Device for aligning blanks in a folding and gluing machine and folding and gluing machine equipped with this device

Abstract

Alignment device (35) for a folding and gluing machine (1), wherein the folding and gluing machine (1) comprises: a basic framework (4) and a conveyor (5) for conveying blanks (3) in a conveying area (P) along a conveying direction (A); and the device (35) comprises: a support and guide element (36) having a vertical planar guide surface (37) which can be arranged parallel to the conveying direction (A), as well as a plurality of rollers (38) which are supported by the support and guide element (36), wherein the rollers are rotatably arranged about their respective horizontal axes (R) which are parallel to each other and inclined to a perpendicular to the guide surface (37) in such a way that a thrust component which is arranged transversely to the conveying direction (A) is transferred to the blanks (3) and can hold these blanks (3) in lateral contact with the guide surface (37), characterized in that the support and guide element (36) is designed to to be carried by means of a support means (25) of the folding and gluing machine (1) and connected to the base frame (4), and to be fastened by means of a fastening means (29) for fastening the support means (25) in a The majority of predefined positions are to be attached to the basic framework (4).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for aligning blanks in a folding and gluing machine for binding and paper processing work.

[0002] As is known, folding and gluing machines are equipped with a conveyor suitable for conveying a succession of flat blanks along a conveying surface and include a plurality of devices arranged along the conveying surface and suitable for carrying out folding and gluing operations to produce envelopes, boxes, small folders, booklets, etc.

[0003] EP-A-1 424 191 and EP-A-1 886 765 represent folding and gluing machines in which the blanks are moved forward by a roller conveyor that defines the conveying area; the devices for carrying out the various operations are connected to the machine frame by means of support elements that are attached to the machine frame at locations specified on the machine frame.

[0004] DE 44 36 681 A1 describes a sheet transport and alignment device with at least one guide rail and driven transport rollers arranged transversely to it, as well as freely rotatable transport rollers adjacent to the guide rail, which are loaded against their outer surface, wherein the axes of the transport rollers are perpendicular to the guide rail and the axes of the transport rollers are inclined towards the guide rail relative to those of the transport rollers.

[0005] DE 69 404 493 T2 discloses a device comprising a longitudinal guide rail mounted on a fixed part of the frame, a lower conveyor mounted on a lower longitudinal beam, and correspondingly an upper conveyor integrally connected to an upper longitudinal beam by means of an adjustable clamp. The upper longitudinal beam of the upper conveyor is directly connected to the lower longitudinal beam of the lower conveyor via the bracket, and the outlet end of the lower longitudinal beam is pivotably mounted.

[0006] ES 2 255 808 A1 discloses a module comprising a large stone bank equipped with elements for advancing the laminar elements and other elements for laterally positioning the advanced elements against a registration element. Each positioning element has a rotating element consisting of a rigid bearing block mounted on a bearing and arranged on a support block. An adjustable spring provides resistance against the gears.

[0007] US 5 019 026 A discloses an alignment device with an upward alignment device consisting of a series of levers equipped with rollers, wherein the levers are pivotably mounted about a horizontal axis relative to a base element, wherein the base element is pivotably mounted about a vertical axis on a longitudinally extending axis, and wherein each of the base elements is connected by a flexible element to a corner piece that is displaceable relative to the longitudinally extending element.

[0008] In known machines, the problem arises of precisely aligning the sheets in relation to the direction of forward movement to ensure that the various operations, for example folding work, are carried out correctly.

[0009] The alignment is normally carried out in an entry area of ​​the machine and requires dedicated equipment, which is usually located in the entry area of ​​the machine.

[0010] The object of the present invention is to produce a device that enables alignment work to be carried out simply and effectively, that is compact so that it occupies as little area of ​​the conveying surface as possible, and that can be freely arranged on the conveying surface in such a way that the alignment of the blanks can be carried out before any desired operation of the machining process.

[0011] The object of the invention is solved by a device according to claim 1.

[0012] The present invention also relates to a folding and gluing machine according to claim 9.

[0013] For a better understanding of the present invention, a preferred embodiment is described below by way of example without limitation with reference to the accompanying drawings. These show: Fig. 1 a side view of a folding and gluing machine to which a device according to the present invention is attached; Fig. 2 a perspective view of an alignment device according to the invention, wherein the device is arranged on a conveying surface of a folding and gluing machine, and Fig. 3 a representation in section according to line III-III from Fig. 2.

[0014] With reference to Fig. 1 is designated as a folding and gluing machine for the production of objects 2 from flat material from blanks 3 in its entirety.

[0015] The machine 1 comprises a base frame 4, which carries a roller conveyor 5, the rollers being driven by a motor, and which is suitable for conveying the blanks 3 along a horizontal straight path that defines a forward direction of movement A.

[0016] The conveyor 5 comprises a pair of fixed shoulders 6, which are supported by the base frame 4, parallel to each other and spaced apart from each other at right angles to direction A, and a plurality of rollers 7, which extend between the shoulders 6 and whose axes run at right angles to direction A and are arranged at equal intervals along a horizontal plane. The rollers 7 are rotatably supported by the shoulders 6 by means of bearing elements (not shown), the rotations of the rollers being linked to each other via a motorized belt drive 8.

[0017] The rollers 7 define a conveying surface P for the blanks 3. Pressure means 20 are arranged on the conveyor 5, which are suitable to interact with the blanks in such a way that they are kept in contact with the rollers 7 and slippage is prevented.

[0018] The pressure means 20 are distributed in direction A such that each blank 3 always interacts with at least one pressure means 20 and is therefore never free to slip in relation to the rollers 7.

[0019] The pressure means can comprise a plurality of loosely rotating bodies or a driven belt, as described in patent EP-A-1 424 191 or in the Italian patent application TO2006A-000836.

[0020] The machine 1 can be equipped with one or more processing devices, which are known but not shown and which may differ in number, arrangement and design, and with which the blanks 3 are moved forward on the conveyor 5.

[0021] These processing devices can include, for example, one or more helical folding devices for producing longitudinal folds on the blanks 3, pocket folding devices for producing transverse folds, creasing devices, etc.

[0022] The pressure means 20 and the processing devices (not shown) are supported on the conveying surface by means of a plurality of support means 25, which are not described in detail here as they are not the subject of this invention. The support means 25 are described in document EP-A-1 424 191, to which reference is made here with regard to the required elements.

[0023] In simplified terms, the support means 25 comprise a bridge-shaped frame 26 formed from a pair of uprights 27 and a crossbar 28. The uprights 27 are each attached to a corresponding shoulder 6 such that the crossbar 28 extends transversely to the conveying surface. The uprights 27 can be attached in discrete and predetermined positions, preferably by means of quick-release fasteners 29 as described in EP-A-1 424 191.

[0024] The pressure means 20 and the processing devices are attached to the crossbar 28 by means of a rod system 30 as described in the aforementioned document EP-A-1 424 191.

[0025] According to the present invention, the machine 1 further comprises a device for aligning 35 ( Fig. 2 and Fig. 3), which is suitable to work together with the blanks 3 to ensure their alignment in direction A.

[0026] The alignment device 35 can be attached to the conveyor surface in any position using support means 25 and a rod system 30 as described above.

[0027] The alignment device 35 comprises a support and guide element 36, suitable for attachment to the frame 4 of the machine, and defining a flat guide surface 37 for the blanks 3, this surface extending along a plane perpendicular and parallel to the conveying direction A, as well as a plurality of rollers 38, which are supported by the element 36 and suitable for interacting with the blanks 3 to hold them on the conveying surface P of the conveyor and to ensure that they are pulled along. The rollers 38 are rotatable about respective horizontal axes R, which are parallel to each other and inclined relative to a perpendicular to the conveying direction A, such that a thrust component acting transversely to the conveying direction A is transmitted to the blanks 3, the rollers tending to bring the blanks 3 into lateral contact with the guide surface 37.In particular, the plane which passes through the central axis of each roller 38 runs into the guide surface 37 in the forward direction of the blanks 3.

[0028] The distance between the rollers 38, which is measured in the conveying direction A, is equal to the distance that exists between the rollers 7, so that each roller 38 can arrange itself in contact with a corresponding roller 7 when the device 35 is set up on the conveyor 5.

[0029] The rollers 38 are expediently provided with an elastomer lining to increase friction with the blanks 3. According to the described preferred embodiment, the lining can consist of a plurality of elastomer rings (O-rings) 34 which are pressed onto the roller.

[0030] With reference to Fig. 3 The support and guide element 36 is expediently formed from an L-profile having a horizontal wall 39 and a vertical wall 40 extending downwards from a side edge of the horizontal wall 39. The vertical wall 40 has a lower edge 41 with arcuate recesses 42 ( Fig. 2) is provided in such a way that it follows the upper outline of the rollers 7 without intersecting with the rollers at any point.

[0031] The alignment device 35 also comprises, for each roller 38 (hereinafter referred to as "the roller 38," since the same description applies to the other rollers 38 because all rollers are identical), a small rocker arm-like shaft 43, which has a central section 44 that is pivoted into a support block 45 by means of a pin 46 having a horizontal axis. The support block 45 is attached to the lower part of the horizontal wall 39. The roller 38 is rotatably mounted on a first end 48 of the small shaft 43 by means of a bearing element 47 and extends through a window 49 in the vertical wall 40 and beyond it.

[0032] The small shaft 43 also comprises a second end 50, which is connected to the support and guide element 36 by means of a spring 54 that exerts a resilient tensile force directed upwards on the second end 50. The spring 54 is advantageously a coil spring 54, one end of which is hooked onto a screw 55 that is axially arranged and screwed onto the end face of the small shaft 43, and the other end of which is hooked onto an adjusting screw 56 that is attached to a lug 57, which is part of the support and guide element 36. The lug 57 extends upwards from an edge of the horizontal wall 39, which is opposite the edge from which the vertical wall 40 extends, and is advantageously provided with a vertically extending elongated hole 58 into which the screw engages. The position of the screw 56 along the elongated hole 58 can be adjusted so that the preload of the spring 54 changes.

[0033] The alignment device 35 works as follows.

[0034] The alignment device 35 can be arranged in any position along the conveying surface so that it interacts with the blanks 3 as they are moved forward along the conveying direction A. The rollers 38 work in friction with the associated rollers 7 and are pressed against them by the force of the springs 54.

[0035] When a blank 3 is fed along direction A, but is not necessarily aligned precisely with it, the blank reaches the alignment device 35 and slides between the rollers 38 and the cylinders 7. The spring force exerted by the springs 54 prevents slippage between the cylinders 38 and the blanks 3.

[0036] Due to their inclined position, the rollers 38 transmit a transverse thrust component to the blank 3, so that the blank comes into lateral contact with the guide surface 37, which is defined by the vertical wall 40 parallel to direction A: The blank 3 is thus aligned in this direction.

[0037] An examination of the properties of the device for alignment 35 reveals the clear advantages of the invention.

[0038] In particular, the device 35 is simple, compact, inexpensive, and can be conveniently mounted in any position on the conveyor surface P to align the blanks 3 before any processing stage of the workflow. The device 35 can, in particular, be used instead of a conventional pressure device 20, whose function it performs, and thus requires no additional space on the conveyor surface P.

[0039] It is obvious that changes and modifications can be made to the described device for aligning 35, which are covered by the scope of protection defined by the claims.

[0040] In particular, the alignment device can be located at any point on the machine, both in front of and behind any working or processing device.

Claims

[1] Alignment device (35) for a folding and gluing machine (1), wherein the folding and gluing machine (1) comprises: a basic framework (4) and a conveyor (5) for conveying blanks (3) in a conveying area (P) along a conveying direction (A); and the device (35) comprises: a support and guide element (36) having a vertical planar guide surface (37) which can be arranged parallel to the conveying direction (A), as well as a plurality of rollers (38) which are supported by the support and guide element (36), wherein the rollers are rotatably arranged about their respective horizontal axes (R) which are parallel to each other and inclined to a perpendicular to the guide surface (37) in such a way that a thrust component which is arranged transversely to the conveying direction (A) is transferred to the blanks (3) and can hold these blanks (3) in lateral contact with the guide surface (37), characterized by , that the support and guide element (36) is designed to be carried by means of a support means (25) of the folding and gluing machine (1) and connected to the base frame (4), and to be fastened by means of a fastening means (29) for fastening the support means (25) in a The majority of predefined positions are to be attached to the basic framework (4). [2] Device according to claim 1, characterized by , that it includes elastic means (54) to clamp the rollers (38) against the blanks (3). [3] Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by , that the axes (R) of small shafts (43) are defined, which are articulated to the support and guide element. [4] Device according to claim 3, characterized by , that the rollers (38) are connected to the respective first ends (48) of the small shafts (43) by means of associated bearing elements (47). [5] Device according to claim 3 or 4, characterized by , that the elastic means consist of springs (54) arranged between the support and guide element (36) and the respective second ends (50) of the small shafts (43). [6] Device according to claim 5, characterized by , that the springs (54) each have first ends which are connected to the second ends (50) of the small shafts (43), and second ends which are adjustable to the support and guide element (36). [7] Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the rollers (38) are provided with a friction lining (34) suitable for interacting with the blanks (3). [8] Device according to claim 6, characterized by , that the cladding for each roller (38) comprises at least one ring of elastomer (34) which is pressed onto a circumferential side of the roller (38). [9] Folding and gluing machine (1) which with a basic framework (4) and is equipped with a conveyor (5) for conveying blanks (3) in a conveying area (P) along a conveying direction (A), the folding and gluing machine includes: a device (35) for alignment, comprising a support and guide element (36) having a vertical planar guide surface (37) arranged parallel to the conveying direction (A), and a plurality of rollers (38) which are supported by the support and guide element (36), wherein the rollers (38) are rotatable about associated horizontal axes (R), wherein these axes are arranged parallel to each other and in an inclined position to a perpendicular to the conveying direction (A) such that a thrust component arranged transversely to the conveying direction (A) is transferred to the blanks (3) and can hold these blanks (3) in lateral contact with the guide surface (37); characterized by , that the folding and gluing machine (1) further comprises: Support means (25) for carrying the support and guide element (36); and fastening means (29) for attaching the support means (25) to the base frame (4) in a plurality of predetermined positions. [10] Machine according to claim 9, characterized by , that the conveyor (5) comprises a plurality of motorized rollers (7) whose axes are arranged perpendicular to the conveying direction at equal intervals in the conveying direction (A), the distance between them being equal. [11] Machine according to claim 10, characterized by , that the distance between the rollers (38) measured in the conveying direction is equal to the distance between the rollers (7) of the conveyor (5). [12] Machine according to claim 9, characterized by , that the specified positions along the conveying direction (A) are arranged at a distance from each other which is equal to the distance between the rollers (7).

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