Apparatus for applying a hot melt adhesive pattern to a moving substrate

Claim 1

Apparatus for rapidly applying an adhesive pattern to a substrate while the substrate is moving, the pattern including at least one line of adhesive that extends in the direction of substrate movement and a second line of adhesive that extends in a direction transverse to said one line, said apparatus including, a conveyor for moving said substrate through an adhesive-applying station, a supply for providing molten hot melt adhesive under pressure, hot melt adhesive depositing means connected to said supply and including a first orifice in said station and adjacent the path of movement of said substrate for depositing said adhesive on said substrate as a line parallel to the direction of substrate movement, thereby to form said one line, hot melt adhesive applying means connected to said supply and including a flat spray second orifice for spraying hot melt adhesive toward said substrate in the form of a flat sheet having lateral edges which diverge angularly as a fan as said sheet moves from said orifice to said substrate, said flat spray orifice oriented to direct said flat sheet in a plane transverse with respect to the direction of substrate movement, and timing means for actuating said depositing means to operate for a period selected to deposit said one line in a desired length, and for actuating said applying means to project said flat sheet for a period so short such that the adhesive forms a second line on said substrate, said second line having a width substantially less than its length and extending transversely to said one line, said flat spray orifice being spaced from said substrate to establish a length of said second line which is substantially greater than the width of said flat spray orifice.