Discharge and transfer system for interfolded sheets

• US 6,712,746 B1
• Filed: 05/05/2000
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fabio Perini S.P.A. (Körber-Stiftung)
• Original Assignee: FPNA Acqusition Corporation
• Inventors: White, Barton J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Eugene
• Assistant Examiner(s): TAWFIK, SAMEH
• Application Number:
  US09/565,729
• Time in Patent Office: 1,425 Days
• Field of Search: 493/353, 493/433, 493/357, 493/359, 493/430, 493/448, 493/451
• US Class Current: 493/353
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/42242 by acting on the outermost articles of the pile for clamping the pile
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 31/3045 on the outermost articles of the pile for clamping the pile
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 45/24 Interfolding sheets, e.g. cigarette or toilet papers

Abstract

A discharge and transfer system for receiving interfolded sheets from a folding mechanism. The system includes a guide arrangement for receiving the interfolded sheets in a vertical direction from the discharge of the folding mechanism, and for guiding the interfolded sheets to a substantially horizontal direction of movement onto a discharge table. The sheets are moved along the discharge table by a belt arrangement. When the endmost group of sheets attains a predetermined position on the discharge table, a clamping mechanism engages the endmost group of sheets toward an end of the endmost group of sheets. The clamping mechanism includes a first clamping member which moves into the endmost group of sheets at a location outwardly of the separation between the endmost group of sheets and the next adjacent group of sheets, and further includes a second clamping member which moves toward the first clamping member to clamp a portion of the endmost group of sheets therebetween. The clamping mechanism is then moved laterally by a drive arrangement, which pulls the endmost group of sheets laterally in a direction along the longitudinal axis defined by the endmost group of sheets. Once the endmost group of sheets clears the next adjacent group of sheets, the clamping mechanism releases engagement with the endmost group of sheets, which is then transferred for subsequent processing. The clamping mechanism then returns to a ready position for clamping a subsequent group of sheets in a similar manner.

Claims

1. A method of separating a group of interfolded sheets from a series of interfolded sheets discharged from a sheet folding mechanism, comprising the steps of:

forming intermittent separations in the interfolded sheets so as to form the interfolded sheets into adjacent, separated groups of interfolded sheets including an endmost group of sheets, wherein each of the adjacent groups of sheets is elongated and extends along a longitudinal horizontal axis;

advancing the elongated groups of sheets toward a clamping mechanism in a forward direction, wherein the forward direction is oriented generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the groups of sheets;

engaging the clamping mechanism with the endmost group of sheets at a first elevation; and

moving the clamping mechanism in a lateral horizontal direction while maintaining the clamping mechanism at the first elevation and in engagement with the endmost group of sheets, wherein the lateral direction is oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the endmost group of sheets and perpendicular to the forward direction, and wherein movement of the clamping mechanism in the lateral horizontal direction exerts an axial pulling force on the endmost group of sheets, wherein the separation between the endmost group of sheets and the next adjacent group of sheets enables the endmost group of sheets to be displaced in the lateral horizontal direction relative to the next adjacent group of sheets, and wherein movement of the clamping mechanism at the first elevation in the lateral horizontal direction moves the endmnost group of sheets laterally and horizontally along the longitudinal axis of the endmost group of sheets while maintaining the endmost group of sheets at the first elevation, to separate the endmost group of sheets from the next adjacent group of sheets.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sheets are discharged from the folding mechanism in a vertical direction, and wherein the step of advancing the sheets in the forward direction comprises moving the sheets in a horizontal direction subsequent to discharge from the folding mechanism, wherein the endmost group of sheets is supplied by horzoital movement to the clamping mechanism.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the sheets are moved through a guide arrangement to alter the direction of movement of the sheets from a vertical direction adjacent the folding mechanism to a horizontal direction downstream therefrom.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein a plurality of groups of interfolded sheets are supported on a horizontal surface while the clamping mechanism engages the endmost group of sheets and is operable to move the endmost group of sheets in the lateral horizontal direction relative to the next adjacent group of sheets.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of engaging the clamping mechanism with the endmost group of sheets is carried out by engaging a first clamping member outwardly of the endmost separation in the interfolded sheets such that the first clamping member is engaged within the endmost group of sheets, and engaging a second clamping member with the endmost group of sheets outwardly of the first clamping member.

6. The method of claim 5, herein the first clamping member is vertically moveable from a retracted position above the endmost group of sheets to an engaged position in which the first clamping member is engaged within the endmost group of sheets.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the second clamping member is movable in a substantially horizontal direction between an engaged position in which the second clamping member engages the endmost group of sheets and an inoperative position in which the second clamping member is moved horizontally outwardly out of engagement with the endmost group of sheets.

8. A method of separating a group of interfolded sheets from a series of interfolded sheets discharged from a sheet folding mechanism, wherein the sheets are discharged from the folding mechanism in a substantially vertical direction, comprising the steps of:

forming intermittent separations in the interfolded sheets so as to separate the interfolded sheets into groups of interfolded sheets including an endmost group of sheets;

moving the sheets in a substantially horizontal direction subsequent to discharge from the folding mechanism, wherein the endmost group of sheets is supplied by substantially horizontal movement to a clamping mechanism;

supporting the endmost group of sheets during horizontal movement of the endmost group of sheets;

engaging the clamping mechanism with the endmost group of sheets; and

moving the clamping mechanism laterally in a direction transverse to the first direction to exert a pulling force on the endmost group of sheets, wherein the separation between the endmost group of sheets and the next adjacent group of sheets, functions to enable the endmost group of sheets to be moved laterally relative to the next adjacent group of sheets.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of supporting the endmost group of sheets is carried out by a series of pivotable support members which engage the endmost group of sheets.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of engaging the clamping mechanism with the endmost group of sheets in response to movement of the support members.

11. A method of separating a group of interfolded sheets from a series of interfolded sheets discharged from a sheet folding mechanism, wherein the sheets are discharged from the folding mechanism in a substantially vertical direction, comprising the steps of:

forming intermittent separations in the interfolded sheets so as to separate the interfolded sheets into groups of interfolded sheets including an endmost group of sheets;

moving the sheets in a substantially horizontal direction subsequent to discharge from the folding mechanism, wherein the endmost group of sheets is supplied by substantially horizontal movement to a clamping mechanism;

engaging the clamping mechanism with the endmost group of sheets by engaging a first clamping member outwardly of the endmost separation in the interfolded sheets such that the first clamping member is engaged within the endmost group of sheets, and engaging a second clamping member with the endmost group of sheets outwardly of the first clamping member; and

moving the clamping mechanism laterally in a direction transverse to the first direction to exert a pulling force on the endmost group of sheets by laterally moving a carriage to which the first and second clamping members are mounted;

wherein the separation between the endmost group of sheets and the next adjacent group of sheets, functions to enable the endmost group of sheets to be moved laterally relative to the next adjacent group of sheets.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of moving the clamping mechanism laterally in a direction transverse to the first direction is carried out such that the endmost group of sheets is moved to a transfer position, and further comprising the step of disengaging the clamping mechanism from the endmost group of sheets when the endmost group of sheets is in the transfer position.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of moving the endmost group of sheets laterally for subsequent processing after disengagement of the clamping mechanism from the endmost group of sheets.

14. The method of claim 13, including the step of moving the endmost group of sheets into a space between a vertical guide arrangement, and wherein the step of laterally moving the endmost group of sheets is carried out by laterally moving the vertical guide arrangement.

15. A method of separating a group of interfolded sheets from a series of interfolded sheets discharged from a sheet folding mechanism, comprising the steps of:

forming intermittent separations in the interfolded sheets in the sheet folding mechanism, wherein the intermittent separations function to separate the interfolded sheets into a series of side-by-side groups of interfolded sheets including an enidmost group of sheets and a series of inner groups of sheets, wherein each group of sheets defines a length and terminates laterally spaced ends, and wherein each group of sheets extends along a longitudinal horizontal axis;

advancing the groups of sheets in a forward direction toward a reciprocating clamping mechanism;

engaging the clamping mechanism with the endmost group of sheets in a clamping location adjacent one of the laterally spaced ends of the endmost group of sheets without engaging the remainder of the length of the endmost group of sheets; and

moving the clamping mechanism in a lateral horizontal direction along the longitudinal axis of the endmost group of sheets while maintaining engagement of the clamping mechanism with the endmost group of sheets in the clamping location without engaging the remainder of the length of the endmost group of sheets, wherein the lateral horizontal direction is perpendicular to the forward direction in which the sheets are advanced toward the clamping mechanism, and wherein movement of the clamping mechanism in the lateral horizontal direction exerts an axial separating force on the endmost group of sheets that moves the endmost group of sheets lengthwise in the lateral horizontal direction relative to the inner groups of sheets and along the longitudinal axis of the endmost group of sheets, wherein the separation between the endmost group of sheets and the next adjacent inner group of sheets functions to enable the endmost group of sheets to be separated from and moved laterally and horizontally relative to the next adjacent inner group of sheets.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of moving the clamping mechanism is carried out such that the clamping mechanism is reciprocally moved in the lateral horizontal direction.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the series of groups of interfolded sheets are supported on a support surface while the clamping mechanism engages the endmost group of sheets.

18. The method of claim 16, including the step of supporting the endmost group of sheets during movement of the groups of sheets on the support surface.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of supporting the endmost group of sheets is carried out by a series of pivotable support members which engage the endmost group of sheets.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of engaging the clamping mechanism with the endmost group of sheets is carried out by engaging a first clamping member outwardly of the endmost separation in the interfolded sheets such that the first clamping member is engaged within the endmost group of sheets, and engaging a second clamping member with the endmost group of sheets outwardly of the first clamping member.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of moving the clamping mechanism in the lateral horizontal direction is carried out by laterally moving a carriage to which the first and second clamping members are mounted.