US3505148A

US3505148A - Web splicing apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3505148A
Application number: US605832A
Authority: US
Inventors: Louis L Komer
Original assignee: Phillips Petroleum Co
Current assignee: Huhtamaki Consumer Packaging Inc
Priority date: 1966-12-29
Filing date: 1966-12-29
Publication date: 1970-04-07
Anticipated expiration: 1987-04-07

Description

April 7, 7 y L. L. KQMER 3,505,148

WEB SPLICING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 29, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. L. L. KOM ER A TTORNE Y8 April 7, 1970 L. L. KOMER 3,505,148

WEB SPLICING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 29, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 6

'INVENTOR.

L. l... KOME R A TTORNEYS United States Patent 3,505,148 WEB SPLICING APPARATUS Louis L. Komer, Kansas City, Kans., assignor to Phillips Petroleum Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 29, 1966, Ser. No. 605,832 Int. Cl. B65h /04, B32b /00 US. Cl. 156361 2 Claims This invention relates to an apparatus for splicing the trailing edge of a web to the leading edge of another web.

In many industries sheets or webs of material are subjected to a processing step. Since large quantities of the sheet or web material are to be processed, it is necessary to handle the sheet in the most economical and efficient form possible. Experience has proven the roll to be one of the most advantageous forms in which to handle large quantities of sheeting.

Since it is desirable to continuously operate a process utilizing a web or sheet, a problem is created by the necessity of having to place material from a new source of supply, such as a new roll, in the process after the old roll has been expended. While it is possible to shut down the process entirely, start a new roll of material in the process, and then continue; a much more efiicient and economical way of switching from an expended roll of sheet material to a new roll of sheet material is to splice or bond the sheets together, or to splice or bond the sheets to a substrate to which the sheeting is being applied without shutting down the process. Thus, apparatus to continuously change rolls of material without effecting the continuity of the process is of substantial benefit in many industrial applications.

Although the continuous method of splicing or joining the leading and trailing edges of webs are very desirable, a problem is encountered when the unavoidable increased thickness resulting from the splice is conducted to further processing steps. Specifically, when the trailing edge of an expended roll of web is bonded to a substrate and the leading edge of a new roll of web spliced to the trailing edge by bonding the leading edge over both the trailing edge and the substrate, the result is that the leading edge is overlapping the trailing edge and the leading edge itself is exposed. Even though the leading edge is bonded to the trailing edge and substrate, the leading edge can pull up, snag, or tear when processed in additional equipment. This undesirable result can be eliminated if the leading edge can be bonded to the substrate first, then the trailing edge can be subsequently bonded to the leading edge. Thus, the leading is tucked under the trailing edge, because the leading edge has been placed between the substrate and the trailing edge. While the first method produced a leading edge that was available to snag, tear, or pull up; the second method of splicing, in a sense, tucks the leading edge under the trailing edge so it can never snag or tear. This invention provides apparatus to achieve the placement of the leading edge under the trailing edge during the splicing of a web which is being bonded to a substrate.

In one embodiment, this invention comprises a means to discharge under tension a web material from a first roll and to subsequently move a second roll into the position formerly occupied by the first roll. Additionally, there are provided a means to bond a sheet of web material to a substrate and a means to conduct a web from the discharge means to the bonding means. In one embodiment, the means to conduct a web to the bonding means comprised a pair of rollers mounted on the ends of arms which are mounted on a pivotal mounting bar so that the pivotal point is about in the center of the arms but also placed to cause one side of the arms carrying the first roller to rotate downward under the influence of 3,505,148 Patented Apr. 7, 1970 gravity, and thus cause the first roller attached to that side to run on a tensioned sheet of web material running from a roll to the laminating or bonding process. The leading edge of a second roll of web material has adhesive applied thereto and is placed on the second roller on the ends of the arms which is not running on the first web, the arms being prevented from rotating about the pivotal point by the first roller attached to the opposite ends of the arms running on said tensioned web.

According to the operation of the above embodiment, when the trailing edge comes off the first roll, the web tension that prevents the arms from rotating vanishes. Subsequently, after the tension vanishes, the arms carrying the rollers rotate about the pivotal point under the influence of gravity. As a result of this rotation, the second roller not running on the tensioned web but carrying the adhesive coated end of the second or standby web strikes the substrate to which the web is being bonded. As a result of the roller striking the substrate, the leading edge of the new roll, which had been placed across the second roller, sticks to the substrate and is carried into the laminating process. The trailing edge from the expended roll is subsequently carried into the laminating process and the new roll is then moved by the tension in the new web to the position of the former, but now expended, roll and the web tension again causes the first roller to run on the web and the second roller is withdrawn from contact with the substrate. Another roll is then placed on the roll supporting arms to replace the expended roll and the end of a new web is placed over the roller not running on the web and adhesive is applied. The cycle can now be repeated indefinitely and the process can be continued indefinitely. Thus, according to this invention, no edges are available to snag, pull up, or tear since the leading edge of the new roll is always tu ked under the trailing edge of the expended roll.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide apparatus for splicing the trailing edge of an expended roll of web material to the leading edge of a new roll of web material in a continuous manner so that the primary manufacturing process need not be shut down or interrupted during the splicing operation.

Another object of this invention is to provide apparatus for creating a splice where the leading edge of a web is tucked under the trailing edge of a web so as to prevent the leading edge from snagging, tearing, or being pulled up in additional process steps.

Other objects, advantages, and features of this invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description, drawing, and appended claims.

FIGURE 1 is one embodiment of the invention shown during normal operation.

FIGURES 25 indicate one complete cycle the functioning of the splicing apparatus.

FIGURE 6 is a representation of the type of splicing made by the illustrated embodiment of the invention.

With particular reference to FIGURE 1, there is indicated rollers 10 to bond a sheet of web material 11 to a substrate 12 being fed into rollers 10 by

rollers

13 and 14. There is additionally indicated a means 15 adapted to allow a sheet of web material to discharge from a first roll and subsequently moving a second roll into the position formerly occupied by the expended first roll.

Since the elimination of mechanical parts, motors, springs, pulleys, and other devices is desirable, in one embodiment, means 15 was constructed so as to place the new or second, roll in the position formerly occupied by the first roll as a result of tension in the web discharging from the second roll. In one embodiment of this type, a

bar was pivotally mounted and equipped with receptacles to hold a roll of web on each end of the bar. The tension in the web from the second roll caused the bar to rotate so as to rotate the second roll into the position formerly occupied by the first expended roll. Of course, other embodiments of means can be used rather than the above embodiment.

Furthermore, there are indicated roller 16, roller 17, roller 18,

parallel arms

19 and 19a, and pivotal mounting bar 20. With reference to the functioning of the above apparatus, a substrate 12 is conducted through

rollers

13 and 14 and through rollers 10 wherein a sheet of web material 11 is being unroller from roll 21, conducted over roller 16 so as to place substantial tension in the web, and laminated to substrate 12 by virtue of rollers 10. In one embodiment, rollers 10 comprised heated rollers operating so as to bond web 11 to substrate 12 by virtue of the roller heat. Other devices can be used to bond web 11 to substrate 12 as long as the device is capable of maintaining substantial tension in the web as it unrolls from roll 21 and passes over roller 16. Specifically, the substrate and Web can be bonded together with an adhesive instead of by thermal means.

According to this invention, any substrate can be used that will bond the selected web thereto by thermal or other means. Specifically, substrates comprising polymerized hydrocarbon, paper, metal foil, and the like are applicable for use in this invention. Particularly, polyethylene made in accordance with the method of Hogan and Banks, U.S. Patent 2,825,721, is satisfactory.

Web 11 can comprise any material capable of being dispensed from a roll and of suflicient strength to enable substantial tension to be placed in the Web between roll 21 and roller 16. Specifically, Web 11 can comprise polymerized hydrocarbon, polyvinyl chloride, paper, metal foil, and the like. In one embodiment, web 11 comprised polyethylene made according to the method of Hogan and Banks, U.S. Patent 2,825,721, and was selected so as to bond with a substrate made from the same material by merely utilizing a heated roller 10.

As has been previously mentioned, if the substrate and web are not capable of being thermally bonded, a glue or adhesive can be resorted to, as it is fully within the scope of this invention to bond the web to the substrate in any manner whatsoever.

With additional reference to FIGURE 1, there is indicated

arms

19 and

19a holding rollers

17 and 18. Since FIGURE 1 is an elevation view, arm 19a appears directly behind arm 19 but cannot be seen. Arms 19 and 1911 are mounted on a pivotal mounting bar 20. According to this invention,

arms

19 and

19a retaining rollers

17 and 18 are mounted on a pivotal mounting bar 20 so as to naturally rotate

rollers

17 and 18 in a clock-wise direction around pivotal bar 20, as shown in FIGURE 1 position. The rotation function can be accomplished by utilizing a gravitational influence to induce a clockwise moment. Alternatively, a spring-biased or mechanically induced clock-Wise moment can be used. In one embodiment, roller 17 was slightly heavier than roller 18, thereby generating a clock-wise gravitational moment about pivotal mounting bar 20 since the rollers are equidistant from pivotal mounting bar 20. As can be seen, the clock-wise torque around pivotal mounting bar 20 created by gravity or mechanical means causes roller 17 to run on that portion of web 11 coming oif roll 21 and running over roller 16. Stated another Way, the tension in web 11 between roll 21 and roller 16 counterbalances or arrests the induced rotation of arm 19, thereby preventing rotation of

arms

19 and 19a and

rollers

17 and 18.

According to the operation of this invention, when roll 21 is expended, the tension in web 11 between roll 21 and roller 16 vanishes. As a result of arms 19' and 19a tending to rotate in a clock-Wise direction, roller 18 is 4 brought in contact with moving substrate 12. As will be noted in FIGURE 1, the leading edge 23 of web 22 coming off roll 24 has been placed over roller 18 and adhesive thereto. As roller 18 contacts moving substrate 12 as a result of the rotation of arms 19 and 190, the adhesive on leading edge 23 bonds to moving substrate 12. As a result of leading edge 23 being bonded to moving substrate 12, web 22 is then pulled through rollers 10 and caused to ride over roller 16. As web 22 is pulled through rollers 10, the tension in Web 22 is increased and the means adapted to move a second roll into the position formerly occupied by an expended roll is caused to rotate by the tension in web 22. This rotation subsequently places roll 24 as was roll 21 formerly and the tension in the web again restricts the rotation of

arms

19 and 19a, and roller 18' is removed from contact with the substrate. A new roll can now be placed in the position formerly occupied by roll 21 and draped over roller 18 and adhesive applied thereto. Thus, the cycle can be repeated indefinitely and the system need never be shut down for web splicing. Means 15 can comprise any means adapted to allow a roll of material to discharge from a first roll with suflicient tension in the web and then subsequently move a second roll into the same position as the original roll so as to efiect a similar amount of tension as did the first roll. This tension will thereby raise roller 17 so as to ride on the moving Web and lower roller 18 so as to permit the leading edge of a new roll to be placed thereon. In one embodiment, means 15' comprised a bar adapted to mount rollers on each end and pivoted for rotation in the center. In the embodiment described above, the rotation which placed roll 24 in the position of roll 21 after it was expended was merely the tension force of the substrate as it was fed into the bonding operation pulling at roll 24. If a bar such as in the above embodiment is used, a mechanical or spring means can be used to rotate the bar without deparing from the scope of this invention. Additionally, other devices can be employed that would place the new roll in the position of the old roll and thereby create sufiieient tension to arrest the rotation of

arms

19 and 19a and thereby function according to this invention.

The precise functioning of the apparatus will now be described in a step-by-step manner with reference to FIG- URES 2P5.

With reference to FIGURE 2, there is indicated the same embodiment as is shown in FIGURE 1 except that the process has expended all but the very last portions of roll 21.

In FIGURE 3 there is indicated the rotation feature of the apparatus. As'will be noted in FIGURE 3, the trailing edge 25 of the substrate 11 that was used to comprise roll 21 has fallen away from means 15. As will be noted, when trailing edge 25 falls from means 15, the tension in the web between roll 21 and roller 16 vanishes and the clock-Wise rotational tendency of

arms

19 and 19a is no longer impeded. Thus, roller 17 falls and roller 18 rises. As roller 18 rises, it contacts moving substrate 12. As was previously noted, the leading edge 23 of substrate 22 has been draped over roller 18 and adhesive applied thereto; thus, as roller 18 strikes substrate 12, leading edge 23 is bonded to substrate 12 and the movement of substrate 12 rolls the entire edge 23 onto substrate 12. During the rotation function the substrate 12 is, of course, continually moving. Thus, as leading edge 23 is bonded to substrate 12, trailing edge 25 is still free.

As illustrated in FIGURE 4, leading edge 23 has been bonded to substrate 12 and the motion of substrate 12 has pulled the leading edge 23 into rollers 10, thereby causing substrate 22 to ride over roller 16 and cause substantial tension in web 22. In the embodiment being illustrated, the tension in web 22 from roll 24 causes the bar in means 15 to rotate so as to place roll 24 in the same position as was formerly occupied by roll 21.

It will be further noted in FIGURE 4 that, although I web 22 has been drawn taut by the action of rollers and substrate 12, trailing edge 25 of the expanded roll of substrate is still free and will be subsequently bonded to substrate 22 by the action of rollers 10.

With reference to FIGURE 5, there is indicated the position of the bar in one embodiment of means 15. As will be noted, the tension in web 22 has caused roll 24 to swing to a position similar to that in which roll 21 formerly resided. The tension in web 22 and the position of roll 24 have elevated roller 17 against the aforementioned torque and have positioned roller 17 in the same manner as shown in FIGURE 1. Corresponding to the upward movement of the roller 17 against the torque, roller 18 is moved downward and is no longer in contact with substrate 12. Thus, according to the operation of this invention, a third roll 26 can now be placed where roll 21 formerly resided, and the leading edge 28 of web 27 being removed from roll 26 is draped over roller 18 and adhesive applied thereto. It will be readily understood that the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 5 is precisely the same as that illustrated in FIGURE 1. Thus, one complete cycle of apparatus operation has been illustrated. Therefore, according to this invention, the apparatus will continue to cycle and the lamination or bonding process need never be terminated on account of the necessity to splice webs of material together.

FIGURE 6 is a representation of the type of splice made by the embodiment illustrated. As has been previously mentioned, this apparatus achieves the remarkable and desirable result of always tucking the leading edge of a new roll of material under the trailing edge of an expended roll of material so as to prevent the leading edge from snagging, tearing, or being pulled up in additional processing equipment. Examples of hazards that can pull up, tear, or snag a leading edge, if exposed, are thickness gauges, edge guides, rollers, and air blasts used for curing and drying. This desirable objective of never producing a splice where the leading edge is exposed to the possibility of tearing, snagging, or being pulled up is achieved through the use of this apparatus regardless of the number of cycles or rolls that are used.

As will be noted with reference to FIGURE 3, leading edge 23 had adhesive applied to the side that will contact substrate 12. Roller 18 then rolled leading edge 23 backwards and a fold was made as the web continued into the rollers. With particular reference to FIGURE 6, there is indicated the particular manner in which leading edge 23 has been bounded to substrate 12. There is additionally indicated a fold 29 caused by the bonded edge 23 being rolled into the rollers. It is to be noted that the trailing edge 25 of substrate 11 from expended roll 21 is bonded to substrate 22 behind the leading edge 23 and fold 29, thereby avoiding entirely the problem of the leading edge snagging or pulling up during additional processing. The pulling up or tearing problem is additionally eliminated noting the smooth transition area 30 between the bonded substrate and the spliced area. This smooth transition will not result in tearing or pulling up of the leading edge as would bonding the leading edge on the outside of the trailing edge.

This invention is thus applicable to splicing the leading edge of a web material to the trailing edge of another material by tucking the leading edge under the trailing edge and bonding both webs to a substrate so as to produce a splice where the trailing edge is not exposed to tears, snags, or being pulled up.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for bonding web material to a substrate comprising, in combination, a pair of heated rollers adapted to receive a moving substrate; a pivoted carriage adapted to receive a roll of web material at each end thereof; means for guiding web material from the end of said carriage adjacent said rollers onto one of said rollers, whereby the web is bonded to the substrate; means for guiding web material from the end of said carriage remote from said rollers to a position adjacent said substrate ahead of said rollers; and means for bonding the last-mentioned web to said substrate when the first roll of web material is exhausted, whereby the tension of said last-mentioned web pivots said carriage and moves said remote end to said position adjacent said rollers.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said carriage means comprises two web roll spindles placed on each end of a pivotally mounted bar adapted to rotate about the pivotal mounting and place the second roll in the position of the first roll due to tension in the web discharging from the second roll, wherein said means for guiding web material to said rollers comprises:

(a) a plurality of arms spaced apart and pivotally mounted on a bar so as to position a portion of the arms on both sides of the bar, said pivotal mounting also inducing a rotation to said arms;

(b) a roller adapted to conduct under suitable tension a sheet of webbing unrolliing from the first roll over said roller and to said means for bonding the web to a substrate, said web thereby being bonded or 1aminated to the substrate;

(c) first roller attached between two of said plurality of arms on one side of said mounting bar, said first roller and arms being prevented from rotating by said roller running on the web which runs under suitable tension from the first roll of web material to said single roller; and

(d) second roller attached between the remaining side of said arms and adapted to permit the adhesive covered leading edge of the second roll of web material previously placed over said second roller to be bonded to a substrate, said bonding action occurring when the trailing edge of said web material comes off the first roll, thereby eliminating the tension required to prevent first roller from rotating, said elimination of web tension causing first roller and arms to rotate, thereby moving said second roller to a position in contact with the substrate so as to bond the leading edge of said second web to said substrate, said means to move a new roll into the position formerly occupied by an expended roll, then moving said second roll into the position of the expended first roll, thereby again returning first roller to its original position and preventing its rotation due to the tension in the web.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,354,120 7/1944 Haren 156361 BENJAMIN A. BOROHELT, Primary Examiner S. C. BENTLEY, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

Claims

1. APPARATUS FOR BONDING WEB MATERIAL TO A SUBSTRATE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A PAIR OF HEATED ROLLERS ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A MOVING SUBSTRATE; A PIVOTED CARRIAGE ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A ROLL OF WEB MATERIAL AT EACH END THEREOF; MEANS FOR GUIDING WEB MATERIAL FROM THE END OF SAID CARRIAGE ADJACENT SAID ROLLERS ONTO ONE OF SAID ROLLERS, WHEREBY THE WEB IS BONDED TO THE SUBSTRATE; MEANS FOR GUIDING WEB MATERIAL FROM THE END OF SAID CARRIAGE RE-