US3581371A

US3581371A - Photographic film packet manufacture

Info

Publication number: US3581371A
Application number: US803734A
Authority: US
Inventors: Donald H Bushey
Original assignee: Polaroid Corp
Current assignee: Polaroid Corp
Priority date: 1969-03-03
Filing date: 1969-03-03
Publication date: 1971-06-01
Anticipated expiration: 1988-06-01

Abstract

IN PHOSOGRAPHIC FILM PACKET MANUFACTURING APPARATUS HAVING STATIONS OPERATING ON WEB PORTIONS, FIRST AND SECOND DETECTORS, DOWNSTREAM OF FIRST AND SECOND STATIONS, PROVIDING SIGNALS TO A MEMORY IN RESPONSE TO WEB PORTION CONDITIONS, AN ELEMENT RESPONDING TO SIGNALS FROM THE FIRST DETECTOR TO PREVENT OPERATION OF THE SECOND STATION, AND AN EJECTOR FOLLOWING THE SECOND DETECTOR AND RESPONSIVE TO SIGNALS FROM IT TO PREVENT WEB PORTIONS FROM REACHING A TERMINAL STATION.

Description

June 7 D. H. BUSHEY PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM PACKET MANUFACTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 3, 1969 June 1, BUSHEY PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM PACKET MANUFACTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 3, 1969 United States Patent 3,581,371 PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM PACKET MANUFACTURE Donald H. Bushey, Shrewsbury, Mass., assignor to Polaroid Corporation, Cambridge, Mass. Filed Mar. 3, 1969, Ser. No. 803,734 Int. Cl. B2311 19/04 US. Cl. 29-208 15 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to the manufacture of photo graphic film packets.

The primary object of the invention is to minimize the loss of useful packet components on an automatic assembly line that is subject to stringent quality control.

The invention features, in apparatus for the manufacture of photographic film packets which has stations through which pass web portions and at which are respectively carried out in sequence various operations, including first and second stations for respectively depositing first and second packet components on the web portions, and a terminal station for receiving finished packets, a first detector located downstream of the first station and being responsive to the absence of the first component on a web portion to provide a signal, at least one second detector located adjacent the path of the Web portions and responsive to a condition at the portions to provide a signal, a memory responsive to the signals, an element responsive to the memory to prevent the depositing of the second component on web portions which caused a signal, and an ejector located between the terminal station and the second station and responsive to the memory to prevent web portions for which the second detector provided a signal from reaching the terminal station. In preferred embodiments the ejector is located downstream of the last station at which components are deposited on the web portions, so that web portions prevented from reaching the terminal station are packets complete except for the existence of the condition, the first detector is located immediately downstream of the first station, the second detector is located downstream of the last station at which components are deposited on the web portions, the first detector is responsive to the absence of a component which cannot be eifectively added to the packet after it leaves the apparatus, and the second detector is downstream of the first detector and is responsive to a condition which can be effectively corrected after the packet leaves the apparatus to make the packet commercially useful, the second station includes a fluid operated mechanism having a fluid supply line and the element is a valve in the line; there is included at least one rotatable slotted spider wheel for receiving finished packets in slots in one position and rotating to another position, and a member for transferring the packets from the slots at the other position to the terminal station, in which the ejector includes a movable arm responsive to the memory located at an intermediate position for ejecting packets for which the second detector provided a signal; there is also included a second ejector located between the first and second detector and responsive to the memory to prevent web portions for which the first detector provided a signal from reaching the second detector, the second ejector including a gate movable between a first position allowing the passage of web portions and a second position interrupting the passage of web portions for which the first detector provided a signal; there is also included a station having a member for turning alternate packets 180, a second element responsive to the memory to prevent alternation with respect to the next previous packet of any packet for which the first or second detector provided a signal, first and second cam wheels having effective operating portions out of phase with each other, first and second rollers mounted for contact with the cam wheels and offset from each other and respectively associated with the wheels so that only one roller may contact its corresponding cam wheel at a time, linkage connected between the member and the rollers so that the packets are turned when one of said rollers is in contact with the effective operating portion of its corresponding cam wheel, the second element causing the roller in contact with its corresponding cam wheel to move away from the wheel and causing the other roller formerly free to contact its corresponding cam wheel.

Other objects, features, and advantages will appear from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, taken together with the attached drawings thereof, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partially broken away, of a photographic film packet of the type made by apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, partially schematic isometric View of portions of apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of another portion thereof; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side view of another portion thereof.

Photographic film packet 10 (FIG. 1) includes, in part,

outer walls

12 and 13 of opaque paper, metal foil pod 18 for holding film processing chemicals, and a negative 20. Clip 21 is attached to one end of the packet.

Packet 10 is assembled by apparatus shown in part in FIGS. 2-5. Continuous web 25, which eventually forms

walls

12 and 13, is moved by a main drive (not shown) intermittently in packet-length increments through a sequence of stations at which it is folded and cut and receives various components of the packets. A memory system 30 is provided, consisting of a magnetic core memory stage 32 corresponding to each station, and a clock 34 synchronized with the web drive for advancing the signals in system 30 one stage for each packet-length advance of web 25.

At negative detector station 40, downstream of the station 38 at which the web receives negatives 20, a feeler 60 is carried at the end of vertically reciprocating arm 62 the other end of which controls the position of the core of a linear variable diiferential transformer 64 (LVDT). The output of the LVDT is applied to relay 66 which in turn controls the position of switch 68 in the +12 volt line 70 to memory stage 32a. Upon each packet-length advance of the web arm 62 lowers to cause feeler 60 to lightly contact negative 20 or, if the negative is missing, web 25.

At pod applicator station 42 vacuum chuck 72, carried by pivotal arm 74, picks up one pod 18 from tray 76 upon each packet-length advance of the web, and positions the pod on the web for lamination thereto by laminator 78. The vacuum supply to chuck 72 through line 80 includes valve 82 operated by solenoid 83 the coil of which is wired to memory stage 3212 by wire 84.

At first packet ejection station 44, downstream of the station (not shown) at which the web is severed into individual packet lengths, driven pinch rollers 86 are provided just upstream of gate 87 pivotally mounted on shaft 88 (FIG. 3). Lever 89 is mounted at one end of shaft 88 and is pivoted at its free end to piston 90 of air cylinder 91 connected to a source of air pressure through line 92. Solenoid 93 operates valve 94 in line 92, the solenoid including a coil wired to memory stage 320 through Wires 95. A conveyor 96 below gate 87 extends to chute 97.

At pod detector station 46 a proximity head 102, sensitive to the metal foil of pod 18, is positioned under the path of the packets. The output of the head 102 is applied to relay 104 which in turn controls the position of switch 106 in the +12. volt line 108 to memory unit 32d.

At packet alternator station 48 shaft 110 (FIGS. 1, 4) has at its top a vacuum head 112 connected via the shaft interior to vacuum chamber 114, and carries gear 116 mating with a segment gear 118 which oscillates around pivot 120 in response to reciprocation of shaft 122 connected to the main drive. Chamber .114 is connected at its bottom by a ball and socket joint 124 to angle bracket 126 which carries on its vertical portion 128 an air cylinder 130. Bracket 126, pivotally mounted on shaft 13-2, has a bias spring 134 between one end of horizontal portion 136 and adjacent housing 138, and, at the junction of

portions

128 and 136,

links

140 and 142 fixed to pin 144 and offset from each other and respectively carrying

rollers

146 and 148. A central link 150 is attached at one end to pin 144 between

links

140 and 142, and at the other end to the piston of air cylinder 130. Two

parallel cam wheels

152 and 154 are mounted respectively

adjacent rollers

146 and 148 on shaft 156, which is rotatable in synchronization with the main drive. Wheels 152, .154 have low portions 152:; and 154a, respectively, 180 out of phase. Because

links

140 and 142 are offset from each other, only one of rollers 1 46, 148 may be in contact with its corresponding cam wheel at a time. Solenoids 158 and 160 (FIG. 1), having coils wired to memory unit 322, control air valves 159, 161, respectively, in air pressure lines 1 63, 165, which are connected to opposite ends of air cylinder 130.

At station 50, a chain conveyor 170 (FIG. with lugs 171 is located just upstream of three spider wheels 172, each of which has slots 173 for receiving packets from conveyor 170, the spider wheels being rotatably mounted on a shaft 174. Levers 175 are mounted between adjacent wheels 172 each on a bracket 176 pivotable about pivot 177 and connected through linkage 178 to the piston of air cylinder 179. Air valve 180 (FIG. 1) in air pressure line 181 to air cylinder 179 is responsive to solenoid 182 whose coil is wired to memory unit 32 Pinch rollers 190 are mounted downstream of wheels 172 and lead to reject chute 194. A conveyor 196 for complete packets lies below the spider wheels. Arms 198 are mounted between adjacent wheels 172 just above conveyor 196.

In operation, at station 40 the absence of a negative will cause arm 62 to descend more than usual so that the signal from the LVDT will close switch 68 in relay 66, whereby a signal is transmitted to memory stage 32a over line 70.

At station 42, pod 18 is deposited on the web unless a signal corresponding to the absence of a negative on that portion of the web appears in memory stage 32b, such signal having originated in stage 32a and advanced through memory under the control of clock 34. In that case, the signal in stage 32b causes activation of solenoid 83 to open valve 82, breaking the vacuum at chuck 72 so that a pod is not deposited on the web.

At station 44, the then completely assembled packets are moved over gate 87 by pinch rollers 86 unless a transmitted signal appears in memory stage 32c indicating the absence of a negative in the packet. In that case, solenoid 93 is energized by memory stage 32c, activating valve 94 in air pressure line 92 so that air cylinder 91 causes gate 87 to open, allowing the packet to fall to conveyor 96 for 4 passage to chute 97. Such rejected packets are not salvageable. However, the memory feedback to station 42 has ensured that packets rejected at station 44 do not include pods, thereby minimizing component loss.

If, as packets move over proximity head 102, the head senses the absence of a pod, switch 106 in relay 104 is closed and a signal is transmitted to memory unit 32d.

At station 48 shaft rises for every other packet in response to motion of bracket 126 determined by the action of

cam wheels

152, 154 on their associated rollers 146, 1 48, lifts the packet with vacuum head 112, and turns it 180, unless a rejects signal (originating either in stage 32a or $20!, the corresponding packet having been ejected in the former case) is present in memory stage 32e indicating the absence of a pod. In that case, solenoids .158 and are energized by the memory, reversing the states of air valves 159 and 161 in air pressure lines 163 and so that air cylinder 130 reverses the position of its piston, pivoting link 150 and pin 144 so that the roller following its cam wheel moves away from the wheel and the roller formerly free moves down to contact its cam wheel. Since the cam wheels are out of phase, this will change the sequence of operation of shaft 110 by one packet length so that when the imperfect packet is later removed, the remaining packets will :be in alternation.

At station 50 packets are passed to slots 173 in spider wheels 172 by conveyor 170, the wheels rotate, and packets are pushed out of slots 173 by arm 198 to fall on conveyor 196 which carries them to a suitable receptacle (not shown), all unless a signal is present in memory unit 32 In that case solenoid 182 will activate air valve 180 in air pressure line 181 so that air cylinder 179 will cause levers 175 to move from their rest position (shown solid) to a position (shown dotted) at which they cause the packet to enter rollers which will carry the packet to chute 194.

Packets recovered from chute 194 are salvageable, since the missing pod can be effectively added manually.

Other embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art and are within the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus for the manufacture of photographic film packets, said apparatus having stations through which pass Web portions and at which are respectively carried out in sequence various operations pertaining to said manufacture, said apparatus including first and second stations for respectively depositing first and second packet components on said web portions, and a terminal station for receiving finished packets,

a first detector located downstream of said first station and being responsive to the absence on a web portion of said first component to provide a signal,

at least one second detector located adjacent the path of said web portions and being responsive to a condition at said portions to provide a signal,

a memory responsive to said signals,

an element responsive to said memory to prevent the said depositing of said second component at said second station on web portions in response to which said first detector provided a said signal, and

an ejector located between said terminal station and said second station and responsive to said memory to prevent web portions for which said second detector provided a said signal from reaching said terminal station.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said ejector is located downstream of the last station at which components are deposited on said web portions, so that web portions prevented from reaching said terminal station are packets complete except for the existence of said condition.

'3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said first detector is located immediately downstream of said first station.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said second detector is located downstream of the last station at which components are deposited on said web portions.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said first detector is responsive to the absence of a component which cannot be effectively added to the packet after it leaves said apparatus, and said second detector is downstream of said first detector and is responsive to a condition which can be effectively corrected after the packet leaves said apparatus to make said packet commercially useful.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 including at least one rotatable slotted spider wheel for receiving finished packets in slots in one position and rotating to another position, and a member for transferring said packets from said slots at said other position to said terminal station, in which said ejector includes a movable arm responsive to said memory located at a position intermediate said spider wheel positions for ejecting packets for which said second detector provided a said signal.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said element is directly associated with said second station to prevent normal functioning of apparatus thereat.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 in which said second station includes a fluid operated mechanism having a fluid supply line and said element is a valve in said fluid supply line.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 including a second ejector located downstream of said first detector and upstream of said second detector and responsive to said memory to prevent web portions for which said first detector provided a said signal from reaching said second detector.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 in which said second ejector includes a gate responsive to said memory, said gate movable between a first position allowing the passage of web portions and a second position interrupting the passage of web portions for which said first detector provided a signal.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 including a station at which there is performed a sequence of different operations respectively on successive packets, and a second element directly associated with said station, said second element being responsive to said memory to cause temporary interruption of said sequence upon receipt of a said signal provided by said second detector.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 in which said second element is also responsive to a said signal provided by said first detector to cause temporary interruption of said sequence upon receipt of said signal.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 including a member for turning alternate packets 180 at said last mentioned station and in which said second element is responsive to said memory to prevent alternation with respect to the next previous packet of any packet for which said second detector provided a said signal.

14. The appartaus of claim 13 including first and second cam wheels having effective operating portions out of phase with each other,

first and second rollers mounted for contact with said cam wheels and offset from each other and respectively associated with said wheels so that only one roller may contact its corresponding cam wheel at a time,

linkage connected between said member and said rollers so that said packets are turned when one of said 6 rollers is in contact with the said effective operating portion of its corresponding cam wheel,

said second element preventing alternation with respect to the next previous packet of any packet for which said second detector provided a said signal by causing the roller in contact with its corresponding cam wheel to move away from said wheel and causing the other of said rollers formerly free to contact its corresponding cam wheel.

15. In apparatus for the manufacture of photographic film packets, said apparatus having stations through which pass web portions and at which are respectively carried out in sequence various operations pertaining to said manufacture, said apparatus including first and second stations for respectively depositing first and second packet components on said web portions, in which said first component, if not deposited at said first station, cannot be effectively added to the packet after it leaves said ap paratus and said second component, if not deposited at said second station, causes a condition which can be effectively corrected after the packet leaves said apparatus to make said packet commercially useful, and a terminal station for receiving finished packets,

a first detector located immediately downstream of said first station and being responsive to the absence on a web portion of said first component to provide a signal,

at least one second detector located downstream of said first detector, downstream of the last station at which components are deposited on said web portions, and adjacent the path of said web portions and responsive to said condition at said portions to provide a signal,

a memory responsive to said signals,

an element directly associated with said second station to prevent the said depositing of said second component at said second station on web portions in response to which said first detector provided a said signal,

a station at which there. is performed a sequence of different operations respectively on successive packets, and a second element directly associated with said station, said second element being responsive to said memory to cause temporary interruption of said sequence upon receipt of a said signal provided by said second detector,

a first ejector located downstream of said second detector and upstream of said terminal station and responsive to said memory to prevent web portions for which said second detector provided a signal from reaching said terminal station, and

a second ejector located downstream of said first detector and upstream of said second detector and responsive to said memory to prevent web portions for which said first detector provided a said signal from reaching said second detector.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,003,229 10/1961 Powell 29-208 JAMES M. MEISTER, Primary Examiner