US2843377A - Sheet cutting and laying machines or apparatus - Google Patents

Description

July 15, 1958 J. E. BATTERSBY 2,843,377

SHEET CUTTING AND LAYING MACHINES OR APPARATUS Filed Nov. 14. 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet. 1

y 1953 J. E. BlATTERSBY 2,843,377

SHEET CUTTING AND LAYING MACHINES OR APPARATUS Filed Nov. 14, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet L2 July 15, 1958 J. E. BATTERSBY SHEET CUTTING AND LAY ING MACHINES OR APPARATUS Filed NOV. 14, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 15, 1958 J. E. BATTERSBY 2,843,377

SHEET CUTTING AND LAYING MACHINES OR APPARATUS Filed Nov. 14, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheefl 4 LZzu; 612-601 E Batters by July 15, .1958 J. E. BAT-TERSBY- 7 SHEET CUTTING AND LAYING MACHINES OR APPARATUS Filed Nov. 14, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 lfrpv entom United. States. Patent.

SHEET CUTTING AND LAYING MACHINES OR APPARATUS James Eckersley Battersby, London, England, assignor t0 Masson Scott & Company Limited, London, England Application November 14, 1955, Serial No. 546,637

Claims priority, application Great Britain November 17, 1954 Claims. c1. 271-76) This invention relates to sheet cutting and laying machines or apparatus of the kind in which sheets cut from one or more travelling webs, generally by rotary cross cutting devices, are fed in overlapping relationship to an automatic stacking device, usually referred to as an auto "matic layboy, in which the sheets are formed into a vertical stack. The overlapping of the cut sheets is effected by feeding them from a fast running conveyer leading from the cross cutting device to a slower running conveyer. These conveyers usually comprise a series of longitudinally extending belts or tapes and their driving means are generally interconnectedby change speed gearing so that the relative conveyer speeds can be varied. Control of the overlapping is effected by a transverse stop roll or similar device arranged above the slow running conveyer at a desired point along its length to engage the forward ends of the advancing sheets and reduce their speed to that of said slow running conveyer. The stop device is adjustable along the length of the conveyer and is usually positioned so that as the rear edge of each sheet ,drops from the fast running conveyer to the slow ,running conveyer its forward edge is engaged by the stop device and the speedjof the sheet thereby reduced. The sheets are thus overlapped like tiles on a roof along the slow running conveyer. It is usual practice to operate the fast running conveyer at a higher speed, e. g. between and 30% greater, than the peripheral speed of the press rolls which feed the paper to the cross cutting devices so that each sheet is under tension before it is cut, and also for the purpose of affordinga gap between adjacent sheets or groups of sheets upon this conveyer. The width of such gap varies according to the length of 'the sheet out, being greater with longer sheets. It fol- ..lows that the longer the sheet the wider will be the gap between adjacent sheets and hence the difference in speed between the fast and slow runningconveyers must be greater with longer sheets in order to avoid interference between the adjacent edges of sheets during overlapping, and hence the percentage of overlapmust be increased in ajccordance with increasein the length of the sheets.

The formation of an overlapped series of sheets on the slow running conveyer as described above involves the sliding of the forward edge of each sheet over the sheet preceding it and this gives rise to difliculties especially with thin sheets of paper and like material the forward edges of which tend to bend downwardly as theyleave the fast running conveyer and may fail to advance to the stop device. In such circumstances it is found necessary to impart a degree of temporary rigidity to the sheets during the overlapping operation and various means for accomplishing this purpose have been proposed or used. Thus in one known arrangement a shallow channel section is imparted to the sheet by suitable guides or channelling pieces which cause the longitudinal edges of the 'sheet to be bent upwardly. In another known arrangementa corrugated or wave like form With'troughs and crests extending longitudinally is imparted to"the"sl1eets 2,843,377 Patented July 15, 1958 2 across the full width thereof by passing the sheets between rotating or travelling driven members which are profiled and relatively disposed to give the desired formation. It is found in practice that the rigidity imparting form so obtained tends to disappear soon after leaving the forming means, and that if the latter are arranged to impart a deeper form the sheets may be damaged. It is an object of the present invention to provide improved means for imparting a greater degree of temporary rigidity to the travelling sheets for overlapping purposes without the attendant disadvantages above mentioned.

Somewhat similar difficulties are encountered in laying sheets upon a stack in an automatic stacking device or layboy, and it is a further object of the invention to provide improved means for imparting a greater degree of temporary rigidity to the travelling sheets for stacking purposes than has hitherto been possible.

The invention consists in means for feeding sheets cut from webs for an overlapping or laying operation, comprising rotating or travelling driven means for engaging the sheets between them prior to such operation to impart a corrugated, Wave like or similar cross sectional form to the sheets, in combination with a stationary surface arranged to receive and support the sheets as they leave the driven means and having a cross section of corrugated, wave like or similar form corresponding to and aligned with the form imparted to the sheet and engageable therewith to maintain such form and facilitate the overlapping or laying operation.

Any. suitable means can be employed for imparting the initial corrugation or like formation to the sheets. Thus in one convenient arrangement an upper forming roll driven at the peripheral speed of a sheet conveyer is arranged to engage the sheets as they leave the conveyer, the surface of the roll being ridged or having a corrugated or wave like profile to. impart the desired formation to the sheets, the roll ridges being disposed between the narrow tapes or hands of the usual conveyer. Preferably the end roll of the conveyer has a continuous corrugated or wave like profile coacting with the upper roll, the tapes or bands being supported on the crowns of said profile. The upper forming roll may conveniently comprise a series of appropriately formed discs assembled on a shaft.

In a possible alternative arrangement the forming roll face for receiving the sheets conveniently comprises a metal plate shaped to the desired profile and extending across the width of the machine, being mounted on a cross girder or other support. The profile of the plate preferably has a smooth and substantially uniform wave like form and is straight in the direction of sheet travel. Preferably one or both ends of the plate are shaped with projections which enter between the belts or tapes of an adjacent conveyer or conveyers, or between the hollows of associated forming rolls. The length of the stationary plate in the direction of sheet travel and its relation, whether inclined or otherwise, to the travel of the sheets is determined by operating conditions such as :conveyer speeds and the thickness and quality of the paper or other material of the sheets.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure l is a side elevation partly in section of part of a sheet laying machine or apparatusconstructed in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end view of the corrugating plate of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the corrugating plate;

Figure is a diagrammatic side elevation of an automatic sheet stacking device in which the invention may be incorporated in conjunction with a sheet cutting device;

Figure 6 is a sectional side elevation of the movable carriage of an automatic stacking device constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 7 is an end view of a pair of corrugating rolls of the stacking device;

Figure 8 is an end view of part of the corrugating plate of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a plan view of part of the corrugating plate;

Figure is an end view of another pair of corrugating rolls of the stacking device.

In carrying the invention into effect according to one convenient mode as applied to a sheet cutting and laying machine in which sheets cut from webs are fed in overlapping relation to a stacking device, the cut sheets are fed from the cutting device (not shown) by fast running conveyer tapes 1 as shown in Figure 1 carried on an end roll 2, the sheets travelling from left to right. Upper controlling tapes 3 passing over a roll 4 may also be provided. For imparting to the sheets a corrugated or wave like cross section there is provided an upper 'forming roll 5 which coacts with a lower roll 6 which carries the tapes 1 of the fast running conveyer. The upper forming roll is carried in end bearings 7 mounted on a pair of inclined or horizontal arms 8 pivotally mounted at 9 on the machine frame. Each arm carries a nut 10 threaded on a post 11 resting on an abutment 12 on [the frame, the post being rotatably adjustable by means of the member 13. A locking nut having a handle 14 is also provided. By this arrangement the upper roll 5 can be moved towards or away from the lower roll 6. The upper roll 6 comprises a series of forming discs 15 mounted on a shaft 16 with interposed spacing discs 17 of smaller diameter as shown in Figure 2. The edges of the forming discs 15 have a shallow V profile with a rounded vortex, or other shape suitable for imparting a desired formation to the sheets. The lower roll 6 which carries the tapes 1 has a corrugated or wave like profile as seen in Figure 2 with relatively shallow crests 18 upon which the conveyor belts or tapes. 1 are supported so that they are interposed between the forming discs 15, the vertices of the latter being opposite the troughs of the lower roll 6. The arrangement is such that sheets passing between the two rolls have the desired longitudinal corrugations imparted to them. For further control of the sheets a series of travelling belts 'or tapes 19, preferably elastic, are arranged above them and are driven at the same speed as the fast running conveyer tapes 1. The belts or tapes 19 are carried on rolls or pulleys 20 as seen in Figure 1 and are arranged to pass between the forming discs 15, and they may extend for any desired distance over the slow running conveyer tapes 21 which are carried by rolls or pulleys 22. The sheet receiving end of these slow running conveyer tapes is disposed at a lower level than the delivery end of the fast running conveyer tapes 1, and between these two sets of conveyer tapes is mounted a stationary plate 23 having a substantially horizontal or slightly inclined upper surface positioned to receive the sheets delivered from the corrugation forming means and having a wave like cross section similar to that of the lower roll 6 of the said forming means and adapted to maintain the form of the sheets passing over it. For this purpose the wave like cross section of the plate has substantially the same form as the formed sheets and its troughs and crests are aligned with the latter. The plate surface. is preferably either horizontal or slightly inclined upwardly in the direction of travel of the sheets which necessarily tend to drop as they leave the forming rolls 5, 6 and hence travel in contact with the waved surface of the plate. The rear edge of the plate 23, i. e. that which lies adjacent to the forming rolls 5, 6 is shaped to afford rearwardly projecting portions 24 which enter for a short distance between the fast running conveyer tapes 1 and thereby ensure a smoother and more satisfactory pick up of the sheets. As shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4, a plate 23 having the desired waved form is secured by rivets 24a or other means to a flat plate 25 and the latter is secured by bolts 26 or otherwise to a supporting girder or joist 27 extending across the machine. e. g. brass, may be used to form the waved plate surface. The arrangement is such that the formed sheets leaving the forming means engage with a waved or similarly profiled surface of the stationary plate and continue to travel over the surface thereof until they leave the forward edge of the plate which is located above and in the vicinity of the receiving ends of the slow running conveyer tapes 21. At some distance from the forward edge of the plate 23, determined by the operating conditions, the sheets will be received by the slow running conveyer tapes 21 in the desired overlapped relation. It is found that the introduction of the stationary formed plate 23 as described above very greatly increases the degree of temporary rigidity imparted to the sheets and leads to a number of advantages which are referred to hereinafter.

The roll and pulleys 28 shown in Figure l engage the forward edges of the sheets to control the overlapping thereof. The tapes or belts 19 pass freely between these pulleys.

The invention may also be applied to an automatic sheet stacking device or layboy as generally employed in conjunction with sheet cutting machines. Referring to Figure 5 which shows the general arrangement of a stacking device of this kind, a rotary cutter 29 mounted on a frame 30 is adapted to cut sheets from travelling webs (not shown) which are fed to the cutter from right to left. The cut sheets are received by conveyer tapes 31 which correspond to the conveyer tapes 1 of the previous example. The cut sheets are transferred to slower running conveyer tapes 32 (corresponding to the tapes 21 of the previous example) so that the sheets are overlapped, means being provided, as previously described, for affording temporary rigidity to the sheets during overlapping. In order to form the stack of sheets shown at 33 it is necessary to propel each sheet across .the top surface of the stack until it strikes a stop board 34. The conveyer tapes 32 are carried upon a frame 35 pivotally mounted at 36 and having its further end supported by means of a link 37 from a vertically movable carriage 38 slidable in guides in a stationary structure 39. The carriage 38 is moved vertically by means which are well known in the art so that sheets are delivered over the top of the stack as it grows. Side guide plates 40 and 41 are supported on the carriage 38. The

conveyor tapes 32 pass over a roll or pulleys 42 on the carriage 38. applied by way of example to a stacking arrangement of the kind described above, a plate 43 (see Figure 6) of longitudinally corrugated or waved form is secured on the carriage 38 behind the roll or pulleys 42 to receive sheets delivered from the conveyer tapes 32. The shape of this plate 43 is shown in Figures 8 and 9, and the lateral spacing of the crowns 44 of the wave formatron is the same as the spacing of the tapes 32 of the conveyer, each of the crowns being in line with one of the tapes. Also the edges at the ends of the plate have a wave formation in plan view, the crests 45 corresponding with the crests 44. Sheets passing over the plate 43 are delivered between a pair of driven corrugating rolls 46 and 47 mounted in bearings on the carriage 38. It will be seen from Figure 6 that the lower roll 47 has a waved profile and this corresponds with the Any suitable metaL' In carrying the invention into effect as waved formation of the stationary plate 43, the crests 'beinginalignment. The lower roll 47 is mounted on a shaft 48 carried in bearings 49 which are adjustable vertically by slidable supports 50 and clamps 51. The upper roll 46 has corrugating rings 52 which are arranged to apply light pressure to the sheets between the crests of the lower roll 47. The shaft 53 of the upper roll 46 .is carriedin bearings 54 which are adjustably secured in a pair of carriers 55 secured to a shaft 56 notatably supported in the carriage 38. One or more lever arms 57 secured to the shaft 56 can be engaged by a head or heads 58 of a pulling device 59 whereby the shaft 56 can be angularly displaced to raise the roll 46. Thus the rolls 46 and 47 can be adjusted relatively to vary the depth of the corrugations produced, and also the upper roll can be raised when required as for example if the sheets should become jammed in the rolls. Meshing gears 60 and 61, having a gear tooth form permitting roll adjustment, constitute a drive connection between the rolls and the drive is applied thereto in any convenient manner. The corrugated sheets leaving the rolls 46 and 47 are received upon a second longitudinally corrugated or waved plate 62 which is of similar form to the plate 43 already described. The plate 62 leads the sheets between a second pair of corrugating rolls 63and 64 the profiles of which can be seen from Figure (10. The lower roll has a corrugated or waved profile the crests 65 of which correspond to and are aligned with the crests of the stationary plate 62. The upper roll 63 has a series of rings or discs 66 which are disposed opposite the crests 65 of the lower roll. These rolls deliver the sheets in succession upon the top of the stack of sheets 33. The roll 63 is mounted in bearings 67 adjustably secured in carriers 68 on a shaft 69. An arm or arms 70 on the shaft 69 can be engaged by a pushing device 71 for raising the roll 63 if required. The lower roll 64 is also adjustable as described for the roll 41. Means are provided, as well understood in this art, for jogging the sheets as they are laid on the stack. Such means comprises a series of fingers 72 to which vertical oscillation is imparted by means of a linkage indicated at 73. It will be understood that the stationary corrugated plates 43 and 62 in conjunction with the two pairs of corrugating rolls impart to the sheets a corrugated form which is continuous across the width thereof and aifords a degree of temporary rigidity which greatly facilitates the propulsion of the sheets across the stack.

It will be understood that the invention is not restricted to the examples described above since constructional details of the forming means and of the stationary forming surface may be widely varied. If desired the forming plate may be constructed so that its length in the direction of sheet travel can be adjusted. This can be effected by providing a pair of relatively slidable forming plates which can be locked in the desired relation. Alternatively there may be provided a series of extensible plates of curved cross section and relatively narrow width corresponding to the crest portions of a forming plate as previously described, said narrow plates being mounted on the main forming plate so that they can be drawn out from the latter and locked in desired position.

By this i venti-on there is provided a simple and effective means whereby the degree of temporary rigidity imparted to travelling sheets for either overlapping or stacking purposes can be considerably increased as compared with known machines. This enables the machines to be operated at higher speeds than has hitherto been possible and also enables paper or other material of very thin or limp character, which has previously been very dilficult to overlap or stack, to be handled satisfactorily. A further advantage obtainable is that as a result of the increased temporary rigidity obtainable when overlapping, the slow running conveyer can be run at a higher relative speed than hitherto without risk of the advancing edges of the sheets dropping and fouling the rear-edges of preceding sheets. Hence a considerable variation in the percentage overlap of the sheets is permissible andthe friction between sheets due to a large difierence in the conveyer speeds is reduced. As a result it has been found possible to obtain satisfactory overlapping and laying of relatively long sheets of thin or limp paper which cannot be dealt with on existing machines. The invention can be applied to the handling of sheets of materials other than paper where similar conditions are encountered.

I claim:

1. Means for delivering sheets cut from webs in at least partly overlapping relation including means for temporarily imparting to the sheets a multiple wave like cross section transverse to their direction of travel for the purpose of momentarily stitfening the sheets to aid the overlapping thereof, the said means comprising driven elements engaging and feeding the sheets between them and so shaped as to impart to the sheets the aforesaid multiple wave like cross section, and a stationary element having a sheet supporting surface extending in the direction of sheet travel for receiving and supporting the travelling sheets as they leave the said driven elements, the said stationary supporting surface having a multiple wave like cross section corresponding to and aligned with the multiple wave form temporarily imparted to each sheet, and means for receiving the sheets leaving said stationary element.

2. Means according to claim 1, in which the said driven and stationary elements have a multiple wave like cross section extending over the full width of the sheets.

3. Means according to claim 1, comprising conveyer tapes for the sheets, and in which the driven elements for engaging the sheets comprise an upper forming roll driven at the peripheral speed of the conveyer tapes, the surface of the said roll being ridged to impart the desired formation to the sheets and the roll ridges being disposed between the conveyer tapes.

4. Means according to claim 1, comprising conveyer tapes for the sheets, and in which the driven elements or engaging the sheets comprise an upper forming roll driven at the peripheral speed of the conveyer tapes, the surface of the said roll being ridged to impart the desired formation to the sheets and the roll ridges being disposed between the conveyer tapes, the said tapes being carried by an end roll coacting with the upper forming roll and having a profile of multiple wave like form, the tapes being carried upon thecrests of such profile.

5. Means according to claim 1, comprising conveyer tapes for the sheets, and in which the driven elements for engaging the sheets comprise an upper forming roll driven at the peripheral speed of the sheets and comprising discs assembled upon a shaft, the disc peripheries being shaped to constitute ridges for imparting the desired formation to the sheets and said ridges being disposed between the conveyer tapes.

6. Means according to claim 1, comprising conveyer tapes for the sheets and in which the driven elements for engaging the sheets comprise an upper forming roll driven at the peripheral speed of the conveyer tapes, the surface of the said roll being ridged to impart the desired formation to the sheets and the roll ridges being disposed between the conveyer tapes, bearings for the said forming roll, and means for adjusting said hearings to displace the roll towards and away from the path of travel of the sheets.

7. Means according to claim 1, in which the said stationary element comprises a metal plate having a smooth and substantially uniform wave like form and being straight in the direction of travel of the sheets.

8. Means according to claim 1 comprising conveyer tapes for the sheets, in which the said stationary element comprises a metal plate having a smooth and substantially uniform wave like form and being straight in the direction of travel of the sheets, said plate having spaced proiecting portions along an end edge thereof disposed to extend between the conveyertapes.

'9. Means according to 'claim 1, in which "th6."'Sh66tS are .fed to'the said stationary "element by fast running conveyer means, and the means for receiving the sheets from the stationary element comprise a slower running oonveyer means whereby the sheets are laid upon the latter in overlapped relation.

10. Means according to claim 1, in which the sheets are fed to the said stationary element by fast running 'conveyer means, and the means for receiving the sheets from the stationary element comprise a slower running conveyer means whereby the sheets are laid upon the latter in overlapped relation, the said driven elements comprising an upper forming roll of ridged shape for imparting the desired formation to the sheets and including spaced tapes driven at the same peripheral speed as the sheets engaged by the forming roll and arranged to engage said sheets to control their travel during the forming thereof, said tapes being disposed to lie between the ridges of the forming roll.

11. Means according to claim 1, in which the means for receiving the sheets from the stationary element comprises an automatic stacking device.

12. Means according to claim '1, in which the driven elements for engaging the sheets comprise forming rolls and the means for receiving the sheets from the stationary element comprises an automatic stacking device including a vertically movable carriage, and the said forming rolls and stationary element are mounted on said carriage.

13. Means for delivering sheets cut from webs to an automatic sheet stacking device, comprising conveyer means for feeding the sheets, driven forming rolls positioned to engage between them the sheets fed by said conveyer means, the contour of said rolls being shaped for temporarily imparting to the sheets a multiple wave like cross section transverse to their direction of travel for the purpose of momentarily stiffening the sheets to aid in the stacking thereof, a stationary element having a sheet supporting surface extending in the direction-0f sheet travel and positioned to receive and support the travelling sheets as they leave the said'forming rolls, the said'stationary supporting surface having a multiplewave like cross section corresponding to and aligned with the multiple wave form temporarily imparted toeach sheet, and an automatic sheet stacking device arranged to receive'the' sheets delivered over said stationary supporting surface.

14. Means according to claim 13, comprising a'stationary sheet supporting surface interposed between the conveyer means and the forming rolls to support the sheets as they are delivered to said rolls, said supporting surface having a multiple wave like cross section corresponding tovand aligned with the wavelike surface ofthe first said supporting surface.

15. Means according to claim 13, comprising a second pair of driven feeding rolls positioned to engage the sheets received from the stationary supporting surface and to deliver said sheets to the automatic stacking device, said rolls being shaped to engage the sheets at spaced points.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 275,606 Demain Apr. 10,1883 671,377 Harris Apr. 2, 1901 708,958 Cowan Sept. 9, 1902 734,058 Bennett et al July 21, 1903 1,028,476 Adams June 4, 1912 1,545,912 MaXson July 14, 1925 2,101,328 Broadmeyer Dec. 7, 1937 2,361,459 Corbin Oct. 31, 1944 2,797,096 Kirk June 25, 1957

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