U.S. patent number 3,876,087 [Application Number 05/362,818] was granted by the patent office on 1975-04-08 for removable cylinder carrying carriage, for rotary machines for the treatment of band material.
Invention is credited to Francesco Osta.
United States Patent |
3,876,087 |
Osta |
April 8, 1975 |
Removable cylinder carrying carriage, for rotary machines for the
treatment of band material
Abstract
In a rotary machine for the treatment of band material, a
carriage carrying the working cylinder, the doctor and other
correlative parts, which during the working periods remains
integral with the machine and in order to allow removal of the
carried components has two sets of wheels, one of which has a
mechanism for lowering and lifting the wheels in order to render
operative either the one or the other of the sets of wheels, whilst
power means are provided for clamping a fixed part of the machine
in an operative position wherein the working cylinder rests on
supporting means of the machine thus discharging the carriage.
Inventors: |
Osta; Francesco (15.033 Casale
Monferrato (Alessandria), IT) |
Family
ID: |
23427657 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/362,818 |
Filed: |
May 22, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
414/349; 101/216;
414/787; 414/389 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B41F
9/18 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B41F
9/18 (20060101); B41F 9/00 (20060101); B41f
009/18 () |
Field of
Search: |
;214/38CC,38C,DIG.4,515,38B,38BA,38BB,13R ;101/153,216 ;105/177
;180/11 ;242/58.6 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Spar; Robert J.
Assistant Examiner: Auton; Gary
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Young & Thompson
Claims
Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:
1. In a rotary machine for the treatment of band material, having a
removable working cylinder and stationary guide means, a carriage
comprising a frame, support means mounted on said frame for
supporting said cylinder, mounted on the bottom of said frame a
first set of wheels, also mounted on the bottom of said frame a
second set of wheels, the wheels of said second set of wheels being
fixedly positioned with their axes parallel to the axis of said
supported cylinder, displacement means connected to said frame and
to the wheels of said second set of wheels, whereby said second set
of wheels can be lifted with respect to said first set of wheels by
said displacement means thus rendering operative said first set of
wheels in order to allow displacement of the carriage on the ground
outside the machine, and said second set of wheels can be lowered
with respect to said first set of wheels by said displacement means
thus rendering operative said second set of wheels to allow
displacement of the carriage, along a fixed direction perpendicular
to the axis of the supported cylinder, on the ground inside said
machine, said support means being hinged to said frame, means
defining first reference surfaces on said frame, means defining
second reference surfaces on said support means, said first and
second reference surfaces cooperating with reference surfaces on
said guide means fixed to the machine, and power means connected to
said frame and support means for bringing near to each other under
stress said first and second reference surfaces, whereby, when said
first and second reference surfaces are arranged facing the
reference surfaces of the machine, operation of said power means
allows clamping said guide means of the machine thus rendering
stationary the carriage in operative position.
2. A machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said machine has
supporting means for the working cylinder, and the distance between
said first reference surfaces and the support means of the carriage
is less than the distance between the reference surfaces of the
guide means and the supporting means of the machine, whereby when
the carriage clamps said guide means the support means of the
carriage lay down the supported cylinder onto the supporting means
provided on the machine.
3. A machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said displacement
means for the wheels and said power means are pneumatic piston and
cylinder assemblies, and the carriage further comprises at least
one compressed air reservoir for supplying compressed air to said
piston and cylinder assemblies.
4. A machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the distance between
said reference surfaces on said guide means and the ground is
greater than the distance between said first reference surfaces and
the ground whereby operation of said power means raises said frame
into contact with said guide means and out of contact with the
ground.
5. In a rotary machine for the treatment of band material, having a
removable working cylinder and stationary guide means, a carriage
comprising a frame, support means mounted on said frame for
supporting said cylinder, wheel means mounted on the bottom of said
frame, said support means being hinged to said frame, means
defining first reference surfaces on said support means, said first
and second reference surfaces cooperating with reference surfaces
on said guide means fixed to the machine, and power means connected
to said frame and support means for bringing near to each other
under stress said first and second reference surfaces, whereby,
when said first and second reference surfaces are arranged facing
the reference surfaces of the machine, operation of said power
means allows clamping said guide means of the machine thus
rendering stationary the carriage in operative position.
6. A machine as set forth in claim 5, wherein the distance between
said reference surfaces on said guide means and the ground is
greater than the distance between said first reference surfaces and
the ground whereby operation of said power means raises said frame
into contact with said guide means and out of contact with the
ground.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a removable carriage, carrying a
working cylinder with the respective doctor and other correlative
components intended to be used in machines for treating band shaped
materials, such as for example rotary presses, rotogravure presses,
coating machines, laminating machines and other equipment having
similar requirements, acting on band of paper, paperboard,
cardboard, plastics or other material.
In the machines of the above mentioned kind, when changing the type
of work to be performed, and also in other occasions, the working
cylinders, the relative troughs for ink, varnish, bonding agents
and the like, have to be replaced with other correlative
components, and still other parts, such as doctors, have to be
submitted to an accurate cleaning or even they have to be replaced.
In order to facilitate the replacement of the working cylinder, in
many improved machines the cylinder is mounted on a removable
carriage provided with four wheels which usually are of the
swiveling type to allow a variation of 90.degree. of the movement
direction of the carriage in a very restricted space as is required
in all such machines in which the carriage cannot cross the sides
of the machine. When the carriage is positioned in place, it is
rendered stationary in its whole or at least in that part of it
which supports the cylinder. These well known carriages have
various disadvantages. The fact that their wheels are of the
swiveling type renders difficult the correct positioning in the
operative position after the carriage has been introduced into the
machine. Difficulties arise when rendering stationary the carriage
in its position with the very restricted tolerances which are
required for the positioning of the cyclinder. The high pressure
which is applied onto the working cylinder during operation is
discharged onto the carriage, whose construction therefore has to
be sturdy and heavy.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide in a rotary
machine for the treatment of band material a carriage of the above
mentioned type, which is free from the disadvantages of the prior
art carriages, and particularly a carriage which can be of a
relatively lighter construction, is easy to be displaced externally
of the machine but at the same time can be positioned accurately
into its operative position, can easily be rendered stationary in
said position and is not subject to overloadings during
operation.
These objects are attained according to the invention by means of a
removable carriage carrying a working cylinder and the correlative
components and intended to be used in a machine for the treatmenet
of band shaped materials, characterized in that it comprises a
frame, means mounted on this frame to support the working cylinder
and the correlative parts, a fist set of wheels, eventually of the
swiveling type, serving to allow the displacements of the carriage
on the ground outside the machine, a second set of wheels fixedly
positioned with their axes parallel to the axis of the supported
cylinder and serving to allow the displacements of the carriage on
the floor of the machine in order to move it into its operative
position, and means for lowering one of said sets of wheels in
order to render it operative, thereby lifting the entire carriage
with the other set of wheels in order to render it inoperative, and
viceversa.
Thanks to this feature the carriage can be displaced externally of
the machine by means of one of the sets of wheels in the same
conditions as the prior art carriages but within the machine, after
the other set of wheels has been made operative, the carriage moves
in a fixed direction perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder,
thereby allowing to reach the exact operative position.
Furthermore, said frame and the means for supporting the cylinder
are hinged to each other, they both have suitable reference
surfaces adapted to cooperate with complementary reference surfaces
provided on guides fixed to the casing of the machine, and are
provided with power means adapted to bring near to each other under
stress the reference surfaces of the frame and of the means
supporting the cylinder, thereby clamping the guide fixed to the
casing and rendering stationary the carriage in the operative
position.
With this arrangement it becomes very easy to fix the carriage
exactly in its operative position and to prevent it from any
accidental successive displacement.
Finally, the casing of the machine is provided with support means
for the cylinder, and the reference surfaces of the carriage and
the reference surfaces of the casing, respectively, are arranged in
such a mutual relationship that when the carriage clamps scarfs the
guide of the casing the supporting means pertaining to the carriage
lay down the cylinder onto the supporting means pertaining to the
casing, thereby ensuring an exact positioning independently from
the positioning of the carriage, and discharging directly onto the
casing the operative pressures applied onto the cylinder.
This allows a relatively light construction of the carriage, which
facilitates greatly the manipulation of the carriage, besides
reducing its cost.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
These and other features of the invention will appear clearer from
the following description relative to an illustrative and not
limitative embodiment diagrammatically shown in the accompanying
drawing, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the carriage according to the
invention, represented outside the machine;
FIG. 2 shows the same carriage introduced into the machine and
ready to be brought into the operative position;
FIG. 3 shows the carriage positioned within the machine and
rendered stationary in its operative position;
FIG. 4 is a broken view of the carriage frame as seen from the
bottom, illustrating the two sets of wheels;
FIG. 5 is a broken top view of the machine casing, showing the
support means for the cylinder and the reference guides for the
frame and the locking means of the carriage.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The carriage according to the invention is provided with a frame 1
forming the carrying structure of the carriage. Said frame 1 has a
portion which extends horizontally in the lower part of the
carriage, and from which vertically extends at least one upright
1', to which a part 3 is pivotally connected at 2. Said hinged part
has a seat 3' forming a support for the working cylinder C, and
said hinged part 3 may further carry the doctor, the means for the
alternate displacement of the doctor, the troughs containing ink,
varnish, bonding agents or other substances serving to wet the
cylinder, the pumps relative to said troughs, as well as any other
component correlative to the working cylinder, the removal of which
together with the cylinder is deemed to be useful; these parts,
which are well known per se and which can be supported by the
carriage in any suita-ble manner, as not shown.
Mounted between the frame 1 and the hinged part 3 is a power means
which in the example shown is formed by a pneumatic cylinder 4
pivotally fixed to the frame 1 and having its piston rod 5
pivotally connected to the hinged part 3. The power means 4-5
permits moving the parts 1-3 away from each other, as shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2, or approaching them to each other as shown in FIG.
3.
The horizontal portion of frame 1 is provided on the top with a
reference surface 6 to which corresponds a reference surface 8
provided on the bottom of a guide 10 fixed to the casing 11 of the
machine to which the carriage is destined; in a similar manner, the
hinged part 3 is provided on its bottom with reference surfaces 7
to which corresponds a reference surface 9 provided on the top of
the guide 10. Of course, this arrangement is repeated in an
identical manner on both sides of the carriage. Furthermore, the
casing 11 of the machine is provided laterally on both sides with a
seat 12 forming a supporting means for the cylinder C. The distance
of the seat 12 from the reference surface 9 is greater than the
distance of the seat 3' from the reference surfaces 7 in the
carriage.
Mounted below the frame 1 is a first set of four wheels 13, which
can be positioned fixedly with their axes perpendicular to the axis
of cylinder C, or they can be of the swiveling type known as in the
prior art carriages, according to the displacement requirements of
the carriage outside the machine. Furthermore, mounted below the
frame 1 is also a second set of wheels 14, also four in number,
whose axes are fixedly positioned parallel to the axis of the
cylinder C. These wheels 14 are supported by displacement means,
such as pneumatic cylinders 15, vertically mounted in the
horizontal portion 1 of the frame, which allow to lift these wheels
into the position shown in FIG. 1, in which the carriage rests on
the wheels 13 in order to allow displacing it on the ground outside
the machine, or to lower them into the position shown in FIG. 2
when the carriage is being inserted into the machine. The stroke of
the cylinders 15 is long enough to bring the wheels 14 under the
level of the wheels 13, as shown in FIG. 2, so that the entire
carriage is slightly lifted when resting on the wheels 14. Then the
wheels 13, lifted with the carriage, rest no more on the ground,
thereby permitting movements of the carriage on the floor 0 of the
machine in a direction perpendicular to the axis of cylinder C and
thus ensuring reaching the exact operative position. For this
displacement inside the machine, the wheels 14, if desired, can
also cooperate with special rails 16.
The guide 10 is positioned at such a height that its lower
reference surface 8 will be situated slightly above the level of
the reference surfaces 6 of the carriage frame 1 when the carriage
rests on the wheels 14; on the other hand, the reference surface 7
of the hinged part 3 are situated above the level of the upper
reference surface 9 of the guide 10 when the power means 4-5 is in
extended position. Accordingly, in such conditions (FIG. 2) the
carriage can be moved between the side walls 11 of the machine up
to its operative position. At this point the power means 4-5 is
contracted and the hinged part 3 is lowered. During this lowering,
cylinder C resting on the supporting seat 3' comes to meet the
support means 12 fixed to the casing 11 and remains resting on
them; the hinged part 3 moves downwardly a little more, thereby
ceasing to form a bearing for the cylinder C but maintaining itself
centered laterally in respect of the cylinder; the reference
surfaces 7 of the part 3 are brought to rest on the surfaces 9 of
guide 10. Accordingly, the further contraction of the piston and
cylinder assembly 4-5 causes the frame 1, which up to that time was
resting on the wheels 14, to be lifted from the floor 0 until the
reference surface 6 rests against the surface 8 of guide 10 and the
guide 10 is clamped between the frame 1 and the hinged part 3.
Thus, the carriage is effectively immobilized in its operative
position. The same operations effected in the opposed direction
disengage the carriage, causing the cylinder to rest again on the
hinged part 3 in order to allow removing said cylinder from the
machine.
It is obvious that the level differences between the parts intended
to engage with each other, and consequently the stroke of the
piston and cylinder assembly 4-5, can actually be much smaller in
respect of how they have been represented for the sake of
clarity.
Preferably, the carriage is designed in such a way as to be able to
be inserted, locked and disengaged in respect of the casing 11 of
the machine by positioning it either with the pivot 2 mounting side
turned away from the casing 11, as shown, or with said pivot 2
mounting side facing the casing, i.e. in a position which is
specularly symmetrical in respect of the position shown in the
drawings. The use of the carriage in the one or the other position
does not require any shape or size variations of the parts of the
machine casing 11.
The carriage can be suitably provided with compressed air tanks 17
for its pneumatic actuation. However, the actuation of the
displacements of both the hinged part 3 and the lowerable wheels 14
could also be effected by mechanical, hydraulic or other means.
Also, the arrangements and all constructive parts of the carriage
can vary within wide limits in respect of the embodiment which has
been described and illustrated herein, in accordance with the
requirements of the various applications, without departing from
the scope of the invention and the present patent.
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