Patent Abstract:
A material web to be printed is drawn into a rotary printing press by securing a reinforcement element to a leading end of the material web. The reinforcement element can be enwrapped in the material web or held to the web by suitable catches. An openable and closable loop is formed in the reinforcement element and is used to connect the element to the web draw-in device of the printing press.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a device for drawing in a printing material web into a rotary printing press. One end of the printing material web can be connected to a draw-in element by using at least one reinforcement element.  
           [0002]    A device for drawing in a printing material web is known from DE 297 10 607 U1. In this device, a wedge-shaped reinforced element is used for forming a draw-in tip.  
           [0003]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,505 describes a device for drawing in a web of material by means of two tapes. A start of the web of material is maintained in a frictionally connected manner between the two tapes.  
           [0004]    GB 2 256 854 A discloses a device for drawing in a printing material web by means of a reinforcement element. Here, the reinforcement element and the printing material web are connected by means of staples.  
           [0005]    Later published DE 198 16 510 A1 discloses a draw-in tip, which is wrapped by the corners of the start of a web.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    The object of the present invention is directed to creating devices and a method for drawing in a printing material web.  
           [0007]    In accordance with the present invention, this object is attained by a device and method in which one end of the printing material web which is to be drawn into a rotary printing press can be connected to a draw-in element by using at least one reinforcement element. This reinforcement element has catches on its side facing the web, or has a closable loop. The end of the printing material web and the reinforcing element are connected by the catches or by the loop.  
           [0008]    A simply produced draw-in tip with a small number of adhesives is achieved, in an advantageous manner, by the device in accordance with the present invention. Only a small portion of the tractive forces is transmitted by the adhesives. An interlocking connection occurs between the reinforcement element and the free end of the material to be imprinted. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    Preferred embodiments of the present invention are represented in the drawings and will be described in greater detail in what follows.  
         [0010]    Shown are in:  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1, a schematic representation of a device for drawing in a printing material web in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention,  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2, an enlarged section in accordance with FIG. 1 in the area of the draw-in means,  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3, the schematic representation of a device for drawing in a printing material web in accordance with a second preferred embodiment,  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4, an enlarged portion in accordance with FIG. 3 in the area of the draw-in means,  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5, a schematic representation of a device for drawing in a printing material web in accordance with a third preferred embodiment, and in  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6, a schematic section in accordance with claim 5 in the area of an engagement element. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0017]    The start of a printing material web  01 , for example a paper web, is provided with a draw-in tip  02  for drawing this printing material web  01  along a prepared guide path into a web-fed rotary printing press, for example. This draw-in tip  02  has a reinforcement element  03 . In the present preferred embodiment, this reinforcement element  03  is embodied as a generally wedge-shaped plate having a thickness d 03  of, for example 1 mm and having a length  103 , for example 1.5 m, all as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. This reinforcement element  03  can be deformed, for example vertically reversible in respect to the conveying plane, and is made using a rubber-elastic material. The reinforcement element  03  preferably is made, for example, of a foil-like plastic material, such as, for example PA, PE, PVC, PTFE.  
         [0018]    T-shaped or L-shaped reinforcement elementscan also be used in place of a generally wedge-shaped reinforcement element  03 . All of the contemplated shapes of the reinforcement element  03  have in common that a first, or attachment end  04  of a first width b 04 , for example of 150 mm, is greater in comparison with a second or coupling end  06 , having a second width of, for example 50 mm of the reinforcement element  03 .  
         [0019]    The second or coupling end  06  of the reinforcement element  03  is provided with a coupling device for the selective fastening of the reinforcement element  03  to a draw-in element  07  of, for example, a web-fed rotary printing press.  
         [0020]    This coupling device can be designed, for example, as a coupling loop  08 , or as a coupling eye, which is able to be fastened to a catch  09  of the draw-in element  07 .  
         [0021]    In the present first preferred embodiment, the coupling loop  08  is formed by turning over or doubling back the second, free coupling end  06  of the reinforcement element  03 . A turned-over or doubled back portion  11  of the second, free coupling end  06  of the reinforcement element  03  is again connected with the reinforcement element  03 . This connection can be made by means of a hook-and-eye strip  12 , as depicted in FIG. 2. In this case, in its stretched state the second, free coupling end  06  has on one side both of the partial elements; i.e.the hook strip  13  and eye strip  14  of the hook-and-eye strip  12 , which partial elements  13  and  14  are arranged at a distance from each other. After turning the end  06  over, thus doubling it back on itself, the hook strip  13  is connected with the eye strip  14 . In this way, a loop  08  is formed, which loop  08  can then be selectively opened and closed.  
         [0022]    The opening and closing of the loop  08  can take place multiple times without destroying the material of the reinforcement element  03  in the process.  
         [0023]    A magnetically acting connection, such as two magnets acting together, or one magnet acting together with a metal piece, or a snap fastener connection can be provided in place of a hook-and- eye strip  12  for forming such a loop  08 , which magnetically acting connection or snap fastener connection is selectively opened and closed.  
         [0024]    To form the draw-in tip  02 , the reinforcement element  03 , together with a front edge  18  of the free end  16  of the printing material web  01  extending transversely in respect to the conveying direction, forms an opening angle α in the range between 45° to 85°. A corner  21  of the printing material web  01 , defined by the lateral edge  19  facing away from the front edge  18  and remote from the draw-in element  07 , is temporarily held manually on the reinforcement element  03  or is connected with the reinforcement element  03  by means of an adhesive strip or an insertable tongue.  
         [0025]    Starting at this remote corner  21 , the reinforcement element  03  is turned over several times, so that the printing material web  01  is wrapped at least once completely around the reinforcement element  03 . The free end  16  of the printing material web  01  is preferably wrapped around the reinforcement element  03  in several layers. In the course of this enwrapment, the reinforcement element  03  travels or moves laterally across the web  01  from the remote lateral edge  19  of the printing material web  01 , which faces away from the draw-in element  07 , to the proximal lateral edge  22  of the printing material web  01 , which is close to the draw-in element  07 .  
         [0026]    The reinforcement element  03  turned-over or enwrapped in web  01  in this way is joined together with web  01 , for example by means of an adhesive strip  23 , so that the layers  24  of the printing material web  01  which surround reinforcement element  03  are connected with the free end  16  of the printing material web  01 .  
         [0027]    A proximal corner  26  of the free end  16  of the printing material web  01 , which faces or is proximal to the draw-in element  07 , can be folded in, to now be facing away from the draw-in element  07 , and can also be secured on the free end  16  of the material web  01  by means of the adhesive strip  23 , all as seen in FIG. 1.  
         [0028]    The draw-in tip  02  formed in this way is now connected with the draw-in element  07 .  
         [0029]    This draw-in element  07  can be embodied, for example, as a chain  28  as depicted in FIG. 1, and has catch  09 , embodied as a suspension clip  29 , which extends out from chain  28  in the axial direction, i.e. perpendicularly in relation to the conveying direction T. An opening  31  or a hook for fastening the draw-in tip  02  is provided in this suspension clip  29 .  
         [0030]    The draw-in element  07  can also be embodied as a tape  32 , as shown in FIG. 3 and in FIG. 4, for example, on which loops  33 , or in which slits are arranged.  
         [0031]    Now the second, free or coupling end  06  of the draw-in tip  02  can be[is] threaded through the opening  31  or the loop  33  of the draw-in means  28 ,  32 , respectfully. This second, free or coupling end  06 , once passed through the opening  31 ,  33  of the draw-in means  28 ,  32 , is now turned over in the direction toward the draw- in tip  02  and is joined or doubled back on itself by means of the hook-and-eye strip  12  to form the coupling loop  08 .  
         [0032]    In a further preferred embodiment as seen in FIG. 5 and in FIG. 6, catches  36 , which penetrate through the printing material web  01 , are attached to a first side of a reinforcement element  34  facing the printing material web  01 . The catches  36  are of a length  136  which is of at least the maximal thickness d 01  of a printing material web  01  to be drawn in, a thickness d 36 , of for example 0.1 mm, extending in the conveying direction T, and a width b 36 , for example 10 mm, extending perpendicularly in respect to the conveying direction, as seen in FIGS. 5 and 6.  
         [0033]    A counter element, acting as a female element  37 , is associated with this reinforcement element  34 , which acts as a male element  34  and which is provided with the previously discussed catches  36 . This female element  37  has openings  38  matched to the catches  36 . To form a draw-in tip  39 , the free end  16  of the printing material web  01 , for example, is placed on the female element  37 , and the printing material web  01  is penetrated by means of the catches  36  of the male element  34 . Now the female element  37  and the male element  34  are releasably connected with each other, for example magnetically, or by means of snap closures or by means of a hook-and-eye strip.  
         [0034]    While preferred embodiments of a device for inserting a strip of fabric to be printed or for drawing in the strip of fabric or the printing material web into a rotary printing press, in accordance with the present invention have been set forth fully and completely hereinabove, it will apparent to one of skill in the art that a number of changes in, for example the specific rotary printing press, the drive for the draw-in device and the like could be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present invention which is accordingly to be limited only by the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1