Apparatus and method for separation and delivery of continuous forms

• US 4,718,654 A
• Filed: 04/22/1986
• Issued: 01/12/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Paper Converting Machine Company (Barry-Wehmiller Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Paper Converting Machine Company (Barry-Wehmiller Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ehlers, Dennis W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eickholt, E. H.
• Application Number:
  US06/855,132
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 270/40, 270/39, 270/41, 270/52, 270/52.5, 270/47, 270/21.1, 493/357, 493/360, 493/411-413, 493/414, 493/361-363, 493/430, 493/424, 493/379-381, 493/390, 493/398, 225/99-106, 225/1-5, 225/32, 225/33, 400/613.2, 400/621, 83/925 R, 83/512, 83/648, 83/563, 83/519, 215/400-401, 215/93, 215/97-98, 215/100-101, 215/103-105
• US Class Current: 270/52.11
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 45/1015 Folding webs provided with predefined fold lines; Refolding prefolded webs, e.g. fanfolded continuous forms
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/12 With preliminary weakening
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/16 Transversely of continuously fed work
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/23 Zigzag-folded supply package
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/371 Movable breaking tool

Abstract

A device for zig-zag folding a series of web segments connected at transverse lines of perforation and for separating a pre-determined series of the web segments into stacks having co-acting folding rolls adapted to deliver a zig-zag folded web, a pair of opposed cantilevered plates movably mounted adjacent the folding rolls to provide alternative support for a developing stack and to prevent concavity, and means for moving the plates.

Claims

1. A method for developing stacks of zig-zag folded web segments comprising:

perforating a continuous web at equally longitudinally spaced transverse lines,

zig-zag folding said web along said lines and delivering said web into a stacking path having stack elevator means, said path having opposite sides defined by said lines of fold-perforation,

providing first and second movable substacks supporting plates, one on each side of said path, moving said first plate completely across said path to sever said web into a completed stack below said first plate and a developing stack above said first plate and supported thereon,

transferring the support of said developing substack from said first plate to said elevator means,

moving said second plate partially across said path to define a first substack therebelow and a developing second substack thereabove and while said first substack is supported against concavity,

moving said first plate partially across said path to define a completed substack therebelow and a third developing substack thereabove and while said second substack is supported against concavity,

thereafter removing said second plate from said path to transfer support of two accumulated substacks to said elevator means,

cyclically repeating the movement of said plates partway through said path until a predetermined number of substacks has been accumulated with each substack being supported in turn against concavity, and

finally moving said first plate completely across said path to sever said web into a completed stack.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein each substack includes 100 panels.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein each stack has up to 4000 panels and being made up of an even number of substacks.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said plate moving means includes a controller for programming the movements of said first plate to cyclically support a predetermined number of substacks before severing said web.

4. In apparatus for zig-zag folding a series of web segments along transverse lines of perforation between said segments and for separating a pre-determined series of said segments into stacks, a frame, co-acting folding rolls mounted on said frame and adapted to deliver a zig-zag folded web along a stack-forming path, a pair of opposed cantilevered plates movably mounted on said frame to provide alternative support for a developing stack to prevent concavity, means on said frame for moving said plates and further means on said frame for removing said stacks from said path, said plate moving means being operative to move a first of said plates completely across said path to sever said web along a predetermined line of perforation, said plate moving means being operative to move the second of said plates only partway across said path whereby said second plate is adapted only to support a developing stack but not to sever said web.

6. Apparatus for zig-zag folding a series of web segments at transverse lines of perforation between said segments and for separating a predetermined series of said segments into a substack for subsequent accumulation into full count stacks, comprising:

a frame, co-acting folding rolls mounted on said frames, each with alternating grippers and tuckers which co-act with tuckers and grippers respectively on the other of said co-acting roll, a pair of opposed cantilevered substack support plates which provide substantial support at a number of vertically spaced points to prevent concave curvature of a substack having horizontally disposed segments, each of said support plates being pivotable to separate and movable to independently support a substack while lowering same;

control means on said frame for pivoting and moving said plates, one of said support plates being horizontally movable a greater distance than the other and having a cantilevered beveled edge to sever the transverse perforation between alternate substacks, a vertically movable stack support elevator, and means to push a completed stack from said elevator support.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said control means is operative to provide initial separation between substacks by rapid pivotable insertion of the cantilevered free end of each of said opposing support plates into the path of movement of the perforated folded substack edge.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said frame is equipped with means for positioning the pivot axis of said plates adjacent to and parallel with the spaced fold lines between consecutive forms.