U.S. patent number 3,918,655 [Application Number 05/413,793] was granted by the patent office on 1975-11-11 for web-splicing apparatus.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Champion-Edison, Inc.. Invention is credited to Rudolf E. Hillner, Lou Hoch, David Strouse, Jr..
United States Patent |
3,918,655 |
Hillner , et al. |
November 11, 1975 |
Web-splicing apparatus
Abstract
Apparatus is disclosed for automatically splicing the beginning
of one roll of papers or the like onto the approximate end of a
second roll of paper or the like without discontinuing the flow of
paper to a utilizing device. The apparatus includes a support stand
with the support stand having a first support shaft carrying said
one roll of paper and a second support shaft for carrying the
second roll of paper. A festooner arrangement is carried by the
support stand for establishing an elongated path of travel for
paper of the second roll moving through the apparatus and for
allowing the utilizing device to feed upon the paper carried by the
festooner arrangement when the second roll of paper has stopped
rotating. There is provided first sensing means for stopping the
rotation of the second roll when a preselected amount of paper
remains on the roll and there is provided clamping, severing and
splicing means responsive to the halt of the second roll of paper
for clamping the paper of the second roll at a first predetermined
location, severing the paper of the second roll at a second
predetermined location, below the first predetermined location, and
for joining the beginning of the first roll to the severed end of
the second roll. Thereafter, releasing means are provided for
resetting the clamping, severing and splicing means after the
beginning of the first roll has been joined to the severed end of
the second roll. First drive means, including a motor, is provided
for rotating the first support shaft and with it the first roll of
paper to help bring it up to speed. There is provided control means
for energizing the first drive means for a preselected length of
time, dependent upon the weight of the new roll of paper. A second
sensing system is responsive to the tension in the paper of the
first roll and generates control signals in proportion to the
tension. Associated therewith is a first braking system which
cooperates with the first support shaft carrying the first roll of
paper and which is responsive to the aforementioned control signals
for controlling the speed of rotation of the aforesaid first roll
of paper on the support shaft associated therewith. In this manner,
a servosystem is established to slow down the new roll of paper
once it has been brought up to speed by the aforementioned motor,
and which servosystem continues to provide appropriate braking
action in accordance with the tension on the paper of said
roll.
Inventors: |
Hillner; Rudolf E. (Colts Neck,
NJ), Strouse, Jr.; David (Parlin, NJ), Hoch; Lou
(Nutley, NJ) |
Assignee: |
Champion-Edison, Inc. (Edison,
NJ)
|
Family
ID: |
23638656 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/413,793 |
Filed: |
November 8, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
242/417.2;
156/504; 242/421.7; 242/552; 242/554.2; 242/554.5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H
19/1852 (20130101); B65H 19/1873 (20130101); B65H
2301/46172 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65H
19/18 (20060101); B65H 019/18 () |
Field of
Search: |
;242/58.1,58.2,58.3,58.4,58.6,75.44,75.43 ;156/504 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Huckert; John W.
Assistant Examiner: Jillions; John M.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Lerner, David, Littenberg &
Samuel
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. Apparatus for automatically splicing the beginning of one roll
of paper or the like onto the approximate end of a second roll of
paper or the like without discontinuing the flow of paper to a
utilizing device; said apparatus comprising:
a support stand;
first support shaft means carried by said support stand for
carrying said one roll of paper;
second support shaft means carried by said support stand for
carrying said second roll of paper;
festooner means carried by said support stand for establishing an
elongated path of travel for paper of said second roll moving
through said apparatus and for allowing said utilizing device to
"feed" upon the paper carried by said festooner means when the
second roll of paper has stopped rotating;
first braking means for stopping rotation of said second roll when
a preselected amount of paper remains on said roll:
clamping, severing and splicing means responsive to the halt of
said second roll for clamping the paper of said second roll at a
first predetermined location, severing the paper of said second
roll at a second predetermined location, below said first
predetermined location, and for joining the beginning of said one
roll to the severed end of said second roll;
releasing means for resetting said clamping, severing and splicing
means after the beginning of said one roll has been joined to the
severed end of said second roll;
first drive means for rotating said first support shaft means;
control means for energizing said first drive means for a
predetermined length of time, said control means being activated
after the operation of said releasing means;
sensing means responsive to the tension in said paper of said one
roll for generating control signals in proportion to said tension
in said paper of said one roll;
second braking means for stopping the rotation of said first roll
when a preselected amount of paper remains thereon and for
cooperating with said first support shaft means and responsive to
said control signals for controlling the speed of rotation of said
first support shaft means; wherein said festooner means
comprises:
a first set of rollers secured to said support stand in freely
rotatable relation therewith;
a second set of freely rotatable rollers, said second set of
rollers being displaceable relative to said first set of
rollers;
said paper of said second roll alternatively passing over rollers
of said first and second sets to establish said elongated path; and
further including
operating means for maintaining said second set of rollers at a
predetermined distance from said first set of rollers when said
second roll of paper is rotating, said operating means including
means for permitting said second set of rollers to approach said
first set of rollers when said second roll of paper has stopped
rotating; wherein said apparatus further includes:
first switch means responsive to said first set of rollers
traveling a first predetermined distance for initiating operation
of said clamping, severing and splicing means;
second switch means responsive to said first set of rollers
traveling a second predetermined distance for initiating operation
of said releasing means; and
third switch means responsive to said first set of rollers
traveling a third predetermined distance for initiating operation
of said control means.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said drive means includes a
motor and said control means compises a timer.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,645,463, assigned to the assignee of the present
invention, there is described apparatus for automatically splicing
the beginning of one roll of paper or the like onto the approximate
end of a second roll of paper of like material without
discontinuing the flow of paper to utilizing device.
The apparatus described in the aforementioned patent includes a
support stand having means for supporting first and second rolls of
paper in rotatable relationship therewith. Also carried on the
support stand is a festooner arrangement including at least one set
of displaceable rollers for establishing an elongated path of
travel for paper of the exhausting roll, moving to the apparatus,
and for allowing the utilizing device to feed upon the paper
carried by the festooner when the second, exhausting roll of paper
has stopped rotating to initiate the automatic splicing
operation.
Once the exhausting roll of paper has stopped rotating and during
the time that the displaceable rollers of the festooner are
continually shortening the aforementioned elongated path of travel,
such that the utilizing device still has a supply of paper upon
which to feed; the clamping, severing and splicing assembly of the
patented invention performs three functions. First, the clamping
mechanism thereof clamps the paper of the exhausting roll between
itself and a backing plate positioned on the opposite side of the
path of travel of the paper. Second, and virtually immediately
after the clamping operation, the severing portion of the clamping,
severing and splicing assembly severs the exhausting roll of paper
at a location beneath the position at which the trailing end of the
exhausting roll is maintained by the clamp. Third, and virtually
simultaneously with the aforedescribed severing, the splicing
portion of the clamping, severing and splicing assembly joins the
previously treated beginning end of a new roll of paper with the
severed end of the exhausted roll of paper. Finally, once the
clamping, severing and splicing assembly is reset, such that the
clamping portion thereof is released from the trailing end of the
exhausted roll of paper, the new roll of paper will begin to flow
through the festooner rollers and onto the utilizing device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The instant invention is directed to improvements in the
web-splicing apparatus disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat.
No. 3,645,463. Specifically, and in accordance with the invention,
after the above-described changeover operation, it has been found
desirable to accelerate the new roll of paper to help it reach the
speed of the utilizing device and thereby avoid the possibility of
the paper being severed when the festooner supply is used up. To
effectuate the acceleration of the new roll of paper, a motor is
employed and controlled by a timer which energizes the motor for a
predetermined period of time, selected in accordance with the
weight of the roll of paper. A tension responsive mechanism is
provided to sense the tension in the paper being dispensed from the
new roll of paper and through the use of a variable potentiometer,
to apply control signals to a braking mechanism associated with the
shaft upon which the new roll of paper is supported. As the new
roll of paper accelerates and its "pay-out" of paper approaches the
"take-up" of paper by the utilizing device, such equilibrium is
sensed by the tension responsive mechanism so as to generate the
necessary control signals to energize the braking mechanism and
slow down the new roll of paper. Of course, any slow down of the
new roll of paper will cause the tension responsive mechanism to
generate appropriate control signals to deactivate the braking
mechanism to allow the new roll of paper to speed up once again. In
effect, the system functions as a servo-mechanism, allowing the new
roll of paper to properly accelerate and decelerate in accordance
with the speed of take-up of the utilizing device.
Accordingly, it is an object of the instant invention to provide
improved apparatus for automatically splicing the beginning of one
roll of paper or like material onto the approximate end of a second
roll of paper or like material without discontinuing the flow of
paper to a utilizing device.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide such
apparatus which includes means to accelerate the new roll of paper
after the changeover operation.
Still another object of the instant invention is to provide such
apparatus which includes a following servo-mechanism which controls
the acceleration and decleration of the new roll of paper in
accordance with the take-up of the utilization device.
These and other objects of the instant invention will become
further apparant upon reading the following specification and
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a front view of the automatic splicing apparatus of the
instant invention;
FIG. 2 is a rear view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an end view of the apparatus of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Turning to the figures, wherein like numerals are used to designate
like elements, and with specific reference to FIG. 1, there is
shown the automatic splicing apparatus 10 of the instant invention.
In many respects, the apparatus 10 is extremely similar to the
apparatus disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,645,463,
assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and,
accordingly, the subject matter thereof is specifically
incorporated herein by specific reference thereto. However, for
purposes of better understanding the present invention, a short
review of the operation of the apparatus of U.S. Pat. No. 3,645,463
is presented herein.
Thus, with reference to FIG. 1, there is shown the automatic
splicing apparatus 10 by which the previously treated beginning end
12 of a new roll of paper 14 may be quickly and automatically
joined to the approximate end 16 of a virtually exhausted roll 18
of paper or like material without discontinuing the flow of paper
to a utilizing device (not shown) but whose location is depicted by
the arrowhead 20 associated with the flow of paper through the
apparatus 10. The designation "approximate" end 16 of the exhausted
roll of paper 18 is intended to denote the fact that the beginning
end 12 of the new roll of paper 14 will be joined to the paper of
the exhausted roll 18, not at its actual end thereof, but at a
point 16 substantially near the end of the paper on the roll
18.
Broadly speaking, the apparatus 10 includes a support stand 22
provided at its lower extremity with a pair of outstanding bearing
axles 24 and 26, respectively, which carry the rolls of paper 14
and 18 in a manner to be further described. At its opposite
extremity, the support stand 22 carries a festooner arrangement
broadly designated 25, while at an intermediate location, the
support stand 22 carries clamping, severing and splicing means
broadly designated 27.
The festooner arrangement 25 includes a first set of rollers 28
rotatably carried by a common support bar 30 rigidly secured to a
central post-like portion 32 of the the support stand 22. The
festooner 25 further includes a second set of rollers 34 rotatably
carried by a common bar 36 slideably displaceable along the upright
post portion 32 of the support stand 22. Although not illustrated
in detail, it might be noted that the common bar 36 may be
slideably mounted along the central post portion 32 of the support
stand 22 by any convenient mounting means, such as an enlarged
collar circumventing the post portion 32 or by being appropriately
retained in a retaining channel or guide provided along the forward
surface of the post portion 32. Regardless of the mounting
arrangement being utilized, the second set of rollers carried by
the common bar 36 must be displaceable relative to the first set of
rollers 28, as suggested by the phantom showing 36 prime in FIG.
1.
Thus, it will be appreciated that the normal flow of paper through
the apparatus 10 is from the exhausting roll 18, around a pair of
tension responsive rollers 37, forming a part of the instant
invention, and to be described in greater detail, through a pair of
positioning rollers 38, through the clamping, severing and splicing
apparatus 27, around the freely rotating directional roller 40,
then around the rollers 28 and 34 in the manner depicted by
arrowheads 42; and finally to the utilization device (not shown)
whose location is depicted by the arrowhead 20. It can thus be
appreciated that the tortuous path defined by the rollers 28 and 34
of the festooner arrangement 25 establishes an elongated path of
travel for the paper and in so doing makes a considerable amount of
paper available above the clamping, severing and splicing apparatus
27. Thus, when the roller 18 has been just about exhausted such
that it is necessary to halt its rotation and initiate the
changeover operation; by virtue of the downward displacement of the
second set of rollers 34, this amount of paper carried in the
festooner will become available for continuous supply to the
utilizing device. During this displacement, the clamping, severing
and splicing assembly 27 will join the beginning end 12 of the roll
14 to the approximate end 16 of the exhausted roll of paper 18. The
manner in which this is effected is, as noted above, completely set
out in detail in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,645,463, and
will not be repeated in detail herein. Sufficient to note, that
once the clamping, severing and splicing mechanism has been
operated to join the beginning end of the first roll to the
approximate end of the exhausted roll, the mechanism is reset and
the utilizing device begins to feed on the paper being supplied by
the new roll without any interruption having taken place during the
changeover.
With respect to the festooner arrangement 25, the upper
displaceable bar 36 thereof has connected thereto, at a point
generally designated 44 in FIG. 3, one end 46 of a chain or other
suitable connecting member 48 which passes over a guide pulley 50,
and into the hollowed-out central portion 32 of the stand 22 where
its opposite end 52 (see FIG. 2) is connected to one end of a
piston 54 which resides within a cylinder 56. The cylinder 56
includes an inlet port 58 provided with a conventional one-way
check valve 60 and an outlet port 62 similarly provided with a
conventional one-way check valve 64.
In operation, compressed air is supplied from a source broadly
designated 66 in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,645,463 through
the inlet port 58 and against the enlarged piston head 68 of the
piston 54. The pressure is maintained at a sufficient magnitude to
just counterbalance the upward force on the piston 54 generated by
the weight of the common bar 36 with the rollers 34 thereon and the
tension force downwardly applied to the common bar 36 by virtue of
the pull applied by the utilizing device on the paper passing
through the apparatus. It will be appreciated that the one-way
check valve 60 permits the entry of air under pressure into the
cylinder 56 but prevents a reverse flow, while the one-way check
valve 64 performs a similar function with respect to the exhausting
of air from the cylinder 56 and, in addition, is constructed to
permit build-up of sufficient counterbalancing air pressure against
the piston head 68. Alternatively, valve 64 may be a manually
controllable valve which can be preset to exhaust upon the build-up
of predetermined pressures within the cylinder 56 as a function of
the speed of operation of the utilizing device.
Thus, during normal operation of the apparatus 10, that is, with
the paper from roll 18 passing therethrough, the displaceable roll
34 will be maintained in the solid line position illustrated in
FIG. 1. However, when the roll of paper 18 is virtually exhausted,
such that it is necessary to halt rotation to initiate a changeover
operation, there is a substantially greater downward force applied
on the rollers 34. This increased downward force is, of course,
generated by virtue of the fact that the exhausting roll of paper
18 has now stopped rotating, while the pull on the paper passing
through the festooner arrangement 25 remains substantially the
same. As a result, the upward force as applied to the piston 54
(FIG. 2) exceeds the counterbalancing force applied by the pressure
from the source 66 whereby the piston 54 begins to rise (and the
cylinder 56 is exhausted through the valve 64 and exit port 62). In
this manner, as the utilizing device continues to pull on the paper
carried by the festooner, the displaceable rollers 34 are free to
approach stationary rollers 28. It is during this downward
displacement of the rollers 34, that the extra length of paper
which was established by the tortuous pass of the rollers 28 and 36
becomes available for feeding the utilizing device while the
changeover operation takes place.
To initiate the above-described process, there is provided on the
support stand 22 adjacent the axles 24 and 26, at a predetermined
diametric distance therefrom, a pair of sensing switches 118 and
120 (see FIG. 2). Each of the switches includes a sensing finger
122 and 124, respectively, which is normally biased to engage the
rear surface of the roll of paper positioned therebefore. Thus,
when the roll of paper 18 is virtually exhausted, and its diameter
becomes sufficiently small to no longer restrain the sensing finger
122, the normally open circuit established thereby (not shown) will
close to energize appropriate braking means (123 or 125,
respectively) to halt the rotation of the roll 18. The braking
means 123 and 125 may be conventional electrically operated
clutch-brake mechanisms associated with the bearing axles or
support shafts 24 and 26 which carry the rolls of paper 14 and 18.
In any event, when the sensing finger 124 is released, a circuit is
made to apply an electrical signal to the brake 123 to halt the
rotation of the roll 18. When the roll 18 is halted; the continued
pull indicated by the arrowhead 20 will, with the "permission" of
the exhausting cylinder 56 or 52, begin to move the rollers 34
toward the rollers 28, thereby providing a continuous flow of paper
to the utilizing device starting the changeover operation in which
the clamping, severing and splicing apparatus 27 operates in the
manner described in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,645,463.
After the operation of the clamping, severing and splicing
apparatus, the entire mechanism thereof is reset, such that the
trailing end of the old roll of paper and the beginning end of the
new roll of paper spliced thereto, can continue flowing through the
apparatus, it being appreciated that with paper flowing through the
apparatus once again, the net downward force on the displaceable
rollers 34 is reduced such that the common bar, under the influence
of the fluid in the cylinder 56 of FIG. 2, will slowly return to
its solid line position of FIG. 1.
As explained in greater detail in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No.
3,645,463, to control in proper sequence, the various mechanisms,
there is provided on the displaceable common bar 36 (see FIG. 3) an
extending actuating finger 174 which will sequentially engage
microswitches 176 and 178 carried by a stationary block 180 as the
displaceable bar 136 moves from the solid line of FIG. 1 toward its
phantom showing 36 prime. As described in the aforementioned
patent, the closing of microswitch 176 by actuating finger 174
initiates the operation of the clamping, severing and splicing
mechanism 27, while subsequently, when the finger 174 closes the
microswitch 178, the clamping, severing and splicing mechanism 27
is reset to allow the new supply of paper to continue to feed
through the apparatus.
Briefly summarizing the operation of the aforementioned patent, let
it be assumed that the roll 18 of FIG. 1 is becoming exhausted such
that it is desired to introduce a new roll of paper 14 without
discontinuing the flow of paper to the utilizing device. When the
exhausting roll of paper 18 dwindles down to a diameter less than
the diametric location of the microswitch 118, the sensing finger
122 thereof is freed to establish the necessary circuit to energize
the braking device 125 associated with the shaft 26 carrying the
roll 18 to halt the rotation of the roll of paper 18. Once the
rotation of the roll 18 is halted, the continued pull of the
utilizing device on the paper exerts a substantially greater
downward force on the rollers 34, whereby the common bar 36 begins
its downward displacement toward the stationary roller 28. During
such downward displacement, and while the changeover operation
takes place, the additional paper carried by the festooner 25 now
becomes available for utilization.
As the common bar 36 descends, with reference to FIG. 3, the
extending finger 174 initially contacts the microswitch 176 to
activate the clamping, severing and splicing apparatus 27 described
in the aforementioned patent, a clamp 132 is actuated to grasp the
approximate end 16 of the exhausting roll of paper; thereafter, the
exhausting roll of paper 18 is severed, and, thereafter, the
beginning end of the roll 14 is spliced to the end of the
exhausting roll.
Finally, when the splicing completes, the extending actuating
finger 174 shown in FIG. 3 reaches the second microswitch 178
carried by the block 180 to close the necessary circuit to reset
the clamping, severing and splicing mechanism (which includes
withdrawing of the clamp 132) such that the trailing end of the old
roll of paper and the beginning end of the new roll of paper
spliced thereto can continue flowing through the apparatus. Of
course, since the new roll of paper 14 is not yet up to speed,
there will still remain a net relative force in the direction of
location 20 which will have the effect of continuing to pull the
displaceable rollers 34 downwardly toward the stationary rollers
28.
In accordance with the instant invention, means are provided to
actively accelerate the rotation of the new roll of paper 14 and
then to regulate same in accordance with speed of the take-up of
the utilizing device. To effect such operation, and with reference
to FIG. 2, there is provided electric motors 200 and 202 associated
with each of the rolls 14 and 18, respectively. Thus, with respect
to FIG. 3, output shaft 204 of motor 200 carries a pulley 206 which
is connected through V-belt 208 to pulley 210 on the rear of the
support shaft 26 which carries the roll of paper 14. As noted
previously, electrically operated brake 123 is situated
intermediate the ends of the shaft 26 and is operated in accordance
with electrical signals applied thereto from the variable
potentiometer 212 to be described in greater detail. The motor 200
is energized when the finger 174 traveling with the displaceable
rollers 34 closes microswitch 214 provided on a block 216 secured
to the post 32. Closing of the microswitch 214 energizes a timer
218 to energize the motrr 200 for a period of time in accordance
with the setting applied to the timer 218. It will be appreciated
that the timer is set in accordance with the weight of the roll of
paper 14. Thus, the heavier the roll of paper 14, the longer the
motor 200 must be energized in order to accelerate the roll 14. The
timer 218 can be varied accordingly.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a servosystem
is provided to regulate the speed of rotation of the supply rolls
of paper in accordance with the "take-up" needs of the utilizing
device feeding upon the apparatus. As best seen in FIG. 2, the
system includes arms 220 pivotally connected to the support stand
22 and 222. Arms 220 carry rotatable rollers 37 at their outmost
extremity thereof about which passes the paper from the rolls 14
and 18. Considering the roll of paper 14 in FIG. 2, it will be
appreciated that the greater the speed of the take-up device, the
more tension will be applied to the paper from the roll 14 such
that the tendency of the arm 220 will be to rotate clockwise about
its pivotal connection 222. Of course, should the utilizing device
slow down relative to the speed of rotation of the roller 14, the
paper being dispensed therefrom will slacken, allowing the arm 220
under the influence of gravity to rotate counterclockwise around
its pivotal connection 222. In accordance with the invention, such
motion of the arm 220 is linked by mechanical linkage arrangement
224 to the aforementioned variable potentiometer 212 which applies
control signals via line 213 to the brake 123 (or 125) to activate
or deactivate the brake and, thereby, control the speed of rotation
of the shaft 26 (and the roll 14) in accordance with the tension
sensed by the roller bearing arm 220. Operation is, therefore, as
follows. Assuming that after the clamping, severing and splicing
mechanism has been reset by virtue of the finger 174 passing the
microswitch 178, continued downward displacement of the rollers 34
causes the finger 174 to engage the microswitch 214 (FIG. 3). When
microswitch 214 is closed, the timer 218 is energized for a
predetermined length of time (which was preset in accordance with
the weight of the roll 14) to energize the motor 200, the output of
which through the V-belt 208 and pulley 210 causes the shaft 26 and
the roll 14 carried thereby to accelerate. As the roll 14
accelerates, the pay-out of the paper thereon begins to approach
the take-up speed of the utilizing device such that there is less
tension in the paper being pulled and, in fact, the paper begins to
slacken. As the paper traveling through the apparatus slackens, the
roller bearing arm 220, under the influence of gravity, rotates
counterclockwise downwardly about its pivotal connection 222 which
motion is transmitted by mechanical linkage 224 to the variable pot
212 which applies appropriate braking signal via line 213 to the
brake 123. Brake 123 then slows down the rotation of shaft 226 and
the roll of paper 14 carried thereby to thereby prevent any
overacceleration of the roll 14. Of course, as the roll 14 slows
down, the tension in the paper traveling through the apparatus
increases and begins to pull the arm 220 upward and clockwise
around its pivotal connection 222. Again, such movement is
transmitted by the mechanical linkage 224 to the variable pot 212
to lessen the braking signal applied via the line 213 to the brake
123. Accordingly, shaft 26 and roll 14 is free to "catch up" with
the utilizing device. The net result of the aforedescribed
servosystem is to continually allow the roll of paper 14 to rotate
in accordance with the take-up of the utilizing device.
Although this invention has been described with respect to its
preferred embodiments, it should be understood that many variations
and modifications will now be obvious to those skilled in the art,
and it is preferred, therefore, that the scope of the invention be
limited, not by the specific disclosure herein, only by the
appended claims.
* * * * *