GB1568200A - Assembly of continuous webs - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO ASSEMBLY OF CONTINUOUS WEBS (71) We, MOORE BUSINESS FORMS LIMITED, a British company of 75/79 Southwark Street, London SE1 OHY, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates generally to assemblies of interlocked continuous webs, and more particularly to the provision of sets of inter-engaging tongues staggered along at least a marginal edge of the webs for interlocking them together and for facilitating an easier separation of the plies of the assembly.

For the purpose of releasably interlocking continuous superimposed webs together, interengaging superimposed tongues have been provided in such webs for preventing both longitudinal and transverse relative shifting of the webs while at the same time permitting the webs to be separated or peeled apart during decollating. Such tongues may be spaced along one or both marginal edges of the webs and are provided by punching or slitting through the webs to form substantially U-cuts forming tongues integrally attached to the webs having free ends and side edges provided by the deviating slits. The tongues may likewise be formed by substantially H-shaped cuts.

At each spaced location along the marginal edge or edges, one or more of such superimposed tongues may be provided depending on the holding strength required for the number of webs to be interlocked together. However, where more than one of such superimposed tongues are present at each spaced location, they typically lie along a line perpendicular to their adjacent marginal edge. Consequently, when such webs are peeled apart during a web decollating operation, the interengaging tongues between webs at each location along the marginal edges unlock or disengage simultaneously as the webs of the assembly are decollated. Hence, the decollating operation is not smooth bv reason of a "tug" or a "snag" experienced each time a set of the laterally disposed sets of tongues are peeled apart.In other words, the resistance offered by the two or more interengaging tongues at the spaced locations along the marginal edges is sufficiently great to affect the smooth decollating operation of the webs.

It is an object of the present invention to process an improved assembly of continuous webs.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved assembly of continuous webs in which the individual plies of the assembly can be readily separated from one another and a smooth decollating of the webs can be obtained.

According to the present invention an assembly of continuous webs comprises at least a pair of superimposed continuous webs having spaced feed holes along at least one marginal edge thereof, means interlocking said webs together along at least one marginal edge, said means including first superimposed interengaging tongues in said webs and second superimposed interengaging tongues in said webs spaced transversely from said first tongues, said tongues being formed by cuts having legs lying parallel to said marginal edge, and each said tongue having a free end and an opposite end integral with its respective web, said first and second tongues being disposed along a line lying at an angle to said one marginal edge so that one of said first and second superimposed tongues lies in a direction of feed of the assembly through a web processing machine forwardly of the other of said first and second superimposed tongues, whereby separation of said webs in the direction of feed causes said one of said tongues to disengage before said other of said tongues disengages thereby avoiding simultaneous disengagement of said one and said other tongues and decreasing resistance offered by said tongues upon web separation.

An assembly of continuous webs in accordance with the present invenion will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a continuous web assembly showing the spaced sets of interlocking tongues along opposite marginal edges, in accordance with the invention, Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 at an enlarged scale showing a part of the continuous web and the disposition of the interlocking webs of a pair of single sets in more detail, Figs. 3a, 3b, and 3c are sectional views taken substantially along line 3-3 of Fig. 2 showing the sequential disengagement of the locking tongues of a typical set during a web decollating operation, and, Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3 showing tongues formed by different cuts provided in the web assembly.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, a continuous web assembly is generally designated 10 and comprises a plurality of superimposed webs 11 to 14 interlocked together by means of interengaging locking tongues 15 to 18 respectively provided in the overlying webs.

Spaced feed holes 19 are provided along opposite marginal edges of the web assembly for engaging correspondingly spaced feed pins of typical tractor feed devices provided for feeding the web assembly in a direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1 through a web processing machine.

Of course, the feed holes may be provided along only one marginal edge for cooperation with a single feed device. And, each of the webs of assembly 10 is provided with superimposed transverse lines 21 of weakening for fan folding the assembly into a zigzag pack and for ultimately separating the assembly into individual units when burst along these transverse lines.

Sets generally designated 22 of locking tongues are equally spaced (see Fig. 1) along both marginal edges of the assembly and, for convenience, these sets may be located between adjacent feed holes as shown.

The interengaging tongues of each set, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, are transversely spaced from one another and are staggered in the direction of feed to form an echelon arrangement of the three locking tongues of each set. (The showing of three tongues per set is only exemplary. Two or four tongues per set may otherwise be provided). Hence, interlocking tongues generally designated T of each set lie forwardly in the direction of feed of the web assembly relative to adjacent interlocking tongues generally designated T1, and tongues t, in turn lie forwardly of adjacent interlocking tongues, generally designated T2. These tongues of a typical set are graphically illustrated in Fig.

2 at opposite marginal edges of the assembly, and only the cuts forming the tongues are shown in the interest of clearly illustrating the particular disposition of tongues T, T1, and T2 of each set. Of course, the sets of tongues may be spaced along only one marginal edge of the assembly, if desired.

A punch device of some standard design may be used in forming each of the tongues by providing superimposed U-cuts 23 from a side of the assembly so as to define tongues 15 to 18 having free leading ends 24 and trailing ends 25 integral with their respective webs. As clearly shown, the tongues of each set lie along lines L disposed at angles to their adjacent marginal edges, with trailing ends 25 of tongues T lying laterally of leading ends 24 of tongues T,. And, trailing ends 25 of tongues T, lie laterally of leading ends 24 of tongues T2. It should be pointed out, however, that the adjacent tongues of each set may slightly overlap, or that the adjacent tongues of each set may be slightly spaced from one another in the direction of feed so as to form slight gaps therebetween.

Figs. 3a, 3b, and 3c illustrate the sequential unlocking of the tongues at T, T1, and T2 upon decollating or the peeling apart of web 11 as the assembly is moved in the direction of feed during a decollating operation. A detailed description of this operation will follow hereinafter.

Before decollating, all the tongues 15 to 18 at each of T, T1, and T2 are respectively interengaged, as typically shown at T1, T2 in Fig. 3, as they are deflected outwardly of one side of the web assembly through cuts 23 so as to interchange as well as to engage in the adjacent apertures formed by the cuts so as to attach the webs relative to one another in the assembly. The particular formation of these tongues and the manner in which they serve to interlock superimposed webs together is by itself known in the art and is typically shown in US Patent No. 2246065.

The arrangement of tpngues T, T1, and T2 of each set 22 of tongues as aforedescribed is likewise typical for a plurality of tongues fewer or more than the three per set 22 illustrated in the present drawings. Hence, if only two tongues T, T, per set are found necessary to releasably interlock superimposed webs together, they would be arranged along sloping lines L for each set.

And, if four tongues per set are required for a given number of superimposed webs, they too would be arranged along sloping lines L for each set in an echelon fashion as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The number of tongues T provided for each set is determined by the holding power needed for interlocking a predetermined number of webs together in the assembly.

Figs. 3a, 3b, and 3c illustrate various stages of web separation during a web decollating operation. However, for the purpose of clarity only top web 11 is shown in the process of being separated or peeled apart from the remaining webs of the assembly. These remaining webs may be separated from one another at the time web 11 is separated, or they may be separated at some other stage of the decollating operation. Upon decollating either manually or with the use of decollator of any well known type, adjacent webs are moved further apart as the assembly is moved in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 3a. A typical set 22 of tongues is shown in this Fig. wherein tongues 15 of those shown at T near opposite marginal edges of the assembly disengage upon web separation while the remaining tongues T, and T2 remain interengaged momentarily.

Upon further separation tongues 15 at T, are moved apart for disengagement as illustrated in Fig. 3b, and, upon still further web separation tongues 15 at T2 become separated as shown in Fig. 3c. It can therefore be seen that single tongues of each set encountered during web separation are disengaged at opposite marginal edges of the web assembly, with the remaining tongues in such sets disengaging sequentially upon web separation. The "snags" or "tugs" normally experienced during tongue disengagement for those transversely or laterally disposed tongues in each set as in the prior art are avoided with the present invention, since tongues T disengage before tongues T, which disengage before tongues T2 thereby each offering a disengaging resistance equal only to that of a single tongue during decollation.However, the folding power created by the use of several tongues arranged in the form of an echelon is comparable to a like number of tongues arranged transversely of the web. A simple and smooth decollating operation is thereby assured with the present arrangement.

An alternative form of tongue formation is shown in Fig. 4 wherein tongues 15a to 18a and 15b to 18b are formed by substantially H-shaped cuts made at one side of the assembly by a suitable punch device.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. An assembly of continuous webs, comprising at least a pair of superimposed continuous webs having spaced feed holes along at least one marginal edge thereof, means interlocking said webs together along at least said one marginal edge, said means including first superimposed interengaging tongues in said webs and second superimposed interengaging tongues in said webs spaced transversely from said first tongues, said tongues being formed by cuts having legs lying parallel to said marginal edge, and each said tongue having a free end and an opposite end integral with its respective web, said first and second tongues being disposed along a line lying at an angle to said one marginal edge so that one of said first and second superimposed tongues lies in a direction of feed of the assembly through a web processing machine forwardly of the other of said first and second superimposed tongues, whereby separation of said webs in the direction of feed causes said one of said tongues to disengage before said other of said tongues disengages thereby avoiding simultaneous disengagement of said one and said other tongues and decreasing resistance offered by said tongues upon web separation.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said means further include third and fourth superimposed interengaging tongues lying along the line lying at an angle to the marginal edge, said third tongues being spaced transversely of said second tongues, and said fourth tongues being spaced transversely of said third tongues.

3. The assembly according to claims 1 or 2 wherein said opposite ends of said one of said superimposed tongues lie- directly transversely of said free ends of said other of said opposite tongues.

4. The assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said tongues are formed by substantially U-shaped cuts.

5. The assembly according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 3 wherein said tongues are formed by substantially Hshaped cuts.

6. An assembly of continuous webs constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. predetermined number of webs together in the assembly. Figs. 3a, 3b, and 3c illustrate various stages of web separation during a web decollating operation. However, for the purpose of clarity only top web 11 is shown in the process of being separated or peeled apart from the remaining webs of the assembly. These remaining webs may be separated from one another at the time web 11 is separated, or they may be separated at some other stage of the decollating operation. Upon decollating either manually or with the use of decollator of any well known type, adjacent webs are moved further apart as the assembly is moved in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 3a. A typical set 22 of tongues is shown in this Fig. wherein tongues 15 of those shown at T near opposite marginal edges of the assembly disengage upon web separation while the remaining tongues T, and T2 remain interengaged momentarily. Upon further separation tongues 15 at T, are moved apart for disengagement as illustrated in Fig. 3b, and, upon still further web separation tongues 15 at T2 become separated as shown in Fig. 3c. It can therefore be seen that single tongues of each set encountered during web separation are disengaged at opposite marginal edges of the web assembly, with the remaining tongues in such sets disengaging sequentially upon web separation. The "snags" or "tugs" normally experienced during tongue disengagement for those transversely or laterally disposed tongues in each set as in the prior art are avoided with the present invention, since tongues T disengage before tongues T, which disengage before tongues T2 thereby each offering a disengaging resistance equal only to that of a single tongue during decollation.However, the folding power created by the use of several tongues arranged in the form of an echelon is comparable to a like number of tongues arranged transversely of the web. A simple and smooth decollating operation is thereby assured with the present arrangement. An alternative form of tongue formation is shown in Fig. 4 wherein tongues 15a to 18a and 15b to 18b are formed by substantially H-shaped cuts made at one side of the assembly by a suitable punch device. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. An assembly of continuous webs, comprising at least a pair of superimposed continuous webs having spaced feed holes along at least one marginal edge thereof, means interlocking said webs together along at least said one marginal edge, said means including first superimposed interengaging tongues in said webs and second superimposed interengaging tongues in said webs spaced transversely from said first tongues, said tongues being formed by cuts having legs lying parallel to said marginal edge, and each said tongue having a free end and an opposite end integral with its respective web, said first and second tongues being disposed along a line lying at an angle to said one marginal edge so that one of said first and second superimposed tongues lies in a direction of feed of the assembly through a web processing machine forwardly of the other of said first and second superimposed tongues, whereby separation of said webs in the direction of feed causes said one of said tongues to disengage before said other of said tongues disengages thereby avoiding simultaneous disengagement of said one and said other tongues and decreasing resistance offered by said tongues upon web separation.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said means further include third and fourth superimposed interengaging tongues lying along the line lying at an angle to the marginal edge, said third tongues being spaced transversely of said second tongues, and said fourth tongues being spaced transversely of said third tongues.

3. The assembly according to claims 1 or 2 wherein said opposite ends of said one of said superimposed tongues lie- directly transversely of said free ends of said other of said opposite tongues.

4. The assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said tongues are formed by substantially U-shaped cuts.

5. The assembly according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 3 wherein said tongues are formed by substantially Hshaped cuts.

6. An assembly of continuous webs constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.