Method Of Automatically Producing A Continuously Processable Multicopy Writing Surface Assembly, And Apparatus For Performance Thereof

Abstract

Method and apparatus for producing a multicopy writing surface assembly comprising a continuous web and attachments affixed thereto wherein the continuous web moves in one direction and the attachments move toward it from the opposite direction against a stop at which point they are interconnected.

Description

The present invention concerns a method of automatically producing a continuously processable multicopy writing surface assembly comprising a continuous web and attachments, and further concerns apparatus for the performance of such method.

The term "continuously processable multicopy and writing surface assembly" as used herein denotes continuous products provided with single forms, labels and the like, such as continuous forms, as well as a continuous single web which has arranged on it multicopy sets in particular multiple forms.

Industrial practice today knows of no suitable machines or methods for the production of such continuously processable multicopy assemblies. The production of such assemblies has hitherto been effected by manual methods, involving inadequate output and insufficient precision.

The object of the present invention is to eliminate the said drawbacks by providing a method characterized in that the continuous web moves in one direction and the attachments move towards it from the opposite direction, and that the two are interconnected and then laid down in an ordered manner.

The invention is now to be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a machine for the affixing of single forms, address labels or the like onto continuous forms, or of multiple sets onto continuous single webs;

FIGS. 2-6 show diagrams of part of the machine according to FIG. 1 in various positions corresponding to the different steps in the process of affixing sets to a pilot web;

FIG. 7 shows a diagrammatic top view of part of the machine according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 shows a section along line a--A in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 shows a section along line B--B in FIG. 7.

The machine shown in FIGS. 1-7 comprises a support 1 for a pilot web 4 which is taken from a pilot web stack 3 and which presents edge perforations serving to advance the pilot web 4. Arranged above the pilot web stack 3 is an adjustable guide bar 5 which, viewed in the moving direction of the pilot web, is succeeded by a gluing station 7. Succeeding this is a lay-on and press-on station 9. The machine further comprises a device designed to receive a stack 11 of attachments 12, which are formed in sets intended to be affixed to the pilot web 4. A feeder 13 is designed to withdraw the attachments 12 from the stack 11 and feed them to the lay-on and press-on station 9. The machine further comprises a tiltable pneumatic station 15 with suction and blast air for separation of the individual attachments 12 from the stack 11. The lay-on and press-on station 9 is succeeded by an intermittently operating feeder, which in its turn is succeeded by a lay-down device 17; the web, with the attachments affixed to it, passes through the latter device and subsequently reaches a height-adjustable lay-down table 19, which can be automatically lowered. The machine is controlled by switches arranged on a switchbox 21. Arranged below the aforesaid stations and concealed in FIG. 1 by casing plates is a gearbox with gearing and drive for the intermittent advance of the pilot web 4.

The machine shown in FIG. 1 operates with two webs running side by side. Fitted to the machine frame are slidable bearings 26 which hold a pivot rod 27. Clamped to the pivot rod 27 are nozzle supports 29 with removable glue nozzles 30. A central height-adjustable glue vessel 32 supplies glue through a flexible tube 33 to the nozzles 30. By adjusting the height of the glue vessel 32 it is possible to vary the glue flow and thus the glue coating in accordance with the type of material, for instance. A faucet 34 fitted to the supply tube 33 permits the glue supply to be shut down for prolonged pauses or for changing the nozzles 30. The supply tube 33 leads into a distributor tube 36, whence the various connecting tubes 37 lead to the nozzles 30.

Instead of spot gluing by individual nozzles, it is possible to adopt wipe gluing, sweeping the whole form width or part thereof. In such case, it is necessary to ensure before each advance of the pilot web that all parts such as stops and the like are retracted in order to prevent smudging of the gluing place.

The lay-on and press-on station 9 comprises bearings 39 with a pivot rod 40 to which press fingers 41 are adjustably fixed. One or, where applicable, several of the press fingers 41 are provided with a plate spring 42. Another pivot rod 43 supports two stops 44 for each web, with guide slots 45 and stop surfaces 46, for the attachment 12 to be laid in position. The term "attachment" as used herein denotes a single form, label or the like which is attached to a set of continuous forms, for instance, or a set of forms which is attached to a carrier or a pilot web. Arranged above the aforesaid components is a rig 48 with a fixed support 49 to which a beam 50 is pivotally connected by a pin 51. A program-controlled tappet 52 capable of moving up and down is connected to the beam 50. Arranged on each side of the beam 50 and fastened thereto by a rod 55 is a pivoted arm 54 which is slidable across the web direction and whose position is therefore adjustable to the width of the attachment. The pivoted arm 54 is provided with a double-acting electric magnet 56 which serves to operate a gripper 57 with a fixed upper clamp 58 and a lower pivotable clamp 60. The clamp 60 is fastened to a pivot rod 61. It also presents a strap 62. A pin 63 is slipped through two straps 62 and supports the two grippers 57 belonging to a pivoted arm 54 or, more particularly, the lower clamps 60 of the said grippers. The pin 63 is provided with a rod 64 which is connected by a ball joint 65. The upper portion of the rod 64 extends through the electric magnet 56 and is provided at its free end with a spring 66 and a spring disk 67 which is adjustable for the purpose of pre-tensioning the spring 66.

To prevent the attachments, such as multiple sets, labels and the like, from getting nicked or torn when hitting the surfaces 46, the grippers 57 are arranged between the two stops 44. The grippers 57 are not only feeding devices, but also serve to position the attachments to be affixed.

Arranged on the attachment stack table 10 is the pneumatic station 15 which, as previously mentioned, blows air from below through the stack table 10 in the direction of the arrows 69, in order to reduce the pressure of the stack 11 lying on the table 10 and thereby reduce the friction opposing the withdrawal of the lowest attachment 12.

The suction heads 70 are designed to pull the head of the attachment 12, such as a multiple set, away from the stack 11 and downwards. This action permits an air nozzle 71 to blow pressurized air between the lowest attachment 12 and the overlying stack 11. The air nozzle 71 may concurrently have the form of a retainer to hold up the stack overlying the attachment 12 to be withdrawn. FIG. 3 shows a set 73 which is withdrawn from the stack 11 in opposition to the moving direction 74 of the pilot web 4 and is laid onto the preceding set 75, involving an overlap. This overlap can be obtained if, as explained, the set 73 moves in opposition to the pilot web 4. Before the processed webs reach the stacking device, they pass over a driven roller 78 with two slightly leading upper pressure rollers 79.

The stacking device further comprises a pivoted stirrup 81. The pilot web 4 is provided at points corresponding to half the attachment length with a fold 82 which permits the pilot web 4 with the attachments 12 to be stacked in the manner shown in FIG. 1, so that the pilot web 4 folds up in such a manner that the head 83 of the attachment is enveloped by the pilot web 4, while the other half of the attachment lies free. As a result, all attachments are restacked lying in the same position, i.e. coincident.

When continuous form sets with attachments are restacked, the stirrup 81 and the table 19 are not required. Such continuous form sets are passed over an edge, analogous to the edge of the lay-down table 19, into a receptacle (not shown).

It is further possible to provide the delivery end of the machine described with a cutting device to trim the perforated edges from the webs, while the web run-in end of the machine may be equipped with a transverse perforating device and/or a punching device. It may also be convenient to arrange a numbering device at the delivery end of the machine for the purpose of consecutively numbering the forms, labels, etc., after the gluing operation.

The above described machine operates as follows:

The pilot web 4 (or, instead, a continuous form to which single forms, labels and the like are to be attached) is drawn from the pilot web stack 3 and moves from right to left according to the FIGS. The intermittent motion is produced by a spiked belt engaging the edge perforations of the pilot web 4. The advance stroke of the pilot web 4 is set according to the length of the attachment or, more particularly, to the length of the overlap 76 by means of change gears. This construction thus permits the operator to set any advance stroke of the pilot web 4 required.

After the advance stroke, the gluing station 7 goes into action. The pivot rod 27 with the nozzles 30, until then lifted, turns anticlockwise to lower the nozzles 30 on to the pilot web 4. This results in spot gluing of the pilot web according to the arrangement of the nozzles 30. The dwell-time of the nozzles 30 on the pilot web 4 is adjustable, ensuring highly accurate control of the glue quantity discharged by the nozzles. Then the pivot rod turns clockwise to lift the nozzles from the pilot web. Further lifting (by hand) permits the nozzles 30 to be easily cleaned.

Then the pilot web drive automatically restarts and brings the pilot web 4 in a further stroke to a point below the lay-on and press-on station 9. At each stroke, the gluing station 7 repeats the gluing of the pilot web 4 or the continuous set in the above described manner.

During the gluing phase, the pneumatic station 15, comprising the blowing air 69, the blow nozzles 71 and the suction heads 70, has prepared the lowest attachment 12 of the stack 11 for withdrawal. In this, the air nozzle 71 hold up the remaining stack during withdrawal of the lowest attachment. For this, they swing past the head of the lowest attachment to a point below the stack. The two grippers 57 arranged between the stops 44 as shown in FIG. 2 are in the open position, with the lower clamp 60 moved down by the electric magnet 56. During the last portion of the movement toward the stack 11, the head 83 of the attachment 12 passes in between the two clamps 58 and 60. At the end of the movement of the grippers 57, the electric magnet 56 acts to close the grippers 57. Then the arm 54 with the grippers 57 swings back, with the result that the said grippers withdraw an attachment 73 (FIG. 3) between the stack 11 and the stack table 10 and convey it towards the pilot web 4 and the stops 44. The pivoted arm 54 moves to a lowest position (FIG. 3) and thence moves into the home position (FIG. 4).

The connection of the rod 64 by the ball joint 65 ensures that the two grippers 57 are operated evenly, and that the attachment 12 is simultaneously gripped regardless of its thickness.

Before this final phase in the motion of the pivoted arm 54, the attachment 73 passes with its head 83 into the guide slots 45 of the stops 44. Before that, the motion of the pivoted arm 54 was slowed so as to ensure that the leading edge of the attachment 73 comes to rest gently against the surfaces 46 of the stops 44. Shortly before the attachment reaches the surfaces 46, the electric magnet 56 de-energizes, and the grippers 57 are held by the action of the spring 66 in a position whose clamping effect is reduced and which is adjustable in respect to clamping power. Once the attachment has reached the stops 44, the grippers are withdrawn from the attachment, now at rest. During the withdrawal of the grippers from the attachment, the pivot rod 40 in the bearings 39 turns anticlockwise, so that the plate spring 42 comes to rest on the attachment 73 and holds it fast. This prevents the attachment 73 from rebounding and ensures its accurate positioning. Then, after the withdrawal of the grippers from the attachment, the pivot rod 40 performs a second movement, lowering the press fingers 41, which exert pressure at selected points across the whole gluing width of the head 83 of the attachment 73 or 12, in such a manner that the press fingers 41 bear exactly on the previously glued points. A suitable glue setting under pressure is used, so that the head 83 of the attachment 73 is affixed to the corresponding points on the pilot web 4.

After this positioning, the grippers 57 return to their gripping position shown in FIG. 2. For this purpose, after the movement into the position shown in FIG. 5, the beam 50 is slightly lifted together with the pivot rod 54 and the grippers 57 by the lifting of the tappet 52, and then the arm 54 swings clockwise into the gripping position. During that motion, the electric magnet 56 reopens the grippers 57, and the arm 54 is lowered by the beam 50 and the tappet 52.

The next attachment 12 is then gripped and placed onto the pilot web 4, as described. So, while the first gluing point of the pilot web 4 reaches the lay-on and press-on station during the second stroke described, the attachment 12 is pulled into the said station in opposition to the moving direction of the pilot web 4, as described, and is first held fast on the pilot web 4 by the plate spring 42. Then, as described, the pivot rod 40 performs a second movement, lowering the press fingers 41 to affix attachment to pilot web.

Before the next stroke begins, involving the advance of the pilot web 4, the pivot rod 40, in the present case controlled by cams (not shown), turns clockwise, removing the press fingers 41 as well as the plate spring 42 from the glued attachment 73. After the advance or the next stroke, the pilot web 4, at standstill, receives glue, while the particular attachment 73 is affixed to the pilot web 4 under the pressure of the lowered press fingers 41. During the gluing and affixing, the arm 54 with the grippers 57 has again reached its gripping position, while before that the beam 50 was again lowered by the tappet 52 during the return stroke and returned to the correct gripping position. The cycle now starts afresh, in that during the advance of the pilot web 4 described the next attachment 12 or 73 is withdrawn from the stack 11 and placed onto the pilot web 4. The final position is reached at standstill, and plate spring and press fingers ensure the correct affixing of the attachment to the pilot web. When attachments are affixed to the pilot web 4, the latter together with the affixed attachments passes between the driven roller 78 and the upper pressure rollers 79, where, owing to the position of the pressure rollers 79 with respect to the roller 78, the foot of the attachment 12 is given an upward direction, while the stirrup 81 swung towards the roller 78 guides the pilot web 4 downwards. The pilot web 4 is automatically folded about the fold 82, as shown in FIG. 1. During this folding operation, the stirrup 81 swings out clockwise, as shown in FIG. 1, so that it engages and spreads the attachment 12, so that the lower halves of the attachments come to lie exactly one above the other. In this manner, the pilot web 4 with the attachments is restacked.

Where attachments are affixed to continuous forms, restacking is performed in the manner described earlier.

As mentioned, it is possible to adjust the stroke or the advance of the pilot web 4 to requirements. Instead of multiple sets, it is possible to affix adhesive address labels, forms and the like to continuous webs. In all cases, the machine operates in basically the same manner, and all the need be done is setting of the stops, the advance stroke, the gluing nozzles and the press fingers accordingly.

For the purpose of affixing various kinds of form, several machines may be set up pin line. It is also possible to provide each web with several suitably controlled pivoted arms 54 with grippers 57 to permit identical or different attachments to be affixed to the sets of a continuous form at different points, for instance. Moreover, it is possible by suitable programming to omit one or several attachments after, say, every hundred forms, for instance. Again, it is possible concurrently with one of the process phases, such as the gluing phase, to interconnect various superimposed continuous webs, as by punching. Finally, it is possible to apply the glue to the attachment instead of to the pilot web or the continuous form.

It is an essential feature of the above described machine that the attachments can be placed onto a web and affixed thereto at any point desired, and that the attachments are positively guided and held until their connection with the web is ensured.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method of automatically producing a continuously processable assembly including a continuous web and attachments, having a leading edge and a trailing edge, wherein the leading edge of the attachment is connected to the web, comprising:

moving the continuous web in one direction;

moving the leading edge of one of said attachments toward the continuous web from the opposite direction;

accurately stopping the motion of the attachment upon contact with a predetermined portion of the continuous web; and

interconnecting the leading edge of the attachment and the continuous web in an orderly manner.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the continuous web moves intermittently and the attachment is affixed thereto during the intermission.

3. Method according to claim 2, wherein the attachments are taken from a stack and, during the movement of the continuous web, are positioned above the latter.

4. Method according to claim 3, wherein the gluing and the interconnecting of attachment and web are performed immediately after the web stops.

5. Method according to claim 4, further comprising positioning the attachment against a stop, holding it fast, withdrawing the conveying means of the attachment from the latter, and then, for affixing, pressing the attachment against the continuous web at least at the glued points.

6. Method according to claim 3, wherein the attachment to be withdrawn from the stack is exposed to compressed air which is blown from the front between the attachment and the remainder of the stack.

7. Method according to claim 1, further comprising applying glue to the web, placing the attachment thereonto and affixing it thereto, and then delivering the finished multicopy writing surface assembly in an ordered folded manner.

8. Method according to claim 7, wherein gluing is performed spotwise, and that gluing time is variable.

9. Method according to claim 7, wherein the attachments having the form of multiple sets are interconnected by punching, during the gluing or affixing to the continuous web.

10. Method according to claim 7, wherein the attachment is guided and held fast from the beginning of its withdrawal from the stack to the gluing operation, inclusive.

11. Method according to claim 7 wherein the attachment is a set of multiple sheets and the continuous web is a pilot web wherein, for the purpose of ordered delivery, the pilot web is folded about a middle fold in such a manner that the leading edge portions of the sets lie between pilot web portions while the trailing edge portions of the sets lie in direct contact one above the other.

12. Method according to claim 1, wherein an adhesive agent setting under pressure is used.

13. Method according to claim 12, wherein the means designed to hold the attachments in position is used as a pressing means to cause the adhesive agent to set.

14. Method according to claim 1, wherein the attachments having the form of sets of multiple sheets are affixed to the continuous web in a partially overlapping manner.

15. Method according to claim 14 wherein the attachment is a set of multiple sheets and the continuous web is a pilot web wherein, for the purpose of ordered delivery, the pilot web is folded about a middle fold in such a manner that the leading edge portions of the sets lie between pilot web portions, while the trailing edge portions of the sets lie in direct contact one above the other.

16. Method according to claim 1, comprising loosening the attachment in the stack, withdrawing it therefrom, conveying it towards the continuous web in a direction opposed to the advance of the said web and bringing it in slowed movements up against stationary stop surfaces, and, once the attachment rests against the stops, holding it fast, releasing it from the conveying means, pressing it against the pilot web and connecting it thereto by gluing, and then folding the pilot web with the attachments.

17. An apparatus for automatically producing a continuously processable assembly including a continuous web and attachments, having a leading edge and a trailing edge, wherein the leading edge of the attachment is connected to the web, comprising:

web feed means for moving the continuous web in one direction;

attachment feed means for moving the leading edge of one of said attachments toward the continuous web from the opposite direction;

positioning means for accurately stopping the motion of the attachment upon contact with a predetermined portion of the continuous web; and

connecting means for interconnecting the leading edge of the attachment and the continuous web in an orderly manner.

18. Apparatus in accordance with claim 17, wherein said positioning means includes stops designed to position the attachment with respect to the continuous web.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the stops are stationary and are provided with a guide slot and a stop surface.

20. Apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said attachment feed means further includes grippers designed to grip and convey the attachments.

21. Apparatus according to claim 20, wherein when the attachment comes up against the stops, the grippers are positioned between the said stops.

22. Apparatus according to claim 20 which is provided with several grippers for the purpose of affixing several attachments side by side on one web.

23. Apparatus according to claim 20, further including a double-acting electric magnet and a spring designed to vary the clamping power of the gripper.

24. Apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising a gluing station with nozzles which can be moved upward for cleaning.

25. Apparatus according to claim 24 further, comprising a lay-on and press-on station succeeding the gluing station.

26. Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the lay-on and press-on station is provided with clamping fingers capable of being lifted and lowered.

27. Apparatus according to claim 26, wherein at least one of the press fingers is provided with a plate spring clamping means.

28. Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said attachment feed means includes a pivoted arm which is capable of being lifted and lowered and which is provided with at least two grippers which are connected to a magnet by a ball joint and whose lower halves are pivotally connected to the pivoted arm, while the upper halves are rigidly connected to the said pivoted arm.

29. Apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said pivoted arm with the grippers is connected to a rig which is arranged above the continuous web and is capable of being lifted and lowered in controlled manner.

30. Apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising a stacking device comprising at least one roller which has a lead with respect to a lower roller and having a pivoted stirrupshaped means which is designed to guide the pilot web towards the stack as well as to spread out the overlapping multiple sets.

31. Apparatus according to claim 17, capable of being set up in line with other systems of a design identical with its own design.

32. Apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising a holding means which is designed as a blowing nozzle and which is designed to hold the stack overlying the lowest attachment.

33. Apparatus according to claim 32, further comprising a pneumatic station which blows into the bottom of the stack and which presents at least one suction head designed to suck the head portion of the lowest attachment and which is provided with at least one air nozzle which blows in opposition to the withdrawal direction and blows air between the lowest attachment and the remainder of the stack and concurrently serves as a support for such remainder.

34. Apparatus according to claim 32, wherein said nozzle is pivotally arranged for the purpose of supporting the remainder of the stack.