US2772055A - Continuous unwinding device for webs - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 27, 1956 E. H. KLINGELFUSS CONTINUOUS UNWINDING DEVICE FOR WEBS Filed Dec. 1, 1953 5/24 ig/m ATTORNEYS United States Patent CONTINUOUS UNWINDING DEVICE FGR WEBS Eugene H. Klingelfuss, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to American Type Founders (10., Inc., Elizabeth, N. 1., a corporation of Delaware Application December 1, 1953, Serial No. 395,439

6 Claims. (Cl. 242-58) This invention relates to the handling of webs of sheet material and is directed more particularly to a device for supplying to a given source a substantially continuous web of such material. While the device is primarily intended for use in supplying paper to high speed newspaper or gravure presses, and will be described in this connection, it will be appreciated that the invention is capable of more universal application in the handling of a wide variety of web material.

With the introduction of high speed printing machines to the printing art, the feeding of paper to these machines became a problem of considerable concern to the Workers in the art. Although the rolls in which the paper is ordinarily supplied are quite large, at the speeds at which the modern presses are capable of operating, the supply becomes exhausted within a matter of minutes. The stoppage of the presses to renew the paper supply results in the loss of several minutes of printing time as Well as the loss of a substantial amount of paper due to the fact that the type becomes over-inked and does not immediately regain its optimum printing condition. Thus, it is highly desirable that the paper be supplied to the presses in as continuous a fashion as it is practical to do so.

Several attempts have been made to accomplish this desideratum, foremost among which is the use of turret supply mechanisms in which two or more rolls of paper are mounted on a rotatable turret, the reserve roll being automatically moved to replacement position, accelerated to running speed, and the web carried thereby joined to the moving end of the exhausting web. While such mechanisms are generally satisfactory in their operation, they must be of considerable complexity in order to perform the required operations and of massive construction to support the combined weight of the plurality of rolls. As a result, they are quite costly and can be used to advantage by only the very largest of printing shops.

It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide a device for continuously supplying sheet material which is extremely simple in construction and operation and can be supplied to the printing trade at a minimum of expense.

A further object of the invention is to provide a low cost device for supplying a web to high speed printing machines without even momentary interruption of the printing operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a continuous web feeder which can be operated with ease and dispatch by persons of limited education and skill.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a continuous Web feeder in which the web supply rolls are not moved bodily from one position to another.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention when read with the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved web feeder, partially cut away to reveal certain details of construction;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view on a section through the machine, showing the details of the web severing means; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale of the leading end of the reserve web in change-over position showing the means whereby the reserve web is joined to the running web.

in accordance with the present invention, a pair of web supply rolls are supported in spaced parallel relationship, one of the webs being fed to any desired source by means of cooperating feed and pressure rolls. Associated with each web is an auxiliary pair of feed rolls which are normally maintained in non-feeding relationship but can be independently rendered operative to advance one Web or the other. A web feed board extends from each of the normally non-operative feed rolls almost to the nip of the main feed roll assembly to guide the web thereto, web severing means being supported by each feed board in the neighborhood of the nip of the main feed roll assembly. The leading edge of the reserve web is provided with a strip of pressure-sensitive adhesive material. When it is desired to change the flow of the web from the supply to the reserve roll, the normally non-operative auxiliary feed means for the reserve web is rendered operative, advancing the leading edge of that web down the feed board and through the main feed roll assembly with the moving supply web, causing the adhesive strip to adhere to the moving supply web. The old supply web may then be severed and the old supply web roll, which is at this point substantially exhausted, is replaced by a new roll, which becomes the new reserve roll.

Referring now to Figure l, the numeral 11 designates a base member, on which is mounted a spaced pair of roll stands 12 and 12a, the upper ends of the stands carrying suitable journal means for rotatably supporting rolls of sheet material 14 and 14a. If desired, the roll stands may be provided with means for braking the rolls in a manner well known in the art. Extending between the roll stands 12 and 12a on either side of the machine and spaced somewhat above base member 11 is a horizontal channel member 16 which supports a pair of upstanding stanchions 17 and 17a. A horizontally arranged crosspiece 19 is secured at its ends to stanchions 17 and 17a in order to brace the same and also serve as a support for certain other equipment as will appear later. It is to be understood that there is a channel member, pair of stanchions, cross-piece and other elements on either side of the machine but to facilitate the description only one side of the machine will be described since both sides, with certain obvious exceptions, are essentially duplicates.

Carried by the cross-piece l? the mid-point thereof is the main web feed array or assembly consisting of a driven feed roll 2% and a pressure roll 21, the latter being covered with friction material, such as hard rubber or the like. The shaft of feed roll 2t is jcurnaled in a fixed bearing block 22 and the shaft of the pressure roll 21 is journaled in a slidable pillow block 23 which can be moved by means of a pressure screw 24 and a handknob 25. By manual rotation of the knob 25 pressure roll 21 may be accurately positioned with respect to feed roll 29 in order that sheet material of varying thickness may be accommodated by the machine and the desired feeding pressure exerted on the web by the rolls 2:1 and 22 precisely maintained.

in addition to the arrangement for precisely adjusting the rolls, it is also desirable that pressure roll 21 be quickly and easily removable from feeding contact with roll 20 without changing the position of pillow block 23. To this end, an eccentric bushing 26 is interposed between the shaft of pressure roll 21 and pillow block 23, being secured to the shaft and movable therewith, and a hand lever 27 is aflixed to one end of the shaft. R oll 21 is mounted for free rotation on its shaft. Thus, by rocking lever 27 pressure roll 21 ismoved a short distance from feed roll 29 to permit the insertion or removal of the sh'eet'materialf"' a T Extending'in angular 'fashion' upwardly :and outwardly from either side of the nip of rolls 2% and 21 is a feed board 30, the lower end of whichissecured by a bracket 31 to a side plate 32, the latter, in turn, being supported by a bracket 33' projecting vertically from cross-piece '19. The upper end of each of the feed boards 30 terminates just short of the frame member 17 or l'ia, being supported thereon by abracket 34.

Located betweenthe ends of each of the feed boards 30 and the rolls 20 and 21v is the'web severing means. As can be bestseen in Figure 2; thismeans consists of a longitudinal block-i0 of f rectangular section, extending across the Width of the web of sheet material, being penetrated by a shaft 41, the lower'surface of block 46 having afiixed thereto arknife blade 42. The ends of shaft 41 are rockably supported by the side plates 32 and at least one of such ends is provided with a hand lever 43. In order that the blades 42 might be'normally urged to noncutting position, the blocks 4% are joined by a horizontally extending tension spring 44. It will be apparent that by rocking the lever 43, the knife blade 42 will be moved into the path of the moving web, causing the same to be severed. r 7

It is necessary that each of the webs from the rolls14 and 14a be capable of being set in motion for short periods of time independently of the main feed array 2021. For this purpose there is provided at the upper end of each of the stanchions 17 and 17; a driven feed "directions'to deliver thewebs toward the center of the I roll 59 and Stir: and a pressureroll 51 and 51a, respechorizontal channel member 16, and carrying at their outer" endsioot treadles 5'7 and 57a, respectively. Since the auxiliary feed arrays 5%) 51 and 5ia-51a do not come into play except when the Web feed is being changed from one roll to the other, the pressure rolls 56a and 51a are normally maintained in inoperative or non-feeding position with respect to the feed rolls 5i) and 56a. This may be accomplished in any desired fashion, as for example, by means of compression springs 58 and 53a bearing at one end against suitable seats formed on the rocker arms '55 and-55a and at the other end against the hori-' zontal web of channel member 16; Hence, pressure rolls 51 and 51a are normally urged away from feed rolls 5%) and 58a so that the feed rolls do not exert a feeding force on the webs; however, when it is desired that either of the webs be advanced independently of the main feeding array Zip- 21, the corresponding foot treadle is depressed, overcoming the force of its compression spring and, through the connecting linkage, moving one of the pressure rolls into feeding contact with its associated feed roll. 7 Carried by each of the frame member 17 and 17:2' below the auxiliary feed arrays 5051 and '5iia53ia is a shaft i', about which an idler roll -61 is freely rotatable. Elements 62 are clamped to shaft 69 at either. end of idler roll 61 and are joined by a fixed spreader rod 63. Shaft 6% also carries a worm gear 64, as can be seen on the left-hand side of Figure 1, which can be rotated by means of worm 65 and its associated handwheel 66. Rotation of worm gear 64 moves the spreader rod 63 about the axis of shaft '60, making the path of the web between idlerroll 61 and the rod 63 more or less sinuous as desired, spreading the web to its fully extended width .and eliminating the slack which frequently occurs adjacent the edges thereof.

a pressure-sensitive adhesive substance.

The driving arrangement for the variousfeeding assemblies already described is as follows: A motor 70 rotates a small V-grooved pulley coupled by means of a V-belt to a large V-grooved pulley 72 mounted on the shaft of feed roll 29. This shaft also carries a second and smaller ,V,-grooved pulley 73 connected by V-belt to a pulley 74, corresponding in size to that of pulley 73, afiixed to the shaft of feed roll 5011. A second pulley (notvisible) on this shaft drives a pulley 7 6 and a gear 7 7 supported by a bracket 7 8 on frame 'member 17, the gear 7'1 meshing with a gear 7 9 cntthe shaft of feed roll 59. The last-mentioned two pulleys are the same size as pulleys 73 and 74 and the gears'77 and 79 are identical so that all, three feed rolls Zii, 50 and 50a havethe same peripheral speed. In all cases, the V-belts are indicated in Figure l 'by means of dotted lines. be seen that the feed rolls 5% and 50a rotate in opposite machine and main feed array 20'21. p

To permit the new web to be joinedto the old webin the course of changing over the web feed from one supply roll to the other, the leading edge of the new web is provided with a short strip coated on one surfacewith Such material may be, and preferably is, a tape of the typesold by the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company under the brand name Scotch.- As can be seen from Figure 3, the adhesive strip is arranged with its coated face outwardly, about one-half its length being adhered to the under surface of the leading edge of the new web, leaving the remainder of the web available for adhering contactwith the moving old web. Preparatory to the changeover from the old to the new web, the new web is threaded up past idler roll 61 and spreader rod 63, betweentthe corresponding auxiliary feed array and the adhesive strip is applied thereto. The adhesive stripand the leading edge of the new web is then placed on the upper'end of one of the feed boards 30, substantially shown in Figure 7 3, at which position it is ready tion. V

Preferably, after leaving the main feed array 2122 the web is caused to move around a pair of steam rolls 80 for the change-over operaand 81, a dancer roll 82, and idler s 83 and 84, from to the press and that the leading edge of the new web I operator releases the foot treadle and rocks the handlever' thereto enters the nip of the feed and pressure rolls 20 p 21 the strip is pressed by the rolling contact ofthe rolls against the web from roll 14 to which it adheresf As soon as the joint passes clear of therolls 2021, the

43 which is adjacent the exhausting web, thereby depressing the corresponding knife blade 42 and severing the old web. As the operations of depressingthe foot pedal and rocking'the knifeemay be made in quick succession, the extent to which the two webs overlap is reduced to a minimum and only a small amountof the paper must be removed from the machine and replaced .by a fresh roll 1 which then, of course, becomes the new reserve roll.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art thatthe machine just described ofiers substantial advantages lover V 1 which is operatively It will a anything that had been heretofore available to the art in that the webs are joined Without the slightest interruption in the movement thereof, the supply rolls remain fixed during the change-over operation, massive construction is not required and the functioning of the machine is virtually foolproof.

Those familiar with the art will readily understand that minor modifications and variations in design and construction may be made without departure from the spirit of the invention. For this reason, I do not choose to be limited to the single specific embodiment illustrated and described but only by the claims hereunto appended.

Having thus described my invention, that which is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for continuously supplying a web of sheet material comprising a primary supply roll of said material, a pair of feed rolls for withdrawing the web from said primary supply roll, adjustable supporting means for one of said feed rolls for accurately positioning said roll with respect to the other roll, said supporting means including eccentric means for quickly moving said rolls apart without changing the position of said supporting means, a secondary supply roll of said matenial, means on the leading edge of the material on said secondary supply roll to enable said edge to be adhered to the web from said primary supply roll upon contact therewith, normally inoperative feed means for the web from said secondary supply roll, means for rendering said feed means operative, means for guiding the leading edge of said material on said secondary supply roll to the nip of said feed rolls, and means for severing the web from said primary supply roll, whereby passage through the nip of said feed rolls causes the web from said secondary supply roll to be spliced to the web from said primary roll whereupon said latter web may be severed.

2. The apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said feed means comprises a pair of feed rolls between which the web from said secondary supply roll is adapted to pass, one of said rolls being normally maintained out of driving contact with the other of said rolls and means are provided for bringing said rolls into driving contact to exert feeding force on said web.

3. The apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said guide means comprises a feed board for supporting and guiding the leading edge of said secondary supply web, said board extending substantially from the nip of said last mentioned pair of feed rolls to the nip of said first-mentioned pair of feed rolls.

4. The apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said adhering means comprises a leader strip coated with adhesive on the outer surface thereof, said strip being adhered to the undersurface of said leading edge for a portion of its length, the remainder of said strip projecting forwardly of said edge to enable the same to be brought into adhering contact with the web.

5. Apparatus for continuously supplying a Web of sheet material compnising a framework, .a supply role of sheet material at each end of said framework, spaced apart pairs of standards on said framework between said rolls, a cross-piece extending between the standards of each pair above said framework, 21 pair of feed rolls supported on said cross-pieces intermediate said standards, a feed roll journaled in the upper end of each of said standards above said cross-pieces, an idler roll associated with said last'named feed roll, being normally maintained out of contact therewith, means for moving said idler roll into contact with said feed roll, an inclined feed board extending from each of said last-named feed rolls substantially to the nip of said pair of feed rolls, being supported at one end by a standard of each pair and at the other by said crosspieces, web severing means at the end of said feed board adjacent said pair of feed rolls, means regulating the tension in said web supported on said framework below said crosspieces and between said standards, and means for driving at least one of said pair of feed rolls and each of said other feed rolls.

6. The apparatus as in claim 5 wherein said idler roll moving means comprises a foot pedal pivoted in said framework and a link connecting said 'foot pedal to said roll.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 995,587 Cooper June 20, 1911 1,316,708 Goss et al Sept. 23, 1919 2,214,719 Freeman Sept. 10, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS 19,883 Great Britain of 1897

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