EP0611028B1 - Method and apparatus for providing pieces of flexible material from a length thereof - Google Patents
Method and apparatus for providing pieces of flexible material from a length thereof Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0611028B1 EP0611028B1 EP94300053A EP94300053A EP0611028B1 EP 0611028 B1 EP0611028 B1 EP 0611028B1 EP 94300053 A EP94300053 A EP 94300053A EP 94300053 A EP94300053 A EP 94300053A EP 0611028 B1 EP0611028 B1 EP 0611028B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- piece
- rotor
- retaining means
- turret
- axis
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
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Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
- B21F—WORKING OR PROCESSING OF METAL WIRE
- B21F11/00—Cutting wire
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
- B26D—CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING
- B26D3/00—Cutting work characterised by the nature of the cut made; Apparatus therefor
- B26D3/16—Cutting rods or tubes transversely
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing pieces of flexible material from a length thereof.
- the invention was primarily developed for use with plastics material such as small-bore tubing supplied as relatively long or continuous lengths, typically from supply reels, from which predetermined length pieces are cut for subsequent use. It will be appreciated however that the invention is not intended to be restricted to such use and may, with advantage, be applied to materials other than plastics tubing, for example cable or wire.
- Modern production techniques frequently call for a high rate of throughput for articles and commodities. This is particularly so for beverage packages such as cans or other containers for alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages where a filling line may be expected to run at a rate, for example, in excess of 500 containers per minute.
- beverage packages there is a requirement for a piece of plastics tube of predetermined length to be supplied and form a part of each package.
- the tube is required to be fitted to a hollow plastics insert within an open-topped container to extend upwardly within the container so that when the container is charged with beverage containing gas in solution and sealed under pressure, subsequent opening of the container develops a pressure differential between pressure in the hollow insert and pressure in the head space of the container causing gas and/or liquid to be expelled from the insert through the upstanding tube for the development of froth in the head space.
- U.S. Patent A-3,888,151 is believed to be the most relevant prior art and its disclosure forms the basis for the preamble to the characterizing clauses of the independent claims to the present invention.
- the track part through which the length of material is fed or displaced longitudinally to the guide of the rotor for cutting by the cutter is in the form of an upstanding retaining tube which rotates with the rotor and is co-axial with the guide.
- the retaining tube accommodates a stock length of the material which falls under gravity through the tube to present a bottom end part length which is cut off during rotation of the rotor with the tube so that successive stock lengths of the material may have to be inserted into the tube at frequent intervals when cutting at high rates.
- apparatus for providing pieces of flexible material from a length of said material which comprises a cutting station having a rotor and means for rotating the rotor about an axis, the rotor having a guide which is rotatable therewith and is radially offset from said axis; a track part in which the material is located for longitudinal displacement of said material towards the guide; means for displacing the length of material longitudinally through said guide for a free end part length of the material to project from the guide, and a cutter relative to which the rotor is rotatable so that during rotation of the rotor and material in the guide thereof, the material engages the cutter for a piece of predetermined length to be cut from the free end of the material, and wherein following said cut the displacing means indexes the material to displace it longitudinally for a further free end part length thereof to project from the guide for cutting a further said piece CHARACTERISED IN THAT the material is derived from a continuous length of said material relative to which the rotor
- a method of providing pieces of flexible material from a length of said material which comprises displacing the length of material longitudinally along a track and through a guide in a rotor so that a free end part length of the material projects from the guide; rotating the rotor about an axis with the guide radially offset from the axis so that said free end part length of the material is displaced circumferentially and during said circumferential displacement passing the material over a cutter to cut the free end part length from the material and form a piece thereof, CHARACTERISED BY deriving the material from a source relative to which the rotor rotates and which source provides a continuous length of material and by longitudinally displacing the material to the guide from an end of the track which end is substantially co-axial with the axis of the rotor and is axially spaced from the rotor, the instant part length of the material between said track end and the guide being displaced radially relative to said axis.
- the flexible material will, typically, be supplied as a continuous length from a drum or reel and have its free end part length subjected to circumferential displacement by a rotor and during such displacement the material passes over a cutter by which a piece is cut from the end of the material.
- a cutter by which a piece is cut from the end of the material.
- such pieces can be cut successively in a simple and efficient manner and at relatively high speeds by appropriately synchronising the indexing of the material through the guide of the rotor so that each piece is of predetermined length.
- high rotational speeds for a rotor are far more easily achieved, are more controllable and more reliable in comparison with reciprocating blade-type cutters which have hitherto been proposed for cutting lengths of material.
- the length of material is flexible to the extent that its free end can be rotated by the rotor without impairing the required characteristics of the material and the material should have adequate rigidity to permit its longitudinal displacement, for example by rollers, for indexing the material through the guide. Also, depending upon the orientation of the apparatus, the material may require sufficient rigidity for the free end part length (which is to be cut to form the piece) to support its own weight, for example in an arrangement where the strip is displaced vertically through the guide for its free end part length to project in an upstanding condition from the guide.
- the invention was primarily developed for use in cutting pieces from small-bore plastics tubing and, for convenience, will hereinafter be discussed in relation to such use although it is to be realised that the invention may be applied, with advantage, to other types of material lengths such as cable, wire or plastics filaments.
- the rotor may be rotated intermittently, for high speed production it is preferred that the rotor is continuously rotatable and in either case it will be usual for a single piece of tube to be cut from the free end of a supply tubing with each rotation of the rotor.
- the supply tubing may be longitudinally displaceable through a guide tube which is rotatable with the rotor and provides communication between the track part and the guide.
- the cutter is preferably in the form of a cutting edge or blade with which the plastics tubing engages to be cut during rotation of the rotor.
- the cutting edge may be mounted so that it can be indexed to present a fresh cutting edge part to the tubing as another part becomes warn. If required the cutter can present a circular cutting edge and may be driven to rotate about its axis, continuously or intermittently, during rotation of the rotor.
- retaining means which engages the free end part length of the supply tubing for the tubing to be cut between the retaining means and the guide.
- This retaining means will generally be in the form of a gripper or jaws which initially engages the free end of the supply tubing and subsequently holds the piece that is cut from the tubing.
- the retaining means may form part of transfer means for engaging the free end part length of the supply tubing which projects from the guide and serves to transfer the piece that is cut from the supply tubing to a predetermined station.
- the aforementioned transfer means is preferably synchronised to engage the free end part length of the supply tubing immediately prior to said tubing being cut.
- the transfer means has a turret rotatable about an axis remote from the rotor axis and by which the previously mentioned retaining means is displaced about a circle part of the circumference of which extends through a region that substantially coincides with part of the circumference of the circle through which the supply tubing is displaced by the rotor and in which region the rotor and cutter are arranged to cut the tubing.
- the retaining means is synchronised so that during rotation of the turret it engages the supply tubing as the retaining means enters the region and carries the cut piece of tube from the region to transfer it to the predetermined station.
- the turret axis will be substantially parallel with the rotor axis.
- the turret may have a plurality of retaining means such as jaws or grippers disposed in a circumferentially spaced array and a plurality of cutting stations may be spaced circumferentially about the turret so that tube pieces emanating from the respective cutting stations are carried by retaining means selected to be synchronised with those respective cutting stations.
- piece locating means can be provided by which a piece transferred to the aforementioned predetermined station by the transfer means may, for example, be engaged with a component of which the tube piece is to form part.
- the locating means may be arranged to displace the tube piece from the predetermined station to attach that piece with or locate that piece on or in a particular component.
- the tube piece (or other piece if not of tubular form) may be positioned and held by the locating means to the component to be secured by adhesion or welding.
- the tube piece may be handled by the locating means to engage as a press-fitting with a seating of the component insert - for example a free end of the tube piece may be press-fitted into a socketed port in the insert or onto a tubular spigot of the insert.
- the locating means may have retaining means (or further retaining means where transfer means including retaining means is provided) for engaging the tube piece at the predetermined station of the transfer means and carrying that piece into its engagement with, or location on or in the particular component.
- the retaining means of the locating means will usually comprise a gripper or jaws by which the tube piece is held.
- the further retaining means of the locating means is preferably synchronised to engage the tube piece that is transferred to the predetermined station by the transfer means prior to the retaining means of the transfer means releasing that particular tube piece.
- the transfer means comprises a rotatable turret as previously mentioned, it is preferred that the locating means comprises a second turret rotatable about an axis remote from (and usually parallel with) the axis of the turret of the transfer means.
- the retaining means of the locating means may be displaced about a circle, part of the circumference of which extends through a further region which substantially coincides with the predetermined station of the transfer means and in which further region the further retaining means of the second turret is synchronised to engage a tube piece carried by the retaining means of the transfer means prior to the retaining means of the transfer means releasing that particular tube piece to the further retaining means of the locating means to carry the tube piece during rotation of the second turret to a fitting station at which the piece is engaged with or positioned on or in a particular component such as the previously mentioned package insert.
- the second turret will usually have a plurality of the, or the further, retaining means such as grippers or jaws disposed in a circumferentially spaced array and which retaining means are arranged to sequentially engage successive tube pieces located at the predetermined station of the transfer means to carry those tube pieces successively to the fitting station.
- the locating means conveniently has seating means displaceable therewith and which seating means are intended to locate and carry components to which tube pieces carried by the retaining means of the locating means are to be applied.
- each seat may be intended to locate and carry an open-topped container within which is located an insert to which the tube piece is to be press-fitted through the open top of the container by displacement of the retaining means.
- the open-topped container will be substantially cylindrical and have a seating to which the tube piece is to be press-fitted located substantially on the axis of and within the container and the locating means may comprise a probe which is displaceable into the open top of the container and carry the tube piece for an end of that piece to be displaced axially relative to the container and press-fitted into engagement with the seating.
- cylindrical containers may be positioned on the seats to accurately locate the axes of those containers with respect to the intended line of displacement of the respective probes to ensure that the free end of a tube piece will be displaced axially of the container to engage with the seating (thereby alleviating the necessity of rotationally orientating a container relative to its seat or possibly rotationally orientating the position of an insert having the seating within the container to ensure that the displacement of the free end of the tube piece will be in appropriate alignment to engage with the seating).
- the apparatus illustrated is intended for cutting a piece of flexible plastics tubing, typically having an inside diameter of 1 millimetre and an outside diameter of 2 millimetres, from what may be regarded as a continuous length of such tubing supplied from a reel or drum and fitting the tube piece that is formed within an open topped container prior to the container moving along a filling line to be charged with beverage and sealed to form a beverage package.
- the apparatus comprises a cutting station 1, a tube piece transfer unit 2 and a tube piece locating unit 3.
- the cutting station 1 is intended to cut tube pieces 30 of predetermined length from plastics tubing 4 supplied from a drum or reel 5.
- the cutting station has a rotor 6 which is rotatable about a vertical axis 7 by a drive unit 8.
- the rotor 6 carries a guide port 9 spaced radially from its axis 7.
- Tubing 4 from the supply reel 5 is fed to and through the guide port 9 by way of a track 10 between indexing rollers shown generally at 11.
- An end 10A of the track 10 from which the tubing 4 emerges is located substantially on the axis 7 and a guide tube 12 extends between said end of the track 10 and the guide port 9.
- the guide tube 12 rotates with the rotor 6 about the axis 7 and the tubing 4 extends through the guide tube to the guide port 9 and the tube 12 provides a convenient track by which the tubing is supported and displaced radially progressively from the axis 7 to the guide port.
- the rollers 11 displace the tubing 4 longitudinally of its length and through the guide port 9 so that a free end part 4' of the tubing projects from the guide port of the rotor 6 in an upstanding condition as shown in Figure 2.
- a cutting blade 15 carried by a mounting 16.
- the blade 15 projects into the circular path subscribed by the tubing 4 as that tubing is rotated with the rotor 6, as a consequence the end part 4' of the tubing is cut off to form a tube piece 30 as the tubing engages the blade 15.
- the rollers 11 are indexed by a drive unit 11A to displace the tubing 4 intermittently and through predetermined lengths so that successive free end part lengths 4' of the tubing are presented to the cutter 15 for a tube piece 30 of predetermined length to be cut on each rotation of the rotor 6 as the latter is rotated continuously.
- the cutter 15 may be a fixed blade or a circular blade that is rotated continuously or intermittently on its mounting 16.
- the transfer unit 2 has a turret 20 which is continuously rotated by a drive unit (not shown) about a vertical axis 21 spaced from the axis 7. Carried on the turret 20 at a position spaced radially from its axis 21 is a tube piece retaining unit 22 having radially outwardly presented opposed jaws 23 which are openable and closable by a control unit 24 (such as a fluid pressure operated piston and cylinder device, an electrical solenoid or otherwise) on the turret 20.
- the jaws 23 are carried by the turret to subscribe a circle, part of the circumference of which coincides with a region 2A of the circle subscribed by the rotor port 9 in which region the tubing 4 engages the blade 15.
- the cutting station 1 and transfer unit 2 are synchronised so that as the free end 4' of the tubing enters the aforementioned region 2A and approaches the cutting blade 15, the jaws 23, in an open condition, of the retaining unit 22 are carried by the rotating turret to approach and straddle the tube end 4' where the jaws 23 close and grip the tube end 4' immediately before that tube end engages the cutter 15.
- This gripping action of the jaws 23 conveniently stablises the tubing 4 as it is cut at a position between the guide port 9 and the jaws 23.
- the cut piece 30 of the tube is retained in the closed jaws 23 and carried by the rotating turret 20 to a transfer station 31.
- the transfer unit 2 has associated therewith four of the aforementioned cutting stations which are spaced circumferentially about the turret 20 as indicated at 1, 1A, 1B and 1C in Figure 3. Each of the four cutting stations is constructed and operated in a similar manner and supply tubing 4 for the stations 1A, 1B and 1C is derived from reels 5A, 5B, and 5C respectively.
- the turret 20 carries twenty of the retaining units 22 which are circumferentially spaced on the turret and each is constructed and operates in a similar manner to that previously discussed.
- the four cutting stations are synchronised with rotation of the twenty retaining units 22 so that during rotation of the turret 20 each cutting station provides a tube piece 30 to the jaws 23 of every fifth transfer unit 24 in the circumferential array for sequential delivery to the transfer station 31.
- the locating unit 3 is intended for the purpose of assembling tube pieces 30 provided at the transfer station 31 with open topped containers 40 in a beverage packaging line.
- the containers are in the form of light metal alloy cans having a substantially cylindrical wall 41 forming the open top 42.
- Fitted within the bottom of each container 40 is a hollow insert 43.
- the insert 43 is intended to promote froth development on opening a package formed when the container is charged with beverage containing gas in solution and sealed. When such a sealed package is opened, gas and/or liquid is intended to be injected from the hollow insert 43 into the beverage in the container to liberate gas from solution and effect the aforementioned froth development - such inserts are well known in the art as, for example, discussed in our European Patent Specification A-0 227 213.
- the insert 43 is provided with a seating 44 that is located on the axis of the cylindrical container and directed towards the open top 42.
- a tube piece 30 is to be fitted to the seating 44 for the purpose of controlling the aforementioned froth development as previously discussed in the preamble hereto.
- the containers 40 with the fitted inserts 43 and in an upstanding condition are fed successively by a conveyor 50 and star wheel 51 (rotating anti-clockwise in Figure 3) to be accommodated in a seat 52 carried by a horizontal platform 53 of the locating unit 3.
- the platform 53 is rotated by a drive unit (not shown) about a vertical axis 54 spaced from the axes 7 and 21 and in a clockwise direction as indicated by the arrow 55 in Figure 3.
- Twenty seats 52 are provided on the platform 53 spaced circumferentially about the axis 54.
- a turret 56 which rotates about the axis 54 in unison with the seats 52.
- the turret 56 carries twenty tube fitting heads 60 which are spaced circumferentially about the axis 54 and positioned one each vertically above the seats 52.
- the heads 60 are mounted on the lower ends of vertical rods 61 having rolling cam followers 62 which engage in a cam track 63 on a cylindrical stationary core 64 of the locating unit.
- the cam followers 62 follow the cam track 63 to impart vertical displacement to the rods 61 and thereby to the heads 60 so that for each rotation of the turret 56 the heads 60 exhibit a predetermined cycle of vertical displacement.
- Each head 60 has a vertical probe 70 at the bottom end of which is carried a set of radially outwardly directed opposed jaws 71 which are openable and closable by a control unit 72 on the head (in a similar manner to the control unit 24 on the retaining unit 22).
- a control unit 72 on the head in a similar manner to the control unit 24 on the retaining unit 22.
- the jaws 71 of the heads 60 are displaced along a common circle concentric with the axis 54 and which circle coincides with the transfer station 31 of the transfer unit 2.
- the rotation of the turret 56, vertical displacement of the head 60 and actuation of the jaws 71 is synchronised with the transfer of a tube piece 30 by the transfer unit 2 to the station 31 so that the jaws 71 are open and are moved by the rotating turret 56 to straddle a tube piece 30 gripped by the jaws 23 of a retaining unit 22 approaching the transfer station 31.
- the jaws 71 are closed to grip the tube piece 30 and the jaws 23 of the retaining unit 22 and opened to release the tube piece 30 captured by the jaws of a head 60 as the turret 20 and turret 56 continue to rotate in counterwise directions.
- the jaws 71 of a head 60 engage a tube piece 30 at the transfer station 31 at a position towards the lower end of that tube piece and with the head 60 retracted vertically (under control of the cam follower 62 and cam track 63) to provide sufficient clearance for a container 40 to be accommodated in the seat 52 beneath the head 60 and the lower end of the tube piece 30 carried thereby.
- a container 40 is transferred by the star wheel 51 to be accommodated on a seat 52 so that the axis of the container and the seating 44 of its insert 43 are in vertical axial alignment with the bottom end 30A of a tube piece 30 carried by the head 60 associated with that particular seat.
- a tube piece 30 carried by a head 60 from the transfer station 31 is displaced vertically downwardly under control of the cam follower 62 and track 63 so that the probe 70 of that head enters the open top 42 of the container which underlies that head to displace the bottom end 30A of the tube piece along the axis of the container.
- the seating 44 of the insert may be in the form of a socket into which the bottom end 30A of the tube piece is fitted or may be in the form of a spigot on which the bottom end 30A of the tube piece is received.
- the jaws 71 are opened to release the tube piece 30 (which is retained within the container 40) and the head 60 retracts vertically from the container as the head approaches the transfer station 31 in readiness to receive a further tube piece 30 from the transfer unit 2.
- the seating 44 on the axis of the cylindrical container 40 and displacing the bottom end 30A of the tube piece along that axis into engagement with the insert, it will be appreciated that there is no necessity to provide any particular rotational orientation between the insert 43 and the container 40 or between the container 40 and the seat 52.
- the container is displaced from its seat 52 by a star wheel 80 back onto the conveyor 50 by which it may be transferred successively to a beverage filling station and container sealing station.
- the transfer unit 2 and heads 60 of the locating unit 3 are synchronised so that tube pieces 30 are fitted successively to the open topped containers as they are fed into the seats 52 of the platform 53.
- a container 40 has been shown in Figure 3 located in the seat 52 which underlies a head 60 at the transfer station 31.
- a seat 52 will receive an open topped container only when the jaws 71 of the head 60 which overlies that seat have already picked up a tube piece 30 from the transfer station 3 and also a container fitted with the tube 30 will be removed from its seat 52 by the star wheel 80 before that container reaches the transfer station 31; consequently a container will not be located in a seat 52 at the time when the head 60 associated with that particular seat passes through the transfer station 31 to pick up a tube piece 30.
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- Forests & Forestry (AREA)
- Auxiliary Devices For And Details Of Packaging Control (AREA)
- Processing And Handling Of Plastics And Other Materials For Molding In General (AREA)
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Abstract
Description
- The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing pieces of flexible material from a length thereof. The invention was primarily developed for use with plastics material such as small-bore tubing supplied as relatively long or continuous lengths, typically from supply reels, from which predetermined length pieces are cut for subsequent use. It will be appreciated however that the invention is not intended to be restricted to such use and may, with advantage, be applied to materials other than plastics tubing, for example cable or wire.
- Modern production techniques frequently call for a high rate of throughput for articles and commodities. This is particularly so for beverage packages such as cans or other containers for alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages where a filling line may be expected to run at a rate, for example, in excess of 500 containers per minute. In our development of beverage packages there is a requirement for a piece of plastics tube of predetermined length to be supplied and form a part of each package. The tube is required to be fitted to a hollow plastics insert within an open-topped container to extend upwardly within the container so that when the container is charged with beverage containing gas in solution and sealed under pressure, subsequent opening of the container develops a pressure differential between pressure in the hollow insert and pressure in the head space of the container causing gas and/or liquid to be expelled from the insert through the upstanding tube for the development of froth in the head space.
- U.S. Patent A-3,888,151 is believed to be the most relevant prior art and its disclosure forms the basis for the preamble to the characterizing clauses of the independent claims to the present invention. In particular in this prior disclosure the track part through which the length of material is fed or displaced longitudinally to the guide of the rotor for cutting by the cutter is in the form of an upstanding retaining tube which rotates with the rotor and is co-axial with the guide. The retaining tube accommodates a stock length of the material which falls under gravity through the tube to present a bottom end part length which is cut off during rotation of the rotor with the tube so that successive stock lengths of the material may have to be inserted into the tube at frequent intervals when cutting at high rates. In the production of the aforementioned packages we have determined that the most economically viable means for providing the tubes for the beverage packages is for such tubes to be cut to length from a bulk supply of the tubing so that pieces of tube of predetermined length are available on demand for automatic handling to be applied to the beverage containers. There is a need however for an apparatus for, and a method of, providing pieces of flexible material, such as plastics tubes, from a length of such material which is relatively simple and efficient in operation and which is particularly suitable for providing such pieces at relatively high rates; it is an object of the present invention to satisfy this need.
- According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for providing pieces of flexible material from a length of said material which comprises a cutting station having a rotor and means for rotating the rotor about an axis, the rotor having a guide which is rotatable therewith and is radially offset from said axis; a track part in which the material is located for longitudinal displacement of said material towards the guide; means for displacing the length of material longitudinally through said guide for a free end part length of the material to project from the guide, and a cutter relative to which the rotor is rotatable so that during rotation of the rotor and material in the guide thereof, the material engages the cutter for a piece of predetermined length to be cut from the free end of the material, and wherein following said cut the displacing means indexes the material to displace it longitudinally for a further free end part length thereof to project from the guide for cutting a further said piece CHARACTERISED IN THAT the material is derived from a continuous length of said material relative to which the rotor rotates and the track part has an end adjacent to the rotor which is substantially co-axial with the axis of the rotor and is axially spaced therefrom so that during its longitudinal displacement said material moves along the track part and on leaving said end of the track part the material is displaced radially thereof over its instant part length between the guide and the track part.
- Further according to the present invention there is provided a method of providing pieces of flexible material from a length of said material which comprises displacing the length of material longitudinally along a track and through a guide in a rotor so that a free end part length of the material projects from the guide; rotating the rotor about an axis with the guide radially offset from the axis so that said free end part length of the material is displaced circumferentially and during said circumferential displacement passing the material over a cutter to cut the free end part length from the material and form a piece thereof, CHARACTERISED BY deriving the material from a source relative to which the rotor rotates and which source provides a continuous length of material and by longitudinally displacing the material to the guide from an end of the track which end is substantially co-axial with the axis of the rotor and is axially spaced from the rotor, the instant part length of the material between said track end and the guide being displaced radially relative to said axis.
- By the invention it is envisaged that the flexible material will, typically, be supplied as a continuous length from a drum or reel and have its free end part length subjected to circumferential displacement by a rotor and during such displacement the material passes over a cutter by which a piece is cut from the end of the material. By this technique such pieces can be cut successively in a simple and efficient manner and at relatively high speeds by appropriately synchronising the indexing of the material through the guide of the rotor so that each piece is of predetermined length. Furthermore it is generally recognised that high rotational speeds for a rotor are far more easily achieved, are more controllable and more reliable in comparison with reciprocating blade-type cutters which have hitherto been proposed for cutting lengths of material. The length of material is flexible to the extent that its free end can be rotated by the rotor without impairing the required characteristics of the material and the material should have adequate rigidity to permit its longitudinal displacement, for example by rollers, for indexing the material through the guide. Also, depending upon the orientation of the apparatus, the material may require sufficient rigidity for the free end part length (which is to be cut to form the piece) to support its own weight, for example in an arrangement where the strip is displaced vertically through the guide for its free end part length to project in an upstanding condition from the guide. As previously mentioned, the invention was primarily developed for use in cutting pieces from small-bore plastics tubing and, for convenience, will hereinafter be discussed in relation to such use although it is to be realised that the invention may be applied, with advantage, to other types of material lengths such as cable, wire or plastics filaments.
- Although the rotor may be rotated intermittently, for high speed production it is preferred that the rotor is continuously rotatable and in either case it will be usual for a single piece of tube to be cut from the free end of a supply tubing with each rotation of the rotor.
- The supply tubing may be longitudinally displaceable through a guide tube which is rotatable with the rotor and provides communication between the track part and the guide.
- The cutter is preferably in the form of a cutting edge or blade with which the plastics tubing engages to be cut during rotation of the rotor. The cutting edge may be mounted so that it can be indexed to present a fresh cutting edge part to the tubing as another part becomes warn. If required the cutter can present a circular cutting edge and may be driven to rotate about its axis, continuously or intermittently, during rotation of the rotor.
- Preferably retaining means is provided which engages the free end part length of the supply tubing for the tubing to be cut between the retaining means and the guide. This retaining means will generally be in the form of a gripper or jaws which initially engages the free end of the supply tubing and subsequently holds the piece that is cut from the tubing. The retaining means may form part of transfer means for engaging the free end part length of the supply tubing which projects from the guide and serves to transfer the piece that is cut from the supply tubing to a predetermined station.
- The aforementioned transfer means is preferably synchronised to engage the free end part length of the supply tubing immediately prior to said tubing being cut. In a preferred arrangement the transfer means has a turret rotatable about an axis remote from the rotor axis and by which the previously mentioned retaining means is displaced about a circle part of the circumference of which extends through a region that substantially coincides with part of the circumference of the circle through which the supply tubing is displaced by the rotor and in which region the rotor and cutter are arranged to cut the tubing. The retaining means is synchronised so that during rotation of the turret it engages the supply tubing as the retaining means enters the region and carries the cut piece of tube from the region to transfer it to the predetermined station. Generally the turret axis will be substantially parallel with the rotor axis. To facilitate high speed handling of the tube pieces, the turret may have a plurality of retaining means such as jaws or grippers disposed in a circumferentially spaced array and a plurality of cutting stations may be spaced circumferentially about the turret so that tube pieces emanating from the respective cutting stations are carried by retaining means selected to be synchronised with those respective cutting stations.
- To facilitate automatic mechanical handling of a piece cut from the supply tubing, piece locating means can be provided by which a piece transferred to the aforementioned predetermined station by the transfer means may, for example, be engaged with a component of which the tube piece is to form part. The locating means may be arranged to displace the tube piece from the predetermined station to attach that piece with or locate that piece on or in a particular component. For example the tube piece (or other piece if not of tubular form) may be positioned and held by the locating means to the component to be secured by adhesion or welding. In a preferred arrangement, however, in which the tube pieces are fitted to hollow inserts for developing froth in beverage packages of the kind previously discussed, the tube piece may be handled by the locating means to engage as a press-fitting with a seating of the component insert - for example a free end of the tube piece may be press-fitted into a socketed port in the insert or onto a tubular spigot of the insert. The locating means may have retaining means (or further retaining means where transfer means including retaining means is provided) for engaging the tube piece at the predetermined station of the transfer means and carrying that piece into its engagement with, or location on or in the particular component. The retaining means of the locating means will usually comprise a gripper or jaws by which the tube piece is held. Where the transfer means includes retaining means such as a gripper or jaws, the further retaining means of the locating means is preferably synchronised to engage the tube piece that is transferred to the predetermined station by the transfer means prior to the retaining means of the transfer means releasing that particular tube piece. Where the transfer means comprises a rotatable turret as previously mentioned, it is preferred that the locating means comprises a second turret rotatable about an axis remote from (and usually parallel with) the axis of the turret of the transfer means. By this arrangement the retaining means of the locating means may be displaced about a circle, part of the circumference of which extends through a further region which substantially coincides with the predetermined station of the transfer means and in which further region the further retaining means of the second turret is synchronised to engage a tube piece carried by the retaining means of the transfer means prior to the retaining means of the transfer means releasing that particular tube piece to the further retaining means of the locating means to carry the tube piece during rotation of the second turret to a fitting station at which the piece is engaged with or positioned on or in a particular component such as the previously mentioned package insert. The second turret will usually have a plurality of the, or the further, retaining means such as grippers or jaws disposed in a circumferentially spaced array and which retaining means are arranged to sequentially engage successive tube pieces located at the predetermined station of the transfer means to carry those tube pieces successively to the fitting station. The locating means conveniently has seating means displaceable therewith and which seating means are intended to locate and carry components to which tube pieces carried by the retaining means of the locating means are to be applied. With this in mind the aforementioned turret of the locating means may have a circumferentially spaced array of seats associated one with each of the retaining means of that turret so that a component located by a said seat can have applied thereto the tube piece carried by the retaining means associated with that seat. For example, each seat may be intended to locate and carry an open-topped container within which is located an insert to which the tube piece is to be press-fitted through the open top of the container by displacement of the retaining means. Desirably the open-topped container will be substantially cylindrical and have a seating to which the tube piece is to be press-fitted located substantially on the axis of and within the container and the locating means may comprise a probe which is displaceable into the open top of the container and carry the tube piece for an end of that piece to be displaced axially relative to the container and press-fitted into engagement with the seating. Such an arrangement is advantageous since cylindrical containers may be positioned on the seats to accurately locate the axes of those containers with respect to the intended line of displacement of the respective probes to ensure that the free end of a tube piece will be displaced axially of the container to engage with the seating (thereby alleviating the necessity of rotationally orientating a container relative to its seat or possibly rotationally orientating the position of an insert having the seating within the container to ensure that the displacement of the free end of the tube piece will be in appropriate alignment to engage with the seating).
- One embodiment of the present invention as applied to apparatus for providing tube pieces from a length of tubing and fitting said pieces as part of beverage packages will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings in which:-
- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus in section;
- Figure 2 is an end elevation of a cutting station in the apparatus of Figure 1, and
- Figure 3 is a schematic plan view of the apparatus.
- The apparatus illustrated is intended for cutting a piece of flexible plastics tubing, typically having an inside diameter of 1 millimetre and an outside diameter of 2 millimetres, from what may be regarded as a continuous length of such tubing supplied from a reel or drum and fitting the tube piece that is formed within an open topped container prior to the container moving along a filling line to be charged with beverage and sealed to form a beverage package. The apparatus comprises a
cutting station 1, a tubepiece transfer unit 2 and a tubepiece locating unit 3. - The
cutting station 1 is intended to cuttube pieces 30 of predetermined length fromplastics tubing 4 supplied from a drum or reel 5. The cutting station has a rotor 6 which is rotatable about avertical axis 7 by adrive unit 8. The rotor 6 carries a guide port 9 spaced radially from itsaxis 7.Tubing 4 from the supply reel 5 is fed to and through the guide port 9 by way of atrack 10 between indexing rollers shown generally at 11. Anend 10A of thetrack 10 from which thetubing 4 emerges is located substantially on theaxis 7 and aguide tube 12 extends between said end of thetrack 10 and the guide port 9. Theguide tube 12 rotates with the rotor 6 about theaxis 7 and thetubing 4 extends through the guide tube to the guide port 9 and thetube 12 provides a convenient track by which the tubing is supported and displaced radially progressively from theaxis 7 to the guide port. Therollers 11 displace thetubing 4 longitudinally of its length and through the guide port 9 so that a free end part 4' of the tubing projects from the guide port of the rotor 6 in an upstanding condition as shown in Figure 2. - Located above and adjacent to the plane of rotation of the rotor 6 is a
cutting blade 15 carried by a mounting 16. Theblade 15 projects into the circular path subscribed by thetubing 4 as that tubing is rotated with the rotor 6, as a consequence the end part 4' of the tubing is cut off to form atube piece 30 as the tubing engages theblade 15. Therollers 11 are indexed by adrive unit 11A to displace thetubing 4 intermittently and through predetermined lengths so that successive free end part lengths 4' of the tubing are presented to thecutter 15 for atube piece 30 of predetermined length to be cut on each rotation of the rotor 6 as the latter is rotated continuously. Thecutter 15 may be a fixed blade or a circular blade that is rotated continuously or intermittently on its mounting 16. - The
transfer unit 2 has aturret 20 which is continuously rotated by a drive unit (not shown) about a vertical axis 21 spaced from theaxis 7. Carried on theturret 20 at a position spaced radially from its axis 21 is a tubepiece retaining unit 22 having radially outwardly presentedopposed jaws 23 which are openable and closable by a control unit 24 (such as a fluid pressure operated piston and cylinder device, an electrical solenoid or otherwise) on theturret 20. Thejaws 23 are carried by the turret to subscribe a circle, part of the circumference of which coincides with aregion 2A of the circle subscribed by the rotor port 9 in which region thetubing 4 engages theblade 15. In Figure 3 the rotor 6 is rotated about itsaxis 7 in a clockwise direction (as indicated by the arrow 26) to cut the tubing while theturret 20 is rotated about its axis 21 in a counterclockwise direction (as indicated by the arrow 27). - The cutting
station 1 andtransfer unit 2 are synchronised so that as the free end 4' of the tubing enters theaforementioned region 2A and approaches thecutting blade 15, thejaws 23, in an open condition, of the retainingunit 22 are carried by the rotating turret to approach and straddle the tube end 4' where thejaws 23 close and grip the tube end 4' immediately before that tube end engages thecutter 15. This gripping action of thejaws 23 conveniently stablises thetubing 4 as it is cut at a position between the guide port 9 and thejaws 23. Following cutting of thetubing 4, thecut piece 30 of the tube is retained in theclosed jaws 23 and carried by the rotatingturret 20 to atransfer station 31. - To facilitate supply of
tube pieces 30 by thetransfer unit 2 to thetransfer station 31 at a high frequency, thetransfer unit 2 has associated therewith four of the aforementioned cutting stations which are spaced circumferentially about theturret 20 as indicated at 1, 1A, 1B and 1C in Figure 3. Each of the four cutting stations is constructed and operated in a similar manner andsupply tubing 4 for thestations reels turret 20 carries twenty of the retainingunits 22 which are circumferentially spaced on the turret and each is constructed and operates in a similar manner to that previously discussed. The four cutting stations are synchronised with rotation of the twenty retainingunits 22 so that during rotation of theturret 20 each cutting station provides atube piece 30 to thejaws 23 of everyfifth transfer unit 24 in the circumferential array for sequential delivery to thetransfer station 31. - The locating
unit 3 is intended for the purpose of assemblingtube pieces 30 provided at thetransfer station 31 with open toppedcontainers 40 in a beverage packaging line. The containers are in the form of light metal alloy cans having a substantiallycylindrical wall 41 forming the open top 42. Fitted within the bottom of eachcontainer 40 is ahollow insert 43. Theinsert 43 is intended to promote froth development on opening a package formed when the container is charged with beverage containing gas in solution and sealed. When such a sealed package is opened, gas and/or liquid is intended to be injected from thehollow insert 43 into the beverage in the container to liberate gas from solution and effect the aforementioned froth development - such inserts are well known in the art as, for example, discussed in our European Patent Specification A-0 227 213. Theinsert 43 is provided with aseating 44 that is located on the axis of the cylindrical container and directed towards the open top 42. Atube piece 30 is to be fitted to theseating 44 for the purpose of controlling the aforementioned froth development as previously discussed in the preamble hereto. Thecontainers 40 with the fitted inserts 43 and in an upstanding condition are fed successively by aconveyor 50 and star wheel 51 (rotating anti-clockwise in Figure 3) to be accommodated in aseat 52 carried by a horizontal platform 53 of the locatingunit 3. The platform 53 is rotated by a drive unit (not shown) about avertical axis 54 spaced from theaxes 7 and 21 and in a clockwise direction as indicated by thearrow 55 in Figure 3. Twentyseats 52 are provided on the platform 53 spaced circumferentially about theaxis 54. Located above the platform 53 is aturret 56 which rotates about theaxis 54 in unison with theseats 52. Theturret 56 carries twenty tube fitting heads 60 which are spaced circumferentially about theaxis 54 and positioned one each vertically above theseats 52. Theheads 60 are mounted on the lower ends ofvertical rods 61 havingrolling cam followers 62 which engage in acam track 63 on a cylindricalstationary core 64 of the locating unit. During rotation of theturret 56 andseats 52 thecam followers 62 follow thecam track 63 to impart vertical displacement to therods 61 and thereby to theheads 60 so that for each rotation of theturret 56 theheads 60 exhibit a predetermined cycle of vertical displacement. - Each
head 60 has avertical probe 70 at the bottom end of which is carried a set of radially outwardly directedopposed jaws 71 which are openable and closable by acontrol unit 72 on the head (in a similar manner to thecontrol unit 24 on the retaining unit 22). During rotation of theturret 56 thejaws 71 of theheads 60 are displaced along a common circle concentric with theaxis 54 and which circle coincides with thetransfer station 31 of thetransfer unit 2. The rotation of theturret 56, vertical displacement of thehead 60 and actuation of thejaws 71 is synchronised with the transfer of atube piece 30 by thetransfer unit 2 to thestation 31 so that thejaws 71 are open and are moved by the rotatingturret 56 to straddle atube piece 30 gripped by thejaws 23 of a retainingunit 22 approaching thetransfer station 31. At thetransfer station 31 thejaws 71 are closed to grip thetube piece 30 and thejaws 23 of the retainingunit 22 and opened to release thetube piece 30 captured by the jaws of ahead 60 as theturret 20 andturret 56 continue to rotate in counterwise directions. Thejaws 71 of ahead 60 engage atube piece 30 at thetransfer station 31 at a position towards the lower end of that tube piece and with thehead 60 retracted vertically (under control of thecam follower 62 and cam track 63) to provide sufficient clearance for acontainer 40 to be accommodated in theseat 52 beneath thehead 60 and the lower end of thetube piece 30 carried thereby. - A
container 40 is transferred by thestar wheel 51 to be accommodated on aseat 52 so that the axis of the container and theseating 44 of itsinsert 43 are in vertical axial alignment with thebottom end 30A of atube piece 30 carried by thehead 60 associated with that particular seat. During unified rotation of theturret 56 andseats 52, atube piece 30 carried by ahead 60 from thetransfer station 31 is displaced vertically downwardly under control of thecam follower 62 andtrack 63 so that theprobe 70 of that head enters theopen top 42 of the container which underlies that head to displace thebottom end 30A of the tube piece along the axis of the container. Continued rotation of theturret 56 and vertical displacement of the head downwardly causes thebottom end 30A of the tube to be press fitted into engagement with theseating 44 of theinsert 43 as shown at the righthand side of the locatingunit 3 in Figure 1. Theseating 44 of the insert may be in the form of a socket into which thebottom end 30A of the tube piece is fitted or may be in the form of a spigot on which thebottom end 30A of the tube piece is received. Following fitting of thetube piece 30 to theseating 44 and during continued rotation of theturret 56 andseat 52, thejaws 71 are opened to release the tube piece 30 (which is retained within the container 40) and thehead 60 retracts vertically from the container as the head approaches thetransfer station 31 in readiness to receive afurther tube piece 30 from thetransfer unit 2. By locating theseating 44 on the axis of thecylindrical container 40 and displacing thebottom end 30A of the tube piece along that axis into engagement with the insert, it will be appreciated that there is no necessity to provide any particular rotational orientation between theinsert 43 and thecontainer 40 or between thecontainer 40 and theseat 52. Following fitting of thetube piece 30 to the insert and withdrawal of theprobe 70 from the container, the container is displaced from itsseat 52 by astar wheel 80 back onto theconveyor 50 by which it may be transferred successively to a beverage filling station and container sealing station. - The
transfer unit 2 and heads 60 of the locatingunit 3 are synchronised so thattube pieces 30 are fitted successively to the open topped containers as they are fed into theseats 52 of the platform 53. For convenience of description acontainer 40 has been shown in Figure 3 located in theseat 52 which underlies ahead 60 at thetransfer station 31. However, in practice of the illustrated embodiment, and as will be appreciated from Figure 3, aseat 52 will receive an open topped container only when thejaws 71 of thehead 60 which overlies that seat have already picked up atube piece 30 from thetransfer station 3 and also a container fitted with thetube 30 will be removed from itsseat 52 by thestar wheel 80 before that container reaches thetransfer station 31; consequently a container will not be located in aseat 52 at the time when thehead 60 associated with that particular seat passes through thetransfer station 31 to pick up atube piece 30.
Claims (39)
- Apparatus for providing pieces (30) of flexible material from a length (4) of said material which comprises a cutting station (1) having a rotor (6) and means (8) for rotating the rotor about an axis (7), the rotor having a guide (9) which is rotatable therewith and is radially offset from said axis (7); a track part (10) in which the material (4) is located for longitudinal displacement of said material towards the guide (9); means (11) for displacing the length (4) of material longitudinally through said guide (9) for a free end part length (4') of the material to project from the guide, and a cutter (15) relative to which the rotor (6) is rotatable so that during rotation of the rotor and material (4') in the guide thereof, the material engages the cutter (15) for a piece (30) of predetermined length to be cut from the free end (4') of the material, and wherein following said cut the displacing means (11) indexes the material (4) to displace it longitudinally for a further free end part length (4') thereof to project from the guide (9) for cutting a further said piece (30) CHARACTERISED IN THAT the material (4) is derived from a continuous length (5) of said material relative to which the rotor (6) rotates and the track part (10) has an end (10A) adjacent to the rotor (6) which is substantially co-axial with the axis (7) of the rotor and is axially spaced therefrom so that during its longitudinal displacement said material (4) moves along the track part (10) and on leaving said end (10A) of the track part the material (4) is displaced radially thereof over its instant part length between the guide (9) and the track part (10).
- Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 in which the rotor (6) is continuously rotatable.
- Apparatus as claimed in either Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which for each rotation of the rotor (6) a single said piece (30) of flexible material is cut from the strip.
- Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the material (4) is longitudinally displaceable through a guide tube (12) which is rotatable with the rotor (6) and provides communication between said end (10A) of the track part (10) and the guide (9).
- Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims in which the cutter (15) comprises a cutting edge with which the strip (4') engages to be cut during rotation of the rotor (6).
- Apparatus as claimed in Claim 5 in which the cutting edge is substantially circular and is mounted to be rotatable about its axis.
- Apparatus as claimed in Claim 6 and comprising means for rotating the cutter during rotation of the rotor.
- Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims in which the means (11) for displacing the length of material (4) longitudinally comprises roller means rotation of which effects said displacement and which roller means (11) is synchronised with the rotor (6) to index said material in its longitudinal displacement for cutting.
- Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims in which the length of material (4) is fed to the rotor (6) from a supply reel (5).
- Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims and comprising transfer means (2) for transferring the piece cut (30) from said material (4) to a predetermined station (31).
- Apparatus as claimed in Claim 10 in which the transfer means (2) comprises retaining means (22) which engages the free end part length (4') of the material for said material to be cut between the retaining means (22) and the guide (9) and wherein said retaining means (22) carries the resultant piece (30) cut from the material to the predetermined station (3).
- Apparatus as claimed in Claim 11 in which the retaining means (22) comprises a gripper or jaws (23) by which the material (4') is held.
- Apparatus as claimed in either Claim 11 or Claim 12 in which the retaining means (22) is synchronised to engage said free end part length (4') of the material immediately prior to said material being cut.
- Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 11 to 13 in which the transfer means (2) comprises a turret (20) rotatable about an axis (21) remote from the rotor axis (7) and by which said retaining means (22) is displaced about a circle, part of the circumference of which circle extends through a region which substantially coincides with part of a circumference of the circle through which the material (4') is displaced by the rotor (6) and wherein the rotor (6) and cutter (15) are arranged to cut the material (4') in said region and said retaining means (22) is synchronised so that during rotation of the turret (20) the retaining means (22) engages the material (4') as the retaining means (22) enters said region and carries the piece (30) from said region to transfer it to said predetermined station (3).
- Apparatus as claimed in Claim 14 in which the turret axis (21) is substantially parallel with the rotor axis (7).
- Apparatus as claimed in either Claim 14 or Claim 15 in which the turret (20) has a plurality of said retaining means (22) disposed in a circumferentially spaced array and wherein a plurality of said cutting stations (1) are circumferentially spaced about the turret (20) for pieces (30) emanating from each said cutting station (1) to be transferred to at least one said retaining means (22) in the array selected to be synchronised with that said cutting station (1).
- Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 10 to 16 and comprising piece locating means (3) by which a piece (30) transferred to said predetermined station (31) is applied to a component (43) with which said piece (30) is to form an assembly.
- Apparatus as claimed in Claim 17 in which the locating means (3) is arranged to displace the piece from said predetermined station (21) to press-fit that piece (20) into engagement with said component (43).
- Apparatus as claimed in either Claim 17 or Claim 18 in which the locating means (3) comprises retaining means or further retaining means (31) for engaging the piece (30) at said predetermined station (31) and carrying that piece (30) into its assembly with said component (43).
- Apparatus as claimed in Claim 19 in which the retaining means of the locating means (3) comprises a gripper or jaws (71) by which the piece (30) is held.
- Apparatus as claimed in either Claim 19 or Claim 20 when appendant to Claim 11 in which the further retaining means (71) of the locating means (3) is synchronised to engage the piece (30) transferred to the predetermined station (31) by the transfer means (2) prior to the retaining means (23) of the transfer means (2) releasing the said piece (30).
- Apparatus as claimed in Claim 21 when appendant to Claim 14 in which the locating means (3) comprises a second turret (56) rotatable about an axis (54) remote from the axis (21) of said turret (20) of the transfer means (2) and by which second turret (56) the further retaining means (71) of the locating means (3) is displaced about a circle, part of the circumference of which circle extends through a further region which substantially coincides with said predetermined station (31) and in which further region the further retaining means (71) of the second turret (56) is synchronised to engage a piece (30) carried by the retaining means (23) of the transfer means (2) prior to the retaining means (23) of the transfer means (2) releasing the said piece (30) for the further retaining means (71) to carry that piece (30) during rotation of the second turret (56) to a fitting station at which the piece (30) is assembled with said component (43).
- Apparatus as claimed in Claim 22 in which the axis (54) of the second turret (56) is substantially parallel with the axis (21) of the turret (20) of the transfer means (2).
- Apparatus as claimed in either Claim 22 or Claim 23 in which the second turret (56) has a plurality of said further retaining means (71) disposed in a circumferentially spaced array and which further retaining means (71) sequentially engage successive pieces (30) located at the predetermined station (31) to carry said pieces (30) successively to the fitting station.
- Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claim 22 to 24 in which said second turret (56) has seating means (52) rotatable therewith and which seating means (52) is intended to locate and carry a said component (43) for assembly therewith of a said piece (30) carried by the further retaining means (71).
- Apparatus as claimed in Claim 25 when appendant to Claim 24 in which the second turret (56) has a circumferentially spaced array of seats (52) associated one with each of said further retaining means (71) so that a component (43) located and carried on a said seat (52) can have assembled therewith a piece (30) carried by the further retaining means (71) associated with that said seat (52).
- Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 22 to 26 wherein the further retaining means (71) is displaceably mounted on the second turret (56) and controlled so that during rotation of that turret (56) the further retaining means (71) and a piece (30) carried thereby is displaced successively for the piece (30) to be assembled with the component (43) at said fitting station, the further retaining means (71) to release the piece (30) to the component (43) and the further retaining means (71) to withdraw from the assembly of the component (43) and said piece (30) in preparation for the further retaining means (71) to engage a further piece (30) at the predetermined station (31).
- Apparatus as claimed in Claim 27 in which displacement of the further retaining means (71) on the second turret (56) is determined by relative displacement between cam track means (63) and cooperating cam follower means (62) effected during rotation of the second turret (56).
- Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 17 to 28 in which the piece locating means (3) comprises a seat (52) for receiving an open-topped substantially cylindrical container (40) which container has a seating (44) located substantially on the axis thereof and with which seating (44) a free end (30A) of the piece (30) is to engage, and wherein the locating means (3) comprises a head (60) which carries said piece (30) for an end (30A) thereof to be displaced along the axis of a container (40) in said seat (52) for said end (30A) of the piece to be fitted into engagement with said seating (44) in the container.
- Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims in which the material comprises plastics tubing.
- A method of providing pieces (30) of flexible material from a length (4) of said material which comprises displacing the length of material longitudinally along a track (10) and through a guide (9) in a rotor (6) so that a free end part length (4') of the material projects from the guide (9); rotating the rotor (6) about an axis (7) with the guide (9) radially offset from the axis (7) so that said free end part length (4') of the material is displaced circumferentially and during said circumferential displacement passing the material (4') over a cutter (15) to cut the free end part length (4') from the material and form a piece (30) thereof, CHARACTERISED BY deriving the material (4) from a source (5) relative to which the rotor (6) rotates and which source (5) provides a continuous length of material and by longitudinally displacing the material to the guide (9) from an end (10A) of the track (10) which end is substantially co-axial with the axis (7) of the rotor (6) and is axially spaced from the rotor (6), the instant part length of the material (4) between said track end (10A) and the guide (9) being displaced radially relative to said axis (7).
- A method as claimed in Claim 31 in which the material (4) is plastics tubing.
- A method as claimed in either Claim 31 or Claim 32 which comprises continuously rotating the rotor (6) and indexing the length of material (6) to displace it longitudinally to cut said pieces (30) successively from the material (4) during rotation of the rotor (6).
- A method as claimed in any one of Claim 31 to 33 which comprises engaging the free end part length (4') of the material prior to cutting that free end part length (4') from the material to retain said piece (30) and displacing the piece (30) so retained for assembly thereof with a component (43).
- A method as claimed in Claim 34 which comprises displacing the piece (30) for a free end (30A) thereof to engage with the component (43).
- A method as claimed in Claim 35 in which the component (43) comprises an open-topped container (40) having a seating (44) therein and which comprises displacing said piece (30) into the container through the open top (42) for said free end (30A) of the piece to engage with the seating (44).
- A method as claimed in Claim 36 in which the container (40) is substantially cylindrical and said seating (44) is located substantially on the axis of the container and which comprises displacing said free end (30A) of the piece substantially along the axis of the container into engagement with the seating (44).
- A method as claimed in any one of Claims 31 to 37 which comprises retaining the free end part length (4') of the material in a gripper or jaws (23) prior to said material being cut by the cutter (15) and displacing said piece (30) in the gripper or jaws (23) to a predetermined station (31).
- A method as claimed in Claim 38 when appendant to Claim 36 which comprises engaging said piece (30) at the predetermined station (31) and displacing the piece (30) therefrom into engagement with said seating (44).
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB9301454A GB2274422B (en) | 1993-01-26 | 1993-01-26 | Method and apparatus for providing pieces of flexible material from a length thereof |
GB9301454 | 1993-01-26 |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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EP0611028A1 EP0611028A1 (en) | 1994-08-17 |
EP0611028B1 true EP0611028B1 (en) | 1997-09-17 |
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Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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EP94300053A Expired - Lifetime EP0611028B1 (en) | 1993-01-26 | 1994-01-05 | Method and apparatus for providing pieces of flexible material from a length thereof |
Country Status (10)
Country | Link |
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EP (1) | EP0611028B1 (en) |
JP (1) | JP3148067B2 (en) |
AT (1) | ATE158219T1 (en) |
AU (1) | AU671875B2 (en) |
CA (1) | CA2113679C (en) |
DE (1) | DE69405598T2 (en) |
DK (1) | DK0611028T3 (en) |
ES (1) | ES2109597T3 (en) |
GB (1) | GB2274422B (en) |
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Families Citing this family (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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US8459509B2 (en) | 2006-05-25 | 2013-06-11 | Sakura Finetek U.S.A., Inc. | Fluid dispensing apparatus |
US8752732B2 (en) | 2011-02-01 | 2014-06-17 | Sakura Finetek U.S.A., Inc. | Fluid dispensing system |
US8932543B2 (en) | 2011-09-21 | 2015-01-13 | Sakura Finetek U.S.A., Inc. | Automated staining system and reaction chamber |
US8580568B2 (en) | 2011-09-21 | 2013-11-12 | Sakura Finetek U.S.A., Inc. | Traceability for automated staining system |
CN111483000B (en) * | 2020-04-10 | 2021-12-10 | 商河县产业投资开发集团有限公司 | Rubber stick cutting device based on dysmorphism gear drive principle |
CN112238201B (en) * | 2020-09-25 | 2021-12-07 | 广西电网有限责任公司柳州供电局 | Wire and cable cutting equipment that intelligence was made |
Family Cites Families (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2916811A (en) * | 1954-01-26 | 1959-12-15 | Smith Kline French Lab | Machine for assembling a tube into a plug |
CH483349A (en) * | 1967-08-02 | 1969-12-31 | Coster Tecnologie Speciali Spa | Method and device for producing the coupling of a tube with an appendix of a valve for aerosol cans |
GB1361334A (en) * | 1972-04-07 | 1974-07-24 | Imp Metal Ind Kynoch Ltd | Method and apparatus for cutting elongate articles |
US3888151A (en) * | 1973-07-23 | 1975-06-10 | Frank S Beckerer | Cutting apparatus for strip stock |
DE3401214A1 (en) * | 1984-01-14 | 1985-07-25 | INDAG Gesellschaft für Industriebedarf mbH, 6900 Heidelberg | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ATTACHING DRINKING STRAWS TO BEVERAGE CONTAINERS, ESPECIALLY TO BEVERAGE BAGS |
GB2183592B (en) * | 1985-11-29 | 1989-10-04 | Guinness Son & Co Ltd A | A beverage package and a method of packaging a beverage containing gas in solution |
-
1993
- 1993-01-26 GB GB9301454A patent/GB2274422B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
1994
- 1994-01-05 DK DK94300053.9T patent/DK0611028T3/en active
- 1994-01-05 EP EP94300053A patent/EP0611028B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1994-01-05 ES ES94300053T patent/ES2109597T3/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1994-01-05 AT AT94300053T patent/ATE158219T1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1994-01-05 DE DE69405598T patent/DE69405598T2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1994-01-12 NZ NZ250667A patent/NZ250667A/en unknown
- 1994-01-12 AU AU53159/94A patent/AU671875B2/en not_active Ceased
- 1994-01-18 CA CA002113679A patent/CA2113679C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1994-01-25 JP JP02384494A patent/JP3148067B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
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AU5315994A (en) | 1994-08-04 |
GB2274422A (en) | 1994-07-27 |
CA2113679C (en) | 2000-07-18 |
AU671875B2 (en) | 1996-09-12 |
ES2109597T3 (en) | 1998-01-16 |
JP3148067B2 (en) | 2001-03-19 |
ATE158219T1 (en) | 1997-10-15 |
DE69405598T2 (en) | 1998-04-02 |
NZ250667A (en) | 1995-12-21 |
EP0611028A1 (en) | 1994-08-17 |
GB2274422B (en) | 1995-06-14 |
CA2113679A1 (en) | 1994-07-27 |
DK0611028T3 (en) | 1997-10-27 |
GB9301454D0 (en) | 1993-03-17 |
JPH06246681A (en) | 1994-09-06 |
DE69405598D1 (en) | 1997-10-23 |
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