Patent Publication Number: US-7721647-B2

Title: Apparatus and method for cleaning a webbing-up device in a printing press

Description:
This application claims the priority of German Patent Document No. 10 2007 002 875.1, filed Jan. 15, 2007, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein. 
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a webbing-up device for webbing up a printing substrate web in a printing press, namely in a web-fed printing press. 
     A device for webbing up a printing substrate web in a web-fed printing press is known from German Patent Document DD 203 867 B, whereby, when setting up a web-fed printing press, this type of webbing-up device pulls a web-like printing substrate starting from a roller splicer through the printing units of the web-fed printing press. According to DD 203 867 B, the webbing-up device includes a finite webbing-up belt, which is conveyed by a drive roller to a take-up spool. In addition to webbing-up devices based on webbing-up belts, webbing-up devices are also known that are based on a finite conveyor chain, whereby the finite conveyor chain is made up of several chain segments connected to one another in an articulated manner, and whereby the conveyor chain is guided into a chain guide rail. In this regard, reference is made to Helmut Kipphan&#39;s  Handbook of Print Media,  Page 278, Springer Verlag, Year 2000. 
     The present invention relates to a webbing-up device for webbing up a printing substrate web in a printing press with a finite conveyor chain, which is guided into a chain guide rail. The chain guide rail is preferably installed throughout the entire printing press, whereby dirt can get deposited in the chain conveyor rail during printing operation, which can impede the malfunction-free transport of the conveyor chain of the webbing-up device through the chain guide rail during a subsequent set-up operation. This is a disadvantage. 
     Starting herefrom, the present invention is based on the objective of creating a novel webbing-up device for webbing up a printing substrate web in a printing press. 
     According to the invention, a cleaning device, which is detachably connected to the conveyor chain, is allocated to at least one end of the finite conveyor chain. 
     In terms of the present invention, a cleaning device, which is detachably connected to the conveyor chain, is allocated to at least one end of the finite conveyor chain. The cleaning device can be used to safely remove dirt that gets deposited during printing operation in the chain guide rail. As a result of this, malfunction-free operation of the conveyor chain is always guaranteed. 
     Preferred developments of the invention are yielded from the following description. Without being limited hereto, exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in greater detail on the basis of the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of an inventive webbing-up device for webbing up a printing substrate web in a printing press. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a conveyor chain of the inventive device. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a cleaning device allocated to the conveyor device. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view of an alternative inventive webbing-up device for webbing up a printing substrate web in a printing press. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIGS. 1 through 3  show a preferred exemplary embodiment of a inventive webbing-up device  10  for webbing up a printing substrate web in a web-fed printing press, whereby the inventive webbing-up device  10  is comprised of a finite conveyor chain  11  (a portion of which is shown in  FIG. 2 ). The conveyor chain  11  is made up of several chain segments connected to one another in an articulated manner. The chain segments are formed of outer links  12  and inner links  13  arranged in an alternating manner, whereby inner links  13  are connected to outer links  12  in an articulated manner via chain joints. Each chain joint includes a chain pin  14 , which extends through overlapping ends of the outer links  12  and inner links  13  as well as through a runner  15  of the conveyor chain  11 .  FIG. 2  shows only two of these types of runners  15  of the conveyor chain  11 . 
     The conveyor chain  11  of the webbing-up device  10  is guided into a chain guide rail  16 , which is has a C-shaped contour in the depicted exemplary embodiment. The chain guide rail  16  is comprised of running surfaces  17  and  18 , on which the runners  15  of the conveyor chain  11  roll when the webbing-up device  10  is in operation. Conveyor chain drive wheels (not shown) are used to transport the conveyor chain  11  along the chain guide rail  16 , whereby preferably one conveyor chain drive wheel is positioned along the chain guide rail  16  on each of the defined positions of the chain guide rail. 
     In terms of the present invention, a cleaning device  19 , which is connected to the conveyor chain  11  in a detachable as well as articulated manner, is allocated to at least one end of the conveyor chain  11  of the webbing-up device  10 . According to  FIG. 2 , a fastening pin  21  extends through the two lateral outer links  12  of the conveyor chain  11  as well as through an opening  20  of the cleaning device  19  so as to connect the cleaning device  19  to one end of the conveyor chain  11  in a detachable as well as articulated manner. 
     The cleaning device  19  features a rod-like and/or rectangular basic body  22 . In the depicted exemplary embodiment, cleaning bodies  25  are allocated to two opposing side walls  23  and  24  of the basic body  22 . The opposing running surfaces  17  and  18  of the chain guide rail  16  for the run wheels  15  of the conveyor chain  11  can be cleaned with the assistance of the cleaning bodies  25 . 
     The basic body  22  of the cleaning device  19  is embodied of a material, which, on the one hand, is flexible enough for the basic body  22  and thus the cleaning device  19  to pass or run through all radii and/or curves and/or twists of the chain guide rail  16  without a problem and which, on the other hand, is rigid enough to securely accommodate the cleaning bodies  25  and absorb the mechanical stress that arises. The basic body is preferably fabricated of a plastic. 
     In the exemplary embodiment in  FIGS. 1 through 3 , the cleaning bodies  25  are embodied of several bristles. The bristles in the bundle of bristles are preferably plastic bristles or wire bristles. Bristles and basic bodies made of a heat-resistant material are used in regions where high temperatures predominate. 
     Openings  26  are made in the basic body  22  of the cleaning device  19 , in which the conveyor chain drive wheels can engage during transport of the conveyor chain  11  and thus the cleaning device  19  along the chain guide rail  16 . According to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , several cleaning bodies  25  embodied as bundles of bristles are respectively positioned between adjacent openings  26 . 
     As can be seen best in  FIG. 1 , the bristles of the center bundle of bristles extend approximately perpendicularly to the side walls  23  and  24  of the basic body  22 . 
     The bristles of the lateral bundle of bristles, on the other hand, are set diagonally relative to the side walls  23  and  24  in order to also be able to securely clean the edges and/or corners of the running surfaces  17  and  18  of the chain guide rail  16 . 
     As already explained, the cleaning device  19  is fastened at one end to an end of the finite conveyor chain  11 . The printing substrate web is fastened to the conveyor chain. However, it is also technically realizable to fasten the printing substrate web to the cleaning device  19 . 
     In the exemplary embodiment in  FIGS. 1 through 3 , the cleaning bodies  25  are embodied as bundles of bristles. Attention is called to the fact that other cleaning bodies can also be used, e.g., flexible strippers or cleaning bodies embodied as rigid scrapers. Thus,  FIG. 4  depicts an embodiment of the inventive webbing-up device in which the cleaning bodies  25  are embodied as rigid scrapers. The rigid scrapers preferably have sharp, knife-like tips, which can be used to scrape off dirt from the running surfaces  17  and  18 . 
     It is just as possible to allocate cleaning bodies that are embodied in different ways to the side walls  23  and  24  of the basic body  22  of the cleaning device  19 . As a result, it is then possible to loosen dirt from the running surfaces  17  and  18  of the chain guide rail  16  using the first cleaning bodies, e.g., via strippers or scrapers, and to gather up or carry away the loosened dirt with the second cleaning bodies, e.g., bundles of bristles. 
     Because of the fact that the cleaning device  19  is connected in a detachable manner to one end of the finite conveyor chain  11 , the cleaning device can be easily assembled and disassembled from the conveyor chain  11 . 
     As a result, it is possible to use the cleaning device  19  in a targeted manner, e.g., only in defined sections of the chain guide rail  16 , in order to prevent dirt from one area of the chain guide rail  16  from getting into another area of the chain guide rail via the cleaning device  19  and thereby enabling the different dirt particles that are accumulating in the different areas to blend into a mixture, which is harder to remove than the individual dirt particles. 
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
         
           
               10  Webbing-up device 
               11  Conveyor chain 
               12  Outer link 
               13  Inner link 
               14  Chain pin 
               15  Runner 
               16  Chain guide rail 
               17  Running surface 
               18  Running surface 
               19  Cleaning device 
               20  Opening 
               21  Fastening pin 
               22  Basic body 
               23  Side wall 
               24  Side wall 
               25  Cleaning body 
               26  Opening 
           
         
       
    
     The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.