US2635825A - Web winding and unwinding control - Google Patents

Description

April 21, 1953 w. 'r. STANFORD WEB WINDING AND UNWINDING CONTROL 5 Sheets$heet 1 Filed 001,- 2, 1950 INVENTOR I William 715mm:

h wuww Q- 8 m I mvm o S Om QN flm mm m Nw m W 3k April 21, 1953 w. T. STANFORD WEB WINDING AND UNWINDING CONTROL Filed Oct. 2. 1950 5 SheetsSheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY William Z'Sfiargbnd.

April 1953 w. T. STANFORD 2,635,825

WEB WINDING AND UNWINDING CONTROL Filed Oct. 2, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet :5

I F 1.3. Fig.5.

FRO CONTROL VALVE.

ON PAPER MECH,

INVENTOR \Vp'llianc Z Sl'argbrd ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 21, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for winding and unwinding sheets or webs of material, such as paper, cloth and other materials and is more particularly concerned with means for changing the speed of the roller upon which the material is being wound or from which it is being unwound to compensate for changes in the tension of the web.

An object of this invention is the provision of means for automatically controlling the speed of the web roller as the web is being either wound or unwound.

Another object of the invention is to provide such means which is positive in operation and which is sensitive in its response to changes in a predetermined web tension.

A further object is the provision of such means which are long wearing, inexpensive to operate and not likely to get out of order. A still further object is the provision of a mechanism in combination with a web roller in a machine of the type mentioned which includes a combined braking and clutching unit associated with the roller and means for actuating the unit to an extent proportional to the stress in the web material.

A stillfurther object is the provision of such means in combination with a web guiding device.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description considered together with the accompanying drawing in which drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of certain elements of a web winding machine in combination with an embodiment of this invention.

. Figure 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the same machine from a different position.

Figure 3 is a section along the line 3-3 .of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the braking and clutching unit and the diaphragm actuating linkage connected thereto.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view of the dia The roller is adapted to be rotated in. either a clockwise or a counterclockwise direction in order to wind or unwind a web of material, such as the paper web H.

In front of the roller a tension unit i8 is disposed comprising frame members l8 and [9 between which is mounted a pair of fixed idler rollers 2i and 22 at the top. A fixed bottom roller 23 is disposed between said frame members [9 and below the rearward roller 22. A vertically movable roller 24 is disposed below the space between the upper rollers 2-! and 22. The shaft 25 of said movable roller is journaled at either end in blocks 26 and 2! which slide in vertical guideways 28 and 23 in said frame members it and 26, respectively. The shaft 25 is also provided with pinions 3D and 31 on either side which mesh with vertical racks 32 and 33 secured to the inner side of the frame members [I 9 and 23, respectively, adjacent the guideways.

At the top of each frame member I19 and 20 there is mounted a vertical sprocket 34 and 35 on brackets 36 and 31, respectively. The sprockets are situated midway between the axes of the rollers 2| and 22 and at right angles thereto.

A sprocket chain 38 is secured at one end to the block 2i and passes over the sprocket 35. The other end of the chain is provided with a dancer or support block 39 upon which counterweights 43 may be removably placed.

A similar sprocket chain M is secured at one end to the block 26 and passes over the sprocket 34, the other end being also provided with a dancer or supporting block 42 to removably carry counterweights 43.

The sprocket 35 is carried on a shaft 44 which is journaled in suitable bearings on the bracket 31. Said shaft 4% is connected to the stem 45 of a needle valve 46 attached to the said bracket 31 by an arm 41. The valve stem 45 is threadedly engaged with an elongated land nut 48 on one side of the valve body and its needle point E9 is adapted to seat in the valve seat 50 disposed in a partition 51 within the valve body. Accordingly, rotation of the shaft 44 in one direction will cause the point 49 to advance toward its seat 50 and rotation in the opposite direction will cause it to retract from the seat.

The valve inlet 52 is disposed through the valve body on one side of the partition 5i and is connected to a hose 53 which leads to a pressure pump (not shown). The outlet '54 of said valve is disposed through the valve body on the other side of the partition and is connected to a hose 55 3 leading to a diaphragm device hereinafter more fully described.

The shaft [4 of the roller I3 is connected to an extension shaft 56 by means of a connecting sleeve 51. Said sleeve is rotatably supported in the bearing l6 and the other end of the extension shaft is supported in bearing 58 of a bracket 59 secured to the frame member [2.

Parallel to the extension shaft 56 is disposed a shaft 60 that carries an elongated gear 6!. Said gear is rotatable and slidable on the shaft 60 and is in constant mesh with another gear 62 on the extension shaft 56. The shaft 53 is carried in bearings 63 in the frame member l2 and Ed in the bracket 59.

Between the bearing 53 and the elongated gear 8| there is fixed to the shaft 6d a plate 65 the inner face of which carries a friction facing 66 such as cork or other suitable material. On the opposite side of the shaft til between the bearing 64 and the gear 6| there is keyed to the shaft another plate which is axially slidable on said shaft by means of a pin 68 through the collar 69 of the plate operating in a longitudinal groove it of the shaft 6t. The collar 69 is adapted to abut the inner side of the bearing Eli as the shaft it moves to the right as viewed in Figure 4. The plate 6? carries a similar friction facing material 'H on its inner side. The gear 6i is rotatably mounted on the shaft 66 so as to be both axially displaceable thereon and rotatable relative thereto. The entire shaft 60 is also axially displaceable in its bearings 63 and 64. By these means translation of the shaft {it in the direction toward the bearing 6 3 will cause the sides of the gear ti to com in frictional contact with the plate facings Eli and El and therefore effect a braking action when the gear GI is being driven by the gear 62. When the roller i3 is rotating to unwind a roll of material the shaft 68 is held in a non-rotative position. This is accomplished by means of an arm '52 having a collar 13 at one end, said collar being removably disposed on the shaft 69. The other end of the arm i2 is bifurcated to straddle the extension shaft 56 as shown in Figure 1. The collar 73 is removably secured to the shaft 86 by means of a set screw M- or by other suitable means. An abutment 75 projects laterally from the arm 12 to contact the side of the bearing 64 or some other suitable fixed member. By these means the maximum spacing between the collar 69 and the inner side of the bearing 64 may be adjusted for any given operation.

Should it be desired to wind material on the roller l3 instead of to unwind it, the arm 72 is removed from the shaft cc and a sprocket it is substituted therefor to permit the application of power to the shaft from a motor (not shown) through a sprocket chain H. However, other suitable power trains may be employed, the means shown being for illustrative purposes only. As the shaft fill is rotatably driven it carries with it the lates 65 and 5?. Lateral movement of the shaft will then cause said plates to frictionally engage the gear 6i and drive it to an extent dependent upon the pressure exerted by the axial displacement. It may be seen, therefore, that the extent to which the roller is forced to rotate by the application of power to the shaft 60 or permitted to rotate when power is not applied to the shaft 69 is a function of the lateral displace ment of the shaft 68 causing, on the one hand, a clutching action between the plates 65 and ill and the gear El and, on the other hand, braking action between said plates and gear.

The control of the lateral movement of the shaft 60 is effected through a lever 18 which is pivoted at 19 to an arm extending from the inner side of the frame member l2. One end of the lever 18 engages the inner end of the shaft 66 and a thrust bearing 8[ is disposed therebetween. The other end of the lever 18 is pin connected to an arm 82 which is attached to a laterally movable disc 83 that is secured to a fiexible diaphragm 8d. The diaphragm and plate as a unit is disposed in spaced relation to a wall 85 and the edges of the diaphragm are hermetically attached to the wall. Th space 36 between the diaphragm and thewall communicates with a short pipe 81 connected to the hose 55 leading from the outlet 5d of the valve 46. A vent or bleed hole 88 is provided through the wall 85 of predetermined size such as inch in diameter, so that air passing into the space 56 will escape through the vent and prevent the constant building up of the pressure beyond a predetermined point for any given quantity of air passing into the said space. The quantity of air is controlled by the needle valve 45 which is in turn controlled by rotation of the sprocket 35.

The web from the roller i3 passes under the fixed bottom roller 23, then upward and over the rear upper fixed roller 22, then downward and around the movable roller 24 and thence upward and over the forward upper fixed roller 2!. The weight of the movable roller 24 is counterbalanced by a predetermined tension in the web supplemented by the weights 4t and 43. Accordingly, any changes in the tension in said web results in a movement up or down of the roller 24, depending upon whether the change is positive or negative, thereby causing the sprocket 35 and its shaft 44 to rotate and operate the valve stem 25 toward or away from its seat 55 a corresponding amount. By these means pressure on the diaphragm 33 is modified and causes it to move under the action of a spring 39 disposed between the lever 78 and the frame member I 2. Said spring has a tension designed to yield under pressure on the diaphragm developed by the air pressure.

Movement of the arm 18 results in a lateral displacement of the shaft 60 to effect a braking action or a clutching action as the case may be to the extent of the movement.

The shaft l4 and its extension 56 are also axially displaceable in their bearings and the collar of the gear 62 is provided with an annular peripheral groove 96 which is rotatably engaged with a yoke 9| at one end of a lever arm 92. Said lever arm is a part of a web guiding unit 93 as shown and described in U. S. Patent No. 2,434,128 issued January 6, 1948.

In order to prevent hunting, suitable dash-pot means are provided. In the drawing a suitable form of dash-pot is shown consisting of cylinders 94 and 95 secured to the frame members l9 and 20 at the bottom of the guideways 28 and 29, respectively. Said cylinders are filled with oil or other fluid and contain vertically movable pistons 96 and 9'! therein. Said pistons are connected to piston rods 98 and 99 which slidably operate through the top of the cylinders. The upper ends of said piston rods are connected to their corresponding block members 26 and 27, substantially as shown. The pistons 96 and Bl are provided with bypass apertures I00. By these means movement of the roller 24 up and down is damped thereby stabilizing the position of the roller 24 quickly, following any change in the web tension.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the type described having a roller for carrying a Web in rolled form, a shaft secured to said roller, a first gear rotatable with said shaft, a second gear in meshed relation with said first gear, friction plates for variably engaging the sides of said second gear, a shaft supporting said second gear and friction plates, said friction plates being rotatable with and said second gear being rotatable relative to said last named shaft, idler rollers for unrolled portions of the web, at least one of said idler rollers being movable in response to changes in tension in said web, means responsive to movements of said movable roller for actuating said friction plates relative to said second gear and means for damping the movements of said movable roller.

2, In a machine of the type described having a roller for carrying a Web in rolled form, a shaft secured to said roller, a first gear rotatable with said shaft, a second gear in meshed relation with said first gear, friction plates for variably engaging the sides of said second gear, a shaft supporting said second gear and friction plates, said friction plates being rotatable with and said second gear being rotatable relative to said last named shaft, idler rollers for unrolled portions of the web, at least one of said idler rollers being vertically movable, counterbaancing means for said movable roller, and means responsive to movements of said movable roller for actuating said friction plates relative to said second gear.

3. In a machine of the type described having a roller for carrying a web in rolled form, a shaft secured to said roller, a first gear rotatable with said shaft, a second gear in meshed relation with said first gear, friction plates for variably engaging the sides of said second gear, a shaft supporting said second gear and friction plates, said friction plates being rotatable with and said second gear being rotatable relative to said last named shaft, idler rollers for unrolled portions of the web, at least one of said idler rollers being vertically movable, counterbalancing means for said movable roller, an air pressure diaphragm and a linkage system for actuating said friction plates relative to said second gear, means for connecting said diaphragm to an external source of air pressure, means including a valve for controlling air pressure from said source on said diaphragm, and means for actuating said valve in response to movements of said movable roller.

4. In a machine as defined by claim 3 wherein the counterbalancing means includes a rotatable shaft and the valve includes a valve stem connected to said shaft.

5. A tensioning unit for a web winding and unwinding machine comprising a pair of spaced frame members; spaced horizontal idler rollers between said members; said members having vertical slots therein; movable members slidably mounted in said slots; a roller journaled in said movable members; counterbalancing means for said movable members and journaled roller, said counterbalancing means including counterweights, a pulley, and a flexible member on said pulley connecting said Weights to the movable roller; a shaft rotatable with the pulley; and a valve having a rotatable stem connected to said shaft.

6. A tensioning unit for a web winding and unwinding machine comprising a pair of spaced frame members; spaced horizontal idler rollers between said members, said members having vertical slots therein; movable members slidably mounted in said slots; a roller journaled in said movable members; counterbalancing means for said movable members and journaled roller, said counterbalancing means including counter- Weights, a pulley and a flexible member on said pulley connecting said Weights to the movable roller; a shaft rotatable with the pulley; a valve having a rotatable stem connected to said shaft; and a dash pot between said movable roller and said frame members.

'7. A tensioning unit for a web winding and un' winding machine comprising a pair of spaced frame members; spaced horizontal idler rollers between said members, said members having vertical slots therein; movable members slidably mounted in said slots; a roller journaled in said movable member; vertical racks adjacent the slots; pinions 'rotatably mounted on the journaled roller; said pinions being in meshed relation with the said racks; counterbalancing means for said movable members and journaled roller, said counterbalancing means including counterweights, a pulley and a flexible member on the said pulley connecting said weights to the movable roller; a shaft rotatable with the pulley; and a valve having a rotatable stem connected to said shaft.

WILLIAM T. STANFORD.

References Cited in the file of this patent Schnell June 7, 1949

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