EP0457847B1

EP0457847B1 - Apparatus and method for cutting and spooling a web of paper

Info

Publication number: EP0457847B1
Application number: EP90904997A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Peter A. Rodriguez
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-03-02
Filing date: 1990-03-01
Publication date: 1994-05-18
Anticipated expiration: 2010-03-01
Also published as: ES2054348T3; EP0457847A1; JPH0629103B2; JPH04505310A; CA2046605A1; DE69009044T2; DE69009044D1; EP0457847A4; WO1990010592A1; FI104163B1; BR9007178A; ATE105828T1; FI914088A0; CA2046605C; FI104163B

Abstract

System for cutting a travelling web (20) of paper being wound on a spool (24) and transferring the cut edge to an empty spool (27) to continue the winding; including a drive roll (36), a cutting tape (33); an applicator (46-50) applies a short length of adhesive, a sensor (51, 52) determines the passage of the forward end of the tape (33), another sensor (53, 55) detects the adhesive, a brake (59) clamps the tape, a cutter (41) cuts the tape to an appropriate length to perform the operation of cutting the web (20), and a guideway switch (65, 66) shunts off to a waste collection area a length of cutting tape (33) having no adhesive on its forward end.

Description

This invention relates to apparatus and methods for cutting a travelling web of paper being wound on a first spool, and transferring the oncoming web to an empty spool for continued winding.
U S Patents, Nos. 4,659,029; 4,757,950; and 4,783,018 illustrate the most pertinent prior art to this invention. These patents show how a cutting tape can be passed through a guideway underneath a travelling web of paper, perhaps 10 to 20 feet or more wide and be attached to the far side of an empty spool while the operator remains on the near side of the spool. These patents teach the use of mechanical arms to receive a cut end of the tape with adhesive on the tape, and to push the cut end into contact with the empty spool which winds the tape helically around the spool, cutting the paper web as it does, and wrapping the oncoming web around the empty spool. Processing difficulties have arisen to indicate the need for handling errors, such as the failure to apply a suitable amount of adhesive to the tape, which, in turn, means that the tape does not attach itself properly to the empty spool and, therefore, does not cut the travelling web of paper and transfer it to the empty spool. In the modern high speed plants it is very important that any such errors be handled quickly and efficiently.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved system for cutting and spooling travelling webs of paper.
The present invention provides, in one aspect thereof, an apparatus for cutting with a tape a travelling web of paper being wound on a first spool and for transferring the web to an empty spool for continued winding by attaching to the far end of an empty spool a cutting tape emerging from a guideway, the tape being fed from a supply and processing area adjacent the near end of the empty spool, the guideway extending transversely beneath the web and having a lengthwise slot facing generally upwardly toward the web or spools, the tape having a forward cut end portion coated with an adhesive for a short distance along the center portion thereof and leaving the edges free of adhesive, the tape being slidingly supported in the guideway along the edges that are free of adhesive, a propelling means for feeding the forward cut end portion of an endless supply of tape through the guideway and through an applicator means for applying to the cut end portion adhesive along the central portion of the tape while leaving the edges of the tape free of adhesive, means for cutting the tape forwardly of the endless supply of tape, and means for advancing the cut end portion from adjacent the far end to contact at the nip with empty spool and characterized in that the apparatus further comprises: a sensor adjacent the near end to detect the presence of the adhesive on the cut end portion; and means adjacent the near end for directing the tape toward the far end of the guideway when the sensor detects the presence of the adhesive on the cut end portion.
Preferred embodiments of apparatus according to the invention permit the operator of the cutting and spooling steps to perform all of the necessary operations in preparing the cutting tape for its use and sending it to the far side of the empty spool without the necessity of actually moving from his controls on the near side of the spool.
Preferred additional features include: a means to divert the cutting tape into a storage space for temporarily housing a long length of the tape; a means for selectively switching the guideway to direct the cutting tape to a waste collection area or toward the far end of the guideway; a final propelling means for advancing the cut end from adjacent the far end to contact with the empty spool; and a brake means selectively to clamp the tape to the guideway so that a loop of tape is formed. Preferably, the means for cutting the tape is located between the supply source and the adhesive application means.
In some preferred embodiments of the invention the apparatus includes means for physically removing a portion of the guideway so as to permit loop formation while being engaged in the guideway at the forward end of the loop. The preferred adhesive applicator includes a release tape to which double-sided pressure sensitive adhesive tape is attached and a roller means for attaching a portion of the adhesive tape to the forward end of the cutting tape. Another specific embodiment includes an operational connection between the sensor to detect the presence or absence of adhesive tape on the cutting tape, and a switch to divert to a waste collection area any tape that does not contain the adhesive tape attached thereto. Preferably, also, the far end of the guideway ends closely adjacent to the empty spool and includes a propelling means adjacent the near end of the guideway for extending the forward end of the tape to the nip of the empty spool without the assistance of a mechanical arm.
In a second and alternative embodiment, the invention provides a method of preparing a tape to be used in cutting a travelling web of paper being wound on a spool and transferring the web to an empty spool for continued winding, the method including the steps of moving sufficient tape from a supply roll into a guideway extending from the near side to the far side of the web; applying adhesive adjacent the near side to the central portion of the underside of the tape adjacent its far end so that the tape may be supported along its side edges by the guideway during its movement after the adhesive is applied; the method being characterized by the steps of:

(a) sensing the tape after the adhesive is applied to the tape to assure the proper application thereof; and
(b) pushing the tape from a position adjacent the near side to cause the tape and adhesive to engage an empty spool so that the cut web of paper is transferred and wound onto the empty spool.

The invention is hereinafter described in more detail by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic view in perspective of an embodiment of apparatus according to the invention;
Fig. 2 is an enlarged schematic view in elevation of the control mechanism of the Fig. 1 apparatus;
Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken at 3--3 of Fig. 1 or Fig. 2; and
Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken at 4--4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 1 shows apparatus for winding up manufactured paper on rolls for storage and use elsewhere. A continuous web of paper 20 travels at a relatively rapid rate of speed to a combination of spools upon which the paper is rolled. Paper web 20 advances toward tension roll 21 mounted in journals on supports 22, leading web 20 over driving roll 23, and winding about spool 24 turning in the direction of arrow 25. Driving roll 23 turns in the direction of arrow 26 and is pressed against the paper roll on spool 24, causing it to rotate in the indicated direction. When spool 24 has been filled at the desired capacity with paper from web 20, it is necessary to cut web 20 laterally, transfer the cut edge to an empty spool 27, and start the web winding on that spool in the direction of arrow 28 to eventually produce another filled spool, such as spool 24. Empty spool 27 is positioned vertically above the location shown in Fig. 1 until it is ready to accept paper from web 20 and begin winding it up. Spool 27, which may or may not be separately rotated as known in the art, is lowered until it contacts driving roll 23 and rotates with it, as shown in Fig. 1. Paper web 20 is then cut and the leading edge of web 20 is wrapped around an empty spool so that it may continue to wind up web 20 until that spool is ready to be replaced with still another empty spool. The web 20 is cut by introducing a cutting tape 33 at its forward end 34 into the nip 29 of empty roll 27 and driving roll 23 at the far end of the rolls causing tape 33 to wrap itself helically around spool 27 while cutting web 20 transversely in front of spool 27 and automatically carrying web 20 onto spool 27 to continue the winding of web 20 thereon. The cutting tape 33 is conducted from near end 32 to far end 31 in a guideway 30 passing underneath travelling web 20. Forward end 34 of tape 33 is conducted to adjacent the exit from guideway 30 at far end 31 and stops there to await the appropriate time to be moved forward to enter nip 29. The final movement of forward end 34 into nip 29 may be automatic depending on the movement of some part of the system as, for example, the primary arms of the spools actuating a limit switch, or it may be accomplished by the operator actuating a switch. It will be noted that all the controls, operations and checkpoints are located on the near end 32 of spools 21, 23, 24 and 27 so the operator will not be forced to go several feet under or over the travelling web 20 of paper to cause forward end 34 to be introduced into nip 29 to cause the paper web 20 to be cut and the web to start winding onto spool 27.
The principal features of this apparatus are the controls, sensing devices, and operational devices on the near side 32 of the spools and the web of paper 20. These are shown in their relationship to each other in both of FIGS. 1 and 2. Cutting tape 33, as described in my previous patents is a plurality of parallel strands of twisted repulpable paper fibers and is stored on a large supply spool 35, from which it is led into the entrance 40 of guideway 30 and conducted in an upside-down T-slot as shown in FIG. 3 where the cross bar 73 of the T is the conduit for cutting tape 33 and the leg 74 of the T is an opening extending lengthwise of guideway 30. A shallow recess 75 along the bottom of cross bar 73 is incorporated in the guideway so that the corresponding portion of cutting tape 33 above that recess may be coated with adhesive and not be in contact with guideway 30. It may be seen that cutting tape 30 is supported in its movement by the side edges of the tape in the side edges of cross bar portion 73. Tape 33 is sufficiently stiff to bridge this recess 75 and provide no frictional drag problems as tape 33 moves through guideway 30.
Tape 33 from supply roll 35 passes between rolls 36 and 37 and is propelled by driving roll 36 having tape 33 pressed there against by pressure roll 37. Pressure is applied by means of lever 38 to which is attached a pneumatic cylinder device 39 causing roll 37 to press against roll 36. Roll 36 is rotated by means not shown here, such as a shaft driven by a pulley and a belt from a motor. Tape 33 enters guideway 30 at entrance 40 into the T-slot described above and its presence is sensed by a photocell sensor 40'. If no tape thereat, the operator changes the supply roll and/or starts it between rolls 36 and 37. Tape 33 is propelled all the way across to far side 31 to the end of guideway 30 such that cut end 34 is about 3 inches short of nip 29. Sensor 77 notes that cut end 34 has passed by, and signals brake cylinder 60 and loop gate cylinder 57 to function. Alternatively sensor 77 may be omitted and pressure roll 37 controlled so as to rotate a selected number of revolutions and portions of revolutions, as measured by equidistant pick-up points 79 on roll 37, passing sensor 80, so as to propel cut end 34 to exactly the position desired short of nip 29. Brake pads 59 which oppose each other from both sides of tape 33 are squeezed together by pneumatic cylinder means 60 to stop any further movement of tape 33 toward far side 31. Pneumatic cylinder 57 actuated to cause section 56 of the T-slot in guideway 30 to be withdrawn leaving an unobstructed opening 58 into the temporary storage space below. This storage space is defined by guide walls 69 and permits a large loop 70 of tape 33 to hang down as seen in FIG. 2. Driving roll 36 continues to propel tape 33 into entrance 40 causing loop 70 to form. Pressure roll 37 is calibrated to turn a given number of revolutions so as to propel a selected length of tape 33 and then to stop automatically. When driving roll 36 stops, guillotine cutter 41 is actuated by pneumatic cylinder 42 to cut through tape 33 providing thereby a selected length of tape 33 from cutter 41 to cut end 34 for use in cutting paper web 20 at the appropriate time, which may be selected by the operator, or may be automatically set by a switch actuated by the movement of empty spool 27 into place for receiving web 20. When the operator is ready, cylinder 64 is activated moving lever 63 to cause press roll 62 to press tape 33 against propelling roll 61 to rotate a selected amount. A preferred procedure is to employ a rack 81 and pinion 83 combination in which a selected linear movement of a rack 81 through support bearing 82 causes pinion gear 83 to turn and rotate roller 61 in the direction of arrow 78 to push cut end 34 forward until it is caught in nip 29. As soon as the rotation of roll 61 is completed, brake pads 59 are pressed together to provide resistance to the movement of tape 33 in guideway 30. Tape 33 is helically wrapped around empty spool 27 and pulled taut because of the resistance provided by brake 59. This causes tape 33 to cut paper web 20 and to guide the cut edge onto spool 27 for winding up.
When the paper web 20 is safely and securely attached to spool 27 and being wound thereon, the operator causes a new cycle of operations to start that will result in having another length of tape 30 ready to be advanced into nip 29 to cut web 20 and start a new spool 27. The operations on the leading cut end 34 begin as it passes adhesive applicator roll 46 where single length, e.g., 3-4 inches, of double-sided pressure-sensitive adhesive tape on a supply tape 48 from supply roll 47 passes under tape 33 and is pressed against tape 33 by press roll 43, pushed downwardly by lever 44 operated by pneumatic cylinder means 45. The length of double sided adhesive tape 48 is adhered to tape 33 and while release liner 49 is peeled away from the adhesive tape and wound onto windup roll 50. As cut end 34 moves forward it is sensed by roller 51 which causes a signal to be sent from sensor housing 52 to pneumatic cylinder 45 to cause press roll 43 to lift slightly from tape 33 so as not to apply any further pressure to tape 33 at applicator roll 46 and thereby to attach only one length of adhesive tape to cutting tape 30. Tape cut end 34 then passes over sensor roller 53 which has a metal surface or other surface which tends to cling to the adhesive of the pressure sensitive tape on the bottom side of tape 33 applied at roll 46. The passage of the length of double-sided adhesive tape causes sensor roll 53 to rotate and thereby to swing arm 54 in a circle that passes near magnetic switch 55. This action causes a signal to be sent to pneumatic switch 66 operating guideway track switch 65 to keep it open for tape 33 to pass straight through portion 72 toward far side 31. If for any reason the cut end 34 does not have a length of adhesive tape thereon causing sensor roll not to rotate, no signal is sent to pneumatic switch 66 and guideway track switch 65 is thereby positioned to cause tape 33 to extend via portion 71 outwardly about 10 inches and to await the operator's option to apply a section of adhesive tape by hand, or to guide tape 33 to a waste collection area. If tape cut end 34 has no adhesive on it, it will not catch onto empty spool 27 and will not cut paper web 20. If all is well, with an adhesive tape portion on cut end 34, tape 33 will proceed to far side 31 to the end of guideway 30, brake pads 59 will be applied to stop the movement of tape 33, track section 56 will be removed, loop 70 will be formed and cutter 41 will cut tape 33 to complete the cycle.
It should be clear that many of the component parts of the system of FIG. 2 can be replaced by other items than those mentioned above. Pneumatic cylinders 39, 42, 45, 57, 60, 64 and 66 could be hydraulic cylinders, solenoids, or other linear movement devices. Adhesive application system of rolls 43, 46, 47 and 50 could be replaced by adhesive spray systems, or adhesive roll-on systems as described in my U.S. Patent No. 4,783,018. Sensing devices 51, 52, 53, 54 and 55 could be replaced by light beam or X-ray beam interrupting systems or other similar detectors known in the art. The operation of levers 38, 43, and 63 could be spring biased so as to assume one position automatically and to be moved by the corresponding pneumatic cylinders in only one direction rather than two. Similarly track switch 65 could be spring biased to be in one position automatically, and be moved to the other position only when signalled to do so.

Claims

An apparatus for cutting with a tape (33) a travelling web (20) of paper being wound on a first spool (24) and for transferring the web (20) to an empty spool (27) for continued winding by attaching to the far end (31) of an empty spool (24) a cutting tape (33) emerging from a guideway (30), the tape (33) being fed from a supply and processing area adjacent the near end (32) of the empty spool (27), the guideway (30) extending transversely beneath the web (20) and having a lengthwise slot (74) facing generally upwardly toward the web (20) or spools, (24, 27), the tape (33) having a forward cut end portion (34) coated with an adhesive (48') for a short distance along the center portion thereof and leaving the edges free of adhesive, the tape (33) being slidingly supported in the guideway (30) along the edges (73) that are free of adhesive (48'), a propelling means (36) for feeding the forward cut end portion (34) of an endless supply (35) of tape (33) through the guideway (30) and through an applicator means (46, 47, 43) for applying to the cut end portion (34) adhesive (48') along the central portion of the tape (33) while leaving the edges of the tape free of adhesive, means (41) for cutting the tape (33) forwardly of the endless supply (35) of tape (33), and means (61) for advancing the cut end portion (34) from adjacent the far end (31) to contact at the nip (29) with empty spool (27), and characterized in that the apparatus further comprises: a sensor (53, 54) adjacent the near end (32) to detect the presence of the adhesive (48') on the cut end portion (34); and means (61) adjacent the near end (32) for directing the tape (33) toward the far end (31) of the guideway (30) when the sensor (53, 54) detects the presence of the adhesive (48') on the cut end portion (34).
The apparatus of Claim 1 wherein the means (61) adjacent the near end (32) for directing the tape (33) also selectively directs same to a waste collection area when the sensor (51) fails to detect the presence of the adhesive (48') on the cut end portion (34), the sensor (51) is operatively connected to the means (61) for selectively directing the tape so as to direct to the waste collection area tape (33) having an absence or an insufficient amount of adhesive (48'), and correspondingly, to direct to the far end (31) the tape (33) having a presence of a sufficient amount of adhesive (48').
The apparatus of Claim 1 wherein the applicator means (46, 47, 43) for applying adhesive (48) to the cut end portion (34) is adapted to apply a short length of double-sided adhesive (48') to the cut end portion (34), the sensor (51) being operatively connected to the means (61) adjacent the near end (32) for directing the tape (33) so as to selectively direct to a waste collection area tape (33) having an absence or an insufficient length of double-sided adhesive (48') or to permit an operator to supply adhesive (48') thereto before directing such tape (33) to the far end (31).
The apparatus of Claim 1 wherein the sensor (53, 54) includes a stationary magnetic operable switch means (55) for detecting the passage of a magnetic member (54) and a roller (53) adapted to be freely rotated about its axis by the passage of the tape (33) with a length of adhesive (48') thereon by frictional contact between the adhesive (48') and the surface of the roller (53), the roller (53) including the magnetic member (54) adapted to rotate with the roller (53) to actuate the switch means (55) when the roller (53) rotates at least more than one-half revolution to assure the presence of a sufficient length of adhesive (48').
The apparatus of Claim 1, further comprising a brake means (59,60) arranged and adapted selectively to clamp the cutting tape (33), and a far end sensor (77) to detect the passage of the cut end portion (34) at the far end (31) of the guideway (30), the far end sensor (77) being operatively connected to the brake means (59, 60) to cause the brake means (59, 60) to stop further forward movement of the cutting tape (33) until the means (61) for advancing is operated to move the tape cut end portion (34) into its contact at the nip (29) and attachment via the adhesive (48') thereon with the empty spool (24).
The apparatus of Claim 1 further characterized by means (56, 57, 59, 60) to divert a trailing portion (70) of the cutting tape (33) attached to the cut end portion (34) into a storage space (69) to form a loop (70) prior to cutting the tape (33) by the means (41) for cutting, the means (56, 57, 59, 60) to divert including means (57) to slideably remove a section (56) of said guideway (30) so as to allow the cutting tape (33) advancing toward the section (56) to form the loop (70) of cutting tape (33) hanging downwardly from the guideway (30) while remaining supported by the guideway (30) ahead of and behind said section (56).
The apparatus of Claim 1, further comprising a release tape (49) adapted to apply adhesive tape (48) to the cutting tape (49) having adhesive tape (48) adhered thereto, the release tape (49) being readily releasable from the adhesive tape (48).
The apparatus of Claim 1 further comprising sensing means (51, 52) adjacent the near end (32) to detect the passage of the cut end portion (34) of the cutting tape (33) beyond the means (46, 47, 43) for applying adhesive (48).
The apparatus of Claim 8 wherein the means (46, 47, 43) to supply adhesive (48), is adapted to supply adhesive in the form of adhesive tape (48'), and wherein the sensing means (51, 52) to detect the cut end (34) is operatively connected to the means (46, 47, 43) to apply adhesive (48) so as to apply only one length of adhesive tape (48') to the cut end (34) and to position the means (46, 47, 43) to apply to the next succeeding length of cutting tape (33).
The apparatus of Claim 1, further comprising a brake means (59, 60) arranged and adapted selectively to temporarily clamp the tape (33), the brake means (59, 60) being adapted to be applied immediately after advancing the cut end (34) of the tape (33) to contact with the empty spool (27), so as to apply resistance to the cutting tape (33) causing it to pull taut and thereby cut the web (20) of paper in operation.
The apparatus of Claim 1 further characterized by means (56, 57, 59, 60) for forming a loop (70) adjacent the trailing portion of the cutting tape (33) prior to feeding the cut end portion (34) into contact with the empty spool (27), the loop (70) being formed prior to cutting the tape (33) by the means (41) for cutting.
A method of preparing a tape (33) to be used in cutting a travelling web (20) of paper being wound on a spool (24) and transferring the web (20) to an empty spool (27) for continued winding, the method including the steps of moving sufficient tape (33) from a supply roll (35) into a guideway (30) extending from the near side (32) to the far side (31) of the web (20); applying adhesive (48) adjacent the near side (32) to the central portion of the underside of the tape (33) adjacent its far end (34) so that the tape (33) may be supported along its side edges by the guideway (30) during its movement after the adhesive (48) is applied; the method being characterized by the steps of:
(a) sensing (53, 54) the tape (33) after the adhesive (48) is applied to the tape (33) to assure the proper application thereof; and

(b) pushing (61) the tape (33) from a position adjacent the near side (32) to cause the tape (33) and adhesive (48) to engage an empty spool (27) so that the cut web (20) of paper is transferred and wound onto the empty spool (27).
The method of Claim 12 further comprising the step of:
(c) forming a loop (70) of the tape (33) adjacent its near end (32) prior to cutting the tape (33) at its near end (32) by temporarily removing a supporting portion (56) of the guideway (30) to permit loop (70) formation therebelow.