GB724321A - Apparatus for winding limp material into coreless rolls - Google Patents

Abstract

724,321. Packaging-machines: JOHNSON & JOHNSON. March 26, 1953 [March 29, 1952], No. 8448/53. Class 94 (1). [March 29, Apparatus for winding a length of flexible material, e.g. cottonwool, into a coreless roll comprises a pair of frames, a series of parallel rollers arranged one in one frame and others in the other frame to define between them a rolling chamber, and means for rotating the rollers in the same direction so that the flexible material entering the chamber endwise is rolled upon itself, the frames being movable relatively, and automatically, to enlarge the chamber as the size of the roll increases and to permit discharge of the completed roll. A bat of cotton-wool 10 which, as shown in Fig. 11, is partially enclosed in a wrapper 11 provided with a daub of adhesive 13, is fed between an endless belt 14 and a pair of spaced endless belts 15 into a rolling chamber defined by a roller 19, carried by shaft 20 journaled in a fixed frame 29, 30 and rollers 21, 22 carried by shafts 23, 24 journaled in a movable frame 25 pivoted on a rotatable shaft 26. The shaft 20 and the pulleys 16, 17 of the belts are driven through spur gearing by a main shaft 35, and the shaft 32 of the pulleys 17 is coupled by chain and sprocket gearing 43, 44 to the shaft 26 which in turn is coupled by chain and sprocket gearing 45, 47 to a shaft 46 geared to the shafts 23, 24. The rollers 21, 22 are thus driven continuously irrespective of the position of the frame 25. The rollers 19, 21 and 22 are covered with rubber and the covering on the rollers 21, 22 is formed with interengaging tongues 51 and grooves 52. To prevent retrograde movement of the bat at the commencement of the rolling operation due to the action of the roller 22, a comb member 53 is provided having tines 56 engaging in the grooves 52 of the roller 22, whereby the incoming cotton-wool is guided away from the roller. A shaft 28 journalled in the member 53 and driven from the shaft 24 carries a series of rollers 27 arranged in the spaces between the tines, these rollers cooperating with the roller 19 to assist the feeding of the cotton-wool into the rolling chamber. The member 53 is formed with end slots 54 engaged by lugs 55 on the frame 25 and is located by a latch 61 operable by a knob 65. The tightness of the roll is determined by the unbalanced weight of the frame 25 augmented by a spring 67 acting through a cable 68, the tension of the spring being adjustable by a turnbuckle 68<SP>1</SP>. The frame 25 is swung forward to discharge the completed roll and then back to its normal position by pivotally-mounted air cylinder 71, the piston rod 73 of which is pivoted to the frame. The supply of air to alternate ends of the cylinder is controlled by valves 76, 77 activated by solenoids 96 and 87 respectively. Each incoming bat 10 engages a spring-loaded feeler 83 operating a micro-switch 82, the switch being closed when the rear end of the bat clears the finger to cause energisation of a relay which operates after a predetermined time interval to close a switch in the circuit of the solenoid 87, whereby the latter operates the valve 77 to supply air to the rear end of the cylinder 71. The length of the bat accordingly determines the duration of the rolling operation. The latter switch also controls a second relay which operates after a predetermined time interval to de-energise the solenoid 87, whereby the valve 77 is adjusted by a spring 94 to vent the rear end of the cylinder, and to energise the solenoid 96 whereby the valve 76 is operated to supply air to the front end of the cylinder. The arrival of the next bat opens the micro-switch 82 whereby the solenoid 96 is de-energised and the valve 76 adjusted by a spring 98 to vent the front end of the cylinder, leaving the frame free to move against the action of the spring 67. In a modification, Fig. 13 (not shown), an additional roller is mounted in the frame 25 above the roller 22.