The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to patent application Ser. No. 0401734-9 filed in Sweden on Jul. 2, 2004.
The present invention relates to a rotary cutter for a rotary cutting apparatus, comprising a shaft and a mantle, the mantle having at least one cutting member.
The invention also relates to a rotary cutting apparatus comprising a frame part, an anvil and such a rotary cutter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,078 discloses in a discussion of the prior art (
In order to overcome that problem, U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,078 suggests to divide the rotary cutter into a rotatable shaft and a mantle. The mantle is connected to the rotatable shaft by means of pneumatic pressure. A drawback with this kind of rotary cutter is that it is difficult to index the rotary cutter relative to the anvil. Another drawback is the lack of support of the rotary cutter on the axial side thereof opposite to the driven side.
An object of the invention is to improve the adjustment possibilities of the rotary cutter. It is a further object to allow maintenance to be performed at a reduced cost and to be able to dismantle the rotary cutter in a simplified manner.
This has been achieved by a rotary cutter and a rotary cutting apparatus of the initially defined kind, wherein the shaft is adapted to be rigidly mounted in a frame part, and wherein the mantle is rotatably arranged relative to the shaft and removable therefrom. Hereby, indexing of the mantle relative to the shaft is made easier, since the mantle can be rotated relative to the static shaft. Furthermore, it is only necessary to perform maintenance of the mantle, i.e. the existing shaft can be used together with another mantle such that the production can be continued while maintenance is performed on the worn mantle.
Preferably, the mantle is adapted to be connected to a power source for creating a rotational movement of the mantle.
Preferably bearings are provided between the mantle and the shaft. Hereby, a controlled positional and relative rotational relationship between the static shaft and the mantle is achieved.
Suitably, a power transmission means is provided for transmitting the rotational movement to said mantle.
Advantageously, the mantle has an axial extension and opposite axial ends, wherein said mantle is adapted to be supported by the shaft and connected to the power source in the region of one of the ends of said mantle, and wherein said mantle is adapted to be supported by the shaft in the region of the opposite end.
Alternatively, said shaft is divided into first and second shaft portions, the mantle having an axial extension and opposite axial ends, wherein said mantle is adapted to be supported by the first shaft portion and connected to the power source in the region of one of the ends of said mantle, and wherein said mantle is adapted to be supported by the second shaft portion in the region of the opposite end.
Advantageously, the frame part of the rotary cutting apparatus further comprises a fastening means for said shaft and a power transmission connection means for said mantle.
In the following, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in greater detail by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
During disassembly, the frame parts 10a, 10b are unsecured from the not-shown rest of the frame such that the static shaft members 8a, 8b, plus the transmission members 18a, 18b, can be pulled axially out from the mantle 16. The mantle 16 is taken away and maintenance can thus be performed. Another mantle 16 is mounted in place of the removed one, and the rotary cutting device can be utilised without long stoppage.
Of course, it may be enough to remove only one (either) of the static shaft members 8a and 8b, respectively, rather than both.
During disassembly, the frame part 10b′ in the right part of
For maintenance purposes, the shaft member 8b″ is unsecured from the frame parts 10a″, 10b″, and then the mantle 16″ is released axially from the shaft member 8a″.
The mantle 16, 16′, 16″ may be made of a multiphase material, such as steel, cemented carbide or cermet (hard phase bonded by a metal).
Although the present invention has been described in connection with preferred embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that additions, deletions, modifications, and substitutions not specifically described may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
0401734-9 | Jul 2004 | SE | national |