GB2193951A

GB2193951A - Apparatus for stacking sheet elements on edge

Info

Publication number: GB2193951A
Application number: GB08716590A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Birger Andersson
Original assignee: ARENCO MATCH MACHINERY AB
Current assignee: ARENCO MATCH MACHINERY AB
Priority date: 1986-07-14
Filing date: 1987-07-14
Publication date: 1988-02-24
Also published as: SE8603107D0; DE3722474A1; GB8716590D0; FR2601347A1; FR2601347B1; SE459729B; ES2004749A6; SE8603107L; JPS6382274A; GB2193951B

Description

1 G132 193951A 1

SPECIFICATION disclose the following drawbacks:

The up-ending machinery needs to be care- Apparatus for placing sheet elements in an fully synchronised with the rest of the ma up-ended position chine.

70 Change of size (change of length and width The present invention relates to apparatus for of the blank) is difficult to accomplish and re placing sheet elements, for example blanks for quires the change of--machinesize parts-, match box outer boxes, so called "skillets", that is machine related parts of different di on a support in an up-ended position where mensions for different sizes.

the blanks are placed in a stack. 75 The prior art up-ending machines are expen-

The subject of the present invention is sive to manufacture and relatively expensive to apparatus which can automatically, quickly re- operate.

orientate blanks without any need for changing Other prior art up-ending arrangements for size related machine parts, so called size or sheet material are characterised in that they gauge parts, and with a minimum of machine 80 are of a complex structure or have an insuffici adjustments which, additionally, should be ent operation speed.

easy to accomplish. The present invention provides apparatus for There are a number of known machines for placing sheet elements in an up- ended posi- up-ending skillets. tion comprising feed rollers for feeding the One type of machine operates with a rotat- 85 sheet elements in a horizontal condition to a ing wheel having resilient clips or mechanically re-orientation device for placing the sheet ele operated pliers for guiding and feeding of the ments in an up-ended position, one after the blanks. other, onto a support, characterised in that Another type of machine has a chain having the re-orientation device comprises a first rol- resilient clips or mechanically operated fingers. 90 ler and at least two further rollers each having Still another skillet up-ending machine is shafts parallel to the first one and arranged in based on the vacuum wheel principle for the sheet driving engagement with the first roller.

re-orientation and feeding of the blanks. Preferably, at least one of the further rollers Of course, re-orientation of sheet-shaped drivingly engages each sheet element as soon elements takes place within fields other than 95 at it leaves the nip between the feeding rollers the match manufacturing industry. and until the sheet has been placed on the In Patent Specification DE (OS) 2402247, support in a generally up-ended condition.

for instance, there is shown an arrangement With advantage the pair of feeding rollers for handling film material, more precisely micro are positioned relative the first roller and the fiche, by the use of a re-oreintation device 100 further rollers and the sheet feeding speed is comprising a pair of rotating rollers and sev- adjusted such that there is an over-lap be eral guiding plates for temporarily deformating tween sheets when one sheet after the other the resil ' ient material of the film such that later is fed to the first roller.

on, from the action of the lower one of the The re-orientation device is preferably hori- rollers the film sheets tip up onto a conveyor 105 zontal adjustable relative the feed rollers in or in a store to be placed in a horizontal stack. der to suit the actual sheet length.

In Patent Specification DE (OS) 2636502 Preferably, the further rollers are supported there is shown an arrangement where data circumferentially adjustable in the machine sheets are ordered into a horizontal stack after stand about the first roller, such that the having been torn off in arbitrary lengths from 110 sheet driving, generatrix or the sheet driving a web which is re-oriented from a horizontal generatrices may be positioned at a predeter position to a vertical position when individual mined spacing, which depends on the sheet sheets are torn off from the web. size.

Swedish laid open Patent Specification No. The support preferably includes a conveyor

7506728-7 discloses a bill counting device 115 for transporting the upended stack of sheets where the stacking of bills takes place after away from the first roller in order to facilitate re-orientation of the bills. The re-orientation is the formation of the sheets into a stack on carried out by means of a endless belt in the support.

combination with a stationary guide. Preferably, the feed rollers are arranged to Still another re-orientation machine, compris- 120 feed the sheets generally horizontally to the ing stationary guides and drive rollers, is de- re-orientation device at the upper part of the scribed in Swedish laid open Patent Specifica- first roller, the further rollers comprise at least tion No. 7700911-6. two rollers circumferentially spaced from each U.S. Patent Specification No. 1658531 dis- other around the first roller at a distance less closes a device for stacking biscuits in an up- 125 than the sheet length, and the sheet front ended stack. The device comprises several in- edge receiving surface of the support is hori dividual rollers, the last one rotating in a direc- zontal.

tion opposite to the next preceding one. In order to ensure an efficient, positive guid- The prior art skillet up-ending machine oper- ance of each sheet element along the path in ating according to anyone of the principles 130 the re-orientation device up to the support in 2 GB2193951A 2 order to suit the actual sheet length, the dis- ensures withdrawal of the skillet from he cut tance between the support and the last one of ting machine. The upper feed roller is resili the further rollers preferably is adjustable and ently biased radially downwardly by a spring somewhat less than the sheet length. In order 23 toward the lower feed roller.

to gain an efficient, positive feed, a guide is 70 At the output end of the re-orientation de- preferably arranged between the feed roller vice 10 there is a support 17 arranged to pair and the first further roller for guiding a receive a stack of up- ended skillets. This sup following sheet below a preceding one in driv- port 17 comprises a stop 18 and a conveyor ing engagement with the first further roller. feeding the stack of skillets 14 slowly along In order to obtain an efficient, driving enthe support. Thereafter the skillets 14 are col- gagement, preferably the further rollers are re- lected in replaceable cassettes.

siliently biased radially towards the first roller, Between the feed rollers 15 and the first and the upper feed roller is resiliently biased smaller roller 13 and the larger roller 11 there radially toward the lower feed roller; at least is a guide 16 arranged for positively guiding the surface of the lower feed roller having a 80 the skillets 14 with overlap into the nip be high coefficient of friction. tween the rollers 11 and 13.

Preferably, the rotational speed of the feed The placement of the feed rollers 15 and roller pair is adjustable relative to the rota- the adjustment of the sheet feeding speed to tional speed of the first roller the nip between the rollers 11 and 13 is such Preferably, where for example the sheet ele- 85 that there is created an overlap between sucments are outer box blanks for match boxes, cessive skillets 14 when they arrive at the a cutting machine is arranged in front of the first roller 11. The guide 16 ensures that a feed roller pair for supplying several sheet ele- trailing skillet 14 will be placed below the ments in parallel to the feed roller pair, where leading one.

2S the elements after re-orientation are stacked in 90 The feed rollers 15 and the roller 11 have a an up-ended position in a cassette or a correcommon drive having a suitable speed trans sponding arrangement on the support. formation.

An embodiment of the invention will now The roller 11 is mounted on a shaft 29 be described by way of example and with which is journalled in the machine stand 27 reference to the accompanying drawings, 95 for rotation of the roller in the direction of where arrow 24. Another shaft 26 is also journalled Figure 1 is a diagramatic view showing the in the machine stand 27 and extends parallel basic structure of a sheet up-ending appara- to the shaft 29. This shaft 26 is connected to tus; a motor (not shown). A gear 25, mounted on Figure 2 is a side view of a practical em100 the shaft 26, drives a gear 28 mounted on bodiment of a skillet up-ending device; the shaft 29. Also mounted on the shaft 26 is Figure 3 is a section along line 111-111 in Fig- a toothed wheel 30. Similar toothed wheels ure 2; and are mounted on the shafts supporting the feed Figure 4 is a detail view showing the output rollers 15 and the wheels of the cutting ma- section of the device. 105 chine 19. A toothed belt 31 extends around The drawings show a re-orientation device these toothed wheels and the wheel 30.

or skillet up-ending device 10 which basically The rotational speed of the feed rollers 15 comprises a first roller 11 and two further is adjustable relative to the first roller 11.

smaller diameter rollers 12 and 13. The three The rollers 12 and 13 are adjustable circum- rollers 11, 12 and 13 have parallel axes. 110 ferentially around the roller 11 in adjustment The diameter of the roller 11 is substantially grooves 20 in the side plates of a machine larger than the diameter of the rollers 12 and stand 27.

13, for up-ending skillets about two to five When adjusting the machinery, a basic ad- times larger. For example, the rollers 12 and justment is made according to the size of the 13 have a diameter of 41 mm and the roller 115 skillet such that the distances A (the horizon 11 a diameter of 140 mm. tal distance between the axes of the roller 13 The roller 11 has a rubber coating. and the feed roller 15); B (the horizontal dis The rollers 12 and 13 are resiliently biased tance between the axes of the rollers 11 and by springs 21 and 22 into driving engagement 13); C (the distance between the outer sur- with the roller 11. The engagement is such 120 faces of the rollers 12 and 13 on the line that a sheet element, or skillet 14, is inserta- joining their axes); and D (the vertical distance ble, with or without overlap, into the nip be- between the outer surface of the roller 12 and tween the roller 11 and each roller 12, 13. the conveyor of the support 17) are as fol- Such skillets 14 are sequentially fed to the lows: A = skillet length plus approximatively re-orientation device 10 by means of a pair of 125 2,5 mm; B = 10 to 12 mm; C = 6 to 8 feed rollers 15. The rollers 15 are supplied by mm, and D = skillet length minus approxi parallel rows of ready cut skillets 14 from a mately 7 mm.

cutting machine 19. At least the lower one of Additionally the stop 18 is placed as close the feed rollers 15 has a high coefficient of as possible to the roller 11.

friction surface and is made of steel which 130 The effect of this adjustment is as follows:

3 GB2193951A 3 when the front edges of the skillets 14 leave horizontally to the re- orientation device (10) at the cutting machine 19, they are gripped by the upper part of the first roller (11), that the the two feed rollers -15. further rollers (12, 13) comprise at least two Immediately before the back edge of the rollers circumferentially spaced from each skillets leaves the feed rollers 15, they are 70 other around the first roller a distance less gripped at the front edge by the rubber than the sheet length, and that the sheet front coated roller 11 and the resiliently biased rol- edge receiving surface of the support is hori ler 13. zontal.

Thereafter, the skillets 14 are transported 5. Apparatus according to any preceding by means of the resiliently biased roller 12 75 claim, characterised in that the distance be approximately 40' around the envelope surface tween the support (17) and the last (12) of of the rubber coated roller 11. the further rollers is less than the sheet The skillets are driven by the rollers 13, 11 length.

and 12, 11, respectively, until the front edges 6. Apparatus according to any preceding of the skillets 14 reach the support 17. The 80 claim, characterised in that a guide (16) is ar back edges of the skillets have now been re- ranged between the feed roller pair (15) and leased by the roller 12, and the skillets are the first further roller (13) for guiding a follow tipped forwardly in and up-ended position, or ing sheet below a preceding one in driving somewhat inclined in an up-ended position, by engagement with the first further roller.

the succeeding skillets 14. 85 7. Apparatus according to any preceding Beyond the receiving plate the up-ended claim, characterised in that the further rollers skillets 14 now reach the output belts. The (12, 13) are resiliently biased radially towards speed of the belts is adjusted with respect to the first roller and the upper feed roller is the rotational speed of the cutting machine 19 resiliently biased radially towards the lower and the thickness of the skillets. 90 roller.

The length of the roller 11 is adapted to the 8. Apparatus according to any preceding largest existing size of sheets of cardboard claim, characterised in that the rotational material, having a match-head striking coating speed of the feed roller pair (15) is adjustable thereon and prepared for skillet manufacture, relative the rotational speed of the first roller and which are cut into individual outer box 95 (11).

blanks by the cutter machine 19. 1 9. Apparatus according to any preceding Dependant on the actual size, the length of claim, characterised in that a cutting machine the roller is used fully or partially. There is no (19) is arranged in front of the feed roller pair need for any adjustment or replacement of (15) for supplying several sheet elements in parts. 100 parallel to the feed roller pair.

A number of outer box blanks exist in paral- 10. Apparatus substantially as herein de lel on the roller 11 and are supplied to the scribed with reference to and as shown in the support 17 in parallel stacks, which may be accompanying drawings.

inserted directly in a machine for manufactur ing of outer boxes. Published 1988 at The Patent Office, State House, 66/71 HighHolborn, London WC 1 R 4TP. Further copies may be obtained from The Patent Office, Sales Branch, St Mary Cray, Orpington, Kent BR5 3RD.

Claims

CLAIMS Printed by Burgess & Son (Abingdon) Ltd. Con. 1187.

1. Apparatus for placing sheet elements (14) in an up-ended' position comprising feed rollers (15) for feeding the sheet elements in a horizontal condition to a re-orientation device (10) for placing the sheet elements in an up ended position, one after the other, onto a, support (17), characterised in that the re-orien tation device comprises a first roller (11) and at least two further rollers (12, 13) each hav ing shafts parallel to the first one and ar ranged in sheet driving engagement with the first roller (11).

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, charac- terised in that the further rollers (12, 13) are supported circumferentially adjustably in the machine stand (27) about the first roller.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the support includes a conveyor for transporting the up-ended sheets away from the first roller (11).

4. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the feed rollers (15) are arranged to feed the sheets generally