Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US5064179?ie=ISO-8859-1
Timestamp: 2014-07-29 00:58:53
Document Index: 574876447

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 33', 'art 34', 'art 37', 'art 38', 'art 37', 'art 41', 'art 42', 'art 34', 'art 33', 'art 33', 'art 34', 'art 38', 'art 33', 'art 34']

Patent US5064179 - Method of forming zigzag-shaped piles from a continuous band of a flexible ... - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign in<nobr>Advanced Patent Search</nobr>PatentsThe invention relates to a method and a machine for forming zigzag-shaped piles from an endless band of paper wherein the band is deposited and folded on an appropriate support and, at the end of the formation of a pile, a rupture of the band is provoked along a predetermined folding line, the first...http://www.google.com/patents/US5064179?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US5064179 - Method of forming zigzag-shaped piles from a continuous band of a flexible material and machine for carrying out this methodAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS5064179 APublication typeGrantApplication numberUS 07/673,169Publication dateNov 12, 1991Filing dateApr 11, 1991Priority dateDec 10, 1987Fee statusLapsedAlso published asCA1323643C, DE3881008D1, DE3881008T2, EP0323296A1, EP0323296B1Publication number07673169, 673169, US 5064179 A, US 5064179A, US-A-5064179, US5064179 A, US5064179AInventorsMartial G. MartinOriginal AssigneeSyntoneExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (14), Referenced by (31), Classifications (13), Legal Events (5) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetMethod of forming zigzag-shaped piles from a continuous band of a flexible material and machine for carrying out this methodUS 5064179 AAbstract The invention relates to a method and a machine for forming zigzag-shaped piles from an endless band of paper wherein the band is deposited and folded on an appropriate support and, at the end of the formation of a pile, a rupture of the band is provoked along a predetermined folding line, the first folding flap of the following pile to be formed is brought into a predetermined position, the forward movement of the band is stopped and the pile which has just been completed is removed, the traction force for rupturing the band being exerted during the forward motion of the same, by applying the band by one of its surfaces advantageously at the predetermined rupture line, against stationary means, by deviating the band downstream and upstream of its part under application, from its normal path, advantageously in a perpendicular direction with respect to the plane of the band, while guiding the band.
What is claimed is: 1. A method for forming piles from a continuous band of a flexible material comprising the steps of:providing the continuous band with transverse folding lines such that a folding flap is defined between adjacent folding lines; conveying the continuous band in a forward direction along a path that is in the vicinity of a stationary rupture device; folding the continuous band along said transverse folding lines and depositing the folded flaps on a support and a pile forming station that is downstream from said path such that said folding flaps are arranged in a zigzag configuration and stacked in the form of a pile; rupturing the continuous band at a predetermined folding line between two flaps, the downward flap being designed to become the last flap of a pile that is about to be formed and the upward flap being designed to become the first flap of a new pile to be formed; determining the instant of time when said predetermined rupture folding line arrives in a zone substantially in front of said rupture device; deviating the continuous band with said rupture folding line being in said zone in front of said rupture device, in a direction substantially perpendicular to said path at a location near to said rupture device such that the region of the continuous band encompassing said predetermined rupture folding line is forced against said rupture device and subjected to traction forces that rupture said continuous band along said predetermined folding line, thereby separating said first and last flaps, without stopping the forward motion of the continuous band; maintaining said first and last flaps in close proximity to one another as said separate band continues forward towards a pile forming station; depositing said last flap on said pile being formed to form a complete pile and removing said complete pile from said pile forming station; and positioning said first flap for forming said new pile. 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the forward movement of the band is stopped and the pile formed is withdrawn, when the front edge of the first flap lies in its position of the first flap of the new pile to be formed and is retained in this position by transitory support means.
4. An apparatus for forming piles from a continuous band of a flexible material containing flaps defined by transverse folding lines, comprising:a pendulum assembly adapted for depositing the continuous band on a supporting device in a zigzag configuration of superposed folding flaps and folded along said folding lines; means for separating the continuous band along any of said folding lines, located upstream of said pendulum assembly; said separating means comprising a band rupture device provided with rupture edges mounted near to one surface of the continuous band and a band deviating device located on the side of the continuous band that is opposite to the side where the rupture device is located, at a predetermined distance from said rupture device in said band travel path, said deviating device comprising a band deviating rotatable cylinder having an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the band that is movably mounted perpendicular to said band travel path in a support structure between a first position distant from the continuous band and a second position in contact with the adjacent surface of the continuous band wherein the continuous band is deviated from its travel path and applied against said rupture device, thereby causing the continuous band to separate the continuous band; means for controlling the motion of said deviating cylinder; means for detecting predetermined folding lines coded to constitute rupture lines, said detecting means being positioned at a location upstream of said band separator means; means for calculating a time interval necessary for said coded folding line to move from said detector means to a location in a zone in front of said rupture device and for producing at the end of said time interval a control signal; means for applying said control signal to said deviating cylinder motion control means to cause said deviating cylinder to move to said second position; means for guiding said separated band downstream of said separating device to said pendulum assembly. 5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said deviating cylinder is provided at a location upstream of said rupture device and a second deviating cylinder is provided at a location downstream of said rupture device, said deviating cylinders being simultaneously actioned upon the production of said control signal.
12. A machine according to claim 10, wherein said disk has the shape of a segment of a circle, advantageously of 180�, whose front part is raised according to a predetermined angle.
17. A machine according to claim 11, wherein the brush presents the general shape of a segment of a circle having an angle equal to or somewhat higher than 180�.
Referring in particular to FIG. 3, it is seen that each assembly 13 comprises essentially two disk-shaped elements 31 which can rotate around axes located on both sides of the supporting device 1, in a plane parallel to the plane of deposit of the flaps on this device, near abutment members 32 for the folds of the flaps. Each disk is rotated in the direction of arrow F3 and is made, in the example shown, under the shape of a substantially semi-circular disk whose front part 33 is folded upwards under an angle of 45�, according to a predetermined angle as a function of the size of the folding flaps and is followed by an horizontal part 34. As shown in the figures, the disks 31 are disposed in such a manner that they engage while rotating into the space of deposit of the flaps of the supporting device 1, for the purpose which will be explained in detail later. To each of the disks 31 is associated a rotary element 35 which is advantageously in the shape of a segment of a circle with an angle equal to or somewhat higher than 180� and which is formed of a brush. Each of these brushes 35 is rotated around an axis extending in a parallel direction with respect to the plan of deposit and to the folds of the flaps lying on support 1, at a certain distance and location above the plane of deposit of the flaps and the planes of disks 31 so as to be able, while rotating, to come into contact with the peripheral zone of the flat upper surface 34 of disks 31, when the semi-circle shaped disk engages into the space of deposit of the flaps, as clearly seen from the figures. Owing to this relative arrangement of disks 31 and brushes 35, the first flap of a new pile in zigzag configuration on support 1 can be retained in a defined position, while being squeezed between these elements as will be explained later. Each assembly 13 comprises further two elements 36 referred to as hammers disposed in a symetric relationship with respect to the median line Y--Y of the plane of deposit between the two brushes 35. Each hammer can rotate around an axis which is advantageously the same as the axis of rotation of brushes 35. Each hammer presents a head-forming part 37 and a tail-forming part 38. As appears in particular in FIG. 2, the tail presents a substantially cylindrical peripheral surface whose diameter is substantially equal to the diameter of brushes 35, while the head-forming part 37 is offset in the direction of the axis of rotation of the hammer. The radius of curvature of the head-forming part increases progressively to the tail 38. This arrangement of the hammers permits, while they are rotating, flattening progressively the loops of the band during its deposit in a zigzag configuration on support 1. The hammers are rotated by driving means, at a speed equal to that of the brushes and in synchronism with the forward movement of band 3 and of the oscillating movement of the pendulum device 11. The angular position of hammers 36 with respect to that of brushes 35 and of disk 31 is well defined in order to ensure the cooperation of these various elements, which will be described later.
Each assembly 13 comprises also between the two hammers a measuring helix-forming member 40 which rotates in synchronism with the disks 31 which are also helix-shaped. The front part 41 of helix 40 is folded upwards according to a predetermined angle, on an angular range of for example 90�, this raised part being followed by a horizontal part 42, i.e. whose plan is parallel to the horizontal part 34 of disk 31. The measuring helix 40 is mounted so as to move freely upwards along its axis of rotation. It is disposed so as to engage by a part of its surface into the space of deposit of band 3 in a zigzag configuration, so as to be displaced upwards when the height of a pile being formed on the supporting device 1 increases. To the measuring helix 40 is associated a contact of an electric circuit (not shown) which controls the switching off of a brake 44 and the starting of a back-geared motor 45, belonging to the supporting device 1 (FIG. 1).
FIG. 2 shows the pendulum device 11 in its substantially vertical position during the deposit of a flap of band 3, while moving in the direction of arrow F4. The band 3 leaving the pendulum 11 forms a loop having the configuration shown diagrammatically at A. At that time approximately, the disks 31 of the flattening and retaining assembly 13, located on the right hand side of the figure, start engaging by their raised front part 33 into the loop. The brushes 35 and the hammers 36 which are actuated there in synchronism with the rotational movement of disks 31 occupy an angular position where they are not yet in contact with the loop. When the pendulum occupies the angular position β1, the band forms the loop designated at B. The relative position of disks 31, brushes 35 and hammers 36 is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. It is seen that the raised front part 33 of the disks is leaving the loop and that the horizontal part 34 of these disks is engaged on the last flap which has already been deposited. The hammers 36 occupy an angular position where the head 37 just begins flattening the ogive-shaped loop B. The brushes are not yet in the position of contacting the loop. FIGS. 5 and 6 show two further phases illustrating the progressive flattening of the loop by the hammers, first by their head 37 and then by their tail-forming part 38, as well as by the action of brushes 35 which push the band 3 on the top part of the semi-disks 31 whose raised front part 33 is leaving the loop formed by the band 3. Finally, when the horizontal part 34 of the disks is also leaving the loop, which is now practically flattened, the folding is completed and the hammers 36 maintain by their tail 38 the two flaps whose fold has just been formed and which are pushed against one another and against the pile being formed. It is to be noted that the cheek-shaped stops 32 stop the movement of the flaps while permitting the passage of brushes 35 and hammers 36 through appropriate windows. It is also to be noted that the disks, the brushes and the hammers of the flattening and retaining assembly 13, which are located on the left hand side of FIGS. 1 and 3 have a phase-shift of 180� with respect to the disks, brushes and hammers of the assembly which has just been described and which flatten the loop which will be formed later by the pendulum 11 on the left hand side of the figures.
Downstream of the set of bristles 62, the hub 60 carries a hammer-forming device 64 for crushing the folds. This device comprises a supporting arm 65 for an oblong shaped hammer-forming member 66. The supporting arm is mounted at the periphery of hub 60, and pivots about an axis 67 substantially parallel to the axis 61 of the brush, against a compression spring 68 oriented substantially in the direction of the periphery of the brush and resting on a member 69 solid with hub 60. The member 69 is located downstream of the supporting arm 65, with respect to the direction of rotation of the brush. The hammer-forming element 66 presents an angle of for example 120� with respect to the supporting arm 65 and is oriented in the direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the brush. In these conditions, the hammer-forming element exerts a pressure on the folding zone which has already been flattened by the set of bristles of the brush and ensures the crushing of this zone under the effect of spring 68 which is then compressed. It is readily understood that in this case the hammers 36 could be suppressed.
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Joa, Inc.Method and apparatus for reversing direction of an articleUS8360948Apr 5, 2010Jan 29, 2013Lasermax Roll Systems, Inc.System and method for folding and handling stacks of continuous web* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification270/39.02, 270/21.1, 493/414, 493/357, 493/353, 225/100International ClassificationB65H35/10, B65H45/101Cooperative ClassificationB65H2701/11231, B65H35/10, B65H45/1015European ClassificationB65H35/10, B65H45/101BLegal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionJan 25, 2000FPExpired due to failure to pay maintenance feeEffective date: 19991112Nov 14, 1999LAPSLapse for failure to pay maintenance feesJun 8, 1999REMIMaintenance fee reminder mailedApr 28, 1995FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4Apr 15, 1993ASAssignmentOwner name: FRAVER SA, LUXEMBOURGFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:SYNTONE, A CORPORATION OF BELGIUM;REEL/FRAME:006495/0098Effective date: 19920610RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services©2012 Google