EP0614838A1 - Exchangeable press roll - Google Patents

Abstract

A web transporting device which can be used in a rotary printing machine or a folding apparatus comprises a rotatable, driven transporting roller (10) with a fixed axis and at least one engageable pressure roller (12) whose axis is essentially parallel to the said fixed axis and which can be engaged with the driven transporting roller (10). The engageable pressure roller (12) has a length which corresponds to a maximum width of the web to be processed in the printing machine. An exchangeable pressure sleeve (14) is provided, which is mounted axially on the engageable pressure roller (12). The exchangeable pressure sleeve (14) has at least one annular gap along its axial length, which gap allows the web to curl when passing through the web transporting device without permanent folds or creases being formed therein. A counterweight mechanism (56) is also provided, which stabilises the engageable pressure roller (12) in a maintenance position while the exchangeable pressure sleeve (14) is being exchanged. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a device for transporting material webs in a rotary printing press or in a folder, and in particular to an exchangeable pressure sleeve which can be applied to an adjustable pressure roller.

The known web transport devices have a fixed, driven transport roller and at least one narrow, adjustable pressure roller. These narrow, adjustable pressure rollers have a disadvantageous effect in folders. The width of a strand of a material web can change with each new operation. If this is the case, the narrow pressure rollers must be adjusted so that they contact both edges of a strand. This means that bolts have to be loosened, with which the pressure rollers are fastened on an axis, and rings, with which each pressure roller is connected, are moved into the correct position and then the bolts have to be tightened again. These actions are time consuming and result in significant machine downtime tents.

Furthermore, since the pressure rollers do not have to operate with a high pressure force, they tend to separate from the fixed, driven transport roller with each vibration-related impact. This leads to phase voltage differences. In the past, the contact force of the rollers was increased, but not the pressure force generated by the pressure rollers, since a mechanical lock was installed that determined the gap between the rollers. However, the application of this mechanical lock is cumbersome and time-consuming and normally has to be carried out for each new operation.

Various attempts have been made to overcome this problem. British Patent No. 1,457,989 and U.S. U.S. Patent No. 3,083,887 disclose web transport devices which are directed to controlling the tension of the web of material as it passes through the web transport device.

British Patent No. 1,457,989 discloses a bearing mounted carrier which is moved by two cylinders to which a pressure medium is supplied via a conventional pressure line. The force of the pressure can be selected via a control. A connection of the individual chambers of the cylinders to one another causes a displacement of the volume of liquid from one chamber to the other as a result of volume fluctuations, as a result of which the position of a lever attached to one side is stabilized and the web tension is accordingly kept constant.

The U.S. U.S. Patent No. 3,083,887 discloses a device having a cylinder to which a pressure medium is supplied, thereby bending a lever attached to one side to thereby respectively increase or decrease the belt tension of a drive via a roller.

These solutions have the disadvantage that they do not offer variable or measurable fine adjustment of the rollers due to the long lever arms. On the other hand, the damping ability is drastically restricted or limited by the respective use of conventional shock absorbers and a chamber composite system.

These solutions have the further disadvantage that they create too much tension in the web material, causing it to wrinkle or wrinkle.

One solution to these problems has been to provide an activating device for applying a variable, full-width pressure roller to a fixed, driven transport roller in order to act on it. Such a device pulls essentially wrinkle-free webs, which can consist of several web strands, with a constant web tension through a folder. This enables the formation of an accurate longitudinal fold in the gap between the adjustable, full-width pressure roller and the transport roller. A damping device, which acts simultaneously with the activation device on the full-width pressure roller, stabilizes the position of this adjustable pressure roller and prevents or limits the build-up of vibrations.

Although this solution eliminates most of the problems mentioned above, it has some weaknesses. In the event of damage or signs of wear, the entire pressure roller must be removed. Because the roller is full width, it is heavy and bulky, making it difficult and time consuming to remove. If there are signs of wear, pressure rollers of this type must be overhauled, which involves considerable machine downtime.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a seamless, full-wide nip roller that is easy to handle and easy to maintain.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a web transport device in which worn full-width pressure rollers no longer need to be overhauled.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a gapless, seamless pressure roller based on their continuous form minimizes wear and extends the service life of the transport surface.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a web transport device which can be used in a folder and which is capable of guiding webs of material consisting of at least one strand without folds through the folder to form an accurate longitudinal fold therein.

The present invention provides a rail transport device which has the following features:
a driven, rotatable transport roller with a fixed axis; at least one adjustable pressure roller, the axis of which extends essentially parallel to said fixed axis, and which can be adjusted to said driven transport roller and has a length corresponding to the maximum width of the web to be processed in the printing press; and an interchangeable pressure sleeve attached to the adjustable pressure roller.

An advantage of the present invention is that in this device the worn pressure sleeve can be removed and replaced with a new one. This eliminates the need to overhaul worn or damaged pressure rollers.

It is a further advantage of the present invention that it is easy to handle and enables the pressure sleeve to be replaced without problems. In addition, the gapless, seamless shape of the pressure sleeve significantly reduces wear and extends the service life of the transport surface.

The interchangeable compression sleeve of the present invention also includes a compressible layer of material. This compressible area increases the shock absorbing ability, improves tension uniformity.

The interchangeable pressure sleeve of the present invention has at least one annular gap along its longitudinal axis. This annular gap has the advantage that the material web can curl without permanent creases or creases.

The present invention also provides a device which serves as a counterweight or balance for the pressure roller while it is in a maintenance position when the removable pressure sleeve is replaced. This has the advantage that the interchangeable pressure sleeve can be axially removed from one side of the adjustable pressure roller or can be applied to it without the pressure roller having to be completely removed from the printing press.

Fig. 1

ist eine Draufsicht der erfindungsgemäßen Bahntransportvorrichtung;

Fig. 2

ist eine perspektivische und schematische Darstellung der in Fig. 1 gezeigten Bahntransportvorrichtung;

Fig. 3

ist eine vergrößerte Querschnittansicht eines Teils einer auf der erfindungsgemäßen Andrückwalze angebrachten auswechselbaren Andrückhülse;

Fig. 4

ist eine Draufsicht auf die erfindungsgemäße Bahntransportvorrichtung in einer Wartungsposition.

Fig. 5

ist eine Seitenansicht der Bahntransportvorrichtung in einer Wartungsposition, in welcher bin Stützlager der anstellbaren Andrückwalze entfernt und der erfindungsgemäße Gegengewichtmechanismus in Stellung gebracht ist, um die auswechselbare Andrückhülse erfindungsgemäß entfernen und ersetzen zu können.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are explained below.

Fig. 1

is a plan view of the web transport device according to the invention;

Fig. 2

Fig. 3 is a perspective and schematic illustration of the web transport device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of an interchangeable press sleeve mounted on the press roller of the present invention;

Fig. 4

is a plan view of the web transport device according to the invention in a maintenance position.

Fig. 5

is a side view of the web transport device in a maintenance position in which a support bearing of the adjustable pressure roller is removed and the counterweight mechanism according to the invention is in position in order to be able to remove and replace the replaceable pressure sleeve according to the invention.

The web transport device shown in Fig. 1 comprises a rotatable, driven transport roller 10 which is mounted in a support bearing attached to a frame of a printing press or a folder. Opposite the driven transport roller 10 is an adjustable pressure roller 12 with an interchangeable pressure sleeve 14 mounted thereon, which is brought into contact with the driven transport roller 10. The adjustable pressure roller 12 is of full width, i. H. that it has a width corresponding to the maximum width of a material web that can be processed in the printing press. A material web 16 shown in FIG. 2 consists of at least one strand and is located between the driven transport roller 10 and the adjustable pressure roller 12.

The adjustable pressure roller 12 is set by arms 18 and 20. The arms 18 and 20 comprise an activation device 22 which has a control 24 connected to it, and a damping element 26 which has a control 28 connected to it, as shown schematically in FIG. 2. The activating device 22 assigns a precisely metered activating or positioning force, while a build-up of vibrations is prevented by the damping element 26, which is connected to the activating device 22 either in parallel or in series. The activation device 22 can be preset by the Control 24 take place, and a change in the damping property of the damping element 26 can be done by the controller 28.

The pressure sleeve is hollow and tubular, it is fixedly connected to the adjustable pressure roller 12 and rotates with it under the influence of the driven transport roller 10. However, the pressure sleeve 14 can be removed from the adjustable pressure roller 12 and replaced, as explained below.

The pressure sleeve 14 can be constructed in a variety of ways. In the embodiment of the present invention shown here, the pressure sleeve 14 consists of a laminate. Thus, the pressure sleeve 14 comprises a cylindrical outer layer 30, which has a smooth, continuous outer surface 32, as shown in FIG. 3. The cylindrical outer layer 30 preferably consists of a very thin, non-compressible material of medium hardness, such as natural rubber or synthetic rubber. The smooth outer surface 32 of the pressure sleeve 14 has no gaps or seams, except for one or more annular gaps 36 formed along the axial length of the pressure sleeve, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The smooth outer surface 32 enables the contactable pressure roller 12 to make reliable contact with the web material 16. This outer surface 32 considerably increases the accuracy with which the fold is formed. The annular gaps 36 allow the web material 16 to curl without permanent creases or creases. The number and the widths of the annular gaps can vary depending on the width and thickness of the web material strands moving through the web transport device.

A cylindrical intermediate layer 38 is, seen in the radial direction, within the outer layer 30 of the Pressure sleeve 14 arranged as shown in Fig. 3. The intermediate layer 38 has a cylindrical outer surface 40 which is fixedly attached to the cylindrical inner surface 42 of the outer layer 30. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cylindrical intermediate layer 38 consists of a reinforced, elastic, compressible material, e.g. B. from at least one layer of cottonine treated with a polymeric foam rubber. With this compressible material layer, all impacts occurring when the web material runs through the web transport device are absorbed by the pressure sleeve 14.

The intermediate layer 38 of the pressure sleeve 14 is secured to a hollow, elastically expandable, rigid, metallic (or plastic) inner layer 44, which has a thin-walled tube 46, and the thin-walled tube 46 is in turn firmly connected to the adjustable pressure roller 12. A cylindrical inner surface 48 of the tube 46 is in contact with a cylindrical outer surface 50 of the adjustable pressure roller 12. The tube 46 is fixed but releasably connected to the adjustable pressure roller 12, so that the complete pressure sleeve 14 can be axially applied to and / or removed from the adjustable pressure roller with a sliding movement. This construction enables the pressure sleeve 14 to be replaced after a period of use.

Although the pressure sleeve 14 described here has an inner layer 44, an outer layer 30 and an intermediate layer 38, this could also have a smaller or larger number of layers, if desired. The pressure sleeve 14 could, for example, have an additional layer made of the same material as that of the outer layer 30, which, viewed in the radial direction, is arranged within the intermediate layer 38 and, viewed in the radial direction, outside of the inner layer 44.

The pressure sleeve 14 and the adjustable pressure roller 12 have a tight fit metal-on-metal or (plastic-on-metal) between the cylindrical metal (or plastic) tube 46 on the inside of the pressure sleeve 14 and the outer surface of the metal adjustable pressure roller 12. Thus, a constant diameter results from the inner surface 48 of the cylindrical tube 46, which is slightly smaller than the constant diameter from the cylindrical outer surface 50 of the adjustable pressure roller 12. The tight fit between the tube 46 and the adjustable pressure roller 12 must be strong enough so that the pressure sleeve 14 can grip firmly on the lateral surface of the adjustable pressure roller 12 during operation of the printing press or the folder, so that no slip occurs between the pressure sleeve 14 and the adjustable pressure roller 12.

The tube 46 is tensioned by the adjustable pressure roller 12 to establish a tight pressure ratio between the pressure sleeve 14 and the adjustable pressure roller 12. This pressure ratio tensions the pressure sleeve 14 on the adjustable pressure roller 12, so that there is no relative movement between them during operation of the printing press or the folder. The press or folder includes means for radially stretching the tube 46 on the adjustable pressure roller 12 to release the pressure relationship between the pressure sleeve 14 and the adjustable pressure roller 12, as described below. When the pressure ratio is released, the pressure sleeve 14 can be manually axially removed from the pressure roller 12. The tube 46 must also be radially stretched or radially stretched in order to apply the pressure sleeve 14 to the adjustable pressure roller 12. The printing press or folder is equipped with a device for performing this function equipped as explained below.

If it is desired to remove the pressure sleeve 14 from the adjustable pressure roller 12 and to replace it with another pressure sleeve 14, the activation device 22 moves the adjustable pressure roller 12 into a maintenance position, as shown in FIG. 4. In this position, the pressure sleeve 14 can be axially removed from the adjustable pressure roller 12 and replaced with a new pressure sleeve, which is then axially applied to the adjustable pressure roller by a sliding movement.

Before the pressure sleeve 14 can be removed from the adjustable pressure roller 12, a support bearing 52 must be removed. This is done by removing two bolts 54 and by pivoting the support bearing 52 away, as shown in FIG. 5. However, before the support bearing 52 can be pivoted away, the arm 18 must be released from the support bearing 52. In the pivoted-down position, the support bearing 52 is held by a releasable spring bolt mounted in a sleeve (not shown). When the support bearing 52 is removed, there is no support for the adjustable pressure roller 12 on the side of the support bearing 52 in the printing press or in the folder. In order that the pressure roller 12 does not fall onto the floor of the printing press or the folder, the present invention provides a counterweight mechanism 56. This counterweight mechanism 56 is preferably located at the end of the pressure roller 12 opposite the support bearing 52 and holds a journal 58 of the pressure roller 12 in place, as shown in FIG. 5.

The counterweight mechanism 56 has an articulated arm 60 which is attached at one end to a caliber-like part 62 and at the other end to a lifting part 64. The Caliber-like part 62 is designed so that it fits over the journal 58 and assumes a securing position. The lifting part 64 is in turn connected to a pivoting part 66 which rotates about a fixed point 68 in the printing press or in the folder. The pivot part 66 is in turn with an activating device 70, for. B. an air cylinder, pneumatic cylinder, hydraulic cylinder or the like, connected. The activating device 70 moves the articulated arm 60 via the pivoting part 66 and the lifting part 64 until the caliber-like part 62 is firmly seated on the journal 58 of the adjustable pressure roller 12. The activation device 70 brings the pivoting part 66 into a tilted position, as a result of which the counterweight mechanism 56 locks in its position and thus prevents the adjustable pressure roller 12 from falling.

When the counterweight mechanism 56 is positioned and the support bearing 52 is pivoted, the pressure sleeve 14 can be removed from the pressure roller 12.

An alternative method of removing the pressure sleeve 14 from the adjustable pressure roller 12 would be to remove the roller 12 completely from the printing press or folder by means of a crane, and then to replace the pressure sleeve 14 outside the machine. Although this would be an acceptable method for replacing the pressure sleeve, the previously described method is preferable because no heavy pressure roller that can be adjusted has to be removed and less machine downtime is associated therewith.

In order to manually remove the pressure sleeve 14 from the adjustable roller 12, the pressure sleeve must be elastically stretched by liquid pressure. Therefore, the pressure roller 12 is provided with openings 72 extending in the radial direction, as shown in FIG. 3.

These openings 72 are spaced from one another at many locations in the radial direction along the length of the adjustable pressure roller 12.

The adjustable pressure roller 12 is hollow and is connected by a pipe 74 to a source of hydraulic fluid or compressed air, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. The compressed air passed through the pipeline 74 into the interior of the adjustable pressure roller 12 flows through the openings 72 and presses against the inner surface 48 of the tube 46. The tube 46 is elastically stretched to an extent by the compressed air, so that it is possible to manually remove the pressure sleeve 14 from the pressure roller 12 with ease.

In the same way, a new pressure sleeve 14 is manually applied to the adjustable pressure roller 12. After the pressure sleeve 14 has been placed axially on the pressure roller 12, the interior of the roller 12 is connected to the atmosphere. The tube 46 of the new pressure sleeve 14 then shrinks so that it sits securely on the outer surface 50 of the adjustable pressure roller 12. The tube 46 is then held in tension by the pressure roller 12. The amount of air pressure required for the elastic expansion of tube 46 may vary depending on the radial thickness of the tube, the type of material of the tube, and the interference between tube and pressure roller 12.

Although the invention has been shown and described as being implemented in a web transport device in rotary printing presses, it is not intended to be so limited since modifications and structural changes are possible that fall within the scope of the invention and the scope of the claims.

Reference list

10th

Transport roller

12th

Pressure roller

14

Pressure sleeve

16

Material web

18th

poor

20th

poor

22

Activation device

24th

Control of the activation device 22

26

Damping element

28

Regulator

30th

Outer layer of the pressure sleeve 14

32

Shell surface of the outer layer 30

36

annular gap

38

Intermediate layer of the pressure sleeve 14

40

Outer surface of the intermediate layer 38

42

Inner surface of the outer layer 30

44

Inner layer of the pressure sleeve 14

46

thin-walled tube of inner layer 44

48

Inner surface of tube 46

50

Outer surface of the pressure roller 12

52

Support bearing

54

bolt

56

Counterweight mechanism

58

Axle journal of the pressure roller 12

60

Articulated arm of mechanism 56

62

Part for the articulated arm 60

64

Lifting part for the articulated arm 60

66

Swivel part

68

Benchmark

70

Activation device

72

openings

74

Pipeline

Claims (15)

1. Bahntransportvorrichtung, welche die folgenden Merkmale aufweist:
   eine rotierbare getriebene Transportwalze (10) mit einer festgelagerten Achse;
   mindestens eine anstellbare Andrückwalze (12), deren Achse sich im wesentlichen parallel zu der genannten festgelagerten Achse erstreckt, und die an die genannte getriebene Transportwalze anstellbar ist und eine der maximalen Breite einer in der Druckmaschine zu verarbeitenden Bahn (16) entsprechende Länge hat; und eine auf der genannten anstellbaren Andrückwalze (12) angebrachte auswechselbare Andrückhülse (14).
2. Bahntransportvorrichtung gemäß Anspruch 1,
   dadurch gekennzeichnet,
   daß die auswechselbare Andrückhülse (14) mindestens eine Materialschicht umfaßt.
3. Bahntransportvorrichtung gemäß Anspruch 1,
   dadurch gekennzeichnet,
   daß die auswechselbare Andrückhülse (14) die folgenden Merkmale umfaßt:
   eine zylindrische Außenschicht (30) mit einer glatten, kontinuierliche Außenfläche, die die Mantelfläche (32) der Andrückhülse (14) darstellt;
   eine zylindrische Zwischenschicht (38), die sich, in radialer Richtung gesehen, innerhalb der genannten Außenschicht (30) befindet, und die genannte Zwischenschicht (38) eine zylindrische Außenfläche (40) hat, die auf der zylindrischen Innenfläche (42) der genannten Außenschicht (30) fest angebracht ist;
   und eine zylindrische röhrenförmige Innenschicht (44), wobei eine zylindrische Innenfläche (48) der genannten Innenschicht (44) mit einer zylindrischen
   Außenfläche (50) der anstellbaren Andrückwalze (12) in Kontakt ist.
4. Bahntransportvorrichtung gemäß Anspruch 3,
   dadurch gekennzeichnet,
   daß die zylindrische Außenschicht (30) der auswechselbaren Andrückhülse (14) aus einem sehr dünnen, nicht zusammendrückbaren Material mittlerer Härte besteht.
5. Bahntransportvorrichtung gemäß Anspruch 3,
   dadurch gekennzeichnet,
   daß die Zwischenschicht (38) der auswechselbaren Andrückhülse (14) aus einem elastischen, zusammendrückbaren Material besteht.
6. Bahntransportvorrichtung gemäß Anspruch 5,
   dadurch gekennzeichnet,
   daß die Zwischenschicht (38) der auswechselbaren Andrückhülse (14) mit Baumwolleine verstärkt ist.
7. Bahntransportvorrichtung gemäß Anspruch 3,
   dadurch gekennzeichnet,
   daß die Innenschicht (44) der auswechselbaren Andrückhülse (14) aus einem elastisch dehnbaren, steifen Material besteht.
8. Bahntransportvorrichtung gemäß Anspruch 3,
   dadurch gekennzeichnet,
   daß die auswechselbare Andrückhülse (14) eine zusätzliche Schicht umfaßt, die aus einem sehr dünnen, nicht zusammendrückbaren Material mittlerer Härte besteht und, in radialer Richtung gesehen, innerhalb der Zwischenschicht (38) und außerhalb der Innenschicht (44) angebracht ist.
9. Bahntransportvorrichtung gemäß Anspruch 1,
   dadurch gekennzeichnet,
   daß die auswechselbare Andrückhülse (14) mindestens einen ringförmigen Spalt (36) entlang ihrer axialen Länge enthält.
10. Bahntransportvorrichtung gemäß Anspruch 1, welche ferner einen Gegengewichtmechanismus (56) umfaßt, womit die anstellbare Andrückwalze (12) stabilisiert wird, wenn die auswechselbare Andrückhülse (14) während des Auswechselns an einer Seite der genannten anstellbaren Andrückwalze (12) von dieser heruntergenommen oder auf diese aufgebracht wird.
11. Bahntransportvorrichtung gemäß Anspruch 10,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet,
    daß der Gegengewichtmechanismus (56) einen Gelenkarm (60) umfaßt, der an dem einen Ende an einem kaliberartigen Teil (62) und an dem anderen Ende an einem Hebeteil (64) befestigt ist, und das Hebeteil (64) wiederum mit einem Schwenkteil (66) verbunden ist, das sich um einen Festpunkt (68) dreht, und das Schwenkteil (66) wiederum mit einer Aktiviereinrichtung (70) verbunden ist, die den Gegengewichtmechanismus (56) aktiviert und das Schwenkteil (66) in eine Kippstellung bringt.
12. Bahntransportvorrichtung gemäß Anspruch 11,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet,
    daß das kaliberartige Teil (62) derart ausgebildet ist, daß es über einen Achszapfen (58) der anstellbaren Andrückwalze (12) paßt und somit die anstellbare Andrückwalze (12) in ihrer Position arretiert wird.
13. Bahntransportvorrichtung gemäß Anspruch 12,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet,
    daß die Aktiviereinrichtung (70) den Gelenkarm (60) solange bewegt, bis das kaliberartige Teil (62) sicher auf dem Achszapfen (58) der anstellbaren Andrückwalze (12) positioniert ist.
14. Bahntransportvorrichtung gemäß Anspruch 1,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet,
    daß die anstellbare Andrückwalze (12) mindestens eine, sich radial erstreckende öffnung (72) aufweist, durch welche ein Druckmedium zugeführt wird, um die auswechselbare Andrückhülse (14) während des Auswechselns elastisch zu dehnen.
15. Bahntransportvorrichtung gemäß Anspruch 14,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet,
    daß die anstellbare Andrückwalze (12) ein hohles Inneres aufweist, das mit einer Quelle eines Druckmediums über eine Rohrleitung (74) verbunden ist, durch die ein Druckmedium in das Innere der anstellbaren Andrückwalze (12) gelangt und durch die sich radial erstreckende öffnung (72) nach außen geleitet wird.

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