JPH0445028A - Stack dividing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To divide and separate block groups accurately by providing a block pusher means starting the travel of each block from a top part of a stack. CONSTITUTION: Each block of sheets is vertically separated from a stack 18 on an elevator means by an inclined passage means 21 provided by crossing a top part of a rear stop part 20 positioned apart from a receive end of a conveyor 14 when the block 17 is moved toward the receive end of the conveyor 14. Next, the block 17 of sheets is periodically moved to a travel surface at the receive end of the conveyor 14 from a top part of the stack 18 applied on the inclined passage means 21 by a pusher means 16 provided on a frame work on a side face of the elevator means on the opposite side to the inclined passage means 21. At this time, a plate 50 in the transverse direction which is positioned at an intermediate height of a height between a top part and a bottom part of the inclined passage means 21 and has a horizontal low fringe 44 is provided on this pusher means 16.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The device of the present invention relates to a device for picking up and feeding flat corrugated sheets in the form of an overlapping bar along an eight-motion path.

Roasted rice stand! For manufacturing corrugated paper cartons or boxes, rectangular corrugated sheets or blanks are first produced in a machine known as a corrugator. The sheets are then stacked for storage and handling purposes and then they are processed individually by a printer or embossing cutter that prints or machine each sheet into carton blanks according to the customer's order.

Printing machines and embossing cutters operate at very high speeds.

For such machines, feeding successive vertically corrugated sheets into the hopper requires a lot of physical labor to accurately position each stack within the hopper. , is inefficient. The amount of labor required results in interruptions or slowed down operation of the machine being fed.

The machine and method of the present invention maintains a continuous supply of corrugated sheets within the infeed hopper of a printing or embossing cutter machine even during high speed operation. This is accomplished by removing the corrugated sheets and feeding them in succession, overlapping lids, into a receiving hopper of the machine processing the sheets at a feed rate that does not interrupt operation of the sheet processing machine.

If the incoming sheets or blanks are handled in very large stacks, each stack is first divided into several smaller "blocks" and then longitudinally guided to the blank processing machine into which they are fed. It has been found that continuous overlapping treatment along the path of the machine is recommended when designing the machine. After being divided, each block is either reversed or simply placed on an infeed conveyor leading to an overlap gate.

Dividing the corrugated sheet or blank to be unraveled into large stacks of several equally sized blocks requires precise separation between successive blocks. Due to the great variety in the manufacture of corrugated sheets, as well as the generation of friction and electrostatic forces that prevent separation of the stack, successive blocks of the sheet sliding from the top of the stack will have no effect on the removed blocks. A trailing 5hee sheet that gets partially jammed in the stack below.
t)”. The protruding edges of the shingle sheet can become entangled in the machine, with the undesirable result of stopping the machine. The present disclosure basically relates to eliminating such dragging seats at the bottom of the divided blocks.

The present invention solves the problem of the dragging seat in two ways. (1) Provide a frictional force to the top of the remaining stack of sheets to impede sliding of said top sheet. The frictional force is exerted by rollers on the block pusher that initiate the movement of each block from the top of the stack. (2
) providing an improved ramp to first lift each block from the remaining sheets in the stack;

TOM-3 The machine shown in the drawings is designed for unloading and prefeeding corrugated sheets. The machine operates from vertical stacks of the sheets which are stored and handled prior to use in high speed processing machinery associated with the manufacture of corrugated paperboard cartons. The depicted machine feeds the sheets in an overlapping manner along a longitudinal path on a feed conveyor that leads to an infeed hopper (not shown) of a downstream processing machine.

1 to 6 diagrammatically depict the general operation of the sheet prefeeding device to which the present disclosure is directed.

In FIG. 1, a stack 18 of sheets is received on vertically movable elevator 11. In FIG. The elevator 11 supports each stack of corrugated sheets and immediately moves the stack upwards until the top of the stack reaches a predetermined height.

The elevator 11 also has a seat on the infeed conveyor 12.
Each stack 1
8 in the horizontal direction. Such lateral positioning may be relative to a centerline, an off-center line, or a reference edge.

After being received and laterally positioned, the stack 18 is moved to the block ejection position (FIG. 2) by actuation of the elevator 11.
rises to. In this position, the topmost sheet in the stack 18 is placed between the block pusher 16 and the open bottleneck in the frame 13 of the reversing device.

The block pusher 16 moves the blocks 17 of each sheet to the movable reversing frame 13, as shown in the third section. Next, as shown in FIG.
Swings 180 degrees around. FIG. 5 depicts the vertical position during such rocking.

The reversed block then lowers its altitude, preparing the block 17 to be discharged to the receiving end of the feeding conveyor 12 (FIG. 6). The sheets within each block engage the lateral overlap gates 15 in turn. The sheets are pulled under the overlap gate 15 in overlapping rows, as depicted on the right side of FIG.

The machine is mounted within a fixed support framework to (see Figures 47-10). The framework 10 carries a vertically adjustable elevator 11, which has a laterally adjustable conhair belt, on which the entire stack of corrugated sheets or blanks 18 is received. Elevator 11 is stack 18
The stack 18 is raised a distance equal to the height of each block 17 to be ejected from the stack. The blocks 17 are then deposited on one or more conveyors that move each block 17 along a longitudinal path.

In the machine depicted, blocks 17 are individually
It is discharged into a reversing device 13 that includes a reversing conveyor 14 on its side. If reversal is not required, the individual blocks 17 are fed onto a receiving conveyor on an elevator (not shown), which then descends and deposits them onto the feeding conveyor 12. Where the machine design allows, the blocks 17 can be fed directly onto the receiving end of the feed conveyor 12.

The stack splitting mechanism for the corrugated sheet pick-up and feed apparatus shown in FIGS. 7-'s10 includes a powered conveyor located along the longitudinal path of the machine. The conveyor has a receiving end on the elevator 11 adjacent the stack 18. In the illustrated embodiment, this conveyor is a reversing conveyor 4.

A lateral rear stop 20 on the framework 10 is interposed between the elevator 11 and the receiving end of the conveyor 14. Each incoming stack 18 of corrugated sheets traverses until it reaches the rear stop 20 and turns to the right, so that one edge of the stack engages the facing surface of the rear stop 20.

Ramp means (depicted at 21) are located across the top of the aft stop 20. Said ramp means is located at a location spaced from the receiving end of the conveyor 14 and vertically lifts each sheet of blocks 17 from the stack 18 on the elevator 11 as the blocks 17 move horizontally to the receiving end of the conveyor 14. It is separated into

Three different embodiments of ramp means 21 are depicted in the section. The first one is an inclined lateral surface (FIGS. 7 to 15), the second one is a lateral cylindrical roller 3
5 ('fS16 figure). The third is a composite of the previous two embodiments (Figures 17 and 18).

The ramp means operates in conjunction with a block pusher 16, which is arranged on the framework 10 on the side opposite the ramp means 21 (FIGS. 9 and 10).
(see diagram). Block pusher 16 periodically moves blocks of sheet 17 from the top of stack 18 over ramp means 21 onto a moving surface at the receiving end of conveyor 14.

Block pusher 16 includes an upright rectangular plate 50 leading upwardly from lateral lower edge 44 . The greenery 44 is horizontal and located at a height midway between the height of the top and bottom of the ramp means 21 (see Figures 11 and 12).

The plate 50 has an upright surface facing towards the ramp means 21 and a rearward surface facing away. 1
One or more rollers 45 are connected to the upright plate 50.
is rotatably mounted about a transverse solid axis transverse to the rear surface of the The lowest height of each roller 45 is slightly below the height of the lower edge 44 of the plate.

A plate 50 is operably supported on the framework 10 and is adapted to move generally horizontally across the top of the raised stack 18 of corrugated sheets or blanks on the elevator II. Plate 5° is powered by two cylinders 46 on each side of block pusher 16. The butcher plate 50 is fixed to the piston rod of the cylinder 46 and moves integrally therewith.

The aft or outer end of each cylinder 46 is connected at 51 to a laterally adjustable mounting for pivoting about a lateral horizontal axis on frame 47 . The entire or inner end of each cylinder 46 has an upright slot 5 in the side of each frame 47.
2. You will be guided inside. Slot 52 allows relatively limited vertical movement of plate 50 relative to framework 10. The slot 52 is connected to the plate 50
ensures that the rollers 45 rest freely on the top sheet of each stack of corrugated sheets traversed. The upper end of the plate 50 is slidably connected to a guide frame 53, which moves in unison with the front end of the cylinder 46.

The rear edge of the block of sheets 17 engages the front surface of plate 50 as it moves across the stack of sheets 18. This causes the blocks of sheets 17 to move along the longitudinal path of the machine towards the receiving end of the conveyor 14. As seen in FIG. 11, the lower edge 44 of the plate 50 forms the bottom limit of each block 17 and separates it from the 18 raised stacks of sheets. When this occurs, the protruding bottom surface of roller 45 rolls over the exposed top sheet surface of stack 18. This roller rubbing action and the weight of the block pusher 16 retards unexpected movement of the top sheet in the remaining stack 18.

As can be seen in FIG. 11, the nominal dividing line at the bottom of each block of sheet 17 is located at approximately the midpoint height of ramp 21. This helps to account for the various distortion patterns that may occur in the corrugated sheet. Regardless of the distorted state, the sheet in block 17 will be somewhat distorted at any position along its rising height.
engages ramp means 21; In FIG. 12, the normal dividing line of the block is indicated by 55. The dividing line where the downwardly deflected block engages the ramp means is indicated by 56. The dividing line where the upwardly deflected block engages the ramp means 21 is indicated by 57.

In the first depicted embodiment, the ramp means 21 has an inclined lateral surface 20. The surface 30 is rectangular in shape and intersects a rearwardly facing vertical surface 31 of the rear stop 20. Preferably, the upper corner 32 of the surface 30 is located at a level slightly below the moving surface at the receiving end of the conveyor 14.

Surface 30 is manufactured from a low friction material such that the corrugated sheet can easily slide upwardly thereover.

The surface of the conveyor 14 is made of a high friction material and grips and moves blocks of sheet that come into contact with it.

Figures 13, 14 and 15 schematically depict the movement of blocks of sheets 17 between the stack 18 and the receiving end of the conveyor 14. Plate 50 of block pusher 16
only partially shifts block 17 across stack 18. The leading edge of the staggered stack then slides upwardly over the sloped lateral surface 30 and brings the lowest surface of the block 17 into engagement with the conveyor 14.

The weight of the blocks transferred onto the conveyor 14 provides sufficient frictional engagement between the conveyor surface and the lower surface of the blocks to pull the remaining blocks along the predetermined path of the machine. When this occurs, the weight of the block pusher 16 is applied to the topmost sheet in the remaining stack 18 through the engagement of the rollers 45, slowing the sheet from unexpected movement as shown in FIGS. 13.14 and 15. As can be seen, the ramp means 21 properly transports the block of sheets regardless of sheet skew, even in the absence of skew.

A second embodiment of the ramp 21 is depicted in FIG.'tS16. It comprises a transverse cylindrical roller 35 mounted tangentially above the rear surface 31 of the rear stop 20. Roller 35 has a high friction cylindrical surface and is driven at the same surface speed as the receiving surface of conveyor 14. In this embodiment, the height of the receiving surface of conveyor 14 must be slightly less than the height of the uppermost portion of rollers 35.

The quadrant 35 facing the raised stack 18 acts as a ramp to lift upwardly the incoming leading edge at the bottom of the block of sheets moved across the stack supported by the reciprocating plate 50. . Cylindrical roller 35 has high friction and is the primary component that then pulls the block of sheets from the rest of the stack. Again, the weight of the lateral rollers 45 passing behind the plate 50 prevents unexpected movement of the top sheet remaining in the stack after block removal.

17 and 18 illustrate a driven cylindrical roller 42 with a high friction surface and a hinge 4 with a low friction surface.
1 depicts a composite embodiment comprising adjacent rectangular plates 40 pivotably mounted about a lateral horizontal axis. Rectangular plate 40 includes a horizontal lateral top edge 49 . A cylindrical roller 42 is mounted between plate 40 and the receiving end of conveyor 14.

Since the roller 42 has a high friction coating, the conveyor 1
The upper surface of 4 is positioned in the height direction just below the height of the top of roller 42. As a result, the roller 42
The weight of each block is applied downwardly onto the rollers 42 as it moves from the stack of sheets.

Plate 40 is biased in a vertical position relative to a spring-fixed stop (not shown), such as a coil spring, which includes hinge 41 . Said spring is operatively connected to plate 4 DEG to bendably bias the plate beyond rear stop 20 into an upright position. Said biasing spring allows pivoting about the lateral horizontal axis of the plate 40, and in response to movement of the block of the sheet by the block pusher 16 of the plate 5o, forces its top edge 49 against the roller 4.
Move towards 2. When this occurs, plate 40
The rear surface is sloped and acts as a low friction ramp, biasing the block of sheets forward and upward to the driven high friction surface of the transverse rollers 42.

The top edge of plate 40 at corner 49 is at a height below the topmost height of roller 42 when in its upright position, so that the bottom corner of the incoming block of individual sheets is It directly engages the rollers 42 and provides the necessary frictional contact to pull the remaining blocks of the stack being fed.

The spring biased plate 40 always scrapes the bottom surface of the bottom sheet of each block of sheets that is transported over the powered rollers 42. This rubbing action prevents the "dragging sheet" from moving past the edge 49 and onto the rollers 42. This action works in concert with the frictional force transmitted by the transverse rollers 45 to the topmost sheet remaining on the stack, and the remaining sheets in the stack remaining on each sheet block and support elevator 11. to ensure accurate division between.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is a diagram depicting the receipt of a stack of sheets'! Figure J2 is a similar view showing the raised stack, Figure 3 is a similar view showing the blocks transferred to the reversing device, Figure 4 is a similar view showing the pivoting movement of the reversing device, and Figure 5 is a similar view showing the pivoting movement of the reversing device. 6 is a similar view showing the reversing device in a lowered position; FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view of the device of the invention; FIG. 8 is a schematic side view; 9 is a partial plan view of the block pusher taken along the line 9-9 in FIG. 8, FIG. 3410 is a sectional view taken along the line 10-10 in FIG. 7, and FIG. Figure 12 depicts the nominal dividing line of the 1J1 embodiment; Figures 13-15 depict the inflow of blocks of sheets on the receiving end of the conveyor; The diagrams drawn, Fig. 16 is a partial view passing through the upper end of the rear stop in the second embodiment, Fig. 17 is a partial view passing through the upper end of the rear stop in the third embodiment, Fig. 18 FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram depicting the division of blocks using the third embodiment; DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11... Elehe-' Block, 18... Stack, 20... Rear stop, 21... Ramp, 22
...Motor, 30...Surface, 31...Upright surface,
35... Cylindrical roller, 40... Rectangular plate,
41... Hinge, 42... Cylindrical roller, 44...
- Lower edge of plate, 45... Roller, 49... Top edge, 50... Upright plate, 53... Guide frame, 56... Ramp means, 55.56.57...
dividing line. ! To 57E! ==7iB' Noomi is 75!匡】7JZ”yl !=】jJ!5;

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. A stack splitting device for a corrugated sheet pick-up and feed device for removing successive blocks of sheets from the top of a vertical stack and moving each block along a longitudinal path, comprising: a framework; a driven conveyor disposed along the longitudinal path of the framework and having a moving surface extending from a receiving end; between the elevator means and the receiving end of the conveyor for bringing one edge of the stack of corrugated sheets into abutment against the elevator means; a lateral rear stop interposed therein; and a lateral rear stop located across the top of the rear stop spaced from the receiving end of the conveyor as the block is moved toward the receiving end of the conveyor. ramp means arranged so as to vertically separate each block of sheets from a stack on said elevator means, on said framework at a side of said elevator means opposite said ramp means; arranged and periodically moving blocks of sheets from the top of the stack over said ramp means to a transfer surface at said receiving end of said conveyor, at a height intermediate the heights of the top and bottom of said ramp means; said block pusher means comprising a transverse plate having a horizontal lower edge positioned at said block pusher means; 2. said plate having an upright surface facing said ramp means and an oppositely facing rear surface, said block pusher means further rotatable about a central transverse horizontal axis on said rear surface of said plate; 2. A stack dividing device as claimed in claim 1, comprising a roller mounted on the plate, the lowest height of which is slightly lower than the height of the lower edge of the plate. 3. said plate having an upright surface facing said ramp means and an oppositely facing rear surface, said block pusher means further operably coupling said block pusher means to said framework; mounting means for permitting limited vertical movement of said block pusher means relative to a framework; and rotation about a central transverse horizontal axis across said rear surface of said plate on said block pusher means. 2. A stack dividing device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a roller mounted removably, the lowest height of which is slightly lower than the height of the lower edge of said plate. 4. The stack dividing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said ramp means comprises a cylindrical roller rotatably mounted about a central transverse horizontal axis. 5. The stack splitting device of claim 1, wherein the ramp comprises a low friction sloped lateral surface. 6. said ramp means comprising: a rectangular plate pivotally mounted on said rear stop about a lateral horizontal axis and including a horizontal lateral top edge; a cylindrical roller rotatably mounted between the receiving end of the conveyor and the receiving end of the conveyor; and biasing means for moving the top edge of a block of the sheet towards the roller in response to movement of the block of the sheet by the block pusher means. stack splitter.