US365051A - Web-feeding svi ech an ism for printing-machines - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 L. 0. GROWELL. WEB FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES. No. 365,051. Patented June 5 1, 1887.

N PETERS, PhMb-Lillwgmphcr. Wnshingmn. D. C.

(No Model.)

4 sheets sheet 2. L. G. OROWELL.

WEB FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES.

No. 365,051. Patented June 21,1887.

N, PETERS. Phauruthagnphen Wasmnmim. v.0

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

L. O. OROWELL.

WEB FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MAGHINES.

N0. 365,051. Patented June 21, 1887.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

E L. C. GROWELL.

WEB FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES.

No. 365,051. Patented June 21, 1887.

ism.

LUTHER O. OROXVELL, OF BROOKLYN, NFAV YORK.

WEB-FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING-MACHINE$.

EPECIPICATI ON forming part of Letters Patent No. 365,051, dated June 21, 1887.

Application filed April 6, 1885. Serial No. 161,266. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I Lu'ruuu C. OnowELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in \Veb-Feeding Mechanisms for Print-ing-Machines, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings,forming a part of the same.

lractical embodiments of this invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, w h erei n Figure 1 represents an end elevation of a rolled web of paper with this improved con trolling and delivering mechanism applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view of the same. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the drivingpulley and its actuating clutching mechan- Fig. 4 is a plan view of the same, the shell of the pulley being in part removed to expose the interior. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on thelinex of Fig. 4. Fig. (i is an end elevation, and Fig. 7 a side elevation, of a modified arrangement of the apparatus. Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional elevation of a modification of the clutch; and Figs. 9 and 10 are views similar to Fig. 1, illustrating modifications of the controlling mechanism, hereinafter referred to.

it is the primary object of this invention to provide a rolled web of paper which is to constantly decrease in size as the web composing it is fed to a printing-machine or other apparatus operating upon such web, with a delivering and controlling mechanism, by the operation of which said rolled web shall be moved at a surface speed suited to that of the machine operating upon it during the starting, running, and stopping of such machine.

Another object to be attained by a modified structure is an operation of'the controlling and delivering mechanism, whereby said web shall be driven at a surface speed suited to that of the machine operating upon it during the starting and stopping of such machine, and which, when such machine reaches a high or a running speed, will apply an appropriate controllingfriction to said web.

In all machines in which a rolled web is fed by being unrollcd, and especially in such operate at high speed, and thus through their rapid consumption of the web require the roll of web to be of large size and consequent weight, there is great liability that the web p will break or tear as the machine begins its movement, for the reason that, no matter how slowly that movement is begun and increased, the means for overcoming the inertia of the roll (being a thin paper web) is too frail to be subjected to the strain imposed, and when the machine attains its high or running speed and the roll revolves with great rapidity it has a tendency to gather speed and feed off the web too rapidly, thus destroying the tension necessary to accomplish its smooth and even feediug movement; and, further, when the machine stops the speed theretofore attained by the roll will cause a quantity of the web to be unrollcd, which web is not carried into the machine, but forms a slack, that requires to be taken up. As a means for controlling the rotation of the rolled web, and therefore the speed at which it is unrollcd, and at the same time apply a proper tension to that portion of the web extending from the roll to the devices operating upon it, a friction device has been applied to the shaft of the rolled web 5 but practically this friction device requires constant attention and constant change to secure the best results. It may be also remarked that the application of a positive driving mechanism to a rolled web (such, forinstance, as that used in paperdamping mcchines) is impractical when used in connection with a web-printing machine for the purpose of feeding and controlling the movement of the rolled web, for the reason that the speed of such driving mechanism if in the least degree greater or less than that of the printing-machine, will result in feeding the web too fast or too slow, causing slack or a breaking strain. This will be apparent when it is considered that the webs are of great length and that the impression-cylindcrs of the printing machines are covered with a yielding blanket subject to varying degrees of compression to impart the degree of impression suited to webs of different qualities, and results in making the surface speed thereof a varying one,which cannot be compensated for in thepositivo driving mechanism of the rolled web.

The present improvements not only avoid these defects, but provide automatic means to accomplish a perfect feeding and controlling movement of the roll of web at all times, whether the machine is stopping, starting, or running.

These improvements consist in a moving roller or belt arranged to travel in contact with the roll and follow its periphery as it decreases in size,which roller or belt is provided with a driver that runs said belt at a speed appropriate to that of the machine to which the web is being fed. It also consists in combining with said roller or belt a means for disconnecting or throwing out of action its driving means, so that the turning roll may be come the driver,and thus have the friction of the roller or belt applied to it.

It also includes a clutching mechanism operating by centrifugal force to cause the roller or belt to be driven by the'machine to which the web is being fed when said machine runs slowly, and to be driven byithe roll, and thus apply friction to it when the said machine runs at a considerable speed.

Other features of the invention, including particular combinations and constructions, are embraced herein, all of the same being fully hereinafter set forth and claimed.

To enable these improvements to, be readily understood, it may first be stated that, although no machine for operating upon the web itself is shown, it is to be understood that the web 100 from the rolled web 200 is led to a machine which performs some operation upon it, and thus consumes the web.

\Vhile there are many other machines to which this improvedapparatus is applicable, it is more practically suited/to printing and like machines which are rot'ative in character and when running constantly draw upon the web andcause it to feed progressively on ward.

As will readily be apparent, it becomes a difficult matter when the rolled web is large and heavy for the machine operating upon the web, and which imparts to it a positive draft, to overcome the inertia of said roll and properly unwind the web at a speed equal to the surface movement of the mechanism to which it is delivered without frequently tearing or breaking the web, and that, in consequence of the high speed atwhich such machines run, it must follow that there will be a great tendency for the heavy roll of web to gather speed, andthusgive off or unwind its web too rapidly, thereby causing slack, which is injurious; and, further, that when the machine is to be stopped there will also be a tendency in the heavy roll, due to its inertia, to come to a state of rest more slowly than does the mechanism to which it is delivered, thus acting to feed off a quantity of unused web, and thus produce a considerable slack, which, whether taken up by turning the roll backward or left unrolled, aids in causing a tear or break upon restarting the machine, for the reason that a free portion of the paper moves into the machine before any draft is made upon the roll,whereby the power of the machine is applied to the roll after the web has attained some considerable speed. All of these defective operations, though in part provided against by the friction device commonly applied to the shaft of the rolled web, still exist when that appliance is used, and more especially do they exist where in more modern printing-machines the web is not only passed between printing mechanisms, but is manipulated by web transferring and associating apparatuses. Another defect of the friction-roll appliance spoken of is'that unless constantly 'changed byhand manipulation it remains a constant power, applying a friction not lessening, as it should, in proportion as the roll decreases in size, but, on the contrary, increasing as the roll so decreases.

This improved delivering and controlling mechanism consists, primarily, ofan endless belt, 20, running over a pulley, 30, and a roller, 40. The pulley 30 is hung on a shaft, 50, that receives motion through a toothed wheel, 60, from the machine with which this mechanism is connected The roller or cylinder 40 is hung on an axle turning freely in a frame composed of arms 80, that swing freely on shaft 50, said arms 70 thus con stituting a swinging frame that bears the belt 20 constantly in contact with the rolled web 200, no matter what its proportions are or to what size it is red need, as appears by the full and .dotted' lines in Fig. 1. The arms 70 80 are made adjustable longitudinally in boxes 71 72, wherein they are secured by set-screws.

As thus far described it will appear that if the pulley 301is fast upon the shaft 50 and driven by the wheel 60 by gearing connected with a properly-timed driving-wheel of the machine operating upon the web of paper the belt 20 will be moved with a' surface speed equal to that of the said machine, and thus, since the belt 20 constantly bears upon the rolled web of paper with a friction equal to its own weight, that of the roller 40, and the arms supporting it, a driving action upon the periphery of said rolled web will be effected, and hence the rolled web will be turned with a surface speed equal to that of the machine op-- erating upon the web, and thereby cause the web to be fed evenly and truly to that machine; but while this is true theoretically, practically it is best to so time the gearing that such feeding of the rolled web shall be very slightly less than thespeed of the said machine, so that the belt 20 while operating as a driver shall apply a slight frictional drag to the rolled web. The connection between the pulley 30 and the shaft 50 is, however, made through a frictional clutch, the purpose of which is to enable the driving action of the machine im parted through said shaft 50 to be suspended when a high or running speed of the machine is attained, and to be reapplied when such speed is modified. For this purpose any means of operating said clutch may be adopted and the structure of the clutch may be modified to suit the requirements of such operating means and adapted for cooperation therewith. A means for coupling said shaft 50 with a driver of the printing or other machine and uncoupling the same may be applied when the pulley is fast upon the shaft to the shaft itself. Thus a frictional clutch operating to set that shaft in motion would accomplish the result, or any other devices by which the drivinggears may control the motion of the shaft more or less positively might be applied. In the mechanism as here illustrated, however, a friction-clutch operated by centrifugal force is adopted as one of the best means for acconr plishing this result. This clutch is shown best in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, and consists of shoes 31, adapted to bear against the inner periphery of the pulley 30, which shoes are pivoted atthe ends of lovers 32, that are fulcrumed to arms 33 fast on the shaft 50. The levers 32 have weight-ed ends 31, which are tied to said arms 33 by means of pivoted rods 35, which pass through the weighted ends 34 of the lovers, and are connected to said levers by means of a spring, 36, coiled about them to bear at one end upon the bottom of a recess in the weighted ends 34, and at the other upon adjustable nuts screwed onto said rods. Normally these springs have a power (which may be varied by turning said nuts) that will hold the lovers 32 in such a position as to apply the shoes 31 to the periphery of the pulley 30 with a force sufficient to lock said pulley to the shaft 50 and cause the same to partake of the movements of that shaft. W'hen, however, said shaft rotates the pulley with a speed sufficient to cause centrifugal forceto move said levers in a direction opposite to the force applied by the springs, and thus compress said springs and move the levers sufficiently to withdraw the shoes from contact with the periphery of the pulley, said pulley will not be driven by the shaft, though the parts of the clutch carried by the shaft will continue to rotate therewith. (See Fig. 3.) \Vhen the pulley is clutched to the shaft 50, it will of course be moved with the speed of the printing or other machine, and hence drive the belt 20 with a like speed, and therefore move the rolled web with a like speed, the result of which is that when the machine slowly starts, this controlling delivering mechanism, having a like motion, slowly unrolls the web and positively feeds the same into the printing or other machine with a speed equal to that of said machine, and hence relieves the web from any undue draft upon it, or from receiving any sudden jerk which would result if the printing or other machine were required to impart motion to the roll through the web of paper, and thus overcome the inertia due to the weight of the roll by a draft upon the web itself. 7 hen, however, the

speed of the pulley 30, and consequently that of the web, has reached the running speed of the printing-machine, and that speed is great enough to release the clutch through the centrifugal action of the weighted arms 34, the pulley 30 will no longer be driven directly froin the printing-machine, but must thereafter be moved by the frictional contact of its belt 20 from the rolled web of paper. From this it results that, since the said rolled web, now propelled by the draft upon itself, is caused to drive the belt 20, such belt will apply a certain amount of friction thereto, and thus operate as a drag sufficient to produce a friction that will impart to the web a proper tension to cause its even and regular delivery into the printing machine. This friction, which is largely due to the weight of the arms and pulley 40, may be regulated as required by constructing those parts with an appropriate weight, or by providing one or both of said arms with a sliding weight adj ustable to fixed positions thereon.

YVhen it is desired to stop the printing-machine, at which time it is necessary, as before explained, to prevent the rolled web from running so far as to unroll any more of the web than is required by the printing or other machine, its belt will be automatically converted into a controlling device, for the reason that the moment the printing-machine begins to slow down, and hence the rolled web of paper act to more slowly drive the pulley 30, the centrifugal force acting upon the levers 32 will become modified and the springs 36 will draw the levers gradually to their normal position, and consequently reapplying the frictionclutch to said pulley 30, which pulley, thereupon taking up the movement of the printingmachine,will again positively drive the rolled web of paper and slow it down until a stop is effected, thereby causing the rolled web to come to a state of rest by slowly decreasing rotation in concert with a like movement of the printing machine, thus preventing any undue strain being applied to the web, and preventing the roll thereof from ovcrfeeding and thus producing slack.

By the operation of this automatic appara tus the services of an operative to attend upon a friction apparatus applied to the shaft of the rolled web is avoided. In machines now in use operating upon webs from two or more rolls of paper not only are the services of two operatives dispensed with, but the machine is provided with means causing its various webs to be perfectly controlled amldriven in unison, and avoids the liability of either breaking or otherwise improperly moving through the machine, a'feature of great importance when we consider that a faulty operation of one web necessitates a stoppage of the whole machine and that as the webs are increased in number the liability of its rupture or inr proper action is increased.

while in the drawings as thus far referred to the apparatus is shown as arranged at the top of the rolled web, it is desirable as a measure of cheapness of construction, especial] y where the rolls are located at the top of the machine, and to enable the rolled webs to be conveniently and quickly mounted in the machine,

the rolled web, and for this purpose there is shown in Figs. 6 and 7 an arrangement thereof suited to such position. The construction of this controlling and delivering apparatus differs from that just described only in the means for causing the vibrating frame to move and maintain the belt constantly in contact with the periphery ofthe rolled. web. In the formerapparatus this is accomplished by its own gravity. In this modification it is accomplished by means of a weight, 300, the power of which is applied through a lever, 41, fast upon a shaft, 51, by a set-screw, which shaft has an arm, 47, that is connected by a link, 42, pivoted to a bar, 43, that is at- I tached to the rear of the levers 7O 80. As is obvious, this weight 300 will constantly apply a power to said arms,and through them cause the belt 20 to constantly follow the periphery of the roll 200 as the latter decreases in size. It may now be observed that this same structure can be applied to the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 5, the only thing necessary being to apply the power of the weight through a cordand-pulley attachment connected with the lever 41, or by a suitable arrangement of levers; and, again, if it be desired that the frictional pressure of the belt 20 shall be adjustable, that may be accomplished by varying the position of the weight on the lever.

It will be apparent that the separation of the clutch from the driving-pulley may be regulated with respect to the speed of the machine by adjusting the power of the springs 36 on the rods 35, so that the velocity of the shaft 50, required to withdraw the shoes 31 from the periphery of the pulley 30, may be predetermined to suit the requirements of the machine operating upon the web.

It will further be observed that when the rolled web is large and requires the greatest friction a larger part of the belt 20 bears upon its surface than is the case when the roll is small and requires a less degree of friction,the size of the roll and its frictional requirements being thus in a degree adjusted by its decreasing size. This frictional pressure may, however, be a constantly-changing quantity if the weight of thelever ll is arranged to move more and more away from the fulcrum as the roll decreases. It is, however, obvious that a simple friction may be constantly applied be-' tween the shaft 50 and the belt-pulley 30 without departing fromthe features of this invention, the friction being such that under ordinary circumstances it will be sufficient to control the movement of the web,but will allow the pulley to slip before the difference in speed between the pulley and the printing-machine will cause a breaking strain upon the web. This may be accomplished in the device illustrated by securing the levers 32 in a fixed position, so as to apply the proper degree of friction between their shoes 31 and the pulley 30.

InFig. 8 I have illustrated a mode of connecting the weighted leverarms together, so

that when one moves the other will also move. This arrangement prevents any improper operation which might result from the action of gravity. This is accomplished by connecting the weighted end of one lever to the end of the other leverby spring seated rods 35, whereby any movement of one lever will be transmitted to the other.

If a laterally-running clutch is arranged to slide on the shaft 50, it is obvious that a single spring may be used inconnection with two or more weighted toggle-levers, having a bearing at one end against a collar on the shaft and attached at the other to the sliding part of the clutch. the spring acting to apply the clutch, as before explained, and the weighted levers to move outwardly by centrifugal force in the manner of a governor, to cause. the unclutching action.

adopted-as, for instance, by a belt, 80, ex-

tending from said pulley over a similar pulley, 81, secured on the end ofthe shaft carrying the roller 40, as in Fig. 9, or by means of the gearing shown in Fig. 10,in which case the pulleys 30 and 81. are substituted by gears 30 and 81, similarly mounted, and connected by intermediates 82, mounted on the side of one of arms 70, as will be readily understood; and while an endless moving belt enters specifically as an element in the claims, it is to be understood that in the sense in which it is used it is intended to be an equivalent for the roll here described.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the essential characteristic of this invention is the 1. In a-webcontroiling device, the combination, with a continuously-moving endless belt adapted to rest frictionally upon arolled web, of means, substantially as described, for actuating said belt to control the unwinding speed of said rolled web, substantially as dc scribed.

2. In a' web-controlling device, the combination, with an endless belt adapted to rest frictionally upon a rolled web, of. means, substantially as described, for actuating the belt, whereby the rolled web at times is driven by said belt, and vice versa, to regulate the un winding speed of the rolled web, substantially as described.

3. In a web-controlling device, the combination, with an endless moving belt adapted to rest frictionally upon a rolled web to control its unwinding speed, of a driver for actuating the same, and means, substantially as described, operating automatically to put the driver out of action, substantially as described.

4. In a web-controlling device, the combination, with an endless moving belt suitably mounted upon rollers and adapted to rest frietionally upon a rolled web to control its unwinding speed, of a driven shaft, upon which one of said rollers is mounted for actuating the belt, and means, substantially as described, operating automatically to put the driven shaft out of action, substantially as described.

5. In a web'controlling device, the combination, with an endless moving belt carried by a roller hung in a swinging frame and mounted so as to rest frictionally upon a rolled web to control its unwinding speed, ofa driver for actuating the same, and means, substantially as described, operating automatically to put the driver out of action, substantially as described.

6. In a webcontrolling device, the combination, with an endless belt carried by a roller hung in a longitudinally-adjustable frame and mounted so as to rest frictionally upon a rolled web to control its unwinding speed, of a driver, and connections between it and the belt for actuating thelatter, substantially as described.

7. In a web-controlling device, the combination, with an endless moving belt carried by a roller hung in a swinging frame and mounted so as to rest frietionally upon a rolled web to control its unwinding speed, of a driver, and connect-ions between it and the belt for actuating the latter, and a weighted lever for moving said frame to hold the belt in contact with the rolled web, substantially as described.

8. In a web-controlling device, the combination, with a traveling belt mounted so as to rest frictionally upon a rolled web to control its unwinding speed, of a driver, and connections between it and the belt, substantially as described, to drive the belt or be driven thereby, substantially as described.

9. In a web-controlling device, the combination, with an endless traveling belt resting upon a rolled web, of a driver for moving said belt, and a clutch interposed between said belt and the driver, substantially as described.

10. The combination, with an endless traveling belt mounted so as to bear upon a rolled web, of a pulley for driving said belt, and a clutch interposed between said pulley or its shaft and the driver, substantially as described.

11. The combination, with an endless moving belt held continuously in contact with a rolled web, of a pulley for driving the belt and a friction-clutch for connecting said pulley with the shaft of the driver, constructed to operate by centrifugal force to unelutch said pulley according to the speed attained, sub stantially as described.

12. The combination,with the belt 20, hung in a moving frame so as to rest upon a rolled web, of a driving-pulley, as 30, driving-shaft 50, and a clutch interposed between said shaft and pulley, substantially as described.

13. The combination,with the belt 20, hung in a moving-frame, of a driving-pulley, as 30, driving-shaft 50, a clutch interposed between said shaft and pulley, and a weighted lever, as 11, for moving said swinging frame and holding the belt in contact with a rolled web, substantially as described.

14. The combination, with a friction-clutch consisting of pivoted swinging levers 32, carrying at one end a brake-shoe, 31, and having their opposite ends weighted, of a drivingpulley, as 30, the belt 20, hung in a moving frame and arranged to run in contact with a rolled web, and a driving-shaft, 50, substantiall y as described.

15. The combination, with a friction-clutch consisting of pivoted levers 32, each carrying a friction-shoe, 31, at one end and having their opposite ends weighted, and provided with tie-rods 35 and springs 36, of a driving pulley, 30, the belt 20, hung in a moving frame and arranged to run in contact with a rolled web, and a driving-shaft, 50, substan tially as described.

16. The combination, with a friction-clutch consisting of pivoted levers 32, each carrying a friction-shoe, 31, at one end and having their opposite ends weighted, and provided with tie-rods 35 and springs 36, and means for adjusting the power of said springs, of a driving-pulley, as 30, the belt 20, hung in a 1noving frame and arranged to run in contact with arolled web, and a driving-shaft, 50, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing wit nesses.

LUTHER C. OROWELL.

Witnesses:

T. H. PALMER, Gno. H. Grammar.

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