EP0638496B1 - Method and means for introducing sheet-like material in a machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The method consists in controlling the movement of a member (8) for supporting a stack of sheets (12) on the basis of the speed of movement of the rear edge (4b) of a sheet (4a) as it is being introduced. The means comprises a first conveying member (2) followed by a second conveying member (5), both housed in a vacuum box (7), the first conveying member (2) being provided with a supporting member (8) moved by a control member (16) driven in phase with the first conveying member (2). <IMAGE>

Description

The subject of the present invention is a method for introducing a material into a plate into a machine for converting this material into a plate, in particular corrugated cardboard plates, and a device for carrying out the method.

Devices for introducing a sheet material, such as corrugated cardboard, are already known in a processing machine, for example in a machine printing, cutting and folding corrugated cardboard plates. Such a device is described in US Patent No. 5,048,812.

In this patent, the device comprises a magazine intended to receive a stack of sheets. A gauge is placed at the front of this magazine so that only the bottom sheet of the stack of sheets can pass between the bottom of this gauge and the plane defined by the leaf drive arranged under the magazine . In the embodiment described by the aforementioned patent, the sheet driving device comprises a first series of driving rollers driven by a modulated rotary movement passing from a stop at a speed substantially equal to that of a second series of rollers rotating at constant speed which preferably corresponds to the linear speed of the cardboard plates in the working machine. In this publication, the first series of driving rollers is associated with leaf lifting members, controlled according to the arrival of the front edge of the sheet extracted from the magazine on the first second series roll. Thus, as soon as the front of the sheet arrives at the level of the first roller of the second series, a first lifting member will be applied against the underside of the sheet being introduced and will raise the entire stack, so that contact is no longer established between the drive members and the sheet being introduced. As soon as the front edge of the latter has reached the second roller of the second series, a second lifting member will act, in the same way as the first, on the sheet being introduced. The front edge of the sheet being introduced will then reach the third roller of the second series and a third lifting member will be actuated. Finally, the front edge of the sheet being introduced having reached the fourth roller of the second series, a fourth lifting member will be actuated. This aim of the actuation of these lifting members being to support the stack of sheets in the magazine during the introduction of the lower sheet thereof. However, as can easily be understood, this procedure forces the bottom sheet of the stack to rub against the top face of the lifting members before the latter effectively retain the stack of sheets remaining in the magazine. This has the effect that the weight of the stack of sheets which is in the magazine and which is combined with the friction due to the lifting members disturbs the correct introduction of the sheets into the machine.

Another disadvantage of this device lies in the fact that during large formats in length, this friction effect lasts until the back of the sheet has left the first organ. lifting, which does not provide a precise introduction.

The object of the present invention is to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks and, for this purpose, the method for introducing a material into a plate, in particular corrugated cardboard plates, into a machine for converting this material into a plate using a first lower transport member and acting on the lower plate of a stack of plates, animated in a sequential movement, associated with mobile support members of the stack of plates remaining in a magazine, of a second transport member arranged following the first transport member, animated by a uniform movement, said transport members being arranged in a suction box, is characterized in that the movement of the mobile support members is controlled as a function of the displacement of the rear edge of the lower plate of said stack of plates being introduced, so that the mobile support members (8) support the stack of plates (2) remaining in the store (13) as the said lower plate (4a) moves.

The device for implementing the method according to claim 1, comprises a suction box in which are arranged first plate transport members animated in a sequential movement, said suction box being placed below a stack of plates contained in a magazine having a front wall adjustable vertically with respect to the upper plane of the first transport members to allow the passage of the lower plate of the stack of plates, of the second transport members of the plates animated with a uniform movement and arranged at following the first transport members, and mobile members for supporting the stack of plates, and is characterized in that the mobile members for supporting the stack of plates comprise a set of rollers mounted on rods controlled by transverse shafts oscillating, said set of rollers being disposed on either side of the first plate transport members, in that each oscillating transverse shaft is provided, at one of its ends, with a lever controlled by a piloting member driven in phase with the displacement of the rear edge of the plate during insertion, said lever being equipped with return means for applying it in the direction of the control member, in that each oscillating transverse shaft is equipped, at one of its ends, of a locking device intended to temporarily maintain the position of one of the levers having been moved upwards by the control member, and in that the locking device of each of the oscillating transverse shafts is controlled in phase with the movement of the first transport member.

Advantageously, in a first version, the control member is constituted by an endless belt comprising a control shoe acting, during the movement of the endless belt against the end of each of the levers of the transverse shafts, said levers being provided return means constituted by springs.

In a second embodiment, the steering member is constituted by cams acting on each of the levers of the transverse shafts.

In a third version, the locking means comprise at least one clutch locked in rotation, during the upward movement cycle of the mobile support members and released, during the downward movement cycle of the mobile support members, these ci then simultaneously moving down.

The advantage obtained thanks to this invention lies essentially in the fact that the introduction of plates in a machine working them can be carried out without friction occurring between the upper face of the support member of the stack of plates when moving a plate during insertion. In addition, another advantage lies in the fact that the weight of the stack of plates remaining in the magazine is retained as the plate being introduced advances in the device, which greatly improves the precision of the introduction of the plates by considerably reducing the frictional forces between the plate being introduced and the stack remaining in the magazine.

• Les figures 1 à 6 illustrent schématiquement le principe de fonctionnement du dispositif selon l'invention,
• La figure 7 représente en vue schématique et en coupe partielle, une première forme d'exécution d'un dispositif d'introduction,
     La figure 8 représente une seconde forme d'exécution du dispositif de la figure 7,
• La figure 9 représente une vue en coupe selon IX-IX de la figure 7 et
• La figure 10 représente schématiquement un mode de réalisation de la liaison des arbres transversaux avec le dispositif de verrouillage.

Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will be highlighted in the description of one of its embodiments, given by way of nonlimiting example and with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• FIGS. 1 to 6 schematically illustrate the operating principle of the device according to the invention,
• FIG. 7 represents in schematic view and in partial section, a first embodiment of an introduction device,
  FIG. 8 represents a second embodiment of the device of FIG. 7,
• FIG. 9 represents a sectional view along IX-IX of FIG. 7 and
• FIG. 10 schematically represents an embodiment of the connection of the transverse shafts with the locking device.

The introduction device 1 of FIG. 1 comprises a first conveyor 2 driven by a sequential movement authorizing the modulation of the linear speed of its endless belts 3 of a zero speed at a speed corresponding to the linear speed of the plates 4 in the processing machine (not shown). This first conveyor 2 is followed by a second conveyor 5 represented here by transverse rollers 6 and driven continuously at a speed corresponding to the linear speed of the plates 4 in the transformation machine. These two transporters 2 and 5 are here placed inside a suction box 7. One could easily imagine that only the first of the transporters 2 is placed in the suction box 7 while the second transporter 5, of any construction, is as for him simply placed following the suction box 7. The first conveyor 2 is associated with a support member 8 constituted by rods 9 mounted by one of their ends, on transverse shafts 10. Their other end is equipped of rollers 11. A stack of plates 12 is placed in a magazine 13 located above the first conveyor 2. This magazine 13 comprises inter alia a front wall 14 adjustable vertically to allow the passage of the plates 4 between its lower part and the plane upper defined by endless belts 3.

The arrangement of the various members, shown in FIG. 1, corresponds to the location they occupy at the end of the plate 4 insertion cycle, that is to say that all the rollers 11 occupy a higher position and , therefore, isolate the lower plate 4a of the conveyor 2 thereby supporting the stack of plates 12. The endless belts 3 are in the slowing phase.

To simplify the representation of the figures, the suction box 7 has not been drawn in FIGS. 2 to 6.

In the situation shown in Figure 2, the endless belts 3 of the first conveyor 2 will be stopped. The locking means of the transverse shafts 10 (see also Fig. 9) will have been disengaged and the rods 9 of the support member 8, biased downwards by their springs 15 (see Fig. 7 and 8) will all occupy a position placing the rollers 11 below the plane defined by the upper part of the endless belts 3. A plate 4a will thus be brought into contact with the endless belts 3 which are, for the moment, stopped. As for the plate 4, it will continue to move in the direction of the plate transformation machine under the effect of the second conveyor 5 which will have continued to rotate at the speed of the transformation machine.

In the situation represented by FIG. 3, the endless belts 3 of the first conveyor 2 will be set in motion, from zero speed to machine speed and therefore will drive the plate 4a, under the front wall 14 of the magazine 13. At the same time in advance of the endless belts 3, a control member 16 (see Fig. 7 and 8) will have acted so as to pivot up the first link 9a of the support member 8 so that the roller 11a support the stack of plates 12 remaining in the magazine 13. The control member 16 is driven in synchronism with the advance of the plate 4a on the endless belts 3, which means that, as soon as the rear edge 4b of the plate 4a will have left the level of the roller 11a, this will be brought into contact with the lower plate 4c of the stack of plates 12 and will support the latter without there having been friction between the roller 11a and the plate 4a. We will see later, with reference to Figure 9, how the rod 9a remains in the high position.

In the situation represented by FIG. 4, the plate 4a, continuing its advance under the effect of the endless belts 3, will have released its rear edge 4b from the zone of action of the roller 11b, the latter will then be brought as the roller 11a preceding in contact with the plate 4c of the stack of plates 12, this always without there being friction between the roller 11b and the plate 4a during introduction.

In FIG. 5, the roller 11c has come into contact with the plate 4c because the rear edge 4b has also left the area of action of the roller 11c which, in turn, will support the stack of plates 12 remaining in store 13.

Finally, FIG. 6 represents the situation while the rear edge 4b of the plate 4a leaves the zone of action of the roller 11d, this just before the roller 11e is also raised after the rear edge 4b of the plate 4a has left its area of action and that we find ourselves in the situation represented by FIG. 1 and that the endless belts 3 of the first conveyor 2 are again stopped. The introductory cycle can then start again.

FIG. 7 represents, in diagrammatic view and in partial section, a first embodiment of an introduction device 1 comprising a first transport member having the form of a first conveyor 2 with endless belts arranged one next to each other across the width of the insertion device 1. A magazine 13 intended to receive a stack of plates 12 is located immediately above the first conveyor 2. As already mentioned previously, a second transport member 5, formed here by rollers 6, follows first conveyor 2. The situation shown in this figure corresponds to that shown in figure 1. As has already been explained, the first conveyor 2 is driven by a sequential movement passing from zero speed to a speed corresponding to the linear speed of movement of the plates 4 in the transformation machine (not shown), and the second conveyor 5 is, in turn, driven at the same speed as the transformation machine. In this figure, the lower plate of the stack of plates 12 is supported by the rollers 11a to 11e of the support member 8. The endless belts 3 of the first conveyor 2 are driven by a transverse shaft 17. Preferably, these endless belts 3 are toothed belts, coated with a material having a good adhesion characteristic for driving the plate 4a of the stack 12 with good precision, also conferred by the choice of toothed belts. The rollers 11a to 11e are each mounted at one end of the links 9a to 9e, the other end of which is keyed or pinned to the oscillating transverse shafts 10a to 10e. Levers 18a to 18e are also mounted at one end of the oscillating transverse shafts 10a to 10e while the links 9a to 9e are placed between the lateral space existing between the endless belts 3 of each of the first conveyors 2, this across the width of the insertion device 1. Each of the levers 18a to 18e is also keyed or pinned to the end of the oscillating transverse shafts 10a to 10e and is provided with actuating rollers 19a to 19e intended to be controlled by a control member 16. The levers 18a to 18e are each fitted with return springs 15 intended to apply them in the direction of the control member. piloting 16. This piloting member 16 comprises, for each series of support members 8, an endless belt 21 passing around a drive pulley 22 and a driven pulley 23, the drive pulley 22 being keyed to a rotary transverse shaft 24 rotating in phase with the first conveyor 2, so that the movement of the support member 8 is controlled by the movement of the rear edge 4b of the plate to be introduced into the processing machine. The endless belt 21 of the control member 16 is advantageously a toothed belt on which is fixed a control shoe 25 intended to act, during its passage, on each of the actuating rollers 19a to 19th; the endless belt 21 of the control member 16 can also be supported, in its upper strand, by a sole 30 or by notched rollers. As shown in FIG. 7, the two conveyors 2 and 5 are arranged inside the suction box 7, the upper face 26 of which is provided with longitudinal and transverse openings (not shown) to allow the passage of the endless belts 3, rollers 6 of the conveyor 5 and rollers 11a to 11e of the support members 8 distributed between the endless belts 3 across the width of the insertion device 1. As already mentioned, the conveyor 5 can also be placed after the box suction 7 and can take, for example, the form of a simple plate driving device consisting of rollers or transport clamps of the same type as that encountered in printing or cardboard converting machines. Each of the endless belts 3 can be supported in its active part under the stack of plates 12 using a support sole 29 or notched rollers (not shown). Of course, it is possible to close one or other of its openings according to the width of the plates to be introduced, so as to limit the consumption of suction air. A unidirectional device 31 shown in FIG. 9 is mounted at the end of each of the oscillating transverse shafts 10a to 10e so that the vertical position of the rollers 11a to 11e is temporarily maintained after the passage of the control shoe 25.

FIG. 8 represents a second embodiment of the device of FIG. 7 in which the support member 8 comprises a piloting member 16 produced by cams 27a to 27e, mounted on rotary transverse shafts 28a to 28e, intended for act on the actuating rollers 19a to 19e of the levers 18a to 18e in the same way as the control shoe 25 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7. All the other elements of this FIG. 8 have the same reference signs as those of Figure 7 because they are identical. In addition, the rotation of the transverse shafts 28a to 28e supporting the cams 27a to 27e is carried out using a conventional gear train (not shown), so that the movement transmitted to the support member 8 is in phase with the movement of the rear edge 4b of the plate 4a during introduction into the transformation machine.

FIG. 9 represents a sectional view along IX-IX of FIG. 7 in which the arrangement of the various members is seen in the width of the introduction device 1. In this figure, the stack of plates 12 also rests on the rollers 11a in 11e and in this view, only the roller 11b of the series is shown for each of the support members 8. One of the ends of the oscillating transverse shaft 10b, as well as that of each of the transverse shafts oscillating 10a, 10c, 10d and 10e, is equipped with a unidirectional device constituted in this example by a free wheel 31 engaged with a series of pinions 32 of a gear train 34 (see Fig. 10) and with the pinion 33 of a locking device 35 constituted by an electromagnetic clutch 36. Each oscillating transverse shaft 10a to 10b is held in bearings 37 and 38 arranged in the side walls of the suction box 7, and the return pulleys 39 of the endless belts 3 are mounted on rolling bearings 40 arranged along the transverse shaft 10b while the other transverse shafts 10a, 10c, 10d and 10e do not support any pulley. As can be seen in this figure, the links 9b are pinned to the oscillating transverse shaft 10b and, therefore, its oscillating movement will be transmitted to the links supporting the rollers 11b. This oscillating movement, coming from the steering member 16 will, of course, also be transmitted at the desired time to the other oscillating transverse shafts 10a, 10c, 10d and 10e. The electromagnetic clutch 36 will be anchored, by its fixed part, against one of the frames 41 of the introduction device 1. The endless toothed belt 21 of the control member 16 is preferably driven by a motor 42 but one could easily imagine driving it via a gearbox coupled to the drive control of the first conveyor 2 at modulated speed so that the two drives are in phase with one 'other.

The function of the locking member 34 therefore makes it possible, by means of the freewheel 31, to keep the position of the levers 18a to 18th once they have been pivoted by the action of the control shoe 25 or cams 27a to 27e, the electromagnetic clutch 36 being blocked and preventing any rotation of the pinion 33, and this until the whole plate 4a has been introduced into the transformation machine. Then, the zero speed passage control of the first conveyor will be used to actuate the electromagnetic clutch 36 which will trigger and, under the effect of the return springs 15 (see Fig. 7 and 8), all the levers 18a at 18th will be brought back to their initial position so that the rollers 11a to 11e of the support member 8 are brought into the position shown in FIG. 2.

It is quite clear that one could imagine using other elements to constitute the locking member, for example by using a mechanical release member associated either with a free wheel or a ratchet wheel, the tripping being caused by the passage at zero speed of the first transport members.

FIG. 10 schematically represents an embodiment of the connection of the oscillating transverse shafts 10a to 10e with the locking device 34. In this figure, the freewheels 31 are mounted inside the toothed wheels 43 engaged with the pinions 32 and 33. In this way, all the oscillating transverse shafts 10a to 10e can be moved angularly and independently of one another in one direction during the cycle of rise of the support members 8 when the clutch 36 is blocked, this by the effect of the free wheels 31, and all the shafts 10a to 10e can be moved angularly and simultaneously during the descent cycle of the support members 8 when the clutch 36 is released.

Claims (7)

1. Method for introducing a plate-like matter, ie corrugated cardboard plates, in a machine that processes such a matter owing to a first lower transportation organ (2) which acts on the lowermost plate-like matter (4a) of a pile (12) of plate-like matters and which is driven with a sequential motion, associated to mobile organs (8) for supporting the pile (12) of plate-like matters remaining in a store (13), and owing to a second transportation organ (5) which is arranged next to the first transportation organ (2) as well as driven with a uniform motion, the said transportation organs (2, 5) being arranged in a suction case (7), characterized by the fact that the motion of the mobile supporting organs (8) is subjected to the travelling motion of the rear edge (4b) of the lowermost plate-like matter (4a) of the said pile (12) of plate-like matters being introduced, so that the mobile supporting organs (8) support the pile (12) of plate-like matters remaining in the store (13) according the travelling motion of said lowermost plate-like matter (4a).
2. Device for bringing into operation the method according to claim 1, which comprises a suction case (7) in which are arranged the first organs (2) for transporting the plate-like matters (4, 4a), which are driven with a sequential motion, the said suction case (7) being placed underneath a pile (12) of plate-like matters contained in a store (13) which possesses a front wall (14) vertically adjustable with regard to the upper plane of the first transportation organs (2) in order to authorize the passage of the lowermost plate-like matter (4a) of the pile (12), the second organs (5) for transporting the plate-like matters (4a), which are driven with a uniform motion as well as arranged next to the first transportation organs (2), and the mobile organs (8) supporting the pile (12) of plate-like matters, characterized by the fact that the mobile organs (8) for supporting the pile (12) of plate-like matters include an assembly of rollers (11a to 11e) fitted on small rods (9a to 9e) driven by oscillating crosswise shafts (10a to 10e), the said assembly of rollers (11a to 11e) being arranged on either sides of the first organs (2) for transporting the plate-like matters (4a), by the fact that each oscillating crosswise shaft (10a to 10e) is provided at one of its ends with a lever (18a to 18e) controlled by a driving organ (16) driven in phase with the traveling motion of the rear edge (4b) of the lowermost plate-like matter (4a) being introduced, the said lever (18a to 18e) being equipped with pull-back means (15) which apply it towards the driving organ (16), by the fact that each oscillating crosswise shaft (10a to 10e) has at one of its ends an interlocking device (34) destined to temporarily keep the position of one of the levers (18a to 18e) having been moved upward by the driving organ (16), and by the fact that the interlocking device (34) of each oscillating crosswise shaft (10a to 10e) is driven in phase with the motion of the first transportation organ (2).
3. Device according to claim 2, characterized by the fact that the driving organ (16) driven in phase with the traveling motion of the rear edge (4b) of the lowermost plate-like matter being introduced consists of an endless belt (21) having a driving shoe (25) which acts successively on the end of each lever (18a to 18b) of the oscillating crosswise shafts (10a to 10b) during the motion of the endless belt (21), the said levers (18a to 18b) being provided with pull-back means consisting of springs (15).
4. Device according to claim 2, characterized by the fact that the driving organ (16) consists of cams (27a to 27e) acting successively on each lever (18a to 18e) of the oscillating crosswise shafts (10a to 10e).
5. Device according to claim 2, characterized by the fact that the interlocking device (34) includes at least a clutch (36) rotarily locked in the course of the upward motion cycle of the mobile supporting organs (8) and released in the course of the downward motion cycle of the mobile supporting organs (8), the latter moving then simultaneously downward.
6. Device according to claim 5, characterized by the fact that the downward motion cycle of the mobile supporting organs (8) is effectuated at the moment when the first organs (2) for transporting the plate-like matters (4a), which are driven with a sequential motion, are almost at zero speed.
7. Device according to claim 5, characterized by the fact that the interlocking device (34) includes a unidirectional device (31) consisting of a free wheel fitted on each of the oscillating crosswise shafts (10a to 10e) and associated with a gear-train (31, 32, 33) linking every oscillating crosswise shaft (10a to 10e).

Images