JPH0228468A - Superposing method and device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To improve productivity by quickly lowering preceding accumulated products on a platform by one finger when the other finger of two endless chain conveyors accumulates products in a vertical passage of the products discharged from a wheel. CONSTITUTION: Two endless chain conveyors 20, 21 are separately rotated in a 180 deg. different phase. Products 11 continuously carried by a wheel 13 are discharged by a removing means 14 to be supplied to a vertical lower third passage. At this time, a finger 16 of the conveyor 20 is inserted into the third passage by chain driving, so that the products are stacked on the finger 16 by decelerating operation. In this case, former products stacked on a finger 17 of the conveyor 21 are lowered and transferred up to a position of a lower platform 26 by accelerating operation of the conveyor 21 to thus improve productivity of stacking a fixed quantity of products by alternately repeating decelerating/accelerating operation in the conveyors 20, 21.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a stacking method and apparatus, and more particularly, to a stacking method and apparatus for relatively flexible products such as paper towels. be.

Insertion! In the production of converted paper products (and other similar products), it is often desired to package the products in stacks. For example, C-folded paper towels are often sold in packages of 200 towels (stacked). This is a somewhat higher total than was available 25 years ago (U.S. Patent No. 3 = 254, owned by the applicant).
889), but the problem is the same.

That is, the problem is always to develop a stack of squares with a high rate of accuracy.

For example, towels can be formed continuously by cutting a wide web into five or six narrow web strips and then folding each strip longitudinally by passing them over a folding plate. has been done. These folded strips are then assembled into a ribbon of stacked strips and shipped for travel. The length of the ribbon is approximately 254 mm.
-10 inches), these sub-stacks of towels are called clips. A device illustrating this general arrangement is described in British Patent No. 2.028, owned by the applicant.
．． It can be seen in issue 774.

Finally, a stack suitable for sale is formed by stacking a certain number of clips to produce a packaged quantity of towels. The final stacking process is often
It is a limiting part of production and requires complex mechanical assemblies to operate at certain production speeds.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention is to simplify the final stacking operation while maintaining or increasing the potential speed of the production line.

Another object of the invention is to provide ease of change in stacking totals and flexibility in product selection.

In a detailed illustrated embodiment of the present invention to address the problem, the thrower I
Open wheel means have been used in connection with endless chain conveyors of the general arrangement found in the applicant's previous U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,936. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the endless chain conveyor includes:
Plunging fingers are provided, the fingers on one endless chain conveyor being orbitally spaced from the fingers on the other conveyor to develop an alternating stack.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings showing one embodiment thereof.

First, in FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 represents the frame of the machine. In accordance with common practice in machines for converting paper products, frame 10 includes a pair of spaced side frames, as can be seen clearly in the lower right-hand portion of FIG. . These jambs are suitably connected and provide rigid support for the various moving elements, the construction and function of which is most readily understood by considering the general operation of the apparatus of the present invention. I can understand.

The individual product clips 11 are inserted into individual slots in a slotted wheel 13 which is supported by a belt conveyor 12 and rotates in the direction of travel of the product. The speed of is reduced by a factor of 173 or 115 of the approach speed. US Patent No. 4
．． Other means such as those found in US Pat.

The wheel 13 with opened throat l- moves the product 11 to the removal finger 14, with which the product 11 is fixed with respect to the frame 10.
support around it until it collides with. By this means, the products 11 are removed from the slotted wheels 13 and stacked successively in a mutually overlapping manner.

Complete the separation of the continuously formed products or clips 11 into completed stacks 15 (partial stacks are labeled 15 in the upper right hand portion of FIG. 1). To do this, aggregate finger assemblies 16, 17 and 18
．． Nineteen sets are each mounted on a number of parallel continuous chain conveyors 20.21. By considering the right-hand portion of FIG.
1.

These chains 20.21 are attached to the upper sub-blocks 1-30.
31 and lower sprockets 32, 33 and run generally vertically. Each chain set 2 has cooperating aggregate fingers 16.17 and 18.19
0.21 are individually driven. For example, the chain set 20 is driven in an upper position 22 (visibly seen in the upper central portion of FIG. 1) and rotates unloaded in a lower position 23. On the other hand, the chain set 21 is driven in the lower position 23 and rotates unloaded in the upper position 22.

The upper sprocket and the index finger are combined such that they are inserted in such a way that they pass between adjacent clips 11 relative to the top of the index finger (indicated by a dashed line and labeled 16'). 24 (see upper right-hand portion of FIG. 1) and are sized, positioned and shaped to thus separate the products into individual stacks 15.15^.

When the separation is completed (finger 16' is fully inserted), the chains 20 are slowed down to a lower speed for the formation of a stack at the special product bulk. On the other hand, the chain 21 accelerates the active scoring finger 18 downwardly, now supporting the completed stack, into a position aligned with the stack removal means 25 and unloads the stack 15 onto the stack removal platform 26; Slow down, total finger 19
Adjust speed to prepare for insertion between stacks. This process also involves inserting the inter-finger body 19,
Then, there is a continuous insertion of the finger body 17, then the finger body 18, and a return to the finger body 16, and the finger body 17 appears repeatedly.

As soon as each completed stack 15 reaches the platform 26, a conveyor paddle 27, which is provided as part of the removal means 25, removes the stack for packaging.

View of the conveyor The conveyor 20 includes endless 1I28.29 (
(See top center section of Figure 2). These chains 2 ] 29 are connected to the upper driven sprocket 3 rotating about the axis 22
o, 31 and also over the lower unloaded rotating sprocket 32.33 rotating about the axis 23. Moreover, these chains 28, 29 are threaded around the tensioning sprocket 34 (see center right-hand part of FIG. 1).

Above 928.29, the interfinger body 18.17 is attached via the rod 35 seen with respect to the finger 16 in the upper central part of FIG. The chains 28, 29 are connected around the axis 22 to a right angle gear reducer 37 (shown schematically),
Or alternatively, it is driven by a programmable servo motor 36 operating through a cam box at the reducer 37 location.

Chain conveyor 21 is similarly arranged and operated, but differs in that it is 180° out of phase with chain conveyor 20. This consists of two 3n conveyors 20.21
This is because it is used. For ease of layout and configuration, the chain conveyor 21 is driven around the shaft 22 by a programmable motor or by a cam box 38 and a right-angle gear reducer 39 (see lower part of FIG. 1). Further, it is rotated around the shaft 22 without any load.

・ME' of the dynamic program Referring to FIG. 3, there are four stepped lines 16.
18.17.19 are shown, but these interdigitations 16-19 through 5 cycles of stacked deployment.
It shows the position of For ease of presentation, each curve corresponds to a total of 30 stacks.

Referring to line 16, point 40 in the upper left-hand portion of FIG. 3 represents the beginning of the plunge function, shown at 16° in FIG. This also means that in Figure 4,
40, which shows the velocity of finger 16 as a function of time. Additional details regarding how the interdigital body 16' when traveling about the axis 22 is recognized to move at relatively high speeds for the plunging function are provided in Applicant's U.S. Pat. .285.621
It can be found in the specification of the No.

Still referring to FIG. 4, there is shown the rapid deceleration 41 indicated by section 41 in FIG. The next mode of operation for the fingers 16 is the stacking function, in which the fingers 16 are lowered sequentially, as represented by portions 42 in FIG. This occurs at a constant, lower speed, labeled 42 in FIG.

After the stacking is completed, finger 16 accelerates rapidly, as represented by portion 43 in FIGS.
This portion 43 is approximated by point 43 in 1, FIG. When reaching a higher velocity, represented by 44 in FIG. 4, the finger 16 continues to move downward, as represented by 44 in FIG.

During this downward movement, the interfinger body 16 moves towards the platform 2.
6, which results in the transfer of the stack 15 from the finger body 16 to the platform 26 for removal by one conveyor paddle 27. The conveyor paddle 27 is part of the destacking means 25, which is driven by motor means 45, which can be seen in the lower, left-most part of FIG.

Many variations in stack removal can be utilized since the stack is now complete and free from the control of the chain conveyor.

It should be understood that the velocity profile of the finger body 17 is the same as that of the finger body 16 as a function of time or product total. On the other hand, the interfinger bodies 18 and 19, as shown in FIG. 5, have velocity contours that have been moved relative to the representation in FIG.

Returning to the consideration of interfinger body 16, when stacking is completed, this interfinger body 16 moves upwardly into the non-stacked portion of its trajectory (as shown in the left-hand portion of FIG. 1). . There, the interfinger body 16 runs around the tensioning sprocket 34. During this time, the other finger bodies 19, 17 and 18 follow the same sequence in developing their stacks of products. In other words, each cycle of the production of a harmonic overlap represents half of the trajectory of a given conveyor chain. The second conveyor chain is then 180° out of phase with the first conveyor chain. Also, from FIG. 4, while the finger interbody 16 is not working on the product, this assembly 16
However, it will still follow the same deceleration-acceleration sequence. Because the supports are controlled by driven sprockets 30.31, these driven sprockets 30.31 are at this time
This is because 7 is being driven through the stacking mode.

In carrying out the invention utilizing the embodiment of the apparatus shown in the figure, spaced apart products 11 are advanced along a first path formed by a belt conveyor 12. be done. Although the description given hereinafter is directed to the production of C-folded towels, the apparatus and method of the present invention can be utilized for a variety of products. Many other products can take advantage of the present invention, for example by changing the slotted wheel and chain profile in combination with changing the timing to a programmable servo drive (or cam box). can be stacked.

When the product 11 is advanced, the product 11 in turn
A slotted wheel 13 is encountered which is mounted for rotation on the frame 10. In this way, the slotted wheel 13 is effectively within the first path and adjacent to the apex of the generally arcuate second path of travel developed by the slotted wheel 13. You will receive the product. It is seen rotating in the direction of the upper part of FIG. 1 and transporting the products sequentially along a path from about 1 o'clock to about 5 o'clock.

At the 5 o'clock position, adjacent to the lowest point of the arcuate second path, the products encounter sequential removal means 14 which sequentially remove the products 15 or remove a pair of chains. It is fed into a third path formed by the vertically downward running path of the conveyor 20.21.

The arrangement of the chain conveyors 20,21 with respect to each other can be best seen from the right-hand part of FIG. 2, where the numeral 21 represents the two inner chains.

Still referring to FIG. 2, the outer chain 20 is wound around the sprockets 30.31 in their upper area;
However, in the case shown, it can be seen that it is driven by a servo motor 36 and a right angle gearbox 37.

The lower area of the chain forming the conveyor 2o is formed by sprockets 32 and 33, which are either unloaded rotating wheels or freely rotating sprockets. , driven at the bottom and rotated without load at the top. It will be appreciated that the drive means 38,39 are located in the lower right-hand part of FIG.

Each class of each conveyor is provided with at least one outwardly projecting finger. In the illustrated embodiment, the chain of conveyor 20 is provided with fingers 16 and 17, as can be seen in the right hand center portion of FIG. The name is
It is part of a support rod 35 (see finger 16), which rod 35 is rigidly attached to its cooperating chain.

The chain of the conveyor 21 also has outwardly projecting fingers 18
and 19, and it can be seen from FIG. 1 that these fingers 18, 19 are arranged interdigitated in the longitudinal direction with respect to the fingers of the conveyor 20.

While one conveyor is accumulating the product of a stack, the other conveyor is rapidly moving previously completed stacks out of the path of the unfolding stack to place them on platform 26. be. This stack is generally placed adjacent to the top of the third channel, which has flattened and parallel side walls and upper and lower semi-cylindrical ends. The platform 26 is slotted to allow the four pairs of fingers to pass through the slots with a tendency to return to the folding position. From this it can be seen that rapid stack formation and removal is achieved by a pair of conveyors 20.21, both having the same chain path.

In short, one conveyor finger performs the plunging, supporting, and positioning for the removal function, while the other chain fingers perform the same sequence of functions, but 180° out of phase.

One advantageous feature of the invention resides in the programming of finger movement and velocity during traversal around a third path having flattened and parallel side walls and upper and lower semi-cylindrical ends. The famous finger primarily serves as a thrusting finger (labeled 16' in the upper right hand part of Figure 1) to limit the end of the previous stack and the beginning of the developing camellia stack. (see dashed line shown). This is shown diagrammatically at point 40 in FIGS. 3 and 4 with respect to finger 16. Due to the finger in position 16' passing around the upper sprocket, thrusting is achieved very quickly compared to the movement of the finger in a straight path in the third path. Once finger 16 reaches the straight downward path, finger 1
6 is rapidly decelerated, which can be seen from section 41 in FIGS. 3 and 4. The finger 16 then enters its accumulation mode, which is the third and fourth
Labeled 42 in the figures, it can also be seen from these figures that the speed is constant and the finger 16 moves slowly downwards until complete stacking is achieved. For ease of presentation, the diagrams in Figures 3, 4 and 5 are presented in stacks of 30 in total, so as not to have unduly long horizontal axes.

Once the stack is assembled, as represented by point 43 in FIG. is rapidly accelerated. There, the acceleration is stopped and a constant velocity drop is applied into the transport chain, giving the curve section labeled 44. It is during this constant rate descent that the stack encounters platform 26, shown as the stack drop point in FIG. Thereafter, the paddle 27 of the stack removal means 25 removes the stack from the platform 26 and the successive interfinger body 18 provided on the other conveyor 21 is in its stack accumulation mode and therefore performs the removal operation. It can be seen that there is no interference.

Moreover, by considering FIG. 3, the inter-finger solid 18 is
Into the second and third channels the completion of the stack is actually inserted, supported by the finger 16, ie at the point labeled 43.

Thus, there is provided a pair of nodding conveyors operating through the same chain path, but in series and at variable speeds determined by a preset program, thereby providing one As a conveyor is unfolding a stack, other conveyors are rapidly removing the previous stack from the vicinity and, ultimately, rapidly removing the stack from the stack unfolding path.

As previously mentioned, a variety of products can be stacked by practicing the present invention. For each product, the finger (position 16°) is a function of the wheel contour and the finger contour.
It is advantageous to develop the thrust velocity of ). The stacking speed also depends on the product thickness and conveyor belt 1.
It has also been found that the rate of advance of the product is a function of the product's advancement speed, such as according to 2. Furthermore, the rate of descent is a function of the rate of formation of the next stack and the time of removal of the first stack. Advantageously, these variables are controlled by programmable servo motors such that one stack achieves maximum speed without the possibility of interfering with other stacks.

Although in the foregoing description a detailed description of one embodiment of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration, many variations of the details described herein will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. Please understand what can be done by

1. The present invention has the above-described configuration and function, and thus provides an apparatus that can produce stacks of relatively flexible products such as paper towels with high productivity. It is.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a partial side view of an apparatus for carrying out the invention;
Fig. 2 is a front view of the device shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the relationship between the finger position and time, that is, the total number of products, and Figs. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the relationship to the total number of products. 12...Belt conveyor, 13...Slotted wheels, 15...Completed stack, 16.1
7.18.19...Finger space, 20.21...Chain conveyor, 26...Platform, 27...Paddle, 28.29...Chain. FIG.

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. advancing a set of longitudinally spaced products along a first path to accumulate the products into a stack; and moving the products into the first path. transport into a slotted wheel rotatably mounted to and arranged for transport along a generally arcuate second path and to a generally vertically disposed third path; comprising successively removing the product from the slotted wheel for feeding and accumulating the product in the third path on an endless chain conveyor provided with a pair of fingers. In a method for accumulating products into stacks, the movement of said fingers is as follows, i.e. each finger on each endless chain conveyor first touches the end of the previous stack and the beginning of the unfolding stack. Serves as a plunging finger to confine and then serves as a descending platform for the unfolding stack while the fingers from the other conveyor move into the plunging position, and also when the unfolding stack is completed. , the first finger is then rapidly lowered into a stack removal position, and the other endless conveyor finger is inserted into the second path substantially simultaneously with the completion of the unfolding stack. A method for assembling products into a stack, characterized by programming. 2. The speed of the finger during the thrust is a function of the slotted wheel and the shape of the finger, and the path intersects the second path while the finger travels around the sprocket. and the programming of the conveyor is arranged to develop a stacking rate as a function of product thickness and product advancement speed in the first path, and the programming is arranged to develop a stacking rate as a function of product thickness and product advancement speed in the first path, and 2. A method for accumulating products into stacks according to claim 1, arranged to provide a lower velocity as a function of the stack formation rate and the previous stack removal time. 3. means on the frame and said products in a generally arcuate shape for advancing said products along a first path with said frames and a set of longitudinally spaced products to accumulate the products into a stack; A slotted wheel rotatably mounted in the first path and a slotted wheel rotatably mounted in the first path to sequentially receive the products for transport along a second path. each for moving a finger through a third track path intersecting said second path for receiving removed product from said slotted wheel with removal means mounted at said second path; A device comprising a pair of endless conveyors on said frame provided with at least one outwardly projecting finger, wherein the fingers of one conveyor are in the third path of the other. spaced longitudinally with respect to the conveyor fingers;
Also, in order to vary the relative speed of said conveyor, each finger first serves as a plunging finger to limit the end of the previous stack and the beginning of the unfolding stack, and then a finger from the other conveyor serves as a descending platform for the unfolding stack while moving into a plunging position, and when the unfolding stack is completed, the first finger subsequently operatively actuating said conveyor to rapidly lower into a stack removal position and change said other conveyor fingers to be inserted into said second path substantially simultaneously with completion of said unfolding stack; A device for accumulating products into a stack, characterized in that it has cooperating means. 4. Apparatus for accumulating products into stacks as claimed in claim 3, wherein said means for varying speed includes programmable servo motor means. 5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said means for varying speed includes cam box means. 6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said third channel is generally cylindrical in shape with flattened and parallel side walls and upper and lower semi-cylindrical ends. 7. Claim 6, wherein the third path includes chain tensioning means.
The device described. 8. Each conveyor includes a pair of spaced chains threaded over top and bottom sprockets, with the top sprocket for one conveyor being driven and the bottom sprocket driving the other. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus is driven for a conveyor. 9. Each conveyor is provided with two pairs of fingers, the fingers in each pair are aligned horizontally, one on each conveyor, and the fingers on said speed changing means and the fingers on each conveyor are arranged horizontally, one on each conveyor. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the positions of one conveyor finger are 180 degrees out of phase with respect to the other conveyor finger. 10. the frame is provided with a platform through which the fingers pass to sequentially place completed stacks on the platform, and
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said frame is also provided with removal means operatively associated with said platform. 11. Each conveyor is provided with at least two orbitally spaced finger assemblies, the finger assemblies of one conveyor being disposed within said third path; 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus is placed in longitudinal interlocking relationship with respect to the volume.