GB2140531A

GB2140531A - Packaging machine

Info

Publication number: GB2140531A
Application number: GB08410070A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Johann Natterer
Original assignee: Multivac Sepp Haggenmueller GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Multivac Sepp Haggenmueller GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 1983-05-25
Filing date: 1984-04-18
Publication date: 1984-11-28
Also published as: DE3318994C1; FR2547554B3; CH664334A5; IT8467496A1; FR2547554A1; IT1179673B; IT8467496A0; GB8410070D0; JPS602419A

Abstract

A packaging machine for packaging articles using a material web drawn from a roll 10 comprises a mandrel 14 for receiving the roll moved thereon from a free end thereof and an abutment member 15 for limiting the movement of the roll on the mandrel and for aligning one end of the roll symmetrically with respect to the mandrel axis. In order to allow a simple and easy alignment of the roll with respect to the mandrel axis gripping means 23 are provided disposed at the mandrel in a distance from the abutment member displaced therefrom towards the free end of the mandrel, the gripping means being adjustable radially outwardly symmetrically with respect to the mandrel axis and axially towards the abutment zone, thereby aligning the roll. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Packaging machine The invention refers to a packaging machine for packaging articles using a material web drawn from a roll comprising a mandrel for receiving the roll moved thereon from a free end thereof and abutment member for limiting a movement of the roll on the mandrel and for aligning one end of the roll symmetrically with respect to the mandrel axis.

A packaging machine of this kind is known from the U.S. patent 2,613,881. This known packaging machine has an abutment member formed as a fixable conical member at an end of a mandrel attached to the frame of the packaging machine, the abutment member serving for limiting the movement of the roll on the mandrel. Engaging means designed as a slidable conical member are provided at the other, free end of the mandrel, the engaging means allowing an axial and radial centering of the roll in connection with the fixed conical member. It is the drawback of this packaging machine that for changing the roll the engaging means must be removed from the mandrel. Since all fastening means of the engaging means must be loosened to this end the handling is made difficult and timeconsuming and thus leads to longer operation interruptions.The alignment is rendered particularly difficult because of the mostly considerable weight of the roll.

It is a primary object of the invention to provide an improved package machine. It is a further object of the invention to provide a packaging machine in which the exchange and alignment of the roll is simplified. It is a further object of the invention to provide a packaging machine in which no parts of the machine must be removed to load and align a new roll.

In accordance with the invention the packaging machine for packaging articles using a material web drawn from a roll comprises a mandrel for receiving said roll slipped thereon from a free end thereof, an abutment zone for limiting the slipping of said roll on said mandrel and for aligning one end of said roll symmetrically with respect to the mandrel axis and gripping means disposed at the mandrel in a distance from the abutment member displaced therefrom towards the free end of the mandrel, the gripping means being adjustable radially outwardly symmetrically with respect to the mandrel axis and axially towards the abutment zone, thereby aligning the roll.

The invention is hereinafter more particularly described with reference to an embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: Figure lisa lateral view of a packaging machine in schematic representation; Figure 2 is a perspective representation of a part of the packaging machine with loaded roll; Figure 3 is a sectional view of the mandrel; Figure 4 shows a detail of the mandrel; Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the line V-V of Figure 4.

In the usual mannerthe packaging machine 1 comprises a frame 2, a deep drawing station 3, a filling station 4 and an evacuation and sealing station 5. A bottom foil 6 serving for the forming of container bottoms in the deep drawing station 3 is drawn off from a supply roll 7 being supported on a mandrel 8. A cover foil being fed to the evacuation and sealing station 5 for forming the covers for the packages to be sealed is drawn off from a supply roll 10 which is supported on a mandrel 11. The mandrels 8 and 11 are each supported at one end thereof by side plates 12, 13 which are connected with the frame 2. Both mandrels 8 and 11 are of corresponding construction such that the construction is described only in connection with one example.

As may be best seen in Figure 3 the mandrel 11 is formed as hollow cylinder. It has a first cylinder section 14 having a diameter which is smaller than the inner diameter of the roll core 26 of the supply roll 10 to be loaded on the mandrel 11, in order to allow the roll to be easily loadable onto the first cylinder section from the free end 17 of the mandrel having a clearance between the roll core and the first cylinder section. Preferably the length of the first cylinder section is selected at least equal to the width of the roll 10 to be loaded thereon.

The mandrel comprises a second cylinder section 25 adjacent to the first cylinder section 14, the second cylinder section having a diameter which is larger than the inner diameter of the roll core 26 and thus larger than the diameter of the first cylinder section. The transition from the first cylinder section 14 to the second cylinder section 25 is formed by a portion 15 which is designed concavely sloping towards the free end 17 and in particular in the form of a frustum.

Clamping means 27 are provided close to the free end 17 of the mandrel. The clamping means comprises a block 28 which is disposed in the interior of the hollow cylinder and is rigidly connected thereof with. The block is disposed in a distance from the free end 17 of the mandrel and comprises a bore 29 disposed coaxially with the mandrel axis 16 and having an internal thread. The block 28 further has conical or frustum- or pyramide-shaped contact surfaces 30, 31 at the end thereof facing the free end 17 of the mandrel, the contact surfaces being convergent towards the free end 17 of the mandrel.

A spindle 32 is screwed into the bore 29 and projects outwardly through the free end 17 of the mandrel with a free knob-shaped end 33. The spindle 33 is fixedly connected with a plate 34 extending radially with respect to the mandrel axis 16. To this end the plate 34, which is best shown in Figures 4 and 5, comprises a central bore 35, the plate 34 being slipped on the spindle 32 extending through this bore 35 up to an abutment and being clamped on the spindle by means of a nut 36 such that the plate is rotatable and secured against displacement in axial direction with respect to the spindle.

Three fingers 23,24 are supported at the plate 34 with a respective one end 37, 38 being pivotable about axes 39,40 around the mandrel axis, the fingers being circumferentially offset by 1 20" with respect to each other. The axes 39,40 are disposed in a plane extending perpendicular to the mandrel axis 16 and form an isosceles triangle, the center of which lies on the mandrel axis 16. In Figure 3 two of the fingers are shown, whereas the third finger is hidden. The fingers have a plane surface on their underside facing the mandrel axis and slide on the respective associated contact surfaces 30,31 of the block 28. On their surfaces turned away from the mandrel axis the fingers each have a projection 41, 42 projecting outwardly.The hollow cylinder comprises apertures 43, 44 in the first cylinder section 14, the apertures being disposed such that the fingers are pivotable outwardly about the axes 39, 40, 40a out from the hollow cylinder through these apertures and movable in a direction parallel to the mandrel axis 16.

In the embodiment shown three fingers with respective associated contact surfaces 30, 31 on the block 28 are provided. Other numbers of fingers may be provided, the fingers being preferably offset in circumferential direction by equal angles with respecs to each other. The minimum number of the fingers is three. In this case the fingers are offset by 120 with respect to each other.

The hollow cylinder-type mandrel 11 is supported on an axis 19 by means of sleeve bearings, 4546 in a manner to be rotatable and slidable in axial direc tion. The mandrel is connected with the machine frame by means of the axis 19 being fixedly connected with the frame or a side plate, respectively.

As may be best seen from Figure 2 an adjusting bar 47 is provided, which is mounted to the frame 2 pivotably about an axis 48 extending parallel to the mandrel axis 16. The adjusting bar has two lateral arms 49, 50 being connected with the axis 48 at one end thereof and comprising respective rollers 51, 52 at the other end thereof, the rollers being rotatable about axes parallel to the mandrel axis 16. The distance of the rollers 51,52 is selected such that it exactly corresponds to the width of the foil wound up on the supply roll 10.The adjustment bar 47 is mounted on the machine frame in that manner that the rollers 51, 52 being disposed at the free end thereof and resting on the supply roll disposed therebelow due to their own weight adjust the supply roll in direction of the mandrel axis 16 such that the material web is fed to the operating station in a predetermined adjusted manner.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: In the beginning the spindle 32 is in a turned-out position, in which the plate 34 has a maximum distance from the block 28 and the fingers 23,24 are retracted into the interior of the hollow cylinder-type mandrel. In this position the supply roll is pushed onto the free end of the mandrel as far as possible.

Thereupon the spindle 32 is turned-in in that manner that the distance of the plate 34 from the block 28 is reduced. As a consequence the fingers gliding on the contact surfaces of the block protrude outwardly through the apertures in the hollow-cylinder-shaped mandrel and engage the interior surface of the roll core with their projections 41, 42 forming gripping means, as may be best seen from Figure 3. By furtherturning-in the spindle it is caused that as a result of this action the roll core and thus the supply roll is pushed towards the portion 15. Finally the roll core abuts thereat with its interior edge 53' facing the portion 15 and is pushed onto the portion 15 in the manner shown in Figure 3 such that this end is adjusted symmetrically in circumferential direction to the mandrel axis 16.Simultaneously with the advancement of the supply roll directed towards the portion 15 the fingers 23,24 are spread apart to such an extent that the roll core 26 is also at this end aligned symmetrically with respect to the mandrel axis 16. By this alignment it is achieved that the axis of rotation of the supply roll coincides with the mandrel axis 16. Now the adjusting bar 47 is displaced downwardly into the position shown in Figure 2 and the mandrel is moved to and fro on the axis 16 such that the foil is positioned exactly between both rollers 51,52 and thus is laterally aligned exactly in the predetermined manner.

In Figure 3 a fixed alignment dog 53, 54 is provided in place of the pivotable bar according to Figure 2 on both sides of the supply roll. The pivotable adjusting bar, however, has the advantage that it always adapts to the diameter of the supply roll.

In Figures 4 and 5 a plan view of and a section through, respectively, a plate 34 provided for three fingers is shown having three axes 39, 40, 40a offset by 120 with respect to each other.

It should be understood that the above description is in no way limitative and that many modifications and improvements may be brought thereto without departing from the true spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. A packaging machine for packaging articles using a material web drawn from a roll, comprising a mandrel for receiving said roll slipped thereon from a free end thereof, an abutment zone for limiting the slipping of said roll on said mandrel and for aligning one end of said roll symmetrically with respect to the mandrel axis and gripping means disposed at said mandrel in a distance from said abutment zone displaced therefrom towards the free end of said mandrel, said gripping means being adjustable radially outwardly symmetrically with respect to said mandrel axis and axially towards said abutment zone, thereby aligning said roll.

2. The packaging machine of claim 1,wherein said gripping means comprises a plurality of fingers being offset with respect to each other in circumferential direction of said mandrel.

3. The packaging machine of claim 2, wherein said fingers are hinged at one end thereof such that they may pivote in a plane containing the mandrel axis.

4. The packaging machine of claim 3, wherein said hinge is provided at that end of said fingers which is turned awayfrom said abutment zone.

5. The packaging machine of claim 4, wherein said fingers are slidably supported with their free end on a plane inclined relative to the side of said abutment zone to said mandrel axis.

6. The packaging machine of any of the claims 1 to 5, wherein said mandrel is formed as a hollow cylinder and a block is provided in the interior of said hollow cylinder, said block being fixedly connected with said hollow cylinder and having contact surface portions which are convergent towards the free end of the mandrel and upon which said gripping means is slidably guided.

7. The packaging machine of any of claims 2 to 6, wherein an axially displaceable member is provided in the interior of the mandrel, said fingers being supported at said member in a manner pivotable about axes with a respective end thereof.

8. The packaging machine of claim 6 or 7, wherein said hollow cylinder comprises apertures disposed such that the gripping means are pivotable outwardly therethrough and movable in a direction parallel to said mandrel axis.

9. The packaging machine of any of claims 2 to 8, wherein said fingers each have a projection projecting outwardly on the surface thereof turned away from said mandrel axis.

10. The packaging machine of any of claims 7 to 9, wherein said member is axially adjustable by means of a spindle screwed into said block.

11. The packaging machine of any of claims 1 to 10, wherein said mandrel is slidably supported on an axis.

12. The packaging machine of claim 11, wherein a guide for limiting the axial movement of said roll in relation to said axis is provided, said guide being adapted to engage said roll to be loaded.

13. A packaging machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.