APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR WRAPPING ROLLS OF PRESSURE SENSITIVE SHEET MATERIAL

Abstract: Apparatus for wrapping rolls (20) of pressure sensitive sheet material comprising means for winding (a roll) of pressure sensitive sheet material on a winder shaft (24), transfer means for moving said roll to a wrapping location, means for rotating the roll at the wrapping location, and wrapping means for winding a layer of foam material (21) into said roll whilst it is rotated at said wrapping location.

Description: This invention relates to apparatus and a method for wrapping rolls of pressure sensitive sheet material, for example, carbonless copying paper has to be carefully wrapped so that any external pressures do not cause marking of the paper and the present invention is particularly applicable to rolls of such pressure sensitive material. It is known to wrap material of this kind with a foam material, for example polyethylene packaging foam and the present invention is intended to provide apparatus and a method for wrapping rolls of pressure sensitive sheet material in a limited amount of space and with a minimum amount of manual handling. Due to the demand in the paper industry there is a need to wrap rolls of pressure sensitive material in a manner which facilitates mechanical or manual handling without damaging the pressure sensitive material. European Patent Application EP-A 0 054 903 discloses apparatus for wrapping a roll of pressure sensitive material with, for example, a paper wrapper. The roll is first wound on a hollow core and its dimensions are monitored. The inner core is used by a lifting device provided with clamping heads which engage on this hollow core. The lifting device places the roll in position for wrapping at a winding station. This earlier construction merely shows a means for winding a single roll of material at a time, the follow core of the roll being used to move and rotate it. It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for wrapping rolls of pressure sensitive material with a foam wrapping material in a limited amount of space with a minimum amount of manual handling by wrapping two or more rolls simultaneously. According to the present invention apparatus for winding and wrapping rolls of pressure sensitive sheet material includes means (26) for winding two or more rolls (20) of pressure sensitive material on the same or separate removable winder shafts (24), transfer means (19),(28),(30) for moving the wound rolls to a rapping location where they are wrapped with sheet foam, and wrapping means (34) including slitter means (76) for slitting a sheet of foam material (21) into separate widths appropriate to the width of each roll (20) to be wrapped and for simultaneously wrapping said widths of foam material onto each of said rolls (20) whilst they are rotated on their winder shaft or shafts (24). Preferably the transfer means act to move said rolls (20) from a winder unit (26) to the wrapping location by their winder shaft or shafts (24). The transfer means may include a movable support on which the rolls are wrapped and which is movable from a loading position in which the rolls are received to the wrapping position in which the rolls are wrapped by said wrapping means. Preferably the movable support includes means for rotating the roll thereon when in the wrapping location. The movable support may conveniently be in the form of a cart. The wrapping means is preferably movable from an inoperative position above the rolls when in the wrapping location of the transfer means to an operative wrapping position adjacent the rolls to be wrapped. The movable support means can be provided with means for raising the wrapped rolls to permit removal of their winder shaft or shafts and means can also be included for removing the winder shaft from the rolls after wrapping. Means may be included for winding separate rolls on two or more separate parallel winder shafts, the wrapping means being between the rolls when in the operative wrapping position. Means may be included on the movable support for supporting and rotating the rolls when in the wrapping position and for adjusting the distance between their winder shafts. Preferably the said separate rolls are located at the wrapping location with their axes substantially parallel but unaligned in their axial directions. Thus, each winder shaft can be arranged to carry two or more axially spaced apart rolls. The wrapping means can include means for cutting the foam wrapping material after a predetermined length has been supplied together with means for securing the tail end of the length of material in position on the wrapped roll. The invention also includes a method of wrapping rolls of pressure sensitive sheet material which includes winding two or more rolls (20) of pressure sensitive material on the same or separate winder shafts (24), transferring the wound rolls to a wrapping location, slitting a sheet of foam material (21) into separate widths appropriate to the width of each roll (20) to be wrapped and simultaneously wrapping said widths of foam material onto each of said rolls (20) whilst they are rotated on their winder shaft or shafts (24). Advantages of the apparatus over other proposed systems include a minimal amount of travel for naked (unwrapped) rolls of pressure sensitive material. Once the material has been foam wrapped it can be rolled and handled as a non-pressure sensitive roll of material. Moreover, operators of the machine will be in close proximity to all the functions as they occur. All the rolls on both winder shafts, if two or more are used, are wrapped simultaneously from one full width of sheet foam material and the apparatus has the ability to handle dual yardage demands. Due to the efficiency of this system, there is a minimal amount of foam material waste and a much smaller amount of space is required than in conventional systems. The invention can be performed in various ways and two embodiments will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side view of apparatus according to the invention for wrapping rolls of pressure sensitive material; Figure 2 is a side elevation of a movable cart which forms part of the transfer means; Figure 3 is a front elevation of the transfer cart shown in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional elevation of part of a clutch drive coupling used on the transfer cart; Figure 5 is a side elevation of the wrapping means; Figure 6 is a side elevation of an alternative construction of wrapping means; Figure 7 is a plan view on the line VII-VII shown on Figure 5; Figure 8 is a plan view of the slitter construction used in the wrapping means; Figure 9 is a plan view on the line IX-IX of Figure 5; Figure 10 is a diagrammatic plan view of air dividers and glue nozzles used on the wrapping means; and, Figure 11 is a cross-sectional end elevation of the dividers and glue nozzles shown in Figure 10. As shown in Figure 1 the apparatus comprises a winder unit 26 on which two winder core shafts 24 are positioned in bearings. Each winder core shaft 24 receives thereon a roll of pressure sensitive material indicated by reference numeral 20. Transfer means for moving the wound rolls includes a bi-directional hoist 28 which is provided with six hooks 19 arranged in two rows of three. The hooks 19 can engage the winder shafts 24, lift them and transfer them to a transfer cart 30. The bi-directional hoist 28 is arranged above the winder unit 26 and can move from that position, which is indicated by broken line 16, to the position shown in full lines in Figure 1, movement of the hoist 28 is indicated by arrow 18. The transfer cart 30 also forms part of the transfer means and acts as a movable support from a loading position indicated by broken lines 17 adjacent the winder unit 26 to a wrapping location where it is shown in full lines. A retractable wrapping unit 34 is located above the wrapping position and can move downwards to the position shown in full lines in Figure 1. Foam wrapping material 21 is supplied from a roll 15, over a plurality of guides 36 to the wrapping unit 34. A number (two are shown) of removal carts 32 are provided to receive foam material wrapped pressure sensitive rolls 22 which have been wrapped, to transfer them to a remote location. The construction of the transfer cart 30 is shown more clearly in Figure 2, 3 and 4 and comprises a base platform 31 mounted on rollers or wheels 33. Two pairs of roll pedestals 38 are carried on lead screws 42 so that the distance between the pedestals and therefore between the roll centres of the rolls when carried on them can be adjusted. Also provided are two scissor-lift tables 40 which can be raised from a lowered position on the base 31 to the raised positions indicated by broken lines 35. The roll pedestals 38 carry suitable bearings, not shown, to receive the winder shafts 24. As is most clearly shown in Figures 3 and 4 drive means are provided for rotating the winder shafts whilst in position on the roll pedestals 38. Thus, one end of each of the core shafts 24 is provided with keyways 37 and these are engaged by a clutch/drive coupling 62 which is connected to an air motor 56 carried on a sliding mounting 39. The mounting is located on one of the pair of roll supports 38 and an air cylinder 54 is provided to move the carriage 39 in the direction of the arrow 41 to cause the clutch/drive coupling 62 to engage the keyways 37 in the end of the winder shaft 24. As shown in Figure 4 the clutch/drive coupling 62 comprises a sleeve 66 provided with resiliently loaded pivotted dogs 68 which are held inwardly by a garter spring 70. The dogs engage in the keyways 37 when the clutch/drive coupling is moved into position by the air ram 54. Operation of the air motor 56 will now cause the winder shaft 24 to rotate. In order to clarify the drawings only one pair of roll pedestals 38 is shown in Figure 3 but it will be appreciated that there is another pair behind them provided with similar rotating equipment. As shown in Figure 3 four rolls of pressure sensitive material are carried on the winding shaft 24. Each roll is carried on a core sleeve 64 and these are spaced apart along the length of the winder shaft by spacer sleeves 60. In order to remove the rolls 20 when wrapped a winder shaft puller 46 is provided. The end of the winder shaft 24 remote from the end carrying the keyways 37 is provided with an enlarged portion 44. The core shaft puller 46 is movable in the direction of the arrows 43 and is provided with a recessed portion 52 which can receive the enlarged portion 44 of the drive shaft therein and securing mechanism 48 which fastens over the raised portion 44 by rotating about a hinge 50. When the winding operation has been finished the scissor lift table 40 is raised to the position shown in broken lines 35 in Figure 2 and so that the portion 44 of the winder shaft 24 is aligned with the recess 52 of the shaft puller. The shaft puller is now moved and locked in position and then withdrawn, taking the winder shaft 24 with it. The wound rolls are now left standing on the table 40 which can subsequently be lowered to allow them to be rolled off and onto the carts 32. The spacers 60 and cores 64 are arranged on each of the two winder shafts 24 so that the rolls on one shaft are unaligned with the rolls on the other. Thus, the rolls on the shaft which is not shown in Figure 3 will be spaced so that they align with the spacers 60 on the winder shaft 24 which is shown. Thus, the transfer cart when loaded and in the wrapping position has two rows of axially spaced apart rolls, one set of rolls being unaligned with the other but being aligned with the spaces between the other set of rolls. The construction of the wrapping means is shown in Figures 5 to 11, two alternative constructions being shown in Figure 5 and Figure 6. In the arrangement shown in Figure 5 the wrapping means 34 comprises end supports 43 between which are arranged various rollers and other mechanisms which extend across the full width of the set of rolls to be wrapped. In the arrangement shown in Figure 5 the sheet of foam material 21 is received from the full width sheet roll and is fed through an idler roll 72 which presses it against a hardened anvil backing roll 74 which co-operates with a slitter 76. The slitter 76 acts to slit the full width of the foam material 21 into predetermined widths and is controlled by a computorised slitting system incorporated in the slitter construction and which is not shown in detail. This control system instructs the slitter cutters to provide the required widths corresponding to the widths of the pressure sensitive rolls 20. The foam material now passes between a rubber covered roll 78 which is geared to a knife ejector roll 82. The roll 82 is also controlled to cut the foam material into the required lengths to cover the rolls 20 and a selective glue system 80 applies glue to the tail end of the cut lengths. The apparatus 80 incorporates deflector means (described in more detail in Figures 9 and 10) which acts to deflect alternate widths of foam material in opposite directions and over a splitter or deflector 45 so that the widths of foam material are deflected alternately towards appropriate rolls on each of the two roll shafts 24. A typical spacing of predetermined widths of pressure sensitive material rolls is more clearly shown in Figure 7 but in this Figure, and in Figure 9, only three rolls of material are shown on each shaft 24. A pair of rider rolls 84 which are movable in the direction shown by arrows 47 act to apply a minimum nip pressure against the pressure sensitive rolls. In operation core shafts are driven to provide the desired number of foam wraps and a trim pick-up hopper 86 is provided to catch any excess length of foam. The wrapper means 34 is retractable from a position above the rolls 20, the general direction of movement being indicated by arrows 49. Figure 6 shows an alternative construction of wrapper means in which the same reference numerals are used to indicate similar parts. In this construction the full width foam material 21 passes through dual rubber covered hold back rolls 90 and through a slitting system indicated by reference numeral 88. A rubber covered backing roll 78 and rubber covered knife ejector roll 83 act to determine the length of foam material being passed therethrough when a predetermined portion has been wrapped around pressure sensitive rolls 20. A selective glue system 80 applies glue to the tail end of the material at the completion of the wrapping procedure. Deflection means are again incorporated in the system 80 so that the widths of material diverted over the deflector 45 and once again a pair of rider rolls 84 provide a minimum amount of nip pressure against the pressure sensitive rolls 20. The rider rolls 84, when in position against the foam material and against the rolls 20 also aid in rotation of the rolls. A trim pick-up hopper 86 once again collects the scraps left from the foam material. It will be appreciated that the rider rolls 84 are driven. In Figure 6 the raised position of the wrapper means 34 is shown by broken lines 34a in this arrangement the wrapping means is turned as it is raised so that it is conveniently located beneath the run of foam material 21. Figure 7 shows the pull roll/knife roll combination of the unit shown in Figure 5. Covered roll 78 and knife ejector roll 82 are located in position between a set of six rolls 20 which have been loaded onto core shafts 24. The core sleeves 64 and spacers 60 are also shown. The cores 64 can typically be of cardboard and be about 3 inches in diameter by 4.32 inches outer diameter and are approximately the width of the roll 20. The spacers 60 are typically again, about 3 inches in diameter by 4 inches outer diameter and of various lengths of steel or plastics material. It will be seen from this Figure that when a full width of web of foam material 21 is slit into predetermined widths every other roll is wound upon the opposite shaft. The pressure sensitive material has, of course, previously been wound upon the cardboard core 64 at the winder unit 26. Figure 8 shows the backing roll 74 and parts of the slitter unit 76. The hardened steel backing roll 74 is positioned adjacent the slitter 76 which has a plurality of slitter assemblies 76a which cut the foam into the desired predetermined widths. The slitter holder may be of the kind commercially available as a Tidland Corporation No. EK-30 Knife Holder with necessary modifications to adapt it to the present invention. If automatic slitter positioning is utilised, two Festo Corporation DGO Rodless Cylinders and a Temposonics Incorporated Linear Displacement Transducer can be utilised. Figure 9 shows the location of the rider rolls 84. These rolls are retractable towards each other as shown by arrows 46 in Figures 5 and 6 and they are positioned between the plurality of pressure sensitive rolls as shown in Figure 9. The rider rolls 84 are driven in order to assist in turning the rolls 20 on their shafts and they act to press the widths of foam material against the rolls 20 so that they are wrapped around the circumference thereof. Figure 10 is a diagrammatic view of the air dividers and glue nozzles incorporated in apparatus 80, and Figure 11 is a cross-section through this apparatus. The air diverters are indicated by reference numeral 92 in Figure 10 and selective glue nozzles are indicated by reference numeral 94. These devices are positioned parallel to the lengths of the core shafts 24 and are arranged so that when the divided widths of foam material are delivered from the knife ejector roll 83 they are selectively deflected by the air diverters towards an appropriate roll 20 with glue being applied to the tail end of each piece. The glue nozzles also act to apply glue to the front end of each width of material. In Figure 11 reference numeral 96 indicates selective air headers for assisting in the selective application of glue to the widths of material, indicated by reference numeral 21 and it will be appreciated that the various glue applicators and air nozzles are arranged in groups on either side of the foam material 21 to divert appropriate widths of material. In Figure 11 one diverted length of material is indicated by reference numeral 51 and the other by reference numeral 53. In an alternative construction, not shown, mechanical flippers or other means could be used in place of air diverters to divert the widths of foam material to one side of the deflector 45 or the other. The apparatus works as follows, empty core shafts 24 are set up on the winder 26 with appropriate spacers 60 and cores 64 for the required number of rolls. These empty shafts are collected from the transfer cart 30 where they have been previously placed. They are placed in position by the hoist 28. The rolls of pressure sensitive material are rolled on the winder apparatus 26 and when completed the hoist 28 is moved over the winder to the position indicated by reference numeral 16 so that the completed rolls can be raised on their shafts 24. The hoist is moved to the position shown in full lines in Figure 1 and the shafts are deposited on the roll pedestals 38 on the transfer cart 30 which has been moved to the position indicated by broken line 17. If desired empty roll shafts 24 can be carried on the base of the cart 30 so that when full rolls 20 are loaded onto the cart the empty shafts 24 can be taken from the cart and placed in position on the winder 26 so that it can again immediately commence operation in winding further rolls. The roll widths and diameters (which are different if there is a dual yardage) are set up on the applicator unit and the transfer cart 30 is now moved approximately six feet from the loading position to the winding location beneath the winding means 34. When the cart is in position the winding apparatus is set in motion and control apparatus operates to provide the following automatic actions. a) the roll pedestals 38 on the cart 30 are moved closer together by means of the lead screws 42 until the edges of the rolls 20 are about 6 inches apart b) the core shaft driving assembly which incorporates the air ram 54 is operated to push the drive coupling 62 into position on the end of the core shaft 24, and c) the wrapping means descends from above the rolls 20 until the rider rolls 84 are in line horizontally with the centre line of the shafts 24. The apparatus is now operated, preferably by electrical control, so that a mere push button is possible, and this starts the foam wrapping material sequence so that the packng and knife ejector rolls, which are stepping motor controlled, are operated to metre the feed of the web of foam material into the wrapping unit. After the material has been slit into appropriate widths by the control slitting system it is moved downwardly so that the leading edge of each width is in line with the selective glue nozzles 92. As referred to with regard to Figure 11 the nozzles are arranged appropriately in groups to apply glue to the appropriate side of the widths of material and these nozzles now shoot glue onto whichever side of material is necessary to adhere to its respective roll of pressure sensitive material. The selective air nozzles 94 then operate and the foam material is then advanced until the glued leading edges are deflected and the widths of material more past the rider rolls 84. The rider rolls now move outwardly to apply a minimum amount of nip pressure against the rolls 20 and the foam drive rolls, core shafts and rider rolls are now operated so that the rolls 20 are rotated to provide the desired number of wrappings of foam material, after which the slitters disengage and reset to the next roll width and re-engage. It will be appreciated that this second roll width will have already been inserted into the control mechanism. The foam material has been advanced to where the "slit overlap" would be in the driving nip upon which the knife ejecter severs the foam. The selective glue nozzles then apply glue to the tail end of each width of foam material and the core shafts are again driven to pull the tail end from the nip and onto the finished rolls. The rider rolls 84 are now retracted and the roll pedestals 38 are returned to their original position by means of the lead screws 42. The foam material wrapping unit 34 now retracts to its position above the rolls. A second series of operations is now commenced, again electrically operated, which acts to move the wrapped rolls, indicated by reference numeral 22 in Figure 1, from the cart 30. Thus, the lift tables 40 are now actuated on the transfer cart 30 to lift each roll, and its winder shaft 24, from the roll pedestals 38 until they are aligned with the floor mounted core shaft puller 45. In the arrangement shown in Figure 3 a single puller is shown but it will be appreciated that a double puller could be provided which will simultaneously engage both shafts. The pullers are locked into position and then moved in the direction of the arrows 43 to withdraw the winder shafts 24 from both the rolls. The spacers 60 will automatically disengage themselves as the shafts are withdrawn and will be collected for further use. The wrapped rolls 22 are now rolled onto the carts 32, the rolls being weaved as they are moved so that they are close together. The core shaft puller returns the empty winder shaft 24 to the roll pedestals and in order to assist this operation the roll pedestal 38 nearest to the winder 26 can be provided with an additional winder shaft support indicated by reference numeral 57 in Figure 2. The transfer cart 30 is now returned to its loading position indicated by reference numeral 17 ready to recommence operations. The apparatus of the present invention is unique in that it combines standard and non-standard equipment to handle a delicate application of foam material to rolls of pressure sensitive material. The movable support in the form of the transfer cart 30 in the arrangement described above can be used to move the rolls 20 to the area beneath the wrapping means and can be operated with existing hoists 28 which are usually provided with winder units 26. It will be appreciated that many other constructions according to the claims can be used, for example the cart 30 could be replaced by a fixed sliding apparatus on which the rolls can be carried and various other forms of transfer apparatus could be utilized.

Claims: Apparatus for winding and wrapping rolls of pressure sensitive sheet material which includes means (26) for winding two or more rolls (20) of pressure sensitive material on the same or separate removable winder shafts (24), transfer means (19),(28),(30) for moving the wound rolls to a rapping location where they are wrapped with sheet foam, and wrapping means (34) including slitter means (76) for slitting a sheet of foam material (21) into separate widths appropriate to the width of each roll (20) to be wrapped and for simultaneously wrapping said widths of foam material onto each of said rolls (20) whilst they are rotated on their winder shaft or shafts (24). Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said transfer means (19),(28),(30) act to move said rolls (20) from a winder unit (26) to the wrapping location by their winder shaft or shafts (24). Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which said transfer means (19)(28)(30) includes a movable support (30) on which the rolls (20) are wrapped and which is movable from a loading position (17) in which the rolls (20) are received to said wrapping location where the rolls (20) are wrapped by said wrapping means (34). Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 in which said movable support (30) includes means for rotating the rolls thereon when in said wrapping position. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which said lovable support (30) includes means (56)(62) for rotating the winder shaft or shafts (20) on which the rolls (20) are located. Apparatus as claimed in claims 3 to 5 in which said movable support is in the form of a cart (30). Apparatus as claimed in claims 1 to 6 in which said wrapping means (34) is movable from an inoperative position above the rolls (20) when in the wrapping location of the transfer means (19)(28)(30), to an operative wrapping position adjacent the rolls (20) to be wrapped. Apparatus as claimed in claims 2 to 7 in which the movable support (30) is provided with means (40) for raising the wrapped rolls (20) to permit removal of their winder shaft or shafts (24). Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 including means for removing the winder shaft or shafts (24) from the rolls (20) after wrapping. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 3 to 9 in which the transfer means (19)(28)(30) includes hoist means (19) for moving the rolls (20) from the winding means (26) to the movable support (30). Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims which includes means for winding separate rolls (20) on two or more separate parallel winder shafts (24), said wrapping means (34) being between the rolls (20) when in an operative wrapping position. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 in which the movable support (30) includes means (38)(42)(56)(62) for supporting and rotating the rolls (20) when in the operative wrapping position, and for adjusting the distance between their winder shafts (24). Apparatus as claimed in claims 11 or 12 in which said separate rolls (20) are located at the wrapping location with their axes substantially parallel but unaligned in their axial directions. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 or 12 in which each winder shaft (24) carries two or more axially spaced apart rolls (20). Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which said wrapping means (34) includes means (82) for cutting said foam wrapping material (21) after a predetermined length has been supplied and means (92) for securing the tail end of the length of material in position on the wrapped rolls. A method of winding and wrapping rolls of pressure sensitive sheet material which includes winding two or more rolls (20) of pressure sensitive material on the same or separate winder shafts (24), transferring the wound rolls to a wrapping location, slitting a sheet of foam material (21) into separate widths appropriate to the width of each roll (20) to be wrapped and simultaneously wrapping said widths of foam material onto each of said rolls (20) whilst they are rotated on their winder shaft or shafts (24). A method as claimed in claim 16 which includes the steps of a) applying the foam material (21) to the rolls (20) and rotating them a predetermined number of times to apply a predetermined number of layers of foam material (21) b) severing said width of foam material (21) after a predetermined length has been wound onto the roll (20) c) applying an adhesive to the tail end of the predetermined length of material to cause it to adhere to complete the wrapping process.

Inventors: VOSTERS, JOSEPH PETER
Applicants: APPLETON PAPERS INC.
Application year: 1987
Main classification: B65B11
IPC codes: B65B11, B65B35