Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
z
WO 94/03386 PCT/US93/07389
(1 )
TITLE: APPARATUS FOR APPLYING ADHESIVE TO A WEB ROLL
BEING WOUND IN A WINDING MACHINE
This invention relates to the continuous formation of successive
wound web rolls, such as paper, of a predetermined diameter from a
traveling, substantially continuous web. More particularly, this invention
relates to apparatus for applying an adhesive to an area of the web slightly
downstream of where the web has been, or will be, severed to provide the
length of web to produce the desired diameter of the wound web roll. Still
more particularly, this invention relates to apparatus for automatically
applying either a stripe of glue, or an adhesive tape, circumferentially about
the peripheral surface of the wound web roll to attach the last wrap of the
web about the finished wound roll. The apparatus for accomplishing this
task operates without human intervention.
In prior machines for winding a traveling web into a finished wound
roll, the trailing severed end of the web is typically attached to the wound
roll by manually applying one or more spots of glue, or a length of adhesive
tape which might be either two-sided, or one-sided, and applied either
beneath the last layer of web or against the outer edge of the severed web,
Applicators for applying either glue or tape manually in this manner are
commercially available.
214~.8fl
WO 94/03386 FCT/~S93/07389
(2/A)
Each of these methods required a human operator to physically get
close to the machinery to be exposed to the dangers inherent in being close
to moving mechanical apparatus. The application of an adhesive to the
wound roll to seal the finished wound roll necessarily involves undesirable
variation in both the quantity of the adhesive applied, and the location of
the adhesive, both of which detract from the desired uniformity and quality
of the finished roll product.
It is also conceivable to use means, such as staples, which cling to
the outer layers of the web and are pressed into the wound roll to secure
the last web layer to the roll.
An advantage of this invention is that it provides apparatus for
uniformly applying an adhesive to the web near the end of the winding of a
finished wound roll (such as, for example, the second to last turn of the
web) to adhere the trailing portion of the web to the wound web roll. All
this can be accomplished without requiring a human to come close to the
moving machinery and rotating wound web roll, and without requiring the
roll being wound to be stopped to have the trailing web attached.
In a document identified as "2244 Research Disclosure", No. 249,
Great Britain, January 1985, apparatus for applying an adhesive to film
being wound into wound rolls is disclosed. This apparatus utilizes a pair of
rotating rollers 2,2' between which the traveling web to be cut, and have
an adhesive applied thereto, is passed. The apparatus utilizes a web-end
tape holding mechanism 4, co-axially mounted relative to roller 2, into
which a gluing tape 6 is inserted and held under the influence of suctioned
air. A tape fixing auxiliary roller 7 is actuatable to cooperate with a
belt-like tape feeder 5 to secure the tape onto holding mechanism 4 which
rotates in conjunction with cooperating knives 3,3' to apply the tape to the
AMENDED SHEET
WO 94/03386 P~T/US93/07389
(2/B)
severed end of the traveling film 1. The severed film then travels
downstream where it is utilized to secure the end of the film to the wound
web roll 9 by being nipped between a pressure roll 10 and the wound roll
9.
Such apparatus does not utilize positioning means or actuating
means which operate to move adhesive attaching means to position the
adhesive attaching means first parallel with the rotational axis of the web
roll being wound, and then transversely toward and away from the web roll
being wound.
Figure 1 a is an end-elevational view, in somewhat schematic form,
of a web winding machine, and showing the adhesive applying apparatus.
Figure 1 b is a front-elevational view of the web winding machine,
and showing the traversing arrangement for laterally guiding the working
heads parallel to the rotational axis of the web roll being wound.
AMEND~p SH~'Et
2~~~~~
WO 94/03386 PCT/1~S93/07389
(3/A)
Figure 2a is an end-elevational view of a web winding machine
similar to that shown in Figure 1 a, but showing another embodiment of the
adhesive applying apparatus.
Figure 2b is a front-elevational view of the apparatus shown in Figure
2a, and showing the working heads being applied to the web roll being
wound by actuation apparatus.
Description of the Preferred Embodiments
In the preferred use of this invention, a stripe of glue, or two-sided
adhesive tape, is applied to the outer surface of the second to last turn of
the web as the traveling web is being wound into a wound web roll. In this
manner, the last turn of the web comes into contact with the stripe of glue
or adhesive tape on its inner surface, but not on its outer surface.
Preferably, the application of the adhesive application occurs along the
entire circumference of the wound web roll to provide an uninterrupted line
of adhesive attachment. However, it is also coritemplated that a fine of
dots or dashes of adhesive could be applied along the circumference of the
wound roll, as desired.
In a preferred embodiment, the adhesive attachment of the web to
the wound web roll is provided along two, spaced, parallel lines extending
about the circumference of the web roll. 8y locating these lines of.
adhesive close to the lateral edges of the web, the wrapped web can be
stabilized to achieve a firm cover, and the application of the adhesive can
be more easily coordinated with the support arms which support the core,
or spool, on which the web is wound. Specifically, the adhesive
applicators can be mounted to move laterally in the machine, or
longitudinally relative to the wound roll, with the support arms.
AMENi?~p SHEET
WO 94/03386 PCT/US93/0~389
(41
The solution provided by the invention resides in the concept of
positioning a working head for attaching the adhesive to the web, such as
paper, being wound into the wound roll at a plurality of locations spaced
axially along the length of the roll.
An especially elegant realization of this invention is a modular
concept where the working heads are arranged on apparatus for
automatically inserting cores into position to be received by support arms
and to have webs wound into wound web rolls on the cores. This
arrangement can be realized both where the core insertion is provided by a
channel which is moved by a lifting/lowering, or pivoting, traverse device
extending across the machine, or where the core insertion is provided by
two lifting or pivoting arrangements per core to be wound into a web roll,
movable together with the support arms for each core chuck.
This invention is particularly suited for use in conjunction with paper
winders utilizing a central backing roll for supporting a plurality of axially
aligned web rolls being wound which are arranged in two rows,
substantially horizontally arrayed, about the periphery of the backing roll,
about 7 80 degrees apart. This also permits the use of a so-called central
drive on the backing roll. Also, in this so-called duplex winding
arrangement utilizing a central backing roll, the web rolls being wound are
each supported by a pair of spaced, parallel arms which are pivoted to
move outwardly as the diameter of the wound roll increases. The ends of
the support arms contain a core chuck which is inserted into the ends of a
core, sometimes called a tube or reel spool, in such a manner as to permit
the core to be driven when the core chuck is rotated to rotate the wound
web roll. The core chuck is driven by a motor, such as a DC motor, which
is mounted in the support arm on either side of the roll. Such a driving
~~~~5~~
WO 94/03386 PCT/US93/07389
(5)
arrangement is known from DE 38 00 703 A1. In addition, by mounting
the adhesive applicator to each pivoted support arm which has a powered
core chuck mounted in it, the adhesive applicator can always be positioned
at a desired distance inside the lateral edge of the web for each wound
web roll and will also move radially outwardly with the core as the diameter
of the wound web roll increases. This guarantees the maximum flexibility
regarding the number and placement of the adhesive applicator locations to
provide the circumferentially arrayed lines of adhesive in predetermined
axial positions of the wound web roll.
In the following description of the preferred embodiments,
corresponding elements will be designated with the same numeral, with a
prime mark used to distinguish between like elements. It is understood
that some elements located on the back side of the apparatus in a
particular figure are hidden and, therefore, might not be shown.
Referring to Figures 1 a and 1 b, a traveling web, such as paper, has
been longitudinally slit into two individual sub-webs 11,11' and are
traveling in the direction of the arrow to be guided onto, and supported by,
a backing roll 10 in a web winding machine, designated generally by
numeral 100. One of the webs is supported over the backing roll surface
for approximately 90 degrees and is guided onto a core, sometimes known
as a tube or reel spool, and is being wrapped into a wound web roll 12.
The other sub-web travels over substantially 270 degrees of the
circumferential surface of the backing roll and is being wound into web roll
12'. Each of the wound web rolls 12,12' is being wound on a
corresponding winding device 41,41'. In the event that there are more
than two sub-webs 11,11', such as, for example, eight sub-webs, then
there would be a corresponding plurality of winding devices 41, which are
arranged laterally next to each other with an axial spacing and which are
WO 94/03386 ~ ' PGT/US93/07389
~1418~~ (sa
arranged to be shiftable in relation to the other winding devices 41. A
plurality of longitudinally arrayed, laterally spaced rolls 12,12' in winding
devices 41,41' comprise a winding station 40,40'.
The reel spool on which the wound web rolls 12,12' are wound is
supported at either end by a core chuck 15,16' which, in turn, is mounted
in a corresponding arm 13',14' as shown in Figure 2b to extend parallel
with the rotational axis of the backing roll. Thus, a wound web roll 12,12'
is held at its extremities by a corresponding core chuck mounted in a
corresponding support arm 13,14 or 13',14'. The support arms are, in
turn, pivotally mounted at 18,18' to supports in a manner well-known to
those skilled in the art. The core chucks are each driven by a motor, which
is preferably an air-cooled DC motor, which is mounted in each of the
supporting arms co-axially. The motors are configured to engage, and
rotate, the core chucks at right angles. The driven core chucks, thus,
rotate the wound web roll about an axis 17,17', which is the longitudinal
axis of the would roll. The driving arrangements are known from German
document DE 38 00 703 A1.
The support arms 13,13' and 14,14' are pivotally mounted about
axes 18,18'. The manner in which the support arms are pivoted under
power is also known to those skilled in the art and, in view of this and for
clarity, is not specifically shown and will not be described in detail. The
support arms are, thus, capable of pivoting outwardly, while maintaining
desired nip pressure, from the backing roll 10 as the diameters of the
wound rolls 12,12' increase as the traveling webs are wound.
In order to accommodate the winding of webs having different
widths, the pivoted axial mounting 18,18' of each pair of support arms
13,14,13', 14', etc., are mounted on a sled, or carriage, 19,19', each of
WO 94/03386 PCT/US93/07389
(
which is movable along support bases 20,20' of the winder 41,41' and
which extend in the direction of the width of the machine, that is, parallel
to the axis of the backing roll 10.
In order to apply a stripe of glue or two-sided adhesive tape to the
outer circumference of the second-to-last turn of a web roll being wound,
working heads 27,28 and 27',28' are provided. Each of these working
heads supports an applicator 23,24 and 23',24', respectively, for the
application of the selected adhesive to a circumferential path 25,26 or
25',26' on the surface of the wound web roll. The working heads are
pressed resiliently (i.e. elastically) against the wound web roll to apply the
adhesive. This guarantees the adhesive to be properly applied, even in the
case where the traversing guide support, or traverse support, has deflected
for any reason.
The working heads in Figures 1 a, 1 b are mounted to move, such as
in slid;ng contact, in traversing guides 29,29' which extend transversely to
the direction of web 11,11' travel, or parallel to the rotational axis of
backing roll 10.
For purposes of illustration, the working heads 27,28' shown in
Figure 1 a depict a tape cartridge applicator 23,24' for applying two-sided
adhesive tape to the circumference of the wound paper roll, and the
corresponding applicator shown in Figure 2a represents a roller-applicator
23,24' for the application of a glue stripe to the circumference of the
wound web roll.
With reference to both Figures 1 and 2, the working heads 27,28 or
27', 28' are brought from their stand-by positions, where they are
transversely supported on carriages 19,19' (Figure 2a) or by traversing
WO 94/03386 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ PCT/US93/07389
(8)
guides 29,29' (Figure 1 b), into their working position, where they are in
resilient contact with the outer circumference of the wound web rolls
12,12'. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2a, the working heads are
attached to the ends of power cylinders 32'33 which, in turn, are mounted
on carriages 19,19' and can pivot about swivel axes 18,18'.
A lifting cylinder 30, which might comprise a hydraulic or pneumatic
powered cylinder, or a powered (electrical) ball-type screw, or a screw jack,
is provided for each end of the wound web roll in the embodiment shown
in Figure 1 a. Only one such actuation cylinder 30 is shown in Figure 1 a for
clarity. The actuation cylinder is mounted to the frame of winder 100 and
extends downwardly to engage a working head and retract to resiliently
bring the adhesive applicator on the working head into a working position
against the wound web roll. It then returns the working head to its
stand-by position in the traversing guide. The working heads can be
mounted to traverse with the support arms. The traverse guide 29,29' is,
in turn, mounted for support on supports 20,20', respectively. An
independent drive, such as an electrical motor connected to a looped chain
by a drive sprocket, can be connected to the working heads 27',28', either
individually per head, or per pair of working heads, as desired. Such a drive
arrangement is within the skill of those in the art, so it is not shown and
will not be described further.
If desired, the transverse distance, or spacing, of the working heads
can be fixed, in which case they could be moved together as a unit by the
traversing drive. The fixed distance could correspond to the web width.
To move the working heads into working position against the wound
web rolls, the entire traverse guide 29,29' can be moved transversely
upwardly, in the direction of the double-headed arrow shown in Figure 1 a,
214~.~ ~
WO 94/03386 PGT/US93/07389
(9)
to apply the adhesive to the wound roll. Since the adhesive applicator
23',24' held in the working head is stationary, and since the rolls 12,12'
are rotating in their respective support arms, the adhesive is applied along
circumferentially extending paths 25',26', as shown in Figure 1 b. When
the adhesive has been applied to the circumference of the wound web roll,
the powered cylinder 30 is deactivated to return the working heads to their
stand-by position, which is represented as the lower position in Figures 1 a
and 2a. There, the working heads are supported in the traverse guides
s
29,29' (Figure 1 b) or on the ends of power cylinders 33',32' (Figure 2a).
Since the working heads can move longitudinally along the length of the
traverse guides parallel to the rotational axes of the wound web rolls, and
since the actuators (i.e. powered cylinders 30) operate at right angles to
the reciprocating directions of movement of the working heads, as shown
by the double- headed arrows associated with working heads 27',28' in
Figure 1 b, the working heads can be positioned to accommodate any width
of web being wound into a roll to apply a circumferent~al path of adhesive
onto the web roll. The illustration of the powered cylinder 30 in Figure 1 a
shows that the distance of the stroke to move the working head/adhesive
applicator from the stand-by position to the working position can vary,
depending on the desired diameter of the wound web roll.
Referring now to Figure 1 b, the working heads 27',28' have been
moved into such a position on the traverse guide 29' that they become
effectively close to the lateral edges of the wound web roll 12' to produce
adhesive along circumferentially extending paths 25',26' which are parallel
and close to the ends of the wound web roll.
The embodiment shown in Figures 2a, 2b is similar to that shown in
Figures 1 a, 1 b, except that the means for mounting and actuating the
working heads is somewhat different. Thus, in Figure 2b, the
WO 94/03386 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ PCT/US93/07389
(10)
circumferentially extending lines of glue 21,22,21',22' are applied by
working heads which are attached directly to actuators 32',33'. These
actuators, like the actuator 30 shown in Figure 1 a, can comprise a
hydraulic or pneumatic powered cylinder, or an electric powered ball-type
screw, or similar linear motion power device. These actuators 32',33' can
also serve a second function as tube/reel spool 34,34' loaders for moving
fresh tubes, or reel spools, into their working position from a storage
position in a channel beneath the backing roll 10. Reference is made to
WO 91 /18815 and DE 38 08 271 A1. The feeding of fresh cores
upwardly into their operating position where they are supported by the core
chucks is known to those skilled in the art and, therefore, is not shown in
detail and will not be described further.
The traversing movement of the actuators 32',33' on which the
working heads 27',28' are mounted is accomplished by moving the
carriages 19,19', on which the axes 18,18' are pivotably supporting the
support arms and on which the actuators are also mounted so as to move
with the support arms, laterally across the apparatus parallel to the
rotational axis of backing roll 10. The power actuators 32,33,32',33' are
permanently mounted to their respective carriages, or sleds, 19,19'.
Accordingly, in both embodiments, the working heads can be
mounted to traverse with a corresponding support arm to apply the
adhesive to a wound web roll uniformly relative to an edge of the roll.
