GB2253203A

GB2253203A - Changing web rolls whilst feeding user machine

Info

Publication number: GB2253203A
Application number: GB9203384A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Silvano Boriani; Antonio Gamberini
Original assignee: GD SpA
Current assignee: GD SpA
Priority date: 1991-02-26
Filing date: 1992-02-18
Publication date: 1992-09-02
Anticipated expiration: 2012-02-18
Also published as: ITBO910049A1; BR9200643A; IT1245994B; JPH06115775A; DE4205343A1; GB9203384D0; ITBO910049A0; GB2253203B

Abstract

Strip material having equally spaced notches or marks along its length is continuously fed to a machine, e.g. packaging machine 35. The feed paths from supplying roll 2 and replacement roll 3 each include a photocell 45 for detecting the notches/marks, each photocell being spaced upstream of a splicing point 30 by a multiple of the inter-notch/mark spacing. During feed from 2, unit 42 is used to cut strip 5b at a notch/mark, the resultant free end being located at point 30 so that a notch/mark is aligned with photocell 45. This position is held by pressing roller 46 against roller 19. A signal indicating expiry of roll 2 stops feed roller 32, strip 5a stopping with a notch/mark aligned with photocell 45. Machine 35 then uses strip from store 38. Jaw 22 is moved to its (broken line) splicing position, the strips being spliced notch/mark to notch/mark at point 30. Strip 5a is cut at 49, roller 46 is moved from roller 19 and the supply is resumed. <IMAGE>

Description

2 2 5 3 5-, 0, 3 METHOD OF CONTINUOUSLY FEEDING A STRIP WITH

EQUALLY-SPACED NOTCHES TO A USER MACHINE The present invention relates to a method of continuously feeding a strip with equally-spaced notches to a user machine.

The present invention may be used to advantage on user machines consisting of packing, particularly cigarette packing, machines, and/or packet wrapping machines, particularly for wrapping cigarette packets, to which the following description refers specifically, wherever possible, though purely by way of example.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a straightforward, relatively low-cost method of feeding machines of the aforementioned type continuously with strip material, and which involves no stoppages for replacing the empty reel.

According to the present invention, there is provided a method of continuously feeding a strip with equally-spaced notches to a user machine, characterized by the fact that it comprises stages consisting in feeding two strips off respective reels along respective I.

paths extending through respective cutting units and past respective photocells for detecting said notches, and between two open jaws of a single splicing device, the respective distances between the photocells and the splicing point of said device being respective multiples of said notch spacing; connecting a first said strip to the user machine by means of a feed unit; inserting the second said strip between the jaws of the splicing device, after first cutting the second strip on said respective cutting unit, the second strip being arrested with a notch in front of said respective photocell, and with its free end close to and downstream from said splicing point; arresting the first strip with a notch in front of said respective photocell in response to a signal indicating runout of the respective reel; closing the splicing device. subsequent to arrest of the first strip, so as to splice the two strips; activating a knife for cutting the first strip upstream from the splicing point; and resuming supply of a portion of said first strip downstream from said splicing point.

A non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig.1 shows a schematic side view of a preferred embodiment of a reel-off device implementing the method according to the present invention; Fig.2 shows a plan view of a portion o f strip material fed to a user machine by the Fig.1 device; Fig.3 shows the Fig.1 device in a different operating position.

Number 1 in Fig.s 1 and 3 indicates a device for unwinding reels 2 and 3 consisting of respective strips 5a and 5b wound about respective cores 4. Each strip 5. a detail of which is shown in Fig.2. may consist of paper, synthetic or metal sheet material, and presents a number of equallyspaced notches 7 a given distance apart.

In connection with the above. it should be pointed out that, here and hereinafter, and particularly in the claims, the term "notch" is intended to mean an indentation or any mark at any point along the width of strip 5.

Device 1 comprises a frame 8 fitted on top with two side by side uprights 9 and 10 supporting respective pins 11 and 12 defining respective fixed stations 13 and 14 for unwinding reels 2 and 3.

Beneath stations 13 and 14, frame 8 supports a fixed jaw 15 and a movable jaw 16 of a splicing device 17 for splicing strips 5.

Fixed jaw is comprises a bracket 18 connected integral with frame 8 and supporting three superimposed rollers 19, 20 and 21 rotating, in relation to bracket 18. about respective axes parallel to one another and to pins 11 and 12. Roller 19 is a first input guide roller, roller 20 a first pressure roller, and roller 21 a first splicing roller of device 17. It should be pointed out 1 that splicing roller 21 will consist of a heating roller in the case of strips 5 consisting of heat-seal material, and, for other materials. of a knurling, gumming or adhesive tape feed roller.

Movable jaw 16 comprises a lever 22 pivoting on a pin 23 supported on frame 8 parallel to pins 11 and 12 and to the side of and relatively close to input guide roller 19. Lever 22 pivots on pin 23 together with a second input guide roller 24 of device 17. and supports for rotation a second pressure roller 25 and, underneath, a second splicing roller similar to roller 21. By means of an actuating member 27 between frame 8 and lever 22, lever 22 is moved between a first open position (shown by the continuous line in Fig.1) wherein it is located a given distance from bracket 18, and a second closed position (shown by the dotted line in Fig. 1) wherein it substantially contacts bracket 18, roller 25 contacts roller 20 to form a pressure assembly 28, and roller 26 contacts roller 21 to form a splicing assembly 29 and define a splicing station 30.

Device 1 also comprises a feed or traction unit 31 supported on frame 8 facing the output end of device 17. and comprising a powered roller 32 parallel to pins 11 and 12. and a pressure roller 33.

Device 1 also comprises an output unit 34 supported on frame 8 facing the input of a user machine 35, and comprising two opposed pressure rollers 36 parallel to roller 32.

In the example shown,, user machine 35 consists of a cigarette packing machine or a wrapping or cellophaning machine for packets of cigarettes, in which case, strip 5 consists respectively of foil or transparent synthetic heat-seal material.

Between units 31 and 34, frame 8 supports a number of offset rollers 37 parallel to roller 32 and movable transversely, against the action of elastic means not shown, to form, in known manner, a variable-capacity storage unit 38 for strip 5.

Strips 5a and 5b are wound off respective reels 2 and 3 along respective paths 39 and 40, each extending about a respective guide roller 41 supported on frame 8 parallel to pins 11 and 12. Downstream from roller 41, each path 39 and 40 extends through a respective cutting unit 42 supported on frame 8 and comprising a blade 43 moving to and from a fixed block 44; past a respective photocell 45; and, finally between jaws 15 and 16 of splicing device 17.

A pressure roller 46 is mounted for rotation on the end of a lever 47 pivoting on frame 8 and operated by an actuating member 48 so as to selectively bring roller 46 into contact with rollers 19 and 24. A knife 49 is connected integral with the end of a further lever 50 pivoting on frame 8 and operated by an actuating member 51 so as to selectively engage knife 49 with strips 5a and 5b upstream from splicing station 30 in the traveling direction of strips 5 to user machine 35.

1, 6 - operation of device 1 will be described as of the Fig.1 configuration, wherein strip 5a is supplied to user machine 35 and strip 5b is stationary.

As shown in Fig.1, strip 5a is wound off along respective path 39 about rollers 41 and 24, through splicing device 17 kept open by actuating member 27, between rollers 32 and 33 of unit 31, through storage unit 38, and between rollers 36 of output unit 34. Actuating member 48 is so positioned as to maintain roller 46 detached from roller 24 and contacting roller 19, while actuating member 51 maintains knife 49 equally spaced between rollers 24 and 19 and clear of strips 5a and 5b.

As strip 5a is being wound off, reel 3 (which, at this point in time acts as a standby reel) is mounted in station 14, and a portion of strip 5b wound about roller 41 and between blade 43 and block 44 of cutting unit 42. The operator then activates blade 43 to cut the free end of strip 5b precisely in line with a notch 7, and feeds the free end so formed past photocell 45 and about roller 19 into a position substantially corresponding with splicing station 30. Strip 5b is then locked in this position by roller 46 pressing against roller 19.

The distance, measured along respective path 39, 40, between each photocell 45 and splicing station 30 is substantially equal to a multiple of the distance between notches 7. Consequently, when the free end of strip 5b is arrested substantially at splicing station (in this case. slightly downstream from station 30), a notch 7 of strip 5b is located precisely in front of respective photocell 45.

Following the emission, in known manner not shown. of a signal indicating runout of reel 2, roller 32 is controlled by photocell 45 on path 39, so as to arrest the part of strip 5a upstream from feed unit 31 with a notch 7 in front of photocell 45. while user machine 35 continues operating using at least part of strip Sa in storage unit 38.

Immediately following the arrest of strip 5a, actuating member 27 is operated to close device 17 and so splice strips Sa and 5b at station 30. In connection with the above, it should be pointed out that, by virtue of the free end of strip 5b being cut in line with a notch 7 and arrested corresponding with splicing station 30, and strip 5a being arrested with a notch 7 in front of respective photocell 45,,- and therefore with another notch 7 also corresponding with splicing station 30. strips 5a and 5b are spliced substantially synchronously as regards notches 7, and with substantially none of the end portion of strip 5b projecting beyond the splicing point.

Eliminating said projecting portion by positioning strip 5b as described above is particularly important for preventing the formation. when the strip is cut, of loose portions which could result in stoppage of user machine 35.

1 Once strips Sa and 5b are spliced, actuating member 51 is operated to cut strip Sa upstream from the splicing point, splicing device 17 is opened, and- roller 32 started to resume normal operation of device 1.

As reel 3 is unwound. reel 2 is replaced, and a new strip Sa is fed along path 39, cut. arrested in splicing station 30 and locked in position by roller 46 as already described in connection with strip 5b.

f

Claims

1) - A method of continuously feeding a strip with equally-spaced notches to a user machine # characterized by the fact that it comprises stages consisting in feeding two strips offrespective reels along respective paths extending through respective cutting units and past respective photocells for detecting said notches and between two open jaws of a single splicing device. the respective distances between the photocells and the splicing point of said device being respective multiples of said notch spacing; connecting a first said strip to the user machine by means of a feed unit inserting the second said strip between the jaws of the splicing device after first cutting the second strip on said respective cutting unit the second strip being arrested with a notch in front of said respective photocell and with its free end close to and downstream from said splicing point; arresting the first strip with a notch in front of said respective photocell in response to a signal indicating runout of the respective reel closing the splicing device I( subsequent to arrest of the first strip so as to splice the two strips activating a knife for cutting the first strip upstream from the splicing 1 point p and resuming supply of a portion of said first strip. downstream from said splicing point 2) A method as claimed in Claim 1, characterized by the fact that said first strip isconnected to said user machine via a storage unit; the emission of said end-of-reel signal arresting a portion of said first strip upstream from said storage unit 3) - A method as claimed in Claim 1 or

2. characterized by the fact that it comprises a further stage wherein gripping means are activated for locking said second strip in position with its free end located inside the open splicing device and at said splicing point 4) - A method as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, characterized by the fact that said second strip (5) is cut in line with a notch 5) - A method as claimed in.any one of the foregoing Claims, characterized by the fact that said two reels are mounted in respective fixed unwinding stations 6) - A method of continuously feeding a strip with equally-spaced notches to a user machine, substantially as described and illustrated herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.