WO2000059710A3 - Application of vehicle protection films - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus for applying protective tack film (16) having tack and non-tack surfaces to upward facing panels of vehicles, having an applicator unit (6) suspended for vertical movement above a path of movement of a vehicle to be protected, the unit including a primary applicator roll (8) engaging the non-tack surface of the film and extending transversely of the unit so as to apply the film to an upper surface of the vehicle as it moves along said path, means (12) to apply vertical movement to the unit, and means (10) sensing upward pressure applied to the unit through the applicator roll to control the vertical movement application means to maintain substantially constant pressure between the applicator roll (8) and the vehicle, and means to provide tack film from a supply roll to the applicator unit, the applicator unit further including a drive roll (18) driven by a motor to draw tack film from the supply roll, a vacuum manifold arranged to apply vacuum to points distributed over an outside surface of the roll in contact with said tack film to hold the latter against the roll, and means to detach a length of film applied to the vehicle while leaving the end of the film from which the length was detached held to the applicator roll (8).