Paper feeding device, in particular for cardboard production line

• US 6,758,432 B1
• Filed: 02/19/2002
• Issued: 07/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donato Rufo
• Original Assignee: Donato Rufo
• Inventors: Rufo, Donato
• Primary Examiner(s): Jillions, John M.
• Application Number:
  US09/979,866
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 242/555.4, 242/559.4, 242/559
• US Class Current: 242/555.4
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 19/1815 the replacement web being stationary prior to splicing contact
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 19/1873 with two stationary roll supports carrying alternately the replacement and the expiring roll
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2405/422 Trolley, cart, i.e. support movable on floor

Abstract

The present invention concerns a compact, simple, and economical supply device providing high speed splicing with no operator intervention, as well as automatic spool loading and unloading. The paper supply device (1) comprises two winders (2, 3) each supporting a spool of paper (4, 5), the first of which is a working spool and the second, a reserve spool, and a mechanism (6) for automatically splicing the end of the strip on the working spool with the beginning of the strip on the reserve spool. It is characterized in that the automatic splicing device (6) is located between the two winders (2, 3) and comprises two diversion rollers (60, 61) which rotate freely on at least one common plate (62), the plate rotating on a axle affixed to a trolley (63) so as to alternately place the diversion rollers (60, 61) in a first connection position and then in a second connection position, corresponding respectively to the working spool, with the trolley (63) being movable in translation from one spool to the other.

Claims

1. A paper supply device (1) for supplying paper for a cardboard manufacturing production line, the paper supply device comprising:

a working spool having a longitudinal axis and a first spool of paper on the working spool, the first spool of paper having a first end;

a reserve spool having a longitudinal axis and a second spool of paper on the reserve spool, the second spool of paper having a second end;

a first and second winder (2, 3) spaced from one another and parallel to each other;

the first and second winder (2,3) each supports one of the working spool and the reserve spool;

a drive mechanism to alternately activate the first and second winder to ensure a continuous supply of paper to the production line;

a sensor for detecting the first end of the first spool of paper on the working spool;

an automatic splicing device (6) for automatically joining the first end of the first spool of paper with the second end of the second spool of paper;

a trolley (63) having a trolley motor (66) to allow the trolley to move in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the working spool and the reserve spool;

at least one common plate (62) that is supported by the trolley and the at least one common plate having a fixed axle and a plate motor (64), the plate motor allowing the at least one common plate to rotate about the fixed axle;

two diversion rollers (60, 61) each having a central axle and the two diversion rollers are connected to the at least one common plate to shift between a first and second connecting position, the two diversion rollers are separated by a predetermined fixed distance;

wherein the two diversion rollers extend at least across an entire width of one of the working spool and the receiving spool, the diversion rollers are designed to jointly receive one of the first spool of paper and the second spool of paper, the two diversion rollers rotate freely about the at least one common plate (62) and are driven to rotate on each respective central axles by one of the first spool of paper and the second spool of paper as it unrolls;

the trolley (63) moves to position one of the two diversion rollers to contact with one of the working spool and the reserve spool while in one of the first and second connecting position;

the automatic splicing device (6) further comprises at least two parallel rails (72) attached to a floor and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the working spool and the reserve spool, the at least two rails are separated by a distance at least equal to the width of the paper on the working spool and the reserve spool, the at least two parallel rails are equipped with a -rack (77)-, and the trolley (63) further comprises at least one motorized beam (73) having first and second ends, the motorized beam extending between the at least two parallel rails and having a pinion (76) at the first and second ends which engages the rack (77) of the corresponding rails (72), the trolley motor (66) for driving the trolley (63) comprises at least one motor (74) and a mechanical transmission (75) coupled to the motorized beam (73).

2. A paper supply device (1) for supplying paper for a cardboard manufacturing production line, the paper supply device comprising:

a working spool having a longitudinal axis and a first spool of paper on the working spool, the first spool of paper having a first end;

a reserve spool having a longitudinal axis and a second spool of paper on the reserve spool, the second spool of paper having a second end;

a first and second winder (2, 3) spaced from one another and parallel to each other;

the first and second winder (2,3) each supports one of the working spool and the reserve spool;

a drive mechanism to alternately activate the first and second winder to ensure a continuous supply of paper to the production line;

a sensor for detecting the first end of the first spool of paper on the working spool;

an automatic splicing device (6) for automatically joining the first end of the first spool of paper with the second end of the second spool of paper;

a trolley (63) having a trolley motor (66) to allow the trolley to move in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the working spool and the reserve spool;

at least one common plate (62) that is supported by the trolley and the at least one common plate having a fixed axle and a plate motor (64), the plate motor allowing the at least one common plate to rotate about the fixed axle;

two diversion rollers (60, 61) each having a central axle and the two diversion rollers are connected to the at least one common plate to shift between a first and second connecting position, the two diversion rollers are separated by a predetermined fixed distance;

wherein the two diversion rollers extend at least across an entire width of one of the working spool and the receiving spool, the diversion rollers are designed to jointly receive one of the first spool of paper and the second spool of paper, the two diversion rollers rotate freely about the at least one common plate (62) and are driven to rotate on each respective central axles by one of the first spool of paper and the second spool of paper as it unrolls;

the trolley (63) moves to position one of the two diversion rollers to contact with one of the working spool and the reserve spool while in one of the first and second connecting position;

each of the first and second winders (2, 3) has at least one chassis (20) attached to a floor, at least one platform (21, 22) attached to the chassis and two pair of drive rollers (23, 24) parallel to at least one of the longitudinal axis of the working and reserve spools, the two pair of drive rollers (23, 24) are aligned and support one of the first and second spools of paper, the drive mechanism (25) for driving the winder comprises a motor (26), a motor shaft and a mechanical transmission (27-30) for driving at least one drive roller (23) of at least one of the two pair of drive rollers.

3. The paper supply device according to claim 2, wherein each of the first and second winders (2, 3) comprise first and second platforms (21, 22) that respectively supports a pair of drive rollers (23, 24), the first and second platforms are movable in a direction symmetrically to a median axis (A) of the paper supply device, the median axis is perpendicular to both the longitudinal axis of the working and reserve spools so as to adjust a distance between the pair of drive rollers on the first and second platforms to a width of paper of at least one of the first and second spools of paper.

4. The paper supply device according to claim 3, wherein the at least one chassis (20) of the first and second winders (2, 3) comprises two sections (31) that are parallel to each other and to the longitudinal axis of the working spool and the reserve spools, at least one section supports a rack (36), and the first and second platforms (21, 22) each has at least two slides (38) which slide along the two sections and at least one step motor (33) drives a pinion (35) which engages the rack (36).

5. The paper supply device according to claim 3, wherein each of the first and second winders (2, 3) further comprise two vertical turning stops (39) located between a single pair of drive rollers (23, 24) for axially blocking a spool of paper.

6. The paper supply device according to claim 2, wherein each of the first and second winders (2, 3) comprise a counterweight (9) designed to exert force on one of the first and second spools of paper against the pair of drive rollers (23, 24).

7. The paper supply device according to claim 6, wherein the counterweight (9) of each of the respective first and second winders comprises an arm (90) movable in a vertical direction along a fixed pole (92), the arm (90) moves between an upper position, when one of the working and reserve spools is full of paper, and a lower position, when the one of the working and reserve spools is empty of paper, as well as a lifting mechanism (93) for automatically raising the arm, the arm supporting at least two loose pulleys (91) that are parallel to each other and to the longitudinal axis of one of the working and reserve spools, the loose pulleys are designed to contact one of the working and reserve spools.

8. The paper supply device according to claim 7, wherein the arm (90) comprises four loose pulleys (91), two exterior loose pulleys designed to contact one of the working and reserve spools, when full of paper, and two interior loose pulleys designed to contact the one of the working and reserve spools when empty of paper.

9. The paper supply device according to claim 7, wherein the arm (90) has a lifting mechanism (93) for automatically lifting comprises a dual-action cylinder (94) controlled by an electrovalve (95).

10. The paper supply device according to claim 7, wherein the sensor for detecting the first end of the first spool of paper comprises at least one device for detecting the end of a course associated with the counterweight (9) and designed to detect the arm position corresponding to a minimum admissible diameter of the working spool that would allow the first end of the first spool of paper to be connected to the second end of the second spool of paper on the reserve spool.

11. The paper supply device according to claim 10, wherein the sensor for detecting the first end of the first spool of paper on the working spool is designed to send a signal to the drive mechanism (25) for the winder corresponding to the reserve spool for the drive mechanism (25) to rotate the reserve spool, as the second spool of paper carries a visual index and cold glue mesh extending over its entire width.

12. The paper supply device according to claim 11, wherein the automatic splicing device (6) comprises a presence detector designed to detect a visual indicator located on the reserve spool that is being rotated, the presence detector is designed to simultaneously send a signal to the trolley motor (66) and to the plate motor (64) to displace the trolley towards the reserve spool and to place the two diversion rollers from the first connecting position to the second connecting position, and conversely, depending upon which spool is currently dispensing paper.

13. The paper supply device according to claim 12, wherein the automatic splicing device (6) comprises at least one cutting blade (11) extending generally across the entire span of a spool of paper, located generally below the trolley (63) and movable in a vertical direction from a lower waiting position to an upper working position in which the at least one cutting blade (11) cuts the end of one of the working and reserve spools of paper.

14. The paper supply device according to claim 3, further comprises an automatic loader (7, 8, 40) for automatically unloading empty spools and automatically loads full spools.

15. The paper supply device according to claim 14, wherein each of the first and second winders (2, 3) respectively comprise, between first and second platforms (21, 22), a third platform (41) that is movable in a vertical direction from a lower waiting position to an upper working position, the third platform has a track (43) and a plurality of motorized rollers (44) parallel to each other and perpendicular to a spool axis, the plurality of motorized rollers are rotated by a roller motor and designed to support and axially displace the respective spool when the third platform is in the upper position so as to position the spool in one of first and second winders, if the spool is full or remove from one of first and second winders, if the spool is empty.

16. The paper supply device according to claim 15, wherein the third platform (41) comprises at least two vertical dual-action cylinders (45) designed to displace the third platform from the lower position to the upper position and vice versa.

17. The paper supply device according to claim 15, wherein the roller motor comprises at least one motor and one of a chain and pinion transmission, and a pulley and gear transmission for driving the motorized rollers simultaneously.

18. A paper supply device (1) for supplying paper for a cardboard manufacturing production line wherein, the paper supply device comprises;

a working spool having a longitudinal axis and a first spool of paper on the working spool, the first spool of paper having a first end;

a reserve spool having a longitudinal axis and a second spool of paper on the reserve spool, the second spool of paper having a second end;

first and second winders (2, 3) spaced from one another and parallel to each other;

the first and second winders (2,3) each supports one of the working spool and the reserve spool;

a drive mechanism to alternately activate the first and second winders to ensure a continuous supply of paper to the production line;

a sensor for detecting the first end of the first spool of paper on the working spool;

an automatic splicing device (6) for automatically joining the first end of the first spool of paper with the second end of the second spool of paper;

a trolley (63) having a trolley motor (66) to allow the trolley to move in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the working spool and the reserve spool;

at least one common plate (62) that is supported by the trolley and the at least one common plate having a fixed axle and a plate motor (64), the plate motor allowing the at least one common plate to rotate about the fixed axle;

two diversion rollers (60, 61) each having a central axle and the two diversion rollers are connected to the at least one common plate to shift between first and second connecting positions, the two diversion rollers are separated by a predetermined fixed distance;

the two diversion rollers extend at least across an entire width of one of the working spool and the receiving spool, the two diversion rollers are designed to jointly receive one of the first spool of paper and the second spool of paper, the two diversion rollers rotate freely about the at least one common plate (62) and are driven to rotate on each respective central axles by one of the first spool of paper and the second spool of paper as the second spool unrolls;

the trolley (63) moves to position one of the two diversion rollers to contact with one of the working spool and the reserve spool while in one of the first and second connecting positions;

the plate motor (64) further comprises at least one motor (71), a motor shaft and a mechanical transmission located between the motor shaft and the at least one common plate (62), the plate motor being designed to alternately move a platform at an angle less than 360°

, with the limits of this angle corresponding to the first and second connecting positions for the two diversion rollers and the angle ranges from 250°

to 290°

.