GB2033997A

GB2033997A - Apparatus for Coating Cylindrical Bodies

Info

Publication number: GB2033997A
Application number: GB7934776A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Ibbotson; John Chadwick Smith; Albert Roberts; John David Crook
Original assignee: Pakcel Converters Ltd
Current assignee: Pakcel Converters Ltd
Priority date: 1978-10-10
Filing date: 1979-10-08
Publication date: 1980-05-29
Also published as: GB2033997B

Abstract

Apparatus for applying an adhesive sheet film 24 to a cylindrical tube comprises a film feeding station 1 supplying the film 24, perforation means 4 which perforates the film in spaced locations along its length, drive means by which the film is conveyed in register with the tubes, a tube feeding station 11, 14, supplying tubes in spaced intervals, the film perforations aligning with these spaces, a forming and sealing station having a forming compartment 19 wherein the film is applied to and formed around the tubes, a heating compartment 20 activating the adhesive on the film 24, a cooling chamber 22 which strengthens the adhesive bond between film 24 and tube, the finally coated tube or tubing being conveyed in continuous form to a tearing wheel 18 which tears the perforations in said film 24. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for Coating Cylindrical Bodies This invention relates to an apparatus for coating cylindrical articles with a sheet film supplied in roll form.

It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus which applies a sheet film having heat sensitive adhesive to a cylindrical tube in a continuous operation.

According to this invention there is provided apparatus for applying adhesive sheet film to a cylindrical body which apparatus comprises a film feeding station wherein said film is supplied, perforation means which perforates said film in spaced locations along the length thereof, drive means by which said film is conveyed in register with said bodies, a body feeding station which supplies said bodies at spaced intervals, the perforations in said film being in alignment with the space between said bodies, a forming and sealing station having forming means in which said film is formed around said bodies, heating means which activate the adhesive on said film wherein a bond is formed between said film and said body, cooling means which strengthen said bond, said body and film being conveyed in continuous form to tearing means which tear the perforations in said film.

One preferred cylindrical body is a spirally wound cardboard tube although similar tubular structures may be coated by the invention.

Preferably, the film feeding station includes a reel around which the film is wound. One preferred film is a multi-layered plastics laminate. The film material may pass over a drum having a blade which perforates the film in predetermined spacing. The drive for most components of the apparatus is preferably taken off a common knife or lineshaft, a nip roll being used to unwind the film. By turning the film through 900 it can then run horizontally in register with the tubes. A feed hopper is preferably used as a body feeding station, the cylindrical bodies then being transported at a continuous speed by a chain conveyor with spaced drive pegs. The chain conveyor is driven from the knife shaft in order to give synchronous linear travel with the film feeding station above. The tube is preferably guided on its travel for the entire length of the feed conveying section.

The forming and sealing station is preferably driven by a fixed speed motor and gearbox, a line shaft driving forming wheels and the tearing means which latter is preferably a further wheel.

The forming and sealing station preferably includes a forming block which forms the film around the tube, a drive wheel conveying the filmcoated tube and film into a heated barrel acting as heating means then into a cooling tube which allows a strong bond to be formed by the adhesive between the film and the tube. The continuous film-coated tube is further conveyed to the tearing wheel which twists the tube and subsequently tears the perforated section. The individual tubes are now coated and await further process production.

The tube and film combination is designed to replace the conventional tin plate in dry cell battery manufacture. Apparatus according to the invention allows the coating of cardboard tubing to be an integral process in the manufacture of said batteries, whereas tin plate ready printed and preformed is manufactured separately. The apparatus is not confined to the manufacture of batteries and may be employed to wrap tubes for other purposes.

By way of example only, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings illustrating an embodiment and in which:~ Figure 1 is an elevation of the film feeding station, Figure 2 is a section on 'A-A' of Figure 1, Figure 3 is an elevation of tube feed conveyor, Figure 4 is a partial section of the track of Figure 3, Figure 5 is a plan view of the forming and sealing section, Figure 6 is an elevation of the forming and sealing section, Figure 7 is an elevation on the complete machine, and Figure 8 is a plan view of the complete machine.

The apparatus shown in the drawings (Figures 7, 8) is designed to apply a thin narrow strip of material 24 onto a moving tube 7, the material being fed to the tube in the form of a continuous strip. The tubes 7 of a predetermined length are continuously fed from a hopper after which a chain conveyor 11 carries the tubes 7 along in register with the material until the forming and sealing station takes over the drive. After passing through the forming section 19 the material is heated in a circular tube 20 and immediately cooled in the succeeding tube 21 , the material and tube leaving as one component. The tube 7 is carried along to the final drive section where a twisting movement by tearing wheel 18 causes the material to break at the perforation in predetermined spacing.

Referring more specifically to Figures 1 and 2, a flexible film material 24 is drawn off a reel 1 which is supported on a mandrel B held by one support bracket 2. The material passes over two idler rolls 3 and then over a drum 4 which has a perforated blade (not shown) inserted in the outside diameter thereof, which as the material passes round perforates same in pre-determined lengths. The material 24 carries on to a driven nip roll 6, the drive for work is taken off the main lineshaft 9 which in turn drives a variable speed pulley 10, allowing the nip roll speed to be alternated to suit line speed of the material 24.

The material 24 proceeds over an idler roll 5 and is turned through 900 to run in the horizontal position in register with the tubes 7.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the tubes are transported from a feed hopper (not shown) at a continuous speed by a chain conveyor 11 which has drive pegs 12 located a distance apart to suit the tube length. The chain conveyor is driven from the knife shaft in order to give synchronous linear travel with the above web i.e. the film feeding station. The tubes 7 are spaced apart by a small gap 13 whereby the perforations in the material align with this gap 13 between the tubes 7. The tube 7 is guided on its travel by rails 14 and supported on pack plates 1 5 for the entire length of the feed conveying section.

Referring lastly to Figures 5 and 6, the forming and sealing section is driven at a matched speed to the film feeding station, a line shaft 8 drivingthe forming wheels 16 and also the tearing wheel 18.

Both the material 24 and the tube 7 are fed together into the forming section 19, which forms the material circumferentially around the tube 7, leaving a small overlapping longitudinal joint or a longitudinal butt joint, the drive wheel 16 then moves the formed tube and material into a heated barrel 20 which melts the adhesive coating on the material 24 thereby bonding together the tube and material, the joined components are then passed through a cooling section 21 which cools the tube sufficiently providing the material with a strong bond onto the tube circumference.

Additional guide wheels 22 support the now continuous tube along the section until it reaches the tearing wheel 18 which is increased in speed by gears 26. Such wheel imparts a twisting movement on the tube and subsequently tears the perforated section. The coated tubular elements are then fed into a container awaiting further process production.

Claims

1. Apparatus for applying adhesive sheet film to a cylindrical body which apparatus comprises a film feeding station wherein said film is supplied, perforation means which perforates said film in spaced locations along the length thereof, drive means by which said film is conveyed in register with said bodies, a body feeding station which supplies said bodies at spaced intervals, the perforations in said film being in alignment with the space between said bodies, a forming and sealing station having forming means in which said film is formed around said bodies, heating means which activate the adhesive on said film wherein a bond is formed between said film and said body, cooling means which strengthen said bond, said body and film being conveyed in continuous form to tearing means which tear the perforations in said film.

2. Apparatus in accordance with Claim 1 wherein the cylindrical body is a spirally wound cardboard tube.

3. Apparatus in accordance with either preceding claim wherein the film feeding station includes a reel around which the film is wound.

4. Apparatus in accordance with any preceding claim wherein the film is a multi layered plastics laminate.

5. Apparatus in accordance with any preceding claim wherein the film material passes over a drum including a blade which perforates the film in predetermined spacing.

6. Apparatus in accordance with any preceding claim wherein the drive for most components of the apparatus is taken off a common knife or lineshaft.

7. Apparatus in accordance with any preceding claim wherein a feed hopper is used as body feeding station from where the cylindrical bodies are transported at continuous speed by a chain conveyor having spaced drive pegs.

8. Apparatus in accordance with any preceding claim wherein the forming and sealing station is driven by a fixed speed motor and gearbox, a lineshaft driving forming wheels and the tearing means.

9. Apparatus in accordance with any preceding claim wherein the forming and sealing station includes a forming block to form the film around the cylindrical body, the film coated tube conveyed from a heated chamber into a cooling chamber, wherein a strong bond is formed by the adhesive between the film and said body.

10. Apparatus in accordance with any preceding claim wherein the cylindrical body is conveyed as a film coated tube to a tearing wheel which twists said tube and tears the perforations in said film.

11. Apparatus in accordance with any preceding claim wherein the film is driven from the film feeding station by means of a driven nip roll, the drive for which is taken off a lineshaft.

12. Apparatus in accordance with any preceding claim wherein the film material travels over an idler roll being turned through ninety degrees to run in horizontal register with the cylindrical bodies.

13. Apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 9 to 12 wherein the film material and tube are fed together into the forming and sealing section, wherein said film is circumferentially formed around said tube leaving an overlapping longitudinal joint or butt joint thereon prior to entry of the coated tube into the heated chamber.

14. Apparatus for applying adhesive sheet film to a cylindrical body substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in any one of the accompanying drawings.