Manufacturing container or tube from paper; or other manufacturi – With cutting – breaking – tearing – or abrading – Making plural – separate cuts by distinct cutting edges
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-11
2001-05-15
Johnson, Brian L. (Department: 3618)
Manufacturing container or tube from paper; or other manufacturi
With cutting, breaking, tearing, or abrading
Making plural, separate cuts by distinct cutting edges
C083S543000, C083S497000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06231492
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a cutting bar for use on a rotary press folding machine. More specifically, the present invention relates to a cutting bar having a pair of adjustable cutting blades for cutting a paper web into equal or unequal cut lengths.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
On rotary press folding machines, a generally cylindrical cutting drum having a pair of cutting blades is positioned adjacent to a folding drum. The blades of the cutting drum cut a web of paper having an image imprinted thereon into sections of a predetermined length, which are then folded by the folding drum in a manner well known in the art.
Preferably, the cutting drum blades are adjustable, making it possible to run the folding machine in both “straight” and “collect” modes. When the press is operated in “straight” mode, the cutting drum blades are oppositely disposed on the cutting drum. Thus, the drum cuts two paper sections of equal length per revolution. The sections have an identical image, making a continuous run possible. By comparison, when operating in “collect” mode, one of the cutting drum blades is moved circumferentially, enabling the cutting drum to cut one longer section and one shorter section per revolution. The sections, having different images imprinted thereon, are then collected before folding, thus precluding a continuous run.
A variety of devices have been employed in order to provide for the adjustment of the cutting blades. One such approach is to adjust the position of the blades using one or more spacers. The position of the blade is then fixed using a wedge to lock the blade in place. Unfortunately, in order to i adjust the position of the blades, the press must be stopped, and the wedges and spacers must be extracted and re-installed. Such a system is labor intensive and time consuming, and does not permit stepless adjustment of the cutting blades.
Another prior art device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,017,184 issued to Takahori et al. The Takahori device uses an outer cylinder having a first cutting blade and an inner cylinder housed within and rotatable relative to the outer cylinder and having a second cutting blade which protrudes from a gap in the outer cylinder. Unfortunately, in addition to other shortcomings the range of adjustability is limited due to the inner/outer cylinder construction.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved cutting bar for use with a rotary press folding machine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An improved adjustable cutting bar according to the present invention has adjustable blades that are moveable so as to be circumferentially adjustable relative to each other in order to permit the cutting of paper sections of the same or different lengths. The cutting drum of the present invention enables the relative position of the cutting blades to be adjusted quickly with a minimum of down time and/or labor, and enables the blades to be adjusted in a stepless fashion. Moreover, the present construction permits the cutting blades to be adjusted through a very wide range.
According to one aspect of the present invention, an adjustable cutting bar for a rotary press folding machine includes a rotatable shaft supported on a frame and a first cutting blade mounted to the shaft for common rotation with the shaft. A second cutting blade is rotatably mounted to the shaft, so as to permit circumferential movement of the second cutting blade relative to the first cutting blade about the axis of the shaft. A drive system rotates both of the cutting blades about the axis of the shaft at a common peripheral speed.
In further accordance with the preferred embodiment, each of the cutting blades is mounted to a carrier bar, and each of the carrier bars in turn is mounted between a pair of end brackets. Preferably, the end brackets include a seat for receiving the end of the carrier bar, and each of the carrier bar ends are secured to the end brackets by fasteners oriented generally parallel to the axis of the rotatable shaft.
The drive system includes a drive shaft having a pair of drive gears. One of the drive gears engages a driven gear carried by the rotatable shaft for rotating the first cutting blade, and a second drive gear engages a driven gear connected to the second cutting blade. At least one of the drive/driven gear arrangements includes helical gears, so that upon axial movement of the drive shaft the helical driven gear is rotated, thus rotating the attached cutting blade relative to the other cutting blade. The first and second drive/driven gear combinations may both be provided with helical gears with opposite flighting, thus permitting both of the cutting blades to be adjusted circumferentially simultaneously, in opposite peripheral directions, upon axial adjustment of the drive shaft. One of the drive gears is preferably mounted to a drive hub by a clutch assembly, which permits the driven gear to rotate relative to the drive hub in the event the folding machine encounters a jam, thereby avoiding potential damage to the drive system. Finally, the position of one of the driven gears can be adjusted relative to the drive hub using a backlash adjustment mechanism, which improves performance by eliminating play in the drive system.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an adjustable cutting drum for a rotary press folding machine includes a rotatable shaft having a fixed cutting blade mounted to the shaft for common rotation with the shaft. An adjustable cutting blade is rotatably mounted to the shaft in order to permit rotation of the adjustable cutting blade about the shaft, which adjusts the relative peripheral position of the cutting blades relative to each other. An adjustable drive system engages the cutting blades for rotating the blades at a common peripheral speed. The adjustable drive system further permits the position of the cutting blades relative to each other to be changed.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, an adjustable cutting drum for use with a rotary press folding machine includes a rotatable shaft supported on a frame, and a first cutting blade secured to the shaft for common rotation with the rotatable shaft. A second cutting blade is secured by mounting means to the shaft to permit circumferential rotation of the second cutting blade about the axis of the rotatable shaft, thereby permitting adjustment of the relative circumferential positions of the cutting blades. Adjustable drive means are provided which operatively engages the first and second cutting blades for rotating the first and second cutting blades at a common peripheral speed, and further for adjusting the position of the second cutting blade relative to the first cutting blade.
In accordance with a still further aspect of the present invention, an adjustable cutting drum for use with a rotary press folding machine comprises a rotatable shaft supported on a frame and a first cutting blade secured to the shaft for common rotation therewith. A second cutting blade is mounted by mounting means to the shaft to permit circumferential rotation of the second cutting blade about the axis of the rotatable shaft, thereby permitting adjustment of the relative circumferential positions of the cutting blades. Drive means operatively connect the first and second cutting blades for rotating the first and second cutting blades at a common peripheral speed, and adjustment means permit adjusting the circumferential position of the second cutting blade relative to the first cutting blade.
An improved cutting drum incorporating the features of the present invention will enable stepless adjustment of the cutting blades permitting the folding machine to operate in either straight or collect modes, and changeover time between modes is effectively eliminated. Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4003300 (1977-01-01), Grobman
patent: 4190242 (1980-02-01), Bolz
Goss Graphic Systems Inc.
Johnson Brian L.
Luby Matthew
Marshall O'Toole Gerstein Murray & Borun
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