Apparatus for automatically threading the leading edge of a spooled web into a conveying passage

Apparatus for automatically threading the leading end of a web spooled on a reel into one end of a conveying passage includes a draw-out lever having a web support surface and movable to a first position at which the support surface engages the web spooled on the reel. A nipping finger is provided which is actuatable to trap the leading end of the web against the surface when the lever is in its first position. The lever is movable to a second position at which the support surface is spaced from the web spooled on the reel for unspooling the web from the reel. A feed mechanism is made effective after the lever is moved to its second position, and after the nipping finger has been deactuated, for engaging the unspooled web and feeding the leading end thereof into the conveying passage.

TECHNICAL FIELD 
This invention relates to apparatus for automatically threading the leading 
end of a spooled web into a conveying passage. 
BACKGROUND ART 
Material in the form of a web is used in many types of automatic packaging 
equipment. For example, in packaging cigarettes, a web of aluminum foil is 
supplied to the packaging equipment from a reel on which the web is 
spooled. Conventionally, primary web from a primary reel is unspooled and 
fed to delivery rollers associated with the packaging equipment. 
Eventually, the primary reel will be exhausted; and in preparation for 
this, a replacement reel is made ready for use by manually feeding the 
leading end of the replacement web through a conveying passage whose exit 
is adjacent the delivery rollers. When the primary reel is exhausted, the 
leading end of the replacement web is fed, manually, to the delivery 
rollers; and operation of the packaging line continues. 
In addition to the problem of having to manually intercede in the operation 
of an automatic packaging device to introduce a replacement web into the 
automatic packaging equipment, the increased speed of such equipment 
results in frequent manual intercession. This increases the probability of 
improper replacement, and is thus not desirable in terms of either 
productivity or quality control. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved apparatus for improving the working efficiency of automatic 
packaging equipment by providing apparatus for automatically threading the 
leading end of a replacement web through a conveying passage and into 
operative relationship with delivery rollers thus eliminating the need for 
manual intercession in an otherwise automatic operation. 
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
According to the present invention, apparatus for automatically threading 
the leading end of a web spooled on a reel into one end of a conveying 
passage includes a drawout lever having a web support surface thereon and 
movable to a first position at which the surface engages the web when the 
later is spooled on the reel and the leading end is releasably adhered to 
the web spooled in the reel. A nipping finger is actuatable to trap the 
leading end of the web against the support surface of the lever when the 
latter is in its first position. The lever is then movable to a second 
position thereby unspooling the web from the reel. Feed means are provided 
that are effective after the lever is moved to its second position, and 
after the nipping finger is deactuated, for engaging the unspooled web and 
feeding the leading end thereof into the conveying passage. 
The inclusion of a sensor that detects the presence of the leading end of 
the web adjacent the support surface of the lever permits the sensor to 
actuate the nipping finger such that the leading end is captured between 
the free end of the nipping finger and the surface. In addition, the 
sensor output effects movement of the lever to its second position. Thus, 
the sensor provides for automatically initiating the unspooling the web 
from the reel. 
The draw-out lever preferably includes a guide lever fixed thereto and 
carrying a back-up roller at its free end positioned to engage that 
portion of the web unspooled from the reel when the lever moves to its 
second position. The feed means may include a feed roller movable into 
engagement with the web as it is unspooled from the reel for trapping the 
unspooled web against the back-up roller. The provision of means for 
rotating the feed roller when the nipping finger is deactuated and while 
the web is trapped between the feed roller and the back-up roller serves 
to move the leading end of the web into the conveying passage.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
Before describing the details of the apparatus of the present invention 
shown in FIGS. 1-5, reference is made to FIG. 6 for the purpose of 
illustrating, in a general manner, the overall operation of the present 
invention. 
Referring now to FIG. 6, reference numeral 100 designates apparatus 
according to the present invention for automatically threading the leading 
end P of web r.sub.2 spooled on reel R.sub.2 into the entrance end of 
conveying passage a.sub.2. Reel R.sub.2 is rotatably mounted and is 
selectively driven by motor 101 whose operation is controlled by control 
means 102. 
In order to use the web on reel R.sub.2 for a packaging operation, the free 
end P of the web must be moved to connecting station 1,1. To accomplish 
this automatically, control means 102 operates motor 101 such that the 
latter slowly rotates reel R.sub.2 in a clockwise direction as seen in 
FIG. 6. Eventually, the leading end P of web R.sub.2 passes detector 16 
whose output is applied to control means 102 for the purpose of causing 
threader apparatus 10 to grip free end P of web r.sub.2 simultaneously 
with the stopping of motor 101. Thereafter, control means 102 is 
effective, in combination with position sensor 18 to unspool web r.sub.2 
from reel R.sub.2, and to move the web adjacent feed roller 20. Under 
command of control means 102, roller 20 is moved into engagement with the 
web; and rotation of this roller feeds the leading end of the web into the 
entrance of conveying passage a.sub.2. Threader apparatus 10 is further 
effective, under the influence of control means 102, to feed web r.sub.2 
through the conveying passage, through catching means 28, and to 
connecting station 1,1 where the free end remains until it reaches the 
connecting station 1,1. Actuation of catching mechanism 28 is effective to 
maintain the leading end of replacement web r.sub.2 in proper position at 
the connecting station. 
Referring now to FIG. 1, reference numerals R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 designate, 
respectively, a primary reel containing primary web r.sub.1 and a 
replacement reel containing replacement web r.sub.2. Reel 1 is mounted on 
spindle d.sub.1 of bobbin B1; and reel 2 is held on spindle d.sub.2 of 
bobbin B2. Suitable means (not shown) are provided for individually 
rotating these reels. 
As seen in FIG. 1, replacement reel R.sub.2 is in a standby condition, the 
leading end P of this reel being releasably connected to the remainder of 
the web spooled on reel R.sub.2. On the other hand, reel R.sub.1 is almost 
exhausted, and web r.sub.1 is shown passing through the upstream end of 
conveying passage a.sub.1 defined by guide roller 21 and opposed plates 
23,23'. Web r.sub.1 passes through tensioner g", and then through the 
downstream portion of the conveying guide defined by opposed plates 24,24' 
before engaging trailing guide roller 22. Web r.sub.1 then passes between 
connecting rollers 1,1', past guide roller 5, and into delivery passage A 
between delivery rollers 3,3' before being engaged by cutter 4. The above 
described construction represents the active side of the apparatus, the 
delivery rollers 3,3' unspooling web r.sub.1 from reel R.sub.1 in 
accordance with the requirements of packaging equipment (not shown) 
downstream of cutter 4. Air cylinder 26 of tensioner g" maintains lever 27 
in the position shown in FIG. 1 for the purpose of tensioning web r.sub.1 
as the web is unspooled from reel R.sub.1 . 
As web r.sub.1 is being depleted from reel R.sub.1 by the consumption of 
the web by the packaging equipment, replacement reel R.sub.2 is placed on 
spindle d.sub.2 of bobbin B.sub.2. This replacement reel has the web wound 
thereon with the free end P being adhesively connected to the web spooled 
on the reel as indicated in FIG. 2 and projecting from the periphery of 
the web spooled on the reel. Reel R.sub.2 is rotated slowly in a clockwise 
direction as seen in FIG. 2; and eventually, leading end P will pass 
threader apparatus 10. Apparatus 10 comprises draw-out lever 11 having web 
support surface 14 thereon, lever 11 being mounted on rotatable and 
translatable shaft 13. As a consequence, lever 11 is movable between a 
first position shown in chain lines in FIG. 2 to a second position shown 
in solid lines. In the first position of lever 11, support surface 14 on 
the lever engages the web spooled on reel R.sub.2. 
Associated with lever 11 is pivotal nipping finger 16 which is actuatable 
from the position shown in chain lines in FIG. 2 to the position shown in 
solid lines in FIG. 3 to trap leading end P of the web spooled on reel 
R.sub.2 against surface 14 when the lever is in its first position. To 
achieve this result, sensor 19 detects the presence of leading end P as 
reel R.sub.2 is rotated slowly in the clockwise direction as seen in FIG. 
2. The sensing of leading end P by detector 19 brakes the motor driving 
reel R.sub.2 and causes the control means associated with the present 
invention to operate air cylinder 15 which actuates nipping finger 16 by 
rotating it until its free end overlies surface 14 thus trapping leading 
end P between the free end of nipping finger 16 and support surface 14. 
This situation is illustrated in solid lines in FIG. 3. The control means 
is then made effective to move lever 11 from its first position shown in 
the solid lines in FIG. 3 to its second position shown in the chain lines 
in FIG. 3. This movement is achieved by pivoting lever 11 through 
approximately 90.degree. and translating the same in a radial direction 
away from spindle d.sub.2. Position sensor 18 provides information to the 
control means for the purpose of determining when lever 11 arrives at its 
second position. 
Movement of lever 11 from its first to its second position when finger 16 
has trapped the leading end of the web causes the adhesive connection 
between the leading end P and the web spooled on the reel to break, and 
the web to be unspooled from reel R.sub.2. 
The apparatus according to the present invention also includes feed means, 
which are described below, made effective after the lever has moved to its 
second position and after the nipper finger is deactuated, for engaging 
the unspooled web and feeding the leading end thereof into the entrance of 
the conveying passage. The feed means includes guide lever 12 fixed to 
lever 11 at an acute angle with respect thereto. Guide lever 12 carries on 
its free end back-up roller 17 positioned to engage the web that is 
unspooled from the reel as lever 11 moves toward its second position. The 
feed means further include feed roller 20 movably mounted relative to 
guide lever 12 and rotatively driven by motor M. After lever 11 has moved 
to its second position, feed roller 20 is moved by control means such that 
the feed roller engages the web unspooled from reel R.sub.2 trapping the 
unspooled web against back-up roller 17. The rotation of motor M after 
nipping finger 16 is deactuated by operation of air cylinder 15 causes 
leading end P of the web to be threaded into the entrance of the conveying 
passage defined by opposed plates 23,23'. 
To further assist in holding the leading end of the web to support surface 
14 subsequent to deactuation of nipping finger 16, suction ports 14' 
connected to support surface 14 are provided. In this manner, the free end 
of the web is retained in proper position after nipping finger 16 is 
deactuated. 
As shown in FIG. 4, operation of motor M causes rotation of feed roller 20 
and the subsequent unspooling of web r.sub.2 as the leading end is fed 
between opposed plates 23,23' past guide roller 21. The operation of motor 
M, continues to unspool the web from reel R.sub.2 as the leading end of 
web r.sub.2 moves between connecting rollers, 1' as shown in FIG. 1. When 
the leading end of web r.sub.2 is positioned between these connecting 
rollers, feed roller 20 is moved out of engagement with web r.sub.2 by the 
control means, thus halting further unspooling of the reel. Referring 
again to FIG. 1, cylinder 26 is actuated to move arm 27 to the position 
shown in solid lines in FIG. 12 prior to the operation of threader 
apparatus 10. After the leading end of web r.sub.2 is positioned between 
connecting rollers 1,1', catching mechanism 28 is operated for the purpose 
of capturing the web between the free end of catching mechanism 28 and bed 
30 thereby releasably holding the leading end of web R.sub.2 in proper 
position. At this point, cylinder 26 is actuated for the purpose of moving 
arm 27 to the position shown in chain lines of FIG. 1 thereby applying 
tension to the web as additional web is unspooled from reel R.sub.2. 
The standby operation of reel R.sub.2 is now complete and replacement web 
R.sub.2 is positioned to be moved into delivery rollers 3,3' as soon as 
web r.sub.1 is exhausted from reel R.sub.1. When reel R.sub.1 is 
practically exhausted, this condition is sensed and a command is sent to 
the control means to operate cutter 29 on the active side of the apparatus 
shown in FIG. 1 to thereby severe web r.sub.1. The remnant of web r.sub.1 
is then rewound onto reel R.sub.1 and this reel removed and replaced by a 
fresh reel in preparation for sensing the depletion of replacement reel 
R.sub.2. 
After web r.sub.1 is severed, connecting rollers 1,1' are operated so that 
web r.sub.2 is captured between rollers 1,1' which are powered and begin 
to unspool web r.sub.2 from R.sub.2 thereby feeding this web past guide 
roller 5 and into delivery rollers 3,3'. At this point, replacement web 
r.sub.2 has replaced primary web r.sub.1 ; and web r.sub.2 is thereby 
supplied to the packaging equipment. 
After the remnant of web r.sub.1 has been rewound onto reel R.sub.1, and 
this reel replaced by a fresh reel, the process described above in 
connection with reel R.sub.2 is repeated by comparable apparatus 
associated with the reel mounted on bobbin B.sub.1. First, however, 
cylinder 26 is actuated to move lever 27 from the position shown in solid 
lines in FIG. 1 to the position shown in chain lines. This allows the 
draw-out lever associated with bobbin B.sub.1 to move from its second 
position shown in solid lines in FIG. 1 to a first position at which the 
lever will be effective to capture the leading end of the web spooled on 
the reel mounted on bobbin B.sub.1. Thereafter, the operation is the same 
as previously described. 
In the above manner, a replacement web on a replacement reel is 
automatically unspooled from the replacement reel and placed in standby 
condition until the trailing end of a primary web is detected. 
The advantages and improved results furnished by the apparatus of the 
present invention are apparent from the foregoing description of the 
preferred embodiment of the invention. Various changes and modifications 
may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention 
as described in the claims that follow.