EP0003984B1 - Method and apparatus for cutting pieces out of a web - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for punching blanks from a path which is moved uniformly in their longitudinal direction and is passed between a punching knife and an abutment consisting of at least one rotatable roller, and to a device suitable for carrying out this method.

Such methods and devices are such. B. used for the production of labels or other stickers, signs and the like. The web can first be printed. The individual - e.g. B. corresponding to the printed images - blanks are punched out of the web, which generally consists of two layers. It is known to use cylindrical punching knives that rotate continuously. The advantage of these cylindrical punch knives is their great performance. However, their production is relatively expensive, so that they can often not be used in the production of short runs for cost reasons. - Furthermore, it is known to use flat punching knives that can be relatively simple and therefore inexpensive. However, a low throughput is unavoidable. In addition, it is not possible to punch out the individual blanks without a gap if the web runs continuously. DE-B 1 204 060 discloses a punching device for web-like material, in which two punching knives act alternately on the web. It is possible to punch out the individual blanks without a gap. However, the web can only be advanced intermittently. In addition, the structure of this known device is extremely complicated. - Furthermore, AU-B 48 032/64 discloses a punching device for making perforations on continuously running webs. This device consists of a pivotable plate which carries the punching tool and a cooperating stationary abutment roller arranged on the side of the web facing away from the punching plate. The path over which the punching knife is moved synchronously in the running direction of the web is as long as the length of the blank. The punch knife is then lifted off the web and moved back to its starting position. It is not possible to punch out the individual blanks without spacing.

The invention is based, inter alia, on the object of designing the method and device of the type described at the outset in such a way that punching out blanks from continuously moving webs with a high throughput is possible even when using inexpensive stamping tools. In particular, the aim is that there are no restrictions on the size of the distance between the individual blanks, although the use of rotating punching knives is dispensed with. So z. B. there is the possibility of punching the blanks out of the web without spacing or even overlapping one another. The punching tool should be exchangeable quickly, so that the time required for converting the machine, for example when changing from one label shape to another label shape, remains low. With regard to the length and shape of the blank, all the possibilities should exist, which are given in known methods and devices. In addition, if necessary, special measures should be applicable without difficulty, which make it possible to separate the web from the punching tool after the punching process.

To achieve this object, the invention proposes that the punch knife be lowered onto the web and, during the punching process in the direction of travel of the web, be moved synchronously with it over a distance which is less than the length of the blank, from an initial position into an end position, whereupon the punch knife is lifted from the web and moved back to its starting position and the abutment consisting of at least one roller is displaced during the punching process against the direction of movement of the web or the punch knife.

Another possibility is that the punch knife is lowered onto the web and, during the punching process in the direction of travel of the web, is moved synchronously with it over a distance which is less than the length of the blank, from an initial position into an end position, whereupon the punch knife is moved from the web is lifted off and moved back to its starting position, and the abutment consists of at least two stationary rollers and, when the punching knife is lowered onto the rollers, corresponding partial cuts are made on the web, which add up to the finished die cut.

These procedures ensure that the speed at which the punching process is carried out in the longitudinal direction of the web is greater than the running speed of the web, so that it is possible, with appropriate selection and coordination of the speeds, to vary the distances between the individual blanks , if necessary down to zero or even to such an extent that the blanks overlap one another with their facing end regions.

In the former method, in which the abutment consisting of at least one roller during the punching process against the direction of movement of the web or Punch knife is moved, the strokes and speeds of the punch knife and the abutment roller add up. The time required to carry out the punching process can additionally be reduced in that two or more abutment rollers, which are arranged at a short distance from one another, interact with the punching knife. In this case, when the punch knife is lowered onto the abutment rollers, several partial cuts are made on the web, which are complemented by the opposite movements of the parts to the finished punch cut. On the other hand, if more than two abutment rollers are used, their movement in the opposite direction to the punching knife can also be dispensed with, since the partial cuts resulting from the lowering of the punching knife on the abutment rollers add up in the course of the subsequent stroke movement of the punching knife and thus enable the time saving that is necessary to to bring the punching tool into the starting position for the next punching process in good time in such a way that the blank produced in this way follows the blank previously produced. In any case, an uncomplicated flat punch can be used, which can be produced in a simple and inexpensive manner even for cuts which are very irregularly limited.

The method can be carried out in such a way that the web section entering the punching machine and the web section running out of the punching machine and the web section running out of the punching machine are parallel to one another and at an acute angle, at least in the region within which the abutment roller is displaced during the punching stroke run down to the substantially horizontally arranged punching knife and the punching tool consisting of punching knife and abutment roller and a deflection roller is moved at least during the punching stroke parallel to the sections of the web running at an acute angle to the plane of the punching knife. This procedure will be advantageous when it comes down to guiding the web away from the generally flat punch knife at an acute angle immediately after the punching process, so that a separation between the punch knife and the web takes place as quickly as possible, which improves the quality of the separating cut and, in particular, that The formation of clean cut edges on the blanks favors. Such an inclined path of the web from the punching knife and the abutment roller would, however, result in a change in the web speed on the punching knife if the latter were moved in the horizontal plane during the punching process, so that the synchronism required between the movement of the punching knife on the one hand and the movement of the On the other hand, web would not be guaranteed. The invention takes this into account by the method described above, in which the result is that the movement of the abutment roller and thus the entire punching tool takes place parallel to the course of the web, the latter taking between the generally roller-shaped or roller-shaped guide elements that the web run in front of and behind the punching tool. The angle at which the two aforementioned web sections run is advantageously between 0 and 20 ° with respect to the horizontal or the punching knife.

Regardless of how the individual punching knife and abutment roller (s) interact, it is possible in any case to subdivide the web section treated in each case into several individual cuts during a punching stroke of the punching knife and / or abutment roller. This only depends on the stroke length and the design of the punch. It is thus possible, for example, to cut out three individual labels one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the web per punching stroke, which add up to form an overall blank corresponding to a stroke. In addition, two or more individual blanks can also be cut out next to one another, that is to say transversely to the longitudinal direction of the web, during a punching stroke. Here, too, it is only a matter of the dimensions of the punching tool, the width of the web additionally having to be adapted to the number of individual cuts arranged transversely to its longitudinal direction.

The above-described method can be carried out using a device which has a liftable and lowerable punching knife and an abutment which is arranged on the side of the web facing away from the web and consists of at least one rotatable roller and is characterized in that the punching knife has an adjustable stroke. and movable and the abutment consisting of at least one roller is arranged to be displaceable in the opposite direction to the punching knife during the punching stroke. Another possibility is for the abutment to consist of a plurality of rollers which are arranged next to one another at small intervals and can be rotated and stationary, the area within which the rollers are arranged being at least as large as the dimension of at least one blank.

The invention also provides for the possibility that the abutment roller (s) can be raised and lowered.

It will generally be expedient to drive the abutment roller (s), possibly also one or more additional deflection rollers, since otherwise the web would have to transmit the forces which are required to set these rollers in rotation. The invention therefore provides the possibility that abutment roller and / or deflection roller (s) during the punching process, depending on the speed at which they can be displaced relative to the web-shaped material, their rotational movement can be driven. One possibility is to derive the rotary movement of the abutment roller during the punching process from the stroke movement of the punch knife.

When rectangular blanks are punched out, those parts of the punching knife that - based on the length of the web - limit the blank back and front, run perpendicular to the web and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the abutment roller (s) if the longitudinal axis of the blank runs parallel to the longitudinal axis of the web and the longitudinal axis of the abutment roller (s) is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the web. Such a configuration is unsuitable, since it has the consequence that the front and rear boundary-forming knife parts of the punching knife run simultaneously over the entire longitudinal extent extending transversely to the web onto the lateral surface of the abutment roller. This results in high stress on these knife parts. In addition, the quality of the cut at these points can also suffer. It is more advantageous if, as in the case of the knife parts arranged exactly or approximately parallel to the longitudinal course of the web, there is a more or less selective contact between the knife part and the abutment roller. For this reason, the invention provides that the longitudinal axis (s) of the abutment roller (s) with the perpendicular to the punching knife parallel to the running direction of the web includes or include an acute angle, which can be, for example, 5-10 °. Another possibility is that the longitudinal axis of the blank delimited by the punching knife encloses an acute angle with the longitudinal axis of the web. This means that the punching knife is pivoted somewhat relative to the web, 5 or 10 ° being sufficient to achieve the desired effect.

A central drive can be provided for all movable parts of the device. The running speed of the web can be adapted to the speed of the punching knife by means of an adjustable gear which is engaged in the drive transmission for the web. It is also possible that the means for transmitting the drive to the slide for the punching knife and / or the slide for the abutment roller (s) and any deflection rollers, if any, are adjustable and / or exchangeable.

It is readily possible to combine the method and device according to the invention with a method and a device for applying printed images to the web, e.g. B. such that the device according to the invention one or more devices for printing on the web are connected upstream and / or downstream, the web being passed through all the devices in one operation. It also applies here that a common central drive is possibly assigned to all devices.

• Fig. 1 die Vorderansicht einer Stanzvorrichtung für bahnförmiges Gut,
• Fig. 2 die dazugehörige Seitenansicht,
• Fig. 3 im Schema die Übertragungsmittel für den Antrieb des Stanzwerkzeuges und der Bahn,
• Fig. 4a-4f das Ablaufen eines Arbeitszyklus, in aufeinanderfolgenden Schritten,
• Fig. 5 die perspektivische Ansicht einer Stanzvorrichtung,
• Fig. 6 einen Schnitt etwa nach der Linie VI-VI der Fig. 5,
• Fig. 7 im Schema die Seitenansicht einer zweiten Ausführungsform eines Stanzwerkzeuges,
• Fig. im Schema die Seitenansicht einer dritten Ausführungsform eines Stanzwerkzeuges,
• Fig.9 im Schema die Seitenansicht einer vierten Ausführungsform eines Stanzwerkzeuges,
• Fig. 10 im Schema die Draufsicht auf ein Stanzwerkzeug mit zugehöriger Bahn,
• Fig. 11 einen Schnitt nach der Linie XI-XI der Fig. 10,
• Fig. 12 eine der Fig. 11 entsprechende Darstellung einer anderen Ausführungsmöglichkeit,
• Fig. 13 im Schema die Vorderansicht einer Mehrstationen-Druckmaschine mit Stanzvorrichtung.

In the drawing, some embodiments of the invention are shown. Show it

• 1 is a front view of a punching device for sheet-like material,
• 2 the associated side view,
• 3 shows the transmission means for driving the punching tool and the web,
• 4a-4f the execution of a work cycle, in successive steps,
• 5 is a perspective view of a punching device,
• 6 is a section approximately along the line VI-VI of FIG. 5,
• 7 is a schematic side view of a second embodiment of a punching tool,
• 1 shows a side view of a third embodiment of a punching tool,
• 9 shows a side view of a fourth embodiment of a punching tool,
• 10 is a schematic top view of a punching tool with associated web,
• 11 is a section along the line XI-XI of FIG. 10,
• 12 shows a representation corresponding to FIG. 11 of another possible embodiment,
• Fig. 13 in the diagram the front view of a multi-station printing machine with punching device.

In connection with the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 6, a method and a device for separating individual labels from a web by means of a punching process are described.

The normal procedure is to first print a two-layer web 25 on one side. The individual labels are then separated out from that of the layers 93, 94 which adhere to one another by adhesive and carry the print. The labels 95 cut in this way initially adhere to the layer 93, which serves as a carrier web. They will later be removed from the carrier layer 93 in the usual manner. The residual tape resulting from the removal of the labels 95 and lifting of the two layers 93 and 94 from one another is derived in a suitable manner (see FIG. 5).

The individual labels 95 are separated from the layer 94 by means of a punch knife 15 which is carried by a holder 16. The course of the cutting edges 23, 29 of the punching knife 15 corresponds to the outline of the finished labels. The punching knife 15 interacts with an abutment roller 17, which is assigned a deflection roller 18. Abutment roller 17 and deflection roller 18 are carried by a carriage 13 (see. Fig. 1 and 2 and Fig. 4a to 4f), which on two spars 12, the is inclined at an angle of about 15 ° with respect to the horizontal, is guided so that it can be pushed back and forth. The spars 12 are attached to the frame of the punching device. The carriage 13 is provided with eyes or the like 14, which encompass the spars.

This first slide 13 is provided with two horizontal bars 19, which are arranged within a cutout 20 in the first slide 13. Of course, as in the case of the carriage 13, other guide means and arrangements thereof are also possible. On both spars 19, a second carriage 21 is guided to move back and forth, which carries the holder 16 of the punching knife 15 with the interposition of a cylinder-piston arrangement 22. The arrangement is such that a support element 24 is provided, on which the holder 16 is attached in a height-adjustable manner.

The roller 17 serving as an abutment roller is located directly below the punching knife 15, which in its lower end position cuts into the upper layer 94 of the web 25 in the region of the upper vertex of the roller 17.

The drive of the punching device is derived from a main drive shaft 26 (FIGS. 1 and 2) which is driven by a motor 28 via a gear 27. A shaft 30 is fastened to the shaft 26 and is provided on its side facing the motor 28 with a cam 32, with which a cam roller, a cam or the like 34 cooperates, which at one end of one in the frame 11 36 mounted double-armed lever 38 is attached. The second carriage 21 is provided with a vertical slot 40 into which a cam roller 44 or the like carried by the second arm 42 of the lever 38 engages. A pivoting of the lever 38 caused by the curve 32 thus results in a to-and-fro movement of the second slide 21. The course of the curve 32 is chosen such that the second carriage 21 and thus the punch knife 15 move at a constant speed during the punching process, provided that the speed at which the web 25 is moved matches that of the punch knife 15 is adjusted during the punch stroke. To adapt to different lengths of the blank to be punched out of the web 25, the cam or the like. 44 is attached to the arm 42 in an adjustable manner in the longitudinal direction. With increasing distance of the cam roller 44 from the fulcrum 36, the stroke and speed of the second slide 21 and thus of the punching knife 15 increase. With the size of the stroke, the extent of the blank to be removed in the course of a stroke can also be increased in the longitudinal direction of the web 25.

The first slide 13 is driven by an adjustable crank arm 46, which is rotatably mounted on the disk 30, but on the side facing away from the curve 32, and carries a curve roller or the like 50 at its free end, which engages in a in the main slide 13 located slot 52 attacks. The latter runs perpendicular to the spars 12 and thus perpendicular to the path which the carriage 13 travels in the course of its back and forth movement.

Here, too, the effective length of the crank arm between the bearing point 48 and the cam roller 50 can be adjusted, specifically by means of the corresponding adjustability of the bearing point 48 on the disk 30 which is continuously rotatable by the drive shaft 26.

On the drive shaft 26, a gear 56 is fastened, which drives the drive gear 58 of a variable transmission 59 via a chain or the like. The output shaft 64 of the variable gear 59 via the gear 65, chains or the like. 66, 70, 71 and associated gears 72, 74 and 76 a supply roll 78 from which the web 25 to be treated is unwound, a roll 80 on which the carrier web 93 with the blanks 95 adhering thereto is wound and drives a drive roller 82 by means of which carrier web 93 and thus web 25 are pulled out of the punching tool will. The remaining strip 98 remaining after the cuts 95 have been cut out of the layer 94 is discharged via a roller 99, which can also be driven by suitable transmission means, for example, by the shaft 84. The separation between the carrier web 93 and the remaining web 98 takes place by pulling off the remaining web 98 from the layer 93 and the labels 95 remaining thereon. A roller 97 is provided to fix the area in which this separation takes place.

On the shaft 84, on the roller 82 and gear 76 are attached, another gear is fixed, which is a flexible transmission element 86, for. B. drives a chain that engages with gears 85, 87 and 89. The gears 87 and 89 are firmly connected to the shafts supporting the abutment roller 17 and the deflection roller 18, respectively. The gear 85 is fixedly connected to a shaft carrying a drive roller 88, so that the chain or the like 86 drives the drive roller 88 as well as the abutment roller 17 and the deflection roller 18. A relative back and forth movement of the two rollers 17 and 18 in the direction of the arrows 67 and 69 thus inevitably has an adaptation of the circumferential speed of the two rollers to the relative speed at which the web 25 comes on during the back and forth movement of the rollers 17 and 18 the lateral surfaces of the two rollers moves, as a result. Normally, the arrangement will be such that a slip clutch, not shown in the drawing, is arranged between the gear wheels 72 and 74 on the one hand and the two rollers 78 and 80 on the other hand, because the peripheral speeds of the rollers change as the winding or unwinding takes place 78 and 80 an exact setting of the respectively desired web speed by the drives assigned to these two rollers anyway not possible. The speed of the web 25 between the two rollers 78 and 80, which must be adapted to the speed at which the punching knife 15 moves during the punching stroke, is rather determined by the rollers 17, 18, 82 and 88.

1 and 2, the drive and transmission means shown in FIG. 3 with the exception of the gear wheels 56 and 58 are not shown for reasons of clarity.

4a to 4f the sequence of the punching process during a work cycle is shown in the diagram. In the figures, only the parts belonging to the punching unit, that is to say holder 16 with punching knife 15, abutment roller 17 and reversing roller 18 and, moreover, first carriage 13 and the web 25 are shown in the diagram. 4a to 4f, reference lines A to D are assigned to the punching tool at equally large intervals, which better identify the extent of the movements of the parts of the punching machine, that is to say the carriage 13 with rollers 17 and 18 on the one hand and the holder 16 with punching knife 15 on the other hand do. A reference scale 63 is assigned to the web 25 running from the abutment roller 17 in order to make the movement of the web 25 recognizable.

The following description assumes that the blanks are made on the web 25 without gaps. Here - as was already explained in another context - the cut of the area of the web 25 or the layer cut by the punching knife, which in one operation, i. H. is separated out in the course of a stroke of the punching knife 15. The possibility that this cut can be divided into individual cuts in the longitudinal direction of the web and / or transversely to it remains unaffected.

Fig.4a shows the position of the parts at the beginning of the work cycle. The punching knife 15 is lowered onto the web 25 in the region of the upper vertex of the abutment roller 17. The carriage 13 with the abutment roller and reversing roller 18 assumes the left end position. In the course of the subsequent punch stroke, the carriage 13 is moved in the direction of arrow 67 and the holder 16 with punch knife 15 simultaneously in the direction of arrow 62, that is to the left, with both movements overlapping with respect to the punch knife 15, since the latter over the second carriage 21 is guided on the slide 13.

The length of a blank in the longitudinal direction of the web 25 should correspond to the length of the scale 63 (0-4). The limits of the blank cut out in the penultimate work cycle are identified by the two points 81 and 83. The blank cut out in the immediately preceding working cycle is located in the region between point 83 and the upper vertex of the abutment roller 17 and corresponds to the distance X in FIG. 4a.

In the course of the punching stroke, the abutment roller 17 and the deflecting roller 18 on the one hand and the punching knife 15 on the other hand are displaced in opposite directions, the region of the web 25 which wraps around part of the circumference of the roller 17 being rolled on the punching knife 15. Due to the relatively opposite movements of the parts forming the punch in the direction of arrows 60 and 62, in particular the movement of the abutment roller 17 against the direction of travel of the web 25, it is achieved that the punch knife 15 and the abutment roller 17 by the length of the blank or the distance 0 to 4 the distance R corresponding to the scale 63 can be moved relative to one another before the web 25 has continued to run about half the length of the blank. A comparison of FIGS. 4a and 4b makes this clear. The abutment roller 17 has moved from the starting position A (FIG. 4a) to the intermediate position B (FIG. 4b) in the course of the first phase of the stamping process, both parts 17 and 18 being moved counter to the direction of travel 68. At the same time, the punching knife 15 is moved in the opposite direction by a distance which corresponds to approximately half its total stroke, so that the longitudinal section Y separated from the web during this working phase, which lies between point 79, which is in the position according to FIG. 4a was the upper vertex of the abutment roller 17, and now, d. H. in the position of the parts according to FIG. 4b, the point of the web lying on the upper vertex of the roller 17, is greater than the distance by which the web had been advanced in the direction of arrow 68 during this period. This last-mentioned distance corresponds to the distance that the point 83 of the path 25 having a triangular marking has traveled from the position according to FIG. 4a to the position according to FIG. 4b. This is made possible in that the movement of the abutment roller 17 against the direction 68 of the web moves the punching knife 15 during the punching process in the direction of travel of the web only over a distance which is smaller than the length of the blank. The section Y, which runs in the longitudinal direction of the web 25 and is cut out during the first half of the punching stroke, is approximately twice as long as the distance 0-1 of the scale 63 by which the web 25 has advanced in the same time.

Fig. 4c shows the position of the parts at the end of the punch stroke. Abutment roller 17 and punch knife 15 have each been shifted again approximately by the distance that lies between the working positions according to FIGS. 4a and 4b. The abutment roller 17, which rotates in the direction of arrow 73 during the punching stroke, is located on the line C. The punching knife 15 assumes its left end position. The longitudinal section separated out in the course of this punching stroke is designated Z and corresponds to the distance 0-4 on the scale 63. On the other hand, the path 25 is only one distance in the direction of arrow 68 during this entire punching stroke moved forward that the point 83 marked with the triangle is now approximately at the mark 2 of the scale 63.

4d shows the parts in the position corresponding to FIG. 4c, but the punching knife 15 is now lifted off the web 25 in the direction of the arrow 75. The slide 13 is then moved back in the direction of the arrow 69. At the same time, the slide 21 moves back relative to the slide 13. FIG. 4e shows an intermediate position in the course of this stroke of the mutually interacting parts of the punch, opposite the punch stroke. The speed at which the carriage 13 is moved back into its starting position in the direction of the arrow 69 is greater than the speed of the web 25 when the blanks are cut out without spacing. The resultant advance of the abutment roller 17 has the consequence that if the parts in Fig.4f have reached the position shown at the end of the return stroke, the end of the blank which had just been cut out and which is indicated in FIGS. 4b to 4f by the point 77, which is in the direction of rotation 73 of the abutment roller 17 shortly before top vertex of the roller 17 is located. The time required to move the web 25 to the point 77 at the apex of the roller 17 is used to lower the punch knife 15 onto the web 25.

Length and speed of the strokes carried out by the two slides 13 and 21 depend on the setting of the two cam rollers, cams or the like. 44 and 50 relative to the associated recesses 40 and 52. The length of the punching knife 15 and abutment roller 17 during the punching process Exerted strokes determine the length of the resulting total stroke R (Fig.4a) and thus the dimension of the blank in the longitudinal direction of the web 25. It follows that when changing the length of the blank at least the stroke of the punching knife 15 or the slide 21 correspondingly must be adjusted, which in turn results in a change in the speed of the punching knife during the punching process. Since the web 25 rolls on the punching knife during the punching process, the web speed must therefore be adapted to that of the punching knife. This is expediently done by appropriate adjustment of the variable gear 59, the drive wheel 58 of which is driven at a constant speed, but whose output shaft 64 rotates depending on the gear setting selected in each case. Another possibility of adaptation is to replace curve 32 or the disk 30 carrying it and thus to change the drive conditions of the punching knife 15 and, if applicable, the abutment roller 17 and the deflection roller 18. Of course, both options can also be combined.

Of course, deviations from the movements and sequences described above in connection with FIGS. 4a to 4f are conceivable, for example in such a way that at the end of the punching stroke, in which the parts of the punching unit assume the position shown in FIG. 4c, point 83 of the path has not yet reached the mark 2 on the scale 63 or has possibly already exceeded it. In the end, it only depends on the time spans required for the individual work steps and the speed at which they are carried out. A method procedure is also conceivable in which the successive blanks overlap at their end regions. It would only be necessary to return the punch to its position according to FIG. 4f so quickly or so early that the next punching process begins before the end point 77 of the blank cut out in the previous work cycle has reached the apex of the roller 17. This example in particular shows that the punching method according to the invention is not only simple, but also extremely versatile and flexible in its applicability.

This also applies to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 10, which differ from that in FIGS. 1 to 6 essentially by the design and / or the movement of the abutment.

In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 7, the abutment roller 17 is assigned two deflection rollers 18, one of which is arranged in the running direction 68 of the web 25, one in front and the other behind the abutment roller. All of the rollers 17 and 18 are carried by the carriage 13. The back and forth movements of the roller 17, 18 on the one hand and the holder 16 with punching knife 15 on the other hand take place in the direction of the arrows 60 and 62, that is to say in the horizontal plane. The bracket 16 is arranged in the usual way up and down.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 8, the abutment is also designed as a roller 17. The movement sequence of the punching knife 15 and the abutment roller 17 corresponds to that of the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 7. This means that both parts can be moved back and forth in the direction of the arrows 60, 62 in the area between the drive or deflection rollers 82, 88.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 9, the abutment consists of three abutment rollers 17 arranged next to one another in a plane in the longitudinal direction of the web 25, which are rotatable at least in the direction of the arrow 73, but in contrast to the other exemplary embodiments, stationary between the drive or deflection rollers 82, 88 are arranged. The punch knife 15 is arranged in the usual manner in the direction of arrow 62 during the punching process and on the return stroke in the opposite direction to reciprocate. The The length of the area in the stroke direction 62 of the punching knife 15, in which the rollers arranged parallel to one another are provided, will be slightly longer than the length of the largest blank that is to be punched out using this tool. The distances between the abutment rollers 17 can be greater, the greater the stroke of the punching knife 15. In practice, the distance between the rollers and thus their number will be chosen so that the distance over which the punch knife 15 is moved synchronously with the web 25 is short enough to bring the punch knife 15 back to the starting position early enough. The arrangement can also be such that the punching knife 15 is formed by three partial punching knives arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the web 25, each of which cuts a partial blank out of the web 25. One of the rollers 17 can be assigned to each part punching knife. The partial punching knives can be formed simply by providing two transverse cutting edges between the two ends of the punching knife 15 at a distance therefrom and from one another.

It is of course also possible to provide two or more than four abutment rollers. In general, as the number of rollers increases, the stroke to be carried out by them can become smaller until it can possibly decrease to zero.

10 to 12 of the drawing, the course of the cutting of the punching knife 15 is shown for punching out a rectangular blank. The two cutting sections 23 produce the longitudinal boundaries of the blank 95, whereas the cutting sections 29 lying at the front and rear carry out the separating cuts at the boundaries 35 lying at the front and back. In the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 10 and 11, the punching knife 15 is arranged on the holder 16 in such a way that its longitudinal axis - and thus also the longitudinal axis of each blank 95 - forms an acute angle with the longitudinal axis of the web 25. 10 shows in particular that due to this arrangement, which results in a corresponding inclination of the front and rear cutting sections 29 with respect to the longitudinal axis of the abutment roller 17, there is a linear contact between the web 25 and the aforementioned cutting sections 29 in the region of the upper vertex of the abutment roll 17 is avoided over the entire length of these cutting sections. Rather, there is a more selective or at least more contact extending over a short line, which favors gentle handling of the punching knife 15, in particular the cutting sections 29.

Fig. 11 shows that within the space delimited by the cutting sections 23 and 29, an insert 37 made of foam rubber or similar material is arranged, which is easily elastically deformable. The height of this insert corresponds approximately to the height by which the punch knife 15 protrudes relative to the holder 16. This foam rubber insert is slightly compressed between the holder 16 and the repositioning roller 17 or web 25 during the cutting process. As soon as the foam rubber insert 37 has passed the abutment roller, it assumes its original shape again with an increase in volume, the web 25 being pressed off by the punching knife 15.

FIG. 12 shows another embodiment, which also serves to cause the front and rear cutting sections 29 of the punching knife 15 to run onto the abutment roller 17 at an acute angle. For this purpose, the abutment roller is pivoted somewhat from the normal position perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the web 25, so that the longitudinal axis of the abutment roller 17 includes an acute angle with the perpendicular to the direction of the web 25 parallel to the punching knife 15. In this case, the cutting elements 29 and 23 delimiting the punching knife 15 can run perpendicularly or parallel to the longitudinal course of the web 25, with the result that less waste is produced. In particular, it is possible to use the entire width of the web if necessary. Fig. 12 shows that in this type of configuration, the web 25 is not exactly perpendicular to the abutment roller 17. However, this is irrelevant if the web 25 only runs tangentially past the abutment roller 17. This means that this type of arrangement of the abutment roller (s) can be used in the exemplary embodiments according to FIGS. 8 and 9, whereas in the exemplary embodiments according to FIGS. 1 to 6 and 7 the arrangement according to FIGS. 10 and 11 is more expedient becomes.

FIG. 13 shows a screen printing machine with three printing stations 201, 202, 203 and a station 204, in which the labels are punched out using a device according to FIGS. 1 to 6. The web 225 to be treated is drawn off from a supply roll 278 and passed through the three printing units 201 to 203 and then through the punching station 204 in a continuous run. The base layer of the double-layered web 225 is wound up on a roll 280 after the separation process. The remaining web 298 remaining after the labels have been removed from the printed layer is rolled up from a supply roll 296.

The machine shown in Fig. 13 allows three colors or other coatings to be applied. The individual printing stations are designed as described in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2 with the difference that a screen printing stencil takes the place of the punching knife and a doctor blade 216 is additionally provided. Regarding the abutment roller 217 and the deflection roller 218, there is agreement, so that the individual parts of all stations, i.e. screen printing stencils 223 or die cutters 215 on the one hand, and abutment rollers 217 and deflection rollers 218 and - in the printing stations - doctor blades 216 can be moved synchronously with one another, although not is required. Rather, it is possible, for example, to carry out a printing stroke in the printing stations 201 to 203, during which two labels are applied, while in the separating station 204 two punching strokes are carried out at the same time in order to cut out these labels, the sum of the lengths of the two Punch strokes in station 204 must be equal to the length of the pressure stroke in the other stations. Other combinations of this type are also conceivable. The speed of the train is the same in all stations.

Abutment rollers 217 and deflection rollers 218 of all stations, guide rollers 282 and 288 and, if appropriate, still located between the stations, rollers not shown in the drawing are expediently driven by a common drive, so that the flexible transmission element 86 of FIG. 3 with all gears or the like. , which are assigned to the abutment rollers 217 and the deflection rollers 218 of the printing stations 201 to 203 and the separation station 204, and to the gears of the guide rollers. The only decisive factor here is also that in the areas within which the abutment rollers 217 and deflection rollers 218 of all stations are moved, the flexible transmission element runs parallel to the web 225, as was described in connection with FIG. 3. However, it is also possible to assign a separate flexible transmission element to each station analogous to element 86 in FIG. 3.

In a departure from the arrangement shown in FIG. 13, the separating station 204 could also be connected upstream of the first printing station 201, so that the web-shaped material to be printed consists of a carrier web on which individual blanks that are to be printed adhere.

The invention is in no way limited to the use of two-layer webs. Rather, it can be used wherever it is important to punch blanks from uniformly moving webs, regardless of how the punched blanks are treated or transported further after the punching process.

Claims (28)

1. A method of cutting out cutouts (95) from a web (25) which is moved uniformly in its longitudinal direction and which passes between a blade (15) and a support member comprising at least one rotatable roller (17) characterized in that the blade (15) is lowered on to the web (25) and during the cutting is displaced in the direction of movement of the web (25) synchronously therewith over a distance which is smaller than the length of the cutout (95) from an initial position to an end position, whereafter the blade (15) is lifted from the web (25) and returned to its initial position, and the support member, comprising at least one roller (17), is displaced during cutting against the direction of movement (68) of the web (25) or the blade (15).

2. A method of cutting out cutouts (95) from a web (25) which is moved uniformly in its longitudinal direction and which passes between a blade (15) and a support member comprising at least one rotatable roller (17) characterized in that the blade (15) is lowered in to the web (25) and during the cutting is displaced in the direction of movement of the web (25) synchronously therewich over a distance which is smaller than the length of the cutout (95) from an initial position to an end position, whereafter the blade (15) is lifted from the web (25) and returned to its initial position, and the support member comprises at least two rotatable stationary rollers (17) extending transversely to the direction of movement of the web (15), and on lowering of the blade (15) onto the rollers (17) a plurality of partial cuts is made in the web (25) which are during the subsequent movement of the blade (15) completed to form a complete cut.

3. A method according to claim 1 characterized in that the blade (15) makes initially a plurality of partial cuts in the web (25) and the partial cuts are then completed during the cutting stroke to a complete cut.

4. A method according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the web (25) extends approximately tangentially to the support roller or rollers (17).

5. A method according to claim 3 characterized in that the web (25) is guided around part of the periphery of a support roller (17) and during the cutting stroke rolls on a planar blade (15).

6. A method according to claim 5 characterized in that the part of the web entering the cutting mechanism and the part of the web leaving the cutting mechanism extend, at least in the region within which the support rollers (17) are displaced during in the cutting stroke, parallel to each other and travel downwards at an acute angle to the blade (15) which is situated substantially horizontally, and the cutting mechanism, whgich comprises the blade (15), support roller (17) and a deflection roller (18), is, at least during the cutting stroke, moved parallel to the parts of the web (25) which extend at an acute angle to the plane of the blade (15).

7. An apparatus for carrying out the method according to any one of claims 1, 3, 4, 5 or 6 having raisable and lowertable blade (15) and a support member situated at the side of the web (25) opposite to the blade and comprising at least one rotatable roller (17), characterized in that the blade (15) is reciprocable and its stroke is adjustable, and the support member, comprising at least one roller (17), is arranged to be displaceable during the cutting stroke in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the blade (15).

8. An apparatus for carrying out the method according to claim 2 or 4 having raisable and lowerable blade (15) and a support member situated at the side of the web (25) opposite to the blade and comprising at least one rotatable roller (17), characterized in that the blade (15) is reciprocable and its stroke is adjustable, and the support member comprises a plurality of rotatable and stationary rollers (17) arranged next to each other with a small spacing.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7 or 8 characterized in that the blade comprises at least two blade positions each of which cuts out a cutout and which are situated next to each other in the longitudinal direction of the web and preferably each blade portion is associated with a support roller.

10. An apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 9 characterized in that the support roller or rollers is or are arranged to be raisable and lowerable.

11. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the deflection roller (18) is situated upstream of the roller (17) serving as a support member, and part of the web (25) moving away from the support roller (17) and the part of the web (25) moving to the deflection roller (18) are offset relative to each other, but extend parallel to each other at an acute angle to the horizontal, and the blade (15) and also the support roller (17) and the deflection roller (18) are displaceable during the cutting stroke along a path extending parallel to the two parts of the web (25).

12. An apparatus according to claim 11 characterized in that the support roller (17) and the deflection roller (18) are carried by a common carriage (13).

13. An apparatus according to claim 12 characterized in that the carriage (13) is guided on guides (12) extending parallel to the parts of the web (25) which extend at an acute angle to the plane of the blade (15).

14. An apparatus according to claim 12 or 13 characterized in that the blade (15) is carried by a holder (16) which is reciprocable on the carriage for the support roller (17) on guides (19) parallel to the plane of the blade (15).

15. An apparatus according to claim 14 characterized in that the carriage (13) for the support roller (17) is provided with an opening (20) within which are arranged the guides (19) for a carriage (21) carrying the blade (15).

16. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the support roller (17) and/or deflection roller (18) are adapted to be driven as regards their rotation, in the cutting operation, in dependence on the speed at which they are displaceable relative to the web (25).

17. An apparatus according to claim 16 characterized in that at least two drive or guide rollers (82, 88) for the web (25) are provided at a distance from the cutting tool, and on the shafts, which drive these rollers and also the support roller (17) and deflection roller (18) are situated gear wheels (76, 85, 87, 89), interconnected for drive by a common flexible drive means (86), the drive means (86) moving, in the region in which it moves in the same direction as the web, parallel to the web.

18. An apparatus according to claim 7 or 8 characterized in that the carriage (21) for the blade (15) is provided with an opening (40), extending perpendicularly to the path of movement of the blade (15), into which engages a carrier (44), arranged on an arm of a two-arm lever (38), on the other arm of the lever (38) being arranged a cam follower or similar member, which cooperates with cam means (32) arranged on a rotatable body, the curvature of which corresponds to the desired movement of the blade (15).

19. An apparatus according to claim 7 characterized in that the carriage (13) for the support roller (17) is provided with an opening, extending perpendicularly to the path (12) of movement of the carriage (13), in which engages the carrier which ist disposed on a driven element, for instance a crank means (46).

20. An apparatus according to claim 19 characterized in that the crank means (46) is arranged rotatably and displaceably on the rotating body (30) which is provided with the cam means (32) for the drive of the carriage (21) forthe blade (15).

21. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that an adjustable transmission means (59) is incorporated in the drive transmission for the web (25).

22. An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the means for the transmission of the drive onto the carriage (21) for the blade (15) and/or the carriage (13) for the support roller (17) are adjustable and/or exchangeable.

23. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the rotatory movement of the support roller (17) during the cutting operation is derived from the stroke movement of the blade (15).

24. An apparatus according to claim 7 characterized in that both upstream and downstream of the support roller (17) is situated a deflection roller (18) and both the deflection rollers (18) are arranged to be reciprocable with the support roller (17).

25. An apparatus according to claim 7 or 8 characterized in that the longitudinal axis or axes of the support roller or rollers (17) makes or make an acute angle with a line parallel to the blade (15) and perpendicular to the direction of movement of the web (25).

26. An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the longitudinal axis of the cutout (95) which is defined by the blade (15) makes an acute angle with the longitudinal axis of the web (25).

27. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the whole cutout defined by the blade comprises a plurality of cutout portions.

28. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that one or more apparatuses (201, 202, 203) for applying print to the web (225) are situated upstream and/or downstream thereof, and the web (225) may be passed in a working operation through all the apparatuses (201-204).

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