GB2135282A - Splicing webs automatically - Google Patents

Abstract

During splicing, the fresh web reels are positioned at which reels loaded from a magazine at a first station (I) and moved to a second station (II) in which a clip holding a leading end of the fresh web is picked up by reciprocating carriage (38) and moved to a splicing assembly (B). The expiring web in the third station III also runs through the splicing assembly (B) to a web consuming machine, eg a cigarette making machine. When a reel at the third station (III) is near exhaustion, its web is spliced to the fresh web extending from the reel at the second station whilst the expiring web is stationary. The reel bobbin at the third station (III) is then indexed back to the first station, where it is ejected from the star wheel support (2). The arrangement enables fresh web reels to be automatically loaded and spliced on the web supplying unit. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to web-material supply apparatus This invention relates to the feeding of web material from reels thereof.

It is a long established practice in the operation of a machine requiring the supply thereto of web material, to mount on or near such a machine a fresh reel of the web material in order to facilitate the initiation of supply from the fresh reel when the supply from a prior mounted reel has been exhausted. A leading end portion of the web material of the fresh reel may be fed to the web-consuming machine in overlapping relationship with a tail end portion of the web material from the prior reel without the two portions being secured together. Such a procedure does though necessitate the provision of a special feed system. The more usual procedure is for the two webs to be spliced.

In United Kingdom Patent Specification No.

623,274 there is described a manually operated apparatus for effecting a changeover of web material supply from a prior reel to a fresh reel. The apparatus comprises transportation means operable to move reels of web material through three stations. At the first, lowermost station a fresh reel is loaded. The second station is a holding station. Web material extends downwardly from a reel at the third station to, for example, a cigarette packet wrapping machine, via feed means.

When a reel at the third station nears exhaustion, an operator brings that reel to the first station, thereby causing the reel at the second station to be moved to the third station. The operator then pulls down the leading end of the web material of the third station reel and introduces it into the feed means, through which it is fed together with a tail end portion of the web material of the reel at the first station.

Modern web-material consuming machinery such as cigarette making machines, cigarette filter making machines and cigarette packing machines operate at a high speed and thus a considerable number of reels of web material are consumed during a working shift. Proposals have been made for web-material supply apparatus operable automatically to supply web material sequentially from a reel store comprising a sufficient number of reels to satisfy the web material demand of a machine over a prolonged period of operation, several hours, a shift or even a day. One such proposal is made in United Kingdom Patent Specification No. 2,058,022A. Apparatus is described in that specification which comprises two reel stores, means for moving reels from each store to first and second feed positions each associated with a respective one of the reel stores.A high degree of duplication of components and mechanisms renders the apparatus somewhat complex.

It is an object of the present invention to provide web-material supply apparatus, of simple and inexpensive construction, operable automatically to supply web material serially from a plurality of reels of the web material.

The present invention provides web-material supply apparatus operable to supply web material from reels thereof, comprising transportation means operable to move reels of web material from a reel loading station to a pickup station and from said pick-up station to a web feed station, splicing means operable to splice web extending from a reel at said pickup station to web extending from a reel at said feed station, and pick-up means operable to move a leading end of web material from a reel at said pick-up station to said splicing means. Preferably, the apparatus also comprises a reel magazine for the storage of a number of reels and the serial supply thereof to said reel loading station. Advantageously, ejection means is operable at said feed station or said reel loading station to eject an exhausted reel bobbin from said transportation means.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows, in front elevation, an automatic apparatus operable to supply a continuous web of cigarette paper to a cigarette making machine; Figure 2 shows the apparatus of Fig. 1 in plan view; and Figure 3 shows, to a larger scale, parts of a web-end pick-up assembly of the apparatus of Fig. 1.

The web-material supply apparatus illustrated in the drawings comprises a housing 1 which for the sake of clarity is depicted in outline only. As will be appreciated, the housing 1 is comprised of a structural framework on which are mounted sheet material cover panels. Within the housing 1 there is disposed a three-armed star wheel 2, providing transportation means, which is mounted on a horizontally extending shaft 3 journaled in rotative bearings 4, 5. Rotaive bearings 6-8 carried at the respective ends of the arms of the star wheel 2 each receive a spindle (not shown) on which the bobbin of a reel of cigarette paper may be mounted. Respective reels depicted in Fig. 1 are designated 9-11.

It may be noted having regard to Fig. 2 that the reel shown mounted at the left-hand side of the star wheel 2 is reel 9 rather than reel 10, since the star wheel 2 is shown as sectioned on line A-A of Fig. 1.

The shaft 3 is coupled to a gearbox 1 2 of an electric motor unit 13, by means of which the star wheel 2 may be rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewing Fig. 1, in order to index the arms thereof successively through a reel loading station I, a pick-up station II and a web feed station Ill.

Also disposed within the housing 1 of the web-material supply apparatus is a reel magazine 14 comprising a cradle 1 5. Pairs of freely rotatable V-groove wheels, exemplified by wheels 16, 1 7 in Fig. 1, mounted at the underside of the cradle 1 5 engage with rails 18, 1 9 whereby the cradle may be moved, under the action of a pneumatic ram 20, towards and away from station I in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the star wheel 2. Mounted in cantilever fashion from a rear end member 21 of the cradle 15 is a guide tube 22 which extends co-axially with any one of the bearings 6-8 at the ends of the arms of the star wheel 2 when the bearing has been brought to station I.

Before each reel of cigarette paper is loaded onto the cradle 15, a clip holder is attached to the reel. In Fig. 1 the clip holders attached to reels 9-11 are designated 23-25 respectively. Each clip holder comprises a hollow boss which is received as a close fit in the bore of the reel bobbin. Arms of each clip holder extend outwardly clear of the periphery of a full diameter reel and each arm comprises at a location outwardly of the reel periphery a slot, the slots of clip holder 25 being designated 26, 27. After a clip holder has been attached to a reel, a clip is inserted into the slot of one of the arms of the holder. Each of the clips has a form shown in Figs. 3 and 3a, in which figures the clip is designated 28.

The clip comprises a shank 29 carrying three spaced-apart flanges 30-32. It is the portion of the shank 29 extending between the flanges 30 and 31 which is inserted into a slot of a clip holder, the clip holder having an interference fit with the flanges 30 and 31. A clip holder and associated reel are indicated in broken line in Fig. 3. The portion of the shank 29 extending to the side of the flange 30 further from the flange 31 comprises a diametrical slit 33 into which a leading end portion of the cigarette paper web of the associated reel is inserted, the clip being thereafter rotated until any slack in the paper web has been taken up.

Reels of cigarette paper equipped with clip holders and clips are threaded onto the guide tube 22 of the cradle 15, the bobbin of each reel having a sliding fit with the guide tube 22. Outer end portions of the clip holder arms of reels loaded onto the cradle 1 5 rest on supports bars 34, 35 of the cradle 1 5. Each loaded reel is so orientated that the slot of the clip arm which holds a clip, opens upwardly in the unwinding direction of the reel, this being clockwise as viewing Fig. 1.

A horizontally extending rail 36 is mounted, at an upper region of the housing 1, from a structural member 37. A carriage 38 is mounted, by means of V-groove wheels 39-42, for movement along the rail 36.

Fixedly secured at the front face of the carriage 38 and extending horizontally therefrom is a bearing tube 43 which houses a shaft 44 (Fig. 3). As is indicated in broken lines in Fig. 3, the shaft 44 extends through a bore in the carriage 38 and through bores in two elements 45, 46 which constitute a known form of centring collar. The element 45 is secured to the shaft 44 for rotation therewith, whilst the element 46 is fixedly secured to the carriage 38. Spring means (not shown) urge the elements 45, 46 into contact with each other. The shaft carries at its rear end an upwardly extending arm 47 and at its forward end a downwardly extending arm 48, each of the arms 47, 48 being secured to the shaft 44 for rotation therewith.Unless a force is applied at the outer end of the arm 47, by means referred to hereinafter, the shaft-andarm assembly 44, 47, 48 is maintained by the centring collar 45, 46 at an angular position wherein the arms 47, 48 extend vertically. The arm 48 is provided with a slot 49 opening towards the right as viewing Fig.

1.

At a location within the housing 1 indicated by arrow B in Fig. 1, the apparatus comprises a splicing assembly which may, for example, be of a construction generally similar to that described in United Kingdom Patent Specification No. 2,093,808A with reference to Fig.

6 of the drawings thereof.

In mounting a reel onto the star wheel 2 at station I from the magazine 14, the cradle 1 5 is first moved sufficiently close to the star wheel 2 under action of the ram 20. The reels on the cradle 1 5 are then advanced therealong under the action of a yoke 50, opposite ends of which project through longitudinal slots in the guide tube 22 and abut the clip arm of the rearmost reel. The yoke 50 comprises a feed nut portion (not shown) which runs on a leadscrew 51 extending within the guide tube 22. An electric motor 52 mounted on the cradle 1 5 serves to rotate the leadscrew 51 via a drive belt 53.

The advancement of the reels on the cradle 1 5 results in the foremost reel being transferred onto the star wheel 2, the hollow boss of the clip holder of that reel being received on the star wheel spindle with an interference fit provided by rubber 'O'-rings (not shown).

The cradle 1 5 is then withdrawn from the star wheel 2. The reel which has now assumed the foremost position on the guide bar 22 is retained at that position by means of a rubber '0'-ring (not shown) which is located in a circumferential groove in the guide tube 22 near to the forward end thereof.

After a reel has been mounted on the star wheel 2 at station I, the star wheel 2 is indexed through 120 to transport that reel to station ll. Shortly before the reel reaches station II a chip holder arrester pin 54 is advanced by a double acting pneumatic cylinder (not shown) into the path of the clip holder attached to the reel. By this means, it is ensured that when the reel has arrived at station Il the clip holder extends vertically.

When the indexing movement of the star wheel 2 is completed, the carriage 38 is caused to move forwardly, i.e. to the right as viewing Fig. 1, under the action of a reversible electric motor 55 and a toothed drive belt 56. As the carriage passes the reel at station ll, the clip (28) is received in the slot 49 of the arm 48. The flanges (31, 32) of the clip (28) grip opposite faces of the arm 48. A clip retaining spring 57 mounted on the arm 48 is outwardly deflected by the flange (32).

A reaction force is provided by the clip holder arrester pin 54. Thus the clip (28) is transferred from the clip holder to the arm 48 and is retained thereon by the clip 57.

As soon as the clip (28) has been received in the slot 49 of the arm 48, the pin 54 is withdrawn to permit the reel at station II to rotate as the carriage 38 carries the leading end of the cigarette paper web towards the splicing assembly at location B. The carriage 38 is brought to rest at a position in which the clip (28) is located to the right of a splicing zone of the splicing assembly. A leading end portion of the paper web extending from the reel at station II is in juxtaposition with a run of paper web extending from a reel at station Ill, around a pulley 58 and through a feed opening 59 in the housing 1, to the cigarette making machine (not shown).

As a reel at station III nears exhaustion, a predetermined diameter thereof is sensed by a photo-electric sensor 60 aligned with an opening 61 in the star wheel 2. A signal from the sensor 60 initiates an automatic sequence of events as follows.

The feed of cigarette paper web from the reel at station Ill is speeded up in order to provide a store of the web in a reservoir box at the cigarette maker sufficient for utilization by the maker during the time required, seven seconds say, to complete a splicing operation.

Drive to web feed means at the upstream side of the reservoir box is then discontinued so that the web extending through the splicing zone from the reel at station Ill becomes stationary. This is a conventional practice in the operation of cigarette making machines.

In a first step of the splicing operation which is now initiated, a knife of the splicing assembly at B cuts both the upper and the lower web extending through the splicing zone. Before a splicing patch is applied from above to interconnect the web extending from the fresh reel at station II to the cut end of the web extending to the cigarette maker, it is necessary to remove from the splicing zone the portion of web attached to the clip (28).

This is achieved by advancing a pin 62, by a double acting pneumatic cylinder 63, into contact with the arm 47 to cause a sudden clockwise rotation of the arm 48 holding the clip (28). This effects a jerking out of the splicing zone of the web extending from the clip (28). The splicing patch is then applied and normal feed to the cigarette maker is resumed, the paper web being supplied from the reel at station II.

A star wheel latching pin 64 is then withdrawn, by means of a double acting pneumatic cylinder 65, from latching engagement in a recess 66 formed in a boss 67 on the arm of the star wheel 2 which extends to station III. The star wheel 2 is next indexed to transport the web supplying reel to station Ill, the exhausted bobbin to station I and a fresh reel to station 11. The indexing movement causes the cut end of the paper web extending from the exhausted bobbin to be pulled from out of the splicing assembly. When the star wheel 2 has reached a predetermined intermediate position of its indexing movement, the motor 55 is reactivated to return the carriage 38 to its initial position. Just before the carriage reaches that position, the arm 48 passes through a slot formed in an upstanding plate 68.As the slot is of a width only just sufficient to permit passage of the arm 48, the clip disposed in slot 49 of the arm 48 is dislodged therefrom by the plate 68 and falls, together with the portion of paper web attached to it, into a disposal chute 69.

By means of a proximity switch (not shown), movement of the carriage 38 serves to cause readvancement of the clip holder arrester pin 54.

After the exhausted bobbin has reached station I, and the latching pin 64 has been reengaged with the star wheel 2, the bobbin is ejected from the star wheel 2 by ejector means comprising an ejector ring 70 located at the rear face of the star wheel 2 and mounted on two ejector pins 71, 72 extending through the star wheel 2. The pins 71, 72 are spring urged, in the direction for maintaining the ring 70 against the star wheel 2, by springs located within housings 73, 74. The ejector means further comprises a flat-headed pusher 75 which is advanced into contact with the ejector pins 71, 72 by means of a double acting pneumatic cylinder 76, thus causing the ejector ring 70 to be moved a sufficient distance to move the reel bobbin from off of the star wheel spindle. The ejected bobbin is received in a chute 77.

There then automatically follows the loading of a fresh reel from the magazine 1 4.

Each event in the automatic sequence just described is initiated by a signal emitted from control means, comprising a logic relay circuit, upon the completion of the previous event. Event completion signals are derived from proximity sensors or micro switches.

Claims (16)

1. Web-material supply apparatus operable to supply web material from reels thereof, comprising transportation means operable to move reels of web material from a reel loading station to a pick-up station and from said pick-up station to a web feed station, splicing means operable to splice web extending from a reel at said pick-up station to web extending from a reel at said feed station, and pick-up means operable to move a leading end of web material from a reel at said pick-up station to said splicing means.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1 and further comprising magazine means wherein a number of reels can be stored, said magazine means being operable to supply stored reels serially to said reel loading station.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein said magazine comprises a cradle on which said reels can be mounted, first drive means operable to move said cradle towards and away from said reel loading station and seconds drive means operable to move said reels towards said reel loading station relatively of said cradle for transfer of a foremost of said reels to said transportation means after said cradle has been moved by said first drive means to said reel loading station.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 1, 2 or 3 and further comprising ejection means operable to eject an exhausted reel bobbin from said transportation means.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein said ejection means comprises pusher means located in alignment with said reel loading station.

6. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said transportation means comprises rigid rotary means carrying three equiangularly spaced reel bobbin mounting means located at a common distance from the axis of rotation of said rotary means.

7. Apparatus according to Claim 6, wherein said axis of rotation is perpendicular to an upwardly extending plane.

8. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said pick-up means comprises clip engagement means and moving means operable to move said engagement means to said splicing means via a pick-up location of a clip held relatively of a reel at said pick-up station, said engagement means being arranged to engage with said clip so that when said engagement means is moved onwards from said location to said splicing means, said clip is carried to said splicing means by said engagement means.

9. Apparatus according to Claim 8, wherein said moving means comprises carriage means, carrying said clip engagement means and being drivable along guide means towards and away from said splicing means.

10. Apparatus according to Claim 8 or 9 and further comprising clip dislodgement means acting to dislodge a clip from said clip engagement means during return movement of said engagement means from said splicing means.

11. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 8, 9 and 10 and further comprising means operable, when said clip engagement means is a rest to the side remote said pickup location of the path of cutting movement of knife means of said splicing means, to cause a short and quick movement of said engagement means in a direction away from said path.

1 2. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 8 to 11 when loaded with reels of web material to the bobbin of each of which reels is attached clip holding means releasably holding a clip in which is secured a leading end portion of the web material of the reel.

1 3. Apparatus according to Claim 12, wherein each said clip holding means holds its clip in a slot which, when said clip is at said pick-up location, opens in a direction towards said splicing means.

14. Apparatus according to Claim 1 2 or 1 3 and further comprising retractable arresting means operable to extend into the path of the clip holding means of a reel being brought by said transportation means to said pick-up station, whereby when the reel has arrived at said pick-up station and clip holding means is so orientated that the clip held by the clip holding means is at said pick-up location.

1 5. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims and further comprising control means operable to control the sequence of operational events of the apparatus.

16. Web-material supply apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings hereof.