CA1115633A

CA1115633A - Flexible sheet covering material for wrapping heat, cold and sound insulation

Info

Publication number: CA1115633A
Application number: CA298,403A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Ulf J. Millgardh; Bjorn Wimelius; Nils H. Werner; Ulf W. Lindberg; Weimar A. Anneflod
Original assignee: Orebro Pappersbruks AB
Current assignee: Orebro Pappersbruks AB
Priority date: 1977-03-14
Filing date: 1978-03-07
Publication date: 1982-01-05
Also published as: US4293607A; SE7702865L; DK101978A; FI65736C; FI65736B; NO780773L; GB1589797A; SE414142B; FI780734A; DE2809663A1; NL7802726A; US4188248A

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
The present invention provides a continuous, sheet-like, flexible covering material (sheet material) intended as a semi-finished product for wrapping round heat, cold or sound insulation on piping or the like, characterized in that the sheet material consists of a multilayer laminate containing at least two layer groups, the first group forming the outer part of the sheet mate-rial when rolled up, and containing a supporting layer consisting of a kraft paper or the like with minor extensibility, covered on its outwardly facing surface with a polyethylene layer and similar-ly on its inner surface with a polyethylene or glue layer, while the second group, forming the inner part of the material when rolled up, contains a layer consisting of a highly extensible paper or the like, e.g. "Clupak", which is given a contracting tendency due to its striving to return to its original shape, by being given a high ten-sional load during manufacture, the highly extensible paper having a polyethylene or glue layer on its surface facing towards the first layer group, said layer being bonded to the corresponding layer in the first layer group or constituting said layer, and on its surface facing the opposite direction being protected by a polyethylene lay-er, both layer groups being bonded to each other such that the sheet material has an enduring precurvature, characteristic for the sheet material.

Description

~i~s~

The present invention relates to a continuous, sheet-like, flexible cover~ng material useful as a semi-finished product fo~ wrapping round heat, cold or sound insulation on piping or the like and the production thereof.
To insulate piping against heat, cold and sound, there are used inter alia preformed insulating sleeves of suitable -thickness and material, such as cork waste, foam plastics, wrapped glass or rock wool- material. The sleeves are often made in halves, placed against the piping and thereafter fastened into place with plastics strips or glue. To a large extent, insulation consisting of rock wool, glass wool or kieselguhr is placed round the piping, and after being temporarily attached to the piping this insulation is covered by means of a flexible polyvinyl chloride film having a thickness of less than 0.5 mm. This film is given a certain curling tendency by the plas ic film web ~coiled up on a reel core) being kept in a heating cupboard or some time, or by treating the surface of the web lying inward on the roll with a suitable solvent. As a result of its curling tendency, the described plastic film fits snugly around insulations of different diameters and can then be stapled or glued together to form the intended wrapping.

~ -2-lli~633 The method mentioned $irst here is especially suitable for pipe bends and more irregularly ~haped piping, while the latter method is very serviceable for straight pipin~. It has, however, a disadvantage in that the ~VC-material used is not a fire retardant and if it is exposed to fire it generates very corroslve hydrochloric acid ~apor and chlorine gas, which can cause extensive damage in the premises where piping is insulated in such a way.
Especially serious damage can naturally occur in work-shops where there are expensive machine tools.
The object of the present invention is to circumventthis disadvantage, and relates to a continuous, sheet-like flexible covering material intended as a semi-finished product for heat, cold or sound insulation wrapping on piping.
In accordance with the present invention, the continuous sheet-like covering material (sheet material) is a multilayer laminate containing at least two layer groups, of which the first group (forming the outside portion of the sheet material when it is coiled up) contains a supporting layer consisting of a kraft paper or the like with a small amount of stretch, this paper being c~vered on its outwardly facing surface by a polyethylene layer and similarly on ~ts inward surface by a polyethylene layer or by a glue layer. The other group (forming the inner portion when the material i9 ~ -3-5633 ~ ~

coiléd up) contains a layer of highly extensible paper or the like, e.g. that supplied under the trademark "Clupak" which , by high tensional loading during manufacture, is given a contract-ing tendency caused by its striving to regain its shape, the highly extensible paper having on its surface facing the first layer group a polyethylene layer or glue layer, which is bonded to the corresponding layer in the first layer group, or consists of said layer, and on its opposite side it is protected by a poly-ethylene layer, both layer groups being bonded to each other so that the sheet material has an enduring free curvature, which is characteristic for it.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the sheet material has a further layer of metal foil, e.g. an aluminium foil, applied to its outermost layer.
The invention also has the object of producing such a continuous, sheet-like, flexible covering material, generally distinguished in that the multilayer laminate is composed of at least two layer groups kept together by a binder, e.g. poly-ethylene, the first layer group (forming the outer portion of the finished material when it is coiled up) containing a supporting layer, e.g. consisting of kraft paper, which is kept under minimum tensional stress during the lamination process and which under said process has its outwardly facing side provided with a polyethylene layer, simultaneously with its inside ~ _ 4 _ 11:15633 also being provided with such a layer or a glue layer, while in the other group (forming the inner portion of the finished material when it is coiled up) there iæ
introduced a layer of highly extensible paper or the like, e.g. "Clupak", which is subjected to such a high tensional stress during the lamination process that at least a quarter of the stretching ability of the material is utilized; that the highly extensible paper is provided with a polyethylene layer on either side, and together with the first layer group is introduced into a roll nip and that both layer groups are pressed together in the roll nip with the extensible paper or the like in an extended condition within its elastic limit, with the intention of giving the laminate a propensity to roll up, as a result of the contracting tendency caused by its striving to return to its original shape.
In this manner there is obtained according to the invention a laminate where, at the moment of lamination, one side has been exposed to a greater specific tensional force than the other and thereby has become more stretched.
As a result of this, the most stretched side contracts more than the other in a free condition, resulting in the laminate curling up. As is stated above, there is the condition that at least one side consists of an ela~tic materia~ e.g. paper, having the capacity of being stretched when subjected to a tensional force and which strives to regain its original shape when the tensional force ceases. The greater the stretching and elastic characteristics a material have, the greater will the curling effect be. The different tensional forces are thereby regulated in a plastics coating machine, with the aid of the braking equipment associated with the machine.
The invention will now be more closely described in conjunction with the attached drawing, which schematically illustrates the function of a plastics coating machine.
The portion denoted 1 of the final sheet material?
described above as the first layer group, is assumed to have been already produced in a machine in an earlier part of the production line, this machine hot being shown on the dra~ing. In said machine the part 1 has been coiled up to a supply roll 3, nounted on a shaft;4 in the machine illustrated on the drawing.
The portion denoted by 2 of the final sheet material, described above as the second layer group, is also assumed to have been produced in a machine arranged earlier in the production 9 and which is not shown on the drawing either. In said machine, the portion 2 has also been coiled up to a supply roll 5, mounted on a shaft 6 in the machine illustrated on the drawing.

1~15~i3;3 ~ he portions or part webs 1 and 2 are taken through the plastics coating machine in the following way.
The part web 1 runs from the roll 3 over the idlers 7 and 8, over the guide roll 9 and through a roll nip between the laminating rolls 10 and 11.
The part web 2 is taken over an idler 12, a pair of S-bend rolls 13, 14, a guide roll 15 and over the laminating roll 10 to the roll nip between this roll and the laminating roll 11.
Both part webs 1 and 2 are joined together by a polyethylene layer at the roll nip, this layer being supplied to the nip from an extruder 16, ar.din the form of a thin curtain of heated liquid polyethylene extending in the longitudinal direction of the roll nip.
The finished laminate web pressed together in the roll nip is taken round the larger of the laminating rollers 11, also constituting a cooling roller, over a pair of idlers 17, 18 and over a guide roll 19 to coiling, where the finished sheet laminate 20 is coiled on a reel core of about 300 mm diameter for a width of 1500 mm or more. The maximum width which the machine will take is 2450 mm. The ready-coiled laminate web can have a diameter at the start of unrolling of from 150 to 200 mm (maximum diameter 1500 mm3.
- The schematically indicated plastics coating machine is driven at the S-bend rolls, and at the roll of finished material.

~llS633 By braking the part web containing the extensible paper at the supply roll 5 (arranged on the shaft) and at the S-bend rolls 1~, 14, while the part webs are running through the machine, regulation of the tensional stress in the layer group 2, which is subjected to extenslon, is possible in such a way that in the finished laminate beyond the nip between the rolls 10 and 11 there is obtained a return of the stretched layer group 2 to its original shape,when the tensional force is reduced,during the movement over the cooling roll, an enduring curving effect on the finished sheet material 20 being thus obtained when the ten~ional force ceases entirely.
The part web 1 can also be provided with a further layer of metal foil, e.g. an aluminium foil, on its outer side.
A pair of embodiments according to the invention will now be described.
Exam~le 1 Sheet laminate for wraPping pipe insulation without the reauirement of fire retardin~ effect The sheet material is produced according to the description above, and from the outside and inwards it will be built up in the following way:
I a layer of low-density polyethylene with a weight of 20 g/m2 II a layer of bleached, machine-glazed kraft paper with a weight of about 100 g/m2 11~.S~33 III a layer of low-density polyethylene with a weight of about 15 g/m2 IV a layer of unglazed ~'Clupak" with a weight of about 90-135 g/m2 V a layer of low-density polyethylene with a weight of about 15 g/m2.
Example 2 Sheet material for wraP~in~ Pipe insulation with the requirement of fire retardin~ effect This sheet material is manufactured in a similar way to that previously described in conjunction with the drawing, but the part web 1 now also contains an aluminium foil which, in a similar way as the part web 1 built up with a machine-glazed paper, is taken over the rolls 7-9 and into the nip between the pressure roll 10 and pressure roll 11 in the laminator. In this way a sheet material is obtain~d which, starting from the outside and working inwards, i~ built up in the following way:
I an aluminium foil with a weight of 32 g/m2 II a glue or low density layer of polyethylene with a weight of 20 g/m2 III a kraft paper with a weight of about 100 g/m2 IV a low-density polyethylene with a weight of 15 g/m2 V unbleached, unglazed "Clupak" with a weight of about 135 g/m2 VI a low-density polyethylene with a weight of 15 g/m2.

, _ g _ It is suitable to convert large rolls of finished material to smaller rolls for direct use.
Although the invention has been described in conjunction with a pair of embodiments thereof, it can be varied in an arbitrary manner within the scope of the following claims.

_ 10 -

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A continuous, sheet-like, flexible covering material useful as a semi-finished product for wrapping round heat, cold or sound insulation on piping or the like, which sheet material is a multilayer laminate comprising at least two layer groups, the first group forming an outer part of the sheet-material when rolled up, and containing a supporting layer consisting of a paper with minor extensibility, covered on its outwardly facing surface with a polyethylene layer, the second group, forming the inner part of the material when rolled up, containing a layer consisting of a highly extensible paper which has a contracting tendency due to its desire to return to its original shape as a result of it being given a high tensional load during production of the laminate, the highly extensible paper being protected on its surface remote from the first layer group by a further poly-ethylene layer, and both layer groups being bonded to each other by at least one adhesive layer such that the sheet material has an enduring precurvature which is characteristic for the sheet material.

2. A sheet material according to claim 1, wherein a said adhesive layer is formed on each of the opposing surfaces of the first and second layer groups.

3. A sheet material according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the or each said adhesive layer is of polyethylene.

4. A sheet material as claimed in claim 1, in which the paper with minor extensibility is Kraft paper.

5. A sheet material as claimed in claim 2, in which the highly extensible paper is Clupak(a trademark).

6. A sheet material according to claim 1, 4 or 5, in which from the outside and inwardly it is formed in the following way:

I a layer of low-density polyethylene, weight < 50 g/m2 II a layer of machine-glazed kraft paper, weight <200 g/m2 III a layer of low-density polyethylene, weight < 50 g/m2 IV a layer of unglazed "Clupak", weight <200 g/m2 V a layer of low-density polyethylene, weight < 50 g/m2

7. A sheet material according to claim 1, in which the outer layer consists of coloured polyethylene.

8. A sheet material according to claim 7, in which the colored polyethylene is white or gray polyethylene.

9. A sheet material according to claim 1, in which on the outside of the polyethylene layer covering the outwardly facing surface of said supporting layer of the first group there is a further layer of a metal foil.

10. A sheet material according to claim 9, in which the metal foil is aluminium foil.

11. A sheet material according to claim 10, in which the aluminium foil has a weight of at most 32 g/m2.

12. A sheet material according to claim 1, which contains at least one layer of flame retarding glue.

13. A sheet material according to claim 12, in which the flame retarding material is polyethylene.

14. A sheet material according to claim 1, 4 or 5, in which the supporting layer material has low elasticity.

15. A method of producing a continuous, sheet-like, flexible covering material useful for wrapping round heat, cold or sound insulation on piping and the like, comprising laminating first and second layer groups together, said first layer group forming the outer part of the sheet material as it is rolled up, containing a supporting paper layer which is kept under minimum tensional stress during the laminating process and provided on its outwardly facing surface with a polyethylene layer, said secondlayer group forming the inner part of the sheet material as it is un-rolled and including a layer of highly extensible paper which is exposed to a high tensional stress during the lamination process such that at least a quarter of the stretching ability of the material is utilized, a further polyethylene layer being applied to the side of the highly extensible paper remote from the first layer group, the second layer group during said lamination together with the first layer group being passed into a roll nip, both layer groups being pressed and bound together with at least one adhesive layer in the roll nip, the extensible paper being in a stretched condition within its elastic limit during lamination so as to provide a multistage laminate having a tendency to curl up as a result of the tendency of the extensible paper to return to its original shape.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein a said adhesive layer is formed on each of the opposing surfaces of the first and second layer groups.

17. A method according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the or each said adhesive layer is of polyethylene.

18. A method according to claim 15, in which the layer groups are passed from supply rolls via S-bend rolls through a nip between a pair of laminating rollers whereby the second layer group containing the highly extensible paper is exposed during the lamination to a high tensional stress by applying braking forces to at least one of the S-bend rollers and the supply roll.

19. A method according to claim 18, in which the ad-hesive layer is applied by a laminator disposed over the roll nip, the adhesive being in heated liquid form and in the shape of a thin curtain extending in the longitudinal direction of the roll nip.

20. A method according to claim 15, 18, or 19, in which the roll nip is supplied from one supply roll with a web of a liminate of the first layer group and aluminium foil, said foil increasing the precurvature by its lack of extensibility and also being fire retardant.

21. A method according to claim 15, 18 or 19, in which the supporting paper layer is Kraft paper.

22. A process according to claim 15, 18 or 19, in which the supporting paper layer is kept under a minimum tension-al stress of about 1.5 N/cm sheet width.