Device for the selective insertion of different types of cardboard

Abstract: The device for the selective insertion of different types of cardboard (2,4) comprises at least one actuator (7) which interacts with a motor unit (11) or optionally with a motion transmission unit (126). These units (11,126) allow to transmit motion at at least one means (16-21) for the selective enabling of the movement of the different types of cardboard (2,4), thus allowing a rapid and easy presetting thereof to allow their automatic loading.

Description: The present invention relates to a device suitable for allowing the selective insertion of different types of cardboard at an infeed station of a machine. Machines suitable for performing a plurality of processes on corrugated cardboard are in fact currently known. On the subject, the same Applicant filed, March 9, 1987, European Patent Application Nr. 87 103 312.2, publication Nr. 0247.300 which disclosed an automatic machine for the processing of corrugated cardboard, constituted by a first station for multiple feeding of corrugated cardboard with the possibility of different widths, a second station for inserting the corrugated cardboard, a third station for cutting the cardboard, a fourth station for scoring the cardboard, a fifth station for dinking the cardboard, and a sixth station for removing the cardboard and for the eventual gluing and folding of the flaps resulting from the manufacturing process. This solution thus provided a station for the feeding of cardboard which comprises a supporting frame; the shafts of three rolls, each constituted by corrugated cardboard with different width and/or length, being freely pivoted to the side members of said supporting frame. This solution thus allowed to solve the problem related to the selective feeding of the cardboard starting from rolls according to dimensions, such as different width and length, whereas the problem of feeding types of cardboard differing from cardboard in rolls, such as for example cardboard arranged according to the method known in the field as "fanfold", i.e. by stacking cardboard folded several times in an accordion-like fashion, has been observed. It has furthermore been observed that the machine according to the above mentioned patent has a large number of motors, the cost whereof affects the overall cost of the machine. The aim of the present invention is therefore to eliminate the disadvantages described above in known types by providing a device which allows to feed, at one or more successive stations, one of at least two different types of cardboard. Within the scope of the above aim, another important object is to provide a device wherein the selection of the required type of cardboard to be fed can occur automatically, without the manual intervention of an operator. Another important object is to provide a device which allows to rapidly and easily vary the choice of the required type of cardboard to be used. Another important object is to provide a device which associates with the preceding characteristics that of being structurally simple and of being applicable to known machines as well. Not least object is to provide a device which associates with the preceding characteristics that of being reliable and safe in use and of having modest costs. This aim, these objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter are achieved by a device for the selective insertion of different types of cardboard, as defined in claim 1. Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description of some particular but not exclusive embodiments, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a schematic view of the device according to a first embodiment; Fig. 2 is a schematic view of the device according to a second embodiment; Fig. 3 is a schematic view of the device according to a third embodiment. With reference to the above figures, the reference numeral 1 indicates the device for the selective insertion of two different types of cardboard, such as for example a first cardboard 2, unrolled from a roll 3, and a second cardboard 4, which is folded several times in an accordion fashion and is known in the field as "fanfold" or "endless cardboard". Conveniently, the roll 3 is rotatably arranged at adapted supports 5, and the device 1 is arranged below it, whereas the pack which constitutes the second cardboard 4 is arranged to the side. On the side opposite to said second cardboard there is a first surface 6 which is a part of a machine adjacent to the device, such as for example a cardboard processing machine. The device 1 comprises at least one actuator which is constituted by a piston 7 the body 8 whereof is articulated, at one end, to an adapted support and the stem 9 whereof is also articulated at the median region of a first bar 10 of a motor unit 11. Said motor unit is constituted by a first pair of pulleys 12a and 12b which are connected by the first bar 10; one of said pulleys is motorized by means of a single motor 13. The mechanical connection between the first pair of pulleys is naturally obtained by means of an adapted first belt or first chain 14 which interacts with an adapted presser 15 which is elastically associated with the first bar 10. Advantageously, the piston 7 and the motor unit 11 are arranged below the first surface 6, with the pulley 12a freely pivoted at adapted supports. This allows, upon the actuation of the piston 7, the lifting of the motor unit 11, which passes from a vertical arrangement to a horizontal one, so as to transmit motion at a means for the selective enabling of the movement of the first cardboard 2 or of the second cardboard 4. Said means is constituted by a second pair of pulleys 16a and 16b which are rotatably supported at the ends of a second bar 17; said pulleys are interconnected by means of a second belt or second chain 18. Conveniently, one pulley of said second pair of pulleys is freely pivoted at an adapted support in a region which lies above said motor unit 11, which thus provides motion, since the first belt or first chain 14 interacts with the second belt or second chain 18 also by virtue of the presence of the presser 15. A first roller 19 is instead associated at the pulley 16b and interacts in two limit positions respectively with a second roller 20 and with a third roller 21, both of which are freely rotatably pivoted at adapted supports. The first roller 19 does not interact directly with the surfaces of the second and third rollers, since these last interact respectively with the second cardboard 4 and with the first cardboard 2, which are drawn from the accordion pack and from the roll 3. The first cardboard 2 is arranged adjacent to the third roller 21 by virtue of the presence of a pair of guides 22a and 22b which are suitable for guiding said cardboard at the adjacent first surface 6. The second cardboard 4 instead rests at the lateral surface of the second roller 20 and then on an adapted second surface 23 which is adjacent to the first surface 6. The interaction of the first roller 19 with the second cardboard 4 occurs in the position illustrated in figure 1, and thus with the arrangement of the motor unit 11 in horizontal position, the transmission of motion to the first roller 19 imposing a movement to the second cardboard 4 either toward the first surface 6 or in the opposite direction, for example to free the first surface 6 prior to the advancement of the first cardboard 2. In order to achieve the advancement of said first cardboard 2, a further extension is imposed to the stem 9 of the piston 7, which imposes a further rotation to the motor unit 11 so that the first bar 10 thereof interacts with a rod 24 which protrudes below a skid 25 which is slidingly associated with the overlying second bar 17 of the second pair of pulleys 16a and 16b. The presence of the presser 15, which is elastically supported by the first bar 10, allows to maintain optimum transmission of motion from the first belt or first chain 14 to the second belt or second chain 18. The rotation thus imparted to the motor unit 11 causes a rotation of the second pair of pulleys 16a and 16b until the first roller 19 interacts with the first cardboard which, being pressed between the first roller and the third roller, is pushed through the pair of guides 22a and 22b at the first surface 6. In this case also, the motion at the motor 13 can be alternated so as to allow the rewinding of the first cardboard at the roll 3 in order to free the first surface 6 for the advancement of the second cardboard 4. It has thus been observed that the invention has achieved the intended aim and objects, a device having been provided which allows to insert, at successive stations, two different types of cardboard, the type of cardboard being processed being automatically preselectable without requiring any manual intervention on the part of an operator. The invention is naturally susceptible to numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the same inventive concept. Thus, for example, figure 2 illustrates a second embodiment, wherein the motor unit 111, which comprises a single motor 113, is again constituted by a first pair of pulleys 112a and 112b, one of which is itself a part of a unit 126 for transmitting motion at a means for enabling the movement of the first cardboard 102 or of the second cardboard 104. Said transmission unit 126 comprises a first bar 110 which is pivoted, at its ends, to the pulley 112a and to one pulley of the second pair of pulleys 116a and 116b which constitutes said means for the selective enabling of the cardboard, said second pair of pulleys being interconnected by means of a second bar 117. Said first and second bars are thus mutually pivoted at one end, the second bar 117 being arranged along a plane which is perpendicular to the second surface 123. A first roller 119 is furthermore connected to the pulley 116b and has a pivot 127 which can slide at an adapted inclined plane 128 which forms an acute angle with the second cardboard 104 in the opposite direction with respect to said first surface 106. The end of a stem 109 of a piston 107 is furthermore pivoted at the first bar 110; said piston is also arranged perpendicular with respect to the second surface 123. The piston 107 thus allows to impart to the first and second bars a movement which causes the first roller 119 to interact with the first cardboard 102 at the third roller 121 and, upon a lowering of the first bar 110, the first roller 119 to interact with the second cardboard 104 at the second roller 120. This last position is allowed by virtue of the presence of the pivot 127, which slides at the inclined plane 128. In this case also, it is thus possible to preset the position of the first roller 119 at either the first cardboard 102 or the second cardboard 104, providing motion thereto for their arrangement at the first surface 106, and to thus send said cardboard to subsequent processing. Figure 3 illustrates another embodiment, wherein the piston 207 again has a body 208 which is pivoted, at one end, to a fixed element the stem 209 whereof is associated at a first bar 210; a first pair of pulleys 112a and 112b is pivoted to said first bar 210, and the motion thereof is provided thereto by an adapted motorized roller or pinion 229. The actuation of the piston 207 entails the rotation of the first bar 210 for example with respect to the pivoting axis of the pulley 112a, said rotation causing the pulley 112b to interact with a third pulley 230 which is suitable for providing motion to an adapted underlying traction roller 231 which interacts with a cardboard sheet obtained for example from a roll, from a sheet, a fanfold pack or from cardboard sheets pasted one after the other. A second free roller 220 is provided on the side opposite to the traction roller 231 and is suitable for allowing the traction of the cardboard on the part of said traction roller. Said traction roller 231 and said second roller 220 can be pivoted at an adapted lifting or transfer device 232 and thus be transferred sequentially at the same vertical or horizontal axis, so as to be able to provide motion to the roller pair of said pairs of traction rollers 231 and second rollers 230 which bear the type of cardboard. The dimensions and the materials which constitute the individual components of the device may also naturally be the most appropriate according to the specific requirements. Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the scope of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims: Device for the selective insertion of different types of cardboard comprising: at least one actuator (7;107;207), which interacts with a motor unit (11;111) or a motorized roller (229) and a motion transmission unit (126) including a pair of pulleys (12a,12b;112a,112b) with associated belts or chains (14); said pulleys being connected between each other by a bar (10;110;210), wherein operation of said actuator results in the positioning of said motor unit or motorized roller and motion transmission unit to transmit motion to a cardboard traction roller (19, 119, 231) forming a part of at least one selective means (16a,16b-21; 116a, 116b-121; 220,230-232) selectively transferring the motion of said chain or belts (14) and associated pulleys (12a, 12b; 112a, 112b) to said traction roller (19, 119, 231), which thus reaches two different selection positions thereby selectively introducing said different types of cardboard (2,4). Device according to claim 1, wherein said different types of cardboard comprise a first cardboard (2) unrolled from a roll (3) and a second cardboard (4) folded several times in an accordion fashion, characterized in that it comprises at least one actuator which is constituted by a piston (7) the body (8) whereof is articulated, at one end, to a body support and the stem (9) whereof is also articulated at the median region of said bar (10) of said motor unit (11). Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said motor unit (11) comprises a first pair of said pulleys (12a, 12b), connected by said bar (10), one of said pulleys of said pair being motorized by means of a single motor (13), the shaft of said motor (13) rotating in both directions, the mechanical connection between said first pair of pulleys (12a, 12b) being obtained by means of said belt or chain (14) which interacts with a presser (15) elastically associated with said bar (10). Device according to claim 3, characterized in that one pulley (12a) of said first pair of pulleys (12a, 12b) is freely pivoted around pulley supports to lift, upon the actuation of said piston (7), said motor unit (11), which passes from a vertical inactive arrangement to a horizontal active one to trasmit motion at said selective means (16a, 16b, 21) to selectively enable the movement of said different types of cardboard (2, 4). Device according to claim 4, characterized in that said selective means is constituted by a second pair of pulleys (16a, 16b) which are rotatably supported at the ends of a selective means bar (17), said second pair of pulleys being interconnected by means of a selective means belt or chain (18). Device according to claim 5, characterized in that one pulley (16a) of said second pair of pulleys is freely pivoted at a selective means support in a region overlying said motor unit (11), said motor unit (11) transmitting motion due to the interaction between said belt or chain (14) and said selective means belt or chain (18), said transmission being facilitated by the presence of a presser (15). Device according to claim 6, characterized in that a first roller (19) is coaxially arranged with one pulley (16b) of said second pair of said pulleys, said first roller (19) interacting, in two limit positions, respectively with a second roller (20) and with a third roller (21), both of which are freely rotatably pivoted on roller supports. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that said first (2) and second (4) cardboards are interposed between said first and second rollers (19, 20) and said second and third rollers (20, 21) respectively. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that a first one (2, 4) of said different types of cardboards (2, 4) is arranged adjacent to said third roller (21) by virtue of the presence of a pair of guides (22a, 22b) which are arranged so as to convey said cardboard (2) towards an external surface (6) of a cardboard processing apparatus. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that a second one (4) of said different types of cardboard (2, 4) rests at the lateral surface of said second roller (20) and then is arranged so as to be appropriate for interfacing on a second surface (23) which is adjacent to said external surface (6) of a cardboard processing apparatus. Device according to claim 10, characterized in that the interaction between said first roller (19) and said second (4) cardboard occurs by virtue of the arrangement of said motor unit (11) in a position which is such that the transmission of motion to said first roller (19) imposes onto said second cardboard (4) a movement either toward said external surface (6) or in the opposite direction. Device according to claims 9 and 11, characterized in that it comprises a rod (24) which protrudes downward with respect to a skid (25) which is slidingly associated with said selective means bar (17) of said second pair of pulleys (16a,16b), said first roller (19) interacting with said first cardboard (2) which, being pressed between said first (19) and third (21) rollers, is pushed through said pair of guides (22a,22b) at said external adjacent surface (6). Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said motor unit (111) includes a first pair of pulleys (112a,112b), one (112a) of which is itself a part of a unit (126) for transmitting motion at a selective means (116-121) to enable the movement of said first (2) or second (4) cardboards. Device according to claim 13, characterized in that said transmission unit (126) comprises a first bar (110) which is pivoted, at its ends, to one (112a) of said pulleys of said first pair of pulleys and to another (116a) pulley of a second pair of pulleys (116a,116b), said second pair of pulleys (116a,116b) being interconnected by means of a selective means bar (117). Device according to claim 14, characterized in that said first bar (110) and said selective means bar (117) are mutually pivoted at one end, said selective means bar (117) being arranged along a plane which becomes perpendicular to a second surface (123). Device according to claim 15, characterized in that a first roller (119) is keyed to one pulley (116b) of said pair of second pulleys, said first roller having a pivot (127) which can slide at an inclined plane (128) which forms an acute angle with said second cardboard (104) in a direction opposite to an external adjacent surface (106), which is part of a cardboard processing apparatus. Device according to claims 15 and 16, characterized in that the end of a stem (109) of a piston (107), which is also arranged perpendicular to said second surface (123), is pivoted at said first bar (110). Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said actuator (207) comprises a piston having a body (208) which is pivoted at one end to a fixed element and a stem (209) which is arranged at a median region of a first bar (210) at the ends of which a first pair of pulleys (112a,112b) is pivoted, motion being provided to said pulleys (112a,112b) by a motorized roller (229). Device according to claim 18, characterized in that it comprises a third pulley (230) adapted to provide motion to an underlying traction roller (231) which interacts with a cardboard sheet. Device according to claim 19, characterized in that on the side opposite to said traction roller (231) there is a second free roller (220) which is suitable for allowing the traction of the cardboard on the part of said traction roller (231), said traction roller and said second roller being optionally pivoted at an adapted lifting or movement device (232) and thus being optionally transferred sequentially at the same vertical or horizontal axis so as to be able to provide motion to the rollers of said pair of traction rollers and traction roller which bear the required type of cardboard.

Inventors: FABRIS BRUNO, FABRIS, BRUNO
Applicants: IMMOBILIARE PANOTEC SRL, IMMOBILIARE PANOTEC S.R.L.
Application year: 1991
Main classification: B65H20
IPC codes: B31B1, B65H20