EP0511488A1 - Paper folder with adjustable folding rollers - Google Patents

Abstract

In a paper folder with a plurality of folding rollers, each pair of which forms a folding point and whose axial spacings can be adjusted to different folding gap widths in accordance with the thickness of the paper to be processed and the number of layers of paper passing the individual folding points, and with mechanical or electronic forwarding limiters, which are arranged upstream of the individual folding points and can be individually adjusted to different forwarding lengths, for determination of the folding gap widths of the individual pairs of folding rollers (W1 to W5), the thickness determined by means of a thickness measuring device (40), the sheet length of the incoming material to be folded which is determined by means of a length measuring device (41) and the desired type of folding and/or the set forwarding lengths of the individual forwarding limiters (T1 to T4) are fed into a process control computer (20). The folding gap widths determined are in each case displayed in digital form and/or fed into a servo control device (35), which uses them as desired values for continuous adjustment of the individual axial spacings (a) to these folding gap widths corresponding to the single or multiple thickness respectively of the material to be folded. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a paper folding machine with a plurality of radially adjustable folding rollers, each forming a folding point in pairs, which are mounted in bearing arms with two-armed pivot levers which can be moved apart against the action of radial spring forces and whose second lever arms can be lifted off by actuators with which the center distances of the folding rollers can be raised Self-locking, manually adjustable thread interventions can be set to different gap widths according to the paper thickness to be processed and the number of paper layers passing through the individual folding points, as well as with mechanical or electronic flow limiters, which precede the individual folding points and can be individually adjusted to different lead lengths.

There is already a paper folding machine of the generic type known (CH-PS 390 287), in which the swivel levers on which the folding rollers are mounted resiliently rest with a lever arm at one end of a rod-shaped, axially movably mounted sensing element, the other end of which can be lifted off rests on the end face of an actuator. This actuator is designed as a threaded bolt that is adjustably screwed into a threaded bore of a bearing part that is fixed to the frame and is coaxial with the axis of the sensing element. In order to set the desired desired gap width, plates are inserted as intermediate layers between the touch gene and the face of the threaded bolt facing it, the thickness of which corresponds to the fold gap width to be set. The threaded bolt, which is provided with a rotary head, is only used for the corrective adjustment of the feeler so that the gap width set with the help of the intermediate layers can be adjusted upwards or downwards with regard to the other paper properties.

In this and in other known paper folding machines of the generic type, the center distances of the folding roller pairs forming the individual folding points can only be adjusted manually after the user has previously known or determined them Paper thickness, and on the basis of the type of fold set by him, determined in how many layers of paper the folded material passes the individual folds. However, it must also be taken into account that all folding points which are traversed by a trailing single-layer section of folded material can only be set to the simple paper thickness, because otherwise the frictional drive required for folding this single-layer trailing section of folded material would no longer be guaranteed.

Since a much higher accuracy of the folding work can be achieved if the distances of the folding rollers forming a folding point in pairs are each set to a folding gap width which corresponds to the value which results from the paper thickness and the number of layers with which the folding material If the relevant folding point happens, it is important to be able to adjust each individual folding point to the corresponding gap width. According to the previously known manual method, this task is not only difficult to solve because an average specialist, who only knows the type of fold, the paper thickness and possibly also the paper length of the starting format, finds it difficult to determine the correct fold gap width of each individual fold location . In practice, incorrect settings on such folding machines are correspondingly common.

The invention is therefore based on the object in a paper folding machine of the generic type to facilitate the setting and / or determination of the gap widths of the individual folding points corresponding to a certain paper thickness, paper length and type of folding and to guarantee error-free paper transport through all the folding points and the greatest possible functional reliability shape.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that a programmed process computer with an input keyboard and a digital display is provided for determining the gap widths of the individual folding roller pairs, and the thickness and the sheet length of the incoming folding material are either manually or via electronic analog-digital converters from a thickness measuring device or one Length measuring device as well as the desired fold type and / or the set lead lengths of the individual lead limiters are entered, and that the fold gap widths calculated by the process computer from the entered values are displayed as digital values and / or via a control device provided with electronic comparator circuits and power amplifier stages are supplied, which control the electric geared motors of overrun control devices, which cause the stepless adjustment of the individual center distances to the respective single or multiple thicknesses of the folded goods by means of the respective thread interventions and which have electrical or electronic position indicators as actual value transmitters, each with the Actuators are connected.

The linking or utilization of the individual parameters, namely the paper thickness, the paper length and the paper layers resulting from the selected type of fold in the individual fold locations, is carried out in the process computer after a program has been entered, for example in an EPROM, that is to say in an erasable program command memory, and with the help of coincidence processes that are part of the program. It is also necessary to have electronic memories available for storing or temporarily storing the external values, which are integrated as usual in the process computer. With a suitable subroutine, the process computer is also able to determine from the entered paper length and the entered type of fold in how many layers the folded material passes the individual fold points and whether the same folded material first has two or more layers and a certain fold point then runs through with a trailing section only in one layer.

With conventional folding machines, the user must determine the specifications required for the functional setting of the gap widths and then take them into account when setting them manually.

In upset folding machines, the flow limiters are usually designed as folding pockets with mechanically or electrically adjustable paper stops. But there are also upset folding machines in which non-stop flow limiters are provided with electronically preset flow lengths. In both cases, the settings of the individual lead lengths can be made available to the process computer as parameters in the form of digital values when determining the individual gap widths.
Compression folding machines with several pairs of folding rollers and folding pockets are also known, in which a process computer calculates the working positions of the paper stops and the paper deflectors by entering the initial format of the folding material, the final format of the folding material and the type of folding, and in which these values determined by the process computer for the continuous adjustment of the Paper stops can be used with the help of a tracking control device (DE 27 38 689 C3). In addition, with upset folding machines it is also known that an electronic pulse generator, which is synchronized with the folding rollers and is controlled by folding material sensors, is provided for the control of the flow limiter which can be actuated by means of electromagnets in accordance with the folding length. This type of flow limiter works without a stop (DE 27 57 182 C2). In this case, with the help of the electronic pulse generator and the folding goods sensors controlling them, the leading distance of the leading folding material section is determined in principle, with the help of a coincidence circuit, the stop movement of the corresponding braking or locking elements is triggered. The coincidence circuit can be set to the respective number of pulses by means of a keyboard or by a process computer, upon reaching which the flow limiters should come into action. In this respect, a length measurement also takes place.

However, these known computer-aided methods have nothing to do with the setting and determination of specific gap widths at the individual folding points of a folding machine. They only serve to determine the lead distance, that is to say only one of a number of output variables which are required to determine the correct fold gap width at the individual fold points.

The main advantage that is achieved with the invention is that even if the actual center spacing is set manually, a significant relief and, above all, a considerably higher level of safety is guaranteed when the actual center spacing is set manually because these values to be set in each case are made by the process computer determined and displayed. This means that this main advantage can also be achieved with relatively little effort. In addition, however, there is also the possibility of fully automatic programming of an upset folding machine for any desired folding work, taking into account the optimal folding gap widths at the individual folding points.

While there is basically the possibility of determining the paper thickness and the sheet length using appropriate measuring devices and, if necessary, entering them directly into the process computer as digital values using electronic analog-digital converters, these values can also be entered manually using the keyboard provided, if they are known.

The adjustment mechanism provided according to the invention is of great advantage in particular in those cases in which the center distance of a pair of rollers must be set to a folding gap width which corresponds only to the simple paper thickness, although the folding point in question is passed through by the material to be folded in multiple layers. In addition, it allows in a simple way to precisely set the desired folding gap width and nevertheless to realize a radially resilient mounting of the individual folding rollers, which only makes it possible for a folding point which is set to a folding gap width corresponding to the simple paper thickness to be multilayered folded goods can therefore be passed with the multiple paper thickness and still works reliably with optimal fold formation.

The embodiment according to claim 2 relates to an expedient arrangement of the thickness and length measuring device in a transport path, which is usually present anyway and is used for the longitudinal alignment of the folded material along a guide bar.

For a structurally simple solution to the adjustable mounting of the individual folding rollers, the embodiment according to claim 3 has proven to be advantageous.

The embodiments of the invention according to claim 4 enable simple means to be achieved contribute to simple handling and the digital display of the set gap widths even if they have been set manually.

Fig. 1

in schematisch vereinfachter Darstellung seitenansichtlich eine Stauchfalzmaschine mit vorgelagerter Ausrichtstrecke für das von einem Stapel zuzuführende Falzgut;

Fig. 2

ein Blockschaltbild der elektrischen bzw. elektronischen Steuereinrichtung;

Fig. 3

in vereinfachter Darstellung den Verstellmechanismus einer Falzwalze;

Fig. 4

einen schematischen Querschnitt durch eine Stauchfalzmaschine mit zwei Falztaschen, deren Anschläge automatisch einstellbar sind;

Fig. 5

verschiedene Falzformen.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing. It shows:

Fig. 1

in a schematically simplified representation, side view of an upset folding machine with an upstream alignment section for the folded material to be fed from a stack;

Fig. 2

a block diagram of the electrical or electronic control device;

Fig. 3

in a simplified representation the adjustment mechanism of a folding roller;

Fig. 4

a schematic cross section through an upset folding machine with two folding pockets, the stops of which are automatically adjustable;

Fig. 5

different fold shapes.

The buckle folding machine 1, shown only schematically in Fig. 1 has a total of five folding rollers W 1 to W 5, and also a feed roller W, which forms a collection point E to the first folding roller W 1, at the place where these two rollers W and W 1 touch or where they are the smallest distance apart. The folding roller W 1 forms with the folding roller W 2 the first folding point A , the second folding roller W 2 forms the second folding point B with the third folding roller W 3, the third folding roller W 3 forms the third folding point C with the fourth folding roller W 4 and the fifth folding roller W 5 forms the fourth folding point D with the fourth folding roller W 4 . The axes of the feed roller W and the folding rollers W 1 to W 5 are each in the corners of isosceles, right-angled triangles 2, 3 and 4, which are drawn in dash-dotted lines in Fig. 1. While the feed roller is fixedly mounted and unadjustable W, each of the folding rollers is W 1 to W 5 are each radially to the cooperating with it and either the intake point E or a folding station A to D forming folding rollers radially towards the respectively indicated in FIG. 1, arrows adjustable so that the feed gap at the feed point E can be adjusted to the paper thickness of the material to be processed and the fold gaps at the fold points A to D can be adjusted to the appropriate gap widths. Here, the folding rollers W 1, W 3 and W 5 are each in the vertical direction radial to the overlying rollers each W 1 and W 2 and W 4 adjustable, while the folding rollers W 2 and W 4 radially in the horizontal direction to the folding rollers W 1 and W 3 are adjustable.

Since the maximum adjustment paths or fold gap widths are of the order of 1 mm or less and the fold rollers usually have a diameter of about 35 to 40 mm or even more, the displacements occurring during the adjustment in the circumferential direction of the opposite roller do not affect the folding quality, provided, of course, that the parallel axis course is preserved.

The folding pockets T 1, T 2, T 3 and T 4 arranged in front of the folding points A to D each have stops 5, which can be adjusted to different lead lengths manually or with the aid of a tracking control device according to FIG. 4. For the sake of simplicity, only two folding pockets T 1 and T 2 are shown in FIG. 4 together with the folding rollers W 1, W 2 and W 3 and the feed roller W , which form the folding points A and B. The folding pockets T 3 and T 4 are expediently of the same design. The feed and folding rollers W - W 3 shown in FIG. 4 each consist of a metal core 6 and a jacket 7 made of elastic material of certain hardness. However, other rolls can also be used, for example full metal rolls or those which have sections made of elastic material between full metal sections. The folded material passes through the feed point E and the two fold points A and B in succession in the directions indicated by the arrows 8, 9 and 10. In order to run the folded material into the folding pockets T 1, T 2 as needed To prevent a specific type of folding from being achieved, these folding pockets T 1 and T 2 - the same also applies to the folding pockets T 3 and T 4 - are each provided on the inlet side with paper deflectors 11 and 12, each of which is arranged parallel to the folding rollers W 1, W 4 extending axes 13 and 14 are pivotally mounted. Both paper deflectors 11 and 12 can each be actuated by electromagnets E 1 and E 2 so that they either close the inlet openings of the folding pockets T 1 and T 2 or keep them open.

P -

einfacher Parallelfalz

Z -

z-förmige Falzform

DP -

Doppelparallelfalz

W -

Wickelfalz

A -

Oberseite des Falzgutes liegt außen

I -

Oberseite des Falzgutes liegt innen.

For adjusting and positioning the paper stops 5 in the folding pockets T 1 and T 2, threaded spindles 15 and 16 are provided, which run parallel to the folding pockets T 1, T 2 and are rotatably mounted in an axially fixed manner. The paper stops 5 are each provided with an adjusting foot 17 which has a threaded bore 18 into which the threaded spindle 15 or 16 is screwed. The threaded spindles 15, 16 are each in gear connection with an electric motor M which is reversible in the direction of rotation and are each provided with a pulse disk 19 which is scanned by a light barrier L 1 or L 2. The pulse disks 19 each form a pulse generator with the associated light barriers L 1 and L 2, on which not only the angle of rotation but also the direction of rotation of the threaded spindles 15 and 16 can be removed. The electromagnets E 1 and E 2 as well as the Electric motors M of the threaded spindles 15 and 16 from a process computer 20 which, via a connected keyboard 21, all the data required for setting the lead lengths in the individual folding pockets and for determining the individual gap widths, for example the length of the basic format of the folding material, the folding shape and the desired length of the final format can be entered, a total of nine different fold shapes, which are shown schematically in FIG. 5, being selectable. Here means

P -

simple parallel fold

Z -

Z-shaped fold shape

DP -

Double parallel fold

W -

Wrap fold

A -

The top of the folded material is on the outside

I -

The top of the folded material is inside.

The process computer 20 consists, as can be seen from the schematic illustration in FIG. 2, of a main processor (master processor) 20/1 and a subordinate second processor (slave processor) 20/2. The keyboard 21 is connected to the main processor 20/1, via which the operator can enter the setpoints or the parameters. In addition, a digital display device in the form of a display 39 is connected to it, which has a plurality of display fields for displaying the respective actual values of the Lead lengths, the gap widths and the type of fold just set. This main processor is also able to store values or parameters which are necessary for operating the machine, even when the machine is switched off, so that they do not have to be re-entered every time as long as it does not want to update them, ie to change them.
For this purpose, it is provided with an electronic data memory DS in which these values and parameters are kept available for calculation of the gap widths to be determined and on which the four actual value transmitters consisting of the light barriers L 1, L 2 and the associated pulse disks 19 are used as input units 42 are connected. Because four actual value transmitters are also present in the four folding pockets T1 to T4 here, input unit 42 contains the inscription L1-L4.
In an EPROM, ie. The work program of the process computer 20, by means of which the determination or calculation of the desired values from the parameters mentioned is carried out, is contained in an erasable program instruction memory.
The second processor 20/2 carries out the actual setting of the fold gap widths and possibly also the setting of the lead lengths, for example by correspondingly setting the paper stops 5 in the fold pockets T1 to T4. this second processor 20/2 is through an interface 20/3 connected to the main processor for exchanging data and provided with an output-side power amplifier LV , via which it controls the electric motors M for setting the paper stops 5 and / or the geared motors M 1 to M 5 for setting the gap widths. An analog-digital converter unit A / D connects both analog position detectors P1 to P5 of adjusting shafts 33 and an automatic paper thickness measuring device 40 to the second processor 20/2, while an automatic paper length measuring device 41 is connected directly to it.

It can be seen from the fold shapes shown schematically in FIG. 5 that the number of paper layers with which the folded material passes the individual fold points A to D can be different. This means that the gap widths of the individual fold points A to D , if they are to be optimally adjusted, can correspond to single to four times the paper thickness. It should also be borne in mind that the paper thicknesses of the folding material to be processed can be very different.

In order to be able to set these optimal fold gap widths or to achieve a high folding accuracy, W 1 to W 5 is required for the individual folding rollers An adjustment mechanism is provided at each of the two roller ends, as is shown, for example, in FIG. 3 for the folding roller W 1 for adjusting the gap width at the feed point E.

As already mentioned, the feed roller W is rotatably mounted in a stationary manner, ie in radially immovable bearings. The first folding roller W 1, on the other hand, like the other folding rollers W 2 to W 5, is mounted on a lever arm 23 of a bearing part 22 consisting of a two-arm pivot lever, which is pivotable about a pivot bearing 25 parallel to the roller axis and the second lever arm 24 of which is under the influence of a Tension spring 26 is that the folding roller is radially pressed against the feed roller W 1 W. To change the center distance a and to set a certain gap width at the feed point E , the second lever arm 24 of the bearing part 22 is provided with an adjusting screw 27 which rests on the end face 28 of a threaded spindle 29 provided with a fine thread. This threaded spindle 29 is in engagement with an internal thread 29 'of a stationary support bearing 30 and is also provided with a toothed pinion 31, by means of which it is in a geared connection via a second toothed pinion 32 with an actuating shaft 33 which can also be operated manually. This control shaft 33 is provided with a rotary knob 34 and also with the not shown Actuator of a position detector P1 consisting, for example, of a potentiometer, which, as an analog actual value transmitter, reports the respective setting of the threaded spindle 29 and thus the gap width at the feed point E to the processor 20/2. The threaded spindle 29 is in direct rotary connection with the reversible direction of rotation motor M 1, from which it can be controlled in one direction or the other, controlled by the processor 20/2. However, this adjustment of the threaded spindle 29 is also possible alternatively manually via the manual setting element consisting of the adjusting shaft 33 and the rotary knob 34. For this purpose, the rotary knob is provided with a scale 36.
The threaded spindle 29, the geared motor M 1 and the position indicator P 1, the actuator of which is in rotary connection via the adjusting shaft 33 with the threaded spindle 29, represent a continuous tracking control device 35 with which an automatic adjustment of the center distance a between the folding roller W 1 and the feed roller W a manual setting a center distance with simultaneous digital display of the respective actual position and the respective actual folding gap width on the display 39 is possible but this.

In an analogous manner, the other folding rollers W 2 to W 5 are horizontal in the arrow directions indicated in FIG. 1 or vertically adjustable, for which purpose additional geared motors M 2 to M 5 and position indicators P 2 to P 5 are used. For this reason, the circuit component 37 is assigned the information P 1 -P 5 and the circuit component 38 the information M 1- M 5.

In Fig. 1, a paper length measuring device 41 is shown schematically in a transport path 43 serving as an alignment path, which consists of a light barrier 53 and a pulse disk 54, as well as corresponding electronic counter elements. In addition, in Fig. 1 between a sheet separation device 44 shown in simplified form, which takes the folded material as a single sheet from a sheet stack 56 of a rising table 55 and transfers it to the transport path 43, and the light barrier 53, the electronic paper thickness measuring device 40 provided with a feeler roller 45 is arranged. This paper thickness measuring device 40 is provided with an inductive, that is to say analog, sensor, the measured values of which, as described above, are fed to the processor 20/2 via the analog / digital converter unit A / D and from there to the main processor via the interface 20/3.

The transport path 43 is formed by the upper run 47 of an endless conveyor belt 50, which is guided over two belt rollers 48 and 49, on which in a known manner Press balls 51 of a flat ball cage 52 lie loosely to ensure the required driving friction.

To determine the fold gap widths to be set in each case at the feed point E or at the individual fold points A to D , the parameters are entered into the process computer either manually using the keyboards 21 and / or 46 or by the paper thickness measuring device 40 and the paper length measuring device 41 and by the input unit 42, which are required to determine, automatically set and / or display the optimal fold gap widths at the feed point E and at the individual fold points A to D. These parameters are the paper thickness, the paper length and the lead lengths or positions of the paper stops 5 in the individual folding pockets T 1 to T 4 which result from the selected fold shape, and, as already mentioned, it is possible to use electronic measuring devices or Determine actual value transmitters and enter them digitally into the process computer 20.

Due to its stored work program, the process computer 20 is also able to take into account whether and, if so, in which folding point A to D due to the trailing of a single-layer section of folding material despite one previous multi-layer folding goods pass, the folding gap width may only be set to the simple paper thickness. The user of a folding machine equipped in this way not only benefits from the enormous saving of time, but also the certainty that the folding machine as a whole is optimally adjusted to the selected folding program.

The work program contains a mathematical arithmetic procedure that retraces the complete folding process taking place in the machine or executes it in advance. For example, the individual lead lengths are successively subtracted from the initial length of the paper sheet. Then it is checked how many layers of paper are created by this folding process. After the number of paper layers has been determined in this way, this can be multiplied by the parameter "paper thickness" and converted into the gap width for each pair of rollers.

If these fold gap widths are not only displayed, but are also used to control the geared motors M 1 - M 5, this is done using the overrun control method, in which the respective positions of position detectors P 1 - P 5 are reported back to the processor and compared with the calculated values will be until coincidence is reached.

Claims (4)

Paper folding machine with a plurality of folding rollers ( W 1 - W 5) which can be adjusted radially to one another and each form a folding point (A, B, D, C) and which are mounted in bearing arms (23) with two-armed swivel levers (22) which act against the action of radial spring forces (Tension spring 26) movable apart and the second lever arms (24) of actuators (29) can be lifted, with which the center distances ( a ) of the folding rollers (W1 - W5) by means of self-locking manually adjustable thread interventions (29, 29 ') according to the to be processed Paper thickness and the number of paper layers passing through the individual fold points can be adjusted to different gap widths, as well as with mechanical or electronic flow limiters, which are arranged upstream of the individual fold points and can be individually adjusted to different lead lengths,
characterized by
that to determine the gap widths of the individual Folding roller pairs ( W 1 - W 5) a programmed process computer (20) with an input keyboard (21) and a digital display (39) is provided, to which the thickness and the sheet length of the incoming folding material are either manually or via electronic analog-digital converters from a thickness measuring device ( 40) or a length measuring device (41) as well as the desired type of fold and / or the set lead lengths of the individual lead limiters ( T 1 - T 4), and that the gap widths calculated by the process computer (20) according to the program from the entered values are each digital values indicated and / or supplied via a control device provided with electronic comparator circuits and power amplifier stages, which control the electric geared motors ( M 1 - M 5) of overtravel control devices (35), the stepless adjustment via the respective thread interventions (29, 29 ') of the individual center distances ( a ) on d This causes the fold gap widths corresponding to the single or multiple thickness of the folded material and which, as actual value transmitters, have electrical or electronic position detectors (P1 to P5) which are each connected to the actuators (29). Paper folding machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the thickness measuring device (40) and the length measuring device (41) are arranged in a transport path (43) lying between a sheet separating device (44) and a feed point (E) formed by a pair of rollers ( W , W 1) are. Paper folding machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the folding rollers ( W 1 - W 5) are arranged with respect to one another such that the axes of three folding rollers ( W 1 - W 5) each in the corners of an isosceles, right-angled triangle (2 - 4 ) and a folding roller ( W 1 - W 5) of a folding roller pair can be adjusted in the direction of one cathode and the other in the direction of the other cathode of this triangle (2 - 4). Paper folding machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the actuators (29) and the electrical or electronic position indicators ( P 1 - P 5) are each connected to a common manual setting member (33, 34) in a rotationally fixed, mechanical connection and can be adjusted together by this.

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