Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
207 words
Thermo-cementing and folding machine comprising a main drive shaft, folding instrumentalities arranged at an operating locality of the machine and including a creaser foot over which a marginal portion of a workpiece can be turned, adhesive supply means by which adhesive can be supplied, through a passage in the creaser foot, to the marginal portion of a workpiece being turned thereover, workpiece feeding means operable in timed relation with rotation of the main drive shaft for feeding a workpiece through the operating locality, and means for varying the rate at which such workpiece is fed, without varying the speed of rotation of the main drive shaft, wherein the rate at which adhesive is supplied to the workpiece marginal portion can be modified in response to variation in the workpiece feed rate, characterised in that the adhesive supply means (22 to 28) comprises a gear pump (26) driven by an n.c. motor (M) in response to drive signals supplied thereto, in timed relation with the rotation of the main drive shaft, by a computer control circuit (E, CPU, O/P, SMD) which is also effective to modify the incidence of the drive signals according to the operational state of the workpiece feed rate varying means (S6, 46 to 50).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
207 words
Thermo-cementing and folding machine comprising a main drive shaft, folding instrumentalities arranged at an operating locality of the machine and including a creaser foot over which a marginal portion of a workpiece can be turned, adhesive supply means by which adhesive can be supplied, through a passage in the creaser foot, to the marginal portion of a workpiece being turned thereover, workpiece feeding means operable in timed relation with rotation of the main drive shaft for feeding a workpiece through the operating locality, and means for varying the rate at which such workpiece is fed, without varying the speed of rotation of the main drive shaft, wherein the rate at which adhesive is supplied to the workpiece marginal portion can be modified in response to variation in the workpiece feed rate, characterised in that the adhesive supply means (22 to 28) comprises a gear pump (26) driven by an n.c. motor (M) in response to drive signals supplied thereto, in timed relation with the rotation of the main drive shaft, by a computer control circuit (E, CPU, O/P, SMD) which is also effective to modify the incidence of the drive signals according to the operational state of the workpiece feed rate varying means (S6, 46 to 50).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
75 words
Machine according to claim 1 characterised in that the computer control circuit (E, CPU, O/P, SMD) is effective, when the workpiece feed rate varying means (S6, 46 to 50) is inoperative, to supply drive signals at an incidence which is in a pre-determined relationship with rotation of the main drive shaft and to reduce the incidence of the drive signals to a pre-determined proportion, when said varying means (S6, 46 to 50) is rendered operative.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
Machine according to claim 2 characterised in that said pre-determined proportion is 50%.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
107 words
Machine according to either one of claims 2 and 3 characterised in that the computer control circuit (E, CPU, RAM, O/P, SMD) comprises a shaft encoder (E) driven by the main drive shaft and supplying pulses to a processor (CPU) of said circuit (E, CPU, RAM, O/P, SMD) and in that in response to each pulse a control signal having a pre-determined value or a proportionately reduced value is supplied to an accumulator (RAM) forming part of the circuit (E, CPU, RAM, O/P, SMD), and said accumulator (RAM) causes drive signals to be supplied to the motor (M) according to the cumulative value of said control signals.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
111 words
Machine according to claim 4 characterised in that the computer control circuit (E, CPU, RAM, VR4, ADC, O/P, SMD) comprises a potentiometer (VR4) by which an analogue signal can be supplied, and an analogue-to-digital converter (ADC) which receives a signal from the potentiometer (VR4) and which, in response to a pulse emitted by the encoder (E), supplies a corresponding or proportionately reduced digital "increment" value to the accumulator (RAM) which sums the successively supplied increment values, said accumulator (RAM) "overflowing" each time it reaches a pre-determined value and thereupon supplying to the processor (CPU) a signal in response to which a drive signal is supplied to the motor (M) as aforesaid.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
Machine according to either one of claims 4 and 5 wherein operator-controlled means (42) is provided for setting the pre-determined value of the analogue signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
123 words
Machine according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that switch means (S5) is provided by which operation of the gear pump (26) as aforesaid is switched on and off, and in that, in response to switching off such operation, the gear pump (26) is caused to operate in a reverse direction, independently of the rotation of the main drive shaft, through a pre-determined distance, and further in that, in response to switching on such operation, the gear pump (26) is caused to operate in a forward direction at high speed, independently of the rotation of the main drive shaft, through a pre-determined distance, whereafter it continues to operate in timed relation with rotation of the main drive shaft as aforesaid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
Machine according to claim 7 characterised in that the pre-determined distance through which the gear pump (26) is caused to operate in a reverse direction is the same as that through which it is caused to operate at high speed in a forward direction.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
Machine according to either one of claims 7 and 8 characterised in that operator-controlled means (44, VR5) is provided for setting the pre-determined distance through which the gear pump (26) is caused to operate in a reverse direction.