Web splicer

• US 6,817,566 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2002
• Issued: 11/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bulter Automatic, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Butler Automatic, Inc.
• Inventors: Clifford, John W., Bianchetto, Peter E., Mavilia, Robert, Butler, Andrew P., Gachet, Pierre
• Primary Examiner(s): Matecki, Kathy
• Assistant Examiner(s): KIM, SANG K
• Application Number:
  US10/283,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20040084561A1
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 242/552, 242/554.2, 242/554.1, 242/559.4, 242/564.5, 242/598.2, 242/599.3, 156/564
• US Class Current: 242/552
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 19/14 Accumulating surplus web for advancing to machine while changing the web roll
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 19/1852 taking place at a distance from the replacement roll
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 23/032 Controlling transverse register of web
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/41352 moving on linear path (including linear slot arrangement)
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/41362 one of the supports for the roller axis being movable as auxiliary bearing
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/46222 involving double butt splice, i.e. adhesive tape applied on both sides of the article or web portions
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/4631 Adhesive tape
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2403/52 Translation screw-thread mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/175 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1763 Magazine stack directly contacting separate work

Abstract

A web handling apparatus includes a base, a housing, a splicing head mounted in the housing, and first and second non-rotatable swing out roll shafts, each shaft having opposite first and second ends. The roll shafts are normally positioned in the housing substantially parallel to the splicing head so that web can travel through the splicing head to on from web rolls on the roll shafts. A web accumulator mounted to the housing conducts web to or from the splicing head and the housing is movably mounted to the base so that the housing can move relative to the base in either direction parallel to the roll shafts. An actuator connected between the housing and the base moves the housing relative to the base in response to signals from a web position sensor so as to minimize the side lay of web extending to or from the apparatus. The splicing head employs special mirror image upper and lower splicing sections which facilitate preparation of the leading end of the ready web while the other web is running and the two splicing sections cooperate to make a consistent high quality butt or lap splices between the two webs.

Claims

1. A web handling apparatus comprising

abase;

a housing;

a splicing head mounted in the housing;

first and second roll shafts, each shaft having opposite first and second ends;

connecting means connecting the roll shafts in the housing substantially parallel to the splicing head so that web can travel through the splicing head to or from web rolls or the roll shafts;

a web accumulator mounted to the housing for conducting web to or from the splicing head;

mounting means for movably mounting the housing to the base so that the housing can move relative to the base in either direction parallel to the roll shafts;

moving means connected between the housing and the bas for moving the housing and accumulator together relative to the base, and

control means for controlling the moving means while web is travelling through the splicing head so that the travelling web is maintained in alignment with a downstream machine centerline.

2. The web handling apparatus defined in claim 1

wherein the moving means include an actuator; and

further including a web position sensor for sensing the lateral position of web entering or leaving the accumulator and producing a position signal in response thereto, and a controller responsive to the position signal for comparing the lateral position of a web conducted to or from a roll on one of the roll shafts with respect to a desired web position and producing a difference signal in response to the comparison, said difference signal being applied to the actuator where thereupon moves said housing as needed to minimize the difference.

3. The web handling apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein the actuator is a lead screw-type actuator.

4. The web handling apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein the mounting means comprise

a plurality of upwardly facing, low coefficient of friction slide members mounted on the base, and

a plurality of sliders extending parallel to said shafts at the bottom of the housing, each slider being slidably received in at least two of said plurality of slides.

5. The web handling apparatus defined in claim 4 wherein

each slide comprises a plastic slide member having an upwardly facing channel, and

each slider comprises a beam having a lower portion seated in the channels of at least two of said slide members.

6. The web handling apparatus defined in claim 5 and further including

a plurality of locking caps, and

a plurality of fasteners for fastening the plurality of locking caps to the plurality of slide members so that the locking caps overlie the portions of the beams seated in the channels of the slide members.

7. The web handling apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein

the housing includes first and second side walls spaced opposite one another;

the connecting means include a pivot pivotally connecting the first end of each roll shaft to one of the side walls so that each shaft can be swung between a closed position wherein each roll extends parallel to the splicing head and an open position wherein each shaft extends out in front of the housing to facilitate sliding a web roll onto each shaft, and

securing means for releasably securing the second end of each shaft to the other of the side walls when each shaft is in its said closed position.

8. The web handling apparatus defined in claim 7 wherein the securing means include first and second saddles mounted to said other side wall for supporting the second ends of the first and second shafts when said shafts are in their closed positions.

9. The web handling apparatus defined in claim 8 and further including a resilient member on the second end of each shaft which resiliently engages the corresponding saddle when said shaft is in its closed position.

10. The web handling apparatus defined in claim 7 wherein

the first shaft is located above the splicing head and the second shaft is located below the splicing head;

the pivot of the first shaft is connected to the one side wall by way of a lifting device which can move the first shaft, when in its open position, between a lower loading position located relatively close to the base and an upper loading position located above the splicing head.

11. The web handling apparatus defined in claim 10 wherein the lifting device comprises

an elongated vertical slide member mounted to the one side wall;

a carriage slidable along the slide member and supporting the pivot of the first shaft so that the shaft may be moved parallel to the slide member between said upper and lower loading positions, and

a reversible lifting device for moving the carriage up and down the slide member.

12. The web handling apparatus defined in claim 11 wherein the lifting device comprises

a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder;

a piston connected to said carriage and being slidable in said cylinder, and

means for conducting fluid under pressure selectively to or from the cylinder on either side of the piston.

13. Web handling apparatus comprising

a housing having a bottom and first and second side wall spaced opposite one another;

a splicing head mounted in the housing between said side walls;

a first roll shaft having opposite ends and dimensioned to extend between the side walls

a second roll shaft having opposite ends and dimensioned to extend between the side walls

first connecting means including a first pivot for pivotally connecting one end of the first shaft to one of the side walls above the splicing head so that the first shaft can be swung between a closed position wherein the first shaft extends parallel to the splicing head and an open portion wherein the first shaft projects out in front of the housing, said first pivot being connected to said one of the side walls by way of a lifting device which can move the first shaft, when in its said open position, between a lower loading position located relating close to the bottom of the housing and upper loading position located above the splicing head;

second connecting means including a second pivot for pivotally connecting one end of the second shaft to one of the side walls below the splicing head so that the second shaft can be swung between a closed position wherein the second shaft extends parallel to the splicing head and an open position wherein the second shaft projects out in front of the housing, and

securing means for releasably securing the other end of each shaft to the other of the side walls when each shaft is in its said closed position.

14. The web handling apparatus defined in claim 13 wherein the securing means include

first and second saddles mounted to the other side wall for supporting the second ends of the first and second shafts when said shafts are in their closed positions.

15. The web handling apparatus defined in claim 14 and further including a resilient member on the second end of each shaft which resiliently engages the corresponding saddle when said shaft is in its closed position.

16. The web handling apparatus defined in claim 13 wherein the lifting device comprises

an elongated vertical slide member mounted to the one side wall;

a carriage slidably along the slide member and supporting the pivot of the first shaft so that the shaft may be moved parallel to the slide member between said upper and lower loading positions, and

a reversible lifting device for moving the carriage up and down the slide member.

17. The web handling apparatus defined in claim 16 wherein the lifting device comprises

a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder;

a piston connected to said carriage and being slidable in said cylinder, and

means for conducting fluid under pressure selectively to or from the cylinder on either side of the piston.

18. Web handling apparatus comprising

a housing having first and second side walls spaced opposite each other;

a splicing head supported horizontally between the side walls, said splicing head including a horizontally travelling knife;

an upper roll shaft supported horizontally between the side walls above the splicing head;

a lower roll shaft supported horizontally between the side walls below the splicing head;

an upper surface drive mounted between the side walls above the upper roll shaft for engaging a first web roll on the upper roll shaft;

a lower surface drive mounted between the side walls above the lower roll shaft for engaging a second web roll on the lower roll shaft;

a web accumulator mounted to the housing behind the splicing head for storing a supply of web conducted to or from the splicing head;

a registration sensor for sensing indicia on web located between the splicing head and the accumulator and producing a corresponding registration signal, and

control means responsive to said signal for controlling the upper or lower surface drive so as to rotate the web roll associated with the web being sensed so as to rewind web onto that roll until that web is brought into registration with the web from the other roll at the splicing head.

19. The web handling apparatus defined in claim 18 wherein each surface device includes an endless belt which engages the perimeter of the underlying web roll.

20. The web handling apparatus defined in claim 18 and further including clamping means in the housing between the splicing head and the accumulator for clamping the web being sensed to prevent web drawback from the accumulator.

21. The web handling apparatus defined in claim 18 wherein the splicing head comprises

upper and lower minor image splicing sections position above and below the knife, each section including an elongated horizontal web preparation bar and an elongated horizontal splicing bar spaced beside the preparation bar;

mounting means for pivotally mounting each splicing section to the side walls so that each section can rotate about a horizontal axis between a slicing position wherein said bars of that section face the other section and a web preparation position wherein the bars of that section face away from the accumulator,

each of said clamping bars having a clamping surface an being movable between a retracted position wherein its clamping surface is co-planar with the preparation bar of that splicing section and an extended position wherein its clamping surface exerts pressure on the clamping surface of the clamping bar in the other splicing section when both splicing sections are in their splicing positions, and

actuating means for moving each clamping bar between its said two positions.

22. The web handling apparatus defined in claim 21 and further including stops for establishing the two positions of each splicing section.

23. The web handling apparatus defined in claim 21 and further including moving means for rotating each splicing section between its said two positions.

24. The web handling apparatus defined in claim 21 wherein each splicing section also includes

an elongated horizontal web clamp that faces away from the other splicing section when said each section is in its web preparation position, and

an actuator for actuating said clamp.

25. The web handling apparatus defined in claim 21 wherein the splicing head also includes

a pair of nip rollers mounted between the housing side walls behind the splicing sections, said nip rollers being movable into and out of contact with each other, and

means for moving the nip rollers toward and away from each other.

26. The web handling apparatus defined in claim 25 wherein the nip rollers are vacuum rollers.

27. The web handling apparatus defined in claim 21 wherein said bars are vacuum bars.

28. The web handling apparatus defined in claim 21 wherein each splicing section also includes a pair of spaced-apart upper and lower horizontal rollers swingably mounted to that splicing section so that the roller closer to the knife can moved between a forward position spaced in front of the preparation bar of that splicing section and a rearward position closer to preparation bar of that splicing section, and

an actuator for moving the rollers between said positions.

29. The web handling apparatus defined in claim 28 wherein

the upper and lower rollers of each splicing section are rotatably mounted to swingable brackets;

an elongated web clamp is mounted to the brackets between the rollers, and

an actuator is mounted to that splicing section for swinging the brackets.