GB2120172A

GB2120172A - Sheet processing apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2120172A
Application number: GB08230582A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Franz Vossen
Original assignee: Meurer Druck and Carton GmbH
Current assignee: Meurer Druck and Carton GmbH
Priority date: 1982-10-26
Filing date: 1982-10-26
Publication date: 1983-11-30
Also published as: GB2120172B

Abstract

Apparatus for operating on a sheet material such as cardboard (29) intended for use as an anvil to cooperate with a stamping tool (44) in making a folding box or case from sheet (46), comprises a stamping plate (30) for carrying the adherent sheet (29) and co-operable with the tool (44). The stamping plate lies on a table plate (4) of a frame structure which has holders (40) for releasably carrying a chase (31) which extends parallel to the table plate, and at least one bridge assembly (13) which extends movably above the table plate. A carriage (22) is carried on the bridge assembly and moves transversely (y) with respect to the direction of travel (x) thereof. The carriage carries at least one vertically movable pressure member (27) directed towards the table plate. In use, carbon paper (41) and a blank sheet (42) are interposed between the cardboard (29) and the stamping tool (44), and imprints of the blades (35) and stamping members (37) of the tool (44) are made in a succession of places by the pressure member (27). The tool (44) is then removed and the marked cardboard (29) is milled to form the anvil. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Sheet processing apparatus This invention relates generally to an apparatus for operating on a sheet of material such as a sheet of cardboard for use as an anvil to cooperate with a stamping tool in the manufacture of an article such as a blank for a folding box or case.

Sheets of material of the above-indicated kind are usually processed by means of sheet stamping machines, into which a plate with an adherent cardboard sheet is introduced.

The sheet comes into contact with the stamping tool in the sheet stamping machine. In automatic stamping machines of that kind, before the actual manufacture of blanks is started, a single stroke movement is performed by which lines of the blades and bending lines are marked on the cardboard sheet. Then anvil regions or zones are produced by milling grooves in the sheet.

It is also known for the operation which is required for producing the anvil to be carried out by means of a device, referred to a nyloprint plate, which in turn can also be prepared only in the sheet stamping machine itself.

In both of the situations referred to above, the operating time required for carrying out the initial operation is from 30 to 45 minutes, which is a very long period of time, indicating the extent to which that operation prevents the machine from being used in the actual manufacture of blanks, with a corresponding detrimental effect on the economy of the machine and the expense of the articles produced.

An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for operating on sheets of material such as sheets of cardboard, which does not suffer from the above-mentioned disadvantage.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such an apparatuss which permits an operation of preparing the setting-up sheet to be carried out without reducing the machine operating times.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for dealing with sheets of cardboard, which can be readily fitted to the present punching machines as a subsequent auxiliary fitment.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for processing sheets of cardboard for the manufacture of folding boxes or cases or the like, which readily lends itself to computerised control.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for producing sheets of cardboard intended for the manufacture of folding boxes or cases or the like, which can be readily adapted to varying sheet formats.

These and other objects are achieved by an apparatus in accordance with the present invention, comprising a table plate adapted to receive a stamping plate having said sheet of material adherent thereon; a stamping tool operatively associated with the stamping plate; a chase; tool holding means for releasably carrying the chase substantially parallel to the table plate; guide track means extending over the table plate at a spacing therefrom and disposed movably thereabove; carriage means carried on the guide track means and movable in a a direction transverse with respect to the direction of movement of the guide track; and at least one vertically movable pressure member carried on the carriage means and operatively directed towards said table plate.

In accordance with a further preferable feature, the pressure member is formed by a head on a ram unit disposed at the underside of the carriage member.

By virtue of the arrangement as outlined above, a stamping plate with an adherent cardboard sheet, which is to be repaired or prepared for the actual manufacturing process, can be held in position outside the sheet stamping machine, and the stamping tool which is already ready for use can be associated therewith; the vertically movable pressure member is also movable in two horizontal coordinate directions, and that permits the arrangement to be adjusted with a very high degree of accuracy to an intended pressure location, that is to say, it is possible, by pressure exerted locally on the upper side of the stamping tool, to produce impressions or imprints on the sheet only where they are absolutely necessary for subsequently guiding a milling cutter or other cutter tool.It is no longer necessary for the entire stamping tool to be pressed against the cardboard sheet, and that fact results in lower pressures and also produces a lower degree of wear.

It is also possible for the entire impressing operaion to be controlled by computer means, so that individual impressing regions can be defined before operation is commenced.

For the purposes of adapting the apparatus in accordance with the principles of this invention to the respective sheet format required, the table plate member preferably carries at least one laterial clamping bar which is arranged on the table plate member in such a way as to be movable, while being capable of being fixed in a steplessly adjusted position; the bar is guided displacably in a position such as to be parallel to one of two side portions of the support structure, which project upwardly beyond the table plate member.

The bar may possibly be guided by means of at least one guide spindle in a respective guide bore in the side portion.

As not only the format of the stamping plate changes, but also the nature or configuration of the tool, it has been found desirable to provide adaptors for connecting the tool and the apparatus, wherein preferably one side portion carries the tool holder and the other side portion, or the bar associated with it, is provided with means for clamping the chase in the desired position.

The guide track assembly for carrying the above-mentioned carriage is preferably provided by a beam of uniform cross section in the form of a bridge-like arrangement which is mounted at both ends by means of rollers or the like guide members on guide track portions provided by the side portions. The track portions may be formed for example by mutually facing grooves in which the rollers or like guide members are guided.

In order to ensure that the bridge assembly remains parallel to itself in its movement along the guide track portions, gears or toothed wheels, provided thereon at both ends thereof, engage into suitable central means such as racks. These racks may be formed for example by the intermediate spaces of bicycle-chain-like members on the support structure.

The apparatus may permit the manufacture, outside of the automatic production machinery, of the anvils required therefor, of from 3b to 6 format.

A further development in the apparatus in accordance with the principles of this invention is concerned with the use thereof in operating on zones or portions of large surface area. For that purpose, the pressure member may be in the form of a roller, the periphery of which produces strip-like pressure regions of a required width. In addition, the roller may be rotatably carried by an upwardly and downwardly movable support which may be a component of a ram unit, and in that way may be as desired lifted up and pressed down against an article, for rolling the periphery of the roller thereagainst.

The accompanying drawings show embodiments of the invention, by way of example. In these drawings:- Figure 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus for processing sheets of cardboard for use as anvils in the manufacture of articles such as folding boxes or cases; Figure 2 is a view on an enlarged scale and in exaggerated form of a part of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, in cross section taken along line Il-Il in Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a view corresponding to that shown in Fig. 2 with components in a stamping machine; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of a detail of a modified arrangement, on an enlarged scale.

The apparatus 1 is used for processing a sheet of cardboard or like material in order to produce an anvil to cooperate with a die in the manufacture for example of an article such as a folding box or case or the like, The apparatus has a table plate member 4 disposed between first and second side portions 2 which are of a yoke-like configuration, with support legs 3, thereby forming a support structure. Arranged above the table plate member 4 is at least one lateral clamping bar 5 which is of the height indicated at i in Fig.

1, the bar 5 being displacable in a directio indicated by double-headed arrow y, while remaining parallel to the side portions 2. For the purposes of displacing the bar 5 across the table plate member 4, the bar 5 is connected to guide spindles 6 which pass through mounting bores 7 in the adjacent side portion 2, and has a hand wheel 8 which is rotatable for displacing the bar 5 across the table plate member 4, by actuatin of the spindles 6 which are geared or ganged together so as to move the bar 5 with a uniform motion, in a parallel manner.

Reference numeral 9 in Fig. 1 denotes the top surface of the bar 5. Disposed at a spacing indicated by a above the level of the top surface 9 of the bar 5, in the substantially vertical, inwardly-facing surfaces 10 of the two side portions 2, are horizontal guide grooves as indicated at 11, which therefore face towards each other in the manner clearly visible in Fig. 1. The guide grooves 11 cooperate with rollers or like guide members as indicated at 12, which are carried on a moving bridge assembly 1 3 comprising an Isectioned carrier member 14 and side plate assemblies 1 5 disposed at respective ends thereof. It will be seen therefore that the bridge assembly 1 3 is movable along the guide tracks formed by the grooves 11, on the rollers 12, in the direction indicated by double-headed arrow x in Fig. 1.

For the purposes of displacing the bridge assembly 1 3 along the side portions 2 in the direction indicated by the arrow x, the bridge assembly 13 has a handle 16. Carried on each side portion 2, on the top surface thereof as illustrated in Fig. 1, are guide control means, illustrated in the form substantially of a bicycle-type chain, as indicated at 1 7. Each end plate structure 1 5 of the bridge assembly 1 3 carries a sprocket 1 8 which engages into respective ones of the members 17, to ensure that the bridge assembly 1 3 is-guided parallel to itself, in the course of its movement along the guide tracks 11.

As can be seen from Fig. 1, the lower flange 20 of the I-beam carrier member 14 forms, on both sides of the central web 1 9 thereof, upwardly facing guide surfaces 21 for a carriage 22 which is movable along the carrier member 14 in the direction indicated by double-headed arrow y, by means of a cable or chain loop 24 which engages a lug 23 on the carriage 22. The loop 24 is actuated by turning a control wheel 25.

The carriage 22 carries a hydraulic ram unit 26, the piston rod of which extends downwards and carries at its lower end a ram head 27. The ram head 27 thus faces towards a stamping plate 30 which is fixed on the table plate member 4. The plate 30 is of steel and on its upper surface carries an adherent hard cardboard sheet 29. The height or thickness of the sheet 29 is for example 0.6 mm. As shown in Fig. 1, a chase indicated generally at 31 rests on the stamping plate 30 in the operating condition shown in Fig. 1. The chase 31 is movable vertically in the direction indicated by the double-headed arrow z by means of a gripping lever 32 mounted on the side portion 22, with a suitable operating assembly connected thereto, including lifting components (not shown) for vertically displac ing the chase 31.The chase 31 can be fixed in a downward position by clamping levers 33, as indicated on the bar 5. The chase 31 acts as a frame for a die plate 34. This carries blades 35 for subsequent cut lines 36 and stamping members 37 for forming bend lines 38, as can be seen more clearly from Figs. 2 and 3. These blades 35 and members 37 are in a pattern corresponding to one or more blanks for a folding box or case. Rubber buffer members are shown at 39 in Figs. 2 and 3, on respective sides of the blades 35 and of the stamping members 37, to act as spacers for maintaining a given spacing between the underneath surface of the chase structure 31 and the upper surface of the plate 30.

When a plate 30 is fixed between the table plate member 4 and the chase 31 which is guided in tool holders 40, after suitable adjusting movement of the bar 5, and when the sheet 29 has been covered by a layer or ply of carbon paper or the like as indicated at 41 in Fig. 2 and blank sheet as shown at 42 in Fig. 2, the die plate 34 is fitted thereover in such a way that blades 35 and stamping members 37 thereof can produce imprints or impressions on the sheet 29, by means of the carbon paper 41, when the blades 35 and stamping members 37 are pressed downwards. This downward pressing is performed, in a succession of places, by moving the ram unit 26 from place to place, and actuating the ram unit at each place so that the ram head 27 presses on a respective part of the upper edge of a blade 35 or of a stamping member 37.

The tool structure 44 comprising the chase 31 and the die plate 34 can now be removed and transferred into an associated sheet cutting and stamping machine (not shown in the drawing). The sheet 29 can be processed to form the anvil, the processing, e.g. by means of à milling cutter to produce grooves, being located by the imprints or impressions. The ram head may produce imprints or impressions only in certain regions. These are then joined up. Thereafter, the sheet 29 can be removed, as indicated in Fig. 3 at 45, except for the bend and cutting line regions. The stamping plate 30 with the adherent remaining portions of the sheet 29 is then transferred, for use as an anvil in a stamping operation in the sheet stamping machine.The bend cutting line regions are then anvil portions in relation to a sheet of cardboard 46 to be shaped into a blank or blanks, by means of the tool structure 44, as shown in Fig. 3.

As already stated, after the tool structure 44s has been adjusted or set up in the apparatus 1, the ram head 27 is operative to produce partial impressions or prints. In an alternative, so-called nylo-print setting-up operation, the ram head 27 also produces punched holes, which are required in a corresponding manner for the sheet stamping machine, for precise positioning of register pins, which makes it possible for such nylo-print plates to be prepared outside the sheet stamping machine.

The head 27 is movable horizontally in two co-ordinate directions x and y, and can be actuated with a stroke movement in a vertical direction as indicated by z. Such movements of the head 27 may be controlled by a computer (not shown) which provides for actuation in a network or system of impression locations of the minimum number, thereby saving energy and time.

Fig. 4 shows a particular modified embodiment 27a of the ram head 27 on a ram unit 60. This ram head 27a is movable in the direction indicated by arrow z, and also in directions x and y by means of the carriage 22 which is shown in Fig. 1. Mounted in a Ushaped fork 61 connected to the piston rod of the ram unit 60, on a spindle 62, is a pressing roller 63, the peripheral surface 64 of which performs the above-described function of the ram head 27; the roller 63 can roll over a strip portion 70 which is of the same width e as the roller, in each rolling motion thereof. Fig. 4 shows that strips 70 may be pressured one beside the other,

Claims

1. Apparatus for operating on a sheet of material comprising: a table plate adapted to receive a stamping plate having said sheet of material adherent thereon; a stamping tool operatively associated with the stamping plate; a chase; tool holding means for releasably carrying the chase substantially parallel to the table plate; guide track means extends ing over the table plate at a spacing therefrom and disposed movably thereabove; carriage means carried on the guide track means and movable in a direction transverse with respect to the direction of movement of the guide track; and at least one vertically movable pressure member carried on the carnage means and operatively directed towards said table plate.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pressure member comprises å roller having a peripheral surface thereby adapted to produce strip-like pressure regions.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said roller is rotatable about an axis in a vertically movable support means, and including an actuating means for vertically moving said support means.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said actuating means is a ram unit.

5. Apparatus as set forth in any of claims 1 to 4, and further including at least one lateral clamping bar which is arranged on the table plate in such a way as to be movable and fixable in a steplessly variable manner thereon.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, and including a support structure providing side portions, wherein said lateral defining member is displaceable parallel to a said side portion which projects upwardly beyond the level of said table plate.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said lateral defining member is operatively connected to at least one guide spindle means rotatably disposed in said side portion, for producing movement of said lateral defining member.

8. Apparatus as set forth in any of claims 5 to 7, wherein said lateral defining member carries holding means for said chase.

9. Apparatus as set forth in any of claims 1 to 5, and including a support structure providing side portions, wherein said guide track means is provided on a bridge assembly which extends over said table plate at a spacing therefrom and which is mounted on said side portions of said support structure at both ends of said bridge assembly.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein said side portions provide elongate guide tracks, and wherein said bridge assembly is mounted on said guide tracks by means of rolling members.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein said guide tracks comprise grooves formed in respective ones of said side portions and facing towards each other.

1 2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein said bridge assembly comprises side plate assemblies carrying rollers engaging into said mutually facing grooves.

1 3. Apparatus as set forth in any of claims 9 to 12, wherein said bridge assembly comprises a beam member having a lower portion providing said guide track means for movably supporting said carriage.

14. Apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein said carriage is mounted on said guide track means by roller means.

1 5. Apparatus as set forth in any of claims 1 to 14, and further including an actuator means for displacing said carriage along said guide track means.

16. Apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein said actuator means comprises an endless elongate actuating means, and an actuating wheel adapted to displace said elongate actuating means in a closed-loop movement, a portion of said carriage being connected to said elongate actuating means for moving said carriage.

1 7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pressure member comprises a head operable by a ram in a direction towards said table plate.

1 8. Apparatus as set forth in any of claims 9 to 16, wherein said bridge assembly further comprises control means at respective ends thereof, operable to engage with control means on said side portions for guiding said bridge assembly in a condition of parallelism with respect to itself during movement thereof.

19. Apparatus as set forth in any of claims 9 to 16, wherein operation of at lesst one of said bridge assembly and said pressure member is computer-controlled.