Slitting apparatus

Abstract

Apparatus is disclosed for slitting a web of material such as paperboard utilizing at least two rotatable turrets disposed one above the other. Each turret has a pair of shafts adapted to have blades selectively positionable thereon by way of a master shifter which adjusts the blades for the next production run on one of the shafts which is in an inoperative position while the other shaft on each turret is in an operative position.BACKGROUNDSlitting apparatus particularly of the type known as an automatic slitter-scorer which includes either a computer or a mini-processor have been proposed heretofore. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,651,723; 3,961,547; 3,646,418; 3,831,502, 3,587,374; 4,010,677; 4,033,217. In the apparatus disclosed in said patents, blades are moved along a shaft to a predetermined position and then secured to the shaft for rotation therewith.There is a need for a slitting apparatus such as a paper-board slitter-scorer which facilitates automatic adjustment of blades disposed in an inoperative position while other blades are in an operative position with respect to the moving web. There is a need for such apparatus which is structurally interrelated in a manner so that the device is short in the direction of movement of the web so that it may be readily substituted for existing equipment in the field. There is a need for such apparatus which facilitates passing the web through the apparatus without any slitting action.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe apparatus of the present includes a frame which rotatably supports at least two turrents disposed one above the other. The turrets are horizontally disposed. Each turret has a pair of parallel shafts. Each shaft has an operative position and an inoperative position.A plurality of blades are provided on each shaft. A first motor is coupled such to each shaft for rotatably driving each shaft. A clutch associated with each shaft is provided for interrupting said driving connection when a shaft is in its inoperative position. A second motor means is coupled to each turret for simultaneously rotating each turret through an arc of 180.degree. to thereby move a shaft from an operative position to an inoperative positive and vice versa.A pair of master shifters are provided. Each shifter is supported for movement parallel to the axis of rotation of the turrets. Each shifter is adjacent the inoperative position of the shafts. Each shifter is provided with means for selectively moving one or more blades along their respective shafts while the shafts are in their inoperative position.It is an object of the present invention to provide slitting apparatus which is simpler and less expensive than those provided heretofore while overcoming disadvantages of the prior art.Other objects will appear hereinafter.For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. FIG. 1 is an end elevation view of apparatus in accordance with the present invention.FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2--2 in FIG. 1 showing one end of the apparatus.FIG. 3 is an end view as seen from the end opposite that shown in FIG. 1.FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4--4 in FIG. 3 and showing the end opposite to that shown in FIG. 2.

Description

Claims

1. Apparatus for slitting and scoring a moving web comprising a frame, a first pair of turrets having an upper turret disposed above a lower turret, a second pair of turrets having an upper turret disposed above a lower turret, said upper turrets being at a first elevation, said lower turrets being at a second elevation, each of said turrets being supported by said frame for rotation about horizontal axes, each turret having a pair of diametrically disposed parallel blade shafts, each of said blade shafts including at least one axially movable blade for slitting or scoring the web, each of said blade shafts having an operative position and an inoperative position, a first motor means coupled to each of said blade shafts for rotatably driving each blade shaft, a clutch associated with each blade shaft for interrupting the driving connection between said first motor means and said blade shafts when a blade shaft is in an inoperative position, a second motor means coupled to each turret simultaneously rotating each turret through an arc of 180.degree. to thereby move the blade shafts between their operative and inoperative positions, an upper shifter supported for movement parallel to the axes of said blade shafts adjacent the inoperative position of the blade shafts on the upper turrets, means associated with said upper shifter for selectively shifting blades on the blade shafts on the upper turrets while said shafts are in an inoperative position, a lower shifter supported for movement parallel to the axes of said blade shafts adjacent the inoperative position of the blade shafts on the lower turrets, means associated with said lower shifter for selectively shifting blades on the blade shafts on the lower turrets while said shafts are in an inoperative position, each of said shifters having a parked position between said frame and one end of the turrets, each turret being rotatable by said second motor means only when said shifters are in the parked position.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including a first timing belt interconnecting the blade shafts on the upper turrets, a second timing belt interconnecting the blade shafts on the lower turrets, and drive means interconnecting said first and second timing belts with said first motor means.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including a timing belt coupled to each of the turrets for causing the turrets to simultaneously rotate through said arc of 180.degree. in response to actuation by said second motor means.