US3078825A

US3078825A - Blade holder for paper coating machines

Info

Publication number: US3078825A
Application number: US19259A
Authority: US
Inventors: John P Munton; Dentch Milton
Original assignee: Rice Barton Corp
Current assignee: Rice Barton Corp
Priority date: 1960-04-01
Filing date: 1960-04-01
Publication date: 1963-02-26
Anticipated expiration: 1980-02-26

Description

Feb. 26, 1963 J. P. MUNTON ETAL 3,078,825

BLADE HOLDER FOR PAPER COATING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 1, 1960 Fla Feb. 26, 1963 .1. P. ,MUNTON ETAL 3,078,825

BLADE HOLDER. FOR PAPER comma MACHINES s Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 1, 1960 Feb. 26, 1963 J. P. MUNTON ETAL 3,078,825

BLADE HOLDER FOR PAPER comma MACHINES 3 SheetsSheet 3 Filed April 1, 1960 United States Patent 3,073,825 BLADE HGLDER FGR PAPER CGATHNG dAfIl-HNES John P. Mouton, Worcester, and Milton Dentch, Auburn,

Mass, assiguors to Rice Barton Qorporation, Worces er,

Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Apr. 1, 1960, er. No. 19,259 1% Claims. (Cl. lld llii) This invention relates generally to machines for coating paper, and in particular it is concerned with the kind of coating machines that make use of a roll to lead a web of paper through the coating liquid, and a cooperating blade to level the coating received by the web as it passes out of the liquid. This application is a continuation-in-part of our copending application Serial No. 771,- 888 filed November 4, 1958, now abandoned, and entitled Blade Holder for Faper Coating Machines.

In coating machines of the type with which the present invention is concerned, the coating liquid is disposed between the roll about which is passed the web to be coated and a head assembly including a blade holder to support the blade for leveling of the liquid. The web is led downwardly through the liquid by the roll and it emerges from the liquid along a line defined by the edge of the blade. The thickness of the coating received by the web is determined by the contact pressure between the blade and the web. it is essential, therefore, that the position of the blade be precisely adjustable, thereby to obtain the desired thickness of the coating and to maintain close alignment of the blade with the roll so that the thickness of the coating will be uniform.

Because webs as wide as 25 feet must be accommodated, precise control of the position of the blade over such a width becomes a problem. A further problem is to pro vide for replacement of the blade quickly and easily. Usually the blade requires replacement every twelve hours of machine running time. A normal rate of speed for the machine is 2500 feet per minute. Accordingly, down time for blade replacement can result in much lost production which may mean the difference between a profit and loss for the run.

The general object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide an improved blade holding and adjusting mechanism for a paper coating machine.

A more specific object is to provide a mechanism which permits replacement of the blade quickly and easily.

Another object is to provide a more accurate mechanism for controlling the position of the blade.

Still another object is to provide means for stiffening the blade.

The novel features of the invention together with further objects and advantages thereof will become apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings to which it refers.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side View in elevation of the blade holding mechanism of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the blade holding mechanism on a reduced scale and at right angles with respect to the view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2 and enlarged;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line l-d of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side view in elevation of an alternative embodiment of the blade holding mechanism of the present invention;

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are sectional views taken on lines 66, 7--7, and 8-8, respectively, of FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 6; and

Patented Feb 26, 1953 FIG. 10 is a side elevation of a cutting apparatus including the novel blade holding arrangement according to the invention.

A coating machine of the general type referred to is illustrated in FIG. 10 of the drawings comprising coating roll 1 over which the web of paper is passed to be coated. The coating liquid is held in what might be termed a trough formed in part with the roll 1 and in part with the coating head assembly including a structural walled portion 2, and a blade holder assembly rigidly fastened thereto. Numeral 1d designates the blade associated with the latter which, in effect, forms the bottom of the trough.

With reference now to FIGS. 1 and 2 Where a first embodiment of the invention is illustrated, it will be observed that the numeral 11 designates an upper jaw and the numeral 12 designates a lower jaw which is pivotally connected to the upper jaw by a row of threaded members 13 having hemispherical bearing portions 13'. Holding the jaws closed on the blade 14 for leveling the coating liquid is an inflatable tube 15 disposed between the jaw 12 and a spacer member 16' which bears against the jaw 11 rearwardly of the threaded members 13. That is to say, tube 15 is comprised of a material such as rubber and is connected to a source of pressure fluid such as air. Urging the jaws to open is a row of compression springs 2b which are retained on studs 17. One end of each spring it bears against the under surface of jaw 12 and the other end bears against a washer 18 backed by a nut 19. As shown, clearance is provided in jaw 12 for the studs 17, while threaded bores are provided in jaw 11 to engage the same.

With reference now to FIGS. 3 and 4 it will be observed that the front of jaw 12 is formed with a non-integral tip 22 fastened by bolts 21 and that jaw 11 is provided with a longitudinal groove 23, slightly rearwardly of the tip 22. Disposed between the jaws in this region is a movable member 24 and a pair of blade-rigidifying members 25 and 26. Members 2-5 and 26 are fastened together by machine screws 27 with the blade 14 clamped inbetween, forwardly of the screws 27. Member 24 is provided with a longitudinal guideway in which member 26 is retained. in addition, member 24 is provided with a substantial clearance hole for each threaded member 13 so that it can move forwardly and rearwardly with respect to the aws.

To produce such movement, four uniformly spaced coupling members 28 (only two of which are shown in FIG. 2) are fastened to member 24 by means of pins 29 having spherical bearing portions 29'. Pins 30 of like nature serve to couple each member 28 to a control member 31 having a threaded portion 31'. The latter, as shown in FIG. 1, has a nut in the form of a shaft 32 threaded onto it and the shaft is rotatably mounted in a bearing block 33. For rotation of the shaft there is provided a direct coupled hand wheel 34 and alternatively a hand wheel 35 which is coupled to the shaft through a worm 36 and wheel 37. The hub of wheel 37 together with a shoulder 32 on the shaft serve to prevent axial movement thereof so that member 31 and hence members 28 and 24 are caused to move backwards and forwards upon rotation of the shaft. As best shown in FIG. 4, member 28 is guided in its movement by the upstanding central portion of the spacer member 16 which is rigidly fastened to jaw 11 by means of machine screws 41. Finally there is provided a set screw 42 optionally to lock the member 31 in place.

In operation, when it is desired to change blades, tube 15 is opened to exhaust by any convenient means to collapse it, whereupon the force holding the rearward portions of the jaw apart is removed. In consequence, the jaws are caused to snap open forwardly of the threaded members 13 under the influence of springs 26 which act on the rearward portions. With the jaws open, the blade assembly including the blade and the rigidifying members is no longer held tightly in the channel defined by the movable retaining member 24, and can be readily pulled out sideways from between the jaws. At the same time a new blade assembly can be inserted into the channel from the opposite side of the holder. Once this has been done, re-inflation of the tube clamps the new blade assembly in place and adjustment of the screw mechanisms described in detail in the foregoing establishes the desired alignment and exposure of the blade.

In FIGS. -9 is shown another embodiment of the invention which is seen to comprise an upper jaw designated 121 and a lower jaw designated 122. As shown, the jaws 121 and 122 are relieved so as to form in combination a generally rectangular guideway or slot 127 extending longitudinally thereof. In the slot, there is a movable retaining member 128 and a pair of rigidifying members 129, 131 like those of FIGS. 1-4, which are joined by means of screws 132. The assembly of the members 129 and 131 with the blade 14 is fitted in a channel in the memher 128 where it is held in place by the clamping action of the jaws 121122. This is best shown in FIG. 9.

FIGS. 6, 7 and 9 illustrate in detail the mechanism for controlling the blade edge exposure in this embodiment. Thus from FIG. 6 it will be observed that the blade adjusting member 128 is provided with a series of longitudinally spaced slots, the major axes of the slots extending parallel to one another and at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the member. Disposed in the slots, as best shown in FIG. 9, are studs 141 which pass through the lower jaw 122 and are threaded into the upper jaw 121. Studs 141 are provided with intermediate body portions 141' of cylindrical contour for sliding contact with the walls of the slots, and there are nuts 142 threaded over the exposed ends of the studs. The nuts clamp the jaws together and prevent the studs from turning.

Adjacent either end of the jaws 121, 122, which extend for the width of the roll, there is provided a fixed mounting arm 144. Each arm 144 has a portion which is shaped in the manner of an open-ended wrench. These portions retain clevises 143 which are pivotally connected to the ends of the member 128. A nut 151 is threaded onto the shank end of one of the clevises bringing a spherical washer 152 tightly against a mating seat formed in one of the arms. A similar arrangement exists at the other arm except that a helical compression spring 153 is used between the spherical washer and the nut.

As best shown in FIG. 8, one of the arms 144 also mounts a shaft 161 having at one end a handle portion 162 extending at right angles to the axis of the shaft. To the other end of the shaft is fixed a stop. With the handle down, the stop is in the way of the blade so that when the blade assembly is inserted from one end of the holder it cannot be pushed beyond a longitudinally centered position. With the handle up, the stop is out of the way of the blade so that it can be pulled out from the opposite end of the holder while a new blade is being inserted. As is apparent, at similar stop arrangement can be used with the embodiment of FIGS. l-4 if desired.

Once the assembly of the blade and rigidifying members is longitudinally centered in the holder, the desired exposure of the blade can be readily established by ad justment of the nut 151. That is to say, as the nut 151 is tightened (the one remote from the spring 153), the member 128 is drawn sideways and at the same time forwardly, the member being constrained to move in this manner by the bodies of the studs 141 which ride in the slots. Conversely, when the nut 151 is loosened, the

member 128 is moved in the opposite direction under the influence of the spring 153.

Although the invention has been described in connection with two embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that various other embodiments are possible which are within the scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention should not be deemed to be limited to the details of what has been described herein by way of example, but rather it should be deemed to be limited only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A blade-holding device for a paper coating machine of the trailing blade type, said device comprising a pair of elongated jaws defining a longitudinal guideway of generally rectangular section, said jaws being adapted to clamp between them a blade with its forward edge exposed and its rearward edge extending into the region of said guideway, a pair of rigidifying bars disposed in said guideway on either side of the blade, means to join said rigidifying bars tightly together with the blade clamped inbetween, a movable member in sliding engagement with opposite walls of said guideway, said movable member defining a channel for sliding engagement with at least one of said rigidifying bars, thereby to permit the combination of the blade and said bars to be withdrawn sideways from said jaws While said movable member remains stationary, and means to move said movable member forwardly and backwardly in said guideway and thereby vary the edge exposure of said blade.

2. A blade-holding device for a paper coating machine of the trailing blade type, said device comprising a pair of elongated jaws defining a longitudinal guideway of generally rectangular section, a blade clamped between said jaws with its forward edge exposed and its rearward edge extending into the region of said guideway, -a pair of rigidifying bars disposed in said guideway on either side of said blade, means to join said rigidifying bars tightly together with the blade clamped inbetween, a movable member in sliding engagement with opposite walls of said guideway, said movable member defining a channel for sliding engagement with at least one of said rigidifying bars thereby to permit the combination of the blade and said bars to be withdrawn sideways from said jaws while said movable member remains stationary, and means to move said movable member forwardly and backwardly in said guideway and thereby vary the edge exposure of said blade.

3. A blade-holding device for a paper coating machine of the trailing blade type, said device comprising a pair of elongated jaws defining a longitudinal guideway of generally rectangular section, said jaws being adapted to receive a blade with its forward edge exposed and its rearward edge extending into the region of said guideway, 21 pair of rigidifying bars disposed in said guideway on either side of the blade, means to join said rigidifying bars tightly together with the blade clamped inbetween, a movable member in sliding engagement with opposite walls of said guideway, said movable member defining a channel for sliding engagement with at least one of said rigidifying bars, thereby to permit the combination of the blade and said bars to be withdrawn sideways from the jaws while said movable member remains stationary, means pivotally connecting said jaws rearwardly of said rigidifying members, an inflatable tube disposed between said jaws rearwardly of said pivotal connecting means, said tube acting to force the jaws apart in this region and to urge them together forwardly of said pivotal connectron, spring-biasing means tending to oppose the action of said inflatable tube so that when the tube is deflated, the jaws will open forwardly of said pivotal connecting means, and means to move said movable member forwardly and backwardly in said guideway and thereby vary the edge exposure of said blade.

4. A blade-holding device for a paper coating machine of the trailing blade type, said device comprising a pair of elongated jaws defining a longitudinal guideway of generally rectangular section, said jaws being adapted to receive a blade with its forward edge exposed and its rearward edge extending into the region of said guideway,

acreage a pair of rigidifying bars disposed in said guideway on either side of the blade, means to join said rigidifying bars tightly together with the blade clamped inbetween, a movable member in sliding engagement with opposite walls of said guideway, said movable member defining a channel for sliding engagement with at least one of said rigidifying bars, thereby to permit the combination of the blade and said bars to be withdrawn sideways from the jaws while said movable member remains stationary, means pivotally connecting said jaws rearwardly of said rigidifying members, an inflatable tube disposed between said jaws rearwardly of said pivotal connecting means, said tube acting to force the jaws apart in this region and to urge them together forwardly of said pivotal connection, and a mechanism to move said movable member forwardly and backwardly in said guideway and thereby vary the edge exposure of said blade, said mechanism including a link pivotally connected to said movable member, a threaded member operatively connected to said link, an axially fixed nut in threaded engagement with said threaded member, and manually operable means to turn said nut.

5. A blade-holding device for a paper coating machine of the trailing blade type, said device comprising a pair of elongated jaws defining a longitudinal guideway of generally rectangular section, a blade clamped between said jaws with its forward edge exposed and its rearward edge extending into the region of said guideway, a pair of rigidifying bars disposed in said guideway on either side of said blade, means to join said rigidifying bars tightly together with the blade clamped inbetween, a movable member disposed in sliding engagement with opposite walls of said guideway and defining a channel to slidably retain at least one of said bars so that the combination of said blade and said bars can be moved independently and withdrawn from the holder, said movable member being provided with longitudinally spaced slots extending parallel to one another and at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of said member, a plurality of cylindrical elements extending between said jaws and through the respective slots in said movable member, and means to urge said movable member longitudinally of said guideway while at the same time permitting for ward and backward movement thereof.

6. A blade-holding device for a paper coating machine of the trailing blade type, said device comprising a pair of elongated jaws defining a longitudinal guideway of generally rectangular section, a blade clamped between said jaws with its forward edge exposed and its rearward edge extending into the region of said guideway, a pair of rigidifying bars disposed in said guideway on either side of said blade, means to join said rigidifying bars tightly together with the blade clamped inbetween, a movable member in sliding engagement with opposite walls of said guideway for moving the blade in and out and exposing more or less of its active edge, said movable member being provided with longitudinally spaced slots extending parallel to one another and at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of said member, a plurality of cylindrical elements extending between said jaws and through the respective slots in said movable member, a threaded element pivotally connected to each end of said movable member, a pair of mounting arms carried on said machine disposed adjacent the ends of said jaws and provided with clearance holes to receive said threaded elements, a helical compression spring retained on the free end of one of said threaded elements, means to compress said spring against the arm adjacent thereto, and a nut threaded onto the free end of the other of said threaded elements to act upon the arm supporting the latter and to urge said movable member longitudinally and transversely of said guideway.

7. A blade holding device for a paper coating machine of the trailing blade type, said device comprising a pair of elongated jaws defining therebetween a guideway, said jaws being adapted to receive a blade assembly comprising a blade with its forward edge exposed and its rearward edge extending into the region of said guideway, and a bar support to which the blade is fastened extending along the length of the blade and arranged to ride in said guideway, a movable member in sliding engagement with the walls of said guideway for forward and back adjustment relative to said jaws, said movable member defining a longitudinal guideway for said bar support thereby to permit said blade assembly to be withdrawn sideways from the jaws while said movable member remains stationary, means pivotally connecting said jaws rearwardly of said guideway and bar support, spring means urging said jaws relatively from one to the other of two alternative open and clamping positions, pneumatic means operable to move the jaws against the bias of said spring means to the other said position, and means to adjust said movable member and blade assembly therewith in a forward and back direction in said jaws.

8. A blade holding device for a paper coating machine of the trailing blade type according to claim 7 in which the means pivotally connecting said jaws comprises a series of posts mounted from one of said jaws, and swivel bearings connecting the posts and the other of said jaws.

9. A blade holding device for a paper coating machine of the trailing blade type according to claim 8 in which said movable member comprises a bar extending the length of the jaws having forward and back slots to receive said posts, and the rear portion is tapered to permit the rocking of the jaws to said open position, and said means to adjust said movable member and blade assembly therewith in a forward and back direction comprises a plurality of rearwardly extending links connected with said member, a fine adjustment screw and nut connection with each of said links, and a coarse adjustment screw extending longitudinally of said jaws having a worm and screw connection with each of said fine adjustment screw and nut connections.

10. A blade holding device for a paper coating machine of the trading blade type according to claim 7 in which said pneumatic means comprises an inflatable tube disposed between said member and one of said jaws to oppose the bias of said spring means adapted to be inflated and deflated to move the jaws relatively against and with the bias of the spring means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,892,214 Lodding Dec. 27, 1932 2,117,032 Lodding May 10, 1938 2,273,021 COX Feb. 17, 1942 2,328,183 Barrett Aug. 31, 1943 2,399,688 Metzner et al. May 7, 1946 2,914,788 Smith et a1. Dec. 1, 1959

Claims

1. A BLADE-HOLDING DEVICE FOR A PAPER COATING MACHINE OF THE TRAILING BLADE TYPE, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING A PAIR OF ELONGATED JAWS DEFINING A LONGITUDINAL GUIDEWAY OF GENERALLY RECTANGULAR SECTION, SAID JAWS BEING ADAPTED TO CLAMP BETWEEN THEM A BLADE WITH ITS FORWARD EDGE EXPOSED AND ITS REARWARD EDGE EXTENDING INTO THE REGION OF SAID GUIDEWAY, A PAIR OF RIGIDIFYING BARS DISPOSED IN SAID GUIDEWAY ON EITHER SIDE OF THE BLADE, MEANS TO JOIN SAID RIGIDIFYING BARS TIGHTLY TOGETHER WITH THE BLADE CLAMPED INBETWEEN, A MOVABLE MEMBER IN SLIDING ENGAGEMENT WITH OPPOSITE WALLS OF SAID GUIDEWAY, SAID MOVABLE MEMBER