Tube in a tube mechanical folding roll
AssigneeC.G. Bretting Manufacturing Co., Inc.
InventorGreg M. Kauppila
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A processing roll having rotatable outer tube mounted on a non-rotatable inner tube by a fluid valving arrangement, is provided. The fluid valving arrangement provides angularly controlled transfer of fluid between a cavity on the inside of the inner tube and ports distributed longitudinally along an outer surface of the outer tube, while also providing distributed bearing support of either the outer tube on the inner tube, or the inner tube on the outer tube, at a plurality of locations along a longitudinal axis of the processing roll.
Claims54
A folding roll apparatus comprising:
- a non-rotatable inner tube extending along a longitudinal axis and a rotatable outer tube disposed about the inner tube for rotation about the longitudinal axis with the inner and outer tubes defining an elongated annular space between the inner and outer tubes including a longitudinally elongated vacuum transfer zone at a predetermined relative angular positioning of the outer tube with respect to the inner tube;
- and
- a vacuum valving arrangement disposed in the elongated annular space between the inner and outer tubes;
- the inner tube defining an elongated vacuum plenum therewithin extending along the longitudinal axis beneath the elongated vacuum transfer zone, with the inner tube having at least one vacuum port disposed therein providing fluid communication between the vacuum transfer zone and the vacuum plenum;
- the outer tube including a plurality of vacuum ports distributed along the longitudinal axis on an outer surface of the outer tube and connected in fluid communication with the annular space between the inner and outer tubes;
- the vacuum valving arrangement being configured for providing angularly controlled transfer of vacuum from the vacuum plenum inside of the inner tube to the vacuum ports distributed longitudinally along the outer surface of the outer tube, and also being configured for providing distributed bearing support of one of the outer tube and the inner tube on the other of the outer tube and the inner tube at a plurality of locations along the longitudinally elongated vacuum transfer zone.
A method for providing both fluid communication between a fluid source and fluid ports on an outer surface of a rotatable processing roll and distributed bearing support of the processing roll along a longitudinal length of the processing roll, the method comprising, rotatably supporting an outer tube of the processing roll on a non-rotating inner tube of the processing roll with a fluid valving arrangement configured for providing angularly controlled transfer of fluid between a cavity on the inside of the inner tube and the fluid ports distributed longitudinally along an outer surface of the outer tube, with the cavity being connected to the fluid source, while the fluid valving arrangement is also providing distributed bearing support of one of the outer tube and the inner tube on the other of the outer and inner tube at a plurality of locations along a longitudinal axis of the processing roll.
A processing roll apparatus providing both fluid communication between a fluid source and fluid ports on an outer surface of a rotatable processing roll and distributed bearing support of the processing roll along a longitudinal length of the processing roll, the apparatus comprising, rotatable outer tube of the processing roll supported on a non-rotating inner tube of the processing roll with a fluid valving arrangement configured for providing angularly controlled transfer of fluid between a cavity on the inside of the inner tube and the fluid ports distributed longitudinally along an outer surface of the outer tube, with the cavity being adapted for connection to the fluid source, while the fluid valving arrangement is also providing distributed bearing support of one of the outer tube and the inner tube on the other of the outer tube and the inner tube at a plurality of locations along a longitudinal axis of the processing roll.
A method for providing distributed bearing support to an elongated rotatable roll, the method comprising, journalling an outer tubular member of the roll defining a longitudinal axis of the roll on an inner non-rotatable member of the roll extending through the outer tubular member along the longitudinal axis, to define a longitudinally extending annular space between the inner and outer members of the roll, with a distributed bearing arrangement disposed in the annular space and having a plurality of axially spaced separately replaceable substantially cylindrical-shaped bearing elements secured to the outer member for rotation therewith.
The method of claim 55, wherein the bearing elements have a longitudinal length thereof, the method further comprising:
- forming a longitudinally extending slot in an outer surface of the bearing elements configured for engaging the distal ends of a plurality of distributed key elements extending through a wall of the outer member and having respective distal ends thereof configured for engaging the longitudinally extending slots in the bearing elements;
- affixing the plurality of distributed key elements to the outer member in a longitudinally spaced array from one another along a line extending parallel to the longitudinal axis with the individual key members spaced from one another by a distance of less that the longitudinal length of the bearing elements;
- and
- aligning the longitudinally extending slot in each one of the bearing elements with the line of key elements as the each one of the bearing elements enters the annular space.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.