GB2148238A

GB2148238A - Treatment of rod-like articles

Info

Publication number: GB2148238A
Application number: GB08320894A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Edward Jackson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-08-03
Filing date: 1983-08-03
Publication date: 1985-05-30
Also published as: GB2148238B; GB8320894D0

Abstract

A machine for treating rod-like articles, e.g. for wrapping paint roller core tubes with a pile fabric, wherein first and second carriages (14, 16) are employed to drive a line of core tubes in end-to-end abutting relationship through a wrapping station (24), with the first carriage (14) pushing the trailing end of the last tube of the line and the second carriage (16) pulling the first tube of the line. At appropriate times at which the respective carriages are clamped to and unclamped from fast and slow moving chains (18), the first carriage is retracted from the back of the line to enable insertion of a fresh tube and the second carriage is advanced to withdraw a treated tube from the front of the line and enable its ejection. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Treatment of rod-like articles This invention relates to a method and machine for the treatment of rod-like articles.

There are a number of industrial processes wherein the surfaces of rod-like articles are treated along the entire length of the articles, as by application of a surface layer or coating thereto.

Such a process is commonly carried out by transporting the individual article lengthwise through a treatment station, possibly accompanied by rotation of the article about its axis during transport.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for the treatment of rod-like articles along the entire length of their outer surfaces, according to which successive pairs of articles are abutted in aligned end-to-end relationship whilst being transported through a treatment station, the continuity of successive pairs of articles being maintained by successively bringing a fresh article into abutment with the article undergoing treatment and by separating and removing a treated article from the article undergoing treatment, the treatment step being carried out at the treatment station continuously along the length of abutting pairs of articles including across the abutting ends thereof.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a machine for the treatment of rod-like articles along the entire length of their outer surfaces, comprising an elongate support having a carriage reciprocable along each of the opposite end regions thereof, a treatment station intermediate the paths of movement of the reciprocable carriages including an article guide and support, chuck means on the first carriage for gripping the trailing end of an article and chuck means on the second carriage for gripping the leading end of an article, means for locating a fresh article in line between the first carriage and an article being treated, means for removing a treated article from between the second carriage and an article being treated, and means for inter-relating the reciprocating movements of the carriages and the operation of the chuck means carried thereby so that successive pairs of articles are-transported in aligned end-to-end abutting relationship through the treatment station, thereby to enable treatment to be carried out continuously along the lengths of said successive pairs of articles including across the abutting ends thereof.

One particular application of the invention is to the manufacture of paint rollers, wherein core tubes of extruded plastics material or wound phenolic resin paper, say of the order of 1 to 2 metres long, are transported through a treatment station at which the tubes are helically wrapped with a pile fabric typically 5 to 10 cm wide.

Further features of the process and machine of this invention will for convenience be described with reference to this application of the invention, although it will be clear that many such features are of more general applicability.

First, in order to effect helical wrapping of the fabric, the core tubes are rotated about their axes during transport by means of rotation of the chuck means on the respective carriages.

Second, the treatment station includes a glue applicator by means of which a coating of glue, e.g. a two component, low viscosity epoxy resin glue, is applied to the outer surfaces of the rotating, displacing tubes immediately prior to application of the fabric. However, it is alternatively possible to apply the glue to the back of the fabric.

Third, where the fabric is wrapped across the abutting ends of a pair of tubes, it is desirable to wrap the fabric with one or more turns of binding tape prior to cutting the bound fabric generally in line with the abutting ends of the tubes, thereby to permit a treated tube to be separated from that still passing through the treatment station. The treatment station may therefore include a binding tape applicator and a cutting knife, carried by a third reciprocable carriage which has a forward stroke in which it moves synchronously with the tube being transported.

Fourth, as the rod-like articles being treated are in this case hollow core tubes, the chuck means carried by the first and second carriages may conveniently engage inside the respective ends of the tube, being expansible to grip the interior tube surface.

Fifth, the first and second carriages will preferably have a relatively slow transporting movement, a relatively fast return movement and a relatively fast movement in the transporting direction so as, in the case of the first carriage, to engage the leading end of a fresh tube with the trailing end of a tube undergoing treatment (the slow transporting movement then taking over) and, in the case of the second carriage, to disengage the trailing end of a treated tube from the leading end of a tube in the treatment station (this fast movement taking over from the slow transporting movement).

According to an especially advantageous feature of the invention, the carriage drives for achieving the respective slow and fast movements are effected by means of two moving endless chains, one moving at a higher speed, for example of the order of four times faster, than the other. Solenoid actuated air clamps may be employed to clamp and release the carriages to and from the respective chains at the appropriate times. Less desirably, mechanical clamp devices may be employed. A sprocket drive cooperating with the fast chain can be employed to drive the chuck means in rotation when the first and second carriages are clamped to and moving with the slow chain during tube transport. The same two endless chains, together with solenoid actuated air clamps, can be used to move the third carriage.

However, it is alternatively possible to employ a third endless drive chain for return movement of the first, second and third carriages. It will be appreciated that both runs of the fast chain are used in order to obtain the desired first and second carriage movements, whilst only one run of the slow chain is utilised.

The chains are conveniently driven by an a.c.

variable speed motor acting through gearings of differing transmission ratios in order to obtain a basic speed differential between the chains. Fine adjustment is preferably by means of a positively infinitely variable (PIV) gear unit in at least one of the transmissions, typically the fast chain transmission. This form of drive, which is adjustable during operation, enables the pitch of fabric winding to be very accurately controlled, whereby it can be ensured that the helical fabric turns precisely abut one another.

The sequence of the operations of the machine can be pneumatically controlled by use of a series of trip valves or mechanical trips actuated by the carriages during their movements. Preferably, however, the machine is electronically controlled by a microprocessor based control unit programmed to generate control pulses at appropriate times relative to a base time. A choice of variables within a program can be available to suit different core tube lengths, fabric widths, etc. The base time is set by a sensor at the second carriage. This can comprise a proximity switch in the form of a spring biassed sliding sleeve covering the chuck means. .

When the machine is started up, machine initialisation takes place, which brings about a movement of the first carriage to engage its chuck means with the trailing end of a core tube in front of it. The second carriage is at this time pre-placed or automatically moved to a predetermined waiting position at the left-hand end of its range of movements. Initialisation continues until the leading end of a tube engages a proximity sensor provided on the chuck means on the second carriage, when initialisation is completed and a base time signal is sent to the microprocessor. The microprocessor then starts an internal count at a rate related to the speed of the slow chain, and produces control sig nals at predetermined intervals in accordance with its program.

It is possible for the microprocessor based control unit either to receive an input signal from the PIV gear unit or to provide signals which control the setting of such gear unit. However, generally the PIV unit only affects the speed of the fast chain, which in turn affects only the "waste time" of the first and second carriages at the left-hand ends of their respective ranges of movement.

An embodiment of machine in accordance with the invention, used for applying the pile fabric to the core tubes of paint rollers, is shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front view of the machine; and Figure 2 is a plan view thereof.

In the front view of Figure 1, various safety guards have been omitted in the interests of clarity.

The illustrated machine comprises an elongate support 10, typically about 6 metres long, provided with upper and lower guide rails 12 at opposite end regions along which can move first and second carriages, 14 and 16 respectively.

Each carriage has a chuck (the chuck on the second carriage is visible at 42) which is expansible by an electrically operable air cylinder (not shown) to engage the end of a core tube on its inside surface, the two chucks being in axial alignment.

A pair of endless chains, one run of one chain being shown at 18, are used to reciprocate each carriage 14, 16.

An electric motor drives the respective chains at fast and slow speeds, one about four times faster than the other. The differential chain speeds are obtained by-means of respective worm gear units 20 with differing transmissions ratios, and a PIV gear unit 22 provides for fine adjustment of the fast chain speed relative to the other.

Intermediate the paths of the reciprocating carriages 14, 16 is a treatment station generally referenced 24. The treatment station has a glue applicator 26, a guide 28 (Figure 2) for lead-in of pile fabric, and a third carriage 30 carrying a taping unit 32 and a cutting unit 34. The third carriage 30 is also reciprocable by means of the endless chains 18, for which a chain tensioner is referenced 36 in Figure 2.

The reference 38 denotes a hopper for paint roller core tubes, the latter being of the order of 1# to 2 metres long (the pile wrapped tubes are cut into individual paint roller lengths in a process step following the process carried out in the present machine).

The reference 40 denotes an electronic control unit which is microprocessor based and which generates control signals for sequencing the operations of the machine.

On starting up the machine, the second carriage 16 is moved to a predetermined waiting position (or it can be moved by hand to said position prior to starting), whilst the first carriage 14, starting from a random position, is moved during a machine initialisation step until a left to right movement thereof causes it to transport a tube through the treatment station until its leading end engages the chuck on the waiting second carriage. If desired, a first core tube can be hand loaded on to the chuck on the first carriage, the pressing of a reset button to start machine initialisation causing the chuck to grip the tube and advance it with accompanying rotation until its leading end reaches the second carriage. This marks the end of initiaiisation, and further operation is timed and controlled by the programmed microprocessor.

A proximity switch (not shown) on the second carriage 16, conveniently in the form of a spring loaded sleeve around the chuck, senses engagement by the core tube and sends a base time signal to the microprocessor, which initiates the microprocessor program and immediately causes a control signal to be fed to the second carriage to cause expansion of the chuck so that it grips the leading end of the core tube.

The leading end of the tube is now gripped for transport by said second carriage as a simultaneous control signal operates a solenoid operable clamp to clamp said carriage to the slow chain. A sprocket on the second carriage, engaging the links of the fast chain, now drives the chuck on the second carriage in rotation. Subsequently, as will be clear from later description, further control signals cause the chuck on the first carriage to be released and the first carriage 14 to be quickly returned, to a starting position behind the hopper 38, by clamping said carriage to the return run of the fast chain.

Leaving sufficient time for a fresh core tube to fall into place from the hopper, the first carriage is now released from the return run of the fast chain and clamped to the left-to-right run thereof by actuation of a solenoid operated air clamp on said first carriage 14, whereby this carriage is moved to the right to engage the trailing end of a core tube 44 fed in in front of it from the hopper. It is thus quickly moved up behind the fresh tube, the chuck is expanded responsively to a control signal and the fresh tube is rapidly advanced to catch up the trailing end of the tube which is still being slowly transported through the treatment station 20 by the second carriage 16.

Thus, the first carriage 14 now catches up the first tube so that the leading end of the fresh tube is abutted end-to-end in alignment with the trailing end of said first tube. At this time, timed control signals from the microprocessor release the clamp from the fast chain and clamp the first carriage to the slow chain. This brings into operation a sprocket engaging with the links of the fast chain, whereby the chuck is driven in rotation to rotate the core tube about its axis as it is transported forwardly. The two tubes are now being transported in end-to-end relationship through the treatment station.

At the treatment station, glue is applied to the tube outer surface by the applicator 26 and, after the first half-turn has been applied by hand, pile fabric 46, say 5 to 10 cm wide, is drawn from a supply (not shown), through the fabric guide 28, and wound helically around the tube as the latter is transported (left to right as shown) through the treatment station. At this time, the core tube is additionally guided by a support bush 48 at the treatment station. Fabric wrapping is effected continuously across the abutting ends.

When the junction between the pair of core tubes has been fabric wrapped, control signals acting on solenoid operable air clamps bring the third carriage 30 into operation. This is first clamped to the slow chain to move synchronously with the wrapped tubes in order to apply one or more turns of binding tape over the wrapped junction, whereafter the cutting unit on said third carriage is actuated to sever the fabric through the turn or turns of binding tape, substantially in alignment with the junction between the core tubes inside the wrapping. After the knifing action, control signals cause release of the third carriage from the slow chain and its return to the starting position.

As the transport of the pair of tubes continues, the junction of the leading tube emerges from the treatment station. The second carriage 16 Is now switched by a timed control signal to the fast chain, so that the treated tube Is separated from the tube behind It (still being driven by first carriage 14), this separation being enabled by the cutting through of the fabric in line with the junction between the tubes. The treated tube is now quickly advanced to a position where a control signal causes the chuck means on the second carriage to be released, allowing the treated tube to fall out of the machine at 50. The second carriage 16 is then switched to the reverse run of the fast chain and returned right to left to its predetermined waiting position where, shortly afterwards, its chuck is engaged by the leading end of the next tube.In practice, it is alternatively possible to use simultaneous control signals, produced on completion of the cutting operation, to start return of the intermediate carriage, to release the chuck on the second carriage, and to switch said second carriage to fast movement, so that the treated tube is ejected more quickly.

When the next tube has been picked up by the second carriage, the first carriage is released and returned right to left to a position behind the hopper, as heretofore mentioned.

It is an important feature of the machine of this invention that the sequence of operations of the machine is determined by control signals fed from the microprocessor. This can be programmed to compute the timing of the control signals from the tube length, tube diameter, fabric width etc.

In practice, the microprocessor is programmed with a succession of numbers and counts from each number up to overflow, when a control signal is fed out and a fresh number is read from the memory. Thus, the values of the numbers in the programme determine the timing of the control signals, which are related to the known speed of the slow chain. Fine adjustment of the PIV gear unit, which constitutes a fine pitch adjustment for fabric winding, has a marginal effect only on the waiting time of the second carriage and waste travel at the end of the return movement of the first carriage.

Various protection devices are incorporated in the machine to deal with possible jamming. In Figure 2, reference 52 denotes a reset button to be operated when a fault has been cleared and to initialise the machine.

Although described with reference to paint roller production, it will be appreciated that the invention as hereinbefore defined can be applied to other processes such as the coating of tubes or other rod like articles, enabling the treatment process to be carried out continuously as successive pairs of articles are fed through an appropriate treatment station.

CLAIMS (Filed on 27.1.84) 1. A method for the treatment of rod-like articles alono the entire length of their outer surfaces, according to which successive pairs of articles are abutted in aligned end-to-end relationship whilst being transported through a treatment station, the continuity of successive pairs of articles being maintained by successively bringing a fresh article into abutment with the article undergoing treat

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

Claims

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

of the fast chain, now drives the chuck on the second carriage in rotation. Subsequently, as will be clear from later description, further control signals cause the chuck on the first carriage to be released and the first carriage 14 to be quickly returned, to a starting position behind the hopper 38, by clamping said carriage to the return run of the fast chain.

Leaving sufficient time for a fresh core tube to fall into place from the hopper, the first carriage is now released from the return run of the fast chain and clamped to the left-to-right run thereof by actuation of a solenoid operated air clamp on said first carriage 14, whereby this carriage is moved to the right to engage the trailing end of a core tube 44 fed in in front of it from the hopper. It is thus quickly moved up behind the fresh tube, the chuck is expanded responsively to a control signal and the fresh tube is rapidly advanced to catch up the trailing end of the tube which is still being slowly transported through the treatment station 20 by the second carriage 16.

Thus, the first carriage 14 now catches up the first tube so that the leading end of the fresh tube is abutted end-to-end in alignment with the trailing end of said first tube. At this time, timed control signals from the microprocessor release the clamp from the fast chain and clamp the first carriage to the slow chain. This brings into operation a sprocket engaging with the links of the fast chain, whereby the chuck is driven in rotation to rotate the core tube about its axis as it is transported forwardly. The two tubes are now being transported in end-to-end relationship through the treatment station.

At the treatment station, glue is applied to the tube outer surface by the applicator 26 and, after the first half-turn has been applied by hand, pile fabric 46, say 5 to 10 cm wide, is drawn from a supply (not shown), through the fabric guide 28, and wound helically around the tube as the latter is transported (left to right as shown) through the treatment station. At this time, the core tube is additionally guided by a support bush 48 at the treatment station. Fabric wrapping is effected continuously across the abutting ends.

When the junction between the pair of core tubes has been fabric wrapped, control signals acting on solenoid operable air clamps bring the third carriage 30 into operation. This is first clamped to the slow chain to move synchronously with the wrapped tubes in order to apply one or more turns of binding tape over the wrapped junction, whereafter the cutting unit on said third carriage is actuated to sever the fabric through the turn or turns of binding tape, substantially in alignment with the junction between the core tubes inside the wrapping. After the knifing action, control signals cause release of the third carriage from the slow chain and its return to the starting position.

As the transport of the pair of tubes continues, the junction of the leading tube emerges from the treatment station. The second carriage 16 Is now switched by a timed control signal to the fast chain, so that the treated tube Is separated from the tube behind It (still being driven by first carriage 14), this separation being enabled by the cutting through of the fabric in line with the junction between the tubes. The treated tube is now quickly advanced to a position where a control signal causes the chuck means on the second carriage to be released, allowing the treated tube to fall out of the machine at 50. The second carriage 16 is then switched to the reverse run of the fast chain and returned right to left to its predetermined waiting position where, shortly afterwards, its chuck is engaged by the leading end of the next tube.In practice, it is alternatively possible to use simultaneous control signals, produced on completion of the cutting operation, to start return of the intermediate carriage, to release the chuck on the second carriage, and to switch said second carriage to fast movement, so that the treated tube is ejected more quickly.

When the next tube has been picked up by the second carriage, the first carriage is released and returned right to left to a position behind the hopper, as heretofore mentioned.

It is an important feature of the machine of this invention that the sequence of operations of the machine is determined by control signals fed from the microprocessor. This can be programmed to compute the timing of the control signals from the tube length, tube diameter, fabric width etc.

In practice, the microprocessor is programmed with a succession of numbers and counts from each number up to overflow, when a control signal is fed out and a fresh number is read from the memory. Thus, the values of the numbers in the programme determine the timing of the control signals, which are related to the known speed of the slow chain. Fine adjustment of the PIV gear unit, which constitutes a fine pitch adjustment for fabric winding, has a marginal effect only on the waiting time of the second carriage and waste travel at the end of the return movement of the first carriage.

Various protection devices are incorporated in the machine to deal with possible jamming. In Figure 2, reference 52 denotes a reset button to be operated when a fault has been cleared and to initialise the machine.

Although described with reference to paint roller production, it will be appreciated that the invention as hereinbefore defined can be applied to other processes such as the coating of tubes or other rod like articles, enabling the treatment process to be carried out continuously as successive pairs of articles are fed through an appropriate treatment station.

CLAIMS (Filed on 27.1.84)

1. A method for the treatment of rod-like articles alono the entire length of their outer surfaces, according to which successive pairs of articles are abutted in aligned end-to-end relationship whilst being transported through a treatment station, the continuity of successive pairs of articles being maintained by successively bringing a fresh article into abutment with the article undergoing treat ment and by separating and removing a treated article from the article undergoing treatment, the treatment step being carried out at the treatment station continuously along the length of abutting pairs of articles including across the abutting ends thereof.

2. A method according to claim 1, according to which the articles are rotated about their axes during transport.

3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, according to which the articles are transported through the treatment station relatively slowly, whilst the fresh article has a relatively fast movement in the transporting direction to engage the trailing end of an article being treated and a treated article has a relatively fast movement in the transporting direction to disengage the trailing end of a treated article from the article being treated.

4. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 3, applied to articles in the form of hollow tubes.

5. A method according to claim 4, according to which the treatment comprises application of a helical wrapping to the articles.

6. A machine for the treatment of rod-like articles along the entire length of their outer surfaces, comprising an elongate support having a carriage reciprocable along each of the opposite end regions thereof, a treatment station intermediate the paths of movement of the reciprocable carriages including an article guide and support, chuck means on the first carriage for gripping the trailing end of an article and chuck means on the second carriage for gripping the leading end of an article, means for locating a fresh article in line between the first carriage and an article being treated, means for removing a treated article from between the second carriage and an article being treated, and means for inter-relating the reciprocating movements of the carriages and the operation of the chuck means carried thereby so that successive pairs of articles are transported in aligned end-toend abutting relationship through the treatment station, thereby to enable treatment to be carried out continuously along the lengths of said successive pairs of articles including across the abutting ends thereof.

7. A machine according to claim 6, wherein the chuck means is operable to rotate the articles during transport through the treatment station.

8. A machine according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the first and second carriages have a relatively slow transporting movement, a relatively fast return movement and a relatively fast movement in the transporting direction so as, in the case of the first carriage, to engage the leading end of a fresh tube with the trailing end of a tube undergoing treatment (the slow transporting movement then taking over) and, in the case of the second carriage, to disengage the trailing end of a treated tube from the leading end of a tube in the treatment station (this fast movement taking over from the slow transporting movement).

9. A machine according to claim 8, wherein the carriage drives for achieving the respective slow and fast movements are effected by means of two moving endless chains, one moving at a higher speed, for example of the order of four times faster, than the other, clamps being employed to clamp and release the carriages to and from the respective chains at the appropriate times.

10. A machine according to claim 9, wherein the clamps are solenoid actuated air clamps.

11. A machine according to claim 9 or claim 10, wherein a sprocket drive cooperating with the fast chain is employed to drive the chuck means in rotation when the first and second carriages are clamped to and moving with the slow chain during transport through the treatment station.

12. A machine according to any of claims 6 to 11, wherein the treatment station includes a reciprocable third carriage which has a forward stroke in which it moves synchronously with an article being treated.

13. A machine according to claim 12 when appendant to claim 9, wherein said synchronous movement of the third carriage is achieved by clamping it to the slow chain.

14. A machine according to claim 9 or any claim appendant thereto, wherein the chains are driven by a motor acting through gearings of differing transmission ratios providing a basic speed differential between the chains.

15. A machine according to claim 14, wherein fine adjustment of the relative speeds of the chains is achieved by means of an infinitely variable gear unit in at least one of the chain transmissions.

16. A machine according to any of claims 6 to 15, having its sequence of operations pneumatically controlled by a series of trips actuated by the carriages during their movements.

17. A machine according to any of claims 6 to 15, having its sequence of operations electronically controlled by a microprocessor based control unit programmed to generate control pulses at appropriate times relative to a base time.

18. A machine according to claim 17, wherein a base time signal is sent to the control unit from a sensor on the second carriage, at the end of an initialisation step completed when the leading end of an article is brought into engagement with the chuck means on said second carriage.

19. A machine accordino to claim 17 or claim 18, wherein the microprocessor based control unit effects an internal count starting from the base time at a rate related to the speed of the slow chain.

20. A machine according to claim 19, wherein the control unit produces control signals related to said count in accordance with a program suited to the parameters of particular articles being treated and/or a particular treatment being carried out.

21. A machine according to any of claims 6 to 20, wherein the articles are tubes and the chuck means is adapted to engage the ends of said tubes internally.

22. A machine according to claim 21, wherein the treatment station includes guide means for a material which is to be helically wrapped around the tubes.

23. A machine according to claim 22, wherein the treatment station includes a glue applicator for applying glue to the tubes.

24. A machine according to claim 22 or claim 23, wherein the treatment station includes a binding tape applicator for applying binding tape over the wrapped material at the region of the abutting ends of two tubes.

25. A machine according to claim 22 or claim 23 or claim 24, wherein the treatment station includes a cutter for cutting the wrapped fabric (and any binding tape thereover) substantially in line with the abutting ends of two tubes.

26. A machine according to claim 24 or claim 25 when appendant to claim 12, wherein the binding tape applicator and/or cutter are carried by the reciprocable third carriage.

27. A machine accordinq to any of claims 6 to 26, adapted to the wrapping of a pile fabric on paint roller core tubes of plastics material or of phenolic resin paper.

28. A method of treatment of rod-like articles substantially as hereinbefore described.

29. A machine for effecting treatment of rodlike articles substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed, and have the following effect: *(b) New or textually amended claims have been filed as follows: CLAIMS

1. A method for the treatment of rod-like articles along the entire length of their outer surfaces, according to which successive pairs of articles are abutted in aligned end-to-end relationship whilst being transported through a treatment station, the continuity of successive pairs of articles being maintained by means of reciprocating carriages respectively located on opposite sides of the treatment station, the first carriage successively bringing a fresh article into abutment with the article undergoing treatment and the second carriage successively separating and removing a treated articie from the article undergoing treatment, the treatment step being carried out at the treatment station continuously along the length of abutting pairs of articles including across the abutting ends thereof.