System for fabricating belts

摘要

A process is disclosed for fabricating a flexible belt comprising conveying the leading edge of a flexible web from a supply roll to a slitting station, slitting the web a predetermined distance from the leading edge to form a web segment having the leading edge at one end and a trailing edge at the opposite end, conveying the leading edge toward the trailing edge, flowing at least one stream of fluid upwardly against the web segment to form an upwardly extending bulge in the segment adjacent the leading edge, flowing at least one stream of fluid downwardly against the web segment to form the web segment into a U-shape, overlapping the leading edge and the trailing edge of the web segment to form a joint, and welding the joint to permanently join the leading edge and the trailing edge together to form a belt. Apparatus for carrying out this process is also disclosed.