US3899948A

US3899948A - Adjustment arrangement for circular slitting knives

Info

Publication number: US3899948A
Application number: US459174A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hans Jakob
Original assignee: Maschinenfabrik Goebel GmbH
Current assignee: Maschinenfabrik Goebel GmbH
Priority date: 1973-04-06
Filing date: 1974-04-08
Publication date: 1975-08-19
Anticipated expiration: 1992-08-19
Also published as: BE813281A; JPS5027184A; DE2317215A1; GB1470824A; NL7404528A; FR2224256A1; FR2224256B3; CH559090A5; IT1011223B

Abstract

An arrangement for adjusting and aligning one of a set of upper and lower circular cutting blades on a rotatable shaft includes the provision of at least two sets of guide rings having spherical mating surfaces located between the blades and the shaft. One set of rings surrounds the shaft and the other set supports the blades. Sleeves at opposite ends of the other set of rings bear thereagainst and position the blades in place, the sleeves being movable toward one another so as to shift the blades by substantially the same amount along the shaft as the sets of rings shift along their mating spherical surfaces, to thereby assure uniform angularity between the upper and lower blades.

Description

United States Patent Jakob Aug. 19, 1975 ADJUSTMENT ARRANGEMENT FOR 2,006,106 6/1935 Markert 83/501 X 2,567,634 9/195] Bosshard 83/496 2,637,395 5/1953 Muller 83/504 [75] Inventor: Hans Jakob, Darmstadt-Eberstadt,

Germany [73] Assignee: Maschinenfabrik Goebel, GmbH,

Darmstadt, Germany [22] Filed: Apr. 8, 1974 [2]] Appl. No.: 459,174

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 6, 1973 Germany 23l72l5 [52] US. Cl. 83/497; 83/502; 83/665; 83/699 [Sl] lnt. Cl. 4. B26D l/24 [58] Field of Search 83/497, 496, 501, 502, 83/504, 664, 665, 675, 699

I 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS l 994 l37 3/l935 Leguillon 83/502 X Primary I;lraminerFrank T. Yost Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Watson, Cole, Grindle & Watson 5 7 ABSTRACT An arrangement for adjusting and aligning one of a set of upper and lower circular cutting blades on a rotatable shaft includes the provision of at least two sets of guide rings having spherical mating surfaces located between the blades and the shaft. One set of rings surrounds the shaft and the other set supports the blades. Sleeves at opposite ends of the other set of rings bear thereagainst and position the blades in place, the sleeves being movable toward one another so as to shift the blades by substantially the same amount along the shaft as the sets of rings shift along their mating spherical surfaces, to thereby assure uniform angularity between the upper and lower blades.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTED AUG-1 91975 n v B 1 ADJUSTMENT ARRANGEMENT FOR CIRCULAR SLITTING KNIVES This invention relates generally to an arrangement for the adjustment and alignment of circular slitting knives used in longitudinally cutting webs of paper, foil, and the like.

Heretofore, upper and lower circular and rotatable cutting blades have been provided in engagement with one another for longitudinally cutting webs or paper, foil, and the like. The web is thereby cut similarly as by means of scissors, into as many narrow strips as there are cooperating cutting blades spaced along the rotating blade shafts. In order to produce a neat cut such upper and lower blades must be disposed at an angle to one another of about to 3.

A German Pat. No. 197,007, dated Mar. 3l, I908, discloses a pair of spaced rotatable shafts along which are mounted a plurality of spaced and cooperating upper and lower cutting blades. The longitudinal axes of the shafts intersect at a slight angle so as to dispose the upper and lower blades thereon likewise at a slight angle to one another. The shaft axes are normally intersected at their centers, which correspond to the middle of the web that is to be cut into strips. Therefore, whenever several sets of upper and lower circular knives are provided on the shafts at a distance from the center intersection thereof, the knives are adjusted by different amounts in relation to one another as compared to the circular knives disposed at the intersection. The coverings normally provided for each pair of upper and lower knives must therefore be different, and the web cut along its center is of a better quality as compared to the cuts made by the knife pairs spaced therefrom. This problem becomes particularly more apparent whenever thin or sensitive webs are cut. Moreover, the cutting blade shafts must be shiftably mounted in guides which are expensive to manufacture and cumbersome to assemble and, whenever such guides are in the form of slots provided in portions of the cutting apparatus frame, the rigidity of such frame is thereby lessened.

The aforementioned German patent likewise discloses the mounting of each circular knife on a separate supporting bracket, such bracket having a sloping base surface in order to provide an inclination for the circular knife in relation to the longitudinal axis of the shaft on which it is supported. With such an approach, however, each circular cutting blade must be separately mounted which therefore requires additional space. Moreover, the cutting blades can only be disposed at relatively large distances apart, as a result of which the slitting of the web into narrow strips is made more difficult.

In accordance with another German Pat. No. 697,108, dated Sept. 5. I940, a circular cutting blade is spring-biassed against its counter knife cooperating therewith. Such a mounting for the cutting blade, however. requires additional space and does not permit the cutting of the narrow web strips.

Recognizing the drawbacks of the prior art as discussed above. it is an object of the present invention to provide a simple mounting for a plurality of circular cutting blades which are each aligned along a shaft closely adjacent one another for the purpose of cutting narrow strips from webs of paper. foil, and the like which may be of the thin or sensitive type. Each upper cutting blade can be adjusted in relation to its lower cutting blade cooperating therewith by the same adjusting angle, or at an angle which is nearly the same for all blades within limits sufficient for practical use.

A further object of this invention is to provide such an upper cutting blade arrangement whereby groups of such knives are supported along a rotatable shaft, multi-part guides having spherical mating surfaces being disposed between the shaft and the blades so that, upon a shifting movement of an outer set of these guides along the shaft axis, the blades are correspondingly shifted in equal amounts into the same angle as they bear against their lower cutting blades.

A further object of the invention is to provide such an arrangement of upper cutting blades wherein the guides are mounted on the shaft for rotation therewith. At least two sets of guides in the form of rings are provided, an outer set thereof having spherical surfaces of a smaller size as compared to the spherical mating surfaces of the inner set of rings.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide such an arrangement for upper cutting blades wherein sleeve members are provided at opposite ends of the outer set of rings, these sleeves being movable toward one another'to thereby shift the outer rings and the upper cutting blades a corresponding amount along the longitudinal axis of the upper blade shaft.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. I is a sectional view showing a portion of a web cutting apparatus including the features of the present invention, taken along line l] of FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view similar to FIG. I showing portions of the upper blades and several types of guide rings supporting the blades on the blade shaft; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view through one of the outer guide rings taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

Turning now to the drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, it should be noted that those elements of the web slitting apparatus not essential to the understanding of the invention are not illustrated for reasons of clarity. A lower cutting blade shaft I0 is rotatably mounted in a normal manner in the cutting apparatus frame, a plurality of lower cutting blades 11 being mounted thereon adjacent one another for either rotation with shaft 10 or for relative rotation thereto. Circular upper cutting blades 12 respectively cooperate with lower blades 11 as in the manner shown in FIG. 1. Therefore, a web I3 of paper, foil, or the like is cut into longitudinal strips 13a, 1311, I30, etc., as the web is moved between the cooperating upper and lower blades.

Upper cutting blades 12 are mounted adjacent one another along a blade shaft 14, which shaft is rotatably mounted within the frame of the web cutting apparatus for rotation by means of some suitable power means (not shown). Guide rings having spherical mating surfaces are disposed between shaft 14 and the upper cutting blades for the purpose of adjusting these upper blades into a uniform angular relationship with respect to the lower cutting blades. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 3,

these guides are in the form of rings having cylindrical inner peripheral surfaces corresponding to the outer cylindrical surface of shaft 14. The outer peripheral surfaces of each ring 15 are spherical for, mating engagement with like inner spherical surfaces of other rings 16 surrounding rings 15 and designed to be shifted along the axis of shaft 14 in relation thereto. Still other rings 17 having cylindrical inner and outer peripheral surfaces surround each ring 16, as most clearly shown in FIG. 3. A pair of the circular upper cutting blades is supported by each ring 17 by means of annular blade support rings 18. Blades 12 are each mounted on rings 18 in a conventional manner as by clips 19. Each of the upper blades may be supported by

rings

15, 16 and 17 in a similar manner, although only four of such blades are shown supported in such manner in FIG. 1.

An alternate embodiment of cooperating guide rings is shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 located along shaft 14. Here. rings 21 having spherical inner peripheral surfaces surround their respective rings 15, and directly support a pair of support rings 18 of the upper cutting blades. The outer peripheral surfaces of each ring 21 is, of course, cylindrical to match the inner cylindrical surfaces of support rings 18.

In accordance with yet another alternative embodiment of the guide rings, rings 22 having inner cylindrical surfaces surround shaft 14. These rings are identical to rings 15 in that they also have outer spherical surfaces, except that rings 22 are shorter in length as compared to rings 15. An annular disc 23 having an inner spherical surface surrounds each ring 22 and directly supports an upper cutting blade as clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

Pins

24, 25, and 26 are provided for the purpose of mounting the guide rings and discs onto shaft 14 for rotation therewith. Each pin extends into a longitudinal groove 27 provided along the length of shaft 14. Openings 28 corresponding to the size and shape of

pins

24, 25 and 26 extend through

rings

15 and 22. Openings 29 elongated in a longitudinal direction of shaft 14 extend through discs 16 as in the manner clearly shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Slots 31 of similar elongated shape are provided in rings 17 and 21 as well as in disc 23. Pin 28 extends through aligned

openings

28, 29 and into slot 31, pin 25 extends through aligned opening 28 and slot 31 for the other alternative embodiments using rings 21 and discs 23. Accordingly, rings 16 and 17 may be shifted in an axial direction of shaft 14 as the mating spherical surfaces between

rings

15 and 16 shift relative to one another. Also, rings 21 and discs 23 are likewise shifted as their mating spherical surfaces shift relative to their

respective rings

15 and 22.

To effect such axial movement of these outer rings and discs, for the purpose of aligning or adjusting upper cutting blades 12 in relation to lower cutting blades 11, a cylindrical cross-beam 32 is mounted in place on the frame of the web slitting apparatus. An arm plate 33 embraces beam 32 and is mounted in place by means of bolt 34.

Cover plates

35 and 36 are mounted at the upper and lower ends of arm 33 as in the manner shown in FIG. 2. The plates are provided with

bores

37 and 38 for the reception of

studs

38 and 41. These studs are integrally connected with a bushing 42 having a central opening 43 therein of slightly greater size than the diameter of shaft 14. Coil springs 44 and 45 are located within

bores

46 and 47 provided within plate 33 and bear against bushing 42as shown in FIG.

I. Set screws

48 and 49 are located within

bores

46 and 47 for adjusting the tension in

coil springs

44 and 45.

A sleeve 51 surrounds shaft 14 and has a central opening 52 of slightly greater diameter than that of the shaft. This sleeve is connected to bushing 42 for relative rotation therewith by means ofa roller bearing unit 53. As seen in FIG. 1, this sleeve bears against adjacent support ring 18 and ring 21, a similar sleeve 54 bearing against rings 18 and 17 at the opposite end of the plurality of support rings and guide rings likewise being provided. This sleeve is connected to a bushing 55 by means of a roller bearing unit 53 for rotation with respect thereto, in an identical manner as that described for sleeve 51 and bushing 42. An arm plate 56 identical to plate 33 is mounted on beam 32 in a similar manner as by means of a bolt 57. Set screws 58 and 59 threadedly engage within suitably provided openings in arm 56 and bear against bushing 55. These screws therefore provide adjustable stops for bushing 55 abutting against support rings 18 and the outer guide rings for shifting same relative to rings 15 against the bias of

coil springs

44 and 45.

Therefore, sleeve 54 may be moved axially along shaft 14 together with sleeve 51 as

screws

58 and 59 are adjusted within their respective bores. Support rings 18 and the

outer guide'rings

21, 23 and 16, 17 are therefore shifted along shaft 14 in an amount equal to the axial movement of the sleeves. The outer rings shift at the mating spherical surfaces between them and the inner guide rings. The upper cutting blades are therefore likewise shifted in relation to the lower blades each by the same amount so that the slope of each upper cutting blade on shaft 14 is uniform throughout.

From the foregoing it can be seen that a simple and economical yet highly effective cutting blade arrangement is provided wherein the upper blades are adjustable with respect to their cooperating lower blades in equal amounts so that uniformity of the slope of the upper cutting blades is assured. The same quality cut is therefore maintained for each slit along the web. Opposing

screws

58, 59 and 48, 49 can be adjusted relative to one another depending on the particular material of the web to be cut. Moreover, adjustment of the upper cutting blades relative to the lower ones can be reset during operation of the web slitting apparatus.

Since

blade shafts

10 and 14 need not be shiftably mounted in the apparatus, production cost of the web slitting apparatus may be decreased when utilizing the present invention. Moreover, the lateral walls of the apparatus are not weakened by slits, guides or other mountings for the blade shafts, thereby increasing the rigidity of the machine and effecting a quieter running machine and a better quality of the cuts.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the invention are made possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. In a web slitting apparatus, an arrangement for the uniform angular adjustment of upper circular cutting blades against their respective lower cutting blades cooperating therewith,.for longitudinally cutting webs of paper. foil. and the like, including a rotatable shaft along which a plurality of said upper blades are disposed adjacent one another, first rings surrounding said shaft, second rings surrounding respective ones of said first rings and supporting said upper blades, the outer peripheral surfaces of said first rings and the inner peripheral surfaces of said second rings defining mating spherical surfaces, sleeves surrounding said shaft respectively bearing against opposite ends of said second rings, and means for moving said sleeve along said shaft a predetermined amount, whereby each of said upper blades is likewise moved with respect to said shaft by substantially the same amount as said second rings shift relative to said first rings along said mating spherical surfaces thereof, to thereby uniformly adjust the angularity of said upper blades bearing against their cooperating lower blades.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1 wherein said rings are each mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith.

3. The arrangement according to claim 1, further including third rings surrounding said second rings, said gitudinal axis of said shaft.

Claims

1. In a web slitting apparatus, an arrangement for the uniform angular adjustment of upper circular cutting blades against their respective lower cutting blades cooperating therewith, for longitudinally cutting webs of paper, foil, and the like, including a rotatable shaft along which a plurality of said upper blades are disposed adjacent one another, first rings surrounding said shaft, second rings surrounding respective ones of said first rings and supporting said upper blades, the outer peripheral surfaces of said first rings and the inner peripheral surfaces of said second rings defining mating spherical surfaces, sleeves surrounding said shaft respectively bearing against opposite ends of said second rings, and means for moving said sleeve along said shaft a predetermined amount, whereby each of said upper blades is likewise moved with respect to said shaft by substantially the same amount as said second rings shift relative to said first rings along said mating spherical surfaces thereof, to thereby uniformly adjust the angularity of said upper blades bearing against their cooperating lower blades.

3. The arrangement according to claim 1, further including third rings surrounding said second rings, said second rings having circular outer peripheral surfaces, and said third rings having circular outer and inner peripheral surfaces, said third ring inner surfaces mating with said second ring outer surfaces.

4. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said inner peripheral surfaces of said second rings are smaller in size as compared to the outer peripheral surfaces of said first rings.

5. The arrangements according to claim 1 wherein said moving means include adjustment screws bearing against one of said sleeves and lying parallel to the longitudinal axis of said shaft.