U.S. patent number 3,610,501 [Application Number 05/020,524] was granted by the patent office on 1971-10-05 for film-transporting apparatus.
This patent grant is currently assigned to William E. Young. Invention is credited to Robert O. Wolfelsperger.
United States Patent |
3,610,501 |
Wolfelsperger |
October 5, 1971 |
FILM-TRANSPORTING APPARATUS
Abstract
Apparatus is provided for transporting a strip of film through
the contiguous engagement of the protruding portions of the inner
links of a roller chain and a V-belt adapted to engage the strip of
film so as to locally clamp the film between the tapered sides of
the V-belt and the protruding inner portions of the inner side
links of the roller chain. The roller chain is preferably arranged
to ride upon and be supported by a guideway and the V-belt is
disposed to be engaged by a plurality of rollers so that the
spacing of the V-belt from the roller chain is a determined and
substantially consistent distance.
Inventors: |
Wolfelsperger; Robert O.
(Fairfield, NJ) |
Assignee: |
Young; William E. (Stamford,
CT)
|
Family
ID: |
21799084 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/020,524 |
Filed: |
March 18, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
226/172 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B
41/14 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65B
41/00 (20060101); B65B 41/14 (20060101); B65h
029/12 () |
Field of
Search: |
;226/172
;271/45,75,79 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Knowles; Allen N.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. Apparatus for gripping, positioning and transporting a strip of
film and the like as it is fed between advancing film gripping
members, said apparatus including: (a) an endless length of chain
such as roller chain, pintle chain and the like, said chain having
side links with protruding portions thereon spaced at determined
intervals; (b) a flexible endless belt of generally regular cross
section and having a contoured surface portion adapted to be
brought into film gripping engagement with the inwardly facing
edges of the protruding portions of the side links of the endless
chain, and (c) means for supporting and positioning the chain and
the flexible belt in an aligned and determined relationship to each
other for and during the extent of transporting of the film in the
apparatus, said aligned and determined relationship providing for
the releasable gripping of the film between the contoured surface
of the endless belt and the several protruding edges of the side
links of the chain as they are brought into said aligned facing and
gripping relationship to each other.
2. Apparatus for gripping and transporting film as in claim 1 in
which the endless chain is a roller chain having rotatable rollers
and in which the support for said chain is a backup bar which is
sized and positioned so as to engage and guide the chain in a
determined path.
3. Apparatus for gripping and transporting film as in claim 2 in
which the backup bar is a metal bar sized so as to enter between
the inner side links and engage and support the rollers of the
chain.
4. Apparatus for gripping and transporting film as in claim 1 in
which the endless chain is a pin-type chain having no freely
rotatable rollers and in which the belt is contoured so as to
engage and grip the film between protruding side link portions of
the chain and the contoured belt so as to grip the film at spaced
intervals in at least a single longitudinal line.
5. Apparatus for gripping and transporting film as in claim 1 in
which the endless belt is a V-belt, said V-belt being supported by
a plurality of like-sized freely turning rollers carried in a
determined path.
6. Apparatus for gripping and transporting film as in claim 5 in
which the rollers supporting the V-belt are rollers carried by pins
of an extended pitch roller chain, said rollers being freely
rotating rollers and supporting the V-belt in a determined path and
spacing from the endless chain.
7. Apparatus for gripping and transporting film as in claim 1 in
which the endless belt is a round belt of determined cross section,
said round belt being supported by a plurality of spaced and
suitably contoured freely turning rollers carried by a support
means in a determined path.
8. Apparatus for gripping and transporting film as in claim 1 in
which the endless chain is a roller chain having rotatable rollers,
said chain being supported by a backup bar of metal which is sized
so as to enter between the inner side links of the chain to engage
and support the rollers of the chain to thus guide the chain in a
determined path; and in which the endless belt is supported by a
plurality of like-sized freely turning rollers disposed in a
determined path to maintain the belt a determined distance from the
roller chain, the endless belt having its contoured surface shaped
so as to grip the film between the belt and the protruding side
portions of the chain and at these spaced intervals absent
engagement of the film with the rotatable rollers of the roller
chain.
9. Apparatus for gripping and transporting film as in claim 8 in
which the endless belt is a V-belt whose tapered sides adjacent the
narrow end of the belt are sized so as to push the film into
engagement with only the inner edges of the protruding portions of
the side links of the roller chain.
10. Apparatus for gripping and transporting film as in claim 1 in
which the endless chain in a pintle-type chain having its side
members connected by a pin and absent rotatable rollers, said chain
being supported by a backup bar of metal which is sized so as to
engage and support the links of the chain to guide the chain in a
determined path and in which the endless belt is supported by a
plurality of like-sized freely turning rollers carried by side
plates on a support so that the rollers are disposed in a
determined path to maintain the belt a determined distance from the
pintle-type chain, the endless belt having its contoured surface so
as to grip the film between the contoured surface of the belt and
the protruding side portions of the chain, said belt and chain
being driven at a like surface speed.
11. Apparatus for gripping and transporting film as in claim 10 in
which the endless belt is a V-belt whose tapered sides adjacent the
narrow end of the belt are sized so as to push the film into
engagement with only the inner edges of the protruding portions of
the side links of the chain.
12. Apparatus for gripping and transporting film as in claim 1 in
which there are at least two like endless chain and endless belt
assemblies, said assemblies positioned so that during their extent
of film transport the transport paths are in substantially parallel
arrangement and in which the assemblies are driven at like linear
speeds.
13. Apparatus for gripping and transporting film as in claim 1 in
which the endless chain and endless belt are cooperatively disposed
so that the transport of the film is at least in part in a curved
path with one of the gripping members carried on a convexly curved
support member and the other gripping member is urged into a tight
concave engagement with the convexly disposed gripping member
during the extent of transport of the film through the curved
transporting path.
14. Apparatus for gripping and transporting film as in claim 13 in
which the convexly curved gripping member is the endless chain
member and in which the concavely curved other gripping member is
the endless belt.
15. Apparatus for gripping transporting film as in claim 14 in
which the endless-belt-gripping member is disposed during a portion
of its transcribed path to be moved into a plane not in the plane
of the endless chain.
16. Apparatus for gripping and transporting film as in claim 13 in
which the convexly curved gripping member is the endless belt
member and in which the concavely curved gripping member is the
roller chain which is carried in substantially the same plane as
the curved film-transporting path of the endless belt.
17. Apparatus for gripping and transporting film as in claim 1 in
which the roller chain is carried on a circular support and in a
common plane and in which the endless belt is made taut and is
disposed so as to be urged into a gripping engagement with the
chain for a determined extent of arc.
18. Apparatus for gripping and transporting film as in claim 1 in
which the endless belt is carried on a circular support and is
disposed in a common plane and in which the roller chain is made
taut for its period of engagement with the belt so as to be urged
into gripping engagement with the belt for a determined extent of
arc.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
In reference to the classification of art as established in the
United States Patent Office, the art to which the present invention
pertains is found generally in the class entitled "Sheet Feeding Or
Delivering" and more particularly in the subclasses for "Feeding by
Endless Conveyors" and also by "Delivering by Endless
Conveyors."
2. Description of the Prior Art
The feeding and transporting of strip film of a very thin gauge
such as one- or two-thousandths of an inch or less usually presents
a problem in that conventional gripping apparatus has a tendency to
permit the film to slip from the clamp mechanism. Many of the
conventional and known clamps are both expensive and partially
unreliable in that as the film varies in thickness or is pulled by
forming action the film slips from the clamps. Bar clamps for films
of five-thousandths of an inch or more are also unsatisfactory and
permit slipping of the film from the clamp. It sometimes is
desireable in the process of gripping and transporting film to
retain the film in a determined manner so that there is provided a
slight side pull on the film by means of the gripping action. Film
so held is more or less taut as it is transported. In addition it
is often desirable for the film to be delivered from a supply reel
and in other than a direct or straight path to be fed to processing
operations in a more or less circuitous route. These devious paths
are often necessary to avoid portions of the equipment or to bring
the film in way of certain treating or process steps and
operations. Film-transporting apparatus has been disclosed in many
U.S. Patent, as for example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,858,443 to Fulk which
issued May 17th, 1932. Another film-transporting apparatus is seen
in U.S. Pat. No. 2,896,943 to Lewis which issued July 28 th, 1959
and also in a transporting device for processing film as shown in
U.S. Pat. No. 2,899,201 which issued to Pirot on Aug. 11th, 1959.
In these and similar U.S. Patents the clamping of the film and
transporting of the film is generally by the gripping of the film
between or by bars, belts or blocks. These disclosed film-gripping
apparatus often fail to provide the desired clamping of the film
without slippage of the film. If a positive penetrating grip is
used for gripping the film and transporting the film there is
usually no ready release from the gripping means at this release
station without either tearing or unduly stretching the film.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention may be summarized at least in part with
reference to its objects.
It is an object of the present invention to provide, and it does
provide, a film clamping and transporting means wherein film is
releasably gripped by means of a V-belt brought into engagement
with the larger inner link portions of a roller chain, said V-belt
and roller chain being retained by guide and support means so as to
maintain a determined positive engagement and alignment of the
roller chain and the V-belt during their travel along a prescribed
transport path.
In the present invention a roller chain of determined size and
pitch is carried by a bar adapted and size to engage the rollers of
the roller chain. This bar provides a support for and a positive
guide path for this roller chain. A V-belt is supported and guided
so that its small or inner face is disposed to enter between the
inner links of a roller chain so that the tapered sides of the belt
engage the inner edges of the protruding portions of the inner
links of the roller chain to provide a gripping action between each
protruding portion of the inner link and the tapered sides of the
V-belt so as to pinch a film of a determined thickness between the
two tapered sides of a V-belt and the edges of the protruding
portions of the inner roller chain links.
INTENT OF THE DISCLOSURE
Although the following disclosure offered for public dissemination
is detailed to insure adequacy and aid in understanding of the
invention, this is not intended to prejudice that purpose of a
patent which is to cover each new inventive concept therein no
matter how it may later be disguised by variations in form or
additions of further improvements. The claims at the end hereof are
intended as the chief aid toward this purpose, as it is these that
meet the requirement of pointing out the apparatus in which the
inventive concept is found.
There has been chosen two embodiments of the film transporting
apparatus showing preferred means for gripping and transporting
thin film without tearing the film. These embodiments have been
chosen for the purposes of illustration and description as shown in
the accompanying drawing wherein:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 represents a sectional view of the film-transporting
mechanism and showing in particular the relationship of the roller
chain and the V-belt to the film being transported;
FIG. 2 represents a fragmentary side view of the film-transporting
mechanism of FIG. 1, and
FIG. 3 represents a diagrammatic side view of an alternate
film-transporting apparatus also employing a roller chain and
belt.
In the following description and in the claims various details are
identified by specific names for convenience; these names, however,
are intended to be generic in their application. Corresponding
reference characters refer to like members throughout the three
figures of the drawing.
The drawing accompanying, and forming part of, this specification
discloses certain details of construction for the purpose of
explanation of the broader aspects of the invention, but it should
be understood that structural details may be modified in various
respects without departure from the concept and principles of the
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawing in detail there is shown in FIGS. 1
and 2 a preferred embodiment of a film-transporting apparatus
wherein a roller chain 10 has inner and outer links 12 and 14
assembled in the usual manner with rollers 16 therebetween carried
on pins 18 by which the roller chain is assembled. This roller
chain may be of any selected pitch, as for example, a No. 40 roller
chain which is a chain having a 1/2-inch pitch and is of known and
conventional construction. This roller chain 10, for the purposes
of clamping a film, requires no additional attachments or the like
as for the roller chain is concerned; however, in order to
precisely position this roller chain in space as it is transported
along, there is provided a backup bar 20 of a determined thickness
and contour. This backup bar is adapted to engage the rollers 16
and to freely fit within the two inner side links 12 of the roller
chain 10.
A V-belt 30 of determined cross-sectional configuration and
construction is supported by means of rollers 32 carried in side
bars 34 mounted to or carried by a base 36. These rollers 32 are
closely spaced along the support path so as to engage the back of
the V-belt 30 and maintain the V-belt in a determined path and
spacing from the roller chain 10. An extended pitch roller chain
whose rollers are larger than the side plates may also be used to
provide the same similar constructional support. A film 40 may be
fed from a supply roll and the like and from the roll be brought
between the roller chain 10 and the V-belt 30 so that the film is
caught between and is engaged by the flank tapered sides 41 and 42
of the V-belt 30 and is pinched between the tapered sides and the
inner edges of the protruding portions of the inner side links 12
of the roller chain 10. The V-belt 30 is selected as to its
cross-sectional configuration so that when the flank or tapered
sides 41 and 42 grip the film by pinching the edges of the
protruding portions of the film against the side plates 12, that
portion of the film 40 between the plates 12 is free of contact of
the rollers 16. This is a desirable condition when the rollers 16
are freely rotatable for as they ride upon the support rail 20 they
are rotated with their outer diameters moving at twice the speed of
the transported film 40. In certain installations the use of a
rollerless chain or pintle type chain is preferred. Such a chain
would have a pin instead of a freely rotatable roller so that if
the belt did cause the film to engage the pin, the gripped film
would be uneffected by this engagement.
Use and Operation
In the film-transporting mechanism of this invention it is
contemplated that the roller chain 10 will be driven by means of
one or more driven sprockets, not shown, which sprockets, of
course, are adapted to receive and drive the roller chain 10 in a
conventional manner. The support bar 20 has its roller supporting
face contoured to provide the exact path desired for the
transporting of the film. In like manner the V-belt 30 is supported
by a series of rollers 32 which are precisely positioned above the
base 36 so that the roller-supported V-belt 30 travels in a precise
path determinedly spaced from the roller chain 10. Film 40, as it
is fed from a supply such as a supply reel, is brought between the
roller chain 10 and the V-belt 30 so that the film is pinched
between the tapered side flanks 41 and 42 of the V-belt 30 and the
edges of the protrusions of the inside side links 12 of the roller
chain 10. When the roller chain and the V-belt approach their
divergence point and move apart the film 40, of course, is
released. As they proceed on the return route they are brought
together at the transport section or sections whereat the film 40
is caused to be pinched or snugly engaged for a releasable
retaining of the film by means of the transporting mechanism.
The pinching of the film 40 is at the enlarged or protruding ends
of the inner side links so that a chain having a 3/4-inch pitch, as
is shown in the drawing, would engage the film at points
three-fourth of an inch apart. If the desired engagement of the
film is to be at a greater linear frequency, the pitch of the
roller chain is made closer, as for example, one-half inch or
three-eighths of an inch. When it is desired to make the gripping
of the film at a greater spacing than a roller chain having pitches
of one inch, an inch and a fourth and greater is used. It is of
course, realized that two like transport arrangements, such as is
shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, are usually used so as to grip both edges
of a transported film to retain the film in the desired
transporting path and in certain instances to cause the film to be
lightly stretched to a taut condition as the film is brought over
the sides of the roller chain and is impressed slightly into the
recess between the inner side plates of the roller chain.
Film-Transporting Apparatus of FIG. 3
Referring finally to FIG. 3 there is shown a diagrammatic side view
of a film transport arrangement in which a pulley or sprocket 50 is
disposed so as to retain an endless length of roller chain 52. This
chain is mounted on and around the circumference of the pulley and
is preferably fixedly attached to the pulley so as to be rotated
with and by this pulley. A belt 54, which may be either a V-belt or
a round belt, is disposed so as to be snugly drawn against about
one-half of the length of chain 52. The belt, as shown, has a
portion of its length carried on two sheaves 56 and 57. These
sheaves and the belt portion carried thereon are disposed so as to
lie out of the plane of the chain 52. A pair of idler sheaves or
pulleys 59 and 60 are carried adjacent to and in the plane of the
chain 52 so as to deflect the belt to and from the plane of the
chain and to the sheaves 56 and 57. A film member 62 may be a strip
of film and, as shown, is fed to the pulley 50 whereat it is
gripped by the chain 52 and belt 54 so as to be transported about
100.degree. around the sprocket or pulley 50, after which the strip
of film is released for further operations or transport.
As thus shown in FIG. 3 it is apparent that the film transporting
apparatus of this invention only requires that the roller chain be
supported and maintained in a determined path and alignment so
that, as it is moved, the belt is brought into gripping engagement
with the inner link members of the chain to grip the film. Whether
the belt is drawn or pushed into its desired path, it is only
necessary that the belt engage and push the film into gripping
engagement with the protrusion portions of the inner links of the
chain.
Of course, if desired, the relationship of the belt and chain in
apparatus such as shown in FIG. 3 may be reversed. In other words,
instead of an endless chain being carried on the pulley, the belt
may be carried on the pulley. The chain is then carried on
sprockets arranged so that a determined length of chain is brought
into an unsupported and tightly drawn engagement with a determined
arc portion of the belt carried by the pulley. So arranged, the
film is still gripped between the belt and chain.
Definitions and Terms
"Film" as above-described contemplates that the film is
sufficiently flexible so as to be bent from its normal plane
without permanent deformation. Polyethylene film up to about
five-thousandths of an inch in thickness is such a flexible film. A
more flexible film such as "Surlyn" (T.M. of E.I. DuPont for
ionomer resin film) could be one of the slightly thicker films.
Film for packaging usually is of thin gauge such as from one- to
five-thousandths of an inch in thickness and the gripping action
provided by the above-described transport apparatus is quite
satisfactory for such films. Films of even twenty- or
thirty-thousandths of an inch in thickness are satisfactorily
gripped if the film is heat-softened to become as flexible as the
thinner more commonly used films. Laminated films can, of course,
be accommodated in the above apparatus.
"Roller chain" as shown and described contemplates a chain having a
regular spacing of its rollers disposed for the transport of the
chain by sprockets. As to whether the side links have their sides
conventionally contoured as shown in FIG. 2 or whether the sides
are straight or otherwise sloped is merely a matter of design. It
is only necessary that the chain be so sized that the small face of
the V-belt, as it is caused to enter between the inner side plates
of the chain, is spaced from the sloped flanks of the V-belt so as
to engage the film and locally pinch the film between the flanks of
the V-belt and the side links or plates of the chain without the
film being pushed into engagement with the rotating rollers.
Rollerless or pintle type chain in which pins are used to provide
the separation and drive spacing is also contemplated for use in
the apparatus. If the rollers or pins do not rotate during the
gripped film transport step, then the bottom of the V-belt may be
permitted to push the film into engagement with the pins or
rollers.
"V-belt" as above-shown and describes contemplates a conventional
V-belt whose flanks or sides lie in planes tapering toward each
other. A round belt could also be used in place of the V-belt shown
just as long as the film is gripped between the belt the inner side
links of the roller chain.
Although it is contemplated that the film transport apparatus is
usually provided for the feeding of a strip of film, it is also
recognized that sheets of film may also be transported and fed by
this apparatus. Two chains spaced a determined distance apart are
also considered as the normal feeding arrangement for the film but
more chains may be used if desired. Only one chain need be used
where only one side of the film is to be gripped as may be found in
certain film-folding operations. The number of chains and V-belt
film transport apparatus used in a particular installation is
therefore only a matter of selection.
The web or film need not go over both inside links of the chain for
the belt to grip the film. The amount of gripping force may also be
preselected and maintained by spring loading either or both the
backup bar 20 or the support for rollers 32. A more sophisticated
biasing means may be provided by the use of pneumatic or hydraulic
cylinders actuated by a determined pressure supply of air or fluid.
The frequency and size of the point contact of the film at the
engaging points are merely a matter of selection as is the applied
pressure at these points. As slippage caused by shrinkage, heating,
forming and the like is the greatest problem in film transport,
particularly in vacuum forming and the like, the selection of the
chain, belt and pressure permits such problems to be easily solved
with the above-described transporting apparatus.
Terms such as "left," "right," "up," "down," "bottom," "top,"
"front," "back," "in," "out" and the like are applicable to the
embodiment shown and described in conjunction with the drawing.
These terms are merely for the purposes of description and do not
necessarily apply to the position in which the film-transporting
apparatus may be constructed.
The conception of the film-transporting apparatus and its
applications is not limited to the specific embodiment shown but
departures therefrom may be made without sacrificing its chief
advantages and protection is sought to the broadest extent the
prior art allows.
* * * * *