US2988990A

US2988990A - Marking rollers

Info

Publication number: US2988990A
Application number: US753314A
Authority: US
Inventors: Francis C Worth
Original assignee: Adolph Gottscho Inc
Current assignee: Adolph Gottscho Inc
Priority date: 1958-08-05
Filing date: 1958-08-05
Publication date: 1961-06-20
Anticipated expiration: 1978-06-20

Description

June 20, 1961 c, WORTH 2,988,990

MARKING ROLLERS Filed Aug. 5, 1958 26 3O 2O 32 28 IO I NVEN TOR. fifw/vc/s C. Wow-H ATTORNEY United States Paten Patented June 20, 1961 York Filed Aug. 5, 1958, Ser. No. 753,314 8 Claims. (Cl. 101-219) This invention relates generally to an intermittently rotated roller, and more particularly is directed to a marking roller effective to intermittently apply markings to a continuous web or sheet, for example, to apply markings to successive sections or lengths of a continuous web of wrapping material which are to be cut from the latter in a conventional wrapping machine.

Heretofore, it has been proposed to provide a marking apparatus which is effective to apply inked impressions to a continuous web of sheet material, for example, a web being fed to an existing wrapping machine or the like, and wherein the marking apparatus includes a marking roller mounted on a drive shaft and rotatable with respect to the latter, a gear transmission rotating the drive shaft in synchronism with the advancement of the web of sheet material, a friction clutch for coupling the marking roller to the drive shaft, and an electromagnetically operated latch which normally holds the marking roller against rotation in a position where a logotype or other marking element provided on a portion of the periphery of the marking roll faces away from the web of sheet material so that the latter can be advanced while the marking roller is at rest, with the electromagnetically operated latch being periodically released to permit rotation of the marking roller with its drive shaft in order to apply a marking to the web of sheet material. Although such previously proposed marking apparatus is capable of applying markings to the advancing web of sheet material at locations which are spaced apart along the latter by distances which are independent of the circumference of the marking roller by reason of the fact that the advancement of the web through a substantial portion of the distance between successive markings may be effected while the marking roller is atrest, such apparatus has the disadvantage of requiring a relatively complicated and expensive gear transmission for effecting rotation of the drive shaft carrying the marking roller,

and the further disadvantage of a possible difference between the speed of advancement of the web and the linear speed atthe periphery of the marking roller, as the latter ,is 'not directly driven from the advancing web.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a roller, particularly a marking roller, which is intermittently rotated directly from a moving surface, for

example, a continuous web of sheet material being fed to a wrapping machine or the like.

In accordance with an aspect of the invention, a roller is mounted fixedly upon a rotatable shaft,. and a disc having a bearer rim is rotatably mounted on the shaft at least at one side of the roller and is yieldably urged in the axial direction toward the roller to provide a frictional coupling between such disc and the roller so that,

when the bearer rim peripherally engages a moving surface, such as a continuous advancing web of sheet material, the roller and shaft tend to rotate with the bearer rim carrying disc or discs, but such rotation of the roller can be arrested by forcibly resisting rotation of the shaft without affecting the rotation of the disc having its bearer rim in continuous contact with the moving surface. Thus, a logotype or other marking element can be secured to the surface of the roller to intermittent-1y apply markings to the moving surface during those periods when the shaft and roller are free to rotate with the bearer rim carrying disc or discs.

drawing forming a part hereof, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a roller assembly embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an axial, expanded sectional view of the assembly of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic, side elevational view illustrating one application of the roller assembly of FIGS. 1 and 2.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the roller assembly embodying the invention and there generally identified by the reference numeral 10 includes a roller body 12 having a central bore 14 extending theret-hrough and receiving a shaft 16 to which the body 12 is secured, for example, by a set screw 1-8.

A marking element 20, for example, the illustrated rubber logotype adhesively secured to the peripheral surface of body 12, extends over a circumferential portion of the body 12 for repeatedly applying markings to a moving surface, such as, a continuous web of sheet material.

Bearer discs

22 and 24 are mounted on the shaft 16 at the opposite sides of roller body 12 and are free to both rotate and move axially with respect to the shaft. The

bearer discs

22 and 24 have

peripheral bearer rims

26 and 28, respectively, of a material, for example, rubber or the like, having a high coefficient of friction with respect to the surface to be marked, and the outer radius of each of the

bearer rims

26 and 28 is at least as large as the radial distance from the axis of shaft 16 to the raised marking surfaces of the marking element 20. Thus, when the shaft 16 is mounted with its axis extending transversely relative to the direction of movement of the surface to be marked, and with the

bearer rims

26 and 28 in rolling contact with such surface, the bearer rims and the

related discs

22 and 24 are positively rotated in response to the movement of the surface to be marked.

In order to provide a frictional coupling between the

discs

22 and 24 and the roller body 12, clutch discs 30 and 3 2 of a material having a relatively high coefi'icient of friction are mounted on shaft 16, and are axially interposed between bearer disc 22 and the'adjacent end surface of body 12 and between bearer disc 24 and the adjacent end surface of body 12, respectively. Further, the

bearer discs

22 and 24 are urged axially toward body 12 so that the bearer discs and the opposite end surfaces of the roller body are maintained in frictional contact with the opposite side surfaces of

clutch discs

30 and 32. In the illustrated roller assembly 10, such axial biasing of

bearer discs

22 and 24 toward the roller body 12 is effected by helical compression springs 34 and 36 which are axially interposed, under initial compression, between bearer disc 22 and an abutment collar 38 secured by a set screw 40 on shaft 16, and between bearer disc 24 and an abutment collar 42 secured on shaft 16 by a set screw 44. It will be apparent that the initial compression of the springs 34 and 36 may be varied by displacing the

abutment collars

38 and 42 axially along shaft 16, thereby to adjust the axial contact pressure of the opposite end surfaces of body 12 and of the

bearer discs

22 and 24 against

clutch discs

30 and 32, for correspondingly adjusting the torque transmitted from the bearer discs to the roller body.

By reason of the construction of the roller assembly 10 described above, roller body :12 and shaft 16 tend to rotate with

bearer discs

22 and 24 when the

rims

26 and 28 of the latter are in rolling contact with a moving surface, so that the marking element 20 will apply repeated markings to such moving surface. However, if

the shaft 16 is forcibly held against rotation with the roller body 12 angularly positioned so that the marking element 20 is out of contact with the moving surface, the

bearer discs

22 and 24 can slip relative to the roller body and can continue to rotate by reason of the rolling contact between their

bearer rims

26 and 28 and the moving surface. Accordingly, the roller body 12 will rotate to apply a marking to the moving surface only when the shaft 16 is free to rotate and, at that time, the linear speed at the raised marking surfaces of the marking element 20 will be exactly equal to the speed at which the surface to be marked is moving by reason of the fact that the roller body 12 is directly driven from the moving surface. Since rotation of roller body 12 can be arrested in an angular position where the marking element 20 is out of contact with the moving surface, the distances between the successive markings applied to the moving surface may be made independent of the circumferential dimension of the roller body. Thus, relatively large distances can be provided between the successive applied markings while conveniently using a roller of relatively small diameter. Further, the distances between the successive applied markings may be varied without having to replace the marking roller with one having a suitable circumferential dimension. It will also be seen that, since the marking roller is maintained in its inoperative or nonmarking position merely by forcibly arresting rotation of shaft 16, the latter can be conveniently and inexpensively mounted in fixed bearings, whereas, in some previous attempts to provide a marking apparatus in which the marking roller is driven directly from the moving surface to be marked and the distance between the successive applied markings is made independent of the circumferential dimension of the marking roller, the axis of rotation of the marking roller was moved toward and away from the surface to be marked in order to move the marking roller between its operative or marking position and its inoperative or non-marking position.

Referring now to FIG. 3, it will be seen that the marking roller assembly described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 may be conveniently employed in a marking apparatus for intermittently applying inked impressions or markings to a continuous web 46 of sheet material which is continuously advanced in the direction of the arrow 48 over a support or back-up roll 50. In such apparatus, the shaft 16 of roller assembly 10 is rotatably supported in suitable bearings (not shown) which are located so that the bearer rims 26 and 28 will bear downwardly upon the web 46 at the line of contact of the latter with the back-up roll 50, whereby the

bearer discs

22 and 24 are rotated in the counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 3, in response to the movement of the web.

The apparatus of FIG. 3 further includes an ink fountain or reservoir 52 which opens upwardly so that an ink supplying roller 54 can dip into the reservoir 52 and pick up ink from the latter. A metering roller 56 is rotatably supported in rolling contact with the ink supplying roller 54, and the roller 56 is preferably provided with bearer rims at its opposite ends which are in rolling contact with the bearer rims of roller assembly 16 so that the metering and ink supplying rollers are rotatably driven from the

bearer rims

26 and 28 of assembly 10. It will be apparent that, when the roller body 12 rotates with the

bearer discs

22 and 24, the raised marking surfaces of marking element are moved past the metering roller 56 in rolling contact with the surface of the latter to pick up ink therefrom and, thereafter, such ink is deposited upon the upper surface of web 46 during rolling contact of the marking element 20 with such web.

If the roller body 12 is permitted to rotate continuously with the

bearer discs

22 and 24 in response to the movement of the web 46, then the distance along the web from the beginning of one inked impression or marking to the beginning of the succeeding marking is equal to the circumference of the roller body at the raised marking surfaces of marking element 20. However, with the roller assembly 16 embodying the present invention, rotation of the roller body 12 can be arrested at will with the marking element 20 being angularly displaced with respect to both the web 46 and the metering roller 56 while the

bearer discs

22 and 24 continue to rotate by reason of their rolling contact with the web 46. Thus, the distance between the successive inked impressions or markings is no longer dependent upon the circumference of the marking roller, but rather upon the period during which the roller body 12 is maintained in the position of FIG. 3 while the web 46 continues its movement. Since rotation of the roller body 12 is halted merely by forcibly preventing rotation of its shaft 16, and the

bearer discs

22 and 24 are free to continue to rotate in response to move ment of the web, it will be seen that the ink supplying roller 54 and the metering roller 56 which derive their rotational movement from the bearer rims of the assembly 10 also continue to rotate, thereby to permit the use of quick drying inks without the danger that such inks will dry upon the surfaces of the

rollers

54 and 56 during the intervals between the periodic marking operations.

FIG. 3 of the drawings illustrates a simple mechanical arrangement for controlling the intermittent rotation of the roller body 12 of assembly 10. Such control arrangement may include a stop or abutment 58 secured on the shaft 16 to rotate with the latter, and a latch lever 60 which is pivotally supported intermediate its ends, as at 62, and carries a stop 64, in the form of a roller, at its lower end. The latch lever 60 can rock or pivot between an operative or engaged position shown in full lines in FIG. 3, and wherein the stop 64 is interposed in the circular path of travel of the abutment 58 with the shaft 16, and an inoperative or released position, shown in broken lines in FIG. 3, and wherein the stop 64 is withdrawn from the patch of travel of the abutment 58. Thus, it will be apparent that, when latch lever 60 is in its operative position, the stop 64 thereon is engaged by the abutment 58 to prevent rotation of the shaft 16 and the roller body 12. Preferably, the abutment 58 is angularly positioned with respect to the shaft 16 so that, when abutment 58 engages stop 64, the marking element 20 on roller body 12 will be disposed in the desired angular position, that is, out of contact with both the web 46 and the surface of metering roller 56.

In order to control the movement of latch lever 60 between the above described operative and released positions, a spring 66 may be connected to the upper end portion of the latch lever to urge the latter to rock in the direction disposing the latch lever in its operative position, as shown. Further, a solenoid 68 may have its movable armature 70 pivotally connected, as at 72, to one end of a link 74, while the other end of link 74 is pivotally connected, as at 76, to the upper end of latch lever 60. Thus, when solenoid 68 is energized to retract its armature 70, such movement of the armature is transmitted by link 74 to the latch lever 60 in order to rock the latter to its released position. With the arrangement described above, it is only necessary to hold the latch lever 60 in its released position until the abutment 58 has moved past the stop 64 of the latch lever, whereupon, the latter may return to its operative position for reengagement by the abutment 58 upon the completion of a full revolution of the roller body 12. Thus, the assembly 10 is effective to apply a single inked impression or marking to the web 46 during each intermittent energization of the solenoid 68, and the energization of the solenoid may be controlled in any suitable manner, for example, in synchronism with the movement of the web 46 or with the operation of an associated machine for utilizing the sheet material of the web.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention and a single application thereof have been described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawing, it is apparent that the invention is not limited thereto, and that various changes and modifications may be effected in the described roller assembly and other applications thereof may be contemplated without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention, except as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1.A roller assembly comprising a rotatable shaft, a roller body fixed on said shaft to rotate with the latter, bearer discs mounted on said shaft at the opposite sides of said body and being free to rotate and move axially with respect to said shaft, clutch discs of friction material axially interposed between the opposite sides of said body and the adjacent bearer discs, said bearer discs having peripheral bearer rims for rolling contact with a moving surface to effect corresponding rotation of said bearer discs, abutments on said shaft at the sides of said bearer discs remote from said body, releasable means fixing said abutments on said shaft at axially adjusted positions along the latter, and compression springs interposed axially between said abutments and said bearer discs to urge the latter axially toward said body with forces dependent upon the axially adjusted positions of said abutments, so that said clutch discs tend to effect rotation of said body with said bearer discs, and the rotation of said body can be halted by forcibly preventing turning of said shaft while said clutch discs slip relative to said body and bearer discs.

2. In a marking apparatus; the combination of a roller assembly including a rotatable shaft, a roller body fixed on said shaft and carrying a marking element on its periphery for rolling and marking contact with a moving surface as said body is rotated with said shaft, bearer discs mounted on said shaft coaxially with said roller body and being rotatable relative to said shaft and body, said bearer discs having periphery bearer rims adapted for continuous rolling contact with the moving surface to effect rotation of said bearer discs, and frictional means tending to rotate said body with said bearer discs; an ink supplying system including an ink reservoir, an ink supplying roller dipping into said reservoir and a metering roller in rolling contact with said ink supplying roller and having bearer rims at its opposite ends in rolling contact with said bearer rims of said bearer discs so that said ink supplying and metering rollers are rotated from said bearer discs and said metering roller transfers ink to said marking element upon rotation of said roller body with said bearer discs; and means operative to forcibly resist turning of said shaft with said roller body in a position Where said marking element is angularly spaced from said metering roller and the moving surface so that said frictional means slips while said bearer discs continue to rotate for driving said ink supplying and metering rollers to prevent drying of ink on the latter.

3. In a marking apparatus; the combination of a rollor assembly including a rotatable shaft, a roller body fixed on said shaft and carrying a marking element on its periphery for rolling and marking contact with a moving surface as said body is rotated with said shaft, bearer discs mounted on said shaft coaxially with said roller body and being rotatable relative to said shaft and body, said bearer discs having peripheral bearer rims in continuous rolling contact with the moving surface being marked to effect the sole means for rotation of said bearer discs, and frictional means tending to rotate said body with said bearer discs; and means for controlling the rotation of said roller body including an abutment fixed with respect to said shaft to move along a circular path in response to rotation of said shaft with said roller body, and a stop movable between an operative position, where said stop projects into said circular path for engagement by said abutment to halt rotation of said shaft, and a released position, where said stop is withdrawn from said circular path and frees said shaft for rotation with the roller body, said abutment being angularly disposed with respe'ct to said marking element so that, when said abutment engages said stop, said marking element is remote from the moving surface.

4. In a marking apparatus; the combination of a rollor assembly including a rotatable shaft, a roller body fixed on said shaft and carrying a marking element on its periphery for rolling and marking contact with a moving surface as said body is rotated with said shaft, bearer discs mounted on said shaft coaxially with said roller body and being rotatable relative to said shaft and body, said bearer discs having peripheral bearer rims adapted for continuous rolling contact with the moving surface to effect rotation of said bearer discs, and frictional means tending to rotate said body with said bearer disc; an ink supplying system including an ink reservoir, an ink supplying roller dipping into said reservoir and ametering roller in rolling contact with said ink supplying roller and having bearer rims at its opposite ends in rolling contact with said bearer rims of said bearer discs so that said ink supplying and metering rollers are rotated from said bearer discs and saidtmetering roller transfers ink to said marking element upon rotation of said roller body with said bearer discs; and means for controlling the rotation of said roller body including an abutment fixed with respect to said shaft to move along a circular path in response to rotation of said shaft with said roller body, a stop movable into and out of said circular path, said abutment being angularly disposed with respect to said marking element so that, when said stop projects into said circular path and is engaged by said abutment, said marking element is halted at a position angularly spaced from said metering roller and the moving surface while said frictional means slips to permit continued rotation of said bearer discs and metering and ink supplying rollers for preventing drying of ink on the latter, and actuating means for periodically withdrawing said stop from said circular path to permit rotation of said roller body with said bearer discs.

5. In a marking apparatus; the combination of a roller assembly including a rotatable shaft, a roller body fixed on said shaft to rotate with the latter, a marking element on a portion of the periphery of said roller body for rolling contact with a moving surface upon rotation of said roller body, bearer discs on said shaft at the opposite sides of said body and being rotatable and axially slidable with respect to said shaft, bearer rims on the peripheries of said bearer discs and adapted for rolling contact with the moving surface to effect rotation of said bearer discs, clutch discs of friction material interposed axially between the opposite sides of said body and the adjacent bearer discs, and means yieldably urging said bearer discs axially toward said body so that said clutch discs therebetween tend to rotate said body with said bearer discs; and means operative to halt the rotation of said shaft in a position where said marking element is angularly displaced from the moving surface so that said clutch discs slip while said bearer dis'cs continue to be rotated by the moving surface, the last mentioned means including an abutment fixed with respect to said shaft to move along a circular path in response to rotation of said shaft with said roller body, a stop movable into and out of said circular path for engagement by and release of said abutment, respectively, and means returning the stop into the path of the abutment immediately after the stop has released the abutment thereby limiting the rotation of the roller body each time the abutment is released.

6. A marking assembly comprising a roller body, a shaft supporting said roller body for rotation about the longitudinal axis of the shaft, a marking element carried by said roller body on a portion of the periphery thereof, a bearer disc mounted on said shaft for rotation about the longitudinal axis thereof, a clutch disc of friction material axially interposed between the roller body and bearer disc, adjustable spring means urging said bearer disc and said roller body axially towards each other thereby frictionally interconnecting the bearer disc and roller body, a continuous surface in continuous driving contact with the periphery .of said bearer disc and in intermittent marking contact with the marking element during rotation of the roller body, an abutment rotatable with said roller body, a stop member movable into and out of the path of movement of said abutment, and means connected to said stop member for moving the same into the path of the abutment and halting rotation of the roller body, said last named means including means returning the stop member into the path of the abutment as soon as the abutment passes the stop member. thereby limiting the rotational movement of the roller body each time the roller body is released.

7. The marking assembly defined in claim 13 wherein said bearer disc is provided with a peripheral bearer rim in continuous rolling and driving contact with the moving surface being marked, said abutment being angularly disposed with respect to said marking element so that when said stop member projects into the path of the abutment and is engaged by said abutment, said marking element is halted at a position angularly spaced from contact with the moving surface while said clutch disc slips to permit continued rotation of said bearer disc.

' 8. A marking assembly comprising a roller body, a shaft supporting said roller body for rotation about the longitudinal axis of the shaft, a marking element carried by said roller body on a portion of the periphery thereof, a bearer disc mounted on said shaft for rotation about the longitudinal axis thereof, a clutch disc of friction material axially interposed between the roller body and bearer disc, adjustable spring means urging said bearer disc and said roller body axially towards each other thereby frictionally interconnecting the bearer disc and roller body, a continuous surface in continuous driving contact with the periphery of said bearer disc and in intermittent marking contact with the marking element during rotation of the roller body, an abutment rotatable with said roller body, a stop member movable into and out of the path of movement of said abutment, and means connected to said stop member for moving the same into the path of the abutment and halting rotation of the roller body, said last named means including means returning the stop member into the path of the abutment as soon as the abutment passes the stop member thereby limiting the rotational movement of the roller body each time the roller body is released, said bearer disc being provided with a peripheral bearer rim in continuous rolling and driving contact with the moving surface being marked, said abutment being angularly disposed with respect to said marking element so that when said stop member projects into the path of the abutment and is engaged by said abutment, said marking element is halted at a position angularly spaced from contact with the moving surface while said clutch disc slips to permit continued rotation of said bearer disc, an ink supplying system including an ink reservoir, an ink supplying roller dipping into said reservoir, and a metering roller in rolling contact with said ink supplying roller and having a bearer rim at one end in rolling contact with said bearer rim of said bearer disc so that said ink supplying and metering rollers are rotated from said bearer disc and said metering roller transfers ink to said marking element upon rotation of said roller body with said bearer disc, the angular relationship of the abutment to the marking element also causing the marking element to be halted at a position angularly spaced from said metering roller whereby the bearer disc will continuously rotate the metering roller and ink supplying roller for preventing drying of ink on the latter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,290,509 Chandler Ian. 7, 1919 2,226,896 Cooper Dec. 31, 1940 2,613,598 McKay Oct. 14, 1952 2,641,999 Jackson June 16, 1953 2,711,237 Wylie June 21, 1955