IE70303B1

IE70303B1 - A process and apparatus for manufacturing a fibre drum

Info

Publication number: IE70303B1
Application number: IE921268A
Authority: IE
Inventors: Michael Lee
Original assignee: Fibre Drums Ireland Limited
Priority date: 1992-04-22
Filing date: 1992-04-22
Publication date: 1996-11-13
Also published as: IE921268A1; GB9213295D0; BE1004344A6; GB2266490B; GB2266490A

Abstract

A fibre drum is manufactured by firstly forming a tubular drum sidewall 30 by leading a paper web from a supply roll, applying glue to the web and winding the web about a mandrel, secondly picking up the drum by a hanger of an overhead conveyor and carrying it above the factory floor for drying (72, 83 Figure 12), thirdly preparing circular steel bands 34 and applying them by a band setting apparatus to each end of the drum sidewall (Figure 14) and then beading them onto the drum sidewall by contoured rollers forming grooves 37 (96, Figure 17), and fourthly rolling the outer ends of each band inwardly together with the drum sidewall to form a top rim at an upper end of the drum sidewall and to secure a bottom panel at a lower end of the drum sidewall. A lid may be releasably secured to the top rim of the drum sidewall by an expandable clamping band closable on the rim by means of a toggle clamp (Fig 6). The drum is finally rotatably mounted in an inclined position on an inspection device which allows an operator to check the base of the drum whilst simultaneously printing a quality test mark on the drum exterior by means of a roller (103, Figure 20). The band may be cut by a guillotine from a web of material led from a reel against an end stop (65, Figure 8), a position sensor slowing the band feed as it approaches the end stop. After forming, the band may be held in a clamp, comprising a pair of jaws (83, 82, Figure 14), and a pusher above the jaws pushes the drum into engagement with the band. A resilient arm may limit the lateral movement of the drum during rotation while the band is being beaded to the drum, (Figure 17).

Description

A Process and Apparatus for Mannfactaring Fibre Drums This invention relates to a process and apparatus for manufacturing fibre drums.

According to the invention there is provided a process for 5 manufacturing a fibre drum, comprising the steps :(a) forming a tubular drum sidewall by leading a paper web from a supply roll, applying glue to the web and winding the web about a mandril a number of times to form a laminated tubular drum sidewall, (b) drying the drum sidewall by mounting the drum sidewall on a conveyor, lifting the drum sidewall on the conveyor above the drum production line, and passing the drum along a conveyor path above the production line for sufficient time to dry the drum, and then removing the drum from the conveyor, (c) preparing circular bands for the ends of the drum sidewall by cutting a flat strip of band material to a preset length, welding ends of the strip together to form a circular band, (d) pushing a top band onto a top end of the drum sidewall on an exterior of the sidewall and beading the band by forming a circumferential groove in the band to firmly fix the band to the drum sidewall, (e) pushing a bottom band onto a bottom end of the drum sidewall on an exterior of the sidewall and beading the band, (f) rolling an outer edge of the top band inwardly together with the top edge of the drum sidewall to form a circular top rim on the drum sidewall, (g) mounting a bottom panel inside the band at the bottom of the drum sidewall, (h) rolling an outer edge of the bottom band inwardly together with the bottom edge of the drum sidewall and outer periphery of the bottom panel to secure the bottom panel to the drum sidewall, (i) inspecting the joint between the bottom panel and drum sidewall, and (5» - 3 (j) printing a quality test mark on an outer surface of the drum sidewall.

In one embodiment the flat strips of band material are cut to the required length by leading the band material from a reel of band material supported for rotation about a vertical axis, passing the band material between rollers to flatten the band material and feed the band material under a guillotine and against an end stop spaced from the guillotine a distance corresponding to the required band length, sensing the approach of the free end of the band as it nears the end stop and slowing the feed of the band prior to stopping the band as it reaches the end stop, braking the band reel as the band reaches the end stop.

In another embodiment the top and bottom bands are each pushed onto an end of the drum sidewall by holding the band in a clamp which engages an outer surface of the band, the clamp projecting upwardly of the band, positioning the drum sidewall vertically above the band and pushing the drum sidewall downwardly onto the band.

In a further embodiment the beading is carried out by mounting the drum sidewall on a support platform, engaging a peripheral edge of the drum sidewall resting against the support platform between a complementary pair of shaped rollers, and rotating the rollers to form the circumferential groove, simultaneously - 4 engaging an upper end of the drum sidewall with a resilient arm to limit lateral movement of the upper end of the drum during rotation.

The invention also provides apparatus for producing a fibre drum according to the process described above comprising means for forming a tubular drum sidewall by leading a paper web from a supply roll, applying glue to the web and winding the web about a mandril a number of times, means for drying the drum sidewall comprising a conveyor having an overhead track with a number of hangers suspended from the track and moveable along the track, a drum collection platform mounted beneath the track which rises away from the drum collection platform, a slot in the platform, each hanger moveable upwardly through the slot to engage and lift a drum mounted over the slot, and a drum discharge platform downstream of the collection platform, the track being inclined downwardly above the drum discharge platform for through passage of a hanger through a slot in the drum discharge platform to deposit the drum on the drum discharge platform, a band cutter having a support frame, means for supporting a reel of band material for rotation about a vertical axis, means for feeding band material from the - 5 reel under a guillotine and against an end stop to cut the band material into desired lengths, the end stop mounted on a carriage which is moveable on the frame towards and away from the guillotine for length adjustment, a band setting machine having a drum support platform, mounted above the drum support platform a band clamp with a pair of jaws moveable together and apart, the jaws of greater depth than a steel band to guide a drum into engagement with a steel band gripped in the clamp in use, a pusher mounted above the platform over the clamp and operable to engage and push a drum into engagement with a band mounted in the clamp in use, a beading machine having a drum receiving platform, an associated pair of shaped rollers mounted above the platform and rotatable about spaced-apart vertical substantially parallel axes, each roller having a circumferential bearing face with a circumferential beading ridge on one roller bearing face and a corresponding circumferential groove on the other roller bearing face, the rollers moveable together to grip therebetween a lower end of a drum sidewall mounted upright on the platform, and a support arm mounted on an upright on the platform and resiliently engageable with an upper end of a drum sidewall to steady the drum sidewall upon rotation by means of the rollers for beading, means for rolling an outer edge of a top band inwardly together with a top edge of a drum sidewall to form a circular top rim on the drum sidewall, means for rolling an outer edge of a bottom band inwardly together with a bottom edge of a drum sidewall and an outer periphery of a bottom panel mounted inside the bottom band to secure the bottom panel to the drum sidewall, and a drum inspection device having a support frame with a number of rollers for engaging an exterior of a drum to rotatably support the drum in an inverted position, a printing roller on the frame engageable with the drum exterior for printing on the drum exterior upon rotation of the drum.

The invention will be more clearly understood by the following description of an embodiment thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:Fig. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a process for manufacturing a fibre drum according to the invention, Fig. 2 is a detailed sectional view of portion of a drum formed according to the process, Fig. 3 is a detail partially sectioned view of portion of the drum, Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a lid for the drum, Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a locking band for securing the lid on a drum, Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of a locking mechanism for the locking band, Fig. 7 is a detail view of portion of the locking band, Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a band cutter used in the process, Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic illustration of portion of the band cutter, Fig. 10 is a perspective view illustrating portion of a conveyor used in the process, Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a hanger used to carry tubular drum sidewalls on the conveyor, Fig. 12 is a detail perspective view of portion of the conveyor, Fig. 13 is a side sectional view of the conveyor portion shown in Fig. 12, Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a band setting machine used in the process, Fig. 15 is another perspective view of the band setting machine, Fig. 16 is an elevational view of the band setting 10 machine, Fig. 17 is a perspective view of a beading machine used in the process, Fig. 18 is another perspective view of the beading machine, Fig. 19 is a perspective detail view of portion of the beading machine, and Fig. 20 is a perspective view of a printing device used in the process.

Referring to the drawings a process and apparatus for manufacturing fibre drums according to the invention will be described.

A tubular drum sidewall is formed at 10 by leading a paper web from a supply roll, applying glue to the web and winding the web about a mandril a number of times to form a laminated tubular drum sidewall. Upon removal of the drum sidewall from the mandril the drum sidewall is allowed to dry. It is picked up by a conveyor 12 which transports it above the factory floor for a sufficient period to allow the glue to fully dry.

In a band cutter 15, lengths of steel band are cut to size. The ends of each band are then butt welded together at a welding station 16 . The weld is then smoothed and one edge of the band is curled inwardly.

Dry tubes are delivered to a band setting apparatus 18 in which a band is applied to a top end of the drum sidewall. Downstream of the band setting machine the band is beaded in a beading machine 20 to firmly fix it to the drum sidewall.

A band is then applied to a bottom of the drum sidewall in a second band setting apparatus 22 after which it is beaded in a beading machine 24 to firmly fix the band to the bottom of the drum sidewall. A bottom wall panel is mounted at the bottom end of the drum sidewall inside the band at 26. Simultaneously the top band is rolled inwardly together with a top edge of the tube. Next the bottom band is rolled over together with the bottom wall panel and lower end of the drum sidewall. Simultaneously a lid is mounted on the top of the tube and fixed to the top of the tube by an associated ring clamp. Then the drum is mounted upside down on a machine for printing a quality test mark on the sidewall of the drum. While marking the drum the operator can check that the bottom of the drum has been correctly crimped. The drum may then be delivered for further printing on an outer surface of the drum if required.

Referring now in particular to Fig. 2, the steps for mounting the bands on the drum is shown. A drum sidewall 30 has a top 31 and bottom 32. A band 33, 34 is fitted to the top and bottom of the drum sidewall 30 as shown in Fig. 2(a). Fig. 2(b) shows the bands 33, 34 which have been beaded forming a circumferential groove 36, 37 in the band 33, 34 to firmly fix the band 33, 34 to the drum sidewall. Fig. 2(c) shows a bottom wall panel 38 in position at a lower end of the drum sidewall 30. The finished drum is shown in Fig. 2(d) in which the top and bottom ends of the drum sidewall 30 have been rolled together with the bands 33, 34 and bottom panel 38.

Fig. 3 shows a lid 40 for the drum shown engaged with the upper rim 41 of the drum. It will be noted that the lid 40 has a generally Z-shaped configuration 42 adjacent its outer edge to facilitate impact absorption without failure if the drums are dropped in use. A circular ridge 43 is provided adjacent the outer edge of each lid 40 for location within a bottom of a similar drum stacked on the drum as shown in phantom lines in Fig. 3.

Figs. 5 to 7 in particular show a clamping band 48 for securing a lid 40 to a drum. The band 48 is of channel section. A toggle-type locking mechanism 49 is provided on the band. The design of the toggle mechanism is made as such that it is cheap to produce and it only protrudes outwardly of the rest of the band 48 by a minimal amount. The band 48 is split intermediate its ends and a locking member 50 is pivotally mounted at 51 at one free end of the band 48. The locking member 50 has a slot 52 for reception of an eye 53 pressed out of the band 48. A locking clip 54 pivotally mounted on the locking member 50 engages through the eye to secure the locking member 50 in a closed position. A seal can be applied to a free end of the locking clip 54. A wire connector 55 links the locking member 50 with the other free end 56 of the band 48. A looped end of the wire connector 55 engages with slots 57 in the free end 56 which is bent back on itself to retain the wire connector 55.

Referring now to Figs. 8 and 9, the band cutter 15 has a ground-engaging frame 60. Reels 61 of steel band are - 12 supported horizontally at one end of the frame for rotation about a vertical axis, A steel band 62 is led from the reels 61 over rollers 63, under a guillotine 64 and up against an end stop 65. The rollers 63 feed the band 62 through the machine. It will be noted that the end stop 65 is mounted on a carriage 66 which is movable on the frame 60 towards and away from the guillotine 64 to adjust the length of band cut by the machine. Mounted on the carriage 66 between the end stop 65 and the guillotine 64 is a position sensor 67. Bands are cut to the required length by feeding the steel band 62 under the guillotine and against the end stop 65. The position sensor 67 senses the approach of the free end of the band 62 as it nears the end stop 65 and the drive for the roller 63 is slowed to slow the feed of the band 62 towards the end stop. When the band reaches the end stop 65 the rollers are stopped and simultaneously braking is applied to the reels 61. Cut bands are ejected by pushers which direct the cut band to one side of the machine.

Referring now to Figs. 10-13, the conveyor 12 has a collection platform 70 to which the drum sidewalls from are delivered. Each drum sidewall in turn is located over a V-shaped cut-out slot 71 in the platform. The conveyor comprises an overhead track 72 which rises directly above the slot 71. A hanger 73 suspended from the track 72 has a bottom end 74 which passes through the slot 71 lifting the drum sidewall clear of the platform 70 and carrying it round the track 72. The track 72 is of sufficient length to allow adequate drying of the drum sidewall. Drum sidewalls are removed from the hanger 73 at a discharge platform similar to the loading platform 70. This discharge platform also has a V-shaped slot through which the bottom 74 of the hanger 73 passes leaving the drum sitting on the platform. The drum is then removed for delivery to the band setting machine 18.

Referring now to Figs. 14 to 16 the band setting machine has a base 80 with a drum support platform 81. A two-part split circular clamp 82 is mounted above the platform 81 and has a fixed jaw 82a and a movable jaw 83 movable by means of a ram 84 to open and close the clamp. Each jaw 82, 83 has side projections 85 which slidably engage associated tracks 86 on the base. Openings in the tracks allow insertion and removal of the jaws. Fixing pins pass through the tracks and the fixed jaw to hold it in place. A pair of uprights are provided on opposite sides of the base. It will be noted that the platform 81 can be supported between the uprights 87 at a number of different vertical positions. Mounted at an upper end of the uprights is a pusher assembly 88 having a ram carrying a pusher plate 89 which is vertically movable. The pusher assembly is mounted on a carriage which is height adjustable on the uprights by means of a screw mechanism housed in one of the uprights . A drum guide is mounted on the uprights and has a forked arm 90 for engagement with a sidewall of a drum mounted on the device. The arm is slidable in a sleeve 91. Through-holes in the sleeve and arm and a locking pin allow the lateral position of the arm to be adjusted. In use, with the clamp jaws open, a band is mounted on the platform and a drum is positioned between the jaws. The jaws are closed to hold the band and for guiding the drum. Operation of the. pusher pushes the drum downwardly to push the band onto a peripheral outer edge of the drum. Upon retraction of the pusher and release of the clamp the drum can be removed.

The beading machine (Figs. 17-19) for beading the band on the drum has a drum receiving platform 95. A complementary pair of rollers 96 carrying the beading contour are upstanding on the platform. A post 97 is upstanding on the platform adjacent the rollers 96 and carries a spring loaded arm 98 which engages and supports an outer wall of a drum mounted on the platform. The support arm 98 is height adjustable on the post 97 to accommodate different sized drums. In use, a drum is mounted on the platform with a rim and band passing between the rollers and the support arm engaging an upper end of the drum. Rotation of the rollers causes the drum to rotate on the platform to form the beaded indentation in the band and drum. The support arm stops the upper end of the drum from whipping about excessively as it is rotated on the platform.

Referring now to Fig. 20, a device for inspecting an underside of the drum and for applying a quality test mark is shown. - 15 The device has a ground engaging support frame 100, adjustable rollers 101 support a drum in an inclined inverted position as shown in phantom outlined allowing rotation of the drum 102: With the drum 102 supported on the rollers 101 a printing roller 103 applies the quality test mark to the outer drum sidewall by rotation of the drum 102 through an arc on the rollers 101. Conveniently at the same time an operator can inspect the bottom of the drum.

Claims

1. A process for manufacturing a fibre drum comprising the steps:(a) forming a tubular drum sidewall by leading a 5 paper web from a supply roll, applying glue to the web from a supply roll, applying glue to the web and winding the web about a mandril a number of times to form a laminated tubular drum sidewall, (b) drying the drum sidewall, by mounting the drum sidewall on a conveyor, lifting the drum sidewall on the conveyor above the drum production line, and passing the drum along a conveyor path above the production line for sufficient time to dry the drum, and then removing the drum from the conveyor, (c) preparing circular bands for the ends of the drum sidewall by cutting a flat strip of band material to a preset length, welding the ends of the strip together to form a circular band, (d) pushing a top band onto a top end of the drum sidewall on an exterior of the sidewall and beading the band by forming a circumferential groove in the band to firmly fix the band to the drum sidewall, (e) pushing a bottom band onto a bottom end of the drum sidewall on an exterior of the sidewall and beading the band, (f) rolling an outer edge of the top band inwardly together with the top edge of the drum sidewall to form a circular top rim on the drum sidewall, (g) mounting a bottom panel inside the band at the bottom of the drum sidewall, (h) rolling an outer edge of the bottom band inwardly together with the bottom edge of the drum sidewall and outer periphery of the bottom panel to secure the bottom panel to the drum sidewall, (i) inspecting the joint between the bottom panel and drum sidewall, and (j) printing a quality test mark on an outer surface of the drum sidewall.

2. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the the flat strips of band material are cut to the required length by leading the band material from a reel of band material supported for rotation about a vertical axis, passing the 5 band material between rollers to flatten the band material and feed the band material under a guillotine and against an end stop spaced from the guillotine a distance corresponding to the required band length, sensing the approach of the free end of the band as it 10 nears the end stop and slowing the feed of the band prior to stopping the band as it reaches the end stop, braking the band reel as the band reaches the end stop.

3. A process as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the top and bottom bands are each pushed onto an end of the 15 drum sidewall by holding the band in a clamp which engages an outer surface of the band, the clamp projecting upwardly of the band and pushing the drum positioned vertically above the band downwardly into the band. 20

4. A process as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the beading is carried out by mounting the drum sidewall on a support platform, engaging a peripheral edge of the drum sidewall resting against the support platform between a complementary pair of shaped rollers, and 19 rotating the rollers to form the circumferential groove, simultaneously engaging an upper end of the drum sidewall with a resilient arm to limit lateral movement of the upper end of the drum during rotation.

5. 5. A process substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

6. A fibre drum whenever produced by the process of any of claims 1 to 5.

7. Apparatus for producing a fibre drum according to the

8. 10 process of any of claims 1 to 5, the apparatus comprising:means for forming a tubular drum sidewall by leading a paper web from a supply roll, applying glue to the web and winding the web about a mandril a number of

9. 15 times, means for drying the drum sidewall comprising a conveyor having an overhead track with a number of hangers suspended from the track and moveable along the track, a drum collection platform mounted

10. 20 beneath the track which rises away from the drum collection platform, a slot in the platform, each hanger moveable upwardly through the slot to engage - 20 and lift a drum mounted over the slot, and a drum discharge platform downstream of the collection platform, the track being inclined downwardly above the drum discharge platform for through passage of 5 a hanger through a slot in the drum discharge platform to deposit the drum on the drum discharge platform, a band cutter having a support frame, means for supporting a reel of band material for rotation 10 about a vertical axis, means for feeding band material from the reel under a guillotine and against an end stop to cut the band material into desired lengths, the end stop mounted on a carriage which is moveable on the frame towards and away from 15 the guillotine for length adjustment, a band setting machine having a drum support platform, mounted above the drum support platform a band clamp with a pair of jaws moveable together and apart, the jaws of greater depth than a steel band 20 to guide a drum into engagement with a steel band gripped in the clamp in use, a pusher mounted above the platform over the clamp and operable to engage and push a drum into engagement with a band mounted in the clamp in use,

11. 21 a beading machine having a drum receiving platform, an associated pair of shaped rollers mounted above the platform and rotatable about spaced-apart vertical substantially parallel axes, each roller 5 having a circumferential bearing face with a circumferential beading ridge on one roller bearing face and a corresponding circumferential groove on the other roller bearing face, the rollers moveable together to grip therebetween a lower end of a drum 10 sidewall mounted upright on the platform, and a support arm mounted on an upright on the platform and resiliently engageable with an upper end of a drum sidewall to steady the drum sidewall upon rotation by means of the rollers for beading, 15 means for rolling an outer edge of a top band inwardly together with a top edge of a drum sidewall to form a circular top rim on the drum sidewall, means for rolling an outer edge of a bottom band inwardly together with a bottom edge of a drum 20 sidewall and an outer periphery of a bottom panel mounted inside the bottom band to secure the bottom panel to the drum sidewall, and a drum inspection device having a support frame with a number of rollers for engaging an exterior of a drum to rotatably support the drum in an inverted position, a printing roller on the frame engageable with the drum exterior for printing on the drum exterior upon rotation of the drum.