DEVICE AND PROCESS FOR WINDING AN INITIAL EDGE OF A FABRIC

Abstract: It is provided a device including: two winding cylinders (2, 3) establishing an operating zone (4) between one another for the formation of a roll (6) of fabric, external to said operating zone (4) developping an initial fabric edge (11), feeding members (7a) suitable for locating a tubolar element (7) into a first feeding position (7b) external to said operating zone (4) and in contact to said initial edge (11), lifting means (12) suitable for turning said initial edge (11) onto said tubolar element (7) in said first position (7b) and thrust means (17) suitable for rolling said tubolar element (7) from said first position (7b) until said operating zone (4). The process includes a first partial pre-winding of the fabric by the turning of said initial edge (11) onto said tubolar element (7) in static position, and a following second pre-winding by means of the rotation/ traverse of said tubolar element (7) from said first position (7b) to said operating zone (4).

Description: The present invention relates to a device and a process for winding the initial portion of a fabric and refers to the technical field of machines for automatic winding of fabrics and cloths. As it is well-known, the winding of fabrics around tubular elements, generally made of cardboard, is carried out by means of machines including a couple of winding cylinders, disposed parallel and not touching with one another, establishing an operating zone between one another, in which zone the fabric to be wound is fed. The tubular element is arranged, e.g. by means of advancing and falling in the above mentioned operating zone, onto the winding cylinders and in contact therewith, so as to be rotated with respect to these last cylinders and to form a roll of fabric by means of following windings. At the start of the process, before making these windings, the initial portion or section of the fabric is locked onto the tubular element, e.g. by means of a bi-adhesive band. For example FR-A-2 078 688 describes a device for winding the initial portion of a web, which corresponds to the preamble of independent Claim 1, and discloses a process for winding the initial portion of a web including: the installation of a tubular element in a first position overlapped to a first part of said initial portion of said web to be wound and external to an operating zone for the winding of said web; the fulfilment of a first partial pre-winding of said web onto said tubular element by turning said first part of said initial portion onto said tubular element; and the fulfilment of a following second pre-winding of said web onto said tubular element by rolling said tubular element from said first position to said operating zone. The well-known technique generically described above shows an important drawback. In fact the initial winding of the web is made empirically and in many cases inadequately and unprecisely. It is well-known that an unprecise winding of the initial portion, showing creases, little pleats or overturnings, causes a wide consequence onto the following turns that are wrapped around the tubular element made of cardboard. During the unwinding phase of the web, it is necessary for its use in many cases to reject the folded or irregularly stretched web with obvious time and economic wastes. In this situation the technical scope of the present invention is to provide a device and a process for winding the initial portion of a fabric that is really suitable for obviating the above mentioned drawbacks. Within this technical scope an important aim of the invention is to supply a device and a process that allow to obtain a perfect winding of a fabric and in particular the winding of the initial portion thereof, avoiding the formation of irregular folds and stretches in this portion. The above mentioned and specified technical scope and aim are substantially obtained by a device for winding the initial portion of a web, as described in Claim 1, and by a process for winding the initial portion of a fabric as described in Claim 5. Further features of the invention shall be shown by the following description of a preferred, but not limited embodiment of a device and a process for winding the initial portion of a fabric, that is described making reference to the annexed drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a lateral view of the device according to the invention; Figures 2, 3 and 4 show in sequence the positions of the device corresponding to the first work phases; Figure 4a shows in perspective view a part of the device shown in Figure 1; Figure 5 shows a following work position of the device; and Figure 6 shows a plan view of a part of the device of Figure 1. With reference to the above mentioned figures, the device according to the invention is generally indicated by the reference number 1. It includes a first winding cylinder 2 and a second winding cylinder 3, establishing an operating zone 4 between one another, corresponding to the feeding zone of fabric 5 to be wound. The winding cylinders 2 and 3 are suitable for supporting a fabric roll 6 wound around a tubular element 7 generally made of cardboard. The second winding cylinder 3 is supported by a bracket 8 turning around the axle of the first winding cylinder 2 and driven by the pneumatic cylinder 9, for ejecting the fabric roll 6 from the operating zone 4 by the lifting of said roll 6, when the winding is completed. A cutting member 10 is arranged on the side of the first winding cylinder 2, externally to the operating zone 4. Therefore the fabric 5 has its initial portion 11 defined by the fabric section located, after the cutting phase, between the cutting member 10 and the operating zone 4. The device 1 includes feeding members 7a of the tubular element 7 that are well-known and represented in the Figures 1 and 4 with the schematic illustration of a feeding orifice by which each tubular element 7 is supplied by simple fall. According to the invention, the feeding members 7a are located in a manner suitable for adjusting a first position 7b (illustrated in Figure 2) of the tubular element 7 onto the initial portion 11, bearing onto the first winding cylinder 2, externally to the operating zone 4. In pratice the tubular element 7 is oriented parallel to the main axle 2a of the first winding cylinder 2. Some lifting means 12 is suitable for fulfilling a first prewinding of the initial portion 11 around the tubular element 7 by the lifting of the related initial portion 11. The lifting means 12 include a crosspiece 13, made substantially by a plate element, parallel to the tubular element 7 and adjacent therewith, housed in rest position under the initial portion 11 (Figure 2), and driving members 14, defined by arms joined to the plate element 13, turning around a rotation axle 15, parallel to the tubular element 7 and disposed on the side of the first winding cylinder 2. The arms 14 are suitable for lifting the plate element 13 from a rest position, in which this last element is located substantially tangential to the first winding cylinder 2, to a lifted position (Figure 4) in which the same plate element is located substantially in radial direction with respect to the first winding cylinder 2. Practically the arms 14 lift the plate element 13 along a trajectory adjacent to the surface of the tubular element 7, located statically into the above mentioned first position 7b in a manner suitable for winding around this last tubular element a first part 11a of the initial portion 11, included between the cutting member 10 and the tubular element 7. It must be noticed that a substantial section of the first part 11a is supported by the same crosspiece 13. Suitably the lifting means 12 includes blowing members 16 joined to the crosspiece 13, directed to the lower face of the initial portion 11 and positioned thereunder, extending substantially along all the width of the crosspiece 13, in a direction parallel to the winding cylinders 2 and 3. The lifting means 12 can also include mechanical members for positioning and pressing the initial portion 11 against the tubular element 7, e.g. made-up of pressure cylinders that operate for a short time pressing some shaped ends towards the tubular element 7. These ends can push and position correctly the more rigid fabrics, such as e.g. the fabrics foreseen for the manufacture of tents and curtains, against the tubular element. Further the device 1 comprises thrust means 17, suitable for fulfilling a second pre-winding of the initial portion 11 onto the tubular element 7, used on this last tubular element for causing a rotary translation thereof along the surface of the first winding cylinder 2, until a final position arranged in the operating zone 4. The thrust means 17 includes a contact body 18, including at least a roll located near the tubular element 7 and parallel thereto, and driven rotatably around its axle 19, on which it is mounted idle, by a fixed belt 20, partially wound around the axle and the partially wound around the first winding cylinder 2. The contact body 18 is suitable for causing the tubular element 7 to apply tangential thrusts that cause the above mentioned rotary translation, for winding therearound a second part 11b of the initial portion 11, included between the first position 7b and the operating zone 4. Further the thrust means 17 includes some oscillating members 23 formed by lever elements 21, rotatably hinged around the main axle 2a of the first winding cylinder 2 and driven by a pneumatic cylinder 22. The lever elements 21 support the said roll or contact body 18 at one end and allow the traverse thereof between an initial position, adjacent to the first position 7b of the tubular element 7 (Fig.4) to a final position corresponding to an intermediate position of the tubular element 7 (Fig.5) near the operating zone 4. From the intermediate position the tubular element 7 goes ahead by inertia and gravity forces, making a rotary translation onto the first winding cylinder 2 until the centre of the operating zone 4 (Fig 5). The running of the device 1, that was above described mainly under the structural point of view, occurs as follows. After having made the former winding of the fabric 5 and ejected the fabric roll 6 from the device 1 by the bracket 8 the cutting of fabric 5 is made using the cutting member 10. In this manner it is established the initial portion 11, supported at least partially by the crosspiece 13. A new tubular element 7 is brougth into the first position 7b thereof (Figure 2) by means of the feeding members 7a by simple fall. Then the crosspiece 13 is lifted and makes in cooperation with the blowing members 16, a first pre-winding of the first part 11a of the initial portion 11 around the tubular element 7. The movement of the arms 11 and the air cause the stretch of the fabric onto the tubular element 7 avoiding the formation of creases. Then it is completed the pre-winding by the contact body 18 that causes the rolling of the tubular element 7 towards the operating zone 4. This last tubular element 7 is caused to rotate and traverse onto the winding cylinder 2. It must be underlined that the translation of the tubular element 7 towards the operating zone 4 occurs by means of a contact body 18 rotatably driven by the belt 20. In this manner the initial portion 11 is not submitted to irregular stretches or to wrappings in the area leant onto the first winding cylinder 2. The device according to the invention fulfils a process, that belongs to the invention too. The process foresees that at first (Figure 2) a tubular element 7 is located in a first position 7b overlapped to the initial portion 11 of a fabric 5 to be wound and external to an operating zone 4 for winding said fabric 5. The first position 7b is arranged substantially intermediate between the operating zone 4 and a first part 11a of the initial portion 11, free at its end. Then it is made a first partial pre-winding onto the tubular element (Figs. 3, 4) keeping the said tubular element 7 in a static position and turning the first part 11a thereonto. In particular the first pre-winding is carried out by locating the first part 11a in free bearing onto a crosspiece 13 and by translating the crosspiece 13 from a position flanked to the tubular element 7 to a position substantially overlapped to the tubular element 7, until the complete sliding of the first part 11a onto the tubular element 7. At last it is made a second pre-winding of the fabric 5 onto the tubular element 7 by the rotary translation of the said tubular element onto the initial portion 11 from the first position 7b to the operating zone 4. In particular the second pre-winding is carried out applying thrusts substantially tangential to the surface of the tubular element 7, causing the same tubular element to turn. We underline that during the rotary translation of the tubular element 7, the translation is the consequence of the rotation and the vice versa is not true. The rotation stretches the fabric 5 and causes a translation by reaction only when the fabric is well stretched.

Claims: 1. A device (1) for winding the initial portion (11) of a web (5), including: at least a first and a second flanked rotating winding cylinder (2, 3), establishing an operating zone (4) between one another, in which zone (4) a roll (6) of said web (5) is formed; feeding members (7a) for feeding a tubular element (7) on said web (5) and located with respect to said first and second winding cylinders (2, 3) in order to supply said tubular element (7) into a first position (7b) located external to said operating zone (4) and in contact with said initial portion (11); a cutting member (10) of said web (5) external to said operating zone (4), with said initial portion (11) of said web (5) being unwound between said cutting member (10) and said operating zone (4); lifting means (12) acting on said initial portion (11) on the side of said cutting member (10) for turning said initial portion (11) on said tubular element (7) in said first position (7b); thrust means (17) acting on said tubular element (7) for causing the rolling of said tubular element (7) from said first position (7b) until said operating zone (4) and comprising at least a contact body defined by at least a roll (18) located near said tubular element (7) and rotating around an axle (19) parallel to said tubular element (7), said roll (18) applies tangential thrusts on said tubular element (7); and oscillating members (23) for translating said roll (18) from an initial position adjacent to said first position (7b) to an end position near said operating zone (4) in order to move said tubular element (7) towards said operating zone (4); characterized in that: said web is a fabric (5); said lifting means (12) includes a crosspiece (13) parallel to said tubular element (7), housed in rest position under said initial portion (11) and located between said tubular element (7) in said first position (7b) and said cutting member (10), driving members (14) for said crosspiece (13) for lifting said crosspiece (13) along a trajectory adjacent to said tubular element (7) in said first position (7b), and blowing members (16) located under said initial portion (11) and directed towards said initial portion (11); said oscillating members (23) include at least a lever element (21) rotatably hinged on the axle (2a) of said first winding cylinder (2) and rotatably sustaining said roll (18), and at least a drive cylinder (22) for causing the oscillation of said lever element (21) in order to translate said roll (18) between said initial and final positions; and said roll (18) is driven rotatably by a fixed belt (20) provided at least between said initial position and said final position of said roll (18) and partially wound on one end thereof. 2. A device according to Claim 1, in which said crosspiece (13) is provided with a plate element for supporting a first part (11a) located between said cutting member (10) and said tubular element (7) of said initial portion (11) and said driving members (14) are made up of arms joined to said crosspiece (13) and turning around a rotation axle (15) parallel to said tubular element (7). 3. A device according to Claim 1, in which said blowing members (16) are mobile along a trajectory substantially adjacent to said tubular element (7) for winding around said tubular element (7) said first part (11a) of said initial portion (11). 4. A device according to Claim 3, in which said blowing members (16) are joined to said crosspiece (13) and mobile therewith. 5. A process for winding the initial portion (11) of a fabric (5), including: the cutting of said fabric (5) to form said initial portion (11) with an initial edge; the installation of a tubular element (7) in a first position (7b) overlapped to a first part (11a) of said initial portion (11) of said fabric (5) to be wound and external to an operating zone (4) for the winding of said fabric (5); the fulfilment of a first partial pre-winding of said fabric (5) onto said tubular element (7) by turning said first part (11a) of said initial portion (11) onto said tubular element (7), left in a substantially static position, said first pre-winding is made by locating said first part (11a) in free bearing onto a crosspiece (13), by translating said crosspiece (13) from a position flanked to said tubular element (7) to a position substantially overlapped to said tubular element (7) and by blowing onto said first part (11a) until the complete sliding of said first part (11a) that is lifted over said tubular element (7); and the fulfilment of a following second pre-winding of said fabric (5) onto said tubular element (7) by rolling said tubular element (7) from said first position (7b) to said operating zone (4). 6. A process according to Claim 5, in which said second pre-winding is made by applying thrusts substantially tangential to the surface of said tubular element (7) causing the turning of the same tubular element (7) and the stretching of the fabric (5).

Inventors: GASTOLDI, PAOLINO
Applicants: LA MECCANICA COSTRUZIONE  MACCHINE TESSILI S.P.A.
Application year: 1989
Main classification: B65H19
IPC codes: B65H19