EP0192591B1 - Apparatus for the distribution and simultaneous cutting of wound sheet material - Google Patents

Abstract

To eliminate any resistance to distribution, provision has been made for a combination of several devices: an elastic means (31) acting on a movable stop (24) in order to authorise the stopping of the drum (3) after cutting, regardless of the tensile force on the excess strip, and the detachment of the said strip held by a central point created by the toothed blade (4a); a cam (16) defining the path of the cutting blade; an elastic means (32) with an adjustable position, which is intended to guide the material wound on the drum towards the exit without braking it; a device (10-35) for bringing into service a new roll by driving the drum in rotation from a cap or from the lower opening of the apparatus. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to an apparatus for simultaneously distributing and cutting strips of wound material.

The object of the invention relates to the technical sector of the means of distributing lengths of material wound on reels. In particular, but not exclusively, the invention applies to apparatus for dispensing paper, wadding and similar wiping materials.

The apparatus according to the invention is of the type according to which the roll of material in service mounted with free rotation on a wall support is applied by pressure directly to a drum with an anti-slip surface, so that by simple manual pulling on the strip of material overflowing from the device, a strip is distributed and automatically detached, the length of which is substantially equal to the circumference of the drum, this by a cutting device comprising a serrated blade associated with the drum and cooperating with a cam having a higher profile to form a projection out of the drum in an arc of a circle and a lower profile for bringing the blade back into the drum, said cam being associated with a follower roller integral with the cutting blade, said cutting device being articulated in elastic return to the drum ; after cutting, said launched drum returning to its initial position via and the action of complementary members comprising a parachute, a pawl, a fixed stop fixed to the parachute, a mobile stop fixed to the drum, a new strip of material automatically overflowing under the machine after cutting.

According to the invention, we wanted to further improve the operation and simplify the mechanisms of this type of device which has been the subject of several patent or certificate of addition filings of which the depositor is also the holder, in particular European applications. EP-A-0145622 and EP-A-0157713.

• un moyen élastique agissant sur la butée mobile constitué par une lame solidaire à l'une de ses extrémités d'une partie fixe de l'appareil , l'autre extrémité s'étendant à proximité de la butée fixe solidaire du parachute, ladite lame étant agencée de manière à ce qu'au cours de la rotation du tambour la butée mobile suive la lame et soit amenée d'une position basse à une position haute dans laquelle elle vient s'appuyer contre la butée fixe solidaire du parachute entrainant ainsi l'arrêt du tambour,
• une came présentant outre son profil supérieur et son profil inférieur, une partie concave, s'engageant avec une capacité de réglage en position autour de la portée cylindrique extérieure d'un palier de montage en rotation libre du tambour de manière à permettre la modification de la trajectoire de la lame,
• un moyen élastique à position réglable destiné à guider le matériau enroulé sur le tambour et fixé à une extrémité d'une partie fixe de l'appareil et s'étendant derrière le tambour, ledit moyen élastique étant susceptible d'être écarté ou rapproché du tambour de manière à laisser passerplus ou moins librement le matériau,
• un dipositif de mise en service d'un rouleau de matériau comprenant un moyen positionné dans l'appareil, sous, ou face au tambour en étant positionné partiellement en débordement extérieur de l'ouverture inférieure ou du capot de l'appareil pour autoriser un entrainement manuel en rotation du tambour et le déroulement de la bande de matériau du rouleau neuf.

To this end and according to a first characteristic, the apparatus is characterized in that it comprises in combination

• an elastic means acting on the movable stop constituted by a blade secured at one of its ends to a fixed part of the device, the other end extending near the fixed stop secured to the parachute, said blade being arranged so that during the rotation of the drum the movable stop follows the blade and is brought from a low position to a high position in which it comes to rest against the fixed stop secured to the parachute thus causing the drum stop,
• a cam having, in addition to its upper profile and its lower profile, a concave part, engaging with an adjustment capacity in position around the outer cylindrical bearing of a mounting bearing in free rotation of the drum so as to allow the modification of the trajectory of the blade,
• elastic means with adjustable position intended to guide the material wound on the drum and fixed to one end of a fixed part of the device and extending behind the drum, said elastic means being capable of being moved away from or brought closer to the drum so as to allow the material to pass more or less freely,
• a device for commissioning a roll of material comprising a means positioned in the device, under, or facing the drum, being partially positioned outside the outside opening of the bottom opening or the cover of the device to allow a drive manual rotation of the drum and unwinding of the new roll material strip.

Patent FR-A-2499041 describes the characteristics of the preamble of claim 1.

The features described in claim 1 and others will become apparent from the following description.

• La figure 1 est une vue en coupe illustrant à titre d'exemple seulement un appareil de distribution et de coupe susceptible de recevoir les dispositions caractéristiques conformes à l'invention.
• La figure 2 est une vue de face, capot enlevé, de l'appareil selon la figure 1.
• La figure 3 est une vue en coupe considérée suivant la ligne 3-3 de la figure 2, montrant les principaux dispositifs selon l'invention.
• La figure 4 est une vue en coupe considérée suivant la ligne 4-4 de la figure 3, illustrant la came à position règlable
• La figure 5 est une vue en coupe considérée suivant la ligne 5-5 de la figure 2, montrant la butée mobile d'arrêt du tambour après la coupe et la lame de coupe en position repos.

To fix the subject of the invention, without however limiting it, in the appended drawings:

• Figure 1 is a sectional view illustrating by way of example only a dispensing and cutting apparatus capable of receiving the characteristic provisions in accordance with the invention.
• FIG. 2 is a front view, cover removed, of the apparatus according to FIG. 1.
• Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2, showing the main devices according to the invention.
• Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Figure 3, illustrating the adjustable position cam
• Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Figure 2, showing the movable stop stop of the drum after cutting and the cutting blade in the rest position.

Figure 6 is a partial sectional view showing a variant of the device for commissioning the new roller, with dashed lines the position of the device at rest.

In order to make the object of the invention more concrete, it is now described in nonlimiting embodiments illustrated in the figures of the drawings.

Illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, by way of example, an apparatus of the type which has been the subject of the aforementioned Patent Applications EP-A-0145622 and EP-A-0157713 of which the applicant is also the holder, it being understood that the invention can be applied to other kinds of apparatus with one or more rolls of material to be cut.

The main elements of this device are briefly recalled.

The device comprises, from a base plate (1) for wall mounting, support means (2) with free rotation for a drum (3) having inside a blade holder (4) articulated in ( 5) on a side wall of the drum, and having on the outside a follower roller (18) cooperating with a fixed cam to allow the periodic exit of a serrated cutting blade (4a) outside the drum, when pulling on the strip of material overflowing under the apparatus, thereby driving in rotation the rough-surface drum on which is applied the roll (R1) of material carried by a support bracket (6) articulated in (7) on the base plate .

It can also be seen (FIG. 1) that the device has a deflector plate extending in front of the drum and carrying fixedly or detachably inclined support arms (8) made of material with elastic capacity to receive by spacing and on slides ( 8a), trunnions (9a) form on end caps (9) which are engaged in the core of the roller Thus, when the roll of material is almost empty, it can be placed by its trunnions in the orifices (8b) formed at the bottom of the slides, and a new roller can be put in place on its support bracket (6). In this way, the distribution can take place continuously from one roll to another, the two strips of material being distributed simultaneously until the first roll is finished.

According to a first characteristic of the invention, the drum is mounted for free rotation on one side by an axis (12) journalled in one of the supports (2) integral with a flange (1a) of the base plate (1) , while opposite the drum has an axis (14) journalling in a bearing (15) made integral with the other support (2) by indexing and screwing a stepped plate (15a) of the bearing which is eccentric relative to the bearing. Between the support (2) and the plate is interposed and centered a parachute (19) which is thus mounted to oscillation controlled by a spring (26) attached to a fixed point of the flange (1b) of the base plate (Figure 2) .

The plate (15a) on the side opposite the side wall of the drum, carries a cam (16) comprising a concave part (16a) which can be applied against the external cylindrical bearing of the bearing, and two different convex profiles (16b - 16c ) joining opposite the concave part. These two profiles respectively defining the protruding path out of the drum (3) of the cutting blade, and the retraction of said blade in the drum, by pressing the follower roller (18) on said profits during the rotation drive. of the drum.

Depending on the quality of the wiping material, it has been found advantageous to modify the amplitude of the path of the blade. For this, a possibility of adjusting the cam relative to the bearing (15) has been provided. To this end, said cam is fixed to the plate by a screw (29) accessible from the outside and passing through said plate by an oblong opening (15b) oriented so as to move the cam away from or closer to the bearing or axis of rotation of the drum (Figure 3).

On the parachute (19) is pivotally mounted by one end in (20), a pawl (21) which is normally supported by gravity or by means of a pin spring (30), on a stop (22) integral with the parachute. On the other hand, on the side wall of the drum is provided projecting near its periphery a finger (23) and; closer to the axis of rotation of the drum, a stop (24) articulated at (25) inside the wall which it crosses through an opening in an arc of a circle (3c), and of which the projecting part (24a) can cooperate temporarily with the stop (22) as will emerge from the following description. It can also be seen that on the periphery of the plate (15a) is fixed an elastic capacity blade (31) extending in the direction of the stop (22) and on which the movable stop (24) is supported during the rotation of the drum, under conditions which are explained below.

According to another characteristic illustrated in Figure 1, the material wound on the drum (3) with non-slip surface, is guided in the direction of the opening, lower distribution. However, depending on the quality of the material, this guide must be more or less firm, that is to say that in the case of thin or fragile material, the guide must be practically neutralized so as not to slow the progress of the material.

To this end, the guide device already known from a previous request by the depositor, and comprising a plastic means (32) of the spring type wound in contiguous turns integral with the base plate (1) to extend behind the drum, is fixed to said plate by a screw (33) passing through an offset tab (32a), with interposition between the plate and the tab of a return spring (34). In this way, by screwing or unscrewing the screw, the head of which rests on the tab, the elastic means (32) can be moved aside or brought closer to the drum, thus allowing the material to pass more or less freely.

According to another characteristic illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the positioning and the dimensions have been modified a roller (10) used in a previous request by the depositor to correctly guide the material towards the lower opening and to avoid the introduction of the user's fingers near the cutting blade, this in order to use this roller to ensure in a rational and convenient way, loading and commissioning of the device in a roll of new material.

For this, the roller (10) is of larger diameter and mounted for free rotation between the flanges (1a - 1b) near the lower opening to extend widely outside. In its central part, the roller carries a grooved pinion (10a) of smaller diameter on which is wound a notched belt (11) connecting said roller to the drum (3) on which it is wound in a central groove (3b) which preferably has a complementary notching (3d) at least along a sector of the circumference.

As already described in a previous request from the depositor, the cutting blade (4a) is produced in two separate parts mounted in their support (4) with the possibility of adjusting the interval (e) between them, this for let the belt pass and to obtain a central point of variable resistance depending on the quality of the material distributed, since there is no tooth at this location.

Of course, the toothed belt-grooved pinion-notching drum assembly can be replaced by any other equivalent means of transmission.

FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the device for putting a new roller into service, adapted to the distribution of very fragile materials for which the drum is driven by the roller (10) and the toothed belt (11 ) is not gentle enough.

We see that the cover (36) has on either side of an opening (36a), squared legs (36b) with on the branches facing oblong openings (36c) in which the axis can move overflowing (35a) with roller (35) whose diameter is calculated to be partially projecting in the opening (36a) of the cover. The legs (36b) are oriented so that by gravity, the roller (35) is at rest in abutment by its axis at the bottom of the openings (36c) then leaving a space between its periphery and the drum. When you want to bring the free strip of a new roller, towards the lower opening of the device, it is enough to exert with your hand a pressure from top to bottom (arrow F1) on the roller so that it leans on the drum and drives it in rotation. Preferably, the surface of the roller is equipped with projections (roughness, grooves, grooves ...) in order to drive without slipping.

The operation of the apparatus will now be described with reference to the various figures in the drawings.

We assume the device is almost empty. The person responsible for feeding it places a new roller (R1) in the correct direction on the support bracket (6) after having possibly placed the almost empty roller (R2) on the inclined support arms (8). Then he closes the cover of the device and with the inside of his hand, he rotates the roller (35) (arrow F1) or the roller (10) projecting under the device (arrow F2), which has the effect of driving the drum in the same direction and thus, automatically bringing a strip of material into the lower opening where it falls naturally in his hand to be pulled.

At this time, and as explained below, the drum is blocked under the action of the various mechanisms implemented during this operation. To obtain a new strip of material the length of the circumference of the drum, the user then manually pulls on the overflowing strip, which causes the drum to rotate due to the direct support of the roll of material on it and of the non-slip surface of the drum.

The rotation of the drum, therefore of the cutting blade holder (4) forces its follower roller (18) to run through the upper profile (16b) of the fixed cam (16), and the blade projects out of the drum when the opening (3a) of the drum has passed behind the roll of material (R1). The serrated cutting blade then penetrates the tensioned material on both sides while continuing to rotate with the drum. This penetration combined with the rotation allows the net detachment of the material except in the central zone where there is no tooth.

Then the drum continuing to rotate, the blade retracts into said drum because the roller (18) follows the lower profile (16c) of the cam.

During this action, the finger (23) projecting from the drum engages between the fixed stop (22) of the parachute and the end of the pawl (21) by lifting it, while at the same time, the movable stop (24) projecting from the drum, goes into the high position in the opening (3c) to follow the elastic blade (31) and come to bear against the stop (22) of the parachute, which has the effect of stopping the rotation of the drum and therefore detach the central area by resistance.

The support of the mobile stop (24) against the fixed stop (22) caused the parachute (19) to oscillate relative to its spring (26) and by reaction, the mobile stop (24) falls by gravity into the low position in the opening (3c), against the elastic blade (31), thus escaping from the stop (22). A stop (27) integral with the parachute then bears against a stop (28) fixed on the flange (1b) and the finger (23) is replaced against the pawl (21) which has fallen on the stop (22).

The apparatus is then ready for a new pull of strip of material due to the fact that in the complementary rotation of the drum after cutting, a strip of material has come into overflow under the appliance.

• La douceur de fonctionnement obtenue et la coupe franche sans résistances néfastes, avec les règlages de came, de guidage ajusté du matériau vers la sortie, et la suppression des moyens de lancement du tambour après la coupe par emmagasinage de forces, cela avec des matériaux de toutes qualités (ouate, hydrocel...) et d'épaisseurs variables qui sont généralement tirés avec les mains mouillées.
• Le chargement et la mise en service rapide et rationnelle de l'appareil par une manoeuvre simple du rouleau inférieur qui permet d'avoir la bande de matériau directement dans la main, ou du galet traversant le capot.
• La simplification de l'appareil par diminution du nombre de pièces et de leur montage, débouchant sur un prix de revient abaissé par rapport aux appareils antérieurs, et également un poids et un encombrement réduit.

The advantages clearly emerge from the description, it is emphasized in particular:

• The smooth operation obtained and the clean cut without harmful resistance, with the cam and guide adjustments adjusted from the material to the outlet, and the elimination of the means of launching the drum after the cut by storage of forces, this with materials of all qualities (wadding, hydrocel ...) and of variable thicknesses which are generally drawn with the wet hands.
• The fast and rational loading and commissioning of the device by a simple operation of the lower roller which allows to have the strip of material directly in the hand, or of the roller passing through the cover.
• The simplification of the device by reducing the number of parts and their mounting, resulting in a lower cost price compared to previous devices, and also a reduced weight and size.

Claims (7)

1. Device for dispensing and cutting at the same time rolled up webs of materials, with at least a roll of material in use, wherein the roll of material (R1) in use is mounted for free rotation on a wall support (1) and is applied under pressure onto a drum (3) with a nonskid surface, so that by a mere manual pull on the web of material protruding from the device, it will be possible to dispense and to separate automatically a web the length of which is approximately equal to the periphery of the drum, the separation being achieved by means of a cutting device provided with a serrated cutting blade (4 - 4a), associated with the drum (3) and cooperating with a cam (16) having an upper contour (16b) to form an arched projection out of the drum, and a lower contour (16c) for the retraction of the blade (4A) within the drum, said cam being associated with a follower roller (18) depending from the cutting blade (4a), said cutting device being linked hingedly for the elastic return to the drum, the actuated drum, then the cutting operation has been performed, coming back to the initial position thereof through the intermediary and the action of complementary organs comprising a parachute (19), a pawl (21), a fixed stop (22) depending from the parachute, a movable stop (24) depending from the drum, a fresh web of material protruding automatically under the apparatus after the cutting operation, said dispensing and cutting device being characterized in that there are included therein, in combination :

   - an elastic means (31) for action on the movable stop (24), consisting of a blade rigidly locked at one of the ends thereof " with a fixed portion of the apparatus, the other end extending adjacent the movable stop (22) associated with the parachute (19), said blade being so designed that the movable stop (24), during the rotation of the drum, will follow the blade and will be brought from a lower position to an upper position in which the blade will be abutted against the fixed stop (22) associated with the parachute, causing thereby the drum to be stopped ;

   - a cam (16), which in addition to the upper contour (16b) and the lower contour (16c) thereof, has a concave portion (16a) for engagement, with a possibility of adjustment of the position, around the external cylindrical supporting portion of a bearing (15) mounting the drum for free rotation, in order to permit the modification of the path of the serrated blade (4a) ;

   - a positionally adjustable elastic means (32) for guiding the material rolled up on the drum, secured at an end to a fixed portion of the apparatus and extending behind the drum (3), whereby said elastic means (32) can be moved away from the drum or toward the drum in order to allow the material to be passed along more or less freely ;

   - a device for putting into service another roll of material (9), including a means (10 - 35) positioned within the apparatus, beneath or facing the drum, while being partly positioned in external projection relative to the lower opening or to the cover of the apparatus in order to permit the drum to be rotated manually and the web of material to be unrolled from the new roll.
2. Device as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the blade (31) is in interdependence at one end with a fixed portion of the apparatus, consisting of a stepped plate (15a), formed on the bearing (15) for indexing the cam (16) on the support, said blade extending adjacent the fixed stop (22) in order to bring necessarily during the rotation of the drum the movable stop (24) against the stop (22), so that the drum (3) will be stopped after the cutting operation, before said stop (22), owing to the reaction of the oscillating parachute, is restored by the effect of gravity to the drum release position in order to allow a further pull on the material.
3. Device as claimed in Claim 2, characterized in that the interlocking of the drum (3) by the abutment of the movable stop (24) against the stop (22) in combination with the provision of an adjustable central area of the web of material which is left uncut by the cutting blade (4a) made of two parts and being toothless at this location, allows for a resistance which is sufficient to separate the web completely, without the chance of an additional unrolling of the roll of material.
4. Device as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the cam (16) includes a concave portion (16a) which can be laid on against the cylindrical supporting portion of bearing (15) and two different upper and lower convex contours (16b - 16c) joining to one another opposite the concave portion, said cam being secured by means of a screw which can be reached from the outside and which is passed through an offset plate (15a) of said bearing through the intermediary of an egg-shaped opening (15b) oriented for moving the cam away from the bearing or toward this bearing, modifying thereby the amplitude of the path.
5. Device as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the elastic means for guiding the material rolled up on the drum (3) toward the lower outlet of the apparatus consists for example of a spring with joining turns (32) made fast with an off centre lug (32a) secured to the base plate (1), the position of which relative to the rear part of the drum can be modified in accordance with the quality of the wiping material by means of an organ such as a screw (33) the head of which is pressed against the lug (32a), the screw-threaded shank of said screw cooperating with a tapped hole of the base plate, a return spring (34) being interposed between the lug and the plate.
6. Device as claimed in Claim 1, including a contrivance for putting into service a new roll of material, consisting of a roll (10) mounted for free rotation on the cheeks (1a - 1b) of the wall support and parallel relative to the centre line of the drum, beneath this drum find adjacent the lower opening for the passage of the material, characterized in that said roll (10) is so positioned that an ample sector of the circumference thereof will be protruding in order to be driven manually from the inside of the hand and therefore to drive the drum (3) by central connection of the following type : notched belt (11) grooved pinion (10a) on the roll, and grooved central neck (3b) on the drum, said neck being grooved in part, the driving of the drum causing the paying out of the web of material of the new roll of material positioned above the drum.
7. Device as claimed in Claim 1, including a contrivance for putting into service a new roll by driving the drum (3), characterized in that the system consists of a roller (35), preferably with nonskid surface, which is mounted for free rotation and for adjustable positioning relative to the casing (36) in order to be moved away from the drum during the use of the apparatus, and to be directly connected with the drum for putting into service the fresh roll of material by manual action on the roller to be reached through an opening (36a) of the casing, so that the drum may be rotated and a web of material may be brought toward the lower opening of the apparatus.

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