US3928939A

US3928939A - Method of wrapping elongate cylindrical objects

Info

Publication number: US3928939A
Application number: US518995A
Authority: US
Inventors: John M Edwards; James D Wright
Original assignee: John Edwards and Associates Inc
Current assignee: John Edwards and Associates Inc
Priority date: 1973-05-14
Filing date: 1974-10-29
Publication date: 1975-12-30
Anticipated expiration: 1992-12-30

Abstract

The cylindrical object is covered with a strip of sheet material having a width less than the length of the object and is applied by rotating the object while feeding the sheet material at a right angle to the rotational axis of the object to provide convolute windings around opposite end portions of the object and guiding the sheet material in angular relationship to the rotational axis of the object to provide spiral windings around the medial portion of the object. A pair of rolls support and rotate the object while the sheet material is fed from a carriage which moves along a path of travel parallel to the drive rolls and the angular position of the carriage is varied to thereby change the relationship between the rotational axis of the supply roll and the rotational axis of the object so as to permit both convolute and spiral windings to be applied to the object.

Description

United States Edwards et al.

atent 1 51 Dec. 30, 1975 METHOD OF WRAPPING ELONGATE CYLINDRICAL OBJECTS [73] Assignee: John Edwards & Associates, Inc., Charlotte, N.C.

221 Filed: On. 29, 1974 21 Appl.No.:5118,995

Related US. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 360,156, May 14, 1973, Pat. No.

1/1974 Sato 93/80 12/1974 Klebanoff, Jr. 53/32 X Primary ExaminerTravis S. McGehee Assistant Examiner-John Sipos Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Parrott, Bell, Seltzer, Park & Gibson [57] ABSTRACT The cylindrical object is covered with a strip of sheet material having a width less than the length of the object and is applied by rotating the object while feeding the sheet material at a right angle to the rotational axis of the object to provide convolute windings around opposite end portions of the object and guiding the sheet material in angular relationship to the rotational axis of the object to provide spiral windings around the medial portion of the object. A pair of rolls support and rotate the object while the sheet material is fed from a carriage which moves along a path of travel parallel to the drive rolls and the angular position of the carriage is varied to thereby change the relationship between the rotational axis of the supply roll and the rotational axis of the object so as to permit both convolute and spiral windings to be applied to the ob- 7 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures 52 us. Cl 53/32; 93/80 [51] Int. Cl. B65B 11/04 [58] Field of Search 53/32, 33, 210, 211;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,716,315 8/1955 Jacoby 93/80 X 2,878,628 3/1959 Curry 53/30 S 3,191,289 6/1965 Fleischer 93/80 X 3,412,524 11/1968 Nestell 53/212 ject. 3,549,077 12/1970 Huck 93/80 X 3,708,132 1/1973 Lang 242/723 US. Patent Dec. 30, 1975 Sheet 1 of3 3,928,939

US. Patent Dec. 30, 1975 Sheet20f3 3,928,939

US. Patent Dec. 30, 1975 Sheet3of3 3,928,939

METHOD OF WRAPPING ELONGATE CYLINDRICAL OBJECTS This is a division of application Ser. No. 360,156,

filed May 14, 1973 now US. Pat. No. 3,863,425.

This invention relates generally to a method of wrapping elongate objects and more particularly to the application of both convolute and spiral wrappings to cylindrical objects with elongate sheet material having 1 a width less than the length of the object.

Most elongate objects, such as rolls of carpet, woven and knitted fabricand the like are presently covered with convolute windings of paper or with a single covering of thermoplastic film which encloses the object and is heat sealed along one side and at opposite ends. Apparatus for covering elongate objects which is presently available uses a particular width of paper or film in covering elongate objects of a particular diameter and length. Thus, a different width of paper or film must be used for each different length of cylindrical object to be covered.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of wrapping cylindrical objects which permits the use of a strip of sheet material of a particular width in wrapping a large range of different size cylindrical objects having various diameters and lengths.

In accordance with the present invention, elongate sheet material having a width less than the length of the object is fed to the rotating object to form convolute windings around opposite end portions and to form spiral windings around the medial portion of the object. A pair of spaced apart rolls support and rotate the object while the sheet material is withdrawn from a supply roll supported on a carriage which is moved along a path of travel parallel to the cylindrical object. The angular position of the carriage and the supply roll is controlled to vary the angular relationship between the rotational axis of the supply roll and the rotational axis of the object being covered so that convolute windings and spiral windings may be selectively applied to the object being wrapped. The sheet material preferably used is in the form of a heat shrinkable and heat settable film so that the wrapped cylindrical object may be moved into a heat tunnel and the wrapping material will shrink into tight engagement with the object and the overlapping portions of the windings are heat sealed together to form a package completely enclosing and protecting the cylindrical object from moisture, dirt and the like. The completed package provides adequate protection of the cylindrical object during handling, shipping, storage and the like.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the wrapping apparatus and illustrating a portion of a heat shrinking and sealing tunnel positioned at one end of the wrapping apparatus for receiving the covered cylindrical object;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary end elevational view looking at the right-hand end of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 2 and with the supply roll carriage being positioned at a right angle to the cylindrical object;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the supply roll carriage and the drive rolls for the cylindrical object and illustrating the sheet material being fed to and wound on the cylindrical object;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view, with parts broken away, of the supply roll carriage and illustrating the support plate therefore;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view taken substantially along the line 66 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 7-7 in FIG. 6; 0

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along the line 88 in FIG. 2 and with the cylindrical object being removed;

FIGS. 9-11 are schematic plan views illustrating the movement of the carriage during the successive steps carried out in wrapping a cylindrical object;

FIG. 12 is another schematic view illustrating the movement of the carriage when providing a double spiral wrap on the medial portion of the cylindrical object;

FIG. 13 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 13-13 in FIG. 8; and

FIG. 14 is another schematic view illustrating the manner in which opposite side portions of the sheet material may be heated to shrink the same and prevent accumulation of excess sheet material when beginning and completing the spiral wrapping of the medial portion of the cylindrical object.

The apparatus used in carrying out the method of the present invention is particularly adapted for covering various types of elongate cylindrical objects and may utilize any type of elongate sheet material having a width less than the length of the object to be wrapped. The present apparatus will be described for use in wrapping rolls of textile material, such as carpet, knit and woven fabrics and the elongate sheet material is preferably of the heat shrinkable and heat settable type of thermoplastic film.

The apparatus includes an elongate A-frame, broadly indicated at 10, which is preferably supported on rollers 11 for ease of mobility. As illustrated in FIG. 8, the frame 10 is formed of

end frame members

12 and 13 and intermediate frame members 14 spaced therebetween. An upper longitudinal frame member 15 extends from one end frame to the other (FIGS. 4, 8 and 13) and supports the upper ends of the intermediate frames 14. End bearing blocks 16, 17 (FIG. 8) are fixed on the

end frames

12, 13 and rotatably support opposite ends of a pair of

drive rolls

18, 19. As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4-, the distance between the rolls 18, I9 is less than the diameter of the cylindrical object 20 to be wrapped so that the object is supported between and on the rolls l8, 19.

Means is provided for driving at least one of the

rolls

18, 19 to impart rotation to object 20 while it is supported on the rolls and includes a variable speed electric drive motor 21 (FIG. 13) which is drivingly connected by a drive belt 22 to a first jack shaft 23. A drive belt 24 imparts rotation from the jack shaft 23 to a second jack shaft 25.

Drive belts

26 and 27 impart rotation from the jack shafts 23, 25 to the rolls l8, l9. Conveyor means is supported between the pair of

rolls

18, 19 and includes a longitudinally extending channel frame 30 rotatably supporting a plurality of spaced apart conveyor rollers 31.

Means is provided for moving the conveyor rollers 31 between a raised or operative position, as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 4, where the cylindrical object 20 is maintained out of engagement with the drive rolls l8,

19 so that the cylindrical object may be moved in a longitudinal direction, and a lowered inoperative position, as shown in solid lines in FIG. 4, where the cylindrical object is supported between and on the pair of

rolls

18, 19. The conveyor raising and lowering means includes spaced apart air cylinders 32 (FIG. 8) which are supported on the longitudinal frame member and have upwardly extending piston rods 32a which are fixed at their upper ends to the channel frame 30. Air supply lines are connected at one end to each of the air cylinders 32 and their other ends are connected to a main air supply manifold 33 (FIG. 1) which enters one end of the end frame 12 and extends along the length of the frame 10. Air under pressure is supplied to the manifold 33 through an air supply line 34 extending from any suitable source of air pressure, not shown.

When the conveyor rollers 31 are raised to the dotted line position shown in FIG. 4, the cylindrical object may be moved longitudinally into the proper position between and spaced above the

rolls

18, 19. The conveyor rollers 31 are then lowered so that the cylindrical object is supported between and on the rolls l8, 19. After the wrapping operation is completed, the conveyor rollers 31 may be again raised and the covered cylindrical object can then be easily moved longitudinally above the rolls l8, l9 and into a conventional type of heat tunnel, indicated at in FIG. 1. There are any number of different types of heat tunnels which may be employed for supplying sufficient heat to shrink the wrapping and to seal the overlapping portion of the wrapping together so as to form a tight package completely enclosing the cylindrical object. The heat tunnel 40 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a conveyor 41 which moves the object into and through the heat tunnel 40.

Carriage means is provided for supporting a supply roll 42 of elongate sheet material. This sheet material is preferably in the form of a thermoplastic film, indicated at F. It has been found that a film which is 30 inches wide will satisfactorily cover most lengths and diameters of rolled material. The carriage means includes a pivot plate 45 which is pivoted intermediate its ends by a pivot pin 46 and is supported for pivotal swinging movement on a semicircular support plate 47 (FIG. 5). Upstanding end walls 50, 51 are provided at opposite ends of the pivot plate 45 and rotatably support a pair of rubber covered rolls 52, 53 which rotatably support the film supply roll 42. Adjustable spacer collars 54, 55 (FIG. 2) are fixed on the rubber covered roll 52 and maintain the supply roll 42 in the proper position.

The film F is guided from the supply roll 42 and passes between a pair of nip rolls 56, 57 (FIG. 4) which are rotatably supported at opposite ends in the end walls 50, 51. An electromagnetic brake 60 is provided on the end of the upper nip roll 56 (FIG. 5) so that the amount of pressure required to withdraw the film from the supply roll 42' may be varied and to thereby wrap the film about the object with the desired degree of tension. A suitable control is provided on a control panel 61 for varying the amount of braking action applied by the electromagnetic clutch 60.

Film cutting means in the form of a heated electrical resistance wire 63 is supported at opposite ends in

support arms

64, 65 which are attached at their lower ends to a control shaft 66 (FIG. 4). The control shaft 66 is supported for oscillation in bearings on the end plates 50, 51 and the upper end of a control arm 70 is fixed to a medial portion thereof. The end of the piston rod of a pneumatic cylinder 72 is connected to the lower end of the control arm 70 and the operation of the cylinder 72 is controlled by a suitable control on the control panel 61. A U-shaped channel 74 (FIG. 4) is supported beneath the film F so that when the heated electrical resistance wire 63 is lowered, the wire will pass through and sever the film F.

Drive means is provided for moving the carriage along a path of travel parallel to the pair of

rolls

18, 19 and includes pairs of spaced apart bearings 75, 76 (FIGS. 3 and 4) which are fixed to the lower surface of the support plate 47 and ride on spaced apart tracks in the form of

rods

77, 78. The

track rods

77, 78 are supported in spaced relationship on support brackets 80 which are in turn fixed on

channel members

81, 82. A reversible and variable speed electric drive motor 83 is supported between the

track rods

77, 78 and includes a drive sprocket 84 which is engaged by a drive chain 85. Opposite ends of the drive chain 85 are fixed to the lower surface of the support plate 47 and a sprocket 86 is rotatably supported at the left-hand end of the wrapping apparatus (FIG. 2) and engages the drive chain 85. As the direction and speed of the reversible electric motor 83 is controlled from the control panel 61, the support plate 47 and the film supply roll support carriage is moved along the

track rods

77, 78 and parallel to the cylindrical object being wrapped.

Control means is provided for varying the angular position of the carriage and the pivot plate 45 to thereby change the angular relationship between the rotational axis of the supply roll 42 and the rotational axis of the object 20 being wrapped so that at times convolute windings may be formed as schematically illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 11, and at other times spiral windings may be formed, as schematically illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 12. The control means includes a series of circularly arranged holes 90 which are formed in the support plate 47 and a drive gear 91 engaging the holes 90 and being driven by a reversible electric motor 92 which is controlled from a suitable control on the control panel 61. Thus, by rotating the gear 91 the pivot plate 45 may be moved in either direction from that shown in FIG. 5, relative to the support plate 47.

The support plate 47 is preferably semicircular, as illustrated in FIG. 5, and the outer edge portion is provided with a bearing surface formed by a raised rim or ridge 89 of a friction reducing material for supporting the pivot plate 45 as it is pivoted from one position to another. Limit switches 93, 94 are supported on the support plate 47 (FIG. 5) and are engaged by the pivot plate 45 as it moves to the extreme limits in either direction so that the pivot plate 45 may not be moved beyond a predetermined position. Also, it is preferred that limit switches 95, 96 (FIG. 2) be provided adjacent opposite ends of the

track rods

77, 78 so that the support plate 47 will engage these switches and prevent movement beyond these positions.

As a safety feature, a light beam producing head 100 is supported adjacent the end frame 13 and an electric eye element 101 is supported on the rear portion of the control panel 61 (FIG. 2). This safety feature is provided so that the apparatus will stop operating should the operator or some other object move too close to the drive roll 19. In this event, the light beam will be broken and the machine will stop.

As is schematically illustrated in FIG. 14, means is provided for selectively heating opposite side portions of the film F, for purposes to be presently described.

This film heating means is illustrated as

heated air blowers

105, 106 which are suitably supported on the end plates 50, 51 of the supply roll support carriage.

METHOD OF OPERATION As schematically illustrated in FIG. 9, the cylindrical object 20 to be wrapped is placed in the proper position on the pair of drive rolls 18, 19 and the film F is fed beneath and around the object 20 while it is rotated. The carriage is maintained in a stationary position to guide the film at a right angle to the rotational axis of the object and to provide at least one convolute winding around this one end portion of the object. As the carriage begins to move in a path of travel parallel with the object 20, as illustrated in FIG. 10, the angular position of the carriage is changed so that the film is guided in angular relationship to the rotational axis of the object to provide spiral windings around the medial portion of the object.

When the spiral windings have been completed to the opposite end of the object, as illustrated in FIG. 1'1, parallel movement of the carriage is terminated and the carriage is again moved back to a position with the supply roll at a right angle to the rotating object being wrapped to provide one or more convolute windings around this other end portion of the object. The film is then cut by actuating the cylinder 72 to lower the heat resistance wire 63. The portions of the film extending over opposite ends of the object 20 are folded inwardly and the conveyor rollers 31 are raised so that the covered object may then be longitudinally moved into the heat shrinking tunnel 40 to complete the shrinking of the film and the heat sealing of the overlapping portions of the wrapped package.

If it is desired to provide a double spiral wrap on the medial portion of the package, the pivot plate 45 will be merely rotated to the position shown in FIG. 12 and the carriage will be moved back down the

track rods

77, 78 so that spiral windings will be formed in a reverse direction from the direction of the initial spiral windings, as illustrated in FIG. 10, and the second spiral windings are formed over the first spiral windings. The carriage will then be moved back to the position shown in FIG. 9 to form one or more convolute windings at this end of the object before the film is cut.

Also, varying degrees of coverage of the object may be obtained by varying the speed of travel of the carriage and the angle at which the film is fed to the rotating object. Multiple or substantially single film layers may be provided by feeding the film at selected angles relative to the axis of rotation of the object.

When changing from a convolute winding to a spiral winding and when changing from the spiral winding to the convolute winding, as illustrated in FIGS. 941, there is a tendency for excess film to be formed on one side portion and to be wrapped around the package. The

film shrinking heaters

105, 106 illustrated in FIG. 14 are provided to reduce or eliminate this excess film. As the carriage changes from the straight position shown in FIG. 9 to the angular position shown in FIG. 10, the heater 106 will be turned on to direct heated air onto the left-hand side edge portion of the film and shrink the same, thereby preventing excess film from being wound onto the package. As the carriage moves from the angular position shown in FIG. to the straight position shown in FIG. 11, the heater 105 will be turned on to shrink the right-hand side edge portion of the film, thereby preventing excess film from being 6 wound onto the package. The

air heater

105, 106 may be individually controlled from the control panel 61 or they may be connected to the circuit of the reversible drive motor 92 to operate automatically with pivoting movement of the pivot plate 45.

In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. i I

We claim:

1. A method of covering a cylindrical object with elongate sheet material having a width less than the length of said object, said method comprising steps of a. rotating said object,

b. withdrawing the elongate sheet material from a rotatable supply roll and wrapping it around one end portion of said object while maintaining the rotational axis of the sheet material supply roll parallel to the rotational axis of said object to provide at least one convolute winding around said one end portion of said object,

. continuing to withdraw the elongate sheet material from the supply roll and wrapping it around the medial portion of said object while moving the sheet material supply roll parallel to said object and with the rotational axis of the supply roll in angular relationship to the rotational axis of said object to provide spiral windings around said medial portion of said object, and

d. continuing to withdraw the elongate sheet material from the supply roll and wrapping it around the other end portion of said object while maintaining the rotational axis of the sheet material supply roll parallel to the rotational axis of said object to provide at least one convolute winding around said other end portion of said object.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the elongate sheet material is heat scalable, and including the 0 step of heating the covered cylindrical object to seal together the overlapping portions of the sheet material.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the sheet material is also heat shrinkable, and wherein the sheet material shrinks into tight engagement with the cylindrical object during the heating step.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the convolute windings around opposite end portions of said object extend outwardly beyond the opposed ends of said object, and including the step of folding the outwardly extending portions of said convolute windings over the ends of said object to complete a package enclosing said object.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein the sheet material is heat scalable and heat shrinkable, and including the step of heating the covered cylindrical object to shrink the sheet material into tight contact with said object to seal together the overlying portions of the sheet material and to seal the opposed ends folded inwardly over the ends of said object to complete a package completely enclosing and protecting said ob- 'ect.

J 6. A method according to claim 1 wherein said elon gate sheet material is heat shrinkable, and including the step of heating one side edge portion of the heat shrinkable sheet material at the beginning of the spiral wrapping of the medial portion of said object, and heating the opposite side edge portion of the heat shrinkable sheet material at the completion of the spiral wrapping relationship to the angular relationship of the spiral winding applied in step (c) to provide second spiral windings around the medial portion of said cylindrical object, and continuing to withdraw the elongate sheet material from the supply roll and wrapping it around said one end portion of said object while maintaining the rotational axis of the sheet material supply roll parallel to the rotational axis of said object to provide at least one additional convolute winding around said one end portion and over the convolute winding formed in step (b) to provide a double convolute winding around said one end portion of said object.

Claims

1. A method of covering a cylindrical object with elongate sheeT material having a width less than the length of said object, said method comprising steps of a. rotating said object, b. withdrawing the elongate sheet material from a rotatable supply roll and wrapping it around one end portion of said object while maintaining the rotational axis of the sheet material supply roll parallel to the rotational axis of said object to provide at least one convolute winding around said one end portion of said object, c. continuing to withdraw the elongate sheet material from the supply roll and wrapping it around the medial portion of said object while moving the sheet material supply roll parallel to said object and with the rotational axis of the supply roll in angular relationship to the rotational axis of said object to provide spiral windings around said medial portion of said object, and d. continuing to withdraw the elongate sheet material from the supply roll and wrapping it around the other end portion of said object while maintaining the rotational axis of the sheet material supply roll parallel to the rotational axis of said object to provide at least one convolute winding around said other end portion of said object.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the elongate sheet material is heat sealable, and including the step of heating the covered cylindrical object to seal together the overlapping portions of the sheet material.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein the sheet material is heat sealable and heat shrinkable, and including the step of heating the covered cylindrical object to shrink the sheet material into tight contact with said object to seal together the overlying portions of the sheet material and to seal the opposed ends folded inwardly over the ends of said object to complete a package completely enclosing and protecting said object.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein said elongate sheet material is heat shrinkable, and including the step of heating one side edge portion of the heat shrinkable sheet material at the beginning of the spiral wrapping of the medial portion of said object, and heating the opposite side edge portion of the heat shrinkable sheet material at the completion of the spiral wrapping of the medial portion of said object to prevent the accumulation of excess sheet material around said object.

7. A method according to claim 1 including the further steps of continuing to withdraw the elongate sheet material from the supply roll and wrapping it around the medial portion of said object while moving sheet material supply roll parallel to said object and with the rotational axis of the supply roll in an opposite angular relationship to the angular relationship of the spiral winding applied in step (c) to provide second spiral windings around the medial portion of said cylindrical object, and continuing to withdraw the elongate sheet material from the supply roll and wrapping it around said one end portion of said object while maintaining the rotational axis of the sheet material supply roll parallel to the rotational axis of said object to provide at least one additional convolute winding around said one end portion and over the convolute winding formed in step (b) to provide a double convolute winding around said one end portion of said object.