US2725163A - Crown-cutting and shaping mechanism for paper cap-forming machines - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 29, 1955 E. J. DE VILLERS 2,725;163

CROWN-CUTTING AND SHAPING MECHANISM FOR PAPER CAP-FORMING MACHINES Filed Maljch 26, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet l Edmund Jfiefi'llerfl FIG. 14:.

ATTORNEY Nov. 29, 1955 E. J. DE VILLERS CROWN-CUTTING AND SHAPING MECHANISM FOR PAPER CAP-FORMING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 26, 1952 53 f 4/ I 17% t -6/ 4v Fla-.11. I INVENTOR lidnzu zzd ffief i'llera ATTORNEY Nov. 2 1955 E. J. DE VILLERS CROWN-CUTTING AND SHAPING MECHANISM FOR PAPER CAP-FORMING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 26, 1952 INVENTOR 2 FIG. 4:; l'i'dmwzcl Jfie i'llens" BY 4% 1% W ATTORNEY United States Patent CROWN-CUTTIN G AND SHAPING MECHANISM FOR PAPER CAP-FORMING MACHINES Edmund J. De Villers, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to White Castle System, Inc., Columbus, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application March 26, 1952, Serial No. 278,585

8 Claims. (Cl. 2237) The present invention relates to apparatus for producing assembled paper articles of headwear, particularly articles adapted for wear by those engaged in various occupational capacities, as in the handling, processing or dispensing of food products, and in other occupations or industries. The machine of the present invention aims particularly to provide certain improvements upon prior machines hitherto developed for the manufacture of such paper articles of headwear, especially the machines disclosed in the patent of Schaetfer et al. No. 2,023,152 granted September 3, 1935, and in my prior Patent No. 2,313,628, granted March 9, 1943.

Paper articles of headwear, which here, for convenience in description, are referred to as caps, are formed by said prior machines to possess two united parts. The first of these parts comprises a circular outer band formed from a length of a folded strip of paper, and which in use is adapted to be placed on the head of a wearer so that the same engages, in part at least, the front, sides and back of the wearers head. The upper and lower edges of the strip forming the band are folded inwardly and vertically upon the body of the band strip to present spaced upper and lower reenforcing folds. These folds are composed of a multiplicity of sheet thicknesses by which strength and stability are imparted to the band. In practice, the ends of said folds, and the paper strip itself, telescope within or overlap each other in a manner enabling the formed band to be adjusted to various head sizes.

The second of these cap parts consists of a crown which is joined with the band in a manner closing its open top. This crown is formed by said prior machines from a substantially square or rectangular sheet of paper. In the operation of said machines, this crown sheet is forced into an associated cap band while the latter is held in a forming or assembling chamber of an intermittently rotatable turret. Prior to the forming of the lower reenforcing folds of the band, the crown sheet is fully inserted into the band, so that when the composite lower fold is finally effected, the adjoining marginal edges of the crown sheet will be received within and between the several thicknesses of the lower folds, whereby to unite the crown sheet with the band, eliminating the use of adhesives, or other added fastening means.

Because of the rectangular or substantially square formation of the paper sheet forming the crown, the machines of the prior art have not been completely satisfactory in their operation of effecting proper insertion and retention of the rectangular marginal edges of the crown sheet within the lower circular folds of the paper strip forming the outer band of a cap. This difiiculty will be appreciated when it is considered that such prior machines require the forced insertion of a rectangular crown sheet, moving in a vertical plane, into a horizontally and jorming chamber, reaches the end of its cycle of travel 2,725,163 Patented Nov. 29, 1955 ice into and out of the chamber, the crown sheet will be folded so that the normal top-forming area thereof, as considered when it is positioned within a finished cap, is flat where it engages the outer faces of the blank-advancing head. Simultaneously, the parts of the crown sheet which form the sides of the crown when in a finished cap, are confined between the outer longitudinal and circumferentially extending surfaces of the head and a band strip held against the cylindrical outer wall of the turret chamber. The side-forming areas of the crown sheet are thus caused to conform with the restricted diameter of the forming chamber. In so doing, the material comprising the crown sheet is crowded into the molding area of the forming chamber in a manner producing irregular folding of the material, wherein the folds are present without definite order.

Furthermore, as a result of the normal rectangular marginal configuration of the crown sheet and the resultant machine shaping thereof to cause it to conform with the generally continuous circular band of the cap, a condition is set up which results in the presence of an irregular marginal edge on the crown sheet for interfitting union with the lower folds of the band. The irregularity of the marginal crown edge is such that prior machines cannot function to obtain uniform intersurface contact between the lower folds of the cap band and adjacent marginal edge regions of the crown sheet. In such machines, certain parts of the marginal edges of the crown sheet are apt to be tucked into the associated circular band folds to a greater degree than are other parts. In fact, this condition occurs with such frequency as to require ordinarily manual inspection of each cap formed by said machines, such inspection being necessary to ascertain whether the crown and outer band folds are properly joined. In many instances, it is necessary, in obtaining the desired related order, to manually complete the folding following removal of the caps from the forming machine, thereby adding very substantially to the manufacturing costs of such articles. Even inspection of the ordinary machine-finished articles does not insure proper union, since the crown and band frequently are found to separate upon the opening of the flatly packed caps at the time the same are placed on the head of a wearer, or during use thereof.

With these conditions in view, the cap-forming mechanism of the present invention has been developed to eliminate or greatly minimize this tendency on the part of such earlier machines in failing to produce the desired secure union between the marginal portions of the crown sheets and the lower folds of the bands of such articles.

Among others, the' general objects of the present invention are: To provide a machine for producing paper caps involving a crown sheet which, instead of possessing a rectangular configuration at the time of its insertion in a headband, is cut to assume a substantially circular form, in which the marginal edges thereof are brought into interfolding relation with the lower folds of an associated band; to produce in such a machine a substantially circular crown sheet in which the side-forming regions thereof are formed with symmetrically arranged, relatively spaced creases or pleats; to form by machine action a cap crown in which the creases or pleats extend approximately radially from the center to the outer peripheral edges thereof, whereby to cause said outer edges to terminate in a common plane; to provide a machine in which the crown is evenly and uniformly interfolded with the several thicknesses constituting the lower folds of the article band; to provide a machine for producing paper caps in which two rolls of paper are used, one of the rolls serving to form the cap band and the other the crown sheet, and wherein provision is made for cutting the web of paper withdrawn from the roll producing the cap crown to form therefrom substantially circular blanks which are forced into the forming chambers of an intermittently rotatable turret head of the machine for attaching union through interfolding with the edges of an associated band; and to provide generally an improved mechanism-of this character which isin most part automatic in its operation and wherein hand operations and manual supervision are held to a minimum.

In my copending application, executed of even date with the present application, Serial No. 278,584 filed March 26, 1952, now Patent No. 2,699,274, dated January 11, 1955, I have set forth a cap-forming machine in which a crown-cutting and shaping mechanism has been diselosedfor the formation of paper caps. The mechanism ofthis copending application involves stationary and movable axially registering paper-cutting rings. A paper web, from which cap crowns are formed, is passed between these cutting rings, and timed movement is imparted to the movable ring to cause the same to penetrate the paper web. and, in association with the stationary ring, to cut from said web substantially circular blanks of crown-forming; material.

As; the blanks are cut the same are engaged axially and on one side thereof with an advancing plunger. The operation of this plunger is coordinated so that the crown blanks, following cutting from theweb, are advanced into a cup-shaped member mounted on a frame-carried rotary transfer device. The plunger moves the cut blanks into the cup-shaped member, causing the blanks to possess the internal configuration of said member. At the same time, the plunger operates in conjunction with a stationary pleating ring to produce orderly folds or creases in the sides of the shaped crowns. When this operation is accomplished, the transfer device is rotated so that the cupped member containing a shaped crown will be brought intoregistry with a forming chamber. provided in a rotary turret, means being provided for removing the shaped crown: fromthe cupped member of the transfer device and inserting; the same. in the turretv chamber, Where the crown is joined marginally with. a band-forming. strip, alsopositioned in the'turret chamber.

While the. mechanism or'saidcopendingapplication is efiicient and effective in itsv intended. capacities, yet it is somewhat complex in its mechanical. construction, and,

therefore, it is, a further object of the present invention to improve,,simp lify. andreducecosts to a greater degree than is possible with the employment of the. crown-forming mechanism disclosed in my copending application.

Still further objects are: to provide mechanism which may be readily incorporated in machines of the type disclosed inmy prior patent,.No. 2,313,628 granted March 9', 1943,, whereby withminimum cost, error: and expense to adapt such patentedmachines to thefe'atures of the present invention, including the production of' circular crown blanks with their attendant advantages over prior rectangular blanks; to provide an improved roller-type cutting mechanism for producing the circular crown blanks; to provide a cutting mechanism in which the Web of paper material from which the crowns are formed is cut compljetely through its full width in producing the substantially circular crown blanks; to provide a machine of 'highproductive capacity; one which will produce a well-formed and properly finished cap construction, and finally a machine capable of long usage without necessitating adjustments, repairs or other undue mechanical. attention and maintenance costs.

For a further understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a paper cap-forming machine formed with the crown-cutting and forming mechanism of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken in producing the substantially flat and circular blanks from which cap crowns are formed Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken through the cutter means on the plane indicated by the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view through one of the paper-cutting rolls audits" blade construction;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of theblade-carrying cutter'rolls;

Fig. 7 is a similar view disclosing the" complemental grooved roll;

Fig. 8 is an elevational view ofthe' cutter roll of Fig. 6' and disclosing the same in another position to more fully show the dual cutting blades carried thereby;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to' Fig; 8 of the complemental grooved roll shown inF-ig. 7 but illustrating the same in a position corresponding to that of the cutter roll of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a view of the paper web stock from which the substantially circular crown blanks'ar'e cut by the rolls of Figs. 6 to 9, inclusive;'

Fig. 11 is a vertical"sectional' view taken through the crown-advancing and folding head" which is employed in shaping a flat circular crown blank and positioning the same in a turret chamber for connection with a cap band;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary elevational" view disclosing the crown-pleating ring of the present invention, the plane of the figure being indicated by the line 1212 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13" is a detail perspective view disclosing a cap crown shaped and pleated in" accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 14 is a vertical sectional view taken through a completed' cap as produced by the machine of the present invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the machine as shown therein comprises a cap-forming section A. This section includes a rotatable turret T, mounted for intermittent turning movement about an axial support C. Withthis mechanism, there is ope'ratively associated a crown-forming mechanisrn'B, constituting the present'inven'tiom The section A- is employed in uniting a. cap band- I with a crown '2 in properly related and connected order. The improvements of the present invention over prior machines reside particularly in the construction and operation of the crown-forming section B of the machine. The band-forming section A and the turret T are substantially the same as the construction disclosed in my prior parting-above specified. Therefore, in the following. description, I have addressed the disclosures herein particularly to the crown-forming mechanism B, setting forththe associated band-forming andv cap-assembling mechanism to an extent necessary to show the manner in' which the crown-forming mechanism B coact's therewith.

As shown herein, the crown-forming mechanism includes a frame D which carries at the back thereof rolls 10 and IL over which is trained a web W'composed of paper stock withdrawn frotn a main-supply roll, indicated at R.

Rotatably supported-in the frameD contiguous to the roll 11 are cutter rolls 1'2 and 13'. The upper of these cutter rolls-isformed, as shown-rnore particularly in Figs. 6-and 8, with arcuate cutter blade assemblies, indicated at: 14a: Each of these" blade assemblies is substantially semicircular'in its'configuratioh; consisting of a pair of blade s'ections 'l l'ti -and 14b", shown: in Fig; 5-, having re istering beveled cutting-edges fic. These edgesmay be serrated,-as indicated at-1 42i-;-inorde'r to' pene'trate more readily" relatively soft," porous ti'ssuelikepaper from which th'e'cap crowns are usually formed; The lower rolls 13' have theirperipheries formed- "with grooves 15 in which the beveled outer surfaces "'14ca'nd 14d of the cutter blades 14' are received, whereby to enable the cutters to'penetrate the tissue web W cleanly and without te'a ring;..thesame The-diameter-pfl the crown blank 16 produced by these cutting rolls is, of course, governed by the diameter of the blades 14.

The lower roll '13 is frame supported by being formed at one end thereof with a longitudinally extending and axially disposed stud 17, the latter being journaled for rotation in a bearing 18 provided in the frame D. Rotatable with the stud is the gear 19, the teeth of which mesh with a similar gear 20 fixed to rotate with the upper roll 12, so that the latter revolves in the reverse direction to that of the lower roll.

The upper roll is rotatably carried by an axially disposed shaft 21, one end of which is journaled as at 22 in connection with bearings supported by the frame D. The opposite end of the shaft 21, with respect to that carrying the gear 20, is provided with a beveled gear 23, the latter meshing with a similar gear 24 provided on a power driven shaft 25.

The lower of the rolls 13 is formed with a tubular hub sleeve 26 which is journaled at one end in bearings provided in the frame D. The sleeve 26 receives an internal stationary pipe member 27, the latter being formed with inner and outer longitudinally extending concentric passages 28 and 29, respectively. The passage 29 communicates at one end with a valve pipe line 30 leading to a suction pump, not shown, or other negative pressure generator. Communicating with the passage 29 and formed in the roll 13 are ports 31. These ports lead to the periphery of the roll 13, whereby to hold positively, through pressure differentials exerted on Y opposite sides of a web, paper passing around the roll 13 whereby to retain the web in definite association with the roll 13.

As the rolls 12 and 13 revolve, the same cut the web W completely through its entire transverse width. For example, in Fig. 6, the outer edges of the web W have been indicated at W1. It will be noted that the length of the cutting blades 14 exceeds the width of the web W, thereby completely severing the latter transversely. Such severance, with the formation of the crown blanks 16 of substantially circular configuration, results in the formation of excess or waste web sections, indicated at 32.

In forming the crown blanks the excess sections 32 of the web are positively ejected from the rolls 13. This may be done by advancing compressed air or the like through the axial passage 28 of the pipe member 27. The passage 28 communicates with ports shown at 33 and with the ports 31, the latter extending from the axial portions of the roll 13 to the periphery thereof. These ports at the periphery of the roll 13 are disposed beyond the confines of the cutter blades 14, as shown more particularly in Fig. 9. These excess portions of the web are thus blown free from the lower roll as the latter revolves, and positively discharged from the machine in a manner preventing such excess sections from interfering with the cutting action of the rolls.

A pressure roll 33' engages the upper surfaces of the web cut blanks and is spaced from the roll 12, whereby to advance the crown blanks through downwardly and angularly directed guides 34. The crown blanks are positively brought into engagement with a pair of outer frame-mounted feed rolls 35, the upper of the rolls 35 being preferably provided with a covering of compressible material. Carried vertically by the frame D and arranged below the rolls 35 is a crown-pleating ring 36. Crown blanks or disks, fed by the rolls 35, are caused to advance vertically across the rear of the opening formed in the ring 36 until substantially the blanks engage with a stationary stop 37 at their lower edges.

In order to transfer the cut crown blanks from their position of registry with the back of the pleating ring 36 and deposit the same in a cap-forming chamber 38 provided in the turret T, I employ an inserting head H of the type shown in my aforesaid patent. This head comprises a body 39 which is mounted axially on a shaft 40, the latter being slidably supported in a bearing formed in bracket 41 which is slidable on the support C. The hub 42 of the body 39 is formed with a forwardly projecting hollow thimble 43 having a diameter less than that of the opening in the pleating ring 36. The pleating ring, in turn, is formed, as shown particularly in Figs. 11 and 12, with circularly spaced helical recesses 44.

As the head H moves forwardly, the thimble 43 thereof contacts a flat crown blank disposed at the rear of the ring 36, causing said material to move in unison with the forwardly advancing thimble. Since the crown blank possesses a greater diameter than the internal diameter of the opening in the pleating ring, the crown material will be stretched across the open forward end of the thimble 43 to form the top of the crown when it is placed in a completed cap, while the sides of the crown will be bent substantially at right angles to the top through contact with the walls of the opening in the ring 36. Excess material present in the crown blank is forced into the pleating recesses 44, whereby to form the substantially parallel and spaced folds or pleats 45 in the sides of the crown. The movement of the thimble is continued in a forward direction until the same contacts with a head ring 46 fixed on one end of a shaft 47 which is movable in frame-carried bearings in order that the ring 46 may be positioned in the turret chamber 38, as shown in Fig. 11, when a crown is being introduced into the chamber 38. Also it may be withdrawn from said chamber 38 simultaneously with the head H to assume retracted positions admitting of rotation of the turret T in bringing other chambers 38 contained in said turret into registry with the heads H and 46.

The walls of the turret chamber 33 are provided with annular passages 48. These passages register with ports 49 which communicate with a suction pump or other negative pressure generator, whereby to hold a band strip [9 of a cap 0 in association with the circular walls of the chamber 38 in receiving the pre-shaped crown.

A shaft 50 is slidable in the shaft 40 and projects beyond one end of the latter to receive a grooved collar 51. This collar cooperates with the inner arms 52 of bell crank levers 53, the latter being pivotally mounted as at 54 in connection with the thimbles 43. The longer arms of the levers 53 carry pressure-applying extensions 55 which operate as creasing means in smoothing or ironing interfolded portions of the cap band b and crown 16.

As shown in Fig. 2 the bracket 41 is slidably supported on the turret-supporting means C. Linkage shown at 56 may be used to control and effect the back and forth sliding movement of the bracket. In this instance, the head H has its disk-shaped body 39 formed, as disclosed in my prior patent, with forwardly projecting bars 57, the latter being notched as at 58 to produce band-strip engaging shoulders 59. These shoulders engage the band and crown to effect their interfolding in the manner defined in my aforesaid patent.

As shown in Fig. 14, when the crown 16 is inserted into the cap band b, the adjoining edges of the band and crown are doubly folded in effecting their union. As a result of its circular blank formation, the crown evenly engages the folds of the band strip, so that the cap parts have uniform surface contact with the band folds indicated at 1. These advantages are attributable to the generally circular shape of the crown blank prior to its being interfolded with the band strip. Other advantages inherent in the present construction are to be found in its high degree of mechanical simplicity and the ready application thereof to machines of the prior art, particularly those set forth in the above identified patents.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for producing paper articles of headwear, comprising: a frame, a turret having a plurality of spaced cap-forming chambers provided with circular walls, means for introducing paper band-forming strips into said chambers, suction-actuated means causing said strips to adhere to the walls of said. chambers, a crown-forming; means including. guides :carried by said frame for-the: longitu:

dirial advancement of a paperweb, meanszon said,v

means, for pleating thecrown blanks as they are forced:

bysaid inserting-means into said. chambers.

2; Cap;forming apparatus'comprising: a frame, an intermittently rotatable ,chambered. turret supported on said frame, means forinserting and maintaining-a banda forming strip in fiat-circular contact with outerrwalls of each of said turret chambers, meansforeffecting-positive longitudinal advancement .of a paper web .in a confined course .oftravel along saidframe, means for cutting-said web to.produce,therefromasubstantially circular crownforming blanks, andmeansfor, inserting the cut blanks' into the chambers of said turret. for interfolding connec tion with. theedges of band strips contained in said chambers.

3.- Cap-forming apparatus comprising: a. frame, an intermittently rotatable chambered :turret supported on said frame, means for inserting andvmaintaining a bandforming striprin fiat-circular contact with outer walls of each of said turret chambers, means for effecting positive longitudinal advancement of a paper Web in a confined course of travel along said frame, means for cutting. said Web to produce therefrom substantiallycircular crown-- formingblanks, means for inserting the cut blanks into thechambers of said turret for interfolding connection withthe edges of band strips contained'in said chambers, and means for imparting radially extending spaced pleats to each of said crownblanks as they are forced by-said inserting means intothechambers of said turret.

4. In a cap-forming, machine, a'turret provided with a plurality of circularly spaced formingchambers, means for supplyingistrips of a cap bandproducing materiallto said chambers, means for maintaining the strips in contact with outer walls of said chambers, driving means for revolving the turret about its axis of turning movement in anhintermittent step, by stepmanner, folding, heads operative toturn the edge portions of strips disposed within said chambers to form said strips at the longitudinal, edgestthereof with reenforcing folds, means for advancing a web of crown-forming material in a confined course of travel along the machine, cutting means engageable with said .web to cut therefrom crown-forming blanks which-are substantially-circular in.their-margi nal configuration, means for introducing the blanks successively as they are formed into said turret chambers, and meansfor producing uniformly spacedvpleats in said crown blanks at the time of their introductioninto said chambers, whereby to cause the blanks to engage evenly at their outcrmarginal edges certain of the folds of the band-forming strips astproduced by said heads.

5. In apaper cap-forming machine, a frame, cutting mechanism including relatively movable cutters operative toproduce from a web of paper advancedbetween said cutters substantially circular crown-formingblanks, a tur:

ret rotatably supported by said frame, said turret being formed with spaced.capiormingcylinders, andtmeans synchronized with the operation of said turret and cutting-mechanism for, feeding directly. the circular blanksisu cessively into the cylinders of said turret 6. In; a paper cap-forming :machirie; a {frame-a cutting mechanism including :relatively movable cutte'rs foperative-ato produce from-a web of paper advanced,between saidc cutters substantiallyicircular crown-formingblanks, atur retrotatablyi'supported by said frame,-;-saiditurret' being,

formed withtspaced cap-forming cylinders, means synchronizedglwithi the, operation of" said turrettand cutting.-

mechanism for feeding the circular= blanks successively into the cylinders of-said turret, and a pleating ring carried by said frame, said ring being disposed for, engagement with thEOlltH' POTlTIOHSfif each of said crown blanks. as the latter are beinginserted into said {turret cylinder, said-ring; servingto produce uniformly spaced radially: extending pleats in outer band-engaging-portions of; said blanks when the latter are formed into cap crowns.

7. In a machine for producingpapercaps, a:frame, .-an

intermittently rotatable .turretpositioned ,on said.- frame, 7 said turret having ,spaced cap-forming, chambers, means for introducing strips of. material for the 'fo'rmationxof.

cap bands into said-chambers, band-folding heads movably carried by said-:frame, said heads :being movable in registry with the longitudinal axes of said-turret chambers, guide means on said frame for the longitudinal ad-. vancement of a web material adapted for the formation of cap crowns, relatively movablecutter meansarranged normally on opposite sides of said web. for cutting the latter to form substantially circular crown blanks, means for transferring successively said blanks from said 'cuttingmecha nism and inserting. the. samerinto the strip-containing chambers of said turret in position for coaction with'saidfolding heads, whereby to foldmarginal portions of said strips and crown blanks simultaneously in united order.

8. In a machine for producing paper caps, a-frame, an intermittently rotatable turret positioned on said frame, said turret having spaced cap-forming chambers, means for introducing strips of material for the'formation of cap bands into said chambers, band-folding heads movablycarried by said frame, said heads being movable inregistry with the longitudinal axes of said turret chambers, guide means on said frame for the longitudinal advancement of a web material adapted for the formation of cap crowns, relatively movable cutter meansarranged nor- ;mally on opposite sides of said web forcutting the latter to References Cited in the file, of thispatent- UNITED STATES PATENTS 420,524 Wheeler Febi 4, 1890 1,778,483 Carroll Oct. 14, 1930 2,286,541 Harvey June,-16, 1942 2,313,628 De Villers Mar.- 9, 1943 2,378,324 Ray et al June 12, 1945 2,523,153 Shapiro Sept. ,19, 1950

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