Advancing material of indeterminate length – Threading device – With means to pull lead-end
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-17
2001-05-01
Walsh, Donald P. (Department: 3653)
Advancing material of indeterminate length
Threading device
With means to pull lead-end
C242S332400, C242S532700
Reexamination Certificate
active
06223962
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for attaching a web of material for translation through a rotary printing press system.
Single side web-up systems require measures for attaching a web to a guiding device (commonly known as a “snake”). Such measures generally take the form of a triangle (otherwise known as a kite). Side loads imposed by web tension across the web width are focused at the apex of the triangle, where the triangle is attached to the guiding device. Those side loads can cause the web to run off, or to cause wrinkling or tearing of the web.
Furthermore, the attachment of the triangle to the guiding device presents a problem in aligning the triangle relative to the intended web path so that offset loading and/or web displacement is avoided. Currently, triangles are joined to the guiding device at the apex of the triangle. That allows a rotational degree of freedom around which the triangle can pivot. That presents a problem when the attachment of the triangle is made to the web. Since the triangle is not fixed along the web path, it is difficult to align the triangle to the web. In addition, the edge of the triangle is difficult to locate so that it is coincident with the edge of the web.
The problem is compounded by restrictions which are imposed firstly by the small amount of space that an operator has to work in at a reel stand, and secondly by working on a round surface defined by the paper reel, as opposed to a preferably flat surface.
A conventional attachment of a guiding device to a web is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,039,742. In that device, a flexible pulling sheet which is attached to a web is secured to a pull-in element by attachment clamps. The pull-in element has a cable for threading the web through a printing machine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a method and an apparatus for attaching a web of material for translation through a rotary printing press system, which overcome the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known methods and apparatuses of this general type, which prevent the web from running off, wrinkling or tearing, which aid in aligning the triangle relative to an intended web path and which accommodate space limitations and round paper reel surfaces.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, an apparatus for attaching a web of material for translation through a rotary printing press system, the apparatus comprising a triangle having a side with a given length and a bottom to be attached to a web; and a guiding device attached to the side of the triangle along substantially all of the given length, for guiding the triangle and the web. Accordingly, an important part of the solution according to the invention is that the triangle is attached to the guiding device along the length where the triangle meets the guiding device.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, there are a series of attachment points so that the triangle is attached to the guiding device along the full length of the triangle. The reasons for this are firstly that alignment of the triangle is assured by the location of the fixed attachment points, and secondly that the triangle can easily be attached and detached by an operator.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the triangle is made of a reinforced material, similar to a mat made of fiberglass such as that sold under the trademark. FIBERGLAS. The mat could be woven, which gives a perpendicular orientation to the weaves. Since the mat material could be abrasive, the mat could have a coating to prevent marking when in contact with the web rolls. Materials which may be considered for the mat are those with aramid or carbon fibers and the coating may be an elastomeric, such as rubber or neoprene. The orientation of the reinforcement is critical to the triangle. In order to minimize areas of uneven stress due to web loads, one weave could be parallel with the hypotenuse of the triangle. The perpendicular weave is non-contributory. Such an orientation provides a multiplicity of triangles defined by each parallel strand in the mat. The strands act as structural supports from the web to attachment points at the guiding device. This results in an optimized load distribution to the guiding device, and eliminates the rotational degree of freedom tending to shift the web.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, there is provided a stiffener pad at the bottom of the triangle, in close proximity to the web. This pad acts as a rigid support along the web width, so as to prevent web movement and wrinkling. The pad has compliance in the direction of web travel so as to allow it to flex over rolls as it draws the web. The preferred material for the stiffener pad is a polymer, although a metal could be used provided it does not cause marking on the rolls while in contact with them. A thermoplastic, acetal resins such as those sold under the trademark DELRIN or nylon may be used. The pad is joined to the triangle so as to become an integral part of the triangle. The pad has a slot through which the web passes in order to join the web to the triangle. The web is wrapped through the slot and joined to itself through the use of adhesive tape. The pad has a rounded edge at the slot to prevent tearing of the web.
In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, there is provided a clamping bar configuration at the bottom of the triangle, for attaching the triangle to the web. The clamping bar configuration has clamping bars with a rounded cross section which also prevent tearing of the web.
In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, the triangle attaches to the guiding device through the use of a series of linearly aligned grommets located in the triangle and parallel to the guiding device. The grommets engage with posts located on the guiding device, which act to retain the grommets during web-up. The posts are constructed in such a way as to prevent the grommet from coming off the post during web-up. The posts may also be constructed with an opening and closing feature to capture the grommets. The overall action is similar to a zipper. The post actuation would be operated by a device that would wedge the post closed to allow the grommet to pass over it. After the grommet has been located, the wedge would be removed, which allows the post to open to retain the grommet. This actuation device would be disposed at two press system locations, namely at the reel stand to load the triangle, and at the folder gathering roll to unload the triangle.
In accordance with yet a further feature of the invention, there is provided a zipper used in place of the post and grommet configuration. This feature has the advantage of a tightly spaced support as determined by the pitch of the teeth in the zipper. The zipper also has an inherent flexibility along the path of web travel, and is easy to attach and detach. An automated device could be utilized to eliminate manual attachment and detachment.
In accordance with yet an added feature of the invention, there is provided a post actuation device for attaching the triangle to the guiding device, the post actuation device having a train guide for guiding the posts and a triangle guide for guiding the grommets over the posts. The triangle guide has a slot formed therein for receiving one of the posts.
The post actuation device is used to effectively attach the triangle to the guiding device without manually placing each grommet over its mating post. Only the first grommet requires manual alignment to initiate the attachment.
This device may be used to automatically engage a multiplicity of grommets onto mating post locations to effectively capture a length of a triangle onto the guiding device. The device has the ability to also detach the triangle, and could lead to the use of automatic unwinding devices to play the triangle onto the train, or winding devices
Greenberg Laurence A.
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Aktiengesellschaft
Lerner Herbert L.
Stemer Werner H.
Walsh Donald P.
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