Not applicable.
Not applicable.
The present invention relates to crimping devices on paper converting and paper winding machines.
Most tissue paper products such as facial tissue are constructed from two or more tissue paper layers or webs. Multi-ply tissue is made by bringing two or more tissue webs together and forming a single web by joining the individual webs by crimping. The crimping is effected by a plurality of crimping wheels or disks which are spaced, for example, eight to twelve inches apart in the cross machine direction. The crimping wheels or disks run against and are driven by an anvil roll. The peripheral edge of the crimping wheel has a pattern which forms a crimping pattern on the multi-ply tissue which joins together the individual tissue webs when the individual webs pass between a nip formed between the crimping wheel periphery and the anvil roll. The multi-ply tissue web is then slit to form narrower rolls which may be, for example, 16 to 24 inches wide. Facial tissue or the like is then formed from these narrower crimped and split rolls. The crimping wheels are typically mounted on a pivoting mechanism which brings the crimping wheels into engagement with the anvil roll. The pivot mechanism allows simple and rapid opening of the gap between the crimping wheels and the anvil roll which facilitates threading of the tissue webs.
Over time the speed of paper handling equipment has increased in order to reduce production costs. However, existing tissue crimping equipment is not sufficiently rigid to allow operation at higher operating speeds, particularly speeds in excess of 4000 to even 6000 ft. per minute. What is needed is a tissue crimping machine which can operate at higher speeds.
The crimper of this invention has groups of two crimping wheels mounted to a transverse or cross machine direction carriage which can be moved and positioned in the cross machine direction. The transverse carriage is mounted for cross machine direction movement by four rollers which ride on a cross machine direction round bar. In addition a vertical flat bar held is between four rollers mounted to the transverse carriage. A spring-loaded clamp on the transverse carriage grabs the vertical bar to prevent cross machine direction motion of the transverse carriage. The transverse carriage may be moved by pneumatically actuating a rubber air-bladder which unclamps the flat bar, allowing the carriage to be moved on the two rollers in the cross machine direction.
Each crimping wheel is mounted to the transverse carriage by a support arm which in turn is mounted to a vertical carriage mounted for sliding motion on a linear bearing formed by vertical ways. A spring return air cylinder is mounted between each support bracket and the transverse carriage and is operable to move each vertical carriage and crimping wheel mounted thereto in the vertical direction. Downward vertical motion of each vertical carriage causes each crimping wheel to engage an anvil roll which extends in a cross machine direction. The mounting of the crimping wheels to the vertical carriages which ride on ways produces a rigid mount which allows operation of the crimping wheels at higher speeds. An air knife is mounted to the transverse carriage and positioned so that a jet of air is formed and blown along a coanda surface so the air jet is directed upwardly. The air jet is operated to periodically blow against the rotating crimping wheel and thereby remove fibers before they build up. Buildup of fibers on the crimping wheels from the tissue webs being crimped can cause the wheels to become unbalanced, resulting in undesirable vibration. The rigid mounting and the prevention of fiber buildup will allow the crimper of this invention to operate at machine speeds of up to 4,000 ft. per minute, even 6,000 ft. per minute or more.
It is a feature of the present invention to provide a crimping wheel which is mounted to and positioned on linear bearings.
It is a further feature of the present invention to provide a crimping wheel which incorporates a feature to prevent the build up of fibers on the crimping wheel.
It is another feature of the present invention to provide a crimping wheel which can be operated at higher speeds.
Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Referring more particularly to
Each crimper 20, as shown in
Mounted to the transverse carriage are also two rolls 41 positioned beneath the round rail 38 to prevent upward movement of the transverse carriage 34 in response to downward movement of the crimping wheels 28, 29 as shown in
The crimping wheels 28, 29 are mounted by bearings 50 to opposed stub shafts 51, 52 as shown in
An air knife 68 which has an air duct 70 located on the underside of Coanda surface 72 on a transverse bar 73 which extends in the cross machine direction in front of the crimping wheels 28, 29. The Coanda surface 72 directs a stream of air from the air duct 70 upwardly at about a forty-five degree angle against the rotating crimping wheels 28, 29. The air knife 68 can be used to periodically remove any buildup of web fibers on the crimping wheels. Such a buildup of fibers on the crimping wheels could result in undesirable vibration of the crimping wheels 28, 29.
The vertical carriage 58 has a handle 74 for moving the transverse carriage and positioning it in the cross machine direction. The handle can also be used to raise the vertical carriage 58 after the pneumatic actuator 64 immediately above the first crimping wheel 28 has been detached from the vertical carriage 58 by removing first pin 76 and pivoting the pneumatic actuator upwardly about a second pin 78, or after the pneumatic actuator 64 is completely removed by removing the first pin 76 and the second pin 78. A bracket 80 mounted to the side of the vertical carriage 58 has a pin hole 82 which can, when the vertical carriage is raised, be positioned over a matching positioning hole 84 in the side 86 of the transverse carriage 34 and retained in the raised position by inserting a pin through the pin hole 82 in the bracket 80 into the positioning hole 84. In this position it is possible to access both crimping wheels 28, 29 for replacement or maintenance.
It should be understood that the linear bearings which connect the vertical carriages to the transverse carriage could be of any type so long as they provide the necessary rigidity to allow the crimper to operate at speeds of up to 4,000 feet per minute or more.
It also be understood that the air knife 68 could be operated continuously but will preferably be operated only periodically to reduce the cost of compressed air.
It should also be understood that the number of crimping wheels mounted to a single transverse carriage could vary. It should also be understood the periphery edge of the crimping wheels 28, 29 will have a pattern formed thereon to produces a desired pattern of crimps, which can depending on the type and number of tissue webs being joined.
It is understood that the invention is not limited to the particular construction and arrangement of parts herein illustrated and described, but embraces all such modified forms thereof as come within the scope of the following claims.