AN ARRANGEMENT FOR THE INTERMITTENT FORWARD FEEDING OF A MATERIAL WEB PROVIDED WITH TRANSVERSE CREASE LINES

Abstract: The invention relates to a four-winged driving reel (1) for the intermittent forward feeding of a material web provided with transverse crease lines (9). Two of the wings (3,5) of the driving reel (1) are longer than the remaining two wings (2,4). The different peripheral speeds of the wings different in size give the material web (9) a slower acceleration and retardation at the intermittent movement.

Description: The present invention relates to an arrangement for the intermittent forward feeding of a material web provided with transverse crease lines comprising a four-winged driving reel, mounted on a driving shaft,where the outer points of the wings are at a distance from one another which corresponds to the distance between two transverse crease lines defining a package length. Machines for the continuous manufacture of filled and sealed packages from a moving material web are known (see e.g. SE-B-443 128). The material web consists of a liquid-tight laminate, preferably paper laminated with plastics. The material web is provided already before it is introduced into the machine with transverse crease lines intended to facilitate the subsequent forming to final packages. It is also known for such a web to be kept in register which is necessary so that the decoration will always appear in the same position on the package. It is also necessary to keep the web in register for possible punching operations or applications of strip onto the material web. Such material webs are fed forward through the machine continuously or intermittently. In case it is desired to provide the package with an opening arrangement located on the outside of the material web, a so-called pull-tab, the moving material web has to be punched and provided with an opening strip located on the outside, which implies that the movement of the material web has to be stopped during these working processes. The intermittent driving up to now has been done via a two-bladed driving reel, where the wing points of the driving reel engage in the crease lines and in this manner guide the material web (see e.g. SE-B-362 824). In each working cycle one or more package lengths are fed forward for punching and strip application. This two-bladed driving reel, however, caused strong jerks in the material web on starting which entails difficulties for the keeping in register. Likewise it has been difficult to stop the web in stretched condition as the material web, because of its high speed, will continue to move after the driving has stopped. It is an object of the present invention to eliminate the abovementioned disadvantages and to provide an arrangement for the intermittent forward feeding where the web accelerates slowly and smoothly without jerks, and where a controlled retardation is achieved which contributes to maintaining the web in stretched condition. It is a further object of the present invention to ensure that the intermittent forward feeding in an operationally reliable manner can take place in register. These and other objects have been achieved in accordance with the invention in that the arrangement of the type described in the introduction has been given the characteristic that two of the wings of the four-winged driving reel are longer than the remaining two wings. The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the attached drawings, wherein Fig. 1 shows the four-winged reel from the front and Fig. 2 shows the same reel in side elevation Fig. 3 shows a schematic representation of the placing of the four-winged reel in the packing machine. The drawing only shows the details necessary for an understanding of the invention. Fig. 4 A-D shows how the driving reel moves during a working cycle. Fig. 1 shows a view from the front of the driving reel 1 with two long 3,5 and two short 2,4 wings, where the two longer wings 3,5 are at least twice as long as the two shorter wings 2,4. The wings are placed so that two adjoining wings are oriented 90° in relation to each other, and that the two shorter wings 2,4 are oriented 180° in relation to each other. The distance between two adjoining wing points corresponds to the distance between two transverse crease lines on the material web which corresponds to a package length. This distance can be adjusted with the help of set screws 6 when different package lengths are used. Fig. 2 shows the same driving reel 1 in a side elevation with driving arrangement 7 and driving shaft 8. The extension of the wings 3,5 in lateral direction corresponds to the width of the material web. Fig. 3 shows schematically how the four-winged driving reel 1 is placed in the packing machine. The moving web of packing material 9 is conducted via supporting rollers 10 over ther driving reel 1 and subsequently via deflection rollers 11 further into the packing machine. As the distance between two neighbouring wing points on the driving reel 1 corresponds to a package length on the material web, the driving reel 1 feeds forward two package lengths when in each cycle it moves over 180°C. Upstream of the reel 1 are placed punching tools and working stations 13,14 for the application of strips necessary for providing the package length with a tear-off opening arrangement, a so-called pull tab, located on the outside. Other forms of working stations too are conceivable upstream or downstream of the driving reel. The driving reel 1 operates intermittently and in each working cycle moves 180° about its shaft 8 . In rest position (Fig. 4A) two wings 2,5 are in contact with the material web 9. When the driving reel 1 starts from rest position (Fig. 4B) the shorter wing 2, which is in contact with the web, commences to draw the material web 9 forward. As on rotation of the arrangement the shorter wings 2,4 have an appreciably lower peripheral speed than the long wings 3,5 , the web 9 starts relatively slowly and smoothly. Thereafter (Fig. 4C) the longer wing 3 makes contact with the web 9 and with increased speed the required material length is rapidly drawn forward. Directly before the driving reel 1 stops (Fig. 4 D) the next following shorter wing 4 has come into contact with the material web 9 and by its shorter length contributes to holding up the movement, and for the material web to stop in stretched condition. When the driving reel 1 is at standstill the desired working action is carried out whereupon the driving reel 1 starts again and draws forwards two package lengths. As is evident from the above description, the present invention beings about an arrangement for the intermitted feeding forwards of a moving material web provided with transverse crease lines which makes possible that the movement of the web is accelerated smoothly and without jerks and that the retardation contributes to keeping the web stretched when the driving wheel ceases to draw the material forward.

Claims: An arrangement for the intermittent forward feeding of a material web (9) provided with transverse crease lines, comprising a four-winged driving reel (1) mounted on a driving shaft (8), where the outer points of the wings are at a distance from one another which corresponds to the distance between two transverse crease lines defining a package length, characterized in that two of the wings (3,5) of the driving reel are longer than the remaining two wings (2,4). An arrangement in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the two longer wings (3,5) are of equal length among themselves and at least twice as long as the shorter wings (2,4), which likewise are of equal length among themselves. An arrangement in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the wings (2-5) at their points are provided with adjustable parts (6) for the purpose of suiting packing material with a different length between the two transverse crease lines which constitute a package length. An arrangement in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that two adjoining wings are oriented 90° in relation to each other.

Inventors: KLINT, ARNE, RAMSAY, GEORGE
Applicants: AB PROFOR
Application year: 1989
Main classification: B65H27
IPC codes: B65B41, B65H27