the distance between which is mainly equal to multiples of said breadth, applying adhesive to the tubular foil immediately before winding on the drums, such that the outward side of the tubular foil on a preceding winding adheres along a path to the inward side of the tubular foil in the following winding, and cutting the windings, after winding a suitable number of loops depending on the desired length of the surface element, mainly perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tubular foil, pulling the two outer tubular foils in the stack thus obtained from each other along their whole length, and furthermore introducing suitable braces in each individual tubular foil section. 
     
     
       2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in applying adhesive to the tubular foil in a narrow strip in the center of the tubular foil face. 
     
     
       3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in applying adhesive to the tubular foil in a wide strip in the center of the tubular foil face. 
     
     
       4. Method according to claim 1, characterized in applying adhesive in two narrow strips at equal distance from the center of the tubular foil face. 
     
     
       5. Method according to claim 1, characterized in applying adhesive to the tubular foil in at least one strip, the path of which is asymmetrical in relation to the center of the tubular foil face. .Iadd. 6. A method of manufacturing a thermal insulating member from a thin film of material and comprising a pair of spaced opposing generally parallel sidewalls which are bridged by a plurality of spaced transverse walls comprising the steps of: winding a continuous length of a tube formed of the material in its flattened state onto a generally cylindrical member whose circumference corresponds to the desired width of the insulating member, each successive layer of said tube being wound to overlie the immediately preceeding layer to provide thereby a generally cylindrical band of tubular layers extending axially along said cylindrical member a distance corresponding substantially to the flattened width of said tube,   adheringly applying the flattened tube during the winding step to the portion of the tube already wound onto the cylindrical member over a band of predetermined width corresponding substantially to the desired width of said spaced transverse walls and thus to the desired spacing between said sidewalls,   terminating the winding of the tube onto the cylindrical member when a predetermined number of layers of the tube has been wound thereon corresponding to the desired length of the thermal insulating member,   and cutting the superimposed assemblage of successively adhering layers of the tube in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the tube,   said assemblage when longitudinally straightened and then extended in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the tube so as to expand the successively joined tubes forming said thermal insulating member. .Iaddend.