US 5,087,318 AGranted

Web-aligning apparatus

AssigneeMinnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

InventorConrad V. Anderson

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Abstract

Apparatus for aligning an elongate web with respect to a predetermined path of travel. The web is supplied from a supply roll formed by the web being wound around an inner web layer and having an outer web layer. The apparatus includes a frame, and an axle assembly on the frame adapted to hold the supply roll for rotation about an axis to afford unwinding of the web from the supply roll, and adapted for axial movement of the supply roll. An alignment device is provided comprising web-guiding rollers mounted on the frame and generally rigid in the direction parallel to the axis of the rotatable-holding means. The web-guiding rollers guide the opposite edges of the outer web layer of the web laterally with respect to the longitudinal direction of the web, with the axle assembly affording translation of the supply roll to accommodate telescoped or non-uniformly wound supply rolls, thereby to maintain alignment of the outer web layer with respect to the predetermined path of travel.

Claims22

Dependent claims

Apparatus for aligning an elongate web with respect to a predetermined path of travel, the web having opposite edges extending longitudinally of the web and being supplied from a supply roll formed by the web being wound around an inner web layer and having an outer web layer, the apparatus comprising:

a frame;
a cantilever axle mounted on the frame and having retaining means for mounting the supply roll for rotation about the axis of the cantilever axle to afford unwinding of the web from the supply roll, the cantilever axle being mounted for movement int eh axial direction to allow axial movement of the supply roll within a predetermined range;
means, including an abutment member, for self-centered mounting of the supply roll on the retaining means with the center of the supply roll generally centered on the retaining means by pushing the supply roll onto the retaining means until additional axial motion of the supply roll is blocked by the abutment member, with the supply roll and retaining means being free to translate axially within a predetermined operating range without the supply roll engaging the abutment member when the supply roll is mounted on the retaining means;
and
an arm assembly pivotable on an axis generally parallel to the axis of the cantilever axle, the arm assembly having a free end, two guide rollers rotatably mounted on the arm assembly generally adjacent its free end, the guide rollers being constrained from axial motion such that the guide rollers are adapted to guide the outer web layer relative to its predetermined path of travel as the guide rollers roll against the opposite edges of the outer web layer, with the axle affording translation of the supply roll to accommodate telescoped or non-uniformly wound supply rolls, and biasing means for biasing the free end of the arm assembly toward the axle to maintain the guide rollers in rolling engagement with the outer web layer of the supply roll, the biasing means including manually actuatable means for deactivating the biasing means to allow the arm assembly to be pivoted away from the axle assembly, thereby facilitating replacement of the supply roll.

2 more elements

a frame;
a cantilever axle mounted on the frame and having retaining means for mounting the supply roll for rotation about the axis of the cantilever axle to afford unwinding of the web from the supply roll, the cantilever axle being mounted for movement in the axial direction to allow axial movement of the supply roll within a predetermined range;
means for self-centered mounting of the supply roll on the retaining mans with the center of the supply roll generally centered on the retaining means until additional axial motion of the supply roll is blocked, with the supply roll being free to translate axially within a predetermined range when mounted on the retaining means;
and
an arm assembly pivotable on an axis generally parallel to the axis of the cantilever axle, the arm assembly having a free end, two guide rollers rotatably mounted on the arm assembly generally adjacent its free end, the guide rollers being constrained from axial motion such that the guide rollers are adapted to guide the outer web layer relative to its predetermined path of travel as the guide rollers roll against the opposite edges of the outer web layer, with the axle affording translation of the supply roll to accommodate telescoped or non-uniformly wound supply rolls, and biasing means for biasing the free end of the arm assembly toward the axle to maintain the guide rollers in rolling engagement with the outer web layer of ht supply roll, the biasing means including manually actuatable means for deactivating the biasing means to allow the arm assembly to be pivoted away from the axle assembly, thereby facilitating replacement of the supply roll;
the means for self-centered mounting of the supply roll on the retaining means comprising:
an abutment member mounted on the frame for abutting the supply roll during loading of the roll onto the retaining means to position the roll on the cantilever axle;
and
means for allowing axial movement of the axle between a loading position, in which the axle is constrained from additional movement in the axial direction generally toward the abutment member and the retaining means is spaced from the abutment member such that the supply roll is substantially centered over the retaining means when the supply roll abuts the abutment member, and a range of operating positions, in which the retaining means is spaced sufficiently from the abutment member to hold a supply roll centered on the retaining means with the supply roll spaced from the abutment member;
and
the cantilever axle assembly comprising:
an inner elongate member mounted on the frame and extending substantially to the free end of the axle generally coaxially with respect to the axle;
an outer cylindrical member having a longitudinally-extending internal bore or cavity mounted on the inner member adjacent the free end of the axle and extending substantially coaxially with respect to the axle and inner member substantially from the free end toward the frame, the retaining means being mounted on the outer cylindrical member;
and
bearing means permitting the outer cylindrical member to rotate relative to the central axis of the axle assembly;
the inner and outer members being adapted for maintaining the axis of the outer member, when loaded, in an orientation generally parallel to the position of the axis of the outer member when unloaded, thereby facilitating even tensioning of the web separating from the supply roll to reduce lateral wandering of the web.

13 more elements

Apparatus for aligning an elongate web with respect to a predetermined path of travel, the web having opposite edges extending longitudinally of the web and being supplied from a supply roll formed by theweb being wound around an inner web layer and having an outer web layer, the apparatus comprising:

a frame;
a cantilever axle mounted on the frame and having retaining means for mounting the supply roll for rotation about the axis of the cantilever axle to afford unwinding of the web from the supply roll, the cantilever axle being mounted for movement in the axial direction to allow axial movement of the supply roll within a predetermined range;
means for self-centered mounting of the supply roll on the retaining mans with the center of the supply roll generally centered on the retaining means by pushing the supply roll onto the retaining means until additional axial motion of the supply roll is blocked, with the supply roll being free to translate axially within a predetermined range when mounted on the retaining means;
and
an arm assembly pivotable on an axis generally parallel to the axis of the cantilever axle, the arm assembly having a free end, two guide rollers rotatably mounted on the arm assembly generally adjacent its free end, the guide rollers being constrained from axial motion such that the guide rollers are adapted to guide the outer web layer relative to its predetermined path of travel as the guide rollers roll against the opposite edges of the outer web layer, with the axle affording translation of the supply roll to accommodate telescoped or non-uniformly wound supply rolls, and biasing means for biasing the free end of the arm assembly toward the axle to maintain the guide rollers in rolling engagement with the outer web layer of the supply roll, the biasing means including manually actuatable means for deactivating the biasing means to allow the arm assembly to be pivoted away from the axle assembly, thereby facilitating replacement of the supply roll.
the means for self-centered mounting of the supply roll on the retaining means comprising:
an abutment member mounted on the frame for abutting the supply roll during loading of the roll onto the retaining means to position the roll on the cantilever axle;
and
means for allowing axial movement of the axle between a loading position, in which the axle is constrained from additional movement in the axial direction generally toward the abutment member and the retaining means is spaced from the abutment member such that the supply roll is substantially centered over the retaining means when the supply roll abuts the abutment member, and a range of operating positions, in which the retaining means is spaced sufficiently from the abutment member to hold a supply roll centered on the retaining means with the supply roll spaced from the abutment member;
and
the biasing means comprising a manually actuatable air cylinder and a linkage interconnecting the arm assembly and the air cylinder such that, when the air cylinder is pressurized, the arm assembly is biased toward the cantilever axle, the manually actuatable means for deactivating the biasing means including a valve for depressurizing the air cylinder to allow the arm assembly to be pivoted away from the cantilever axle, thereby facilitating replacement oft the supply roll.

8 more elements

Apparatus for laminating a first elongate web having a first-web-longitudinal direction to a second elongate web moving along a predetermined, generally constant path in a second-web-longitudinal direction, the first web having opposite edges extending longitudinally of the web and being supplied from a supply roll formed by the web being wound around an inner web layer and having an outer web layer, the apparatus comprising:

a frame adapted to be positioned in a predetermined orientation with respect to the second web;
laminating rollers rotatably mounted on the frame along the path of the second web for pressing the webs together to adhere the first web to the second web;
a cantilever axle mounted on the frame and having retaining means adapted to hold the supply roll for rotation about an axis to afford unwinding of the first web from supply roll, the axle being mounted for movement int he axial direction to allow axial translation of the supply roll within a predetermined range;
means, including an abutment member, for self-centered mounting of the supply roll on the retaining means with the center of the supply roll generally centered on the retaining means by pushing the supply roll onto the retaining means until additional axial motion of the supply roll is blocked by the abutment member, with the supply roll and retaining means being free to translate axially within a predetermined operating range without the supply roll engaging the abutment member when the supply roll is mounted on the retaining means;
transferring means on the frame for transferring the first web to the laminating rollers;
and
an arm assembly pivotable on an axis generally parallel to the axis of ht cantilever axle, the arm assembly having a free end, two guide rollers rotatably mounted on the arm assembly generally adjacent its free end, the guide rollers being constrained from axial motion such that the guide rollers are adapted to guide the outer web layer of the first web in predetermined relationship with the second-web-longitudinal direction as the guide rollers roll against the opposite edges of the outer web layer of the first web, with the axle affording translation of the supply roll to accommodate telescoped or non-uniformly wound supply rolls, thereby to maintain the first web unwinding form the supply roll in such orientation that the first web is transferred via the transferring means to the laminating rollers with the edges of the first web in a predetermined relationship with respect to the second web, and biasing means for biasing the free end of the arm assembly toward the axle to maintain the guide rollers in rolling engagement with the outer web layer of the supply roll, the biasing means including manually actuatable means for deactivating the biasing means to allow the arm assembly to be pivoted away from the axle assembly, thereby facilitating replacement of the supply roll.

4 more elements

a frame adapted to be position in a predetermined orientation with respect to the second web;
laminating rollers rotatably mounted on the frame along the path of the second web for pressing the webs together to adhere the first web to the second web;
a cantilever axle mounted on the frame and having retaining means for mounting the supply roll for rotation about the axis to afford unwinding of the first web from supply roll, the axle being mounted for movement in the axial direction to allow axial translation of the supply roll within a predetermined range;
means for self-centered mounting of the supply roll on the retaining mans with the center of the supply roll generally centered on the retaining means by pushing the supply roll onto the retaining means until additional axial motion of the supply roll is blocked, with the supply roll being free to translate axially within a predetermined range when mounted on the retaining means;
transferring means on the frame for transferring the first web to the laminating rollers;
and
an arm assembly pivotable on an axis generally parallel to the axis of the cantilever axle, the arm assembly having a free end, two guide rollers rotatably mounted on the arm assembly generally adjacent its free end, the guide rollers being constrained from axial motion such that the guide rollers are adapted to guide the outer web layer of the first web in predetermined relationship with the second-web-longitudinal direction as the guide rollers roll against the opposite edges of the outer web layer of the first web, with the axle affording translation of the supply roll to accommodate telescoped or non-uniformly wound supply rolls, thereby to maintain the first web unwinding form the supply roll in such orientation that the first web is transferred via the transferring means to the laminating rollers with the edges of the first web in a predetermined relationship with respect to the second web, and biasing means for biasing the free end of the arm assembly toward the axle to maintain the guide rollers in rolling engagement with the outer web layer of the supply roll, the biasing means including manually actuatable means for deactivating the biasing means to allow the arm assembly to be pivoted away from the axle assembly, thereby facilitating replacement of the supply roll;
the means for self-centered mounting of the supply roll on the retaining means comprising:
an abutment member on the frame for abutting the supply roll during loading of the supply roll onto the retaining means to position the supply roll on the cantilever axle;
and
means for allowing axial movement of the cantilever axle between a loading position, in which the axle is constrained from additional movement in the axial direction generally toward the abutment member and the retaining means is spaced from the abutment member such that the supply roll is substantially centered over the retaining means when the supply roll abuts the abutment member, and a range of operating positions, in which the retaining means is spaced sufficiently from the abutment member to hold a supply roll centered on the retaining means with the supply roll spaced from the abutment member;
and
the cantilever axle assembly comprising:
an inner elongate member mounted on the frame and extending substantially to the free end of the axle generally coaxially with respect to the axle;
an outer cylindrical member having a longitudinally-extending internal bore or cavity mounted on the inner member adjacent the free end of the axle and extending substantially coaxially with respect to the axle and inner member substantially from the free end toward the frame, the retaining means being mounted on the outer cylindrical member;
and
bearing means permitting the outer cylindrical member to rotate relative to the central axis of the axle;
the inner and outer members being adapted for maintaining the axis of the outer member, when loaded, in an orientation generally parallel to the position of the axis of the outer member when unloaded, thereby facilitating even tensioning of the first web separating from the supply roll to reduce lateral wandering of the web.

15 more elements

a frame adapted to be position in a predetermined orientation with respect to the second web;
laminating rollers rotatably mounted on the frame along the path of the second web for pressing the webs together to adhere the first web to the second web;
a cantilever axle mounted on the frame and having retaining means for mounting the supply roll for rotation about the axis to afford unwinding of the first web from supply roll, the axle being mounted for movement in the axial direction to allow axial translation of the supply roll within a predetermined range;
means for self-centered mounting of the supply roll on the retaining mans with the center of the supply roll generally centered on the retaining means by pushing the supply roll onto the retaining means until additional axial motion of the supply roll is blocked, with the supply roll being free to translate axially within a predetermined range when mounted on the retaining means;
transferring means on the frame for transferring the first web to the laminating rollers;
and
an arm assembly pivotable on an axis generally parallel to the axis of the cantilever axle, the arm assembly having a free end, two guide rollers rotatably mounted on the arm assembly generally adjacent its free end, the guide rollers being constrained from axial motion such that the guide rollers are adapted to guide the outer web layer of the first web in predetermined relationship with the second-web-longitudinal direction as the guide rollers roll against the opposite edges of the outer web layer of the first web, with the axle affording translation of the supply roll to accommodate telescoped or non-uniformly wound supply rolls, thereby to maintain the first web unwinding form the supply roll in such orientation that the first web is transferred via the transferring means to the laminating rollers with the edges of the first web in a predetermined relationship with respect to the second web, and biasing means for biasing the free end of the arm assembly toward the axle to maintain the guide rollers in rolling engagement with the outer web layer of the supply roll, the biasing means including manually actuatable means for deactivating the biasing means to allow the arm assembly to be pivoted away from the axle assembly, thereby facilitating replacement of the supply roll;
the means for self-centered mounting of the supply roll on the retaining means comprising:
an abutment member mounted on the frame for abutting the supply roll during loading of the roll onto the retaining means to position the roll on the cantilever axle;
and
means for allowing axial movement of the axle cantilever axle between a loading position, in which the axle is constrained from additional movement in the axial direction generally toward the abutment member and the retaining mean is spaced from the abutment member such that the supply roll is substantially centered over the retaining means when the supply roll abuts the abutment member, and a range of operating position, in which the retaining means is spaced sufficiently from the abutment member to hold a supply roll centered on the retaining means with the supply roll spaced from the abutment member;
and
the biasing means comprising a manually actuatable air cylinder and a linkage interconnecting the arm assembly and the air cylinder such that, when the air cylinder is pressurized, the arm assembly is biased toward the cantilever axle, the manually actuatable means for deactivating the biasing means including a valve for depressurizing the air cylinder to allow the arm assembly to be pivoted away from the cantilever axle, thereby facilitating replacement oft the supply roll.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 07/649,469Filed 1 Feb 1991 · continuation
Priority: 2 Dec 1988
Granted: 11 Feb 1992
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

B65H 16/04
Supporting web roll: cantilever type
B65H 23/02
Registering, tensioning, smoothing or guiding webs: transversely
B65H 39/16
Associating, collating, or gathering articles or webs: associating two or more webs
B65H 2301/413223
Pivoting movement of roll support: around an axis parallel to roll axis