US2956301A - Web cleaning apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 18, 1960 F. J. BRUNO WEB CLEANING APPARATUS Filed July l2. 195'? lo u O O a :s sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

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Oct. 18, 1960 F. J. BRUNO 2,955,301

WEB CLEANING APPARATUS Filed July l2, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 luumlnnnu AAA f7 INVENTOR.

Oct 18, 1960 F. J. BRUNO 2,956,301

WEB CLEANING APPARATUS Filed July 12. 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 nited States Patent 2,956,301 Patented oct. 1s, 1960 WEB CLEANING APPARATUS Frederic l'. Bruno, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Oxy-Dry Sprayer Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New York Filed July 12, 1957, Ser. No. 671,475

4 Claims. (Cl. 15-306) This invention relates to a cleaning system for paper and other web materials and more particularly concerns a new and improved means for removing dirt, fiber particles and foreign matter generally from paper, particularly newsprint, die-cut carton blanks, textile fabric and the like.

The invention to be hereinafter described constitutes an improvement upon the cleaning system disclosed and claimed in my prior application S.N. 630,977 filed December 27, i956. The apparatus embodying the present invention is particularly adapted for cleaning the surface of newsprint although it may be used for cleaning all 1sinds of sheet material.

ln general, of the various kinds of paper which are used in printing, newsprint stock has the most dirt and the cleaning thereof presents the most serious problem. This is particularly true if the paper web travels at high speeds present in modern press work. It has been found that other web cleaners do an inadequate cleaning job unless the speed of paper travel is reduced or a relatively large number of cleaning units are used.

This invention aims to provide relatively simple and economical means for handling newsprint at conventional paper speeds. As a rule newsprint may travel through a press at the rate from about 40 to 60 feet per second. lt is therefore essential that the web cleaning means have high eiciency in order to operate satisfactorily.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a combined compressed air and suction head wherein the construction provides an uninterrupted path for dirt laden air from the paper surface to the suction generating means.

The apparatus embodying the present invention may be disposed to clean a web prior to the feeding of the web to any other desired means. Thus the web may be transferred from one roll to another or may be moved tward printing cylinders or the web may be travelling toward waxing means. ln the latter case, the web is most likely to be of stock other than newsprint. inasmuch as newsprint is considered to be one of 4the most dillcult webs to clean, the invention will be disclosed in connection therewith. Ilt is understood that the less rigorous demands of webs other than newsprint will be more than met by the apparatus embodying the present invention.

The invention in general contemplates web cleaning heads on opposite sides of the web. While the cleaning heads may be disposed directly opposite each other, it is preferred to stagger the cleaning heads along the length of the web travel. Such a staggered arrangement is advantageous in rendering the manual threading of paper easier when a new web is started. Each cleaning head in general has three chambers each extending across the full width of the web, said chambers having common walls separating them and provided with uninterrupted, laterally oil-set, elongated slots disposed near the surface to be cleaned. One chamber is disposed between the remaining two chambers. The middle chamber acts as one unit while the two outer chambers act as two other portions of a cooperating unit.

The one unit consisting of the middle chamber may have compressed air or suction applied thereto while the two remaining chambers as the other unit may have suction or compressed air applied thereto. The openings for the chambers are in the form of uninterrupted slots extending the full width of the web, said slots permitting `air to travel out from the chamber or in thereto.

The chambers are so shaped that substantially direct paths for air are provided from the suction slot to the pipe connected to the chamber for applying suction. I have found that the provision of such direct paths greatly reduce the possibility of dirt piling up inside of a chamber with the result that operation at a high level of elliciency is possible for long periods of time.

VIn order that the invention may be fully understood, an embodiment will be described in connection with accompanying `drawings forming part of this application. It is understood however that variations may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as delined by the appended claims.

Figure l shows a top plan View of one web cleaning head.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the cleaning head illustrated in Figure l.

Figure 3 is a transverse section of a pair of cleaning heads for operating on two sides of a web.

Figure 4 is a perspective detail of one part of a cleaning head.

Figure 5 is a detail partly in section on an enlarged scale of a portion of the cleaning head illustrated in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of part of a modified cleaning head provided with slidablel means for controlling the width of the active portion of the head, certain parts being broken away for clarity.

Figure 7 is a plan view of a cleaning head having the construction illustrated in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a detail on line 8 8 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a sectional detail on line 9 9 of Figure 7.

Figure 10 is a sectional detail on line 10-10 of Figure 7.

A cleaning head such as illustrated in the drawings consists of a pair of flat rigid plates 1h and 11 maintained in spaced parallel relation by rear spacing block 13 and side spacing blocks 14 and 15 respectively. As is illustrated in Figures l and 2, plates 1G and 11 have a length extending transversely of web 17. The length of plates 16 and 11 is sutliciently great to accommodate the widest web to be handled.

Plates 10 and 11 are of smooth rigid material and may be of metal such as steel, aluminum or brass or of such rigid plastic material as fiber or Bakelite. It is preferred however to make plates 10 and 11 of metal. Spacers 13 to 15 inclusive may consist of rigid material, either metal or non-metal, the spacers being dimensioned to endow the structure with desired mechanical strength. Plates 10 and 11 and spacers 13 to 15 inclusive form the walls of chamber 29. The plates and spacers are maintained in assembled relation by bolts 21 and nuts disposed near rear edge 22 of chamber 20.

Plates 10 and 11 also form the dividing walls between middle chamber 20 and chambers 24 and 25 disposed laterally on opposite sides of chamber 20. Chamber 25 has end plate 26 parallel to plate 10. Plate 26 has a width which is somewhat less than the width of plates 10 and 11. The width is that dimension as seen in Figure 3 for example which extends from rear spacers 13 along plates 10 and 11. Plate 26 is maintained in spaced relation to plate 10 by rear spacer 28 and side spacers 29 and 30.

Chamber 25 is provided with outer plate 31 which is similar in all respects to plate 26. Plate 31 is maintained in spaced relation to plate 11 by rear spacer 33 and side spacers 34 and 35. Rear spacers 28 and 33 for chambers 24 and 25 have bolts 36^passing through the spacers and` through chamber 20. Suitable nutson'V the bolts maintain the assembly intact.Y The spacers: along side edges'lSandi39A of. the complete. heady for chambers 24 and 25'as wellas for chamber 20 aremaintained by. boltsV 4t?I having suitable nuts.

lt'will be notedthat plates 10, 11, 26 and' 31. allzhave substantially the same length, this being the dimension across web 17; The spacing between plates 26 and lil, between-plates lil and 11 and between plates 11 and 31 maybe of about the same order. lt is preferred to have the spacing between the plates defining chambersZlY and 25 substantially equal.

Chamber 20 and the laterally offset chambers 24 and 25 will generally have about the same length (transversely across web 17) and will generally have about the same height (in the direction of movement of web 17) but will have different depths. Thus chambers 24 and 25 may` have the same depth whereas chamber 20 will be somewhat deeper because of the portion projecting beyond rear spacers 2S and 33.

Meansl are provided for connecting air pipes to the three chambers. Chamber Zil has collar 42 rig-idly attached to an accessible portion of plate lll. As illustrated in Figure l, collar 42 is disposed substantially/'midway between edges 38 and 39 ofthe entire construction and adjacent rear edge 22. As is clearly shown in Figure 3, the material of plate within collar 42 is removed. A hose or pipe 43 may be slipped over collar 42 and a suitable hose clamp may be provided for retaining the hose in position if necessary. lf desired an air connection may be provided in opposed plate 11 soy that pipes may communicate ith chamber Ztl from opposite sides.

Similar air connections are provided for chambers 24 and 25.V For chamber 24, collar or flange 45 is provided at a suitable portion of plate 26. This ange may be Ydisposed generally midway between edges 38 and 3 and about midway between the rear of chamber 24, vthis being where spacer 2S isr and the wall of the flange to be described. Suitable hose 46 may be disposed over flange d5. Chamber 25 may be similarly provided with hose flange i7 for accommodating hose 4S.

As has been indicated previously, chambers 24 and`25 may be connected to a suitable air pump for pulling a vacuum. In such case chamber will be connected'to a source of compressed air. tablished through hoses 46 and 47 for chambers 24 and and through hose 43 for chamber 20. lt is also possible to reverse these connections so that the vacuum is applied to chamber 20 while compressed air issupplied to chambers 24 and 25.

Chambers 2e, 29. andv25 have means at the front portions of the chambers, this being opposite to the rear spacer blocks, for defining long narrow slots extending transversely across the direction of web travel and adjacent a web in thenormal operation of the cleaning head. Preferably, though not necessarily, each chamber has at the front thereof one longslot. While various means may be provided for dening the slots, a simple means consists of rods Sil, 51, 52 and 53.

The rods are disposed in spaced, laterally oifset,` parallel relation to provide slots 55, 56 and 57 for chambers 24, 26 and 25 respectively. Rods 56 to 53 inclusive are preferably of smooth, polished metal and may havetheir surfaces chromium plated to reduce the possibility of dirt sticking tothe rod surfaces. The rods may have lany desired shape and may conveniently be long and round. Rods 50 and 53 are here illustrated as having smooth outer cylindrical surfaces. Rods 51 and 52 may Valso be smooth Vbutrare preferably provided with grooves or `threading on the outside to break up Vthe surface. The `grooves may be formed by annular channels or may be The connections will bc es- ,4 helical and form part of a continuous thread, the length of the rod. It is also possible to have the outer surfaces of rods 50 `and 53 similarly provided with annular grooves.

Rods 51 and 52 may be carried by pins 51a and 52a set in suitable apertures in the side spacer blocks. These pins are centered on the rods and the spacing between the opposed rod surfaces will. provide slot 56 of suitable width.

Rods 50 and 53 are also carried by pins 50a and 53a respectively. Thesepins may be disposed eccentrically of the rods and ares'o designed as to permit rods 50 and 53 to be turned to adjust the Width of slots 55 and 57.

Suitable means may be provided for mounting the four rods to controlthisilateral spacing ,between all of the rods and thus control the widths of the respective slots. 1t is understood that in all cases, slots 55., 56 and 5'7 will give access to chambers 24, 21) and 25 respectively. The round coniiguration of the rods is preferred for directing the air paths and dirt.

Each cleaning head. has associated therewith a means for ionizing the air on the leading or advance side of the head. Referring for example to Figures 3 and 4, web 17 is pictured as travelling downwardly past the head. Ionizing means generally indicated by 6i? is disposed above the `cleaning part of the headto be near a web surface just prior to the time that the portion ofthe Web reaches the cleaning part of the head.

Ionizing means 60 consists of elongated gas discharge tube 61 of glass or special material which is transparent to ultra-violet light. 'I'he tube material is insulating and extends for the width of the web.

Tube 61 has a iilling of a rare gas such as argon or neon at a low pressure and also has some mercury therein. A gas tube of this character may have a discharge Vinitiated therein by an electrode sealed within the glass and passing through the glass Wall. The electrode is connected to a source of high potential such as transformer 63. Transformer 63 may be of the type used for neon signs.

It is well known that a gas tube of this character will rst start with a discharge through the rare gas, unless the tube isV warm, after which the mercury vapor within the tube will sufice to carry the electric discharge. The discharge through mercury vapor will provide a spectrum characteristic of mercury wherein red is absent. Such a mercury discharge is quite rich in ultra-violet.

The discharge circuit through the tube is completed by having grounded channel 65 supporting the tube. Transformer 63 has one terminal grounded. Channel 65 extends the length of the tube and has brackets 66 at the ends thereof for supporting the tube in proper relation to the channel. Channel 65 is supported on angle iron 68 on top plate 26 of the cleaning head. Channel 65 is preferably of aluminum having a bright reilecting surface. The ultra-violet light from tube 61 is concentrated on the surface of web 17.

Gas discharge tube 61 is supported in such a way that the outer surface thereof is almost tangent to the adjacent Web surface. The entire assembly of cleaning head and ionizingmeans may be supported in any suitable fashion by brackets 76 and 71 and suitable bolts. This entire assembly is supported in proximity to web 17 by bolting to suitable bars.

As indicated in Figures 3 and 4, a complete cleaning head and ionizing assembly is provided on each'side of web17. It is preferred to stagger these assemblies along the path of travel of the web so that one assembly is lnot opposite the other. 'Ihis makes itrpossible to thread 'a new web and also prevents vibration or utter of the web due lto one cleaning head effecting the position of the web with respect to the other cleaning head. In practice, a cleaning head and ionizing means willhave a width great enough to accommodate the widest web to be handled. Any web narrower than maximum width may be readily handled by masking the cleaning head with tape or a metal clamp.

For cleaning newsprint or web having a high dirt content, it is preferred to have compressed air at the central chamber and vacuum at the two side chambers. Where the load is not as great as for example, with other kind of paper or for fabric slitting, the air connections may be reversed. Irrespective of the manner of connections, the interior surfaces of the various chambers making up a cleaning head will provide for a free ow of air and dirt under suction.

It will be noted that the chambers enlarge the air space just back of the slots through which air and dirt pass. Thus for example referring to chambers 24, and 25, the height of the chamber, that is the dimension along the direction of travel of web 17, is quite great in comparison to the dimension of the slot through which air and dirt due to suction pass from the web. This arrangement prevents an accumulation of dirt at the mouth of the chamber.

Once the dirt is inside the chamber, the relatively smooth surfaces of the chamber promote the iiow of dirt and permit the dirt to be sucked up by the appropriate hose or pipe.

As has been previously pointed out, the cleaning heads are made to accommodate the maximum width of web. In order to accommodate narrower webs, it is necessary as a rule to block the unused part of the head oft` insofar as the suction slots are concerned. An adequate supply of compressed air and the maintenance of pressure as a rule presents no problem. Hence unused compressed air discharge portions of the head beyond the edges of a web are of no particular concern. However maintaining adequate suction pressure requires equipment having Suiicient capacity. Any unused suction portion of the head beyond the web edges would represent a serious leak into the system and would greatly reduce the operating eiciency of the suction generating system. Accordingly it is desirable to block otf those parts of the cleaning head having suction, which parts are not used because of the narrowness of a web. Figures 6 to l0 inclusive illustrate a Simple construction for accomplishing the above.

Referring rst to Figure 6, there is illustrated in perspective a three chamber cleaning head generally similar to the heads illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive. In this modification, the effective suction cutois are applied only to the central chamber which means thereffore that this central chamber will have to be used for suction purposes. Thus referring to Figure 6, the cleaning head comprises suction chamber 71 having compressed air chambers 72 and 73 disposed laterally of chamber 71 in a manner previously described.

Middle chamber 71 has top wall 75 provided with slot 76 extending parallel to the rear edge of the wall plate. Disposed within middle chamber 71 adjacent an end thereof is movable end partition 78 extending forwardly from the rear of the chamber toward the front provided with a discharge slot 79. Partition 78 consists of a block of metal or other suitable rigid material dimensioned to form a movable side wall between the top and bottom walls forming chamber 71.

Partition member 78 is rigidly attached to or integral with elongated support member 81 which is dimensioned to tit snugly between the top and bottom walls of chamber 71 and bear against end spacer block 82 of chamber 71. Partition member 78 and support member 81 thus form a right angle.

Elongated support member 811 carries pin 84 extending upwardly therefrom and through slot 76 of top wall member 75. Pin 84 may have the outer portion thereof threaded and will accommodate wing nut 85 or a knob or any suitable means which may be handled. Wing nut 85 may be loosened to permit the right angle construction consisting of partition 78 and support member 6 81 to move along the length of chamber 7-1. At any desired position, wing nut 85 may be turned down to tighten the same against top wall 75 to lock the partition and support member in position.

Partition member 73 extends forwardly of the chamber and has front portion 86 provided with suitable slots or clearance openings 87 and 88 for clearing rods 89 and 90 defining front suction slot 79.

Support member Si is snug against slot 76 of top wall 75. Slot 76 will be covered by wider members 81 so that the portion of chamber 71 which is subject to suction will be substantially sealed. As illustrated in Figure 7, chamber 71 is provided at the two ends thereof with movable partition members so that the effective width of a web to be handled may be controlled. It is clear that there is no necessity for any symmetrical disposition of the two partition members.

Chambers 71, 72 and 73 are provided with suitable connections for suction and compressed air respectively in a manner previously described in connection with Figures l to 5 inclusive. It is understood that the cleaning head described in Figures 6 to l0 inclusive may be j used in conjunction with an ionizing lamp such as illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive.

ln the modification illustrated in Figures 6 to l0 inelusive, the pin and wing nut for manual adjustment of the partition members extends through a top wall of the chamber. It is clear that pin S4 may extend through a bottom wall or may extend through spacing block 82. The latter provisions will be necessary in case the central chamber is not greater than the top and bottom chambers insofar as depth is concerned.

While the adjustable partitions will provide only for the suction chamber as illustrated in Figure 6, it is also possible to provide the compressed air chamber with the same means. In such case it will be possible to reverse the suction and compressed air connections in a manner previously described in connection with Figures l to 5 inclusive.

Having thus described the invention, it is understood that various modifications and changes will be made without departing from the scope of the invention except as deiined by the appended claims.

Having described the invention and illustrated the preferred embodiment, what is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for cleaning dirt from a travelling web, said apparatus comprising four smooth iiat rigid plates long enough to extend transversely across the widest web to be handled, means including rectangular spacer blocks for maintaining said plates in spaced parallel relation to deiine three laterally oiiset chambers, each chamber having means defining a slot opposite the web when the apparatus is in normal use, each chamber being otherwise isolated from the other chambers and being deined by substantially iiat smooth surfaces except at the region -near the slots, means for establishing an air connection from each chamber to external air moving means, the outer two chambers being adapted to have one connection to air moving means and the inner chamber being adapted to have another connection to air moving means so that said connections are to compressed air and suction respectively, said slot deiining means comprising round rods extending along the edges of the plates defining the chambers, said slots being defined between adjacent rod surfaces extending the full width of the web, each chamber having one slot and the slot being much narrower than the chamber dimension between adjacent plates, said slot keeping itself substantially free of dirt.

2. The construction according to claim l wherein means are provided for eccentrically mounting at least two of said rods so that the slots defined by said rods may be varied by turning said eccentric rods and controlling the space between rods.

3. Apparatus for cleaning dirt from the surface of a traveling Web, said apparatus comprising a plurality of smooth llatrigid plates disposed in spaced, parallel but laterally offset relation, rectangular spacing members disposed between said plates adjacent the edgesY of said plates so that plates and members dene chambers, each `chamber having one side open, means for rigidly supporting said plates andv spacing members in predetermined relation so that said open sides face av/eb, air connections for each chamber so that suction or compressed air conditions may be created in each chamber, slot dening meansvfor closing the open chamber side, said slot defining means providing acontinuous elongated slot for each chamber extending the full width ot'V a web, said chambers having smoothV flat walls except for the regions in back of the slot openings whereby dirt entering a slot becauseof suction will not accumulate within a chamber, meansv for effectively limiting the suction chamber so that the suction slot extends for the Width of a web, said limiting means including a-movable'member adjacent end of the chamberand extending from'the rear of the suction chamber to the slot ofthe suctioncharnber and manual means extending through one of the Walls of said suction chamber'rfor moving saidmovable member laterally to provide an adjustable end Wall for each end of said suction chamber, said movable member having attached thereto at the rear of the suction chamber a `supporting member which is adapted to slide against the adjacent chamber Walls, one of the chamber Walls having a pinslot therethrough, said movable member and supporting member having a pin extending through said pin slot, said pin having locking means on the ontL side of said chamber for locking said movable member in a fixed position, said supporting member functioning to seal the pin slot. f

4. Apparatusvforcleaning dirt from a travelling Web, said apparatus comprising four smooth flat rigid'plates long enough to extend transversely across the Widest web to be handled, means including rectangular spacer blocks for maintaining said plates in spaced parallel re` lation t d'ene three laterally olset chambers, each chamber having means defining a slot opposite the web when the apparatus is in normaluse, each? chamber being otherwise isolated from theiothercha'mbers' andi be ing definedY by' substantially atfsmoothlsurfaces except at the regionnear the slots, means for'est'ablishing an air connection-from each cha'rnb'erto external? air'moving means, the outer two' chambers' beingadaptedV to'have one connection to air movingmeans and th'e`in'nerA chamberpbeing adapted to have another connection to air moving means so that said connections are to compressed air and suction respectively, said slot defining means comprising four round rods extending along the edges of the plates defining the chambers, said rods'dening slots betweenradjacent rod surfaces, there being four rods in laterally alignedrelation, means: including eccentric'pinsfor securing the endrods, said rods being rotatable on said pins to adjustl the slot opening'. for the outer two-chambers, the remainingvtwo'innerv rods having their outer surfaces-provided With?4 grooves'. around said rods.

References Cited in the'le of- 'this' patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 280,564 Bratton July 3, 1883 787,732 Dortl Apr. 18, 1905 7^ 862,695 Baldwin Aug. 6r, 1907 2,082,411 Merrill June 1, 1937 2,203,650 Forsberg .Tune 4, 1940 2,515,223 Hollick July 18, 1950 2,556,022 Atiyeh lune 5, 1951 2,576,047 SChaert Nov. 2.0, 1951 2,590,152 Buckley: Mar; 25, 1952 2,641,015 Lovick Iune 9, 1953 2,659,098Y Meyerhoefer Nov. 17, 1953 2,832,977 Walkup et al. May 6, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTSi 20,151 Great Britain Sept, 19, 1904 648,967 Great Britain Jan. 17, 1951 730,768 Great Britain Mayl 25, 1955

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