EP0741095A2 - Device for charging metallized webs in a machine for transferring metallized images onto flat articles - Google Patents

Abstract

The loader consists of a pair of parallel rotary arms (50) between each of the two side walls of the transfer machine's final station (10), linked to one another by at least one cross-member (60) designed to receive a reel supporting lever. Each arm (50) has at least one seat (51, 52, 53) for a transverse shaft (34) supporting the reels (30), and a drive system (70 - 77) to rotate the arms between positions in which they are located inside the machine and emerging from it. The arms (50) rotate on the ends of axles (55) situated above and in front of return sprockets (24) for the chains carrying the sheet material clamp bars (22), and their upper ends are branched into two sections (54, 56) lying parallel to the trajectory of the chains.

Description

The invention relates to a device for loading metallized strips in a machine for transferring metallized images onto plate elements, such as sheets of cardboard, paper, plastic material, etc. The invention relates more particularly to a device used in a platen press comprising a fixed upper bed base and a movable lower bed base, bed bases between which the cardboard sheet is brought, for printing thereon, according to given patterns, of a metallized film from a conductive strip between this sheet and one of the box springs.

Such a platen press usually comprises first of all an introduction station in which a stack of sheets is installed, each sheet being successively removed from the top of the stack to be sent to a margin table. On this table, each sheet is placed in position against front and side cleats before being gripped at its front edge by a series of clamps mounted along a transverse bar, each end of which is attached to a train of side chains taking the bar, and therefore the sheet, to the following treatment stations. The treatment station (s) may be a transfer station for the metallized film, possibly combined with cutting tools, followed by a waste ejection station. These processing stations are finally followed by a receiving station in which each sheet released by the clamps falls squarely on top of a pile accumulating on an output pallet.

An independent device for transporting parallel metallized strips successively comprises a support for strip supply reels, intermittent unwinding and advancing means for the strips, guide means for guiding these bands parallel to the direction of travel of the sheets between the plates, then guiding them in clearance around one of the plates of the press, a tensioning mechanism for tensioning these bands at least along their trajectory between the plates, and a device for discharging the used strips out of the machine, usually through a side window. The metallized bands having an identical intermittent running speed pass through the same means of advancement and unwinding, while the bands having a different speed pass through second, or even third, advancing means, the tensioning mechanism being adjusted in this case according to the highest speed.

A relatively heavy coil, having a large width and radius, for example of the order of 20 cm wide by 20 cm radius, is preferably installed on a rigid through axis held on each side in a corresponding seat formed in the side wall of the machine. On the axis, the coil is clamped between two brake discs, one of which is pressed by adjustable elastic means. Thus, the unwinding takes place in a controlled manner against a certain friction force, which makes it possible to permanently maintain the correct geometry of the coil.

A lighter coil, for example 7 cm wide by 10 cm in radius, is previously fitted onto a small axis located at the end of a support lever, this axis being integral with one or more small brake discs coming to rub, under the pressure of a spring with adjustable force, against fixed discs of the lever. The other end of the lever is fixed in a chosen position along a graduated cross member permanently installed in the machine.

For space considerations, the bases of the axes crossing large coils and / or the graduated crossbars carrying the small coils are located in the upper part of the station according to the metallized film transfer station, near the intermittent tape unwinding and advancing rollers. The difficult access of this part of the machine makes the replacement of the bands during production, or the change of configuration of the bands from one production to another, particularly tedious, which increases the downtime by as much. machine non-use and risk of accident.

The object of the present invention is a device for loading metallized strips in a machine for transferring metallized images onto plate elements, which is efficient, that is to say which allows easy, rapid and safe loading of strips from a place where they can be unwound without any particular problem. The design of this device must remain simple for better reliability over time and a reasonable cost of production.

These objects are achieved by a device comprising a pair of parallel arms mounted in rotation respectively against each of the two lateral internal walls facing the last station of the machine, and connected to each other by at least one crosspiece, in particular susceptible to receive a reel holding lever, each arm having at least one seat for a traversing spindle for supporting the reels, as well as means for driving in rotation at least one of the arms from a retracted position, the pair of parallel arms, within the machine in an extended position in which the pair of parallel arms emerges at least partially out of the downstream face of the machine.

Preferably, the arms are mounted in rotation at a first end on axes situated close above and upstream of the return wheels downstream of the chains for transporting the gripper bars, the retracted position being substantially horizontal oriented upstream, the extended position being reached after rotation of an angle between 120 and 200 degrees from the top and downstream of the machine. The pair of arms then comprises at least one pair of seats and a cross member, respectively in its middle part and in its other end.

Advantageously, the arms split in their middle part into two branches, one of which, seen when the arms are in the retracted position, is substantially horizontal and the other is oriented upwards in a direction substantially parallel to the path of the clamp bars. at the output of their return wheel. Usefully, this upward orientation of the second branch, as well as in the direction of the path of the clamp bars, forms an angle of between 45 and 80 degrees relative to the horizontal. It is then possible to provide at least three crosspieces for supporting the levers and three pairs of seats for spindles supporting the spools, one at each of the ends of the two branches and one at the branch of the branches.

Advantageously, each arm has a U-shaped curve forming a notch between its axis of rotation and its branching of branches. This configuration makes it possible to increase the outlet rotation angle bypassing the clamp bar stopped at the axis of rotation of the arms.

According to a preferred embodiment, the seats have a trapezoidal shape comprising, as seen when the arms are in the retracted position, a lower edge making with the horizontal an angle of the order of 45 degrees, a downstream edge making an angle of the order of 100 degrees, an upper edge making an angle of the order of 15 degrees and an open upstream outlet face. The ends of the rigid spool support axes then preferably have a triangular section. Thanks to this configuration, these ends of axes are easily posed in the seats, remain there during the entire rotation of the arms in a retracted position, and wedge between the lower and downstream angular sections in the working position. This trapezoidal shape of seats can easily be obtained from rectangular notches supplemented with lateral bars at 45 degrees and fixed against the faces of the branches by screws. This realization of the seats also allows, in the extended position of the arms, removal of the coil supports without having to dismantle any holding part.

The drive means can be an electric motor mounted in the upper part of one of the side walls of the last station of the machine, and the output axis of which is connected by a chain or a belt to a toothed wheel d drive integral with the axis of rotation of the arm located near this same face. If desired, this drive can be multiplied by a wheel secured to an intermediate pinion, the wheel being connected to the output shaft of the motor by an external chain or belt, and the pinion being connected to the drive wheel of the 'axis of rotation of the arms by a chain or a toothed belt.

Usefully, the drive wheel of the axis of the arms, or the intermediate wheel, is split by a second wheel whose periphery forms a double cam acting on two contactors of adjustable position, one of the contactors defining the retracted position the other, the extended position of the arms. Also usefully, the ends of the lower branches rest on stops in the retracted position.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective schématique de l'implantation du dispositif dans la dernière station d'une machine de transfert d'images métallisées sur des éléments en plaque, et
• la figure 2 est une vue schématique de côté du dispositif de chargement.

The invention will be better understood from the study of an embodiment taken without any limitation being implied and illustrated in the appended figures in which:

• FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the installation of the device in the last station of a machine for transferring metallized images onto plate elements, and
• Figure 2 is a schematic side view of the loading device.

In these figures, in which a reference numeral always designates the same part, the last station of a machine for transferring metallized images onto plate elements is illustrated, in this case a reception station 10. In this station, the clamp bars 22 secured to a chain train 20 transport the sheets, in cardboard in the this example, through the machine. These sheets are dropped between brackets and fall vertically onto a pile 16 gradually forming on an output pallet 17 better visible in FIG. 1. The chain trains 20 and their gripper bars 22 then pass around the wheels of drive 24 for return from above to the margin table downstream of the machine.

The upper part of this station 10 is raised to create an additional space where the device according to the invention is housed. In particular, the train of chains 20 starts again in an unusual manner, with a large angle greater than 45 degrees relative to the horizontal, in this case of the order of 60 degrees.

As illustrated in these figures, the tape loading device is based on a pair of identical side arms 50 held parallel to one another by a series of crosspieces 60. The lower ends of each of these side arms 50 are kept in rotation, by axes 55, in the internal face of the side walls corresponding to the upper part of the station 10, the rotation of the side arms 50 taking place in a plane parallel to these side walls.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, these lateral arms 50 can thus be rotated from a retracted position, drawn in strong lines in which they are inside the path of the chain train 20, to an extended position 50 'illustrated in lines discontinuous in which a part of these arms emerges from the downstream face of the station 10 through a telescopic window 12 previously raised.

The lateral arms 50 have a general Y shape. As seen in the retracted position in FIG. 2, these arms split in their middle part into a first substantially horizontal lower branch 56 and an upper branch 54 forming a bend first. oriented upwards almost vertically then oriented downstream of the machine at an angle of around 20 degrees. The common part, that is to say that making the connection between the branch of the branches 54, 56 to the axis of rotation 55 forms a U-shaped bend, or a notch 57, downwards.

Thus configured, these lateral arms 50 have three seats 51, 52 and 53 for supporting the axes 34 of the reels of metallized strip. The upper seat 51 is fitted at the end of the upper branch 54. The middle seat 52 is close to the branch of the two upper 54 and lower 56 branches and the lower seat 53 is fitted at the end of the lower branch 56.

Three crosspieces 60 for holding the arms 50 and simultaneously for supporting the levers 66 are respectively placed between the upper branches 54 and between the lower branches 56, and this set back from the seats 51, 52, 53 by a distance corresponding to the length of the levers 66 provided for supporting by an orthogonal axis coils of small diameter 36. The crosspieces 60 also serve as support for the levers 66. Each support lever 66 is integral in its lower part with a hooking block 62 coming to hook on the upper edge of the cross 60 in any position along a graduated rule. The attachment block 62 is locked in the position chosen by a plate 64 fixed to the block by means of a screw.

As illustrated, each seat 51, 52, 53 has a trapezoidal transverse shape obtained by the presence of bars 58 cutting at an angle of the order of 45 to 60 degrees a rectangular notch. These seats therefore have a lower section oblique downwards meeting a downstream section inclined on the order of 100 degrees and surmounted by an upper section inclined on the order of 15 degrees relative to the horizontal, the downstream part being open. . These trapezoidal seats are designed to receive ends 32, of triangular section, support axes 34 of large diameter coils 30.

The right side wall of the station 10 as seen, according to the direction of travel of the sheets and commonly called opposite-conductor side, supports in its upper part an electric motor 70. The output axis 71 of this motor is connected by an external chain 72 to an external intermediate gear 73. This wheel 73 is connected by an axis passing through the wall to an internal pinion 74 itself connected, by a chain or toothed belt 76 tensioned by a tensioning roller 75, to an internal toothed wheel 77 for driving the axis 55 of the arm 50.

The outer wheel 73 is combined with a disc, the periphery of which forms a double cam acting in correspondence with a pair of switches 79 defining two extreme positions of rotation, these positions corresponding respectively to the retracted 50 and extended 50 'positions of the arms. Preferably, the downstream end of the lower branches 56 rests on stops 14 mitigating any incidence due to subsequent overvoltages in the unwinding of the strips.

When one or more spools 30 or 36 are practically empty, the printing machine is stopped, one of the gripper bars 22 being found practically at the level of the axis 55 of the arms 50. The tilting of a button in the "exit" position first triggers the lifting of the telescopic window 12. The motor 70 is then engaged to drive the chains 72 and 76 so as to impress on the structure composed of the two arms 50 and the crosspieces 60 a rotation, oriented downstream by an angle of about 130 degrees, to bring this structure into position 50 '. This large angle is made possible in particular by the notch 57 which bypasses the clamp bar 22 at this level.

As best seen in FIG. 1, the device in the exit position allows easy unloading and loading of the rigid axes 34 carrying new coils 30 by installing their triangular ends 32 in the seats 51, 53 which have become respectively lower and upper seats, or in the middle seat 52. As an alternative, it is also very easy to hang a hooking block 62 of levers 66 in any position along a directly accessible graduated crosspiece 60.

Once this loading is complete, the control button is switched to the "retracted" position, which again triggers the motor 70, but in rotation in opposite direction, which gives the arms 50 a rotation oriented downstream in the machine. The motor 70 is automatically stopped when the corresponding switch 79 is flipped. In this position, the ends of the lower branches 56 are again supported on the stops 14. Through a side window, belonging to the transfer station, the operator can then easily access the reels to unwind the bands 37 and pass them around unwinding and advancing rollers 38 before engaging the corresponding pressure rollers 39.

In association with this loading device according to the invention, there are in particular three pairs of unwinding and advancing rollers 38 and pressure rollers 39: one pair for each unwinding speed corresponding to the specific consumption of the metallized strip concerned. Preferably, these rollers are arranged in a horizontal plane immediately and little above the plane of passage of the sheets in the machine, this plane being usually located at the height of the waist, or even of the arms of an operator. This height corresponds in particular to that of the lower edge of a window formed in each side wall of the penultimate station.

As we have seen on reading this presentation, this device according to the invention allows very easy unloading and loading of the reels of metallized strip by the downstream end face of the machine. Once these reels have been reinserted within the machine by rotation of the device in its retracted position, the operator can easily unwind the strips and engage them in the intermittent feed rollers, and this by passing through the side window of the '' penultimate station. Accessibility being thus greatly improved, these operations are made all the more rapid and safe as they have become easy.

Furthermore, and as best illustrated in FIG. 2, the dimensioning of the arms, as well as their thickness of the order of 20 mm identical to that of the crosspieces 60, means that the structure is absolutely solid and rigid, and can therefore withstand any parasitic vibration. In addition, this structure is simple to produce.

Many improvements can be made to this device within the scope of the claims.

Claims (7)

Device for loading metallized strips (37) in a machine for transferring metallized images onto plate elements, such as sheets of cardboard, paper, plastic, in a platen press comprising a fixed upper base and a movable lower bed base, bed bases between which the cardboard sheet is brought, for printing thereon, according to given patterns, of a metallized film from a strip (37) conducted between this sheet and one of the bed bases the platen press, characterized in that it comprises a pair of parallel arms (50) mounted in rotation between each of the two side walls of the last station (10) of the machine, and interconnected by at least one crosspiece ( 60) in particular capable of receiving a support lever (66) for coils (36), each arm (50) having at least one seat (51, 52, 53) for a through axis (34) for supporting coils (30) , as well as by means of entra rotation in rotation (70-77) of the pair of arms (50) from a retracted position of the pair of arms (50) within the machine in an extended position (50 ') in which the pair of arms (50 ) emerges, at least in part, out of the downstream face (12) of the machine. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the pair of arms (50) is mounted in rotation at a first end on axes (55) located near, above and upstream of the downstream return wheels (24) d '' a chain of chains (20) supporting gripper bars (22), the retracted position being substantially horizontal and oriented upstream of the machine, the extended position being reached after rotation of an angle between 120 and 200 degrees from the top and downstream of the machine. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the arms (50) are split in their middle part into two branches (54, 56), one of which (56), seen when the arms are in the retracted position, is substantially horizontal and the other (54) is oriented upwards according to a direction substantially parallel to the path of the chains supporting the gripper bars (22), at the output of their downstream deflection wheel (24), and in that at least three support crosspieces (60) are provided for levers (66 ) and three pairs of seats (51, 52, 53) for the reel support pins (30), two pairs of seats (51, 53) at each end of the two arms (54, 56) and one pair seats (52) at the junction of the branches (54, 56). Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the upward orientation of the second branch (54), as well as of the path of the chains of the gripper bars (22), at the outlet of their downstream deflection wheel (24), forms an angle between 45 and 80 degrees from the horizontal. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that each arm (50) has a U-shaped portion forming a notch (57) between its axis of rotation (55) the junction of the branches (54, 56). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the seats (51, 52, 53) have a trapezoidal shape comprising, as seen when the arms are in the retracted position, a lower edge making an angle with the horizontal of around 45 degrees, a downstream section making an angle of around 100 degrees, an upper section making an angle of around 15 degrees and an open upstream outlet face, the ends (32) of the rigid axes (34) for supporting the coils (30) having a triangular section. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the drive means comprise an electric motor (70) mounted in the upper part of one of the side walls of the last station (10) of the machine, and of which the output axis (71) is connected by a chain or a belt (72, 76) to a toothed wheel (77) integral with the axis of rotation (55) of the arm (50) located near this same face, if desired, through a wheel (73) secured to an intermediate reduction gear (74), the drive wheel (77) of the arm axle, or the intermediate wheel (73), being split by a second wheel whose the periphery forms a double cam acting on two contactors (79) of adjustable position, one of the contactors defining the retracted position, the other, the extended position of the arms.

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