Cutting unit

Abstract

A cutting unit includes a stationary frame, a cutting drum, and an anvil drum. The cutting drum and the anvil drum are arranged one over the other for cutting web material fed therebetween. The upper drum is centerd on a rotatable arbour and rotatably supported in the stationary frame. The lower drum is rotatable and movable towards and away from the upper drum. A rotatable carrier, movable towards and away from the upper drum, includes at least two contact rollers. The lower drum is shaftless and rests on the contact rollers. At least one contact roller is situated on either side of a central vertical plane of the lower drum for providing support of the lower drum by the contact rollers only. A pressing device moves the carrier and the lower drum towards and against the upper drum for providing cutting pressure between the upper drum and the lower drum.

Claims

1. A cutting unit comprising: a stationary frame; a upper cutting drum having at least one cutting knife disposed on an outer cylindrical surface of the upper cutting drum and a centre axis of rotation, wherein the at least one cutting knife is arranged on the outer cylindrical surface of the cutting drum in a cutting zone having an axial extension on the cutting drum; a hollow lower anvil drum having an outer cylindrical surface and a centre axis of rotation, wherein the cutting drum and the anvil drum are arranged one over the other for receiving cutting web material fed between them, the centre axis of rotation of the cutting drum being parallel with the centre axis of rotation of the anvil drum, the cutting drum being centered on an arbour rotatably supported in the stationary frame, the arbour and the cutting drum being rotatable around the centre axis of rotation of the cutting drum, and wherein the anvil drum is rotatable around the centre axis of rotation of the lower anvil drum and movable towards and away from the cutting drum; a carrier movable towards and away from the cutting drum, wherein the carrier includes a first pair of contact rollers comprising a first left contact roller and a first right contact roller located at a near end of the carrier and a second pair of contact rollers comprising a second left contact roller and a second right contact roller located at a far end of the carrier, each contact roller of the first and second pairs of contact rollers having an outer cylindrical surface and being rotatable around a respective centre axis, each centre axis of each contact roller of the first and second pairs of contact rollers extending parallel with the centre axes of rotation of the cutting drum and the anvil drum, the anvil drum being arbourless and shaftless such that a near end and a far end of the anvil drum are not supported by the frame, the outer cylindrical surface of the anvil drum freely resting only on the outer cylindrical surfaces of the first and second pairs of contact rollers, wherein the first left contact roller and the second left contact roller are situated on a left side of a central vertical plane of the anvil drum and the first right contact roller and the second right contact roller are situated on a right side of the central vertical plane of the anvil drum for providing vertical and transversal support of the anvil drum by the pairs of contact rollers only, such that the anvil drum is supported for rotation by the carrier only, wherein, in a transverse plane relative to the centre axis of rotation of the anvil drum at a location passing through one of the pairs of contact rollers, a central angle is formed with the centre axis of rotation of the anvil drum being a vertex and sides passing through the centre axes of the contact rollers of the one of the pairs of contact rollers and a distance between the centre axes of the two contact rollers of the one of the pairs of contact rollers exceeds both of an inside diameter and an outside diameter of the hollow lower anvil drum; a safety device comprising a bar which extends through an entire length of the hollow lower anvil drum without contacting an interior wall of the hollow lower anvil drum, wherein the bar extends past each of the near and far ends of the hollow lower anvil drum and a first end of the bar is secured by a first clamp and a second end of the bar is secured by a second clamp, wherein the first and second clamps are attached onto the carrier; and a pressing device connected to the carrier and arranged to move and press the carrier and the anvil drum carried by the carrier towards and against the cutting drum for providing cutting pressure between the cutting drum and the anvil drum.

2. The cutting unit according to claim 1, wherein the contact rollers in the first pair of contact rollers are symmetrical relative to the central vertical plane of the anvil drum, and wherein the contact rollers in the second pair of contact rollers are symmetrical relative to the central vertical plane of the anvil drum.

3. The cutting unit according to claim 2, wherein the cutting zone includes a first cutting sub-zone and a second cutting sub-zone, and wherein each contact roller of the first and second pairs of contact rollers is associated with one of the first cutting sub-zone and the second cutting sub-zone and has an axial extension from at least a transverse plane through a first axial end of the associated first or second cutting sub-zone to a second axial end of the associated first or second cutting sub-zone.

4. The cutting unit according to claim 3, wherein the cutting drum includes a bearer ring disposed at each of first and second axial ends of the cutting drum, each bearer ring being in rolling contact with the anvil drum during cutting, and wherein each bearer ring has a transverse plane in common with a transverse plane of one of the first and second pairs of contact rollers.

5. The cutting unit according to claim 3, wherein the first cutting sub-zone and the second cutting sub-zone are axially separated relative to the centre axis of rotation of the upper cutting drum, wherein, the first cutting sub-zone is located at a first axial end of the cutting drum and the second cutting sub-zone located at a second axial end of the cutting drum, and wherein the axial extension of each contact roller of the first and second pairs of contact rollers has a surface positioned for rolling engagement with a bearer ring disposed at one of the first and second axial ends of the cutting drum.

6. The cutting unit according to claim 1, further comprising axial bearings for providing axial support for the anvil drum.

7. The cutting unit according to claim 1, wherein the safety device is arranged to confine the hollow lower anvil drum to a resting position on the first and second pairs of contact rollers.

8. The cutting unit according to claim 1, wherein the stationary frame has an opening facing an axial end of the anvil drum in a lower position of the stationary frame and having a dimension larger than the largest cross section of the anvil drum for allowing axial removal of the anvil drum.

9. The cutting unit according to claim 1, further comprising a linear guide for guiding the carrier during pressing of the anvil drum towards and against the cutting drum.

10. The cutting unit according to claim 9, wherein the stationary frame includes four corner columns, wherein the linear guide includes at least one of the four corner columns and wherein the carrier is slidably arranged on the at least one corner column of the linear guide.

11. The cutting unit according to claim 1, wherein the cutting drum has a pair of cutting sub-zones and the anvil drum includes a pair of anvil zones that cooperate with the cutting sub-zones, each of the contact rollers of the first and second pairs of contact rollers having an axial length less than an axial length of a respective anvil zone.

12. A cutting unit comprising: a stationary frame; an upper cutting drum having at least one cutting knife disposed on an outer cylindrical surface of the upper cutting drum and a centre axis of rotation, wherein the at least one cutting knife is arranged on the outer cylindrical surface of the cutting drum in a cutting zone having an axial extension on the cutting drum; a hollow lower anvil drum having an outer cylindrical surface and a centre axis of rotation, wherein the cutting drum and the anvil drum are arranged one over the other for receiving cutting web material fed between them, the centre axis of rotation of the cutting drum being parallel with the centre axis of rotation of the anvil drum, the cutting drum being centered on an arbour rotatably supported in the stationary frame, the arbour and the cutting drum being rotatable around the centre axis of rotation of the cutting drum, and wherein the anvil drum is rotatable around the centre axis of rotation of the lower anvil drum and movable towards and away from the cutting drum; a carrier movable towards and away from the cutting drum, wherein the carrier includes a first pair of contact rollers comprising a first left contact roller and a first right contact roller located at a near end of the carrier, and the carrier includes a second pair of contact rollers comprising a second left contact roller and a second right contact roller located at a far end of the carrier, each contact roller of the first and second pairs of contact rollers having an outer cylindrical surface and being rotatable around a respective centre axis, each centre axis of each contact roller of the first and second pairs of contact rollers extending parallel with the centre axes of rotation of the cutting drum and the anvil drum, the anvil drum being arbourless and shaftless such that a near end and a far end of the anvil drum are not supported by the frame, the outer cylindrical surface of the anvil drum freely resting only on the outer cylindrical surfaces of the first and second pairs of contact rollers, wherein the first left contact roller and the second left contact roller are situated on a left side of a central vertical plane of the anvil drum and the first right contact roller and the second right contact roller are situated entirely on a right side of the central vertical plane of the anvil drum for providing vertical and transversal support of the anvil drum by the pairs of contact rollers only, such that the anvil drum is rotatable about the centre axis of rotation of the anvil drum, said center axis of rotation of the anvil drum being parallel to the centre axis of each contact roller of the first and second pairs of contact rollers such that, in a transverse vertical plane, the centre axis of each contact roller of the first and second pairs of contact rollers is oriented relative to the centre axis of the anvil drum in a v-shape formation, with the centre axis of the anvil drum located at a vertex of the v-shape and the centre axes of the contact rollers of the first and second pairs of contact rollers located at tips of the v-shape distal from the vertex, where a vertex angle of the v-shape is at least 45 and at most 120; a safety device comprising a bar which extends through an entire length of the hollow lower anvil drum without contacting an interior wall of the hollow lower anvil drum, wherein the bar extends past each of the near and far ends of the hollow lower anvil drum and a first end of the bar is secured by a first clamp and a second end of the bar is secured by a second clamp, wherein the first and second clamps are attached onto the carrier; and a pressing device connected to the carrier and arranged to move and press the carrier and the anvil drum carried by the carrier towards and against the cutting drum for providing cutting pressure between the cutting drum and the anvil drum, wherein the anvil drum is hollow and contains the bar of the safety device to prevent the anvil drum from being ejected if contact is lost between the first and second pairs of contact rollers and the anvil drum.

13. The cutting unit according to claim 12, wherein the contact rollers in the first pair of contact rollers are symmetrical relative to the central vertical plane of the anvil drum, and wherein the contact rollers in the second pair of contact rollers are symmetrical relative to the central vertical plane of the anvil drum.

14. The cutting unit according to claim 13, wherein the cutting zone includes a first cutting sub-zone and a second cutting sub-zone, and wherein each contact roller of the first and second pairs of contact rollers is associated with one of the first cutting sub-zone and the second cutting sub-zone and has an axial extension from at least a transverse plane through a first axial end of the associated first or second cutting sub-zone to a second axial end of the associated first or second cutting sub-zone.

15. The cutting unit according to claim 14, wherein the cutting drum includes a bearer ring disposed at each of first and second axial ends of the cutting drum, each bearer ring being in rolling contact with the anvil drum during cutting, and wherein each bearer ring has a transverse plane in common with a transverse plane of one of the first and second pairs of contact rollers.

16. The cutting unit according to claim 15, wherein the first cutting sub-zone and the second cutting sub-zone are axially separated relative to the centre axis of rotation of the upper cutting drum, wherein, the first cutting sub-zone located at the first axial end of the cutting drum and the second cutting sub-zone located at the second axial end of the cutting drum, and wherein the axial extension of each contact roller of the first and second pairs of contact rollers has a surface positioned for rolling engagement with one of the bearer rings.

17. The cutting unit according to claim 12, further comprising axial bearings for providing axial support for the anvil drum.

18. A cutting unit comprising: a stationary frame; an upper cutting drum having at least one cutting knife disposed on an outer cylindrical surface of the upper cutting drum and a centre axis of rotation, wherein the at least one cutting knife is arranged on the outer cylindrical surface of the cutting drum in a cutting zone having an axial extension on the cutting drum; a hollow lower anvil drum having an outer cylindrical surface and a centre axis of rotation, wherein the cutting drum and the anvil drum are arranged one over the other for receiving cutting web material fed between them, the centre axis of rotation of the cutting drum being parallel with the centre axis of rotation of the anvil drum, the cutting drum being centered on an arbour rotatably supported in the stationary frame, the arbour and the cutting drum being rotatable around the centre axis of rotation of the cutting drum, and wherein the anvil drum is rotatable around the centre axis of rotation of the lower anvil drum and movable towards and away from the cutting drum; a carrier movable towards and away from the cutting drum, wherein the carrier includes a first pair of contact rollers comprising a first left contact roller and a first right contact roller located at a near end of the carrier, and the carrier includes a second pair of contact rollers comprising a second left contact roller and a second right contact roller located at a far end of the carrier, each contact roller of the first and second pairs of contact rollers having an outer cylindrical surface and being rotatable around a respective centre axis, each respective centre axis of the first and second pairs of contact rollers extending parallel with the centre axes of rotation of the cutting drum and the anvil drum, the anvil drum being arbourless and shaftless such that a near end and a far end of the anvil drum are not supported by the frame, the outer cylindrical surface of the anvil drum freely resting only on the outer cylindrical surfaces of the first and second pairs of contact rollers, wherein the first left contact roller and the second left contact roller are situated on a left side of a central vertical plane of the anvil drum for providing vertical and transversal support of the anvil drum by the pairs of contact rollers only, such that the anvil drum is rotatable about the centre axis of rotation of the anvil drum, said centre axis of rotation of the anvil drum being parallel to the centre axis of each contact roller of the first and second pairs of contact rollers such that, in a transverse vertical plane, the centre axis of each contact roller of the first and second pairs of contact rollers is oriented relative to the centre axis of the anvil drum in a v-shape formation, with the centre axis of the anvil drum located at a vertex of the v-shape and the centre axes of the contact rollers of the first and second pairs of contact rollers located at tips of the v-shape distal from the vertex, where a vertex angle of the v-shape is at least 45 and at most 120; a safety device comprising a bar which extends through an entire length of the hollow lower anvil drum without contacting an interior wall of the hollow lower anvil drum, wherein the bar extends past each of the near and far ends of the hollow lower anvil drum and a first end of the bar is secured by a first clamp and a second end of the bar is secured by a second clamp, wherein the first and second clamps are attached onto the carrier; and a pressing device connected to the carrier and arranged to move and press the carrier and the anvil drum carried by the carrier towards and against the cutting drum for providing cutting pressure between the cutting drum and the anvil drum.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention may be performed in many different ways, and by way of example only, embodiments thereof will be described in detail with reference being made to accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a cutting unit according to a first embodiment of the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of a cutting unit according to the first embodiment of the invention, wherein the bearings of the carrier has been removed;

(4) FIG. 3 is a side view of a cutting unit according to the first embodiment of the invention;

(5) FIG. 4 is a front view of a cutting unit according to the first embodiment of the invention;

(6) FIG. 5 is a cross section along a transverse, vertical plane through the first embodiment of the invention;

(7) FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the lower drum and the support arrangement thereof according to the first embodiment of the invention;

(8) FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of a cutting unit according to a second embodiment of the invention;

(9) FIG. 8-10 show how the lower drum can be removed in the first embodiment of the invention;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(10) With reference to FIGS. 1-6, a first embodiment of the cutting unit according to the present invention is shown. The cutting unit comprises a stationary frame 1, which includes four corner columns in the form of tubes with circular cross section 2, a base plate 3 and a top plate 4. During use, the base plate 3 is intended to be supported horizontally such that the base plate 3 has its extension in a horizontal plane. The cutting unit further comprises an upper drum 5 in the form of a cutting drum and a lower drum 6 in the form of an anvil drum, wherein upper and lower is relative the horizontal plane of the base plate 3. The drums 5, 6 have an overall cylindrical shape and longitudinal centre axis of rotation, 8, 9. The axes of rotation 8, 9 of the cutting and anvil drums 5, 6 are parallel and located in the same vertical plane C, c.f. FIG. 3.

(11) The cutting drum comprises two cutting knives 7, which form an axially and circumferentially curving ridge over a mantle surface of the cutting drum 5. There is arranged a curving cutting knife 7 at each axial end of the cutting drum 5 in a cutting zone 10, c.f. FIG. 1. Between the cutting zones 10, there is a central zone 14 that is not involved in the actual cutting. The cutting drum 5 comprises a bearer ring 11 at each axial end.

(12) An arbour comprises two parts extending from the cutting drum, one at each axial end. The arbour parts are received in a bearing block 12, respectively. The bearing blocks 12 are attached to the vertical columns 2 of the frame by means of a yoke 13, respectively. The bearing block 12 allow the arbour with the cutting drum 5 to rotate round the centre axis 8 relative the stationary frame 1. To this end, one of the arbour parts can be connected to a driving device for rotating the cutting drum 5. The driving device can include an electric motor, gearing components and transmission components (not shown)

(13) The cutting drum comprises internal air channels, which are connectable to an air source and a vacuum source (not shown). In selected positions at the peripheral surface of the cutting drum the air channels end in orifices 15. By during use selectively supplying air pressure or vacuum pressure to the orifices, cut articles and rim pieces can be retained or pushed away from the cutting drum 5. The central zone 14 of the cutting drum 5 is involved in this handling of the cut article. With reference to FIG. 2, the cutting unit comprises steering rolls 22 for during use guiding the rim pieces away from the cutting unit.

(14) The cutting unit further comprises a carrier 16. The carrier 16 comprises a plate 17, which is arranged sliding on the four corner columns 2 by bearings 18. Four contact rollers 19 are supported for rotation in the plate 17. The contact rollers 19 are arranged in symmetrical pairs, wherein in each pair of contact rollers 19 is located on either side of the vertical plane C comprising the axis of rotation 8, 9 of the cutting and anvil drums 5, 6. The axes of rotation 20 (FIG. 5) of the contact rollers 19 that are located on the same side of the plane C are located on a common geometrical axis. The axis of rotation 8, 9, 20 of all contact rollers 19, the cutting drum 5 and the anvil drum 6 are parallel. All four contact rollers have the same dimensions, such as the same diameter and the same longitudinal length. The outer peripheral surfaces of the contact rollers 19 are tangent to an imaginary cylinder corresponding to the anvil drum 6.

(15) The anvil drum 6 is shaftless, or in other words, has no arbour connecting it to the frame 1. The anvil drum 5 is placed resting on the contact rollers 19 in the carrier 16. The contact rollers 19 are located below a central horizontal plane D, which comprises the centre axis of rotation 9 of the anvil drum 6, for providing vertical support, c.f. FIG. 4. With reference to FIG. 5, a central angle with the centre axis 9 of the anvil drum 6 as vertex and with the sides passing through the centre axis 20 of one contact roller 19 in a pair of contact rollers 19 respectively is 50 Thereby, the contact rollers 19 provide transversal support to the anvil drum 5.

(16) In other embodiments of the present invention the angle can be 45-120. Within this range, the contact rollers 19 are advantageously able to provide both vertical and transversal support to the anvil drum 6.

(17) At each axial end, the lower drum 6 has anvil zones 21 for cooperation with the cutting zones 10 of the cutting drum 5. The anvil zones 21 have a larger diameter than a central zone between them. The anvil zones 21 of the anvil drum 6 have about the same axial length as the cutting zones 10 together with the bearer ring 11 of the cutting drum 5 and are arranged for, in use, being in rolling engagement. The contact rollers 19 have about the same axial length as the anvil zones 21. Consequently, during use, the pressure transmitted by the contact rollers 19 is vertically aligned with the bearer rings 11 and distributed over the cutting zones 21. A transversal, vertical plane E passes through a contact roller 19, an anvil zone 21 and a bearer ring 11, c.f. FIG. 4.

(18) With reference to FIG. 6, the lower drum 6 is hollow and has the shape of a tube. A safety device in the form of a bar 23 extends through the hollow anvil drum 6. The bar is releasable lockable in a clamp 24 at each axial end. When in use, and in the position with the anvil drum 6 resting on the contact rollers 19, the bar 23 extends through the hollow drum 6 without contacting the interior walls thereof. The clamp 24 is attached to the carrier 16, so that the position of the bar 23 relative the anvil drum 6 is unaffected when the anvil drum 6 is moved by the carrier 16.

(19) For supporting the anvil drum 6 in the longitudinal axial direction, axial bearings in the form of a wheel 25 are mounted on the frame and in line with the axial end of the anvil drum 6, c.f. FIG. 6.

(20) Between two columns 2 at the axial end of the anvil drum 5, an open space is left. This space forms an opening, which is large enough to allow axial removal of the anvil drum 6 there through.

(21) Finally, the cutting unit comprises two pneumatic cylinders 26, which are connected to the carrier for lifting and pressing the carrier with anvil drum towards and against the cutting drum 5.

(22) During use, when a web material is fed between the cutting drum 5 and the anvil drum 6 for cutting article therefore by the cutting unit according to the first embodiment of the invention, the anvil drum 6 is pressed against the cutting drum by a selected force corresponding to a desired cutting pressure. This is achieved by the air cylinders 26 pressing the carrier 16 with the anvil drum 6 against the cutting drum. Due to the carrier being slidingly arranged on the four columns, the carrier is linearly guided by the columns 2. Thereby, the axis of rotation 9 of the anvil drum 6 is held in parallel with the axis of rotation of the cutting drum, so that good cutting quality is achieved.

(23) The pressure transmitted by the contact rollers 19 extends over the area where the cutting is performed, i.e. along the axial position of the cutting zones 19 and anvil zones 21. In addition, the contact rollers 19 apply pressure at the area of the bearer rings 11. No bending is induced by the pressure from the carrier with the carrier rolls, because the pressure is applied to the lower drum at the same area as the counter pressure is applied by the cutting drum bearer rings 11 being in rolling contact with the anvil drum. Thus, the cutting pressure and/or depth will advantageously be more equal along the axial length of the drums. Consequently, the cutting pressure and depth will be more equal along the axial, longitudinal direction.

(24) When the cutting unit has been in use for a certain time, it may be necessary to regrind the anvil drum 6. With reference to FIGS. 8-10, an operator can remove the anvil drum 6 by operating the pneumatic cylinders 26 to lower the anvil 6 into a lower position where the anvil drum clears off the cutting drum 5. Then, the clamps 24 are opened so that the bar 23 can be removed. At one axial end, the clamp 24 and the axial bearing wheel 25 are removed. Thereafter, the operator can lift the anvil drum 6 from the contact rollers 19, and pass the anvil drum 6 through the opening provided by the space between the columns 2 at the axial end.

(25) During regrinding of the lower drum, the operator has to ensure good cylindrical form, which is directly realized by rotating the lower drum with the outer peripheral surface thereof being in contact with the grindstone. Thanks to the anvil drum 6 being shaft less and being supported on carrier rolls 19 in a carrier 16 instead of having an arbour that is supported by bearing blocks in the frame, the operator need not observe good concentricity with respect to the centre axis, nor observing the position of the centre axis with respect to the arbour or the bearing blocks. Thus, removal of the anvil drum 6 and regrinding thereof is a considerably less complex and time consuming operation

(26) In FIG. 7, an alternative embodiment of the present invention is shown, which differ from the first embodiment described above mainly in that the upper drum is the anvil drum 6 and the lower drum is the cutting drum 5.