US3727909A

US3727909A - Device for the tilting of the folding blade of a folding-blade cylinder

Info

Publication number: US3727909A
Application number: US00083435A
Authority: US
Inventors: H Greiner; K Langer
Original assignee: Roland Offsetmaschinenfabrik Faber and Schleicher AG
Current assignee: Roland Offsetmaschinenfabrik Faber and Schleicher AG
Priority date: 1969-11-04
Filing date: 1970-10-23
Publication date: 1973-04-17
Anticipated expiration: 1990-04-17
Also published as: DE1955351C3; DE1955351A1; DE1955351B2

Abstract

Folding cylinders for handling the product of a printing press or the like in which a tucker blade in one of the cylinders engages the web, or associated webs, for tucking into an opposedly phased jaw or groove in the other cylinder, the blade being mounted in the blade cylinder for timed rocking movement about an axis which lies approximately on, or somewhat outside of, the rolling circle so that the blade, and particularly the edge thereof, moves into the jaw cylinder in a direction radially of the jaw cylinder. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the blade is guided in its rocking movement along arcuate track of slightly non-circular or oval contour so that the center of rocking movement is constantly varied in accordance with the angle of rocking, shifting outwardly of the rolling circle as the blade is rocked from neutral position.

Description

tlnited States Patent 91 Greiner et al.

[In amt-9w [451 Apr. 17, 1973 [5 1 DEVICE FOR THE TILTHNG 0E "rm FOLDING BLADE OF A FOLDING- BLADE (:YLINDER [75] Inventors: Harry M. Greiner, Offenbach; Karl Langer, Heusentamm, both of Germany [73] Assignee: Roland Offsetmaschinenfabrik Faber & Schleicher AG, Offenbach am Main, Germany [22] Filed: Oct. 23, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 83,435

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Nov. 4, 1969 Germany ..P 19 55 351.6

[52] US. Cl ..270/71 [51] Int. Cl. ..B6Sh 45/16 [58] Field of Search ..270/7072, 74-77, 73

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,124,349 3/1964 Huffman ..270/73 1,870,544 8/1932 Wood ..270/72 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 984,334 2/1965 Great Britain ..270/70 Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell Assistant ExaminerA. Heinz Attorney-Wolfe, Hubbard, Leydig, Voit & Osann, Ltd.

[ ABSTRACT Folding cylinders for handling the product of a printing press or the like in which a tucker blade in one of the cylinders engages the web, or associated webs, for tucking into an opposedly phased jaw or groove in the other cylinder, the blade being mounted in the blade cylinder for timed rocking movement about an axis which lies approximately on, or somewhat outside of, the rolling circle so that the blade, and particularly the edge thereof, moves into the jaw cylinder in a direction radially of the jaw cylinder. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the blade is guided in its rocking movement along arcuate track of slightly noncircular or oval contour so that the center of rocking movement is constantly varied in accordance with the angle of rocking, shifting outwardly of the rolling circle as the blade is rocked from neutral position.

6 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTEUAPR 1 11m v sum 1 [1F 2 In vsu'rons HARRY M. Gee/-52 10am. LANGER PATENTED APR 1 71973 SHEET 2 [1F 2 INVENTDRS HARRY M. Gee/-51? KARI. LANGER I o%ZIM WNW Ari-vs.

DEVICE FOR THE TILTING OF THE FOLDING BLADE OF A FOLDING-BLADE CYLINDER In the tucking of a web into a jaw cylinder to form a fold it is desirable for the blade to travel at the speed of the jaw and to move into and out of the jaw with substantially pure radial movement. Where a blade is fixedly mounted on the blade cylinder and extends beyond the rolling circle, the tip of the blade will necessarily rotate at a peripheral speed which is greater than the speed of the jaw at the rolling circle. This produces relative lateral movement of the blade with respect to the jaw during the tucking operation which tends to tear the web, particularly when operating at high speed.

To alleviate this situation and to tend to cause the tip of the blade to move at a speed which is more nearly matched to the speed of the jaw, it has been proposed, for example, in Loase US. Pat. No. 2,819,068 which issued on Jan. 7, 1958, to mount the tucker blade on a beam which extends endwise in the tucker blade cylinder and which is provided with aligned stubshafts or trunnions, at its ends which are fitted into suitable bearings in the cylinder end plates. Linkage is disclosed in such patent for cyclically rocking the beam so that the edge of the blade tends to be relatively slowed to more nearly match the peripheral velocity of the jaw cylinder during the tucking operation. Unfortunately the mechanism disclosed in such patent has certain inherent drawbacks from a mechanical point of view. Even more importantly the motion of the blade is not optimum. Since the rocking axis of the blade is spaced inside the periphery of the rolling circle it is impossible for the blade to be inserted into the jaw cylinder with pure radial motion.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide a tucker blade mounting arrangement which provides for timed rocking of the tucker blade, not about an axis which lies inside of the blade cylinder, but rather about an axis which lies at, or outside of, the rolling circle. It is a general object of the present invention to provide a tucker blade mount which enables the body of the blade, as well as the leading edge thereof, to move into the jaw cylinder along a radial path, substantially avoiding relative lateral movement of the blade during the tucking operation and avoiding any tendency to tear the web or webs incident to tucking even when operated at extremely high delivery speed.

It is an object of the invention in its preferred form to provide a rocking mount for a tucker blade in which the axis of rocking shifts within the blade outside of the rolling circle during the course of rocking movement. It is a general object to provide a mounting for a tucker blade which is capable of precise operation at a high cyclic rate but which is nevertheless extremely durable and long-lived, requiring a minimum of care or main.- tenance.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the attached detail description and upon reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. I is a diagramatic end view of a folder consisting of blade and jaw cylinders and in which the blade mounting and guiding means incorporates the present invention, looking along the line ll in FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 shows the near end only of the blade cylinder and looking along the line 22 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view looking along the line 3--3 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary edgewise view taken along the line 44 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4a is a fragment based on FIG. 1 and showing the web being tucked into the jaw cylinder.

FIGS. Sa-Se are a set of stop motion views showing the blade about to enter the jaw cylinder and successive positions occupied by the blade until it reaches the point of exit.

While the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that we do not intend to be limited to the particular embodiment shown but intend on the contrary to cover the various alternative and equivalent constructions included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawings, the folder includes a tucker blade cylinder 10 of hollow or open construction, having a central shaft 11, cooperating with a jaw cylinder 12 having a shaft 13. An appropriate drive is provided for rotating the shafts 1 l, 13 in timed relation with one another to produce a speed, at the periphery or rolling circle, equal to the lineal speed of a web 15, or group of associated webs, fed from a printing press. As the web 15 moves between the cylinders it is engaged by a tucker blade 20 on the cylinder 10 which causes the web to be forced into a groove or jaw 21 in the jaw cylinder, which groove or jaw is defined by a shoulder 22 on one side and by a series of grippers 23, only one of which is shown, on the other. The grippers are, as is conventional, mounted upon a longitudinally extending shaft 24 which undergoes rocking movement (by means not shown) for timed gripping and release of the folded product.

The blade 20 is received in the right edge of a beam 30 which extends within, and longitudinally of, the blade cylinder and which has an axially projecting end portion 31. For the purpose of rocking the beam about a longitudinally extending axis, the beam is pinned at 32 to a link 33 having a connection 34 with a crank arm 35 which is fixedly mounted with respect to a longitudinally extending shaft 36. The shaft is mounted for rocking movement in suitable bearings (not shown) in the blade cylinder. At the end of the shaft 36 is a crank arm 37, also fixed to the shaft, which has a cam follower roller 38. The roller engages the periphery of a cam $0, the profile of which is shown in FIG. 1, and which is not rotatable with the blade cylinder but which is fixed adjacent the cylinder to the frame plate 14 by any suitable means, for example, an annular spacer member 41. A spring 42 which is preferably but not necessarily connected to the pin 32 in the beam removes any lost motion in the linkage and maintains the cam follower roller seated, or bottomed, on the cam 40. It will be seen, then, that as the cylinder rotates the cam follower roller 38, following the profile of the cam 40, will impart rocking movement to shaft 36 which via crank 35 and link 33, will produce cyclical rocking of the beam 30 and the blade 20 which is mounted on it. It will be understood that an identical crank 35 and link 33 are provided at the opposite end of the beam 30 so that the beam will be equally driven,

outer periphery, of the blade cylinder 10. More particularly in accordance with the invention the beam 30 is mounted for movement in an arcuate track the center of which lies at or outside of the rolling circle of the blade cylinder. Thus, referring to the drawings, a guide member 50 is provided having mounting surfaces 51 and an axially presented surface 52, the latter being formed with an arcuate track or groove 53. Mounted on the axial projection 31 at the end of the beam and snuggly fitted in the arcuate groove 53 are a pair of rollers S4, 55 which are laterally spaced from one another to occupy spaced positions in the groove. The rollers,

acting together, act as a track follower. To position the beam endwise, the guide member 50 is formed with an axially facing edge 56 which engages the side of an auxiliary roller 57 which is mounted on the portion 31 of the beam. For supporting the guide member 50 a bracket or supporting plate 60 is used having a mounting portion in the form of a collar 61 which is secured by a pin 62 to the shaft 11. At its outer edge the bracket plate 60 is tapped to receive screws 63 which serve to clamp the guide member in its operating position. Preferably a similar guide member 50 having a matching arcuate groove 53 and

mating rollers

54, 55 and a similar bracket plate 60 are provided, in mirror image, at the opposite end of the beam 30 so that the beam is supported to equal degree at both of its ends. It will be apparent that when service is required the screws 63 may be unscrewed permitting the entire beam assembly to be lifted out of the blade cylinder in the radial direction.

In accordance with one of the more detailed aspects of the present invention the arcuate track or groove 53 in the guide member is not perfectly circular but is of reduced curvature at the ends and thus slightly of oval shape. Specifically the track has a curvature over its central portion which is in the blade, and centered at the rolling circle, but has a curvature at its ends which is centered in the extended portion of the blade at an axis which is spaced outwardly from the rolling circle. Thus, as the beam rocks backwardly and forwardly on its rollers in the arcuate groove 53, the center of rocking movement constantly shifts: When the beam is rocked to its extreme upper position the radius of curvature is maximum and the center of movement lies in the blade beyond the rolling circle. Then, as the beam rocks downwardly, toward its neutral position, the radius of curvature progressively decreases, with the center of curvature progressively shifting radially inward. By the time that the beam is in its neutral position, the center of rocking movement is at the rolling circle. The use of a pair of spaced

rollers

54, 55 snuggly fitted in the track or groove 53 insures that a good fit will be preserved in all positions of the beam and notwithstanding the change in the curvature of the groove.

The functions of the track will be made clear upon considering the rocking movement of the beam and 'blade in a typical tucking cycle as set forth in a series of with respect to the neutral plane which is indicated at 70. Under such conditions, because of the particular oval contour of the track, the radius of curvature of the track from its center line 71 has a value R1 and the center of curvature, C1, lies in the blade in the region of its tip, that is, at a point spaced radially outward from the rolling circle 72. It will be seen that under such conditions the blade is radially oriented with respect to the jaw cylinder for radial edgewise reception into the jaw opening 21.

Upon continued movement of the cylinders the beam is rocked incrementally downward so that the blade occupies an angle b to the neutral plane as shown in FIG. 5b, with the blade moving approximately half its total depth into the jaw cylinder. As the result of the rocking movement between FIGS. 5a and Sb the effective radius of curvature changes to a value R2 and the center of curvature, lying in the blade, moves to a new center indicated at C2. It is to be noted that the orientation of the blade with respect to the jaw remains unchanged during this movement, with the blade continuing to enter the jaw along a perfectly radial path.

Upon still further movement of the cylinders, accompanied by rocking of the beam and blade to neutral position, the blade becomes fully inserted and the beam moves into the central region of the arcuate groove. Here the radius of curvature, indicated at R3, is a minimum being centered in the blade at point C3 which lies on the rolling circle.

As the cylinders rotate still further into the position shown in FIG. 5d, the blade begins to retract and the radius of curvature is again increased to an amount indicated at R4 having a center C4. Finally the point is reached where the tip of the blade clears the jaw 21 as indicated at FIG. 5e, with the beam being angled downwardly, and the knife angled upwardly, to maximum degree. This corresponds to the condition of curvature R5 centered at point C5.

The amount and rate of rocking movement during retraction of the blade may be equal, in mirror image, to that during insertion of the blade so that the blade may be retracted perfectly radially with respect to the jaw cylinder along a symmetrically cycloidal path and with the same radial orientation as during insertion. However it will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that it is the maintenance of radial position during insertion which is the important thing; thus retraction need not be a mirror image ofinsertion.

It may be noted as one of the features of the invention in its preferred aspect that the center of rocking movement of the blade not only shifts within the blade during the course of insertion but that the center of rocking of the blade tends to follow the periphery, or rolling circle, of the jaw cylinder. Thus it will be noted that the centers of curvature C1, C2 and C3 all lie at, or adjacent to, the periphery 73 of the jaw cylinder. Since the blade, during the tucking operation, maintains a radial orientation centered with respect to the jaw, the blade necessarily maintains a velocity equal to the peripheral velocity of the jaw. Other than the radial tucking motion, there is no relative movement of the blade in the jaw, that is, movement in line with the run of the web, so that excess stressing of the web, with resultant tearing, is avoided.

Because of the roller-and-groove connections at the end of the beam and since the curvature of the arcuate guide does not change to any great degree, the beam rocks smoothly between its extreme positions. The weight of the beam may, of course, be compensated by counterweighting and the cylinder may be statically and dynamically balanced with the beam in its neutral position. Considering the fact that the range of move ment of the beam is limited, balance is largely maintained during the operating cycle so that the cylinders may operate rapidly without harmful vibration. Because of the simplicity of the beam mounting and the linkage which rocks the beam, the structure is inherently strong and durable, as well as economical to construct and maintain, permitting operation for long periods of time at minimum cost and with minimum care or attention. While the invention in its preferred form employs variation in the curvature of the track it will be understood that the invention broadly includes the provision of guide means for the beam which produces rocking of the blade about a center passing through the blade at a point which is at or adjacent to the rolling circle of the blade cylinder; therefore, a track of constant radius may be employed with a unitary track follower, if desired, without departing from the invention. Also, while the track'53 is stationary and the

rollers

54, 55 are mounted on the beam, it will be apparent that this is not essential to practicing the invention and that the track may be formed on the beam engaged by a pair of rollers which are relatively stationary. In either event it will be understood that the length of the track shall be sufficient to accomodate the desired angle of rocking. Also, if desired, the amplitude of rocking movement of the beam may be somewhat less than that shown in FIGS. 5a 5e provided that the leading edge of the blade enters along a radial path. What we claim is:

1. In a folding mechanism for folding a web including a frame, a tucker blade cylinder having a, generally radially extended tucker blade and a cooperating jaw cylinder having a receiving jaw, means for rotating the cylinders in the frame in phase so that the 'blade cyclically tucks the web into the jaw and then retracts from the jaw during successive rotations of the cylinders, a beam extending within the cylinder for mounting the blade, guide means for guiding the beam and blade thereon for rocking movement with respect to the blade cylinder to change the angle of the blade, said guide means including an arcuate track and track follower, the arcuate track having a central portion and terminating in end portions and approximately centered on an axis passing through the blade adjacent the rolling circle of the blade cylinder, a cam stationarily mounted with respect to the frame and arranged coaxially with the blade cylinder, and linkage means coupled to the beam and including a cam follower riding on the cam for cyclically rocking the beam so that the blade enters the jaw substantially radially with respect to the latter and at a peripheral speed which is substantially equal to the peripheral speed of the jaw thereby to minimize stressing of the web.

2. The combination as claimed in claim 1 in which the guide track is fixed with respect to the blade cylinder and in which the track follower is secured to the end of the beam.

3. The combination as claimed in claim 2 in which the track follower is in the form of a pair of rollers projecting axially from the beam and spaced to occupy spaced positions in the track.

4. The combination as claimed in claim 1 in which the central portion of the arcuate track has a radius of curvature centered in the blade at the rolling circle of the blade cylinder and in which the end portions of the arcuate track have a center of curvature centered in the extended portion of the blade.

5. The combination as claiMed in claim l in which the track is of oval configuration having a greater radius of curvature at the ends than at the center.

6. In a folding mechanism for folding a web including a tucker blade cylinder having a generally radially extending tucker blade and a cooperating jaw cylinder having a receiving jaw, means for rotating the cylinders in phase so that the blade tucks the web into the jaw and then retracts during successive rotations of the cylinders, the tucker blade cylinder being of hollow construction and having a radially extending supporting member at each end, guide members secured to the supporting members, said guide members having a pair of mutually inwardly facing arcuate tracks, a rocking beam extending longitudinally between the guide members and totally contained within the cylinder for mounting the blade in extended position, the beam having a pair of axially oriented rollers at each end spaced from one another to occupy spaced positions in the respective tracks, a stationary cam mounted adjacent an end of the blade cylinder, a cam follower mounted on the cylinder for engaging the cam, and linkage interposed between the cam follower and the beam so that the beam is rocked back and forth in the arcuate tracks as the cylinders revolve, the arcuate tracks being so formed that the movement of the blade is centered about an axis which lies within the blade in the region of the rolling circle of the blade cylinder.

Claims

1. In a folding mechanism for folding a web including a frame, a tucker blade cylinder having a generally radially extended tucker blade and a cooperating jaw cylinder having a receiving jaw, means for rotating the cylinders in the frame in phase so that the blade cyclically tucks the web into the jaw and then retracts from the jaw during successive rotations of the cylinders, a beam extending within the cylinder for mounting the blade, guide means for guiding the beam and blade thereon for rocking movement with respect to the blade cylinder to change the angle of the blade, said guide means including an arcuate track and track follower, the arcuate track having a central portion and terminating in end portions and approximately centered on an axis passing through the blade adjacent the rolling circle of the blade cylinder, a cam stationarily mounted with respect to the frame and arranged coaxially with the blade cylinder, and linkage means coupled to the beam and including a cam follower riding on the cam for cyclically rocking the beam so that the blade enters the jaw substantially radially with respect to the latter and at a peripheral speed which is substantially equal to the peripheral speed of the jaw thereby to minimize stressing of the web.

5. The combination as claimed in claim 1 in which the track is of oval configuration having a greater radius of curvature at the ends than at the center.