US2971244A

US2971244A - Packaging machinery for textile ribbons and the like

Info

Publication number: US2971244A
Application number: US764391A
Authority: US
Inventors: Foller Ernst; Matlok Hans
Original assignee: Glanzstoff AG
Current assignee: Glanzstoff AG; Vereinigte Glanzstoff Fabriken AG
Priority date: 1957-10-02
Filing date: 1958-09-30
Publication date: 1961-02-14
Anticipated expiration: 1978-02-14
Also published as: FR1202701A; GB855924A; BE571328A; CH367415A; DE1158420B

Description

Feb. 14, 1961 E. FLLER ETAL 2,971,244

PACKAGING MACHINERY FOR TEXTILE RIBBONS AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 50, 1958 ATT'YS Urlitedtatssftet 053C@ PACKAGNG MACHINERY FOR TEXTILE RIBBONS AND THE LIKE Ernst Fller, Ubcrnburg (Main), and Hans Matlok, Aschaffenburg (Main), Germany, assignors to Vereinigte Glanzstotf-Fabriken A.G., Wuppertal-Elberfeld, Germany Filed Sept. 30, 1958, Ser. No. 764,391

Claims priority, application Germany Oct. 2, 1957 12 Claims. (Cl. 253-21) This invention, in general, relates to machinery for packaging textile ribbons and similar ribbon-like articles in parallelepiped receptacles such as carbons, boxes and the like. 4More particularly, the invention relates to packaging machinery in which ribbon-like articles are packaged in layers` without twist to the ribbon-like article.

During the manufacture of filaments or fibers, the lilaments or fibers are often in the form of a ribbon or composed of many filaments or fibers. This ribbon form is a transitional intermediate between the initial spinning or processing stage for the fibers or filaments and the final processing therefrom in the form of textiles or other ultimate products. It is often desirable to pack these ribbons in cartons for shipment to a textile manufacturer or the like.

One known method for packaging textile ribbo-ns is to employ distributing tunnels into which is pumped compressed `air. The thread and ribbon form is introduced into the distributing tunnels and moved by the air tiowing through the tunnels. For packaging, the exit end of the distributing tunnels are moved in a controlled pattern immediately above a stationary receptacle position underneath in order to lay the ribbons in layers. This type of packaging device has not proven to be satisfactory because it is not possible to ll the entire volume in the parallelepiped receptacle-particularly along the inside walls thereof. The empty spaces left in the receptacle permitted shifting of the ribbons and led to tangling there- `of during shipment of the receptacles. Also, the swinging distributing funnel had another disadvantage in that it required a considerable structural height-making accessibility and maintenance of the installation difficult.

`Textile ribbon packaging machinery has also been proposed wherein the receptacles arel mounted on eccentri- -cally-mounted, rotatingplates. By means of parallel guides, these packaging machines distribute the `textile ribbons in a circular manner without imparting 'twist thereto. While these packaging machines provided some improvements in the packaging of textile ribbons, they were nonetheless unsuitablefor depositing the textile rib- ;bons in parallelepiped receptacles in horizontal layers. For example, delicate ribbons, such as ribbons of torn, untwisted, crimped fibers became so entangled in the receptaclethat they could not be subsequently drawn out -of the receptacle and immediately used as slubbing. lt wouldbe of considerable advantage to be able to draw `:the `packaged `ribbons from the container `and immediately use `the ribbon, because it would save the processor offtheiibers a renewed run through spinning mill preparatonwmachines before` feeding the ribbon to spinning "machines .'Thisjinvention "is primarily directed to improvements `in `machirnsry `for `packaging textile ribbons and the like in ,parallelepiped receptacles by distributing the ribbons fduringkthepackaging operationin a plurality of superd horizontal rows. In accordance with uthe inventhefribbons are packaged s o as to lill substantially *"ntxrely the volume of the receptacle and thereby pre- Patented Feb. 14, 1961 vent shifting of the ribbons with ensuing tangling during shipment and further handling of the packaged article.

To achieve this and other objectives of the invention, the textile ribbon packaging machine comprises the combination of a pair of cooperating feed rollers positioned above the parallelepiped receptacle. The receptacle rests on a platform which is reciprocated in one direction, while simultaneously being reciprocated at a slower `rate in a direction at right angles to the first mentioned direction of reciprocation. Stated in an alternative manner, the frequency of reciprocation in one direction is a multiple of or many times the frequency in the other direction. This motion provides a laying of the continuously fed ribbonlin horizontal rows with a zigzag pattern. By adjusting the reciprocal movement imparted to the receptacle in each direction in accordance with the structural dimensions of the receptacle and the width of the ribbon, the receptacle can be filled substantially com pletely and compactly with the textile ribbon so as to prevent subsequent entanglement of the ribbon resulte ing from shifting thereof in the receptacle.

`One means for achieving this result is to mount the platform for the receptacle for reciprocal movement relative to an intermediate support. The intermediate support is, in turn, mounted upon a base support` for reciprocal movement relative to the base support in a direction at right angles to the reciprocal movement of the platform relative to the intermediate support. The frequency of reciprocation in one direction is considerably greater than inthe other direction so that the ribbon is laid in horizontal rows across the width of the box, each horizontal row being in a zigzag pattern.

A specific embodiment of a. packaging machine contemplated by our invention is illustrated in the drawing wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevation in cross-section of the embodiment;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the embodiment; and

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along section 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, the thread ribbon R isted to the packaging machine by means of a pair of cooperating, rotatably-driven drive rollers 1, 2. These drive rollers are positioned above a parallelepiped receptacle 3, in this case a cardboard carton of conventional construction, by positioning the carton directly under the rollers on a carton-supporting platform composed of rollers 4 rotatably journalled in end bearing supports 5. The platform is further composed of an `open framed having rectangular side panels 7-the bearing supports 5 being mounted on said side panels 7. rl`he receptacle 3 remains stationary with respect to its support platform during a given `packaging operation and, if necessary, a frictional drag for each of the rollers 4 may be used to prevent accidental shifting of the receptacle 3 on the rollers 4 during the packaging operation. The major purpose of `the rollers 4 is to facilitate the initial installation and removal of the carton at the beginning and end of the packaging operation.

The carton supporting platform is mounted for reciprocal movement in Vone direction with respect to an intermediate support, designated generally at 19 `in the drawing,`by mounting the lower edges of the straight side panel 7 of the open frame 6 in freely rotatable, aligned, peripherallygrooved rollers 8 rotatably-mounted in supports 9 on the intermediate support 1t).

The drive for reciprocating the frame 6 with respect to theintermediate support 1t) is achieved by providing a cross bar l1 extending between the side panel '7 of the frame 6. The cross bar `11 has an enclosed slot 12 `into which extends `the shaft of a bolt 13, the bolt, in

lrrn 15. The rocker arm is pivotally mounted at 16 on a bracket 17 of the intermediate support 10. The shaft of the bolt 13, riding in the slot 12, imparts a linear motion tothe frame 6 along the rollers 8 when the .rocker arm 15 is pivoted. -By oscillating the arm 15, vreciprocal motion is imparted to the frame 6 and, hence, to the carton 3 supported thereon. A pivoted position of the arm 15 is illustrated at 15 in Fig. 2.

To impart oscillating motion to the arm 15, there is provided a drive composed of a pin 19, which rides in a slot 18 at the end of the arm 15. The pin 19 extends upwardly from the top of a U-shaped, motion transfer fork 20, whose legs form a slot 21 extending vertically ,between the upper and lower flights of a pair of chain drives 22, 23. These chain drives 22 and 23 are iden- Vtical and are positioned in side by side relationship. Each chain drive is supported on a sprocket 24 mounted for free rotation on support 26 at one end and on the other end by drive sprocket 25 mounted for rotation on support 27. The two

chains

22 and 23 have extending therebetween a cylindrical rod 28, which rides in the slot 21 of the motion transfer fork 20. As the chains move the rod 28 in one direction along the upper flight of the chains and in the other direction along the lower ilight .of the chains, the rod 28 imparts a reciprocating motion to the transfer fork 20, which, in turn, oscillates the rocker arm 15 by means of the connection of the latter with the motion transfer fork through slot 18 and pin 19. The drive position of the rod 28 when it is on the lower ight of the pin drive is shown in phantom at 28 in Fig. 1.

In order to accommodate the packaging machine for lling receptacles of various dimensions, the amount of reciprocal movement imparted to the frame 6 can be adjusted by positioning the bolt 13 at various points in the slot 12 of the cross bar 11. As the bolt 13 is moved toward the pivot 16 the length of the reciprocal motion imparted by the fixed oscillating pattern of the rocker arm 15 becomes less. It becomes greater as the bolt 13 is positioned in the slot 12 at greater distances from the pivot 16. The details of one means for adjustably positioning the bolt 13 on the rocker arm 15 will be describer later with respect to a similar rocker arm 66, this description being equally applicable to the rocker arm 15.

The

chains

22 and 23 are driven by a motor 29, whose rotating shaft is connected with the drive sprockets by means of a V-belt 32 drivingly connecting cone pulleys 30 aud 31. These cone pulleys have a plurality of grooves of different diameter for providing a variable speed drive in accordance with the positioning of the V-belt 32. These variable speed drives are further means for varying the frequency of reciprocal movement of the frame 6. Other equivalent drives, such as variable speed gear drives may be substituted for the V-belt drives illustrated.

The pulley 31 has a direct drive connection with one of the sprockets 25. However, inasmuch as the space between the sprockets 25 must be left free to permit movement of the motion transfer fork 20 therebetween, it is not possible to connect the other sprocket 25 by an axial shaft extending thereto. Accordingly, the drive from the pulley 31 to the sprocket 25, remote therefrom, is achieved by a spur gear drive, including a connecting shaft 33 extending between the chains at a position lower than the lower edge of the motion transfer fork 20. The gear drive will be described in later detail with respect to sprockets 50 and 57. The gear mechanism in the drive arrangement between the pulley 31 and the sprocket 25, remote therefrom, is designated generally at 38 and 39. This description is equally applicable to the drive connection between the two sprockets 25 with the pulley 31.

.Up to this point there has been described a unit which W1ll impart reciprocal motion in one direction to a receptacle 3 mounted on a support platform. However, in order to lay the ribbons in horizontal rows, it is nec- A-essary to provide a reciproca-.l motion to the `receptacle 3 in a direction at right angles to the reciprocal motion imparted by the mechanism heretofore described. One way of achieving this function is to construct the intermediate support unit 10 of a base plate 34 having side walls 35 and a partial top wall 36, having therein an opening 37. This structure forms a housing for the chain drive and power connections therefor and enables the whole unit, including the receptacle supporting platform composed of the rollers 4 and frame 6, to be reciprocated in a direction perpendicular to the reciprocal motion of the framey 6.

The reciprocal motion of the intermediate support 10 is accomplished by providing aligned rollers 40 on the bottom surface of the base plate 34. These rollers ride in parallel, linear grooves 41 provided in the upper surface of inwardly turned flanges 42 and 43 of the hollow base support 44.

A power drive is employed to reciprocate the intermediate support 10 on its rollers 40 by an electric motor 45. The drive shaft of the motor 45 drives a cone pulley 46, which, in turn, drives the cone pulley 47 via the `\!-belt drive 48. The V-belt 48 and cone pulleys 46 and 47 provide a variable speed drive for driving sprockets 5d and 57. The sprocket 5t) is rotatably driven by the pulley 47 by means of a direct drive shaft 49. l However, it is not possible to extend the drive shaft 49between the sprockets 5t) and 57 because this shaft would then interfere with movement of the U-shaped motion transfer fork 63. The drive for the sprocket 57, accordingly, is constructed to avoid interference with movement of the motion transfer fork 63 by mounting on the shaft 49 a spur gear 51, which, in turn, drives spur gear 52. The drive imparted to spur gear 52 is transmitted to spur gear 54 by connecting drive shaft 53 positioned lower than the lower end of the motion transfer fork 63. Spur gear 54, in turn, drives spur gear 55 at a rate of revolution equal with the rate of revolution of the spur gear Ioil-the

gears

51, 55 and 52, 54, respectively, being identical. The spur gear 55 rotates the sprocket 57 at a rate of revolution equal with the rate of rotation of the sprocket 50 va connecting drive shaft 56.

Sprockets 51 and 57 drive parallel chains 5S and 59, respectivelyweach chain passing over a freely rotatable sprocket of identical construction with the sprocket 24. The chains 58 and S9 travel at an equal velocity. The gears 51, 52 and shaft 49 are rotatably journalled in a gear housing 60 and the

gears

54, 55 and shaft 56 are rotatably journalled in a gear housing 61.

The chains 58 and 59 are employed to reciprocate a U-shaped motion transfer fork 63, which rides on a pin 62 extending between chains 5S, 59. The operation of the motion transfer fork 63 is identical with the operation of motion transfer fork 20. The motion transfer fork 63 has extending from its upper surface a pin 64, which rides in slot 65 of a rocker arm 66, which is pivoted at 79 on bracket 71 inside the support base 44. By this construction, the to and fro movement of the pin 62 imparts an oscillating movement to the rocker arm 66. An extreme position of oscillation is shown in Fig. 3 in phantom at 66.

The oscillating motion of the rocker arm 66 is translated into linear, reciprocal motion of the intermediate support 10 by a sliding connection of the shaft 68 of bolt 67 in an elongated slot 69 provided in the base plate 34. The shaft 68 of the bolt presses against the side walls of the slot as the arm 66 oscillates and thereby imparts a linear, reciprocal motion to the intermediate support 10.

inasmuch as the length of reciprocal movement 'of .the intermediate support 10 and corresponding reciprocal movement' of the receptacle 3 must be varied in accordance with the inner dimension of the container 3, means is provided to vary the amount of reciprocal travelv imparted to the intermediate support 10. This functionV is accomplished by making the bolt 67 removable and providing means for positioning bolt at various points 'to the base support.

n3 fal'ong the length of the' rocker arm 66. One of the ways f providing this function is to secure the bolt 67 to the rocker arm 66 by means of a nut 72-the bolt extending through an aperture 73 in the rocker arm 66. By providing a plurality of holes 73 along the length of the rocker arm 66, the bolt 67 may be positioned at variable points along the rocker arm 66 to change the length of reciprocal movement imparted by the oscillation of the rocker arm 66. As the bolt 67 is mounted in holes closer to the pivot 7 0, the length of reciprocal travel imparted to the interme- `date support 1i) will become less, and vice versa.

Thus, by providing variable speed drives between the motor and chains in the intermediate support l@ and the base support 44 and also by providing adjustment in the length of reciprocal movement imparted to the frame 6 and the intermediate support by rocker arms 1S and `66, respectively, the packaging machines of the instant invention can be adjusted to accommodate the packaging of various widths of ribbons in parallelepiped containers or receptacles of various rectangular cross-sections. By selection of the proper drive speed for the chains and the proper position of the bolts on the rocker arms, the receptacle can be substantially completely filled, without void spaces along the edges, by the continuous ribbon laid in the container inva plurality of horizontal, convoluted rows 75, each row 75 containing juxtapositioned segments of the ribbon R placed in said rows in zigzag fashion.

When the container 3 is filled with the ribbon to the desired height, theneXt container 76 (shown in phantom) is placed on the rollers 4 and pushed underneath the feed rollers 1, 2 in place of the receptacle 3. By displacing the container 3 with the following container 76, the packaging is continued in the container 76 without interruption of the feed of the ribbon. The ribbon in the two containers is then separated by severing at a convenient point.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that other modifications of the generic invention herein disclosed may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. For example, a single drive motor may be employed to perform the drive functions of the

separate motors

29 and 45 shown in the embodiment in the drawing, this drive being connected with the chain sprockets by variable speed drives from a common shaft driven by said motor. These variable speed drives may take the form of pulley drives or may be adjustable speed gear drives. The further qualification of such drives from a common motor is the provision of a slidable drive connection or a flexible drive connection, which will permit relative movement of the intermediate support l@ with respect to the base support 44. Also, in place of the chain drives and connecting linkage for translating motion of the chain drives into reciprocal movement of the platform and the intermediate support, there may be used double pitch worm gears which drive a follower connected with the platform and/or the intermediate support for imparting reciprocal movement thereto. The double pitch Ifollowers have la left hand and right hand thread, well known in the art, which automatically reverses the direction of the travel of the follower at each end of the double pitch thread. Also, a single pitch worm gear .-drive may be used, which worm gear drive is driven by a 4of the platform with respect to the intermediate support and/ or the travel of the intermediate support with respect Other modifications will occcur to those skilled in the art for carrying out the basic objective ,of the invention, the reciprocal movement of the sup- ;receptac1e in tightly packed, horizontal layers.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows: f U,-

1. In a machine for packaging articles in the `form of a ribbon in parallelepiped receptacles, a platform adapted to support a receptacle to be filled with an article in the form of a ribbon, means for reciprocating; said platform in a linear direction of travel, additional means for reciprocating said platform in another linear direction of travel at right angles to the first-mentioned direction of travel and stationarilypositioned roller means above said platform for feeding said article to a receptacle supported on said platform during reciprocation thereof, one of said means for reciprocating being; operable at a frequency of reciprocation which is a multiple of the frequency of reciprocation at which the other means for reciprocation is operable.

2. in a machine for packaging articles in the form of a ribbon in parallelepiped receptacles, a platform adapted to support a receptacle to be filled with an article in the form of a ribbon, an intermediate support, means for mounting said platform for reciprocal movement on said intermediate support, drive means for reciprocating said platform with respect to said intermediate support, a base support, means for mounting said intermediate support on said base support for reciprocal movement of said intermediate support with respect to said base support in a linear direction at right angles to the relative reciprocal movement of said platform with respect to said intermediate support, drive means for reciprocating said intermediate support with respect to said base support, and stationarily-positioned roller means above said platform for feeding said article to a receptacle positioned on said platform, one of said drive means being operable at a frequency of reciprocation which is a multiple of the frequency of reciprocation at which the other drive means is operable.

3. The packaging machine of claim 2 wherein each of said drive means includes a driven chain having substantially at flights, means attached to said chain at a given point thereon for travel with said chain, and motion transfer means cooperating with said last-mentioned means for translating the movement of said last-mentioned means in the path of chain travel into a reciprocal drive for said platform and said intermediate support, respectively, of the machine.

4. The packaging machine of claim 2 wherein each of said drive means includes a pair of parallel, driven chains having substantially fiat upper and lower flights, a pin attached to and extending between said parallel chains, and means for translating the motion of said pin during drive of said chains into a reciprocal drive for said platform and said intermediate support, respectively.

5. ln a machine for packaging articles in the form of a ribbon in parallelepiped receptacles, a platform adapted to support a receptacle to be filled with an article in the form of a ribbon, an intermediate support, means for mounting said platform for reciprocal movement on said intermediate support, an oscillating rocker arm below said platform, drive means for oscillating said rocker arm, connecting means between said rocker arm and said platform for translating the oscillating movement of said rocker arm to linear drive for said platform by said rocker arm, a base support, means for mounting said intermediate support on said base support for reciprocal movement of said intermediate support lwith respect to said base support in a linear' direction at right angles to the relative reciprocal movement of said platform with respect to said intermediate support, drive means for reciprocating said intermediate support with respect to said base support at a frequency of reciprocation which is a fraction of the frequency of oscillation of said rocker arm, and stationarily-positioned roller means above said platform for feeding said article to a receptacle positioned on said platform.

6. In a machine for packaging articles in the form of a ribbon in parallelepiped receptacles, a platform adapted to support a receptacle to be filled with an article in the form of a ribbon, an intermediate support, means for mounting said platform for reciprocal movement on said intermediate support, drive means for reciprocating said platform with respect to said intermediate support, a base support, means for mounting said intermediate support on said base support for reciprocal movement of said intermediate support with respect to said base support in a linear direction at right angles to the relative reciprocal movement of said platfrom with respect to said intermediate support, an oscillating rocker arm below said intermediate support, drive means for oscillating said rocker arm at a frequency of oscillation which is a fraction of the frequency of reciprocation at which said drive means is operable, connecting means for translating the oscillating movement of said rocker arm to linear reciprocating drive for said intermediate support by said oscillating rocker arm, and stationarily positioned roller 'means above Said platform for feeding said article to a receptaclev positioned on said platform.

7, The machine of claim wherein the drive means for said oscillating rocker arm comprises a driven chain Vhaving substantially flat upper and lower flights, means attached to said chain at a given point thereon for travel -With said chain, and a motion transfer fork cooperating with said last-mentioned means for translating the movement of said last-mentioned means in the path of chain travel into an oscillating drive motion of said rocker arm.

8. The machine of claim' 6 wherein the `drive means for said oscillating rocker arm comprises a driven chain having substantially flat upper and lower flights, means attached to said chain at a given point thereon for travel with said chain, and a motion transfer fork cooperating with said last-mentioned means for translating the movement of said last-mentioned means in the path of chain travel into an oscillating drive motion of said rocker arm.

9. In a machine for packaging articles in the form of a ribbon in parallelepiped receptacles, a platform having a frame on which is supported a plurality of rollers lying in a horizontal plane, said rollers adapted to support a receptacle to be filled with an article in the form of a ribbon, means for reciprocating said platform in a linear direction of travel, additional means for reciprocating said platform in another linear direction of travel at right Yangles to the first-mentioned direction of travel at a frequency of reciprocation which is a multiple of the frequency of reciprocation at which said first-mentioned \me'ans is operable and stationarily-positioned roller a ribbon in parallelepiped receptacles, a platform having a frame on which is supported a plurality of rollers lying in a horizontal plane, said rollers adapted to Support a receptacle to be filled with an article in the form of a rib- Vbon, an intermediate support, means for mounting said platformv for reciprocal movement on said intermediate support, drive means for reciprocating said platform with respect to said intermediate support, a base support, means for mounting said intermediate support on said lbase support for reciprocal movement of said intermediatersupport with respect to said base support in Va linear direction at right angles to the relative reciprocal movement of Said platform with respect to said intermediate support, drive means for reciprocating said intermediate support with respect to Said base support, and stationarilypositioned roller means above said platform vfor feeding said article to a receptacle positioned on said platform, one of said drive means being operable at a frequency of reciprocation which is a multiple of the frequency of reciprocation at which the other drive means is operable.

l1. In a machine for packaging articles in the form of a ribbon in parallelepiped receptacles, a platform adapted to support a receptacle to be filled with an article in the form of a ribbon, means for reciprocating said platform in a linear direction of travel, additional means for reciprocating said platform in another linear direction of travel at right angles to the first-mentioned direction of travel, one of said means for reciprocating being operable at a frequency of reciprocation which is a multiple of the frequency of reciprocation for which the other means of reciprocating is operable, and stationarily-posi- Vtioned feed means above said platform for feeding in a substantially constant vertical path an article in the form of aribbon into a container supported on said reciprocab-le platform.

12. In a machine for packaging articles in the form of a ribbon in parallelepiped receptacles, a platform adapted to support a receptacle to be filled with an article in the form of a ribbon, an intermediate support, means for mounting said platform for reciprocal movement on saidintermediate support,ndrir 1eV means for reciprocating said platform with respect to said intermediate Support, a base support, means for mounting said intermediate support on said base support for reciprocal movement of said intermediate support with respect to said base support in a linear direction at right angles to the relative reciprocal movement of said platform with respect to said intermediate support, drive means for reciprocating said intermediate support with respect to said base support, one of said drive means being operable at a frequency of reciprocation many times the frequency of reciprocation at which `the other drive means is operable, and stationarily-positioned feed means above said platform for feeding in a substantially constant vertical path an article in the form of a ribbon into a container supported on said reciprocable platform.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,321,834 Lyth Nov. 18, 1919 1,390,253 Tscherne Sept. 6, 1921 2,468,834 Nash May 3, 1949 2,604,687 Broden July 29, 1952 2,741,009 Slayter et al Apr. 10, 1956`