Structure of interfolding machine

• US 7,517,309 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2005
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mtc-Macchine Trasformazione Carta SRL
• Original Assignee: Mtc-Macchine Trasformazione Carta SRL
• Inventors: De Matteis, Alessandro
• Primary Examiner(s): DESAI, HEMANT
• Application Number:
  US11/215,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20060052228A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,323 Days
• Field of Search: 493/411, 493/413, 493/430, 493/433, 493/448, 493/471, 493/473, 493/475, 493/477, 493/478
• US Class Current: 493/477
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2402/10 Modular constructions, e.g. using preformed elements or profiles
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2402/40 Details of frames, housings or mountings of the whole handling apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 45/24 Interfolding sheets, e.g. cigarette or toilet papers

Abstract

An interfolding machine having a framework (1) comprising a first plate (20a) and a second plate (20b), parallel to each other, interconnected by means of beams (15, 25, 26). Each plate (20a or 20b), has a modular structure and comprises at least one lower portion (22a or 22b) and an upper portion (23a or 23b). The upper portions (23a, 23b) of the plates (20a, 20b) are connected by beams (25), whereas the lower portions (22a, 22b) are connected by relative beams (26, 15). The upper portion has a portion (5) removable independently from the framework (1). The removable portion (5) comprises cutting rollers (8), the rollers bringing a cutting tool (10) and folding rollers (9). The web conveying rollers (6, 7), conveying the paper along the direction of process are mounted on the fixed portion (24) of the upper portion (23) of the framework (1).

Claims

1. An interfolding machine assembly comprising:

a framework having a first plate and a second plate parallel to each other and interconnected by transversal beams, each plate comprising at least one lower part and one upper part, each upper part receiving one of a plurality of removable portions, each one of said plurality of removable portions including;

a feeding section arranged between the upper parts of said plates and where at least one web of paper is fed;

cutting rollers arranged between the upper parts of said plates on which knives are arranged suitable for dividing the web of paper into sheets of predetermined length;

an interfolding section arranged between said upper parts of said plates and comprising;

two folding rollers to which the above described sheets adhere in order to be overlapped in a determined configuration;

folding elements associated to said folding rollers that arrange the sheets in a determined interfolded configuration forming underneath a stack of product, wherein said sheets are folded according to a succession of panels of predetermined length; and

;

a separating section, arranged between said lower parts of said plates where a pack of interfolded sheets is separated from a following pack and withdrawn from the area of process through separating means;

wherein each one of said plurality of removable portions of the upper parts of said plates are removable independently from a remainder of said framework support at least said folding rollers, and wherein the two removable portions interconnected by said transversal beams and by at least said two folding rollers form a modular portion, said modular portion being removable integrally and replaceable with at least one equivalent removable modular portion, wherein said folding rollers of said modular portion and said equivalent modular portion each have a circumference that is a multiple of a predetermined panel length.

2. The interfolding machine, according to claim 1, wherein an automatic introduction/extracting machine is provided for said removable portions, said automatic introduction/extracting machine being capable of housing several among said modular portions and of extracting/inserting selectively one of said modular portions at a time from/in the interfolding machine.

3. The interfolding machine, according to claim 1, wherein said folding elements, which are comprised of relative handling mechanisms, are connected to a portion independent from removable portion.

4. The interfolding machine, according to claim 1, wherein said removable portion comprises in addition to said folding rollers also said cutting rollers.

5. The interfolding machine, according to claim 1, wherein said removable portion comprises in addition to said folding rollers, said cutting rollers and web conveying rollers.

6. The interfolding machine, according to claim 1, wherein said removable portion comprises in addition to said folding rollers, also said folding elements.

7. The interfolding machine, according to claim 1, wherein said removable portion is slidingly mounted on guides provided longitudinally with respect to said framework.

8. The interfolding machine according to claim 1, wherein said separating means suitable for entering the stack for separating a pack from a next one being formed, as well as vertical guides containing the stack, are mounted on carriages that can move towards/away from each other along a direction transversal to said framework for bringing them at an operative distance correlated to the size of the rollers mounted on said machine.