Roll banding machine

Claim 2

A banding machine to apply one or more bands around a sheet of material coiled about an axis to form a roll thereof, said machine comprising in combination, conveying means adapted to receive coiled rolls of said material in randomly spaced relationship and feed the same into said machine while maintained in coiled condition, power means to drive said conveyor unidirectionally, and control means for said power means operable to drive said conveyor intermittently for substantially even intervals of time to effect stopping of said rolls between periods of movement thereof; a band-applying unit arranged to receive said coiled rolls from said conveying means and comprising an anvil jaw and a clamping jaw, means to support said jaws for relative movement toward and from engagement with each other between two of said rolls upon said conveying means, and means to support at least one coil of banding material of fusible and heat-shrinkable type adjacent said band-applying unit, one of said jaws having heating means operable to fuse together strips of said banding material when extended around said coiled rolls to form endless bands therearound, said intermittent operation of said conveyor resulting in interrupting movement of said rolls at said banding unit when such relative movement of said jaws as aforesaid is effected and thereby permit at least one of said jaws to move between a pair of successive rolls to effect banding thereof; heated band-shrinking means, and means to move banded coiled rolls of material relative to said band-shrinking means while maintained in coiled condition to shrink bands contiguous to said rolls prior to discharge from said machine.

Claim 3

The banding machine according to claim 1 in which said machine further includes means to drive said conveying means intermittently to effect successive movements of said rolls in feeding direction between short periods of non-movement of said rolls by said conveying means, and said application of bands around said rolls occurring while said rolls are stopped between said movements thereof in feeding direction.

Claim 4

The banding machine according to claim 1 in which said conveying means comprises an endless conveyor driven intermittently to support rolls of said material, and said machine including elongated, stationary members parallel to said conveyor and spaced therefrom to define a feeding space within which said rolls of material engage the surfaces defining said space and thereby are caused to rotate during movements of said conveyor in a direction to maintain the material on said rolls coiled.

Claim 5

The banding machine according to claim 1 in which said means to move said rolls relative to said band-shrinking means comprises a conveyor and a parallel stationary member spaced thereform adequately to receive said rolls therebetween and engage the same, and means to drive said conveyor continuously in a direction to cause said rolls to rotate continuously in a direction to maintain the same in coiled condition.

Claim 6

The banding machine according to claim 1 in which said conveying means comprises an endless conveyor driven intermittently and said means to move said rolls relative to said band-shrinking means comprises a constantly driven endless conveyor, and said machine also includinG elongated stationary means parallel to said conveyors and spaced therefrom sufficiently to receive said rolls therebetween to effect rotation of said rolls relative to said stationary means by said conveyors in directions to maintain the rolls in coiled condition.

Claim 7

The banding machine according to claim 1 further including a transverse supporting bar extending across said machine above said conveying means and having means thereon to support said anvil jaw stationarily relative to said conveying means and adjustable longitudinally of said transverse supporting bar, and an additional transverse supporting bar extending across said machine below said conveying means and movable toward and from the same, said clamping jaw being carried by said additional transverse supporting bar for movement therewith toward and from said stationary anvil jaw.

Claim 8

The banding machine according to claim 6 further including means to adjust said stationary anvil jaws substantially vertically upon said transverse supporting bar therefore to adapt the machine to accommodate coiled rolls of material of different diameters at the initiation of a run of rolls of said material of uniform diameter through said machine.

Claim 9

The banding machine according to claim 1 further including a stationary frame in which said anvil jaw is supported stationarily by said frame in operative position above said conveying means and said machine including a movable arm positioned below said conveying means and supporting said clamping jaw for movement toward and from said stationary anvil jaw, cam means interengageable with said movable arm to oscillate it, and power means interconnected to said cam means to actuate the same.

Claim 10

The banding machine according to claim 8 further including an actuating lever pivotally supported by said stationary frame of said machine, said cam means operable by said power means being engageable with said actuating lever to move one end thereof through an arc, and said machine including a connecting rod extending between said lever and movable arm for said clamping jaw.

Claim 11

The banding machine according to claim 9 in which said actuating lever is provided with a slot at one end of said connecting rod being adjustably and pivotally interconnected to said lever along said slot and adjustable relative to the slot to vary the length of the oscillatory path of movement of said movable arm and clamping jaw thereon.

Claim 12

The banding machine according to claim 1 in which said conveying means comprises a pair of parallel endless belts supported upon rollers supported by a main stationary frame, said belts being spaced transversely a predetermined distance adequate to support coiled rolls of material without tilting, said machine also including an auxiliary frame adjustably supported above said main stationary frame, a pair of parallel guide rails supported by said auxiliary frame in vertically spaced relationship to one course of said belts and in vertical alignment therewith, and pairs of bell cranks supported by said main stationary frame and interconnected to said auxiliary frame at spaced location, and operable to vary the height of the vertical space between said belts and the guide rails within which coiled rolls of material are moved along a path parallel to said belts and rails.

Claim 13

The banding machine according to claim 11 further including pairs of said bell cranks pivotally supported by said upwardly extending supports on said main frame and one end of said bell cranks being pivotally connected to said auxiliary frame, a pair of said auxiliary supports and bell cranks respectively being mounted adjacent opposite sides of said main frame, a shaft extending transversely across said auxiliary frame in alignment with the pivotal connections for said bell cranks and fixedly connected to said pivotal connections for simultaneous actuation of transversely aligned pairs of said bell cranks, and a rod extending along one side of said machine between said bell cranks on said onE side thereof and operable to simultaneously actuate all of said bell cranks in unison to effect vertical adjustment of said auxiliary frame and guide rails supported thereby relative to said endless belts upon said main frame of said machine.

Claim 14

The banding machine according to claim 11 in which said machine includes a base frame adapted to be supported above a floor surface and said main frame extends longitudinally along and above said base frame, and said machine including pivot means supported by said base frame and interconnected to said main frame intermediately of the ends thereof, and vertically adjustable positioning means supported by said base frame and connected to the main frame adjacent the receiving end of said conveying means thereon to adjust the height of said receiving end of the conveying means relative to supply means for feeding coiled rolls of material to said conveyor.

Claim 15

A banding machine to apply one or more bands around a coiled sheet of material to form a coiled roll thereof and prevent uncoiling thereof, said machine comprising in combination, a conveyor adapted to receive coiled rolls of said material and rotate said rolls in the direction in which the material is coiled thereon to prevent uncoiling thereof while moving along a path in said machine, means adapted to apply at least one band of heat-shrinkable fusible material around said rolls at a predetermined position located in said path, means to move said conveyor intermittently between successive short periods of non-movement of said rolls to permit attachment of at least one of said bands loosely around each of said rolls, while stationary between movements thereof heating means downstream in said path for said rolls and extending longitudinally therealong a sufficient distance to shrink said band closely around each roll, additional conveyor means supporting said rolls for movement along said heating means and adjacent thereto to effect such shrinking of said bands around said rolls, and means to effect continuous rotation of said rolls as moved by said additional conveyor along said path in proximity to said heating means.

Claim 16

A banding machine to apply one or more bands around a coiled sheet of material to form a coiled roll thereof and prevent uncoiling thereof, said machine comprising in combination, a conveyor adapted to receive coiled rolls of said material and rotate said rolls in the direction in which the material is coiled thereon to prevent uncoiling thereof while moving along a path in said machine, means adapted to apply at least one band of heat-shrinkable fusible material around said rolls at a predetermined position located in said path, means to move said conveyor intermittently between successive short periods of non-movement of said rolls to permit attachment of at least one of said bands loosely around each of said rolls, while stationary between movements thereof heating means downstream in said path for said rolls and extending longitudinally therealong a sufficient distance to shrink said band closely around each roll, additional conveyor means supporting said rolls for movement along said heating means and adjacent thereto to effect such shrinking of said bands around said rolls, and means to effect continuous rotation of said rolls as moved by said additional conveyor along said path in proximity to said heating means.

Claim 17

The banding machine according to claim 14 in which said heating means are elongated and positioned beneath said additional conveyor means, and said machine further including means interconnected to and operable to adjust said heaters vertically toward and from said additional conveyor to assist in controlling the shrinking of said bands of banding material.

Claim 18

The banding machine according to claim 14 in which said band-applying means for said heat-shrinkable material comprises a stationary anvil mounted above said first-mentioned conveyor and a movable clamping jaw supported for movement from below said first-mentioned conveyor toward and from said stationary anvil to form bands around said coiled rolls of material, said bands being fused therearound while said rolls are momentarily supported stationarily by said first-mentioned conveyor.

Claim 19

The banding machine according to claim 16 further including guide rails extending longitudinally along said machine substantially continuously between the opposite ends thereof and above said first-mentioned and additional conveyors for cooperation therewith to effect rotation of coiled rolls of material as moved through said machine by said conveyors, said rolls of material engaging the lower surfaces of said guide rail.

Claim 20

The banding machine according to claim 16 further including power means interconnected to and operable to drive said additional conveyor continuously, and clutch and brake means connected to said power means and interconnected to said first-mentioned conveyor to operate the same inter-mittently, and cam means operable during each cycle of operation of said band-applying and sealing means to effect sequential operation of said clutch and brake means to cause said intermittent movement of said first-mentioned conveyor.

Claim 21

The banding machine according to claim 16 in which said banding Material also is fusible and said machine also including heat sealing means supported on one of said jaws and comprising electrical resistance means, switch means controlling the supply of current to said sealing means, and cam means operable by power means to control the actuation of said switch means.

Claim 22

The banding machine according to claim 19 in which said power means is operable jointly to drive said conveyors as aforesaid and also drive said cam means.

Claim 23

The banding machine according to claim 20 further including clutch and brake means driven by said power means and interconnected to said cam means to effect sequential operation thereof.

Claim 24

A banding machine to apply one or more securing bands around a coiled sheet of material in the form of a roll to prevent the same from uncoiling, said maching comprising in combination, conveyor means operable to receive and advance such coiled rolls in spaced relationship to each other, band-applying means positioned relative to said conveyor to apply at least one securing band around the leading roll of a series thereof when advanced to said band-applying means by said conveyor, means to drive said conveyor at a predetermined rate and manner, and re-orienting cam means positioned in advance of said band-applying means relative said conveyor and operable to engage said rolls sequentially adjacent said band-applying means and prior to being banded thereby to position said rolls in precise relationship to said band-applying means, thereby to insure relatively uniform application of securing bands to said rolls as successively engaged by said applying means.

Claim 25

A banding machine to apply one or more securing bands around a coiled sheet of material in the form of a roll to prevent the same from uncoiling, said maching comprising in combination, conveyor means operable to receive and advance such coiled rolls in spaced relationship to each other, band-applying means positioned relative to said conveyor to apply at least one securing band around the leading roll of a series thereof when advanced to said band-applying means by said conveyor, means to drive said conveyor at a predetermined rate and manner, and re-orienting cam means positioned in advance of said band-applying means relative said conveyor and operable to engage said rolls sequentially adjacent said band-applying means and prior to being banded thereby to position said rolls in precise relationship to said band-applying means, thereby to insure relatively uniform application of securing bands to said rolls as successively engaged by said applying means.

Claim 26

The banding machine according to claim 22 in which said drive means for said conveyor is operable to move the same intermittently and said re-orienting cam means comprising a cam element mounted for movement transverse to the path or movement of said rolls by said conveyor and into engagement with the trailing surface of said rolls prior to said rolls being banded.

Claim 27

The banding machine according to claim 22 in which a pair of said cam elements are mounted in transversely spaced relationship relative to the path of movement of said rolls for engagement with longitudinally spaced portions of said rolls to prevent cocked engagement of said rolls by said banding means.

Claim 28

The banding machine according to claim 23 in which said securing bands are composed of fusible material, said banding means comprise a pair of relatively movable anvil and clamping jaws, and said machine also including heating means on one of said jaws to fuse said bands around said rolls when said jaws are moved into engagement between adjacent rolls when said rolls are not being advanced by said conveyor, and means to move said jaws relative to each other as aforesaid.

Claim 29

The banding machine according to claim 25 further including actuating means connected to said cam element to move the same toward and from camming engagement with said rolls, and means connecting said actuating means to said means to move said jaws to provide coincident movement of said cam element and clamping of said securing bands by said jaws to fuse the same.

Claim 30

The banding machine according to claim 26 in which said anvil jaw is stationary and positioned immediately above said path of movement of said rolls and said clamping anvil is moved toward and from engagement therewith to effect said fusing of said securing bands by passing between adjacent rolls on said conveyor which are precisely spaced by the action of said cam element.

Claim 31

A banding machine to apply one or more bands around a sheet of material coiled about an axis to form a roll thereof, said machine comprising in combination, roll receiving means, a banding unit, a heat-shrinking unit, and control means; said receiving means including a conveyor for sequentially receiving rolls to be banded and operable to rotate said rolls to maintain the material thereon coiled, and deliver said coiled rolls to said banding unit; said banding unit inclUding means for supporting a width of heat-shrinkable material in intercepting relationship with the rolls conveyed thereto by said receiving means, and a heated anvil and clamping jaw combination operative in cyclic movement between an opened position to permit passage of said rolls through said banding unit and a closed position to dispose a section of said heat-shrinkable material around the periphery of an intercepted roll and also sever and seal the same, thereby forming an endless band around said roll and reconstituting the width of heat-shrinkable material for interception by the next sequential roll; said heat-shrinking unit including conveyor means operable to move said banded roll from said banding unit to discharge while rotating said rolls to continue to maintain the material thereon coiled, and heating means mounted in proximity to the band on said roll for shrinking said band contiguous to said roll; said control means cyclically operating said anvil and clamping jaw between said open and closed positions wherein said anvil and jaw are maintained in said closed position for a fixed period of time, and further including means for interrupting movement of said roll at said banding station during said fixed period of time, whereby said rolls are moved sequentially from said receiving means to said banding unit and into intercepting relation with a width of said heat-shrinkable material and are maintained stationary for a fixed period of time in said banding unit during which time a band of the heat-shrinkable material is formed around said roll and severed from a supply roll thereof and sealed to form simultaneously a band and a reconstituted width of heat-shrink material, said banded rolls then being moved from the banding unit to the heat-shrinking unit to effect said shrinking of the bands contiguous to the periphery of the roll of sheet material.

Claim 32

A banding machine to apply one or more bands around a sheet of material coiled about an axis to form a roll thereof, said machine comprising in combination, roll receiving means, a banding unit, a heat-shrinking unit, and control means; said receiving means including a conveyor for sequentially receiving rolls to be banded and operable to rotate said rolls to maintain the material thereon coiled, and deliver said coiled rolls to said banding unit; said banding unit inclUding means for supporting a width of heat-shrinkable material in intercepting relationship with the rolls conveyed thereto by said receiving means, and a heated anvil and clamping jaw combination operative in cyclic movement between an opened position to permit passage of said rolls through said banding unit and a closed position to dispose a section of said heat-shrinkable material around the periphery of an intercepted roll and also sever and seal the same, thereby forming an endless band around said roll and reconstituting the width of heat-shrinkable material for interception by the next sequential roll; said heat-shrinking unit including conveyor means operable to move said banded roll from said banding unit to discharge while rotating said rolls to continue to maintain the material thereon coiled, and heating means mounted in proximity to the band on said roll for shrinking said band contiguous to said roll; said control means cyclically operating said anvil and clamping jaw between said open and closed positions wherein said anvil and jaw are maintained in said closed position for a fixed period of time, and further including means for interrupting movement of said roll at said banding station during said fixed period of time, whereby said rolls are moved sequentially from said receiving means to said banding unit and into intercepting relation with a width of said heat-shrinkable material and are maintained stationary for a fixed period of time in said banding unit during which time a band of the heat-shrinkable material is formed around said roll and severed from a supply roll thereof and sealed to form simultaneously a band and a reconstituted width of heat-shrink material, said banded rolls then being moved from the banding unit to the heat-shrinking unit to effect said shrinking of the bands contiguous to the periphery of the roll of sheet material.