NL8402259A - HIGH SPEED CUTTING AND FOLDING MACHINE WITH PLATE SHAPES. - Google Patents

Description

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843085 / Rey / HvZ

Short designation: High speed cutting and folding machine of the type with plate-shaped die,

The present invention mainly relates to high speed cutting machines, and more particularly relates to a plate-type cutting machine in which sheets move continuously at uniform speed.

High speed cutting of corrugated board and the like is usually performed by machines with rotary or plate molds. In a rotary die machine, the sheets move continuously between a pair of rotary cylinders, one of which carries curved cutting and folding dies and also strippers that eject waste as the cutting takes place. For the most part, the plate-die machines are constructed such that the sheets are successively passed through cutting, syrup and delivery stations, the sheets being supported by intermittently moving chain-supported gripping bars. Rotary die machines operate at much faster production speeds than slab dies since the former does not require starting and stopping the sheets as they move through the machine. Plate-molded machines, however, are necessary for precise work and are desirable in that the curved dies are much more expensive than the flat-plate molds. In addition, cuts with flat dies are more beautiful and not saw-tooth shaped because the cutting is performed against steel rather than a soft rotating anvil.

In machines with plate-shaped dies, stripping is more complete because there may be a separate stripping station that has male and female dies.

In the past, efforts have been made to accelerate the operation of plate die machines by continuously moving the gripping bars carried by the chain so that cutting and folding occur as the sheet moves through the machine. Known machine of this type disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 3,203,288 of August 31, 1965 entitled "Machine for cutting 8402259 ί r Ϋ -2 and / or folding sheets of thin materials such as paper, cardboard , metal or plastic films ”, although the sheet was not brought to a complete standstill at the cutting, stripping, delivery stations, the sheet was substantially delayed at these locations 5. High speed displacement of the sheets occurred only between the stations.

This slowing down of the films reduces the production speed. In addition, the sheets were brought from low to high speed quickly, generating large machining forces that increase wear. Rapid acceleration brought additional stress to the connection points or "notches" between the leading edge of the strip held by the grippers and the usable parts of the cut and folded sheet, as well as between notches connecting multiple parts 15 to a sheet. the bonding points become so strong that they do not become visible and it is difficult to separate the strip from the remainder of the cut sheet, or to separate the cut portions from each other.

Other examples of known high speed sheet metal die cutting machines are shown in British patent applications GB 2 078 593A and GB 2 085 791 A. In these known cutting machines the anvil is curved to obtain a moving cut instead of straight to obtain a simultaneous cut. The use of a moving cut requires an increase in the cutting time compared to cutting in one go. A propelling cut requires the use of more complicated, less durable crank and slide mechanisms to synchronize the drive of the inserts and anvil.

In order to achieve high production while retaining the advantages of the plate die cutting and folding press over a rotary die machine, the present invention provides a plate die construction in which sheets are continuously fed at a uniform speed through the machine move and eccentrics are used to drive the die and anvil plates to achieve simultaneous cutting.

8402259 * * -3-

Thus, a primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved plate-die cutting and folding press that achieves high production speeds by applying a constant speed movement of both the machine parts and the sheets cut thereby.

A further object is to provide a cutting and folding press with plate-shaped matrices. designed to allow the use of relatively narrow "connecting parts" to connect the leading edge of the strip to the remainder of the cut and folded sheet, and to connect the parts cut through the die.

A further object is to provide a cutting and folding press with plate-shaped dies in which the sheets pass through the machine at an even speed.

A further object is to provide a cutting and folding press with plate-shaped dies in which the feeding slats or gripping rods are not stopped or delayed at the pick-up station of the sheets.

Yet another object is to provide a high speed cutting and folding press with plate cutting dies cutting at one time, the dies being driven only by eccentric shafts.

These objects, as well as other objects of the invention, will become apparent in the following description of the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a. plate and die cutting and folding press made in accordance with teaching 30 of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on the line II-II in FIG. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged end view of one of the feed slats.

FIG. 4 is a partial view of the feed bar of FIG. 3, viewed in the direction of arrows IV-IV in FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawing, in which a cutting and folding press carried out according to the invention, shown in FIG. 1 is generally represented by the reference numeral 10, which incorporates corrugated sheets 19 which are fed one by one (to the left in Fig. 1) from the bottom of the stack 5 11 into the holder 21 of the sheet feeder 20 which conventional (not shown) reciprocating feed bar. Immediately after leaving the container 21, each sheet 19 communicates with and is advanced by opposed pairs of feed rolls 12-13, 1.4-15, 16-17, 10 18-19, 22-23 each delivering to a plurality of grippers 25 spaced along the length of the transversely oriented feed bar 26. As will be explained below, the feed bar 26 is attached to an endless chain 30. In reality, the chain 30 consists of two parallel chains attached to the opposite ends of the feed slats 26. In a manner known in the art, the chain 30 carries a number of feed slats 26 equally spaced across the length of the chain 30 and transverse to the vertical plane 20 in which the chain 30 moves. The path of the chain 30 is determined by four sprockets 31-34.

The lower or horizontal main region of the chain 30 lies between the sprockets 31 and 32, allowing the feed bar 36 to support a sheet 19 between cutting plates 35,36 as die and anvil, then between discharge plates 37,38 to a delivery position above the sensor 39 in which the sheets are collected in stacks 41. A rotating drum member 40 placed directly upstream of the sprocket 32 includes pre-adjustable pins or fingers 42 or 30 of a similar die strip (not shown) which contacts the cut and folded box, tray, or the like, to separate the latter from the leading edge of the strip held by the grippers 25. In a location near the sprocket 33 opening grippers 25 and the leading edge of the strip are removed in a manner known in the art. The sprocket 31 is keyed to the shaft 43 which is driven by the shaft 44 by gears 46-49 and a key (not shown) keyed to the shaft 43. The shaft 44 is keyed to the gear 51 which is driven by belts 52 via the pulley 53 which is keyed to the output shaft 54 of a motor 55. The latter also drives the plate feed 20 through a gear transmission that exists from the gear wheel 49, gear wheel 56 and a gear wheel mounted to the shaft of the feed roller 18 with splines.

The motor 55 also drives the plates 35, 36 to and from the horizontal main feed path of the auctions between the sprockets 31, 32. More specifically, the gear 46 drives the sprocket 57 attached to the shaft 58 . The latter is keyed to a small gear which communicates with a large gear 62 keyed to the pivotally mounted shaft. 64 which forms one of the supports for the lower plate 36. The other supporting rotatable fixed shaft 65 for the lower plate 36 is wedged to the gear 63 having the same size as the gear 62. Similarly, the top plate 35 supported by pivotally mounted shafts 66,67 which are wedged to the respective gears 68,69 which are the same size as the gears 62,63. The driving connections between these four gear wheels 62,63,67,68 are effected by gear wheels 71,72 engaged therewith. The first 71 is in direct communication with the gears 62, 63 and the last 72 is in direct connection with the gears 68, 69.

A disk 73 is interposed between shaft 64 and bottom plate 36, which disk is eccentrically attached to shaft 64 and circumferentially located in a bearing 75 (Fig. 2) mounted in a downward projection 76 of the lower plate 36. In order to reduce the moments of force that attempt to bend the shaft 64, the plate 36 is provided with two transverse spaced downward projections 76 through which the shaft 64 passes.

The protrusions 76 are located substantially within the side edges of the bottom plate 36. Similarly, another pair of eccentric disks 80 is attached to the other lower shaft 65 and runs in bearings mounted on the downward projections 76. As the shafts 64.65 rotate, the lower plate 36 moves in a circumferential path, while the flat stop top of the plate 36 remains horizontal - The mounting of the top plate 35 to the top shafts 66,67 is essentially the same as the mounting of the bottom plate 36 to the bottom shafts 64,65 .

10 That is to say the. top plate 36 includes a pair of parallel spaced upward protrusions 79 having four bearings 81 rotatably supporting the circumferences of two pairs of disks 82,83 mounted eccentrically on the respective shafts 66, .67 · As the shafts 66,67 rotate, the top plate 35 will rotate in a path keeping the bottom die-bearing surface of the plate 35 in a horizontal plane.

Bearings 84 mounted on spaced 20 parallel stationary frame members 8-5.86 rotatably support shafts 64-67. With wedges on each of these shafts 64-67, sector-shaped weights 99 are attached to counterbalance the vertical components of the motion transmitted to the plates 35,36, as well as the rotating radial centrifugal forces of the plates 35,36 and their supports . The weights 99 on the shafts 66, 67 are located between upwardly projecting projections 79, 79 and the weights 99 on the shafts 64, 65 are located between downwardly projecting projections 76, 76.

As is clear from FIG. 2, the transverse shaft 67 consists of three. axially aligned portions, the center portion 98 carrying a counterweight 99 and the outer portions being rotatably supported in bearings 84 mounted in side frames 85,86. A separate disk 83 is eccentrically mounted on each end of the portion 98 and on the inward end of an outer portion of the shaft 67. The multi-part 8402259 -7-

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* -% construction of shaft 67 and the elements mounted on it also applies to shafts 64-66. This multi-part construction facilitates the fabrication of these parts and their attachment to the plates 35, 36.

Thus, it appears that the rotary movement of the top plate 35 as seen in FIG. 1 is clockwise, while the rotary movement of the bottom plate 36 is counterclockwise. Then, the plates 35, 36 will move simultaneously to the feed path 10 of the sheet and at the same time will move from the feed path of the sheet. move the sheet. As they move toward the sheet feed path, the plates 35,36 move from right to left in FIG. 1 or in the feeding direction of the sheet. The chain 30 will position each sheet 19 such that as the feed slat 36 is located on the left side of the plates 35, 36, the latter in FIG. 1 will move to the left at substantially the same speed as the sheet 19. As this movement continues, the plates 35, 36 move to the sheet feed path with the bottom plate 36 carrying the sheet 19 from the bottom and the flat cutting and folding die 87 carried by the top plate 35 becomes operative in connection with the sheet 19 to perform the intended cutting and folding process. As the plates 35, 36 separate, they move in FIG. 1 to the left and then to the right.

Stripper plates 37,38 are attached to the cutting plates 35, 36 and run down from them, which stripper plates have the same circular movement as the plates 35,36. After a sheet 19 has been cut and folded by the flat cutting and folding die 87 on the bottom surface of the top plate 30, the plates 35,36 separate and the cut sheet 19 moves down between the stripper plates 37,38 which cooperate male and female stripping dies carry a type known in the art. During the intervals of the rotation cycle for the plates 37,38 during which the latter lie at the sheet feed vane and have a substantially horizontal component of movement in the downstream direction, debris removal is set to 8402259 * * * -8 - executed downwards through the cooperation of the male and female stripper matrices carried by the plates 37,38. Optionally, the stripping may be performed by a semi-circular bottom stripper die (not shown) with a downstream end going back and forth at the paper level and an upstream end rotating with the cutting plate 36.

After the plates 37,38 separate after stripping, the sheet 19 continues downstream until it contacts fingers 42 of a rotary separator 40 separating the usable portion of the cut and folded sheet from the leading edge of the sheet. strip held by the grippers 25. When this is done, the cut and folded sheet is placed above the magazine 39 and 15 falls on top of the stack 41. In those situations where the leading edge is not present, the gripping fingers 25 open in the Proximity of separator 40 and fingers 42 of the latter carry the total sheet onto stack 41.

Lightweight horizontal back and forth slats 200 20 (only one of which is shown) positioned just below the plane of the horizontal feed path for the sheets lie in inactive positions on the sides of the feed path when the plates 35, 36 come into contact and are rotated to operating positions just below the feed path as the plates separate 35,36. In their operative positions, the slats 200 carry sheets 19 as they move between stations of the press 10.

As best seen in Figs. 3 and 4; each of the grippers 25 consists of a movable jaw 101 and a stationary stop 102. The downstream end of the jaw 101 is attached to the shaft 105 which is parallel to the hollow rectangular feed bar 26, and the free upstream end of the claw 101 is provided with teeth 103 which run to the leg 104 of the stop 102. The other leg 35 of the stop 102 is fixedly attached to the feed bar 26, each end of which is attached to a separate end plate 107 which is direct mounted on the portions of the 8402259 <* »-9 conveyor chain 30. The end plates 107 rotatably support the shaft 105. An arm 108 is placed outside at least one end plate 107 and radially on the shaft 105. A cam follower 109, which is rotatably mounted on the end of the arm 108 remote from the shaft 105, is urged toward the stationary cam surface 111 by a. U-shaped spring 112. In Fig. /, Spring 112 also provides the clamping force which holds the leading edge of the sheet 19 between the teeth 103 of the claw 101 and the leg 104 of the stop 102.

The stationary cam header 111 is formed and positioned such that when the power bar 26 reaches the predetermined positions, the connection between the follower 109 and the cam header 111 forces the shaft 105 to be in FIG. 3 in a clockwise direction, with teeth 103 moving away from stop 15 102. This condition prevails as the feed bar 26 moves down into the chain between the sprockets 31 and 34 so that the claw 101 is fully opened as the leading edge of the sheet 19 driven by the rollers 22, 23 approaches the chain 30. The shape of the stationary camshaft surface 20 ni is such that the claw 101 remains fully open as the feed bar 26 travels a short distance downstream of the sprocket 31. Thus, the movable jaw 101 will not interfere with feeding of the sheets 19. Prior to the time when the trailing edge of the sheet 19 moves downstream of the feed rolls 22, 23, the follower 109 has reached a point along the cam 111 where the gripper 25 in the position shown in FIG. 3 shown closed position. The gripper 25 remains closed until the follower 109 contacts a next (not shown) stationary cam portion in proximity to the sprocket 33 where the leading edge of the strip is released. In the absence of the leading edge, the gripper 25 will open when the cut and finished sheet is above the stack 41.

Thus, it appears that the conveyor chain 30 continuously moves at a uniform speed, the inserts 35,36 and stripper plates 37,38 have a continuous circular movement, and there is no need to slow down the conveyor chain 30 for delivering sheets 19 to grippers 25 or around inserts 8402259

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Or 35,36 or stripper plates 37,38 while the sheets 19 move between these plates or are in active communication with processing elements mounted on these plates. Even if there is a very slight speed difference between the horizontal movement of the feed chain 30 and the downstream horizontal component of the movement of the plates, this speed difference does not need to be compensated for most sheet materials and die cuts. In fact, the horizontal speed difference decreases to 0 at the end of the cutting when the plates 35,36 are in their lowest and highest positions, respectively. If compensation for the speed difference is desired, a lost motion link with compression springs may be provided between the feed bar mounting plates 107 and the feed chain 30.

A suitable type of lost motion link is described in British Patent No. 1,038,890. In a practical embodiment of the present invention, the eccentricity of the plates has a radius of approximately 20 cm. and the die means contacts the sheet about 10 ° on either side of the vertical, or the lowest position for the top plate.

While the present invention has been described in connection with a rotary motion transmitted to both the top and bottom plates, it is noted that the plates carrying the flat anvil can usually be reciprocated in a horizontal plane, while the other plate carrying the cutting and folding knives performs the circular motion described above. This type of construction is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,653,304 issued April 4, 1972 to F. Lenoir entitled "Device for Cutting and Folding Sheets".

It will then be apparent to those skilled in the art that bottom support slats 200 for sheets that run between the stations may be provided by continuously rotating disks or bars (not shown). As an alternative to battens 200, pneumatic supports can be used.

8402259

Claims (20)

Cutting and folding press for sheet material comprising a frame, plate dies, eccentric shafts rotatably mounted on the frame and on the dies, a closed track carrying means, gripping means for the sheet carried by the means of transport and equidistant from each other along the movement path of the transporting means, said transporting means having a substantially horizontal portion for carrying the gripping means in a feeding direction along a substantially horizontal feeding path passing through a sheet loading station, a sheet unloading station and a cutting station placed between the loading and unloading station, foodstuffs for delivering sheets separately to the gripping means as the latter pass through the loading station; which cutting and folding press is characterized in that it also includes drive parts for rotating said eccentric shafts at a uniform cyclic speed to drive the dies along a circular path arranged with a yel 20 such that the dies operate in contact completely cutting along the feed path through the cutting station, the drive means also continuously operating the conveyor at a uniform speed substantially equal to the horizontal motion component of the dies, the latter communicating with a sheet moving through the feed path. 2. Cutting and folding press according to claim 1, characterized in that it contains supporting means for the sheet 30 at the cutting station to support a sheet from below while it is not being cut. Cutting and folding press according to claim "[characterized in that it comprises supporting means for the sheet 35 at the cutting station, which supporting means are movable to an active position in which a sheet is supported from below, while this sheet does not is in communication with the mold, which support means are withdrawn from the active position when a sheet is in active connection with this mold. The cutting and folding press according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises additional members driven by the eccentric shafts to generate dynamic forces which counterbalance the variable cyclic loading of the die. DO Cutting and folding press according to claim 1, characterized in that it has a sheet gripper which is pressed to a closed sheet gripping position; stationary cams located upstream of the drop loading station, followers 15 operatively connected to the rim gripping member and connectable to the cams to hold the sheet gripping member open as the sheet feeders deliver sheets to these gripping means. Cutting and folding press according to claim 1, characterized in that it has a leading edge separator placed in operative position at the sheet unloading station to contact cut sheets and separate the leading edge strip held by the sheet gripping means from Remaining portions of said cut sheets. 7. Cutting and folding press according to claim 6, characterized in that the front edge separator is designed as a rotating member. 30 8. Cutting and folding press according to claim 1, characterized in that it has a separator placed in active position at the sheet unloading station to contact cut sheets and to release them from the sheet gripping means. 9. Cutting and folding press according to claim 1, characterized 8402259 t -13- in that the feed path also passes through a stripping station situated between the cutting station and the unloading station, wherein stripping means are placed at the stripping station and are operatively connected to dies for a coordinated operation with this so that when an upstream sheet is cut through the die, a downstream sheet is stripped of waste parts by these stripping means. A cutting and folding press according to claim 1, characterized in that the dies comprise opposing upper and lower plates located above and below the feed path, the eccentric axes being transverse to this direction and parallel first, second, third and fourth shafts rotated by the drive at 15 equal speeds, the first and second shafts being connected to the top plate, the first shaft being upstream of the second shaft, the third and fourth shafts being connected to the bottom plate the third axis is upstream of the fourth axis, which eccentric shafts also include first, second, third and fourth eccentric members driven by the respective first, second, third and fourth shafts, the top plate projecting upwardly projecting which are substantially within the side edges of the top plate 25, and the bottom plate have downwardly projecting projections substantially within the side edges of the bottom plate, the first and second eccentric means are rotatably supported by the upward projection and the third and fourth eccentric means 30 are rotatably supported by the downward projections. 11. Cutting and folding press according to claim 1, characterized in that a separate counterweight is attached to each of the said shafts by means of wedges. Cutting and folding press according to claim 11, characterized in that the counterweight is placed on the first and second axes between portions of the upwardly projecting projections, spaced transversely from one another counterweight on the third and fourth shafts is interposed between the transversely spaced portions of the downward protrusions. 5 Cutting and folding press according to claim 12, characterized by a sheet support member at the cutting station, said support member movable to an operative position in which a sheet is supported from below while the latter is not in communication with the die, said support member of this operative position is withdrawn when a sheet actively contacts this die. 14. Cutting and folding press according to claim 12, characterized. 15 by an additional means driven by the eccentric shafts to generate dynamic forces that compensate for the variable cyclic loading of the dies. A cutting and folding press according to claim 12 characterized by a sheet gripping member which is pressed to a closed sheet gripping position, stationary cams located upstream of the sheet loading station, followers operatively connected to the sheet gripping member and connectable to said cams to hold the rim gripping member in an open position as the sheet feeder delivers sheets to the gripping member. 16. Cutting and folding press according to claim 12, characterized in that it comprises a rotating front edge separator located at the sheet unloading station to communicate with cut sheets in operative position and the front edge strip held by the sheet gripper to separate the remaining portions of the cut sheets. 35 The cutting and folding press according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises additional members driven by said eccentric shafts to generate dynamic forces that compensate for the variable cyclic loading of the dies. A cutting and folding press according to claim 2 characterized by a sheet gripper pushed to a closed sheet gripping position, stationary cams located upstream of the sheet loading station, followers operatively connected to the sheet gripper and connectable with the cams to hold the sheet gripper in an open position as the sheet food supplies sheets to the gripper. A cutting and folding press according to claim 2, characterized by a separator positioned at the sheet unloading station to communicate with cut sheets in operative position and positively detach them from the sheet gripper. .20 20. Cutting and folding press according to claim 3, characterized by a rotating leading edge separator positioned at the sheet unloading station to communicate with cut sheets in operative position and separating the leading edge held by the sheet gripper 25 of the remaining portions of the cut sheets. ? ^ 0 2 2 5