CA2147242A1 - Controller - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for making homogenous spheres from so-called stretch material which, again, is produced, from foil strips in particular, from aluminum foil with a thickness of less than 0.1 mm, with a supply reel, with a foil strip reeled up to form a roll, a cutting unit that works continually by means of cutting roller and pressing roller, a stretching unit that continually stretches in the lateral direction, at least one terminal reel for the finished stretch material, and at least one tension roller, arranged in between, where it is proposed -- for the sake of smooth operation and sustained activity -- that the speed of the motor of the terminal reel to be regulated, whereby the tension rollers between the cutting unit and the stretching unit as well as between the stretching unit and the terminal reel, in roughly perpendicular guides, between an upper sensor and a lower sensor, there are made movable, non-powered, rollers whose weight is selected as a function of the material, the strength, and the thickness of the foil, and where the rpm of the motor can be regulated, and where the motor, upon reaching the upper sensor, is slowed down by the tension roller, and where it is accelerated upon reaching the lower sensor, so that the position of the tension roller remains between the two sensors.

Description

~PR-14-1995 15:17 SCHREIBER TRRNSLRTIONS 301 816 2398 P.09/24 21~7242 n~s~lip~ion Spheres made of stretch metal, w~ , in turn, is made of thin ~ foil, etc., are poured inro fuel tanks, etc., for e~mplP, as explosion protection. The m~nllfartllre of ~e spheres, by cutting ~e ~hlmin~llm strip in the lo~itut1in~l drrection, lateral s(l-.t-,hil~g, rougll co~ t;s~ion of strips made of stretch ~etal in the lateral direction, cut~ng up into individual sections, and co~lplessi~ of sect;onc into spheres, is basically known, for example, from ~rrn~n patent applir~tion~ P 38 14 448 and P 38 16 792.

In order, on the one hand, to ensure the smoothest possible mnni~lg, and, on the other hand sl~st~inPA op~at~ of such a n~rhine, spe~ fi~ ly, at igh speeds of up to 3 m/sec in matenal th t is as ~lffl~ t to handle as 70 ~ n~ foil~ there are certain detail problems that have to be solved, if Ihe spheres are to have a n-ogljgihly low waste ~rejection].
Rejection develops when ~e m~t~n~l ~iC T~ on within the spheres is too irregular, and hen, ~c a result, ~e exrlocion protectinn would no longer be gv~r~ntt-e~l The problem lies, on the one h~n~7 in the fact that the al~ - foil used, as a rule, with a thic~nPss of less than 1llO mm, at the desired speeds, is already difficult to ha~dle; besides, after cutting and cross-s~et~ g, h~n~11in~ comes ev~en more labile be~ r7e ~e finichP~
stretch m~terial, dur~ it~7 lateral ~ r~ , undergoei~7 a leng~ reduction by about 10%7 and bcr~lse precirely ~his length redvcti~ n can again be reversed by tr~Ctinn ~711ei7i'7~i~g in ~e longitu~in~l direction Butthat,however,would,ontheonehand, ;~ Cr---i~ alter~hefabric ~ u~ , and,on ~he odher hand, any lP~y~hPnin~ of ~he m~t~ri~l afi~r cross~ l.;.~ afFec~ the system used lL1ce a Tn~teri~l strelch ill the lo~tl]Ain~l direction.

e, in adAitinn~ the lateral stretch leads to a p~lly dastic mq~ri~l d~ro ~ ;on~ the cross-stretched m~terial, upon exerdon of longi~l forces, behaves not only like a ~het~h~ble mate~ial, but also like a material t~at is elasdc in 1he l~r~ihlAinql ~ iol~.

l~hat makes the ~inm~nt of high ruming 5pOedS and ~he ~ a~1 exact speed con~rol of the individual drives -- in o~her wor~, the cutting and ~Jlessi~ rollers of the 6~ctching unit, ~PR-14-1995 15:18 SCHREIBER TRRNSLRTIONS 301 816 2398 P.10/24 of the e l~ani~ units, and of the w~~ g tPrmin~t roller in~o a big problem bec~llse already the minor degree of e~ee~in~ the permissible traction stress can lead either to a reshapin~ of the m~t~ri~l or to a breaka~e of the strip. By tbe same token, reeling up on the te~ninal roller must not be pe.ro"l~ed with e~ssiv~ly stto~ traction, bcc~,., o~erwise, the superposed layers of the stretch material would again press each other llat.
-On top of this, there is the fact thal, in case of contim-oll~ processing of a strip, the requi~ e ~ts for Tpm regulation regarding the speed of reg~ on and ils a~ y, areb~c c~lly greatet ill ~e last drive, if ~t ~e beginnin~ of ~e device, one works with a con~t~nt initial speed, because a11 rl~ . s in ~e ~oceC~ g speed, occu~ as the device even in short range terms -- are added up to the end, and be~ e, in the process,both a buildup and a simplc b~ nv can lead t~ a very irregular speed profile ~hat ~vould change q!licl~y.

Addidonally, the material must, for the individual ~.oces;ing stat~ons, be subjected to a certain .~lin;~ tension in the lol~itu(lin-l direction in order to prevent a foldin~ -- looking at it from lhe side--or a pileup in ~ront of one station, som~thin~ that in~rnP~i-tely leads to the destruction of ~e ql~J,~ l strip.

This is why it is bqsi~11y hlown thal one m~st use tension rollers when hqntlli~ lU~lni~g strips The e~ problems are solved in a device of this ki~d by ~e char~qcle~ r~Lu~s of Claim 1. Advantageous v_,~iu~ls result ~rom lhe s~ sim~.

To f~çilir te the most accur ~ pos~;~'o rpm re.g~ ti-n of ~he motor for ~he h~ el, one does not use a di~ cu~rent motor, which, to be sure, is more r~-son-hly priced but which in certain ~pm ranges reveals an u~vul~ble tor~ue development, so ~at, dur~, ~c.ele.~tion,f~rst of all, ~ere is a long c~t~ up, and, upon le~ ;np. t~e rpm ~reshold, there is an e~F.siYely strong t~-tinn, while the strip if7torr off. I~e direct c~rent motor u~.ed Is ~c~.et w~ a~ r e~ -u~ 1~. ~ opto-elec~rical sensor, tihat is ~ at an il~ ."...~ rnt~ble w~ich is conn~cled to the motor shaf~

~PR-14-1995 15:18 21~ 7 2 ~ 2 This actual rpm is increased or reduced, depending on ~le state of t~le last prior tension roller which is located after the stretch unit, and which, as a rule, is located also after the clear~ing device that is connesl~ after said stretch unit. Here, one uses, as a ten~ion roller, a non-driven defl~cti- n roller, which, by virtue of its own ~eight lies in a loop of tbe strip tha~ is open toward the top, wl~,re~ this tension roller can be moved in ess~ntiqlly perpe~ ir~ rly runnin~ guides.

If the ~..";.,ql reel runs too fast cu~par~d to the last work unit before the tension roller, then the tension roller will migrate upward iIl its guides up to a preA~tPrminPA final stop.
The height location of ~he tension roller ~t~æ~ ~e upper and lower l~.. ulillal spots, however, is conxL~ ly mo~ ol~d by a lighl barrier ~at is aimed from above at the tension roller or a r~flect~-r tbat is finnly connec~d wi~ it and w~ch thus can at any t~me measure the momentary heighl location of this tension roller. The motor of dle tc~ al reel is so accelerated or slowed down by a control electl~nlcs unit that ~e tension roller will be kept in a middle range and preferably at rest.

So that the n~c~ss~ry rpm range ~ it must be possible to speed up rhs~ ccly from zero as the m ,~lin~ is started up--may be made more easily m control e~i..f~ g cerms, the motor of ~e ~nnin~l roll is~ sd~itinnslly e~lipped wi~ a s~enes dash ~o~ t~ gear, ~ith, for e~rnrle, four s~lcce~ e rpm steps When ~e tension rollel runs llu~u~ a c~nt~^T1~ss ~lpper ~e",.;..~l stop, ~e gear blms t~e motor imo the nex~ slower gear step, and upon re~ehin~ ~e lower t~nnin~l stop, ~he next faster gear step.

l'dtlitions11y, shor~-term speed ch~ s that build up very easily are ba1~nr~ out between ~he sh~ ng unit and ~he just describet tension roller in ~hat ~e stretch mate~ial in between nrns via two cl~nir~ brushes in an s-shaped ~ ese brushes have such long and elastic bns~des ~at the e1sQ~irity of ~e bris'des can c~ue~i~_iy make up for ~e short term cl ces i~ ~e traction stress of the stretch material.

In ord~r to not filr~er cn ~ "k~, the follow-up rcgulation of the t,~ reel speed, the strooch unit is dri~rcn wlth co~tant rpm, aDd, i~tead, the speod of thc prior cut~ ~it is reg~ t~A This is done, again, by meaI~s of a first tension roller, ~la~gcd ~t~vc~,~ the cutting unit and the ~h~t~hhlg UIlit, said first tension roller wo-k;~ in a n-anner similar to RPR-14-1995 15:18 SCHREIBER TRRNSL~TIONS 21 4 7 2 4 2 301 816 2398 P.12/24 ~ abo~e~escribed second tension roller, althr~ the Ipm of tlle cutting uni~ or the prior storage roller should vary only within a small spread. This is why either the breal~g force of the ~"..i.,~l reel or the speed of the cut~i~g unit or bolh togelher ~re changed ei~her only upon re~rhing the upper or lower sensors or by the light barrier in accordance wi~ the height location of the tension roller.

T}le breaking force, applied to the storage reel at the beginning of the system, here e~cPnri~lly varies not accordi~ to the ~ -ded mn."f.~ speed of the cutting unit but r~ther according to the mass [weight] still present on the storage ~supply] reel and the thus .l~e,,..i.~ inertia agaiust speed ch~ges.

Additionally, at t~he int~n~ fast ~loc~ speeds, t~e m~mlf~en~e of the spheres from the stretch m~t~ri~l cannot be acccmplich~-A, as in the hitherto knowll solutions, by means of a star-shaped gradu~l1y rotating shape star, inserted into the se~ e~l~ of the stretch m~tPri~l on one side and then co,-~plessed into spheres tha~ again fall out of t~e star on t~e ot~er side, bec~ cl`7 concid~rin~ the intl-n-l~d ~ S71)eed~ the centrifugal force would inflllpn~e ~e entire p~oces~ l~cg~ively and iu a A;ffi~ to a.~ici~.atc f~chion As is Icnown, tl}e s~etch material s~ip is iirst of all ~ushed ~o~e~er roughly sideways, in ~bat it is pulled ll~OUgll a c~lih~ti~n opPn;l~ 34, as a reSlllt of which 131e strip is piled up in wave-form in the Ion~ Ain~ direction. l~his pushed-togclL~ strip is ~en wt up into ce~tain lengths and ~e seg~ 7 t7nus obtained are shaped to make up spheres by means of negative ~h~

Here it was also k~own that, in the case of such a sphere unit--which consists of several wo,ki~g units, next to each other--~he aIfflng can be done by means of two knive~ that rest agaiTlst each other and that can be ~ laterally wi~ rcspect to each o~er and that reveal Psse~ 1y round, for e~mp'e, pe~aped, flush ope~.;.~. The relative offset wi~ respect t~ each other reAllr~ ~e flush aIrA~e~nPnr of d~e pear-shaped Opf ~ gs, and, when t}ae A- .~.n~"..nPnt of the pear shapes is rotated by 180 with respect to each o~e~, one gets --upon a shift ~o o~o dL~;~io~--a finslly 6mall~, circul~ free space, whereas, in ~he case of a shift ~nto t_e o~er di~on, one gets a big, perFen~ r, lens-shaped and ever l~lllU~ fr~ space, :that leads to ~hcd~ g off when the thir~les5 of the lens mo~es toward RPR-14-1995 15: 18 SCHREIBER TRRNSL~TIONS 21 4 7 2 ~ 2301 816 2398 P.13/24 zero.

In the invention ~t hand, for example, the clamping of the strips, pushed togerher through the calibration opening, is accomplished in a liffer~nt place and with s~a~ devices when co~a,ed to the cutting operalion.

The e~s~-nti~l point concistC in the fact that tbe f~l~d~`d, free end of the not yet deflected foil strip is in~erted into the ~;ylil~l ;r~l stamp guide in a sta~np block that is open on both front faces. Upon in ertion, but at the latest, upon shaping to fonn the splleres, the rear openi.4 of the stamp ~ide is closed off by a t~nn;n~l ~tamp 23 with a semi~rcular concave front.
The cutt~ng of ~e forward seg~ into seC1;nnc takes place at t~e beginninE and preferably sull within ~he stamp g~ide by means of knives that can be moved against each other and ~at are preferably guided directly in ~e stamp block. After the free end of ~he endless foil strip has been run back, a front stamp 22 is also inserted into the stamp guide from the front and, in that way, the sphere is shaped bet~. ~ ~e front stamp and the end starnp, wi~in the stamp guide. In case of several work stations alla~,Ld next to each other, for example, the front stamps are ~ n,~eA in a row, ne~t to each o~er, specifically, on one of two h~Lives 27 that can be moved wi~ re~pect to each o~her, on which all front s~nps are applied. In the positi~n~ between the front stamps, cutting opens are left open in the knives and ~e cross-seclion~ of these cutting opeI~ings can be ~ -r~ b~ p ~e knives against each other in order ~lrmly to clamp the foil s~ip and ~s to be able to ~la.ls~ it also, step by step, ir~
the lon~t~ n~l direction, for eY~n~rle, into ~he stamp gllide.

To be abIe to do ~is with the l~c~c -.y p~ce~ .g speed, one can shift ~e stamp block in the lateral di~ection wi~ re~ect to the kllives for cl~ g and fur~er ll~},o~
stre~ch .~ 1 an~l ~us also wi~ ~spect tO ~e fronr stamps ~hat are mmlnte~l on ~is knife.
I~ IhaI way, the staTnp guides of tl~e stamp blo~k ca~ be ~ush in one work 6tep with ~e s~nps, and in another work st~p with the op~ in ~e cl~mrin~ device via whicll ~estretch 1~ S suE~plied to ~e stamp ~ides. Preferably, tlle stamp block is moved he~e while ~he knife with t~e ~ont sta~nps l~aih~ at rest. Fron~ su~np and l~ li~l stamp n~ y can be moved in ~be axial direction iDbo t~c 8tamp guide and back out aga~n.

~PR-14-1995 15:19 SCHREIBER TRRNSLRTIONS 21 4 7 2 4 2 301 816 2398 P.14/24 To get the shaped spheres out of the starnp block the le.~ni~ stamp is removed and t~e front staTnp is imractPfl wi~h COlllplt:Ssed air, as a result of wh~ch ~e sphere is blown OUI

For cla~ping in the plane in front of the front stamps and the actual cutting off wi~in the st~np block one basically uses ~e same knives ~at in each case are arranged in pairs and that can be moved toward each other and that, in the plane of the front stamps, are used only for clamping and for furth~r axial l~ olL, within the stamp block, however, for acn~l cutting off.

A pracdcal version of ~his invention is ill~-5~ y way of e~mrlP in g~eater detail below.

Figure 1 is a side view of the slretch m--fP.r1~ unit and E;igure 2 is a d~ ti~p Ihe sphere shaping unit.

Figure 1 is a side Yiew illustrating the .,.~ of the ess~ntislly endless stretch material that is reeled up on tennin~l reel 7 ~d that is ~hen procesce~l with the device in Figure 2, away from the reel, to yield ~Fh~Ir5 To the left, in the ~ trqtioln the Iaw material is present in the fonn of a roll, reeled up on a lsupplyl r~el 2, and as t~e foil slrip 1 ~uns, firsl of all, !1~ a IU1JI;~ unit, then cutting unit 6, sl~et~ g unit 5, and ~ tionir~ UDit 42, it is p~oces~d into a stretch ~.ial ~at is widened in the lateral di~ection ant that is sho~ d in the lonPil,,~ 1 directioIl and that has a thir1rn~ that is 100 times greater ~an that of the initial m~t,~riql By means of ~e ~arious proc~cci~ steps, foil strip 1 is subjected to di~r~ in~l speeds. For ~is ~ ose, the first t~n~ ni~ reel 8 is ~ g~ beL~ ~,. cut~ing unit 6 and S~ i~ wut 5 and a 6ecoD~ r;~y~ ~1 9 iS ~I~dllL,'~l bt:Lw~ shet~ g unit S and l.. il~l reel 7.

To mal~e sure that the speed ch~es that keep adding up will not b~o..~e too fast, and in ordor w~ ihu~ m~ ~e ~ \t~ ~ ;nn of ~e drive rpm on the dil~e.~ t units even morerliffirlllt~ stretch wlit ~ -- after the ~ has been star~d up -- is run at co~t speed.
Here, two toothed belts 43, wi~ ~eir toothed sides, mn agai~st each o~er in ~he known ~PR-14-1995 15:19 SCHREIBER TRRNSLRTIONS ~ ~ 4 7 2 4 2 301 816 2398 P.15/24 manner, and in each case, hold one outside edge of the foil s~ip 1 ~mly belw~n each other. Al the same time, the foil strip nuls up on a ramp piece or a ramp strip 45 so that the lateral lim~ions of the foil strip will become larger i~ spite of the parallel arrangement of ~e edges of Ihe foil stnp in ~he course of 1he ramp piece 45.

- Tmm~ tely i~ front of stretch unit 5, two defl~ion rollers 38, 39 forrn a downward-dilcc~d and upward-open loop of 1he foil s'¢ip, one at whose lowest point ~he defl~ctinn roller 8 rests on foil strip 1. The i~ll.,.~, ~1 weight o~ this tension roller 8 ~le~ es the te~lsion of foil strip 1 b~,lwæn cutting unit 6 and stretching unit 5. Ihe speed of cut~g unit 6 -- which essenti~lly conciC~ of CUt~Dg roller 3 and ple.S5~g roller 4 that r~ against each other--is only ~eoretically equal to the l~g speed through stretching unit S besallce mr....P..~ y speed dif~e,~"ces may ~rise due to the i~lhe~l~ el~cti~ily and spring effect of foil strip 1. 'lhat can be done either by regulating ~be drive speed of cutting unit 6 and/or n~lhenin~ or wP~ke~ the running brake on the supply reel 2, som~thing which is also done by means of aTI ~djllct~l-le elect~ic motor.

Cufflng unit 6 or the braking effect on supply reel 2 is reg~lated as a function of ~e height IOCA~;OrI of the first tension roller 8. When tension roller 8 reaches or ruIls through ~he upper or lower sensor 11' or 12', the spc~d of the pr~eA;.~ units is in~ased or reduced step by step, for ~ nl~lc, m 1% steps, until tension roller 8 is again in the area belv~.en ullsors 11' and 12'. Sensors 11' and 12' a~ R~1~ elp~!r;r~lly~ via a control, wi~ dle drive control of the prece~i~g units.

TeTTnin~l reel 7 must be con~ideJEd as being the most ~ffi~ poult in the system behind stre~h ~ut ~. ~he rpm of motor 10 of ~ 1 reel 7 ~lPper~7s not orlly on the wor~ing s~ of the prior units and the speed G~ ~s that ~re being add_d up on the basis of lU~ stretch, etc., but also on the U~ t,..,~ 'tl r of t~..,..;"~l recl 7. This ~la~ , hu~.e~c., has a somewhat circular contour only al the beg~-ni-~, whereas, with gfO..~ ~ .,. t~-- and irregular mutual ~ DSillg of the individu~l layers of ~e stretch m~tPri~ ~ outside cGllt-~U- beco~ -s less and less round, a~ld ~bus, eYen in the course of a single revolution of the t~ nql red, at ~ nti~l ~gular velocity, one e~eo~ differing speeds of the foil strip.

RPR-14-1995 15: 19 SCHREIBER TRRNSLRTION~ 1 ~ 7 2 4 ~ 301 816 2398 P.16/24 To equaliæ bodl the short te~m and ~e longer-tcrm fluctuations of the lu~ g speeds between stretch unit S and tern~in~al reel 7, foil strip 1 is, after the stretching unit, first of all guided over at least one, preferable t~o or more, clP~nin~ brushes 16, for e~mrle, in an s-shaped pattern, and then, via a se~ond tension roller 9, before foil st~ip 1, during dust sUctinning 42, s uctinn~ off small residual parts, and in front of dçfl~tion rollers 35/36, with the full tf ~In;~ reel 7, so tllat cutting up into leng~s with the length-cutting knife 41 be.c~mf~c poscihlf~.

Cl~nin~ brushes 16 remove not only solid particles, but as regards bristle stabili~r, in the longitudinal (radial) direction, ~e bIushes are so sel~cteA in ~erms of material, thif ~rn~, and length ~hat an rt~ml~tion of the short-term speed c~n~e~ is a~inP~ Sy means of each brush.
With a 70 ~m thic~ rllllnimlTn foil of average qu~lity, one deals here with brushes havi~g a Ai~ .ter of about 10 cm, with a clear bnstle lengt~ of aboul 3 cm.

ReG~nse ~he speed of foil strip one can change faster ~n this rear a~ea of ~e device tllan in the fol~d area, a regulation of ~e Ipm of motor 10 of terrnin~l reel 7 is ~elro,l,.ed not only when one of the upper or lower sensors 11 or 12 is being mn through, but also in the area in belween. For t~is purpose, ~ere is att~rll~l to tension roller 9 a reflec~or 15 that is illu~ ~d by a light barrier 14 tha~ is mounted roughly })e~en~ie~ rly abo~re it. Light barrier 14 thus C~ n~r;..~rly monitnr~ the height situation of tension roller 9 and is c~ tlA
via a con~rol with the rpm adiusting device of rnotor 10. Motor 10 is r'Aition~lly Cl~n~ y c~rl.-A ,ega~ li~ its actllal rpm, in tha~ There is an opto ele~1l0nic scari~ Of an e~ 1 t~~nmrt~r disk that rota~es with the motor s~aft. ~he actual rpm is also cor~l~lly being cnm~ ~ to the rpm regulating device.

In ;l~Aitinn~ motor 10 has a step gear with rpm ranges that adjoill each other and ~at overlap each other not at all or only very little. If, in spite of this described p~cisiOll reg~ ion, this secoDd tension roller reaches ~e upper or lower sensor 11 or 12, then, in this case, motor 10 is ~wi~ d to ~e ~ext faster or next slower gear step, w~thin which the precision re~ tir~n of ~he rpm is then agai~ fil.""rA by means of light b~r 14.

Figure 2 shows dle srh~-rirql shape unit whose passage di~clio~ is drawn by an arrow nlnni~ from le~t to right.

~PR-14-1995 15:20 SCHREIBER TRRNSLRTIONS 2 1 4 7 2 4 2 The strip made of ~l.etcl~i~ material is pulled off a s~pply roller, not shovvn, or a correspo~ling ml~r of working uIIits of several supply reels, made next to each o~er, via c~libr~tion openin,~ 34 of calibration rail 20, revealing a strongly lvullde~ en~y, and, as a result, it is ~trongly pushed together in the laleral direction to form a ronghly round cross-section. This basic material i~ guided through the overlapping oycl~ing of the cutting opelun~s 28 of the two flrst knives 26 and 27 that can ~e moved with relation eo each other and that the-ef~lc can alter their clear passage in order fi~er to COIIIPIeJS the basic material that is ~eing guided through or also to cut it off entirely.

Knives 26 and 27 are not int~n-1~A to achieve a comrlPt~ cutting off action; inctP~, they are merely supposed to COIJ1~1CSS, as a result of wbich one can also pull the basic material ~n ~he direction of t~e arrow and back"n other words, in a l~ngi~u~lin~l direction. Actual cutting off takes place wi~ ~e iderlti~lly shaped knives 26', 27', that are located inside stamp block 24.

Cutti~g ope~ s 28 are not circular but radler, in one place, reveal a smaller, addilional bulge, as s~l~cil~lc 29, wl~by s~ic~le 29 of cutting opening~ 28 of both knives 26, 27 are arranged opposite to each o~er.

As a result, in the case of ~e f;rst two h~h~es 26, 27, in case of a ~u~ cul~ as drawn with ~e solid arrow tips, agains~ each ol~er, it is possible to reduce the Clu3S s~ction to ~e two semicircles 29, as a result of which ~he hanlc ~t is guided ~rough is c~ essod to about 114 of its lia.. PtP~ and is thus ~ .. ~A in one place. By means of the c~.. ,.-.. lon~in-~1jnal mo~ e~t of both knives 26 and 27 in the ~ c~ . of arrow 46, ~e ~ firmly cl~...peA
~erein, is inserted i~d;o a s~mp guide 25, that is flush with ~ 28 or 29, byapproaching lmives 26~ 27 in relation to stamp block 24.

After inserdon of the free end of the ha~k, con~plere cutoff is ac~ via knives 26', 27', by virtue of ~he relative lllO~ t toward each other in the (lirPe~ion of ~e arrow tips shown in ~e broken lille, so that a ~..f~ 341~,~ lying in stamp guide 25 D~n~ on the opc.~tiug speed, dle ri~ht, rear end of stamp guide 25 can be opened here or it can be closed off by a tf ~ stamp 23 placcd in front of it. Mer scgment 34 has been cut off, stamp block 24 is Iun ~n the laberal f~ n of aITQW 47 by lhe in~val ~h. ~n CUKing ope~

~PR-14-1995 15:20 SCHREIBER TR~NSLRTIONS 301 816 2398 P.18/24 21~7242 28 to the f~ont stamps 29.

This means that the stamp guides are now flush with the fron~ s~mps 22 and the t~
stamps 23 and~ sim~l~t-q-npQusly~ with cu~ing opeiings 28 in lmives 26', 27', 50 that a sphere is formed from segment 34 by nlnnin~ in stamps 22, 23. This sphere is removed from stamp guide 25 in that tÇl~nin~l st~np 23 -- which, with the other terminql stam~s of the other working stations is att.ql`h~d to a stamp plate -- is again pulled back in the direction of arrow 48 from stamp gli(le 2~ and, silm~lt~n~ol~ly, from the lowcst point of tbe frontal, hPrni~pher~ reccss of front stamp 22, co~ ,e~sed air is supplied via co.n~l.,ssed air cQnI~pction 3O7 as a result of which Ihe sphere is blown out of the stamp block.
The advantage of moving stamp block 24 in ~he la~eral direc~ion and ~e st~nrl.c~ of knife 27 in the lateral directlon and Ilot the o~er way around -- a sr~n~s~ hal applies exc~pt for the cla,npillg movement -- resides in the fact that, as a result, t~e feeding of the stretch metal strip by vir~e of the ever jr1~-ntir~ feeding positions and the immobili~ of calibration rail 20 is made easier.

Claims (13)

Claims

1. Device for making homogenous spheres from so-called stretch material which, again, is produced from foil strips, especially from aliminum foil with a thickness of less than 0.1 mm, with - a supply reel (2) with a foil strip reeled up to form a roll, - a cutting unit (6) that continually works by means of cutting roller (3) and pressing roll (4), - a stretching unit (5) that continually stretches in the lateral direction, - at least one terminal reel (7) for the finished stretch material and - at least one tension roller (8,9) arranged in between characterized in that a device for regulating the speed of motor (10) of terminal reel (7) where - tension rollers (8, 9), between cutting unit (6) and stretching unit (5), as well as between stretching unit (5) and terminal reel (7), in roughly perpendicular guards (13), between an upper sensor (11, 11') and a lower sensor (12, 12'), there are made movable, non-powered rollers [sic] whose weight is selected as a function of the material, the strength, and the thickness of the foil and - the rpm of motor (10) can be regulated and where the motor, upon reaching the upper sensor (11, 11') is slowed down by tension roller (8,9) and is accelerated upon reaching the lower sensor (12, 12') so that the position of the tension roller between the two sensors (11, 12) remains.

2. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that sensors (11, 11', 12, 12') are made as contactless terminal switches and the rpm of motor (10) are controlled as a function of the momentary height of the tension roller.

3. Device according to Claim 2, characterized in that the height location of tension roller (9) is measured by an essentially perpendicularly directed light barrier (14) on the housing of the device and a reflector (15) on the tension roller.

4. Device according to one of the above claims, characterized in that the height location of the second tension roller is used to regulate motor (10).

5. Device according to one of the above claims, characterized in that motor (10) of terminal reel (7) can be driven by means of a gear in several speed steps, and that, upon reaching the upper or lower sensor (11 or 12), by means of tension roller (9), one switches into the next faster or next slower gear step of motor (10).

6. Device according to one of the above claims, characterized in that the stretching unit (5) is operated at constant speed and that the speed of the cutting unit (6) can be varied at least in steps and is altered upon reaching the upper or lower sensor (11' or 12') of the first tension roller (8).

7. Device according to one of the above claims, characterized in that the supply reel (2) is equipped with a breaking device with alterable breaking action and that the breaking effect is varied as a function of the diameter of the supply reel (2) and/or the position of tension roller (8).

8. Device according to one of the above claims, characterized in that the laterally stretched foil strip (1) runs between stretching unit (5) and the second tension roller (9) over at least one cleaning brush (16) whose bristles are sufficiently long and elastic to balance out short-term changes of tension in foil strip (1) in this segment by virtue of the elasticity of the bristles.

9. Device according to one of the above claims, characterized in that a direct current motor is used as motor (10) on terminal reel (7).

10. Device according to one of the above claims, characterized in that motor (10) can be operated in four speed steps between 0 and 160 m/min.

11. Device according to one of the above claims, with a sphere shape unit that shapes spheres by means of hemispherical forms of stretching material, pushed together in the lateral direction, cut up into segments (34) of fitting length, characterized in that - spheres (32), in a roughly cylindrical stamp guide (25), through opposite-directed movement of stamps (22, 23) that are shaped roughly hemispherically concave on the front [sic], - the front stamp (22), acting out of the supply direction of the stretch material, is attached on the second knife (22), - whereby, between the individual front stamps (22) that are attached next to each other on the second knife (27') for the individual work stations, cutting openings (28) are arranged between front stamps (22) [sic], - a first knife (26) is guided parallel and closely adjoining to the second knife (27) and movable with respect to the latter and - stamp lock (24), in which stamp guides (25) are fashioned, can be moved laterally with respect to the passage direction of the material and the main movement direction of the stamps (22, 23) from a flush position of the stamp guides (25) to the stamps (22, 23) in a flush position with respect to the cutting openings.

12. Device according to one of the above claims, characterized in that the front stamps (22) reveal a compressed air connection (30) that empties in the rear area of the concave, frontal recess.

13. Device according to one of the above claims, characterized in that a first knife (26') and a second knife (27') are arranged in a manner moveable with respect to each other, with cutting openings (28) in stamp block (24), laterally with respect to the passage direction of stamp guides (25).