ROLLED MATERIAL OR SCREEN MESH DISPENSER

Abstract

A rolled material dispenser; including a roll supporting structure that supports a plurality of rolls of material, each roll of material having a width and a long axis, the roll supporting structure supporting the rolls of material with the long axes parallel and with a free end of the rolled material extending downwardly from each of the of rolls. The dispenser includes a pinch roller assembly located beneath the roll supporting structure. The pinch roller assembly is movable in a direction perpendicular to the long axes of the rolls of material and the pinch rollers have a second long axis oriented parallel to the first long axis. A conveyor is positioned below the pinch roller assembly and a material cutter assembly facilitates cutting the rolled material.

Claims

1. A rolled material dispenser; comprising: a roll supporting structure configured to support a plurality of rolls of rolled material, each roll of material having a width and a long axis, the roll supporting structure being configured to support the rolls of material with the long axes parallel and with a free end of the rolled material extending downwardly from at least some of the plurality of rolls; a pinch roller assembly located beneath the roll supporting structure, the pinch roller assembly being movable in a direction perpendicular to the long axes of the rolls of material and including pinch rollers having a second long axis oriented parallel to the first long axis; wherein the pinch rollers are operable to pinch the free end of the rolled material upon receipt of control commands and to turn to dispense a selected length of rolled material; a conveyor positioned below the pinch roller assembly; and a material cutter assembly.

2. The rolled material dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the roll supporting structure further comprises a plurality of roll supporting positions, each roll supporting position including a pair of long rollers configured to support one of the rolls of material or each roll supporting position including a core support configured to pass through a core of one of the plurality of rolls of material.

3. The rolled material dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pinch roller assembly further comprises a gantry supporting the pinch rollers, the gantry being movably supported on gantry tracks that extend a length of the roll supporting structure that is perpendicular to the first long axis.

4. The rolled material dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pinch roller assembly further comprises a pinch actuator and a vertical actuator; the pinch actuator being configured to shift the pinch rollers between pinched and unpinched configurations upon receipt of control commands and the vertical actuator being configured to shift the pinch rollers between raised and lowered positions of the pinch rollers upon receipt of control commands.

5. The rolled material dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the material cutter assembly further comprises a blade support and a cutter track, the blade support being longitudinally movable upon the cutter track by operation of a cutter actuator.

6. The rolled material dispenser as claimed in claim 5, wherein the blade support is configured to removably receive a replaceable cutting blade.

7. The rolled material dispenser as claimed in claim 5, wherein the material cutting assembly further comprises a plunge knife having a plunge knife blade oriented perpendicular to the cutter track and operable to cut excess material width from the rolled material.

8. The rolled material dispenser as claimed in claim 7, wherein at least one of the replaceable cutting blade and the plunge knife blade comprises a standard utility knife blade.

9. The rolled material dispenser as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a conveyor and a discharge tray at an end of the conveyor.

10. The rolled material dispenser as claimed in claim 2, wherein each roll supporting position further includes short rollers positioned at remote ends of each roll supporting position.

11. A method of dispensing rolled mesh or fabric material, comprising: supporting a plurality of rolls of mesh or fabric material on a roll supporting structure configured to support the plurality of rolls of material, each roll of material having a width and a long axis, the roll supporting structure being configured to support the rolls of material with the long axes parallel and with a free end of the rolled material extending downwardly from each of the plurality of rolls; moving a pinch roller assembly in a direction perpendicular to the long axes of the rolls of material, the pinch roller assembly including pinch rollers having a second long axis oriented parallel to the first long axis; engaging the pinch roller assembly located beneath the roll supporting structure to pinch and grip the free end of at one of the plurality of rolls of mesh or fabric material and to unroll a selected length of the mesh or fabric material from the one of the plurality of rolls of mesh or fabric material; severing a desired portion of the mesh or fabric material from the roll of mesh or fabric material; and depositing the desired portion of the mesh or fabric material below the pinch roller assembly on a conveyor.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising placing at least one of the plurality of rolls of mesh or fabric material on a pair of long rollers configured to support one of the rolls of material or further comprising placing at least one of the plurality of rolls of mesh or fabric material on a core support shaft configured to receive a core of the at least one of the plurality of rolls of mesh or fabric material.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising moving the pinch roller assembly horizontally supported on a gantry traveling on gantry tracks that run a length of the roll supporting structure perpendicular to the long axes of the rolls of material.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising, pinching and unpinching the pinch roller assembly by operation of a pinch actuator and vertically shifting the pinch roller assembly by operation of a vertical actuator to raise and lower the pinch rollers upon receipt of control commands.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising severing the mesh or fabric material by operation of a material cutter assembly which further comprises a blade support and a cutter track and moving the blade support being longitudinally upon the cutter track by operation of a cutter actuator.

16. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising supplying the blade support with a replaceable cutting blade.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising cutting excess width from the rolled material by operation of a plunge knife having a plunge knife blade oriented perpendicular to the cutter track.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising utilizing a standard utility knife as the replaceable cutting blade or as the plunge knife blade.

19. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising conveying the desired portion of the mesh or fabric material to a discharge tray at an end of a conveyor.

20. The rolled material dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pinch rollers and the conveyer are controlled by the control commands such that the conveyor moves at a first rate consistent with a second rate of dispensing of screen mesh material thereby layering the screen mesh material over a screen frame moving on the conveyor.

21. The rolled material dispenser as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the pinch rollers being linked to the conveyor such that the pinch rollers and the conveyor move at a mutually proportional rate.

22. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising unrolling the selected length of the mesh or fabric material at a rate proportional to movement of the conveyor.

23. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising controlling the conveyor such that the conveyor moves at a first rate consistent with a second rate of dispensing of screen mesh material thereby layering the screen mesh material over a screen frame moving on the conveyor.

24. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising linking the pinch rollers to the conveyor such that the pinch rollers and the conveyor move at a mutually proportional rate.

25. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising driving and computer controlling the pinch roller and the conveyor to dispense the screen mesh or fabric material at a rate consistent with driven movement of the conveyor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] Subject matter hereof may be more completely understood in consideration of the following detailed description of various embodiments in connection with the accompanying figures, in which:

[0035] While various embodiments are amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the intention is not to limit the claimed inventions to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the subject matter as defined by the claims.

[0036] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mesh dispenser according to an example embodiment of the invention;

[0037] FIG. 2 is a detail perspective view of the mesh dispenser depicted in FIG. 1 with certain structures removed for clarity;

[0038] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a mesh dispenser gantry in a lowered position and with pinch rollers closed according to an example embodiment of the invention;

[0039] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the mesh dispenser gantry depicted in FIG. 3 in a raised position with pinch rollers open according to the example embodiment of the invention depicted in FIG. 3;

[0040] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a mesh dispenser according to another example embodiment of the invention;

[0041] FIG. 6 is a plan view of the mesh dispenser as depicted in FIG. 5;

[0042] FIG. 7 is an elevational view of the mesh dispenser as depicted in FIG. 5 with some parts removed;

[0043] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a mesh dispenser gantry according to another example embodiment of the invention; and

[0044] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a material cutter assembly according to an example embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, mesh dispenser 20 generally includes roll supporting structure 22, pinch roller assembly 24, conveyor 26 and discharge tray 28.

[0046] Roll supporting structure 22 generally includes a plurality of roll supporting positions 30 and gantry tracks 31. Each roll supporting position 30 includes long rollers 32, end rollers 34 and roller supports 36. Gantry tracks 31 extend substantially a length of roll supporting structure 22 generally perpendicular to roll supporting positions 30.

[0047] Each of long rollers 32 has a length at least as long as the widest roll of material expected to be accommodated by long rollers 32. Long rollers 32 are arranged in pairs, each pair being spaced apart a sufficient distance to allow a free end of rolled material to pass between the pair of long rollers 32. Roller supports 36 support long rollers 32 and, according to an example embodiment, facilitate free rolling.

[0048] End rollers 34 are located at opposing ends 38 of long rollers 32. End rollers 34 are sized and positioned to abut ends of rolls of material expected to be accommodated by long rollers 32. A single end roller 34 may be located at each of opposing ends 38 or a pair of end rollers 34 may be so located.

[0049] Pinch roller assembly 24 generally includes gantry 40, pinch rollers 42, pinch roller transmission 44, material cutter assembly 46 and gantry transfer assembly 48.

[0050] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, gantry 40 extends a width approximately equal to or somewhat greater than a length of long rollers 32. Gantry 40 generally includes track rollers 50 mounted on track roller supports 52. Track roller supports 52 are coupled by crossbeams 54. Track rollers 50 are spaced apart a sufficient distance to ride on gantry tracks 31. Crossbeams 54 are oriented substantially perpendicular to track roller supports 52. Gantry 40 further includes pinch roller supports 56.

[0051] Pinch roller supports 56 support pinch rollers 42. Pinch rollers 42 are driven by pinch roller transmission 44. In the depicted embodiment, pinch roller transmission 44 includes pulleys 58, drive belt 60 and drive motor 62. Pulleys 58 include motor pulley 64 and roller pulley 66. Drive belt 60 transfers power from motor pulley 64 to roller pulley 66. Roller pulley 66 is coupled to at least one of pinch rollers 42.

[0052] At least one of pinch rollers 42 is coupled to pinch actuator 68. Pinch actuator 68 moves at least one of pinch rollers 42 to abut the other of pinch rollers 42 and to separate pinch rollers 42 thereby pinching and releasing any rolled material present therebetween.

[0053] Pinch roller supports 56 are further coupled to vertical actuators 70. Vertical actuator 70 extends and retracts to raise and lower pinch roller supports 56 along with pinch rollers 42.

[0054] Material cutter assembly 46 generally includes blade support 72, cutter track 74 and cutter actuator 76. Blade support 72 is horizontally shiftable on cutter track 74.

[0055] Cutter actuator 76 is structured to advance and retract blade support 72 along cutter track 74. Blade support 72 is structured to releasably receive replaceable blade 78 therein.

[0056] Conveniently, replaceable blade 78 can be a standard utility knife blade.

[0057] Utility knife blades are readily available, very sharp and easily replaceable when dull. Utility knife blades can also be reversed end for end to take advantage of a second sharp portion of the utility knife blade when a first portion has dulled. Other blades may be utilized as well.

[0058] Referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, gantry transfer assembly 48 is operably coupled to gantry 40 and facilitates shifting of gantry 40 to any position along gantry tracks 31. In particular, gantry transfer assembly 48 is structured to shift gantry 40 to position pinch rollers 42 beneath any of roll supporting positions 30.

[0059] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, conveyor 26 extends generally beneath roll supporting positions and also beneath pinch roller assembly 24. Conveyor 26 extends substantially the entire length of roll supporting structure 22. Conveyor 26 extends to discharge tray 28.

[0060] Discharge tray 28 is located proximate at least one end of roll supporting structure 42 and at an end of conveyor 26.

[0061] All movements of mesh dispenser 20 are controlled by computer controller 80.

[0062] According to another example embodiment depicted in FIGS. 5-7, roll supporting structure 22 generally includes a plurality of roll supporting core shafts 82. Core shafts 82 are each sized to pass through a core of a roll of material. Core shafts 82 may be attached to roll supporting structure 22 by hinge 84 and in some embodiments are counterbalanced by counterweight 86 at an end thereof. Core shafts 82 may present tapered end 88 to facilitate core placement. According to the depicted example embodiment, each of roll supporting positions 30 includes core shaft 82, hinge 84 and counterweight 86.

[0063] In the depicted embodiment, end rollers 34 are present at opposing ends 38 of each roll. Long rollers 32 are not present. Core shafts 82 are oriented generally parallel to one another and horizontally. Core shafts 82 are tiltable to an angled position about hinge 84 for loading and unloading.

[0064] Referring now to FIG. 8, an alternate version of pinch roller assembly 24 is depicted.

[0065] According to the depicted example embodiment, pinch roller assembly 24 includes gantry 40, pinch rollers 42, pinch roller transmission 44 and material cutter assembly 46. Material cutter assembly 46 is movable horizontally to facilitate cutting material to length and also to facilitate cutting excess width from material. Similar to the example embodiment of pinch roller assembly 24 previously described pinch roller assembly 24 depicted in FIG. 8 is movable on gantry tracks 31.

[0066] Referring now to FIG. 9 according to the depicted example embodiment, material cutter assembly 46 generally includes length cutter 90, stab cutter 92, length cutter actuator 94 and stab cutter actuator 96. Length cutter 90 supports horizontally oriented blade 98. Stab cutter 92 supports vertically oriented blade 100.

[0067] Material cutter assembly 46 further includes traveler body 102 supporting length cutter 90, stab cutter 92, length cutter actuator 94 and stab cutter actuator 96. Traveler body 102 further includes track engagement member 104. Length cutter 90 and stab cutter 92 are coupled to length cutter actuator 94 and stab cutter 96 respectively and can be advanced and retracted thereby.

[0068] In operation, rolls of mesh or other fabric material are placed on roll supporting structure 22 at each desired roll supporting position 30. Rolls of mesh or fabric material rest on pairs of long rollers 32 and are centered or abutted by end rollers 34.

[0069] A free end of the mesh or fabric material dangles down between each pair of long rollers 32. Alternately, the free end of the mesh or fabric material dangles down from the roll of material if the roll is supported by core support 82.

[0070] Under command of controller 80 gantry 40 travels on track rollers 50 supported by gantry tracks 31. When gantry 40 is located under a desired roll of mesh or fabric material pinch rollers 42 are positioned to be on either side of the dangling free end of mesh or fabric material.

[0071] Vertical actuator 70 is utilized to raise pinch rollers 42 to a position on either side of the free end of the mesh or fabric material. Pinch actuator 68 is then operated to bring pinch rollers 42 together with mesh or fabric material therebetween.

[0072] Pinch rollers 42 are then operated by operation of drive motor 62 to unroll a desired quantity of mesh or fabric material from a roll. When a desired quantity of mesh or fabric material is unrolled, rotation of pinch rollers 42 is stopped and vertical actuator 70 is operated to lower pinch rollers 42 thus pulling out a new free end of mesh or fabric material for a future dispensing.

[0073] Cutter actuator 76 then transits blade support 72 with replaceable blade 78 along cutter track 74 to sever mesh or fabric material from the roll. After mesh or fabric material is severed from the roll of material pinch actuator 68 is operated to separate pinch rollers 42 permitting the severed portion of mesh or fabric material to fall onto conveyor 26. Conveyor 26 is then actuated to transport the portion of mesh or fabric material to discharge tray 28.

[0074] According to another example embodiment, cutter traveler 88 including length cutter 90 and stab cutter 92 moves to a position to cut rolled material to a desired width. Stab cutter 92 is then extended, by stab cutter actuator 96 to a position to cut the rolled material as it is unrolled by operation of pinch rollers 42. When the desired length has been unrolled stab cutter 92 is retracted by stab cutter actuator 96. Cutter traveler 88 then returns to a terminal position and length cutter actuator 94 extends length cutter 90 and horizontally oriented blade 98. Traveler body 102 then travels on cutter track 94 the width of the rolled material to sever the desired portion of the mesh material of the desired length from the roll. The material then falls to conveyor 26 either overlying a screen frame being conveyed or the material is conveyed to discharge tray 26.

[0075] Alternately, a screen frame may be placed on conveyor 26 and advanced under pinch rollers 42 as mesh or fabric material is dispensed to cover the screen frame. In this case, the portion of mesh or fabric material is then transported along with the screen frame by conveyor 26 to a desired discharge location. This procedure may be repeated as necessary and desired to dispense mesh or fabric material from various rolls located at various roll supporting positions 30 of mesh dispenser 20.

[0076] Various embodiments of systems, devices, and methods have been described herein. These embodiments are given only by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the claimed inventions. It should be appreciated, moreover, that the various features of the embodiments that have been described may be combined in various ways to produce numerous additional embodiments. Moreover, while various materials, dimensions, shapes, configurations and locations, etc. have been described for use with disclosed embodiments, others besides those disclosed may be utilized without exceeding the scope of the claimed inventions.

[0077] Persons of ordinary skill in the relevant arts will recognize that the subject matter hereof may comprise fewer features than illustrated in any individual embodiment described above. The embodiments described herein are not meant to be an exhaustive presentation of the ways in which the various features of the subject matter hereof may be combined. Accordingly, the embodiments are not mutually exclusive combinations of features; rather, the various embodiments can comprise a combination of different individual features selected from different individual embodiments, as understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art. Moreover, elements described with respect to one embodiment can be implemented in other embodiments even when not described in such embodiments unless otherwise noted.

[0078] Although a dependent claim may refer in the claims to a specific combination with one or more other claims, other embodiments can also include a combination of the dependent claim with the subject matter of each other dependent claim or a combination of one or more features with other dependent or independent claims. Such combinations are proposed herein unless it is stated that a specific combination is not intended.

[0079] Any incorporation by reference of documents above is limited such that no subject matter is incorporated that is contrary to the explicit disclosure herein. Any incorporation by reference of documents above is further limited such that no claims included in the documents are incorporated by reference herein. Any incorporation by reference of documents above is yet further limited such that any definitions provided in the documents are not incorporated by reference herein unless expressly included herein.

[0080] For purposes of interpreting the claims, it is expressly intended that the provisions of 35 U.S.C. ? 112(f) are not to be invoked unless the specific terms means for or step for are recited in a claim.