WO1991013733A1

WO1991013733A1 - Slitting apparatus for corrugated paperboard and the like

Info

Publication number: WO1991013733A1
Application number: PCT/US1991/001569
Authority: WO
Inventors: Richard F. Paulson; Kent L. Ross; Timothy C. Prochnow; David W. Dix; Luke A. Stout
Original assignee: Marquip, Inc.
Priority date: 1990-03-08
Filing date: 1991-03-07
Publication date: 1991-09-19
Also published as: ATE131100T1; DE69115254T2; EP0505508A1; DE69115254D1; DE9116585U1; KR920703275A; CA2077554A1; KR0169144B1; EP0505508B1; JPH05506188A; ES2083572T3; CA2077554C

Abstract

An apparatus for providing longitudinal, laterally spaced slits in a continuously moving sheet or web of corrugated paperboard (13) or the like includes a plurality of upper tool heads (12) each supporting a thin, circular rotary slitting blade (25). The blades (25) are coaxially mounted and driven by a common drive shaft (23) and each blade-carrying tool head (12) is independently positionable across the width of the paperboard sheet (13). Each slitting assembly includes a lower tool head or counterhead (28) carrying a roller assembly (32) which supports the underside (27) of the moving board (13) and provides a firm surface to support the board (13) against the upper rotary slitting blade (25). The roller assembly (32) includes a circumferential radially extending slot (44) in its outer surface through which an edge portion of the upper cutting blade (25) travels with the sheet firmly supported by the roller surfaces on each side of the slot (44). A blade lubricator (61) is attached to the upper head (12) and applies a thin film of lubricant to the blade edge (67) by direct engagement by a lubricating wick (65) while the blade (25) is rotating. The thin blade (25) is maintained in a sharpened condition by periodic engagement with a rotary sharpening tool (73) pivotally attached to the upper tool head (12) for periodic light sharpening contact with one face of the beveled blade cutting edge (67). Both the blade lubricator (61) and the blade sharpener (73) are retractable to inoperative positions to facilitate blade changing or blade reversal to provide extended blade life through periodic sharpening of the opposite blade edge bevel. The overlapping contact between the portion of the slitting blade (25) extending into the slot (44) in the lower supporting roller assembly (32) allows the lower tool head (28) and roller assembly (32) to be translated across the width of the sheet (13), as for repositioning, with a single positioning motor assembly (87) on the upper tool head (12).

Description

SLITTING APPARATUS FOR CORRUGATED PAPERBOARD AND THE LIKE Background of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for slitting a traveling corrugated paperboard sheet and, in particular, to a thin rotary blade slitting apparatus for substantially improving the quality of the slit.

Apparatus for longitudinally slitting a continuous traveling sheet or web of corrugated paperboard is well known in the art. Sucn apparatus is often combined with a mechanism for simultaneously providing longitudinal score lines to the advancing sheet, which score lines facilitate subsequent folding in the construction of boxes or the like. Thus, a combined "slitter-scorer" utilizes pairs of rotatable cutting tools and scoring tools disposed in the path of the advancing sheet, with one tool of each pair disposed on an opposite side of the sheet. Typically, multiple slitting tools are mounted coaxially and laterally spaced across the width of the sheet and, likewise, multiple scoring tools are also coaxially mounted and spaced across the sheet width.

In the prior art, eacn pair of upper and lower slitting tools is disposed with overlapping radial cutting edges between wnich the advancing paperboard sheet is moved to provide a continuous cut. Although the operation is commonly referred to as "slitting", the cutting tools in fact shear the moving sheet causing a relative vertical displacement of the cut edges from one another. As the thickness of the corrugated board being processed increases, the cuts tend to become more ragged, the edges tend to be crushed, and the cut quality tends to degrade significantly. Another problem commonly associated with rotary shear cutting of corrugated board is the generation of dust. Fine paper dust is a very serious problem which may result in clogged filters on air handling systems, hazardous air quality for workers, contamination of electronic and other equipment, and even explosion or fire hazards.

Other methods and apparatus for cutting corrugated paperboard have been developed to eliminate or alleviate some of the problems associated with rotary shear cutting. Thus, it is known to utilize high pressure water jets to cut paperboard. Water jets provide high quality cuts, but the equipment has an extremely high initial cost and requires costly maintenance. U.S. Patent 4,627,214 shows a slitter-scorer apparatus of one prior art construction in which the board is sheared by passage between the overlapping edges of a pair of rotary cutting knives. Even when such cutting knives are properly adjusted and main- tained in a sharpened condition, their use to slit heavier double and triple wall board has been less than satisfactory.

There is a need, therefore, for an apparatus which will provide a clean, dust-free cut in an efficient and economical manner.

Summary of the Invention In accordance with the present invention, corrugated paperboard is cut with a true slitting technique in an apparatus in which the advancing sheet or web of paperboard is advanced through a sharp, thin circular blade running in the same direction as the paperboard sheet but at a much higher speed, with the board supported below the blade by rollers on the underside. In its basic embodiment, an upper tool head is mounted over the sheet and is laterally translatable across the width of the sheet to position the tool head on the desired cut line. An annular cutting blade is rotatably attached to the tool head such that the peripheral cutting edge of the blade extends downwardly beyond the opposite side of the board sheet. A lower tool head or counterhead is mounted on the underside of the sheet and is also laterally translatable across the width of the sheet on a line parallel to the line of lateral translation of the upper tool head. Roller means are rotatably attached to the counterhead and present a cylindrical outer surface which is positioned to make tangent contact with and support the underside of the sheet. The roller means are provided with an annular circumferential slot in the outer surface, which slot has a width slightly greater than the width of the blade and is positioned to receive the rotating blade edge therein. Thus, the overlapping blade and roller means form a nip into which the moving sheet is fed for slitting. Drive means are provided to rotate the slitting blade edge in the direction of movement of the sheet and at a speed greater than the speed of the moving sheet. Means are also provided for applying a lubricant to the cutting edge of the blade which prevents a build-up on the blade of starch from the glue used to hold the components of the corrugated board together.

Preferably, the supporting roller means is formed from a pair of coaxially mounted rollers which are axialiy spaced such that their adjacent interior faces define the annular circumferential slot for receipt of the slitting blade. The rotational axis of the rollers is preferably offset in the upstream direction, witn respect to movement of the sneet, from the rotational axis of the blade. Also, the diameter of the rollers is less tnan the diameter of the slitting nlade and the offset position of the rollers is established such that the line of tangent contact of the rollers with the underside of the sheet defines a line which is normal and tangent to the blade edge where it exits the lower surface of the sheet.

The adjacent interior faces of tne supporting rollers defining the circumferential slot preferanly diverge in a radially inward direction. Alternately, the adjacent interior faces of the rollers may be recessed to define open interior portions. In either embodiment, the rollers are relatively more open in a radially inward direction to provide space for the accumulation of paper scraps, dust and the like. Preferably, a stripper bar. is attached to the roller- supporting counterhead and extends through the circumferential slot to present an edge defining an acute angle with respect to the plane of tne sheet and to diverge therefrom in the downstream direction of sheet movement. The combined rotary movement of the blade and rollers tends to cause accumulating paper scrap and the like to move along the stripper bar and out of the slot between the rollers. in the preferred embodiment, the lubricant applying means comprises a wick nol er which is attached to the upper tool head and presents a pair of spaced generally parallel legs positioned to straddle the cutting edge of the olade. A wick is mounted on the inside of the legs of tne wick holder to maintain contact with the blade edge while the blade is rotating and metered amounts of a lubricant are supplied to the wick. The wick holder is pivotally attached to the tool head for movement between tne operative lubricating position and an inoperative position spaced radially beyond the blade edge to facilitate blade changing.

The slitting apparatus of tne preferred embodiment also includes means for sharpening the blade edge on the fly or while the blade is rotating. The sharpening means includes a bracket attached to the upper tool head, a rotary sharpening tool pivotally attached to the bracket for movement between an operative position in contact with tne cutting edge of the blade and an inoperative position out of contact therewith, means for moving the tool between its operative and inoperative positions, ^■ and means for rotating the tool when it is in its operative position in contact with the blade. The longitudinal slitting apparatus of the preferred embodiment is utilized on a slitting appara¬ tus of the prior art type in which a plurality of slits are provided spaced across the width of a traveling sheet or web. Thus, an upper support structure is positioned to overlie the advancing sheet and has an upper guide means defining a linear path across the width of the sheet. A plurality of upper tool heads are mounted on the upper guide means such that each of the upper tool heaαs may be individually moved along the linear path across tne sneet. A olade holder is rotatably attached to each upper tool neac and positioned for rotation on a common axis. A drive shaft is positioned on the common axis of the blade holders to simultaneously drive the same and to support the tool holders and upper tool heads for movement along the upper guide means. A thin annular slitting blade is carried on each of the blade holders, each blade presenting a downwardly depending circular cutting edge which extends below the bottom face of the sheet, as previously described. A lower support structure is disposed under the sheet and includes lower guide means defining a lower linear path across the width of the sheet and parallel to the upper linear path. A plurality of lower tool neads are mounted on the lower guide means with each of said lower tool heads individually movable on the guide means along the lower linear path. Roller means are rotatably attached to each of the lower tool heads, in a manner previously described, with the outer surface of the roller posi- tioned to make tangent contact with tne underside of the sheet. An annular circumferential slot is provided in the outer surface of the roller means, the slot having a width sufficient to receive therein the portion of the blade edge extending below the sheet. Means are providing for advancing the sheet over the roller means and into the blade cutting edges, for rotating the drive shaft to move the blade cutting edges at a speed greater than the speed of the moving sheet, and for applying a lubricant to the blade cutting edges.

Preferably, each upper tool head includes separate positioning means for moving the tool head along the upper guide means and for carrying therewith its corresponding lower tool head along the lower guide means. In its most simple embodiment, the lower tool head is carried oy virtue of contact between the slitting blade and tne roller means. To provide a greater bearing surface for carrying contact between the blade and the roller means, each of tne roller means may be pivotally attached to a lower tool head on a pivot axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the roller means to increase the amount of the la e edge which is received in tne circumferential slot in the roller means. Rotation of tne slitting olades at a speed substantially in excess of tne speed of tne moving papernoard sheet, e.g. two or more times faster, provides a clean razor slit whicn is virtually dust free, thereby substantially eliminating all of the dust-related problems of prior art rotary shear cutting apparatus. On the fly blade lubrication and sharpening provide, respectively, elimination of starcn build-up on the blades and the ability to maintain sharp cutting edges for extended periods of operation without shutdown.

Brief Description of the Drawings The drawings illustrate the best mode presently contemplated of carrying out the invention. in the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section of the rotary slitting apparatus, of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevation of tne rotary slitting apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an end elevation of a roller assembly of an alternate embodiment; FIG. 5 is a detailed view of a portion of

FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of an alternate embodiment of the roller bracket assembly;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are detail views of tne rotary blade sharpening apparatus.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodi^ments

The main supporting framework for the slitting apparatus of the present invention includes a horizon¬ tal upper beam 10 and a parallel lower beam 11. The beams 10 and 11 extend across the widtn of the slitting apparatus and are somewhat longer tnan the maximum width of a continuous moving web or sneet 13 of corru¬ gated paperboard or the like which moves between tne beams and tne attached components of tne slitting apparatus to be hereinafter described. A plurality of upper tool heads 12 are attached to tne underside of the upper beam 10 for individual movement across the width of the sheet 13 on a pair of linear ways 14 attached to the beam 10. Each upper tool head 12 has a pair of linear bearing pads 15 attached to its upper edge, which bearing paαs connect the tool head to the linear ways 14 for positioning movement to set the tool head in the position where a longitudinal slit in the sheet 13 is desired. A rotary tool holder 16 is attached to eacn upper tool head 12. The tool holder 16 includes an inner hub 17 which forms the inner race of a rotary bearing 18. The outer race 20 of the rotary bearing 18 is secured in an annular boss 21 in tne tool head 12. The inner hub 17 of the tool holder 16 has an axial through bore 22 having a non-circular cross section, such as the hexagonal shape shown. The throucn bores 22 of the tool holders 16 mounted on tne plurality of tool heads 12 lie on a common axis. A drive shaft 23 having a hexagonal cross section is mounted to eκ'.._nd through the bores 22 in eacn plurality of coaxially mounted tool nolders 16. The drive sπaft 23 extends across the full width of the apparatus and is connected at one end to suitable drive means, whereby its driving rotation causes tool holders 16 to rotate in bearings 18 with respect to the tool neacs 12. Also, the drive shaft 23 provides support for the commonly mounted tool holders 16 and tool heads 12 for movement along the linear ways 14. Each tool holder 16 includes an outer hub 24 to which a thin annular slitting blade 25 is demountably attached, as witn a series of macnine screws 26 disposed in a circular pattern. The blades 25 depend downwardly from their respective tool heads such that the circular cutting edge extends below the underside 27 of the corrugated paperboard sheet 13.

A plurality of lower tool neads 28 are supported for individual sliding movement along a pair of lower linear ways 30 which are, in turn, attached to the upper surface of the lower beam 11. Each lower tool head 28 is supported for movement along the linear ways 30 by a pair of bearing pads 31 similar to the pads 15 on the upper tool heads 12. A pair of identi¬ cal rollers 32 are coaxially mounted on each lower tool head 28 for rotation on an axis parallel to the axis of the upper drive shaft 23. The rollers 32 are mounted with suitable bearings on a roller snaft 33 which is, in turn, supported in a roller mounting bracket 34. The roller mounting bracket comprises a pair of vertical side plates 35 interconnected at their lower edges by a cross piece 36. Each of tne side plates includes an upwardly opening mounting slot 37 in its upper edge for receipt of the roller shaft 33. The roller mounting bracket 34 is adjustably attached to one face of the lower tool head 28 by a pair of locking screws 41. Vertical adjustment of the rollers 32 is provided with a pair of diametrically opposite adjust¬ ment slots 39 in the side plate 35 adjacent the roller mounting ^racket 34. In this manner, the vertical position of the rollers 32 may be varied at the time of machine set-up to obtain accurate vertical positioning. The roller mounting bracKet is locked in position with the locking screws 41 extending through the slots 39 and into suitably tapped holes in the lower tool head 28. The rollers 32 are maintained axialiy spaced on the roller shaft 33, as by the use of suitable shims, to define therebetween an annular circumferen¬ tial slot 44 naving a width slightly greater than the width of the blade 25. The roller mounting bracket 34 and attached rollers 32 are positioned to make tangent contact with the lower surface of the moving sheet 13 and to allow a portion of the downwardly depending edge of the blade 25 to be received in the circumferential slot 44 between the rollers. The blade 25 is rotated in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1 and the moving sheet 13 is directed over the rollers 32 and into the nip formed by the rollers and the blade in the direction of rotation thereof, i.e. from right to left as viewed in Fig. 1. The drive shaft 23 is driven at a speed sufficient to impart an edge speed to the blade 25 which is substantially greater than the linear speed of the sheet. For example, the edge speed of the blade may be as much as three times the speed of the sheet or greater. By utilizing a very thin blade, in the range for example of .035 inches, and maintaining the cutting edge thereof in a sharpened condition, the sheet 13 of corrugated paperboard or the like is provided witn a virtually dust-free and extremely clean cut. The rollers 32 are preferably substantially smaller in diameter than the blade 25. The rollers may have a diameter in the range of five to seven inches, whereas the maximum diameter of tne blade may be as much as approximately twelve inches. The axis of the roller snaft 33 is offset horizontally in an upstream direction from the axis of the drive shaft 23 for the blade 25. Preferably, the rollers 32 are positioned so that the line of tangent contact between the rollers and the underside of the sheet 13 coincides witn a line normal to the plane of the blade 25 and tangent to the blade edge. In this manner, the rollers provide adequate support for the sheet against the downward force of the rapidly rotating blade, resulting in the characteristic clean cut. As is best shown in Fig. 2, the rollers 32 in one embodiment are machined or otherwise formed from metal with large open annular recesses 53 on either side of a central web 50. The central web 50 inter¬ connects an outer cylindrical rim 51 and an inner hub 52, with the hub supported on bearings 54 for rotation on the roller shaft 33. The circumferential slot 44 between adjacent rollers is defined by the axialiy adjacent interior faces 45 thereof. In the Fig. 2 embodiment of the rollers, the widtn of the slot 44 is defined by adjacent outer radial edge portions 46 of the cylindrical rims 51. The slot may have a nominal width of approximately .045 inch. It is important that the axialiy adjacent interior faces of the rollers 32 define open interior portions, such as are provided by the annular recesses 53. This allows paper scraps or accumulated dust and the like to move radially inwardly away from the slot 44 so as to prevent a build-up at the slot/blade interface and possible jamming which would adversely affect the quality of the slit. To further prevent such a builo-up and jamming, the roller mounting bracket 34 also supports a stripper bar 42 within the slot 44. The stripper bar is attached at its ends beyond the outer surfaces of the rollers by a pair of mounting pins 43 extending between the side plates 35 of the mounting bracket. Thus, the stripper bar extends completely through the slot and has an upper edge disposed at an acute angle with respect to the plane of the sheet and diverges therefrom in the downstream direction. The stripper bar 42 tends to prevent a build-up of accumulated debris in the slot 44 and its inclined angle tenαs to allow loose material to be swept out of the slot. In addition, the central webs 50 of the rollers 32 may be provided witn a number of circumferentially spaced openings 55 to allow accumulated debris to be periodically removed from the annular recesses 53.

The most severe wear on the rollers 32 occurs at the axialiy adjacent radial edge portions 46 defining the slot 44. Abrasive wear from even small amounts of board dust and starcn from the board adhesive created during slitting causes an eventual rounding of the edge portions 46 and eventually a widening of the slot 44. Should the slot be worn to an excessive widtn, shims between the bearings 54 may be moved to the axial outer faces of tne rollers and the slot 44 returned to its original preferred width. It should also be noted that the construction of the rollers 32 of the Fig. 2 embodiment is such that they are axialiy symmetrical and may, therefore, be reversed to present new radial edge portions 46.

In Fig. 4, there is shown an alternate embodi¬ ment of the rollers 32. In this embodiment, each roller 56 comprises a substantially solid roller body 57, preferably constructed of a tougn plastic material such as Nylatron or ultrahigh molecular weight poly¬ ethylene. The axial interior faces 58 of the roller bodies 57 are constructed to diverge in a radially inward direction to define a slot 60 having its narrowest width at tne outer surface of the rollers 56. This is also to allow loose paper material and the like to move away from the radial outer edge of tne slot near the interface with the moving ola e 25 and into tne more open interior. Otherwise, tne mounting assembly and stripper bar utilized with the alternate roliers 56 is identical to the preferred embodiment utilizing rollers 32.

Conventional corrugated paperboard is typically fabricated with a starch-based glue which, in prior art ooard slitting devices, nas been found to result in a starch build-up on the cutting blades. In the apparatus of the present invention, starch build-up on the blade is even more critical because of its direct adverse effect on the normally extremely high slit quality. In particular, the high speed at which the slitting blades 25 of the present invention are operated generates more heat which results in a faster build-up of starch. Eventually, the starch build-up may become great enough to result in extremely ragged cuts and tearing or crushing of the cut edges such that the clean razor slit characteristic of the present invention is completely lost. To prevent a build-up of starch on the blade surfaces adjacent the cutting edges, a blade lubricator 61 provides a continuous thin coating of a light lubricant to the blade while the blade is in slitting operation. The blade lubricator 61 includes a generally U-shaped wick holder 62 pivotally attached at its closed end to the upper tool head 12 by a mounting bolt 63. The wick holder has a pair of spaced, generally parallel legs 64 operatively positioned to straddle the cutting edge of the blade 25. A piece of wick material is inserted in tne wick holder and secured to the inside faces of the legs 64. With the wick nolder disposed in its operative full line position shown in Fig. 1, the wick 65 is in continuous contact with the blade surfaces adjacent the cutting edge. Small etereα amounts of a light liquid lubricant, such as a thin penetrating oil, are suppiieα to the wick holder and onto the wick 65 _>y a positive displacement injector 66 attached to the tool head 12 and receiving lubricant from a common source (not shown). Only very small amounts of lubricant are necessary to coat the blade edge witn a tnin layer that prevents starch from sticking to the blade, thereby precluding any starch build-up. For example, the positive displacement injector 66 may provide about 0.2 cc of lubricant to the wick on timed pulses every eight seconds. Obviously, the amount of starch available to build-up on a blade is greatly dependent on the upstream gluing process and variations in the volume of lubricant supplied and the timing of the injection pulses may be suitably provided. To facilitate changing or repositioning of the blade 25, the lubricator 61 is pivotable about the mounting bolt 63 to an inoperative dashed line position shown in Fig. 1 in which the wick holder 62 and attached wick 65 are spaced radially beyond the blade edge.

Each of the slitting blades 25, as previously indicated, may have a thickness of approximately .035 inch and is preferably made of a high quality steel. The cutting edge 67 of the blade as shown in the sectional view of the blade in Fig. 7 is provided with a double bevel. The outer bevel at the cutting edge may nave, for example, an included angle of 37°. In order to maintain the high quality slit, the blade must not only be kept free from tne build-up of starch, but the cutting edge must be maintained in a razor sharp condition.

To maintain the necessary snarp cutting edge, the slitting apparatus includes a olade sharpener 68 adapted to sharpen one face of the outer blade edge bevel while the blade is rotating. The olade sharpener 6δ is attached to an angled mounting bracket 70 mounted by its vertical leg 71 to the face of the upper tool head 12 sucn that the horizontal leg 72 extends over -15-

the upper edge of the blade 25. A rotary snarpening tool 73 is attached to the horizontal leg 72 of the mounting bracket and depends downwardly tnerefrom. The sharpening tool includes a circular sharpening head 74 having a flat outer abrasive face 75. The head is rotatably attached to a small air motor 76 attached to one end of a tool body 77 sucn that the abrasive face 75 is disposed at the same angle as the adjacent face of the blade edge bevel. The tool body 77 is pivotally attached at its end opposite the air motor to the underside of the horizontal leg 72 of the mounting bracket 70. Specifically, the end of tne tool body 77 is provided with a cylindrical recess 78 providing the outer race for a ball bearing assembly 80, the inner race of which is attached to the end of a stub shaft 80 attached to and extending down from the mounting bracket 70. A torsion spring 82 surrounds the stub shaft 81 with its ends in engagement with the mounting bracket and the tool body 77 to bias the latter to an inoperative position in which the aorasive face 75 is out of engagement with the blade edge. A small single acting air cylinder 83 is attached to the mounting bracket 70 with the rod end 84 of the cylinder in contact with the surface of the tool body 77. When compressed air is supplied to the air cylinder inlet fitting 85 from an external source (not snown), the rod end 84 will be extended and the tool body and attached sharpening head 74 will oe rotated aoout the stub snaft 81, against the bias of the torsion spring 82, until the abrasive face 75 makes light contact with tne beveled edge of the blade 25. Air cylinder 83 operates at very low pressure sucn that tne abrasive face 75 makes light surface contact witn the blade edge. The air motor 76 which drives the rotary sharpening heaα 74 is also supplied with compresseα air via a frtting 86 to drive the air motor wnenever the tool Doαy is rotated into operative sharpening position py activation of the air cylinder 83. The air motor 76 preferably operates at relatively high speed, for example, about 5,000 rpm.

Under substantially continuous operating conditions, if the blades 25 are made of a hign quality tool steel, it has been found that the blades need only be sharpened a few times per week. The sharpening tool 73 is operated so that the sharpening head 74 applies only a very light force of not more tnan about three pounds to the face of the bevel. Sharpening contact need be maintained for only a short period of time to remove approximately .001-.002 inch of material from the blade edge. Periodically, the blade may be removed from the tool holder 16 and reversed so that the opposite face of the edge bevel may be sharpened to maintain an overall balance in the cutting eαge of tne blade. • The slitting blades of the present invention are tolerant to a substantial reduction in overall blade diameter as a result of sharpening without adversely affecting the quality of the slit. Also, little adjustment, if any, of the blade position is necessary over its useful life. As indicated previously, in a typical slitter apparatus, a plurality of upper tool neads 12 and slitting blades 25 are mounted on a common drive shaft 23 for individual movement and selective positioning along the linear ways 14 to provide a plurality of longitudinal slits in the advancing sneet 13 at any selected positions across the width of the sheet. To individually position each upper tool neaα 12, an electric servomotor 87 is mounted on eacn tool head and drives a pinion gear 88 positioned to engage a linear toothed rack 90 attached to the underside of the upper beam 10, in a manner well known in the art. It is also known to utilize a similar motor-driven rack and pinion assembly to position the lower tool heads 28. In accordance with the present invention, however, it has been found that both the upper and lower tool heads may be simultaneously moved and repositioned with a single upper servomotor 87 and its related gear 88 and rack 90 in a manner in which the overlapping portion of the cutting blade 25 within the slot 44 between the rollers 32 (or 56) bears on the axial inner face of the roller and carries the roller assembly and lower tool head 28 along with the moving upper head assembly. In some instances, however, it is recognized that the blade/roller overlap, the strength of the blade material, or the speed or thrust of the servomotor assembly may be such that the bearing force between the blade edge and the rollers may break or otherwise damage the blade. Thus, in Fig. 6, there is shown a modified assembly in which the entire roller mounting bracket 34 and attached rollers 32 may be pivoted upwardly so that a much larger portion of the blade edge is received within the slot 44 to enhance the bearing contact surface therebetween and distribute the load imposed by repositioning over a greater portion of the blade edge. Repositioning of the upper and lower tool heads is, of course, undertaken between board runs and, therefore, at a time when there is no sheet present to interfere with tne substantial upward movement of the rollers and roller mounting bracket assembly.

As previously indicated, the rollers 32 (or 56) support the advancing sheet at the point where the slitting blade passes through the sheet. Supplemental support .of the sheet 13 is also preferably provided just upstream of the rollers and slitting knife by an -13-

appropriate sheet supporting surface 91, as snown in Fig. 1. The continuous sneet 13 or web is otherwise driven by appropriate means external of the slitting apparatus, as is also well known in the art. As is also known in the prior art, eacn of the plurality of upper tool, heads 12 mounted on the common drive shaft 23 and linear ways 14 are simultaneously locked in their selected slitting positions with a common lockdown apparatus 92. In the embodiment shown, the lockdown apparatus comprises a long cylindrical cam extending across the full width of the apparatus and supported for rotation on its axis between a locking position with its cylindrical outer surface in locking engagement with a locking pad 94 on each tool head and an unlocked position in which an axial flat surface 95 on the cam 93 is positioned directly adjacent and spaced from the locking pad 94. In the latter position, the tool heads are unlocked for reposition¬ ing. Similarly, the plurality of lower tool neaαs 28 are also locked in operating position with an identical lockdown apparatus 92 including all components identical to those used for the upper locking mechanism.

Claims

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention. WE CLAIM:

1. An apparatus for longitudinally slitting a moving sheet of corrugated paperboard or tne like comprising: a tool head mounted on one side of the sheet and translatable laterally across • the widtn of the sheet on a line parallel thereto; an annular blade rotatably attached to said tool head with the peripheral cutting edge of said blade extending beyond the opposite side of the sheet; a counterhead mounted on the opposite side of the sheet and translatable laterally across the width of the sheet on a line parallel to the line of trans¬ lation of said tool head; roller means rotatably attached to said counterhead and having a cylindrical outer surface postioned to make tangent contact with said opposite όide of the sheet; an annular circumferential slot in tne outer surface of said roller means, said slot having a width greater than the widtn of the peripheral edge of said blade and positioned to receive said blade edge therein to form a nip; means for moving the sheet into the nip formed by said blade and said roller means; means for rotating said blade to move the peripheral edge thereof in the direction of movement of the sheet and at a speed greater than the speed of tne sheet; and. means for applying a lubricant to the peripheral edge of said blade.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said roller means comprises a pair of coaxially mounted rollers having axialiy adjacent interior faces with outer radial edge portions spaced to define said annular circumferential slot.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein the rotational axis of said rollers is offset in the upstream direction from the rotational axis of said blade.

4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein the diameter of said rollers is less than the diameter of said blade, and the line of tangent contact of said rollers with the sheet coincides with a line normal and tangent to the blade edge.

5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein the adjacent interior faces of said rollers are divergent in a radially inward direction.

6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein the adjacent interior faces of said rollers are recessed to define open interior portions.

7. The apparatus as set fortn in claim 5 or 6 including a stripper bar attached to said counterhead and extending through said circumferential slot, said stripper bar having an edge defining an acute angle with respect to the plane of the sheet and diverging therefrom in the downstream direction of sneet movement.

8. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said lubricant applying means is operative while said blade is rotating.

9. The apparatus as set fortn in claim 8 wherein said lubricant applying means comprises: a wick holder attached to said tool head, said holder having a pair of spaced generally parallel legs operatively positioned to straddle the cutting edge of tne blade; a wick mounted on the inside of said legs and in contact with the blade edge; and, means for supplying metered amounts of a lubricant to said wick.

10. The apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said wick holder is pivotally attached to said tool head for movement between its operative lubricating position and an inoperative blade changing position spaced radially beyond the blade edge.

11. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including means for sharpening the cutting edge of the blade while said blade is rotating.

12. The apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said sharpening means comprises: a sharpening bracket attached to said tool head; a rotary sharpening tool pivotally attached to said bracket for movement between and operative posi¬ tion in contact with tne cutting edge of said blade and an inoperative position out of contact therewitn; means for moving said tool between its operative and inoperative positions, and, means for rotating said tool wnen in its operative position.

13. An apparatus for longitudinally slitting a continuous, traveling sheet of corrugated paperboard or the like to provide a plurality of parallel spaced slits, said apparatus comprising: an upper support structure overlying tne sneet and naving upper guide means defining an upper linear path across tne widtn of tne sheet; a plurality of upper tool heads mounted on said upper guide means, each of said upper tool heads movable individually thereon along saiα upper linear path; a tool holder rotatably attached to each upper tool head for rotation on a common axis parallel to said guide means; a drive shaft positioned on said common axis to simultaneously drive said tool holders and to support . said tool holders and upper tool heads for movement along said upper guide means; a thin annular blade carried on each tool holder, each of said blades presenting a downwardly depending circular cutting edge which extends below the bottom fide of the sheet; a lower support structure under the sheet and having lower guide means defining a lower linear path parallel to the upper linear path; a plurality of lower tool heads mounted on said lower guide means, each of said lower tool heads movable individually thereon along said lower linear path; roller means rotatably attached to each of said lower tool heads, each roller means naving a cylindrical outer surface positioned to make tangent contact with the bottom side of the sheet; an annular circumferential slot in the outer surface of said roller means, said slot having a widtn greater than the widtn of said blade and positioned to receive therein the portion of the blade cutting edge extending below the sheet; means for moving the sheet over said roller means and into said blade cutting edges; eans for rotating said drive shaft to move said blade cutting edges at a speed greater than the speed of the moving sheet; and means for applying a lubricant to said blade cutting edges.

14. The apparatus as set forth in claim 13 including positioning means operatively interconnecting each upper tool head and said upper support structure for moving said tool head along said upper guide means and for carrying therewith its corresponding lower tool head along said lower guide means.

15. The apparatus as set forth in claim 14 including means for pivotally attaching each of said roller means to its lower tool head on a pivot axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said roller means for varying the amount of the blade edge received in said slot.