US1103143A - Web-tension-controlling mechanism. - Google Patents

Description

I. A. HUNTING.

WEB TENSION CONTROLLING MECHANISM.

is, r ijwuewto c I. A HUNTING.

WEB TENSION CONTROLLING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1, 1910.

1,1 03,143 Patented July 14, 1914 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

37513 6 tie 014M y TED SATS Pa ravinen. .HUNTING, or PLAINFIELD, Nnw JEiasnY, ASSIGZNOB r0 WILLIS s. MORSE,

or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA-Q.

WEB-TENSIONCONTBOLLING MECHANISM,

aromas.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 14, ieia.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, IRVING A. HUNTING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Plainfield, in the county of I Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Web-Tensiomfiontrolling Mechanism, of which the followin is aspecificatiomreference being had to t e accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in mechanisms for controlling the tension of a Web or continuous sheet or strip of material, such as paper or textile fabric; and an object of this invention is to provide a mechanism of the character just described which will be electrically-operated, which will be comparatively simple in construction, which may be readily applied to machines (such as printing presses) now in common use, which will be quick in action and eflic ient in operation and the initial cost of which will be relatively low.

' In the drawings illustrating the principle of this invention and the best mode now known to me of applying that principle, Figure 1 is a side-elevation of so much of a Web-tension controlling mechanism as is necessary to illustrate this invention; Fig. 2 is a detail which illustrates in side elevation the brakeavheel, the brake-shoes and the parts carried by the latter for controlling the ressure on the brake-wheel; Fig. 3 is a view coking in the direction of the arrow A in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a detail showing the devices for swinging the switch-arm and is a section on the line BB of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic View of the electrical connections.

The upright or standard (1 supports one end of the roll-holding shaft 1) the other end of which is supported in an entirely similar manner by an opposite standard (not shown). U on one end of the shaft" 6 is mounted a riction-pulley or brake-wheel 0 formed with a peripheral or circnimferentia] groove (1 in its rim-face. Mounted in the standard a is a screw-stud e the threads f of which are engaged by the threads formed on the interior Wall of a bushing or sleeve 9. On one end of the latter is formed a flange or integral collar It and on its other end it carries a hand-wheel Between the inner end of the latter and the flange /b are pivotally mounted the lower ends of the brakeshoes j, in. By turning the'hand-wheel '5 the latter may be adjusted laterally along the screw-stud e. In the upper end of the brake-shoe k, is formed ajournal-bearing Ia for the flexible shaft m, on the threaded end m of which is mounted the nut n and on the other end of which is mounted a wormwheel 0. The inner faces of the brake-shoes j, I: enter the groove 03 in the face of the brake-wheel c and bear against the walls of the groove. On the brake-shoe k is mounted an electric motor -;0 on one end of the armature-shaft g of which is mounted a worm 1' which meshes with a worm-wheel s on the lower end of the upright shaft t which is mounted rotatably in the journal-box u carried by the brake-shoe in On the upper end of the shaft t is mounted a worm 4) which meshes with the worm-wheel 0 carried by the flexible shaft m. Obviously rotation of the armature-shaft 9 will cause rotation of the latter shaft and the brake-shoes j '70 will be brought closer together or will fall apart at their upper ends, depending upon roll 20 of material (as paper to be printed) and from this roll w extends or is led a web m. The latter breaks over the, idler-rolls y, .2 in its passage to the printing devices (not shown). The upper idler-roll y is mounted free to turn on a rock-shaft 2 one end of which is supported rotatably in a post 3 which rises from the horizontal frame-memher or beam 4:. To the'rock-shaft 2 is fastened a rocker-arm 5 the free end of which carries one end of the shaft 6 on which turns the other idler-roll a. It is thought unnecessary to illustrate the mounting of the opposite end. of the shaft 6, since it is the same as that of the end herein shown and just described; and the same is true of the other end of the rock-shaft 2. As is shown in Fig. 4, an end of the latter projects beyond thepost 3 and on this projecting end is-fastened a switch-arm 7. to the upper end of which is pivotally fastened one end of a rod the direction of rotation of the armaturev the interiorly-threaded bracket fastened connectedwith each other.

to the upright or standard a. Near its pivoted end the rod 8 is formed with a shoul- 161 11 against which presses one end of a coil-spring 12 mounted on'the. rod 8. The other end'of this coil spring bears against the inner end of the threaded bushing 9 by which the tension of the spring may be adjusted. This tension tends to throw the upper end of the switch-arm 7 to the right in Figs. 1 and 5. On the beam 4 is mounted aslab of marble or slate 13 (any suitable insulating material may betu'sed) on which is arranged a series of'contactblocks 14: over which are arranged to rub a pair of brushes 15 carried by the lower end of the switch-arm 7 and suitably insulated from each other. Current from the mains 16 is led to the field coils 17 of the motor 2 (Fig. 5) and, through the brushes 15 and the contact-blocks 14 and the connections shown, to thearmature 72'. The terminals of an electric glow-lamp 18 are connected to the end-blocks 19 of the series 14: and to the 'blocks' 20 adjacent to the central block 21.

To the latter is connected a terminal of the electric glow-lamp 18 the other terminal of which is connected to the contact-block 22 which lies between one of the end-blocks 19 and one of the blocks 20. One of the armature brushes '23 is connected to the central block 21, while the other armature brush is connected to the block 22' which lies between the other end-block 19 and the other block 20. The blocks 22, 22' are electrically This arrangement of the glow- lamps 18, 18" serves to prevent sparking, as the switch-arm is thrown to shift the brushes 15 from one block to another of the series 14, the lamp 18' serving to relieve the inductive discharge of the armature coil andthe lamp 18 serving to relieve the inductive discharge of the line. When the tension of the web is normal, the switch-arm 7 is in the neutral position shown in Figs. 1 and 5. When the tension of the web increases or rises above the normal tension, the lower end of. the switch-arm 7 is thrown to the right in Figs. 1 and 5 and current will flow through the armature p. When the tension of the web falls below the normal, the coil-spring 12 throws the lower end of the switch-arm 7 to the left in these figures and current flows in the opposite direction through the armature 72. Thus, the tension of the web is made through an electrically-operated device to regulate itself, the direction of rotation of the {armature shaft q controlling the pressure of the brake-shoes j, is against the brake-wheel 0 and thereby the tension of the web on. Should the latter break, the switcharm will'be thrown to its extreme position on the left of Figs. 1 and 5 and the lefthand brush 15 will rest on the left-hand block 19; while should the working of the apparatus become so abnormal as to throw the switch-arm to its extreme position on the right of the figures just named, the righthand brush 15 will rest on the right-hand block 19 When the switch-arm is thrown into either of these extreme positions, the circuitis broken and, therefore, the current s varied. Moreover, when the switch-arm is thrown to one side of a vertical line through the center of the central block 21. and then to the other side of that vertical l1ne, the direction of the current is changed.

I claim: 1. A web-tension controller having a rotary roll-supporting shaft from which the web is pulled; devices for retarding the rotation of said shaft and thereby increasing the tension of the web; electrically operated mechanism arranged to operate said devices; and means for varying the current which drives said mechanism, said means be ng mounted free to move in responseto variations in the tension of the'web.

2. A web-tension controller having a rotary roll-supporting shaft from which the web is pulled; devices for retarding'the rotation of said shaft and thereby increasing 95 the tension ofthe web; electrically operated mechanism arranged to operate said devices; and means for reversing the direction of the current which drives said mechanism and thereby the direction of move- 100 mentof the latter, said means being mounted free to move in response to variations in the tension of the web and being automatically operated by the tension of the web to control the supply of current-to said mecha- 105 nism.

3. A web-tension controller having a rotary roll-supporting shaft from which the web is pulled; devices for retarding the rotation ofsaid shaft and thereby increasing the tension of the web; electrically operated mechanism arranged to operate said devices; a shaft arranged to rock in response to variations in the tension of the web and automatically operated by the tension of the web; and an electrical makeand-break device connected with said mechanism and controlled by the rocking of said shaft to control the supply of current to said mechanism.

4. A web-tension controller having a rotary roll-supporting shaft from which the web is pulled; devices for retarding the rotation of'said shaft and thereby increasing the tension of the web; electrically operated 125 mechanism arranged to operate said devices; an electrical make-and-break device electricallv connected with said mechanismv for controlling the supply of current thereto; and means automatically operated by the V1 0 moans tension of the web and mounted free to move in response to variations therein for actuating said make-and-break device.

5. A web-tension controller having a {P0- tary roll-supporting shaft from which the web is pulled; devices for retarding the rotation of said shaft and thereby increasing the tension of theweb; electrically operated mechanism arranged to operate said devices and carried by one of the latter; and means for varying the current which drives said mechanism, said means being automatically operated by the tension of the web and being mounted free to move in response 'to variations therein.

6. A web-tension controller having a rotary roll-supporting shaft from which the web is pulled; devices for retarding the rotation of said shaft and thereby increasing the tension of the web; electrically operated mechanism arranged to operate said devices; means for varying the current which drives said mechanism, said means being automatically operated by the tension of the web and being mounted free to move in response to variations therein; and devices arranged to prevent sparking at said means, when the current is varied. v

-7. A web-tension controller having a rotary roll-supporting shaft from which the web is pulled; devices for retarding the rotation of said shaft and thereby increasing the tension of the web; electrically operatedmechanism arranged to operate said devices; means for varying the current which drives said mechanism; and a web-support which is connected with said means and which moves in response to variations in the tension of the web and is automatically operated by the same to actuate said means and control said devices to preserve a constant tension on the web.

8. A web-tension cont-roller having a rotary'roll-supporting shaft from whlch the web is pulled and which is rotated by the tension of the web; devices for retarding the rotation of said shaft and thereby increasing the tension of the web; mechanism for throwing said devices into and put of operation to vary the retarding action thereof an electric motor for driving said mechanism; a switch for varying the lntenslty and direction of the current suppl1ed to said motor; and a web-support over wh ch the web breaks and which is connected w th said switch and moves in response to variations in the tension of the web and is auto-v matically operated by the same to actuate said switch and control said devices to preserve a constant tension on the web.

9. The combinatiom'in a tension regulator for printing presses and the like having a web-supply-roll shaft and a guide or compensating roll, of a movable member mounted to be acted on-by the web after thesame passes the guide'or compensating roll and free to respond to variations in the tension actuated by said movable member, means for retarding or permitting acceleration of the web-supply-roll shaft, and mechanism including an electric motor operabl ind e? pendently ofthe web-sup'ply-roll shaft and controlled by variations inthe tension of the web above or below normal for varying the action of said retarding means in accordance with variations in the position of said movable member.

I 10. The combination, in a tension regulator for-printing presses and the like having a web-supply-roll shaft and a guide or compensating roll, of a movable member bearing on the web beyondthe compensating roll and free to respond to variations invthetension of the web, mechanism including an electric motor operable independently of the web-supply-roll shaft, and brake mechanism connected thereto for retarding orpermitting acceleration of the rotation of the websupply-roll shaft, a controller in circuit with said electric motor for controlling the action of the same, and means for operating said controller by the movable member, said means occupying its neutral or normal position onthe controller when the-web is under proper working tension and movable out of said position to actuate the motor in response to changes in the tension of said web. 11. The combination, in a tension regulator for printing presses and the like having a websupply-roll shaft and a guide'or coinpensating roll, of a braking structure connected to the web-supply-roll shaft, a brake shoe operative thereon, an electric motor op erable independently of the'web-supplyroll shaft, means for op'eratively connecting said the pressure exerted by said shoe upon the braking structure, a controll'er in circuit with said motor, and a movably-mounted of said web, an electric current controller electric motor with the brake shoe to vary I aio member bearing upon the web beyond the compensating or guide roll and having a part movable over said controller and arranged to be actuated bythe tension of the web passing through the press for operating said controller, said last-named part occupying a neutral or normal position while the web is under proper working tension, and movable out of said position to actuate the motor in response to variations in the tension of the web.

12. The combination, in a tension regulator for printing presses and the like having a compensating or guide roll, of a shaft for supporting a roll of paper, a braking structure thereon, a brake -shoe operative on said structure, a lever operatively connected with tion of said nut to operate the lever, and

an electric motor for operating said screw v shaft, a controller in circuit with said motor, and a pivotally-mounted structure having one part supported by the web in the press beyond the compensating or guide roll and having another part operable over the said controller, the last-named part of the structure occupying a neutral or normal position on said controller while the of a plurality of rolls beyond the same'over.

' which the web passes from the supply-roll, I one of said rolls being a compensating roll,

a tension regulator comprising two arms turnable in unison about a common axis, one of said arms resting 'on the web beyond said compensating roll and being sensitive to and responsive to variations in the tension of the web, an electric controller located in operative relation to the other of said arms, said last-named arm occupying a neutral or nor mal position on the controller so long as the web is under proper working tension and automatically responding to the movement of the companion arm by either an increase or decrease in the tension of the web, and an electric motor in circuit with said controller inoperative or inactive while the secondfrom in one named arm is in th said position but instantly rendered operative or active when said arm is moved'in either direction therefrom, a brake mechanism for the web-supply-roll shaft and operating means therefor controlled by said motor.

14. In a tension regulator for printing presses having a web-supply-roll shaft and a plurality of rolls uniting the same over which the web passes, one of said secondnamed rolls being a compensating roll, said regulator including a rockable lever mechanism having one portion supported on the edit with the current controller and inactive or inoperative so long as the lever mechanism is in said position, but energized and rendered operative or active when the lever mechanism is actuated relativel to the current controller by a change in t e tension of the web, a braklng mechanism for the sup ply-roll shaft and means connecting the motor with the braking mechanism operating to increase or reduce pressure on the websup ly-roll shaft in response to changes in the tension of the web.

15. The combination, in a tension regulator for printing presses and the like having a compensating or guide roll, of a movable member having its free 'end supported on the web beyond the compensating roll and made sensitive and responsive to variations in the tension of said web, a current controller, a member connected to and responding in unison with fluctuations of said member, the latter occupying a neutral or normal position on the current controller so long as the web is under proper working tension and movable either side of said position in response to web-tension changes, means for retarding or permitting increase in the speed of' rotation of the roll from which the web is supplied, and mechanism including a normally inactive or inoperative electric motor operable independently of the web-supply-roll shaft in circuit with the current controller and made active and quickly responsive to the movement of said pivoted member in either direction from its normal or neutral position for varying the retardation caused by said means in accordancp with variations in the tension of the we 16. In a tension regulator for printing pressesand the like having a compensating or guide roll over which the web passes, the combination with the web-supply-roll shaft and braking mechanism therefor, of mechanism interposed between the web and braking mechanism for automatically controlling thetension of'ethe web, said mechanism comprising an electric motor operable independently of the web shaft, a pivoted lever having one end supported on the web beyond the compensating roll, said lever being sensitive and responsive to variations in the tension of the web, an arm movable by the lever, a current controller over which the arm is movable in either direction from its neutral or normal position whereby the motor is energized in quick response to variations in the tension of the web, said arm occupying the neutral or normal position on the controller and the motor bein inactive or inoperative when the web is un er proper working tension, and connections between the motor and the braking mechanism controlled by the former and in turn retarding or permitting acceleration of the tension of the supply roll.

17. The combination, in a tension regulator for printing presses and the like having a web-s'upply-roll, of a movable member mounted to be acted on by the web and free to respond to variations in the tension of said web, an electric current controller actuated by said movable member, means for retarding the web-supply-roll shaft, and mechanism including an electric motor operable independently of the web-supply-roll shaft and controlled by variations in the tension of the web above or below normal for varying the action of said retarding means in accordance with variations in the position 0 said movable member.

18. The combination, in a tension regulator for printing presses and the like having a web-supply-roll shaft, of a movable member bearing on the web and free to respond to variations in the tension of the web, mechanism including an electric motor operable independently of the web-supplyroll shaft, and brake mechanism connected thereto for retard-ing the rotation of the web-supply-roll shaft, a controller in circuit with said electric motor for controlling the action of the same, and means for operating said controller by the movable member, said means normally occupying its neutral position on the controller when the web is under proper working tension and movable out of said position to actuate the motor in response to changes in the tension of said web.

19. The combination, in a tension regulator for printing presses and the like having a web-supply-roll shaft, of a braking structure connected to the web-supply-roll shaft, a brake'shoe operative thereon, an electric motor operable independently of the web-supply-roll shaft, means for operatively connecting said electric motor with the brake shoe to vary the pressure exerted by said shoe upon the braking structure, a controller in circuit with said motor, and a movablymounted member bearing upon the web and having a part movable over said controller and arranged to be actuated by the tension of the web passing through the press for operating said controller, said last-named part of the controller occupying a neutral or normal position while the web is under proper working tension, and movable out of said position to actuate the motor in response to variations in the tension of the web.

20. The combination, in a tension regulator for printing presses and the like, of a shaft for supporting a roll of paper, a braking structure thereon, a brake shoe operative on said structure, a lever operatively connected with said shoe, a movable nut connected with said lever, a screw shaft for changing the position of said nut to operate the lever, and an electric motor for operating said screw shaft, a controller in circuit with said motor, and a pivotally-mounted structure having one part supported by the web in the press and having another part operable over the said controller, the last: named part of the structure occupying a neu-. tral or normal position on said controller while the web is under proper working tension and movable out of said .position to cause the motor in circuit to respond to a variation in the tension of the web;

21. In a printing press and the like having a web-supply-rollshaft,a tension regulator comprising two arms turnable in unison about a common axis, one of said arms resting on the web and being sensitive and responsive to variations in the tension of the web, an electric controller located in operative relation to the other of said arms, said last-named arm occupying a neutral or norweb is under proper working tension and automatically responding to the movement of the companion arm by either an increase or decrease in the tension of the web, and an electric motor in circuit with said controller inoperative or inactive while the secondnamed arm is in the said position but instantly rendered operative or active when said arm is moved 1n either direction therefrom, a brake mechanism for the web-supply-roll shaft and operating means therefor controlled by said motor. v

22. A tension regulator for printing presses having a web-supply-roll shaft, said regulator including a rockable lever mechanism having one portion supported on the web and being sensitive and responsive to variations in the tension thereof, a current controller, said lever mechanism having a part maintained in neutral or normal position relative to the current controller while the web is under proper working tension and movable therefrom in onedirection or the other in response to variations in the tension of the web passing against the other portion of the lever mechanism, an electric motoroperable independently of the web-supply-roll shaft in'circuit with the current controller and inactive or inoperative so long as the lever mechanism is in said position, but energized and rendered operative or active when the lever mechanism is actuated relatively to the current controller by a change in the tension of the web, a braking mechanism for the web-supply-roll shaft and means connecting the motor with the braking mechanism operating to increase or reduce pressure on the Web-supply-roll shaft in response to changes in the tension of the web.

23. The combination, in a tension regulator for printing resses and the like, of a movable member having its free end supported on the web and made sensitive and responsive to variations in the tension of said web, a current controller, a member connected to and responding in unison with fluctuations of said member, the latter occupying a neutral or normal position on the current controller so long as the web is under proper working tension and movable either side of said position in response to mal position on the controller so long as the web-tension changes, means 'for retarding the speed of rotation of the roll from which the Web is'supplied, and mechanism including anorm'allyinactive or inoperative electrio motor operable independently of the web-supply-roll shaft in circuit with the current controller and made active and quickly responsive to the movement of said pivoted member in either direction from its normal or neutral osition for varying thei retardation cau by said means in accordance with variations in the tension of the web.

'24. In a tension regulator for printing pressesiand the like, the combination with the web-supply-roll' shaft and braking mechanism therefor, of mechanism interposed betweena the'web and braking mechanism for automatically controlling thetension of the 'web,' said mechanism comprising an electric 'motor operable independently of the web-supply roll shaft, :1 pivoted lever havin one .erid supported on the web, said lever being sensitiveand responsive to variations inthe tension of the'web,' an arm movable by the lever,'acurrent controller over which the arm is movable in either direction from itslneutral or normal position whereby the motor is energized in '-quick responeeto variations in the tension of the web, said arm occupying the neutral or normal position on the controller and the motor being inactive or inoperative when the web is under roper working tension, and connections tween the motor and the braking mechanism controlled by the former and in turn retarding the tension of the supply roll.

25. In a tension regulator for a rinting press or the like,- the combination of a webroll shaft, a member movable in response to changes in the tension of the web, mechanlsmincluding an eiectric device for causing variations in the retardation exerted on said roll-shaft in accordance with changes in the" tension of the web, and anelectric controller in. circuit with I said electric device and actuated by said movable member to cause the operationof-said mechanism in accordance withchanges in the tension oftheweb.

'In testimony-whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of thetWo undersigned witnesses,'this 23d;-day of Augnst,1910, at Plainfield, N; J.

h IRVING A. HUNTING-Q Witnesses:

JNo. P.'Mnms, WMM. STILLMAN,

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