PLUG APPLICATOR AND AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT

Abstract: A plug applicator (10) intended for the application of plugs (14) into the two end openings of tubular sleeves (12), said sleeves being intended for use as cores onto which paper webs are wound in paper mills. Fork-shaped means (30) are arranged to retain said tubular sleeves (12) in positions opposite plug collector means (50) positioned at either end of the tubular sleeve (12). Each one of the two plugs (14) is pushed into the respective tubular sleeve opening by means of its respective plunger (60), said plungers provided on carriages (58) which are arranged for coordinate movements in the lengthwise direction of the tubular sleeve. The fork-shaped means (30) are operable between a tubular sleeve reception position, a plug application position and a tubular sleeve dispensing position. The invention also concerns auxiliary equipment for the plug applicator.

Description: Plug Applicator and Auxiliary Equipment The subject invention concerns a plug applicator and auxiliary equipment for automatic application of plugs into the openings of the type of tubular sleeves which are intended to serve as cores for winding paper webs thereon in paper mills. In the paper mill the tubular sleeves are transported, stored, picked, transferred and handled in many other ways. Several of these operations are performed manually according to traditional techniques and thus these operations are inefficient and therefore wor -consuming. The tubular sleeve handling operations are also difficult to integrate into the overall control systems governing the manufacturing process in paper mills. The purpose of the subject invention is to provide a plug applicator which is adapted to perform automatized and efficient application of plugs into the end openings of tubular sleeves. The plug applicator in accordance with the invention is intended to be incorporated as a part of an automatic system devised to handle tubular sleeves in a paper- ill, which system is adapted to Be computer controlled. It is likewise possible to use the plug applicator and its auxiliary equipment as the first stage in the transition from manual handling of tubular sleeves to the automatic handling operations thereof. The purpose of the invention outlined above are achieved therein that the applicator comprises means to retain a tubular sleeve in the desired position during the application of plugs into its end openings, means for advancing the plugs to a position on either end of the tubular sleeve opposite the end openings thereof and means for pressing the plugs into the end openings of the tubular sleeve. Further characteristics of the invention will appear from the dependent claims. The invention will be described in closer detail in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig, 1 is an overall perspective view of a plug applicator in accordance with the invention and its auxiliary equipment, Fig. 2 is a lateral view of the plug applicator, ______ Fig. 3 is a detail view of a plug supply and a plug advancing device arranged to dispense plugs, Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the plug applicator along line IV-IV of Fig. 2, Fig. 5 is a principal lateral view of the mechanism incorporated in the plug applicator to manipulate the tubular sleeve during the plug application operation. Fig. 1 is an overall view of a plug applicator 10 in accordance with the invention and its auxiliary equipment. Tubular sleeves 12 are advanced one by one up to the plug applicator 10 where they are provided with plugs 14 which are inserted into the sleeve openings 16. The tube sleeves 12 are then moved to a vertically movable table 18, from which they may be pushed onto a carriage 20 for further transport and handling by means of a plate 24 which is movable between guide rails 22 along the table 18. Fig. 5 shows how an individual tubular sleeve 12 is manipulated in the plug applicator 10. Tubular sleeves.12 are moved onto a table 26 which tilts towards the plug applicator 10 and with the aid of a pawl 28 one sleeve 12 at a time is allowed to move forwards onto a pair of fork-shaped means 30 which are pivotally mounted on the plug applicator 10. The fork-shaped means may be pivoted by means of an actuating piston-and-cylinder unit 32 which is pivotally mounted on the stand 34 of the plug applicator. The fork-shaped means 30 may be pivoted between a first position for reception of a tubular sleeve 12 (shown in dash-and-dot lines 30 (I) in Fig. 5), a second position for mounting the plugs 16 (shown in continuous lines 30 (II)) and a third position for discharging the tubular sleeve 12 having been provided with its plugs 16 (shown in dash-and-dot lines 30 (III)). The tubular sleeve 12 is advanced onto a table 36 which slopes towards the vertically movable table 22. Also the table 36 is provided with a pawl corresponding to the pawl 18 to ensure regulated and controlled advancement of the tubular sleeves 12, one at a time. The piston rod 38 of the piston-and-cylinder unit 32 is pivotally mounted at its upper end to a mounting shaft 40 -on the link 42 comprising the fork-shaped means 30. The mounting shaft 40 is displaced relative to the pivot shaft 44 of the link 42. The fork-shaped means 30 is pivoted to its various positions 30 (I, II, III) upon movement of the mounting shaft 40 of the piston rod 32 to the positions 40 (I, II, III) indicated in Fig. 5. When tubular sleeves having a smaller diameter are to be handled the fork-shaped means 30 are pivoted over 180° whereby the lower fork-profile means 46, indicated in Fig. 5, will face upwards on the link 42. Fig. 2 shows the manner in which the fork-shaped means 30 retain a tube sleeve 12 in position while plugs 14 are being mounted into the two sleeve openings 16. The plugs 14 are stored in two supplies 48 which are located above the plug applicator 10 proper and which slope outwards /downwards towards to collector members 50 located one at either end of the tubular sleeve 12. The two supplies 48 preferably are displaced laterally (see Figs. 3 and 4) in opposite directions relative to the plug applicator 10. The collector members 50 are arranged to retain one plug 14 each in position opposite the associated opening 16 at either end the tubular sleeve 12. At the lower end of the supplies 48 a vertical channel 52 is provided (see Fig. 3). A pusher 56 mounted on a cylinder or a positioning means 43 (indicated in Fig. 2) advances the plugs 14 inside the channel 52 one by one laterally relative to the supplies 48 to the collector members 50, wherein the plug 14 assumes the position shown in Fig. 3 opposite an opening 16 of a tubular sleeve 12 positioned in the fork-shaped means 30. The plug applicator 10 comprises two carriages 58, one at either sleeve end and arranged for coordinated movement towards the tubular sleeve 12 supported in the fork -shaped means 30. The carriages 58 are provided with one plunger 60 each which plungers are arranged, upon the coordinated movements of the carriages 58 towards the tubular sleeve 12, to push the plugs 14 positioned in the collectors 50 into the openings 16 of the tubular sleeve 12 supported in the fork-shaped means The operations required to apply the plugs by means of the plug applicator 10 are automatically synchronized and may be computer controlled. It is likewise possible to control the process manually. A buffer supply of plugs 14 may be arranged in the supplies 48. The supplies 48 are easily accessible from above for refill. The automatic operation provided by the plug applicator increases the efficiency in the paper mill. The improved control of the tube sleeve manipulating operation which is achieved by the invention means that in operation improved control of the flow of material can be obtained as concerns the sleeves. The embodiment of the invention described above is to be regarded as one example only and a variety of modifications are possible within the scope of the appended claims. The carriages 58 may be replaced by overhead-type structures which are operated by positioning means or positioning cylinders. It is also possible to provide in the plug applicator 10 more than two coordinate pivotal movement stands 34 haying, fork-shaped means 30, 46. In this manner, the plug applicator 10 may be easily adjusted # to manipul ate tubular sl eeves 12 of different lengths . The stands 34 coul d al so be provi ded with more than two fork-shaped means 30, 42 for simpl e adaptation of the pl ug appl icator 10 to tubul ar sleeves of different diameters .

Claims: CLAIMS - 1. A plug applicator and auxiliary equipment for the application of plugs (14) into the end openings (16) of tubular sleeves (12), c h a r a c t e r i z e d by means (30, 46, 32) arranged to retain a tubular sleeve (12) in the desired position during the application of plugs (14) into the sleeve end openings, means (48, 50, 52, 56) for advancing the plugs (14) to positions on either side of the tubular sleeve (12) opposite the end openings thereof and means (58, 60) for pressing the plugs (14) into the end openings of the tubular sleeve (12). 2. A plug applicator as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r¬ i z e d therein that the means designed to retain a tubular sleeve (12) in the desired position while the plugs are being pressed into the end openings are fork-shaped means (30, 46), said means being pivotable for movement between a first position (30(1)) for supporting a tubular sleeve (12), a second position (30(11)) in which the plugs (14) are pressed into the two end openings of the tubular sleeve, and a third position (30(111)) for dischage of the tubular sleeve (12) having been provided with its plugs (14). 3. A plug applicator as claimed in claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c- t e r i z e d therein that the plugs (14) are stored in supplies (48) and in that the discharge means (54, 56) are arranged to dispense one plug (14) at a time from the associated supply (48) and with the aid of guide means (50, 52) displace said plugs to a position opposite the end openings of a tubular sleeve (12). 4. A plug applicator as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d therein that push-in means (60) which are mounted on movable carriages arranged to perform coordinate movements, are arranged to push the plugs (14) into the end openings of the tubular sleeves. 5. A plug applicator as claimed in claim 2, c h a r a c t e r¬ i z e d by a pivotally mounted piston-and-cyl nder unit (32) to actuate said fork-shaped means (30, 46) designed to retain said tubular sleeves (12), for the displacement of said fork-shaped means between the different positions (30(1), 30(11) and 30(111)) thereof. 6. A plug applicator as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d therein that a table (26) which slopes towards the plug applicator (10) and which is designed to advance tubular sleeves (12) thereon up to the fork-shaped means (30, 46) is provided with a pawl (28) which may be adjusted for controlled and regulated advancement of said tubular sleeves (12). 7. A plug applicator as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d therein that a vertically movable table (18) is arranged to receive the tubular sleeves (12) when provided with their respective plugs (14) and to convey said sleeves for futher handling.

Inventors: JARREBY KARL AXEL BERTIL, JARREBY, KARL, AXEL, BERTIL
Applicants: SKANDINAVISKA APPARATIND, SKANDINAVISKA APPARATINDUSTRI AB SAIAP
Application year: 1986
Main classification: B31B17
IPC codes: B23P21, B31B17