On the one hand, the invention relates to a knife strip for generating cutting and/or perforating lines transversely to the transport direction of web-shaped or sheet-shaped substrates, comprising a knife strip length, which is defined by two outer edges, wherein at least one longitudinal edge is formed as cutting edge, as well as to an adjusting device for adjusting the exact position of the knife strip, which is arranged so as to be capable of being clamped in a knife bar, wherein the knife bar can be attached to position the knife strip into the adjusting device, as well as a knife bar for adjusting the exact position of the knife strip, which is arranged so as to be capable of being clamped in this knife bar.
In particular in the case of apparatuses, such as cross-cutting devices and/or folding units of web-fed printing presses for cross cutting and/or for perforating in particular web-shaped materials, such as, for example, paper webs, nonwoven webs or plastic webs, transversely to the direction of travel, so-called cutting knife or perforating knife cylinders are used, which rotate around an axis of rotation, wherein the axis of rotation is perpendicular to the transport direction of the web-shaped or sheet-shaped material, which is guided past the cutting or perforating cylinder, so that the circumferential direction of the cutting or perforating cylinder coincides with the transporting direction of the material, which is guided past. Due to the fact that it is not relevant for the below-described inventive idea whether it is used for cutting or perforating cylinders or knives, respectively, only the generic term of the cutting device or of the cutting process, respectively, will be used below, because the perforating is also a cutting process, albeit with interrupted cutting edge.
In a cutting cylinder of this type, which is also referred to as cutting knife cylinder, at least one knife strip is arranged on the jacket surface essentially parallel to the axis of rotation, wherein the knife strip is brought into operative connection with the material to be cut for the complete or partial severing. The knife strip is essentially a sheet metal strip of knife steel comprising a knife strip length, which is limited by two outer edges, wherein at least one longitudinal edge is formed as cutting edge, on which teeth are formed, which are located next to one another. The cutting edge or the teeth, respectively, are ground in on one side and are thus extremely sharp-edged.
To build up the corresponding cutting force for passing through the material to be cut, the knife strip cooperates with a counter strip, which consists mainly of an elastic material, such as, for example, foamed or unfoamed polyurethane. The at least one counter strip is fastened to a counter cylinder, which is located opposite the cutting cylinder, based on the material to be cut.
Due to the limited service life of the knife strip, the knife strip has to be capable of being exchanged with simple means on the cutting cylinder, which is why the knife strip is mostly clamped into a knife bar, which can be fastened to the cutting cylinder. The knife bar essentially consists of a base body and a clamping strip, which can be clamped thereto, wherein the knife strip is fixed between the base body and the clamping strip. To exchange the knife strip, only the at least one knife bar has to thus be exchanged on the cutting cylinder.
To ensure a clean severing of the material to be cut as well as to avoid excessive cutting or counter forces, respectively, between the knife strip and the counter strip, an exact adjustment of the knife strip to the cutting cylinder and, due to the defined contact surfaces between knife bar and cutting cylinder, an exact adjustment of the knife strip to the knife bar is thus imperative.
Adjusting devices, into which the knife bar is mostly inserted with the preassembled knife strip, are known from the prior art for this purpose. To adjust the correct knife height, that is, the correct projection of the cutting edge over the base body of the knife bar, or the correct distance of the cutting edge to the bearing surface of the knife bar in the knife cylinder, the cutting edge is pressed against a surface with defined position to the knife bar, and the knife strip is subsequently clamped in the knife bar.
An adjustment of this type has various disadvantages. If the adjusting surface, with which the cutting edge is brought into contact for the adjustment, consists of a relatively hard material, such as, for example, steel, the mostly very sharp-edged cutting edge or the very sharp teeth of the cutting edge, respectively, are already damaged, before they are even inserted into the knife cylinder. If the adjusting surface consists of a very soft material, such as, for example, an elastomer, an exact adjustment of the cutting knife height is not ensured due to the low hardness of the adjusting surface and the pass-through of the cutting edge therein. If the adjusting surface consists of a material of average hardness, such as, for example, a dimensionally stable plastic or aluminum, the area of the adjusting surface, which comes into contact with the cutting edge, wears over time due to the teeth of the cutting edge, which are mostly ground to be very sharp-edged, so that the accuracy of the knife height decreases over time.
The invention is thus based on the object of creating a solution, by means of which an exact adjustment of the knife height is ensured for the entire service life of the adjusting device or of the knife bar, or by means of which the use of an adjusting device can even be forgone completely.
The object is solved by means of a device according to the invention, which comprises a knife strip, in the case of which at least one stop surface is formed in the area of at least one outer edge, as well as an adjusting device, which comprises at least one stop, against which at least one stop surface of the knife strip can be placed, as well as a knife bar, which comprises at least one stop, against which at least one stop surface of the knife strip can be placed.
An embodiment of the cutting strip in interaction with a corresponding adjusting device or a corresponding knife bar has the advantage that, for adjusting the knife strip, the latter no longer comes into contact with a different object, so that, on the one hand, there is no longer the risk of the loss of the sharpness of the cutting edge or of the teeth molded there, respectively. On the other hand, an additional adjusting device is also no longer required when using a corresponding knife bar according to the invention, which significantly facilitates the performance of an exchange of the knife strip as well as the adjustment thereof, and which eliminates sources of error.
In an advantageous embodiment, a stop surface in each case is formed on the knife strip in the area of both outer edges or at a corresponding distance thereto, respectively. The knife strip, which is to be adjusted in the knife bar, can thus be placed with both stop surfaces against two corresponding stops of either the adjusting device or the knife bar, so that the exact positioning of the knife strip to the knife bar is ensured. The stop surfaces can thus be formed in such a way that, on the one hand, the projection of the knife strip over the knife bar is constant over the entire length, but it is also possible to design the plurality of the stop surfaces in such a way that an exact lengthwise positioning of the knife strip to the knife bar is ensured.
In a further advantageous embodiment, the at least one stop surface has a defined distance to the cutting edge. Due to the distance between the cutting edge and the at least one stop surface, as well as in particular due to a narrow tolerancing of this distance, a very exact and always constant exact positioning of the knife strip to the knife bar and thus a constantly high cut quality can thus be attained.
In a further advantageous embodiment, the at least one stop surface is embodied as a recessed notch to the cutting edge. In the case of such an embodiment, the cutting edge is thus the most raised point of the knife strip, and there is no additional interference contour, which has to be considered, in particular when the cutting cylinder cooperates with the counter cylinder, in response to the installation of the knife strip into the knife bar or in response to the installation of the knife bar into the cutting cylinder, respectively.
Further embodiments of the invention follow from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments.
Various exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described in more detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, without being limited thereto.
The knife bar 10, which is illustrated in an exemplary manner, consists of an L-shaped base body 11 and of a clamping strip 12, so that a knife strip 1 can be clamped between the base body 11 and the clamping strip 12. The clamping usually takes place via a plurality of screws, which are attached in the extension of the knife bar length and which are screwed into the base body 11 and which press the clamping strip 12, which has corresponding through bores, against the knife strip 1, so that the knife strip 1 is clamped between the base body 11 and the clamping strip 12, so as to be able to absorb the cutting forces. This screw or clamping connection, respectively, is illustrated schematically in
The knife strip 1, which is illustrated in
For the simpler adjustment of the projection of the knife strip 1 over the knife bar 10, the base body comprises at least one pressure screw 13, which presses against the knife strip 1, which is illustrated only very generally in
The adjustment of the knife strip 1 in the knife carrier, as it is known from the prior art, is illustrated in an exemplary and schematic manner in
If the adjusting surface 24 consists of a relative hard material, such as, for example, steel, the very sharp-edged cutting edge 4 already loses sharpness, because the teeth 5, which are mostly embodied on the cutting edge 4, are only stressed pointwise. If, in contrast, the adjusting surface 24 consists of aluminum, the cutting edge 4 digs into the adjusting surface 24 over time, so that the accuracy of the adjustment of the knife strip 1 to the knife bar 10 is no longer ensured over time, because the tolerances, which need to be adhered to in response to the adjustment of the knife strip 1, are very narrow, so as to ensure a reliable and clean cut on the one hand and no excessive cutting forces on the other hand.
To avoid that the cutting edge 4 presses into the adjusting surface 24, the latter can thus also not be made of a very soft material, such as, for example, an elastomer.
Due to the contact between the cutting edge 4 and the adjusting surface 24, which cannot be avoided when using an adjusting device 20 of this type, there is the risk of damages to the cutting edge 4 already prior to the installation of the knife strip 1 or of the knife bar 10, respectively, into the cutting cylinder. A limitation of the adjusting surface 24 to at least a smaller surface does not solve this problem, but only limits it geometrically, optionally due to the higher pressure in the smaller areas with damages to the cutting edge 4, which are higher there.
The knife strip 1 is designed in such a way that at least one stop surface 6, which has a defined distance d to the cutting edge 4, is formed in the area of at least one outer edge 3, preferably in the area of both outer edges 3.
For each stop surface 6, the adjusting device 20 has a corresponding stop 25, which is attached in the side plate 22 of the adjusting device 20 in the embodiment illustrated in an exemplary manner in
The knife strip 1 is attached in a clampable manner to the knife bar 10, the exemplary embodiment of a screw connection is illustrated by means of the dash-dotted lines. To position the knife strip 1 in the knife bar 10, the latter is transferred into the adjusting device 20, which comprises at least one stop 25, against which the at least one stop surface 6 of the knife strip 1 can be placed. The knife strip 1 can be pressed from below against the at least one stop 25 for example by means of the pressure screws 13. Once the correct position of the knife strip 1 is reached, that is, the at least one stop surface 6 is pressed against the stop 25, the knife strip 1 can be clamped between the base body 11 of the knife bar 10 and the clamping strip 12 by means of clamping screws, which are not illustrated in
A mechanical contact of the cutting surface with a different component for adjusting the knife strip 1 is thus completely ruled out.
The embodiment of an adjusting device 20 according to the invention, which is illustrated in an exemplary manner in
The knife strip 1 is designed in such a way that at least one stop surface 6, which has a defined distance d to the cutting edge 4, is formed in the area of at least one outer edge 3, preferably in the area of both outer edges 3.
For each stop surface 6, the knife bar 10 has a corresponding stop 14, which, in the embodiment, which is illustrated in an exemplary manner in
Even though it is not illustrated in
The knife strip 1 is attached in a clampable manner in the knife bar 10, the exemplary embodiment of the clamping by means of clamping screws can be seen in that the knife strip 1 has four through bores for this purpose. To position the knife strip 1 in the knife bar 10, the latter comprises a stop 14, which is attached, for example, on the base body 11 and against which the at least one stop surface 6 of the knife strip 1 can be placed. The knife strip 1 can be pressed from below against the at least one stop 14 for example by means of the pressure screws 13. Once the correct position of the knife strip 1 is reached, that is, the at least one stop surface 6 is pressed against the stop 14, the knife strip 1 can be clamped between the base body 11 of the knife bar 10 and the clamping strip 12, which is not illustrated in
Even though it is not illustrated in
However, the use of stop surfaces 6, which are offset from the two longitudinal edges 2, has an additional advantage, as illustrated in
By using a knife strip 1, which, on at least one outer edge 3, has stop surfaces 6, which are offset accordingly on both longitudinal edges 2, the knife strip 1 can be embodied symmetrically to its longitudinal central axis, which makes it possible that both longitudinal edges 2 are embodied as cutting edges 4. If one cutting edge 4 is now worn accordingly due to the cutting process, the entire knife strip 1 does not already have to be exchanged and thus disposed of, but due to the fact that both longitudinal edges 2 are embodied as cutting edges 4, the knife strip 1 can be turned and can be used a second time, so that the required use of material and thus also the incurrence of costs is reduced.
It is irrelevant thereby whether the at least one stop 14 is arranged on the side of the cutting edge 4, which is designated for use, as it is illustrated in
The alternative embodiment illustrated in
Even though it is not illustrated in the drawings, it is also possible to position a knife strip 1 comprising two cutting edges 4, as illustrated in an exemplary manner in
Even though it is not illustrated in
A mechanical contact of the cutting surface 4 with another component for adjusting the knife strip 1 is completely ruled out in all cases, in which at least one stop surface 6 of the knife strip 1 stops against at least one stop 14 of the knife bar 10 or against at least one stop 25 of the adjusting device 20, so that damages to the at least one cutting edge 4 are avoided reliably.
Only for the sake of completeness,
Perforating knives are embodied essentially identical to cutting knives and only have the differentiating feature that the cutting edge 4 has interruptions in terms of notches, at which the material, which is to be perforated, is to not be severed. Only the term knife strip 1 will be used below in this respect, regardless of whether they are used for cutting or for perforating materials.
In the area of both outer edges 3, the knife strip 1 illustrated in
Even though the defined stop surfaces 6 can generally be formed at every longitudinal edge 2, they are preferably attached in the area of at least one outer edge 3, particularly preferably in the area of both outer edges 3, in order to have a clearance, which is as large as possible, in the extension of the knife strip length L, on the one hand, because this ensures an exact positioning by avoiding a tilting effect. On the other hand, the at least one cutting edge 4 can thus be formed without interruptions. It would be conceivable only in the case of perforating knifes, to embody corresponding stop surfaces 6 within the at least one cutting edge 4.
The knife strip 1 illustrated in
As described in
Even though it is not illustrated in
Due to the arrangement of the at least one stop surface 6 inside the knife strip 1, each of the two longitudinal edges 2 can thus be formed as cutting edge 4. This provides for the turning of the knife strip 1 in the case of corresponding wear of the first cutting edge 4. To provide for an assembly of the knife strip 1 in turned and/or rotated form in the knife bar 10, so that the second cutting edge 4 can also be used, the at least one aperture 7 is to preferably be designed to be symmetrical to a symmetry line, which is parallel and/or perpendicular to the cutting edge 4. The at least one aperture 7 must no longer be arranged very close to an outer edge 3 in this case, but to attain an exact alignment, it is advantageous to embody at least two apertures 7 with a largest possible distance in the extension of the knife strip length L.
Even though it is not illustrated in
Even though the knife strip 1 illustrated in
In the case of all knife strips 1 according to the invention, it is further possible to combine different shapes of stop surfaces 6. Due to the plurality of the options, a conclusive enumeration is thus forgone.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2019 102 477.3 | Jan 2019 | DE | national |