Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
2~ 663 4 a
GRIPPER FOR HANDLING AND STORING PRODUCTS IN ROLL FORM
Field of the Invention
The invention is in the field of storage technology and relates to a gripper for the purpose
of h~ntlling products in roll form in order to take them to a store and for removing them
S from the store, particularly for h~qn~linp printed products in roll form.
Background of the Invention
Printed products frequently have to be interme~iately stored and rearranged between
processing stages, because often a processing stage supplies an intermediate product with
a speed and in a sequence not coinciding with the speed and the sequence n~cessary for the
10 next processing stage. For the intprmediate storage of printed products, which arrive in scale
flow form and which are to be further processed as a scale flow, storage systems are known,
in which the scale flows are either shaped into rods or rolls and stored in this form. Storage
in roll form has proved to be advantageous, because the scale flow formation is retained,
because for storage purposes the rolls merely have to be ~upe~ posed, because no storage
15 aids other than the roll cores or hubs are required and because the winding and unwinding
can be completely a~ltom~ted.
For interme~i~te storage and rearrangement the scale flows provided by a processing stage
are wound onto roll cores or hubs and the thus-formed rolls are stored. When required, the
rolls are removed from the store and unwound. The roll cores, which are equipped wi~ an
20 integrated band, are consurned on winding up, pass with the roll into the store and are freed
again on unwinding. Between coming free on unwinding and use on winding, it is also
necessary to intermediately store the empty roll cores.
European applicadon no. 92810181.5 (publication no. 505320) of the same Applicant
describes a method for the interme~ te storage and rearrangement of printed products in
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scale flow form, in which for opLilllwll ~ltili7~tion of the storage space both the printed
product rolls and the empty roll cores are stored interchangeably. For this reason the rolls
are stored with vertical winding axes, stacked on top of each other and the roll cores are
juxtaposed with parallel, vertical winding axes to form substantially circular, rosette-shaped
S arrangements, which arrangements have substantially the same ~i~meter as the diameter of
the usual roll. For oL)lilllulll lltili7~tion of equipment and for eConomi7inp on transportation,
the equipme~t used for carrying out the described metho~l, i. e. for h~n~ling and transporting
rolls and cores is advantageously such designed, that it can not only handle and transport
single rolls and single empty cores but such that it can handle either a plurality of
10 sup~lhll~osed rolls or a rosette-shaped arr~ngement of a plurality of empty cores.
SummarY of the invention
For h~n-lling and storing rolls (in the form of a ~upelill~posed plurality of rolls or
individually) and empty roll cores or hubs (as rosette-shaped arrangement of juxtaposed
cores or individually) an object of the invention is consequently to create a gripper enabling
15 the following two kinds of actions to be performed:
(1) gripping a plurality of supel~llposed rolls or at least one roll and depositing same with
vertical winding axes in the store on a stack of similar rolls or on the floor, if necessary
between higher stacks, or vice versa (gripping in the store and de~ositillg elsewhere),
(2) gripping a rosette-shaped arrangement of roll cores or part of the latter and placing them
20 in the store on a stack of rolls or roll core rosettes or on the floor, if necessary between
higher stacks, or vice versa (gripping in the store and depositing elsewhere).
The use of the gripper must be controllable by a central intelligence the same as its
conversion from a configuration for h~n~ling rolls to a configuration for h~ndlin~ roll cores
and back again. For conveying rolls or cores between gripping and deposition, the gripper
3 20~34a
must be combine~ble with a suitable conveying means, e.g. with a travelling crane or a
vehicle.
A plurality of substantially hollow cylindrical roll cores, the gripper and the conveying
means together form a system for storing products in roll form. The inventive gripper and
S the roll cores are such adapted to each other that the gripper is able to either handle at least
one roll or a rosette-shaped arrangement co~i,stinP: of a plurality of juxtaposed roll cores
or a rosette-shaped arr~n~em~nt of juxtaposed cylinders each consisting of a plurality of
superimposed roll cores or parts of such arrangements. The ~i~meter d of the empty roll
core and the ~ meter of the largest possible printed product roll grippable by the gripper
10 are such that there exists a rosette-shaped arrangement of several juxtaposed empty roll
cores (with vertical winding axes), wherein the external diameter of this rosette-shaped
arrangement is equal to or smaller than the diameter D of the largest possible roll (~ig. 1).
The roll core is essenti~lly constructed as a hollow cylinder with holding means located in
its interior and where it can be gripped by the gripper. The circular faces of the roll core
15 are advantageously constructed in such a way that several roll cores can be stacked upon
one another in stable m~nner.
The inventive gripper is essenti~lly constructed as a star having e.g. six arms or rays whose
symmetry is adapted to the symmetry of the closest juxtaposed stacks of rolls with equal
circular ground plans, i.e. the angles between the gripper armS are either 60 or a multiple
20 of 60. The gripper arms only extend over the extern~l diameter of the largest grippable roll
in such a way that it can move vertically to a lower such stack between higher ones. The
gripper has on the arms clamping means with which it can clamp at least one roll from its
periphery and advantageously also inner roll supporting means with which it supports the
roll core of a clamped roll. Within the clamping means, i.e. within the area in which a
25 clamped roll is positioned, it also h~s core supporting means located in a circle for gripping
and carrying a subst~nti~lly circular, rosette-shaped arrangement of individual, empty roll
cores or of ~upe~ lposed roll cores. The core supporting means are movably arranged on
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the gripper arms or on int~rrnerli~te arms in such a way that they can be moved out of the
way of a roll or rolls to be gripped.
The conveying means and the gripper are designed for storage work in such a way that at
least in the store the gripper grips from above rolls with vertical winding axes and deposits
S rolls in the same position. Gripping and deposi~ing outside the store may include rotation
of the gripper with or without a roll or rolls from a horizontal into a vertical position, for
which the conveying means or the connection between conveying means and gripper are
designed accordingly. Such an apparatus can then also be used for ch~n~ing or replacing
rolls at the winding stations or on corresponding roll changer frames.
10 Brief Description of the Drawings
The inventive gripper is described in greater detail herein~fter reladve to the drawings,
wherein:
Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a typical storage area in which and from which printed product
rolls and roll cores can be placed and taken by the invendve glipp~,
15 Fig. 2 is a schem~tiC side elevation of a first embodiment of a gripper according to the
invention, in section along the rotation axes of a gripped pair of ~upelilnposed cores (left
hand side of the Figure) and of a gripped roll (half of which is drawn in the right hand half
of the Figure);
Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of a further embodiment of a gripper in accordance with
20 the invention;
Fig. 4 is a more detailed end view of the gripper of the apparatus of Fig. 3; and
5 a~3 4 ~
Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the gripper of Figs. 3 and 4.
DescriPtion of the Ple~elled Embodiments
Fig. 1 shows a detail of a top plan view of a store in which the rolls W and roll core
rosettes R are stored interchangeably in closely juxtaposed stack form and can be introduced
S into and removed from above by means of an inventive gripper G combined with a suitable
conveying means. The rolls W and roll core rosettes R are stored in stacks in such a way
that the storage locations for the rolls W and the roll core rosettes R can be interchanged
at random and in such a way that the storage space is subject to op~ lw~l utili7~tion. These
two conditions lead to a storage arr~ngem~nt with densely packed, circular storage locations,
10 which in each case have the diameter D of the largest possible roll. For optimum utili7~tion
reasons the stored rolls nQnn~lly have this m~ximllm diameter D. Smaller diameter rolls can
also be stored, provided that they do not prejudice the stack stability. Such a very compact
arrangement gives for a stack located between other stacks six contact points with the other
stacks and a free space ~ in the form of a six-arm star (singly h~tche~ area). If a gripper is
15 to grip rolls closely stored in this way from the periphery thereof, it must be able to grip
in the six substantially triangular spaces arranged around a roll, i.e. in ground plan it must
project over a roll by at the most these six triangles. This leads to grippers G with a star or
spider of gripper arms (shown as doubly hatched rectangles) with intermediate angles of 60,
120 or 180. Advantageous shapes for the star of gripper arms are consequently six arms
20 with interme.di~te angles of 60, four arms with intermediate angles of 60 and 120, or three
arms with interrne~ te angles of 120. Two arms with intermedi~te angles of 180 are also
conceivable, but particularly in the case of heavy rolls do not lead to adequate stability of
the gripped roll, partly ~)~cause the width of the clamping jaws is restricted by the
~im~n~jons of the triangul.ll lree spaces.
25 It can also be gathered that the conveying means guiding the gripper from storage location
to storage location, as well as the gripper itself must move in such a way that there is no
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change to the gripper rotation position relative to the store arr~n~emsnt (rotation within the
paper plane of the Figure), because the free spaces around each stack are oriented in the
same way. This is advantageously achieved by a conveying means, which has an
unrh~n~eable rot~tion~l orient~tion and on which the gripper is non-rotatably ~tt~che~ (at
5 least regarding rotation around its own rotation axis). The conveying means is approp~iately
constituted by a store vehicle guided on rails positioned along a narrow gap or gorge to
service the store with an exten~ble arm perpendicular to the rail or, as indicated in Fig. 1,
a travelling crane with a rail 2 e.g. displaceable in the y-direction and a support running
thereon in the x-direction, on which the gripper G is fixed in a non-rotatable manner (at
10 least regarding rotation around the rotation axis of the gripper).
Fig. 1 shows a rosette-shaped arrangement R consisting of six juxtaposed roll cores or six
juxtaposed cylinders each consisting of the same number of ~upelJinposed roll cores. Instead
of this specific rosette-shaped arrangement other such arrangements are im~gin~ble e.g. at
least three cores whose rotation axes are arranged substantially in a circle whereby one or
lS more ad~itinn~l cores can be arranged in the middle of such a circle.
Fig. 2 shows a first embodiment of the inventive gripper as a section along the rotation axis
of a superimposed pair of gripped cores WK (left hand side of the Figure) and of a gripped
roll W (half of which is shown on the right hand side of the Figure). On the right hand side
of the Figure 2 one of a plurality (e.g. six) of clamping means 30 is shown for clamping the
20 roll W from its diameter, on the left hand side one of a plurality (e.g. six) of core supporting
means 40 for gripping roll cores WK. The gripper further features a central piece 10 and
the aforementioned gripper arln star or spider 20. It is advantageous for the gripper arm star
20 to be arranged so as to be axially movable to a limited extent, e.g. between the two stops
11.1 and 11.2 .)ll the central piece 10. The central piece 10 has fixing means 12 enabling
25 the gripper to l,~ ced to the conveying means and connections for power means, which are
required for the movement of the gripper parts and the control and cllecking thereof.
7 7~ 6~3 4 a
The gripper arm star 20, whose construction has already been described in conjunction with
Fig. 1, has gripper arms 21, which extend above the outer circumrerence of a roll W to be
gripped. At their ends the gripper arms 21 carry clamping means 30 one of which is shown
on the right side of Fig. 2. The gripper arms can also carry core supporting means 40, one
S of which is shown on the left side of Fig. 2, but the core ~UppOl~ g means can also be
mounted symmetrically on inte~nediate arms between the gripper arms 21.
Each clamping means 30 is driven by a suitable drive, which is e.g. placed in each gripper
arm 21 (not shown in the drawing), for being radially movable (arrow R), namely between
a radius, which is somewhat larger than the radius of the largest possible roll and the radius
10 of the smallest possible roll. The drive for this movement is such that it can exert
compressive forces on the gripped roll for securing the latter. The drives for the clamping
means 30 are such coordinated that the clamping means are always arranged substantially
in a circle. Each clamping means 30 has at least one curved clamping jaw 31. If the gripper
is to grip several superimposed rolls, it is advantageous to equip the clamping means 30
15 with a corresponding number of jaws. In conjunction with Figs. 3 and 4 a clamping means
for two supelilll ?osed rolls will be described and the clamping jaws are so interconnected
by means of a tilting device, that it is possible to grip therewith two rolls with diameters
differing within a given range.
Roll ~u~polling means 50 for stabilizing a gripped roll can be provided on the central piece
20 10, whose lower part is located in the interior of the core of a gripped roll. These supporting
means operate in conjunction with holding means 60 in the core interior, which partly
reduce the inte~l diameter of a roll core. The roll supporting means 50 are connected to
a drive (not shown) such as to be moveable as indic~ted by arrow Q, therewith modifying
the effective external diameter of the central piece 10. For gripping a roll, the central piece
25 10 with the roll supporting means in an inner position is moved into the core of the roll and
then the roll supporting means 50 are moved outward for supporting the roll via the holding
means 60 on the inside of the core. If several superimposed rolls W are to be gripped
simultaneously, advantageously roll ~uppol~ing means 50 for each roll are provided at
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collespollding heights of the central piece 10. They are heightwise arranged so that with the
gripper arm star 20 resting on the lower stop 11.2 they are located below the holding means
60 of the corresponding roll cores WK such that they can also carry part of the roll weight.
The core suppo~ g means 40 also operate in conjunction with the roll core holding means
5 60 of cores to be gripped and are movable by a correspon~ling, not shown drive in the same
way (arrow S) as the roll supporting means 50 of the central piece 10. As the roll cores WK
weigh much less than the rolls, even if several superimposed roll cores are to be gripped by
one core supporting means 40, it is sufficient to only grip the bottom one with the core
supporting means. To ensure that the cores are still superimposed with an adequate stability,
10 their circular end faces are correspon~lingly constructed for stable stackability, e.g. in
stepped form or as sloping faces.
So that the core supporting means 40 are not in the way when the gripper is used for
h~n(llin~ rolls, they must be movable by a further not shown drive in such a way that they
can be moved out of the roll area. For this purpose they can e.g. be swung or folded against
15 the gripper arm star 20 (arrow T) or can be displaced vertically upwards. To ensure that the
core supporting means 40 when swung out does not radially project over the gripper arm
star 20 and also so that in its swung down state it does not extend further downward than
the central piece 10, it is advantageous to construct long core supporting means 40 designed
for gripping core cylinders with heights greater than that of the number of rolls to be
20 gripped in such a way as to be shortenable (arrow H), so that in an inoperative statè (not
moved away from the roll area, but carrying no roll cores) they do not project downward
over the central piece 10. Thus, the central piece can carry the control sensors for all ~e
downward movements of the gripper. The shortening of the core supporting means 40 can
be driven by a separate not shown drive, or by the drive for the movement S.
25 It is not necess~ry for the core supporting means 40 to cooperate with corresponding holding
means 60 in the core interior. They could also be constructed as jaws and pressed by drives
against a substantially even inner surface of the cores. The embodiment cooperating with
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the holding means suggests itself because the cores can also be fixed to the winding stations
and to the roll changers with the aid of such internal holding means.
The various drives necess~ry for the movements of the gripper parts are advantageously
p~ell~atic or hydraulic linear drives. For controlling or rhec~ing the movements sensors are
5 required, whose function will be described hereinafter and for which it is possible to use
commercially available end, range and pressure sensors (depending on the function).
Tbe gripper functions in the following way:
For gripping the m~Xim~lm number of rolls (with vertical rotation axes): the gripper h~n~ing
on the conveying means with the gripper arm star 20 resting on the lower stop 11.2 is
10 moved with the aid of the conveying means above the corresponding storage location and
lowered towards it. The clamping means 30 are in their outermost position (shown in broken
line form), the core sllppo~ g means 40 (shown in broken line form, e.g. swung away
position) are moved out of the way of the roll to be gripped, the roll supporting means 50
are positioned in such a way (position shown in broken line form) that the central piece
15 diameter allows an introduction into the central roll cores. As soon as a roll passes into the
area of a sensor Sl shown in having a conical beam, the downward movement is slowed
down. The central piece 10 moves slowly into the roll core until the gripper arm star 20
rests on the roll stack and consequently moves against the upper stop 11.1. The signal of
an end sensor S2 installed in the vicinity of the upper stop stops the downward movement.
20 The clamping means 30 are now moved inward until they jam the roll or rolls W. The roll
supporting means 50 are swung out. Advantageously the movements of the corresponding
parts are monitored by corresponding sensors. If the corresponding sensors supply a signal,
which collli,,,,~ the clamping of the clamping means 30 and the corresponding position of
the roll supporting means 50, the gripper is moved upwalds, firstly slowly until the sensor
25 S2 indicates a spacing between the gripper arm star 20 and the upper stop 11.2 and then
more rapidly.
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For gripping a smaller than the m~ximum number of rolls: the function is as described
hereinbefore until the central piece 10 reaches the interior of the core. It does not pass far
enough into the roll stack to allow the gripper arm star 20 to rest thereon (signal of sensor
S2); but far enough for a corresponding sensor S7 positioned on the lower part of the central
5 piece 10 (cf. Fig.3) to enter a core The downward movement then stops and the clamping
operation begins.
For the setting down of one or more rolls: the gripper with the rolls is moved above the
corresponding storage location and lowered until the sensor Sl indicates a stack or the floor.
The downward movement is slowed down until the rolls rest upon a stack or floor and the
10 gripper arm star 20 is moved against the upper stop 11.1 (signal of sensor S2), and then
stopped. The clamping means 30 are moved outward, the roll supporting means 50 are
swung in and the gripper is again slowly moved upwards until the deposited rolls leave the
area or range of the sensor Sl and can then be accelerated.
For gripping a m~l~im~m number of superimposed roll cores (rosette): the gripper is moved
15 by the conveying means above the corresponding storage location and lowered. The
clamping means 30 are in their outermost position, the roll supporting means 50 in their
inner position, the core supporting means 40 are directed downward from the gripper arm
star 20, but ~ue neither extended, nor spread out.
If the sensor Sl indicates a core arrangement or rosette, the downward movemènt is
20 decelerated and when the gripper arm star 20 rests on this arrangement (signal of the sensor
S2), the downward movement is stopped. The core supporting means 40 are e~tende~downward into their longest position and spread. If corresponding sensors indicate the
position (continuous line position), the gripper is moved upwards again slowly until the
gripper arm star 20 moves away from the upper stop 11.1 and then with the normal speed.
25 For taking up a few cores: the taking up of less than the m~xim~lm number of superimposed
cores can take place in the same way as the taking up of less than the maximum number
of rolls, i.e. using a sensor fitted at a corresponding height on the central piece 10 and
stopping the downward movement. For each desired number a special sensor must beprovided. Sensors can also be positioned on the core supporting means 40 for the same
function. The core su~?o~ g means 40 must then be in their longest possible, exten~e~, but
5 not spread position during the downward movement of the gripper. By spreading out and
subsequent, corresponding shortening of the core supporting means 40, any number of cores
can be secured between the gripper arm star 20 and the spreading means of the core driving
arrangements 40.
For depositing cores, the function is the reverse of that for taking them up.
10 The sensor S1 has different functions and must therefore be correspon~ingly designed. Its
corresponding signal is used for slowing down the downward movement of the gripper if
a stack of rolls, an arrangement of cores or the floor comes into its range. Conversely its
signal can be used for accelerating the upwards movement to normal speed, when these
items have left its range. If the empty gripper is erroneously lowered to the floor, the same
15 sensor must supply an emergency stop signal, when the gripper touches the floor. It is also
advantageous for safety reasons to monitor with a pressure sensor S4 the pnellm~tic or
hydraulic pressure operating the drives in the vicinity of the corresponding connection.
Figs. 3 and 4 show in detail another exemplified embodiment of the inventive gripper, in
a section corresponding to Fig. 2 (Fig. 3) and as a plan view (Fig.4). It is a gripper able to
20 grip a pair of ~u~e.illlposed rolls, the diameter of the two rolls of the pair being possibly
different from each other within a given range, or a single roll. This embodiment of the
inventive gripper is also able to grip a rosette of e.g. six cylinders of three superimposed
cores each. The function of the gripper is essentially the same as the more general gripper
functions already described in conjunction with the preceding drawings. The parts of the
25 gripper, which have the same function as described hereinbefore, are given the same
reference numerals.
n
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The gripper esse-nti~lly comprises a central piece 10 and a six-arm gripper arm star 20
attached to the central piece and axially movable between the stops 11.1 and 11.2. The
position of the gripper arm star 20 relative to the central piece 10 is monitored by the sensor
S2 in the vicinity of the lower stop 11.2.
5 To each gripper arm 21 is fitted a clamping means 30, which is moved radially by the linear
drive Z2. The drive Z2 is shown in its completely inserted position, which corresponds to
the outermost position of the clamping means 30. The clamping jaws 31.1 and 31.2 are
pivotally fixed to a sliding lever 34 by means of rocking levers 32.1, 32.2 and 33.1, 33.2
and pivot pins A, B, C, D, E and F, so that if the rolls to be gripped have different
10 diameters, the clamping jaws can be pivoted from their vertically superimposed position
(shown in continuous line form) into a pivoted position (shown in broken line form). The
position of the sliding lever 34 is monitQred by sensor S9 at its end operatively connected
to the drive Z2.
The roll suppolling means 50 essentially comprises two groups of three driving flaps 51.1
15 and 51.2 each, which driving flaps are provided with movement or motion templates 52.1
and 52.2 in such a way that they are swung out if rollers 53.1 and 53.2, which are
operatively connected to a drive Z1, are moved upwards. When the rollers 53.1 and 53.2
move back, the driving flaps 51.1 and 51.2 are no longer held in their swung out position
and are moved back into their inner position by the holding means 60 of the roll cores WK
20 during the upward movement of the central piece 10. In order that said return movement can
take place uniformly and in a jerkfree manner, it is advantageous to construct the roll core
holding means 60 in such a way that they form a surface 61, which forms a truncated
conical envelope coaxial with the core cylinder and which tapers upwards. In order to permit
roll cores to be gripped in either orientation, it is advantageous to arrange the holding means
25 centrally in the hollow cylinder and to provide same with two opposite-i(leTltiç~l surfaces
61 and 61 '. The hol~ing means 60 can extend ~lninterruptedly around the inner
circumference of the hollow cylinder, or can be interrupted.
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I'he position of the driving flaps 51.l and 51.2 is monitored by sensors S5.1, S5.2 and
S10.1, S10.2. Sensors S1 and S7 with the above-described functions are also fitted to the
central piece 10.
The core su~pol~ing means 40 are fixed to intermediate arms 22, which are positione~
5 between the arms 21 of the gripper arm star 20. Figs. 3 and 4 show four of a total of six
such arrangements 40, namely 40.1 and 40.2 in the completely extended and spread apart
position 40.3 (Fig.3) in the vertically upwardly directed, l-nextenlled and not spread position
and 40.4 in the folded in position, as assumed for the h~n(llin~ of rolls.
The core suppolling means 40 has a drive Z3, which is located in the interme~ te arm 22
10 and which pivots a core support 41 about an axis J in such a way that with the drive Z3
eYtencled it is located parallel to the intermediate arm 22 (40.4), when the drive is retracted
it is oriented vertically downward (40.1/2/3). The core support 41 essentially comprises a
telescopic tube 43, a spreading device 44 with e.g. three spreading legs and a drive Z4,
which length~n~ on exte.n~ling the telescopic tube 43 and spreads the spreading device 44
15 and on retraction folds in the spreading device and shortens the telescopic tube. Here again,
as a result of the core weight, on shortening the telescopic tube the spreading device is
firstly folded in and only then is the telescopic tube shortened. The positions of the drives
are monitored by sensors S8, S12, S6 and S11.
Fig.5 is a diagram showing the function of the gripper according to Figs. 3 and 4. Colùmns
20 I to V relate to dirÇele~l operations (I grip two rolls, II grip one roll, III set down rolls, IV
grip core rosette, V set down core rosette). At the bottom of the Figure the modes of the up
or down movement of the crane K are illustrated also. These are: fast, slow and stop. V
represents the valves for controlling the drives. For safety reasons the drives Z1, Z2 and Z4
have valve arrangements such that in the case of a power failure they in~t;~nt~neously lock
25 the drives in the assumed position.
