METHOD FOR THE APPLICATION OF REEL END DISCS IN A WRAPPING LINE TO THE ENDS OF A REEL TO BE WRAPPED

Abstract: The invention is concerned with a method for the application of reel end discs (4) in a wrapping line to the ends (2) of a reel (1) to be wrapped by means of end presses (3). The reel end discs (4) to be applied to the reel (1) ends (2) are fitted onto the faces (6) of the end presses (3) facing towards each other by means of negative pressure and pressed onto the ends (2) of the reel (1) located between the end presses (3), to which ends (2) the discs (4) are fixed when the hot-melt layers on the reel end discs (4) melt as the press faces (6) of the end presses (3) are heated. The end presses (3) are shifted away from each other and the wrapped roll (1) moves away from between the end presses (3). According to the invention, the reel end discs (4) are supplied to the end presses (3) from vertical rolls (5) of reel end discs in the form of a band so that the first reel end discs (4) are grasped by means of transfer devices (7) and, by means of the transfer devices (7) and pulling rolls (8), the reel end discs (4), whose edge portions are attached to each other, are pulled off the rolls (5) of reel end discs until it is noticed, by means of aligning means (9), that the next reel end discs (4) are in the basic positions. Hereupon, the first reel end discs (4) are cut loose from the reel end discs placed in the basic positions, and they are transferred by means of the transfer devices (7) to positions opposite the press faces (6) of the end presses (3), whereupon, after they have been sucked onto these faces, the transfer devices (7) release their grip and move further to their basic positions.

Description: Title: Method for the application of reel end discs in a wrapping line to the ends of a reel to be wrapped Description The present invention is concerned with a method for the application of reel end discs in a wrapping line to the ends of a reel to be wrapped, whereat,-for the application of the discs, the reel moves on the wrapping line tossthe position between end presses and the reel end discs to be applied to the reel ends are fitted onto the faces of the end presses facing towards each other, the end discs being pulled against the faces of the end presses by means of negative pressure, and that the reel end discs are pressed by means of the end presses onto the ends of the reel located between the end presses, whereby the discs are attached to the reel ends when the plastic coating on the reel end discs, placed against the reel ends, melts on heating of the press faces of the end presses, whereupon the end presses are shifted apart from each other and the wrapped reel moves away from between the end presses and Åa new roll is shifted to the position between the end presses for application of the reel end discs. To-day, the reel end discs are attached to the ends of the reel to be wrapped by using end presses, but the reel end discs are separate from each other, and they must be fitted onto the press faces of the end presses as well as be aligned in the correct position, for example, manually. In this case, of course, the reel end discs are separate discs apart from each other. It is an object of the present invention to make the said inconvenient working step automatic, and this is achieved in an automatic reel wrapping line by, among other things, using reel end discs arranged in the form of a band. The method in accordance with the invention is mainly characterized in that the reel end discs are supplied to the end presses from vertical rolls of reel end discs in the form of a band so that the first reel end discs are grasped by means of transfer devices and, by means of the transfer devices and pulling rolls, the reel end discs, whose edge portions are attached to each other, are pulled off the rolls of reel end discs until it-is noticed, by means of aligning means, that the next reel end discs are in the basic positions, the first reel end discs are cut loose from the reel end discs placed in the basic positions, and they are transferred by means of the transfer devices to positions opposite the press faces of the end presses, whereupon, after they have been sucked onto these faces, the transfer devices release their grip and move further to their basic positions. The invention comes out more closely from the following description and from the attached drawings, where in Figure 1 shows an automatic reel wrapping line in accordance with the invention as viewed from above, Figure 2 shows a section along line A-A in Fig. 2, and Figure 3 is a detailed top view of the gripper of the transfer device. The wrapping line includes end presses 3, whose press faces 6, facing towards each other, can be heated. The press faces 6 are additionally provided with numerous holes, which are connected to suction channels, through which a negative pressure can be produced at the press faces 6 for the purpose of sucking the reel end discs 4 onto the press faces 6. Moreover, the end presses 3 can be shifted towards each other to the pressing position and apart from each other to the basic position. Since the end presses 3, their actuating system, the vacuum system, and the system of heating of the press faces 6 involve nothing that were not known in prior art, the end presses 3 have not been illustrated in detail in the drawings, but a highly schematical mode of presentation has been found adequate. In a position perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the wrapping line, between the end presses 3-, there is a horizontal carrier roll reeler 12, by means of which the reel 1 to be wrapped is aligned to the correct position between the end presses 3 for the purpose of attaching the reel end discs. At both sides of the wrapping line, there are vertical rolls 5 of reel end discs, from which the reel end discs 4 are supplied to the end presses 3 in the form of bands. The successive reel end discs 4 are attached to each other at their edge portions by means of narrow sections 10. From the rolls 5 of reel end discs the reel end discs 4 are guided by means of guide rolls 13 to between pulling rolls 8. Before the pulling rolls 8, there are aligning means 9, which comprise a photocell and a light detector. From the rolls 5 of reel end discs, the band of reel end discs is pulled by means of pulling rolls 8 until the aligning means 9 indicate that the first reel end discs 4 are in their basic positions. At that time the pulling rolls 8 stop. The aligning of the reel end discs 4 in the basic position by means of the photocells and light detectors takes place at the corner 11 formed at the edge of the narrow section 10 connecting the reel end discs 4. The reel wrapping line includes transfer devices 7, by means of which the reel end discs 4 are transferred onto the press faces 6 of the end presses. The transfer device 7 includes a gripper 14, by means of which the edge portion of the reel end disc 4 to be transferred is grasped. In the basic position shown in Fig. 2, the gap of the gripper 14 is kept open by a spring 15. when the edge of a reel end disc 4 is to be grasped by means of the gripper 14, the gap of the gripper 14 is closed pneumatically by means of the cylinder-piston device 16. In view of different sizes of reel end discs, the height position of the gripper 14 has been arranged adjustable. The adjustment of the height position takes place preferably automatically. It may be performed in any way whatsoever that is suitable for the purpose, e.g., hydraulically, pneumatically, by means of a rack-and-cogwheel combination, or by means of screw-spiral adjustment. Horizontal shifting of the gripper 14 is performed by means of a shifting mechanism 13. The length of the transfer movement obtained for the transfer device 7 by means of the shifting mechanism 13 while starting from the basic position, of course, depends on the size of the reel end disc 4 to be attached at each particular time, and the aligning takes place preferably automatically by means of limit switches. After the pulling rolls 8, there are cutters 15, by means of which the reel end discs 4 to be transferred are cut loose from the reel end discs 4 remaining in the basic position. Below, the operation of the automatic reel wrapping line will be described. To begin with, it is found out what is the diameter of the reel 1 to be wrapped. Preferably, this takes trace fully automatically, e.g., by means of a line of photocells. Hereupon, the reel 1 to be wrapped moves to the position between the end presses 3, being supported by the carrier roll reeler 12. At both sides of the wrapping line, there are several rolls 5 of reel end discs of different sizes of reel end discs. From among the rolls 5, the correct size of reel end disc is chosen, either manually or by means of some automatic system suitable for the purpose, and the first reel end disc 4 on the roll 5 is guided around the guide rolls 13 to between the pulling rolls 8. The pulling rolls 8 pull the reel end disc 4 until the aligning means 9 indicate that the first reel end discs 4 are in the basic positions and the pulling rolls stop. The gripper 14 of the transfer device in the basic position is in the open position and, by means of its automatic aligning system, the gripper 14 finds out the correct height position. Once the gap of the gripper 14 is aligned in the correct position, the gripper 14 grasps the edge of the reel end disc 4 pneumatically. Hereupon the shifting means 13 and the pulling rolls 8 are started and carry the band of reel end discs off the rolls 5 of reel end discs at the same track speed. The pulling rolls 8 stop when the following reel end discs 4 reach their basic positions indicated by their aligning means 9. Thereat the cutters 15 cut off the narrow section 10 connecting the reel end discs, return to their basic positions, and the transfer devices 7, actuated by the shifting mechanisms 13, continue to carry the reel end discs 4 to the end presses 3. The movement of the shifting mechanisms 13 stops when the centre lines of the reel end disc 4 and of the reel 1 to be wrapped are on the same axis. As was already stated above, this aligning takes place preferably automatically by means of limit switches. When the reel end discs 4 to be applied to the ends of the reel 1 to be wrapped are at their correct positions at the press faces 6 of the end presses 3, the reel end discs 4 are sucked by means of the vacuum arrangement of the end presses onto the press faces 6. Next, the grippers 14 release their grasps on the reel end discs 4 and continue their movement, as carried by the shifting mechanisms 13, by the distance of the gap portion of the gripper 14 forwards. Hereupon, the shifting mechanisms 13 carry the grippers 14 to their basic positions. A gripper 14 that has come back to its basic position is automatically controlled so as to grasp the edge of the next reel end disc 4 that has arrived at its basic position. The reel end discs 4 that were sucked onto the press faces 6 of the end presses 3 are pressed against the ends 2 of the reel 1 to be wrapped. The faces of the reel end discs 4 that are to be placed against the ends 2 of the reel to be wrapped have been coated with a hot-melt agent suitable for the purpose. In the compression position, the press faces 6 of the end presses 3 are heated, whereby the hot-melt layers on the reel end discs 4 melt and the reel end discs 4 adhere to the ends 2 of the reel 1 to be wrapped. Next, the end presses 3 are shifted apart from each other by means of shifting means, and the wrapped reel 1 moves away from between the end presses 3, and a new reel moves to the position between the end presses 3 for the application of the reel end discs 4.

Claims: CLAIMS: 1. Method for the application of reel end discs in a wrapping line to the ends (2) of a reel (1) to be wrapped, whereat, for the application of the discs, the reel (1) moves on the wrapping line to the position between end presses (3) and the reel end discs (4) to be applied to the reel (1) ends (2) are fitted onto the faces (6) of the end presses (3) facing towards each other, the end discs being pulled against the faces of the end presses by means of negative pressure, and that the reel end discs (4) are pressed by means of the end presses (3) onto the ends (2) of the reel (1) located between the end presses (3), whereby the discs (4) are attached to the reel ends when the plastic coating on the reel end discs (4),placed against the reel (1) ends (2), melts on heating of the press faces (6) of the end presses (3), whereupon the end presses (3) are shifted apart from each other and the wrapped reel (1) moves away from between the end presses (3) and a new roll is shifted to the position between the end presses (3) for application of the reel end discs (4), c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the reel end discs (4) are supplied to the end, presses (3) from vertical rolls (5) of reel end discs in the form of a band so that the first reel end discs (4) are grasped by means of transfer devices (7) and, by means of the transfer devices (7) and pulling rolls (8), the reel end discs (4), whose edge portions are attached to each other, are pulled off the rolls (5) of reel end discs until it is noticed, by means of aligning means (9), that the next reel end discs (4) are in the basic positions, the first reel end discs (4) are cut loose from the reel end discs placed in the basic positions, and they are transferred by means of the transfer devices (7) to positions opposite the press faces (6) of the end presses (3), whereupon, after they have been sucked onto these faces, the transfer devices (7) release their grip and move further to their basic positions 2. Method as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the aligning of the reel end discs (4) in their basic positions is performed by means of photocells and light detectors on the basis of the corner (11) formed at the edge of the narrow section (10) connecting the reel end discs (4) to each other.

Inventors: BRAX, ASKO
Applicants: YHTYNEET PAPERITEHTAAT OY
Application year: 1983
Main classification: B65B51
IPC codes: B65B25