US 12,296,507 B2
Knurled calender roll, method and apparatus for forming the knurled calender roll and geomembrane produced by the knurled calender roll
Gunther Niedermoser, Murrells Inlet, SC (US)
Assigned to Agru/America, Inc., Georgetown, SC (US)
Filed by AGRU/AMERICA, Inc., Georgetown, SC (US)
Filed on Jun. 27, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/850,872.
Prior Publication US 2023/0415382 A1, Dec. 28, 2023
Int. Cl. B29C 33/38 (2006.01); B29C 43/46 (2006.01); E02D 31/00 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 33/3842 (2013.01) [B29C 43/46 (2013.01); E02D 31/004 (2013.01); B29C 2043/465 (2013.01); E02D 2300/0085 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for forming recesses in a calender roll, the calender roll having a longitudinal axis and an outer circumferential surface concentric with the longitudinal axis, the apparatus comprising:
a rotating mechanism configured for rotating the calender roll around the longitudinal axis of the calender roll; and
a knurling apparatus having at least one knurling tool with a support arm that is movable toward and away from the outer circumferential surface the calendar roll, a knurling wheel that has an outer circumferential surface with a plurality of knurling spikes projecting radially outward thereon, the knurling wheel being rotatable about a knurling wheel rotational axis that is aligned perpendicular to an extending direction of the support arm and at an acute angle to a plane that contains both the rotational axis of the calender roll and the extending direction of the support arm, the knurling apparatus being configured for moving the outer circumferential surface of the knurling wheel into contact with the outer circumferential surface of the calender roll so that the knurling spikes form recesses in the outer circumferential surface of the calender roll with the recesses defining a helical array along the outer circumferential surface of the calender roll.