IMPROVED SHEET STOP SYSTEM IN A HIGH SPEED FOLDING MACHINE FOR CONTINUOUS PAPER BAND

Abstract: The improved sheet stop system between a collecting plane (18) and hindering means (26) of a high speed folding machine (10) comprises at least one pair of retractable fingers (38a, 38b) downwardly movable from the hindering means (26) towards the collecting plane (18), said fingers (38a, 38b) being retracted and extended so as to follow any displacement of the collecting plane (18).

Description: Improved sheet stop system in a high speed folding machine for continuous paper band The present invention relates to an improved sheet stop system against the collecting plane of a folding machine for continuous paper band and is particularly applicable as an improvement of the high speed folding machine of the type described and claimed in the Italian Patent Application No 22 536 A/88, filed on November 27, 1988 in the name of the same Applicant as the present one, this prior Italian application being here enclosed for reference. Looking at the figures of the above Patent Application, a folding machine according to that invention consists of a supporting frame 10, in which a supporting plane 18 and two cylinder rollers 20 and 22 are housed, the said rollers being driven into rotation according to each other opposed directions, and provided with hindering means 13 preventing the starting portion of a continuous paper band from erroneously entering between either roller 20 and 22 and the said supporting plane 18, said hindering means 24 being provided with upper reliefs, 32 and 36 respectively, engaging grooves 40 and 44 formed in the rollers 20 and 22, and with lower reliefs, 34 and 38 respectively, engaged with side grooves 42 and 46 formed by milling the said supporting plane 18. It is technically difficult and economically expensive to form said side grooves 42 and 46 in the said supporting plane 18. Hovever by merely eliminating the lower reliefs 34 and 38 it does no longer prevent the staritng or beginning portion of a continuous paper band from the possibly erroneous entering between the hindering means 24, 26 and the supporting plane 18. The object of the present invention is that of avoiding said side milled grooves 42 and 46, it being however allowed to effectively stop the said starting portion of the paper continuous band between either hindering means 24 and 26 and the supporting plane 18. Said purpose is attained by providing a completely smooth supporting plane and by replacing the lower reliefs of the hindering means with pairs of vertically slidable fingers, positioned at the ends of said hindering means , which engage said supporting plane stricly enough to prevent the entering of the band starting portion between siad hindering means and said supporting plane. Preferably, said fingers consist of lower rod portions, abutting against said supporting plane, slidable with respect to supports fastened to said hindering means to follow possible movements of said supporting plane owing to the formation of a continuous folded band package on said plane, compelling the plane itself to lower. In a preferred embodiment, said fingers consist of lower hollow rods in which are inserted upper solid rods fastened to said hindering means and slidable with respect to the hollow rods themselves for taking into account the supporting plane movement. Alteratively, said fingers consist of solid lower rods inserted in hollow upper rods fastened to said hindering means and slidable with respect to the solid rods themselves for taking into account the supporting plane movement. Preferably, the lower rods of said fingers are provided with bevelings on the side opposite to the one in which the paper band contacts the fingers and the supporting plane. More preferably, said lower rods are provided with a second beveling, contiguous and adjacent to the first one, transferring the support portion of the fingers substantially to a line at the region in which the paper band contacts the fingers themselves and the supporting plane for transferring the whole load of said fingers to the contact line with the paper band. Further, between the movable portions and the fixed portions of said fingers can be interposed resilient means to improve the abutting strength of said f ingers on said support plane. The above listed features of the present invention, together with further features and advantages thereof, will be more apparent from the following detailed description of an embodiment provided with the enclosed drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a lateral view of a portion of folding device, depicted in the above indicated Italian patent application, embodying the improved hindering system according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a partial view in lateral cross-section of an end portion of a sliding finger according to the present invention; Figure 3 is a partial view, looking from outside to inside, of the end portion itself depicted in figure 2. Referring to the figures, in which have been used, where possible, the same numerals used in the above mentioned Italian patent application and having in mind the specification and the drawings thereof, it is seen that in a high speed folding machine 10, comprising a support plane 18 on which abuts a package 166 of folded paper band, a roller 22 turnable by means of pivots 30 in supports 54, in turn supported by frame members 14 and 15 of the folding machine 10 providing to begin the folding of the paper band and hindering means 26, supported by said pivots 30 and bound in the movement by stops 84, stopping said paper package 166, said hindering means 26 are formed by a crossbar 27 from which protrude upside some fingers 36a-e engaging some grooves 44a-e cut in the surface of the roller 22 and downside two retractable fingers 38a and 38b contacting the supporting plane 18, abutting thereon along the whole permitted down stroke. TITUTE SHEET To understand the structure of said retractable fingers 38a and 38b, reference is made to figures 2 and 3. From these figures it is seen that one of said fingers 38 consists of a hollow rod or shell 60 receiving a sliding solid rod 62, held in abutment against the plane 18 by its own weight or, possibly, by the help of a spring 64 housed in the shell 60, being the shell 60 bound in the stroke with respect to the rod by a slot 66 housing a pin 68 fastened to said rod 62. The shell 60 to efficientely prevent an erroneous entering of the starting portion of the paper band under the hindering means 26 comprises a fore corner 70, facing the paper, followed by a first beveling 72 permitting to load the substantially whole force of the weight, and possibly of the spring 64, on the corner 70 of the shell 60, assuring a very good adhesion between the shell 60 and the plane 18. Possibly, for convenience purposes, the first beveling 72 can be followed by a second more relieved beveling 74. The operation of the present invention is the following one: when on a supporting plane 18 begins to be formed a paper package 166, the starting region of the paper band comes to the hindering means 26, abutting against anyone point between the roller 22 and the supporting plane 18. At this time the supporting plane 18 is in its top position, complelling the retractable fingers 38a, 38b to be contracted to the minimum allowed length. The fingers 38a, 38b are at least two in number to allow a safe stop of the starting portion of the paper band. Further, the beveling 72, advancing the corner 70, transfers substantially the whole force due to the weight of the hollow rod or shell 60 and possibly to the spring 64, on the corner itself producing along said corner such a high pressure to prevent at any rate the paper to lift the fingers 38a, 38b; all the more that the beginning of the paper band never comes against the fingers in a grazing direction with respect to the collecting plane 18, but always tilted enough to help in pushing downside and thus in more and more closing the fingers 38a, 38b against the collecting plane 18. Consequentely, the paper band never enters between the hindering means 26 and the collecting plane 18. As the paper package 166 grows, its last folding edge is farther and farther from the supporting plane 18 being less and less possible an erroneous entering of paper between the hindering means 26 and the collecting plane 18. Actually, there could be a danger of sheet erroneous entering between the hindering means 26 and the roller 22, but to prevent this occurrence are provided the upside directed fingers 36a-e of the crossbar 27 cooperating with the grooves 44a-e in the roller 22. Owing to an excessive grow of the package 166, the whole space between the supporting V plane 18 and the roller 22 could be filled, which needs to consequentely lower the plane 18 to allow a further grow of the package 166. The retractable fingers 38a, 38b of the present invention always follow the descent of the plane 18, allowing in any case to stop the paper of the package 166. The present invention has been described as a preferred embodiment, but it is meant that possible changes and variations obvious for those skilled in the art are feasible without going out from the scope thereof. For example, the retractable fingers 38a, 38b could be made in a reversed way with respect to what depicted in the figures 2 and 3 with the parts 60 consisting of solid rods and the parts 62 consisting of hollow rods. SUBSTITUTE SHEET

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Sheet stopping system against a collecting plane of a paper folding machine characterized by the use of a completely smooth supporting plane (18) and by the replacing of a plurality of lower reliefs of hindering means (26) with pairs of vertically slidable fingers (38a, 38b), placed at the ends of said hindering means (26), which engage said supporting plane (18) strictly enough to prevent the introduction of the sheet starting portion between said hindering means (26) and said supporting plane (18). 2. Stopping system, according to claim 1, characterized in that said fingers (38a, 38b) consist of lower rod portions (60) abutting against said supporting plane (18) slidable with respect to supports (62) fastened to said hindering means (26) to follow possible movements of said supporting plane (18) owing to the formation of a package (166) of continuous folded band on said plane (18) comelling the same to lower. 3. Stopping system, according to claim 2, characterized in that said fingers (38a, 38b) consist of lower hollow rods (60) having inserted solid upper rods (62) fastened to said hindering means (26) and slidable with respect thereto for taking into account the movement of the supporting plane. 4. Stopping system, according to claim 2, characterized in that said fingers (38a, 38b) consist of solid lower rods inserted in upper hollow rods fastened to said hindering means (26) and slidable with respect thereto for taking into account the movement of the supporting plane (18). 5. Stopping system, according to claims 2 and 3, characterized in that the lower rods (60) of said fingers (38a, 38b) are provided with bevelings (72) on the side opposed to that in which the paper contacts the finger (38a, 38b) themselves and the supporting plane (18). 6. Stopping system, according to claim 5, characterized in that said lower rods (60) are provided with a second beveling (74), contiguous to the first one (72) and adjacent thereto, transferring the abutting portion of the fingers (38a, 38b) themselves to a substantial line (70) corresponding to the to the portion in which the paper band contacts said fingers (38a, 38b) and the supporting plane (18) for transferring the whole load of said fingers (38a, 38b) to the contact line with the paper band. 7. Stopping system, according to claims 5 and 6, characterized in that between the movable portions (60) of said fingers (38a, 38b) and their fixed portions (62) can be interposed spring means (64) to help the abutting strength of said fingers (38a, 38b) on said supporting plane (18). UBSTITUTE SHEET

Inventors: MESCHI LUCIANO, MESCHI, LUCIANO
Applicants: MESCHI IND GRAFICA, INDUSTRIA GRAFICA MESCHI S.R.L.
Application year: 1991
Main classification: B65H45
IPC codes: B65H45