EP0652173B1 - Continuous web material unwinding machine with automatic cutting and butt splicing device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to the field of machines for continuously unrolling materials into strips, in particular cutting and end-to-end connection means, and relates to such a machine provided with an automatic cutting and end-to-end connection device. end.

The materials in strips such as paper, cardboard or other films intended for the supply of printing, coating or other machines, are generally unwound from reels by means of unrolling machines.

The continuity of the operation of the unwinding of the strips, when a reel reaches its end, is ensured by a connection in full operation of the ending strip on the new strip.

For this purpose, there are various devices for cutting the finishing strip on the fly and for connecting the end of the latter to the end of the beginning of the strip of a new full reel. This connection is made overlapping or end to end.

In the case of butt connection, the new strip is prepared, the coil being stopped, that is to say that its end is cut along a perfect straight line and is provided with a first adhesive seal s' extending over its entire width and projecting from the end of the new strip by a value corresponding substantially to half the width of the adhesive seal, a cutout of the latter may be provided at the level of the possible passage of a launching strap of the new coil. To allow the end of the strip start with its seal on the new reel, adhesive fixing tabs are generally provided on the free side of the adhesive seal on the body of said new coil. The connection is made by prior launching of the new coil at a circumferential speed corresponding to the linear speed of the finishing strip and a cutting on the fly of the latter is then triggered by means of a locating means cooperating with the new reel, so as to allow the end of the ending strip to be applied to the free side of the adhesive seal fitted to the start of strip end of the new reel. Such a cutting and connecting device is known in particular from DE-B-1 288 866 and from DE-A-2 519 057.

These cutting-initiating devices can either be constituted as attached elements on the side of the new reel and triggering the cutting by direct actuation of a lever or the like (DE-B-1 288 866), or be integrated directly into the cutting means and cooperate with an adjoining device close to the new coil at the time when the cutting must be carried out, or even be constituted by an assembly of optical cells connected to a computer for triggering the cutting and the connection and of which one of the elements is mounted on the side of the new coil.

These known triggering devices do not, however, allow obtaining a perfect end-to-end connection, which can be detrimental to the final product obtained, in particular in the case of working at high or very high speed with machines. to unroll modern, where the precision of the cut and the application on the joint is paramount.

Indeed, obtaining a perfect connection is linked to a very precise positioning of the end of the new strip when cutting the finishing strip, so that the end of the latter is applied to the adhesive seal of in such a way that the two ends of finishing and new bands touch each other. This result can only be obtained if several conditions are met simultaneously, namely absolutely identical linear speeds and arrival of the end of the new strip exactly at the end of the ending strip at the point of connection.

Currently, these conditions cannot be met with certainty, because the connection operation is carried out manually or semi-automatically, the monitoring of the coincidence of the speeds to be achieved being carried out by the operator, who then triggers the 'cutting order of the finishing strip, this cutting being immediately followed by the connection.

In addition, current cutting methods require the constant presence of the operator near the machine for the purpose of monitoring the entire cutting process.

In addition, certain means of triggering or determining the moment of triggering of the cut being fixed on the side of the reel to be unwound, there is a risk of projection of these means out of the grip of the machine and, therefore risk of operator injury. In addition, such a projection can also be detrimental to the average thus projected.

The present invention aims to overcome these drawbacks.

It has, in fact, for its object a machine for continuously unrolling materials into strips provided with a cutting and end-to-end connection device, as defined in claim 1.

• la figure 1 est une vue en élévation latérale d'une machine à dérouler en continu conforme à l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue partielle en plan représentant le mécanisme de déclenchement de la coupe et du raccordement et de récupération du moyen amovible de déclenchement ;
• les figures 3 et 4 sont des vues en élévation latérale, à plus grande échelle, représentant le mécanisme de déclenchement suivant la figure 2, respectivement en position d'attente avant déclenchement et en position de déclenchement ;
• la figure 5 est une vue partielle en élévation latérale représentant le moyen de positionnement du moyen amovible sur la nouvelle bobine, et
• la figure 6 est une vue en plan, par dessous, de la nouvelle bobine prête au raccordement.

The invention will be better understood from the description below, which relates to a preferred embodiment, given by way of nonlimiting example, and explained with reference to the appended schematic drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a continuous unwinding machine according to the invention;
• Figure 2 is a partial plan view showing the mechanism for triggering the cut and the connection and recovery of the removable trigger means;
• Figures 3 and 4 are side elevational views, on a larger scale, showing the trigger mechanism according to Figure 2, respectively in the waiting position before tripping and in the tripping position;
• FIG. 5 is a partial view in side elevation showing the means for positioning the removable means on the new reel, and
• Figure 6 is a plan view, from below, of the new coil ready for connection.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings shows a machine for continuously unrolling materials in strips comprising a frame 1, on which are guided in rotation two plates or discs 2 parallel to each other and interconnected by means of axes (not shown ) of tilting support and guide arm 3 for coil support 4. Such a machine allows one of the coils 4 to be unwound, while the empty mandrel of the other is replaced by a new coil, which is prepared after gripping by the corresponding arms 3.

When the reel 4 which is being unwound comes to an end, the new reel 4, ready to be connected and provided for this purpose with an adhesive seal 5 extending over the entire width of the start of its strip, this seal 5 protruding by half its width said start and being held on the reel 4 by means of fasteners 6, is rotated, for example, by means of a belt launcher 7 housed in the lower part of the chassis 1, a cutout 8 being provided in the joint part 5 projecting from the start of the new strip for the passage of the starter belt 7.

Upon reaching a circumferential speed of the new reel 4 equal to the linear speed of the finishing strip of the other reel 4, the latter is cut and its terminal end is connected end to end at the end of the new strip at by means of a device 9 for cutting and connecting end to end.

In accordance with the invention and as shown, by way of example, Figures 1 to 6 of the drawings appended, the device 9 for cutting and end-to-end connection is automatic and essentially consists of a removable means 10 for initiating the cutting and end-to-end connection, mounted on the new reel to be unwound 4 and cooperating successively with an automaton for controlling the cutting and then connection process and with a mechanism 11 for triggering the cutting and connection as well as for recovering the removable triggering means 10, and by means 12 for positioning the removable means 10 on the new coil 4 before automatic cycle started.

The removable means 10 for triggering the cutting and the end-to-end connection is advantageously in the form of a counterweight provided on its face facing the coil 4 with fixing pins (not shown) and provided, on the one hand, with 'A means 13 intended to cooperate with the mechanism 11 for triggering the cutting and connection and, on the other hand, a reflector 14 intended to cooperate with the automaton for controlling the cutting and connection process.

The controller for controlling the cutting and joining process, on the one hand, consists of a programmable controller integrating the instantaneous speeds of rotation of the unwinding reel and the diameter of the latter, by cooperation with photo-type detectors -electric or other and meters of the multiturn or other encoder type (not shown) and by a photoelectric cell 15 mounted on the chassis 1 of the machine (FIG. 2) and cooperating with the reflector 14 of the removable means 10 for triggering the cut and the end-to-end connection and, on the other hand, issues the orders to launch the new coil and trigger the cut and the connection.

The mechanism 11 for triggering the cutting and the connection as well as for recovering the removable triggering means 10 is constituted by a support 16 mounted with the possibility of adjustable movement transversely along the reel width on an axis 17 and by a lever 18 for triggering the cutting and connecting device 9, end to end guided in pivoting on the support 16 and cooperating, for the maintenance of this device 9 before cutting and connection, by means of a stop 19, with a stop 20 secured to an arm 21 for supporting at least one knife 22 for cutting the finishing strip (FIGS. 3 and 4).

The transverse movement of the support 16 on the axis 17 is achieved by means of a jack not shown, this movement being adjusted in amplitude by means of a screw stop or the like (not shown) arranged on the axis 17.

Preferably, the support 16 is in the form of a lever parallel to the lever 18 for triggering the cutting and connecting device 9 and is provided at its free end with a roller 23 extending perpendicularly in front of the support 16 and the lever 18 and slightly protruding from the vertical plane of the face facing the interior of the machine of the lever 18. Thus, it is possible to make a prior adjustment of the transverse displacement of the support 16 and of the lever 18, so as to bring the caster 23 in contact with the side of the new reel 4 to be unwound, this position corresponding to the position in which the cut is triggered as well as the connection, in which the means 10 press on the lever 18 and come to rest on the support 16 by l through his means 13.

This means 13 is preferably constituted by a blind housing flared towards its opening and has, for example, a triangular cross section (Figure 6).

After adjusting the transverse movement of the support 16, the latter is pushed back into the rest position against the chassis 1 of the machine and will be automatically moved to the service position by the automatic control system for the cutting and joining process.

To ensure reception of the removable means 10 for triggering the cutting and the end-to-end connection on the support 16 after triggering of the lever 18, the support 16 is further provided with means 24 for holding said removable means 10 under shape of a magnet or the like (Figure 2). Such a means 24 makes it possible to recover with certainty the counterweight forming the means 10 and thus to prevent it from falling inside the chassis 1 with the risk inherent in recovery during operation.

The means 12 for positioning the removable means 10 on the new reel 4 before the automatic cycle is engaged is advantageously in the form of a template constituted by a flat plate provided at one end with lugs 25 for bearing on the reel and at its other end of holes 26 arranged in a semicircle and allowing alignment on the end of the new strip to be unrolled, said plate pressing against the side of the coil and having, in addition, a cutout corresponding to the flat section removable means 10.

Thus, it is possible to arrange the removable means 10 extremely precisely on the side of the new reel 4, relatively to the start of the new strip or to the first seal 5, the spacing of this means 10 relative to the generator of the latter being adjusted by matching one of the holes 26 with the end of the new strip.

This spacing can, for example, be determined by means of a chart.

Preferably, the unwinding machine is further provided with a back pressure means 27 intended to cooperate, for cutting, with the knife or knives 22 of the device 9 for cutting and end-to-end connection and pivotally mounted, by means of arms 28, on the plates 2 for supporting the coils 4. This counter-pressure means 27 is approached, in the standby position for cutting and connection, of the finishing strip and is applied against the latter simultaneously with the initiation of the cut, so as to avoid any tearing formation at the cutting joint.

The device according to the invention operates as follows:

After mounting and tightening a new coil 4 between the plates 2 of the machine by means of the arms 3, the end of the new strip is cut and is provided with an adhesive seal 5 provided, on its part projecting from the end, of a cutout 8 for passing the belt of the belt launcher 7. Then, the flyweight forming the means 10 is put in place by means of the template forming the positioning means 12.

The operator then proceeds to adjust the service position of the mechanism 11 for triggering the cutting and connection by bringing the roller 23 of the support 16 into contact with the side of the new coil 4, then pushes said support 16 with the lever 18 in its rest position against the chassis 1 of the machine.

Then, it programs the triggering automaton by entering into it the data relating to the minimum diameter of the unwinding reel and the linear speed of the ending strip, so as to precisely determine the moment of launching of the new reel at by means of the belt launcher 7 and the initiation of the cut and the connection, as well as the data relating to the new coil, namely its diameter, and initiates the automatic operating cycle.

When the diameter of the finishing coil reaches a value corresponding to the first programmed data in the automatic device, the latter triggers the cutting and connection standby position of the device 9 (FIG. 3) and the pivoting of the counter-pressure means 27 near the finishing strip opposite the knife (s) 22 of the device 9 as well as the launching of the new coil 4 by means of the belt launcher 7. The speed of this new coil is determined by detection by means of the photoelectric cell 15 cooperating with the reflector 14 provided on the removable means 10 and operating in this case like a tachometer.

As soon as the minimum diameter corresponding to the cutting of the finishing strip has been reached, the automatic device triggers the movement of the mechanism 11 for triggering the cutting then for the connection as well as for recovery of the removable triggering means 10 by actuation of the corresponding control jack. The support 16 is then moved on the axis 17 until its end caster 23 comes into contact with the side of the new coil 4 and during the next turn of the latter the means 10 press on the lever 18 and s 'simultaneously hooks, by its means 13, on the support 16, on which it is held by means of the holding means 24. This actuation of the lever 18 results in a triggering of the cutting of the finishing strip and of the end connection at the end of the latter with the end of the strip of the new coil 4 (Figure 4). In fact, by the pivoting movement of the lever 18, the cooperation of its stop 19 with the stop 20 secured to the arm 21 for supporting the knife (s) 22 is interrupted and said arm 21 is moved instantaneously, in a known manner, under the effect of a jack or a spring, in the direction of the ending strip, so that the knife or knives 22 cut the latter in cooperation with the counterpressure means 27, the cut end being immediately applied to the joint 5 of the new strip by via a pressure roller 29 mounted on the pivot axis of the arm 21 between the knife (s) 22 and said pivot axis.

The device 9 for cutting and connecting, as well as the counterpressure means 27, are then pivoted in their rest position and the new reel in the course of unwinding can be brought by the plates 2 into a high unwinding position corresponding to the simultaneous feeding of the empty spool of the reel previously unwound in a deposit position, in which a new reel can be mounted and prepared in its place.

Thanks to the invention, it is possible to produce a machine for continuously unrolling strip materials, in which all of the connection operations can be carried out entirely automatically, so as to allow perfect connection precision end to end and to avoid any risk of accident for the operator.

In addition, such fully automatic operation makes it possible to avoid constant monitoring of the operation by the operator.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment described and shown in the accompanying drawings. Modifications remain possible, in particular from the point of view of the constitution of the various elements or by substitution of technical equivalents, without thereby departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

Claims (8)

1. Continuous web material unwinding machine provided with an automatic cutting and butt splicing device (9) and with an automaton for controlling the cutting then splicing procedure, said device (9) essentially consisting of a removable means (10) for triggering the cutting and butt splicing device (9) mounted on the new bobbin to be unwound (4) having the form of a feeder provided, on the one hand, on its face turned toward the bobbin (4), with fixing points and, on the other hand, with a means (13) intended to cooperate with a mechanism (11) for triggering the cutting and splicing device (9) and of a means (12) for positioning the removable means (10) on the new bobbin (4) having the form of a template, resting against the flank of bobbin (4) and having a cut-out corresponding to the plane section of the removable means (10) and consisting of plane plate provided at one end with lugs (25) for support on the bobbin, characterised in that said feeder is provided on its face opposed to that provided with fixing points with a reflector (14), the removable means (10) for triggering the cutting and butt splicing device (9) cooperates successively via the reflector (14) with the automaton for controlling the cutting then splicing procedure and, via said means of cooperation (13), with said triggering mechanism (11), said triggering mechanism (11) recovering the removable triggering means before initiation of the automatic cycle.
2. Machine according to claim 1, characterised in that the automaton for controlling the cutting and splicing procedure on the one hand consists of a programmable automaton integrating the instantaneous speeds of rotation of the unwinding bobbin and the diameter thereof, by cooperation with detectors of the photoelectric or other type and counters of the multi-revolution coder or other type and of a photoelectric cell (15) mounted on the frame (1) of the machine and cooperating with the reflector (14) of the removable means (10) for triggering cutting and butt splicing and, on the other hand, delivers orders to launch the new bobbin and trigger cutting and splicing.
3. Machine according to claim 1, characterised in that the mechanism (11) for triggering cutting and splicing as well as the recovery of the removable triggering means (10) consists of a support (16) mounted with the possibility of adjustable displacement transversely over the width of the bobbin on a shaft (17) and of a lever (18) for triggering the cutting and butt splicing device (9) pivotally guided on the support (16) and cooperating, in order to hold this device (9) prior to cutting and splicing, via a stop (19) with a stop (20) integral with a supporting arm (21) of at least one cutting blade (22) of the finishing web.
4. Machine according to claim 3, characterised in that the transverse displacement of the support (16) of the triggering mechanism (11) on the shaft (17) is effected by means of a jack, this displacement being adjusted in amplitude by means of a screw stop or the like arranged on the shaft (17).
5. Machine according to any one of claims 3 and 4, characterised in that the support (16) of the triggering mechanism (11) has the form of a lever parallel to the lever (18) for triggering the cutting and splicing device (9) and is provided at its free end with a small wheel (23) extending Perpendicularly in front of the support (16) and the lever (18) and slightly exceeding the vertical plane of the face turned toward the interior of the machine of the lever (18).
6. Machine according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterised in that the support (16) of the triggering mechanism (11) is also provided with a means (24) for recovery and holding of said removable means (10) in the form of a magnet or the like.
7. Machine according to claim 1, characterised in that the means (12) for positioning the removable means (10) on the new bobbin (4) before initiation of the automatic cycle is provided, at the end of the plate forming it, remote from that provided with lugs (25), with perforations (26) arranged in a rainbow and allowing alignment on the end of the new web to be unwound.
8. Machine according to claim 3, characterised in that it is also provided with a counter-pressure means (27) intended to cooperate, for cutting, with the knife or knives (22) of the cutting and butt slicing device (9) and mounted so as to rock, by means of arms (28), on the plates (2) supporting the bobbins (4).

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