[0001] The present invention is concerned with a method for the application of reel end
discs in a wrapping line to the ends of a reel to be wrapped, whereat,-for the application
of the discs, the reel moves on the wrapping line to ,the position between end presses
and the reel end discs to be applied to the reel ends are fitted onto the faces of
the end presses facing towards each other, the end discs being pulled against the
faces of the end presses by means of negative pressure, and that the reel end discs
are pressed by means of the end presses onto the ends of the reel located between
the end presses, whereby the discs are attached to the reel ends when the plastic
coating on the reel end discs, placed against the reel ends, melts on heating of the
press faces of the end presses, whereupon the end presses are shifted apart from each
other and the wrapped reel moves away from between the end presses and a new roll
is shifted to the position between the end presses for application of the reel end
discs.
[0002] To-day, the reel end discs are attached to the ends of the reel to be wrapped by
using end presses, but the reel end discs are separate from each other, and they must
be fitted onto the press faces of the end presses as well as be aligned in the correct
position, for example, manually. In this case, of course, the reel end discs are separate
discs apart from each other. It is an object of the present invention to make the
said inconvenient working step automatic, and this is achieved in an automatic reel
wrapping line by, among other things, using reel end discs arranged in the form of
a band.
[0003] The method in accordance with the invention is mainly characterized in that the reel
end discs are supplied to the end presses from vertical rolls of reel end discs in
the form of a band so that the first reel end discs are grasped by means of transfer
devices and, by means of the transfer devices and pulling rolls, the reel end discs,
whose edge portions are attached to each other, are pulled off the rolls of reel end
discs until it-is noticed, by means of aligning means, that the next reel end discs
are in the basic positions, the first reel end discs are cut loose from the reel end
discs placed in the basic positions, and they are transferred by means of the transfer
devices to positions opposite the press faces of the end presses, whereupon, after
they have been sucked onto these faces, the transfer devices release their grip and
move further to their basic positions.
[0004] The invention comes out more closely from the following description and from the
attached drawings, wherein
Figure 1 shows an automatic reel wrapping line in accordance with the invention as
viewed from above,
Figure 2 shows a section along line A-A in Fig. 2, and
Figure 3 is a detailed top view of the gripper of the transfer device.
[0005] The wrapping line includes end presses 3, whose press faces 6, facing towards each
other, can be heated. The press faces 6 are additionally provided with numerous holes,
which are connected to suction channels, through which a negative pressure can be
produced at the press faces 6 for the purpose of sucking the reel end discs 4 onto
the press faces 6. Moreover, the end presses 3 can be shifted towards each other to
the pressing position and apart from each other to the basic position. Since the end
presses 3, their actuating system, the vacuum system, and the system of heating of
the press faces 6 involve nothing that were not known in prior art, the end presses
3 have not been illustrated in detail in the drawings, but a highly schematical mode
of presentation has been found adequate.
[0006] In a position perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the wrapping line, between
the end presses 3-, there is a horizontal carrier roll reeler 12, by means of which
the reel 1 to be wrapped is aligned to the correct position between the end presses
3 for the purpose of attaching the reel end discs. At both sides of the wrapping line,
there are vertical rolls 5 of reel end discs, from which the reel end discs 4 are
supplied to the end presses 3 in the form of bands. The successive reel end discs
4 are attached to each other at their edge portions by means of narrow sections 10.
From the rolls 5 of reel end discs the reel end discs 4 are guided by means of guide
rolls 13 to between pulling rolls 8. Before the pulling rolls 8, there are aligning
means 9, which comprise a photocell and a light detector. From the rolls 5 of reel
end discs, the band of reel end discs is pulled by means of pulling rolls 8 until
the aligning means 9 indicate that the first reel end discs 4 are in their basic positions.
At that time the pulling rolls 8 stop. The aligning of the reel end discs 4 in the
basic position by means of the photocells and light detectors takes place at the corner
11 formed at the edge of the narrow section 10 connecting the reel end discs 4.
[0007] The reel wrapping line includes transfer devices 7, by means of which the reel end
discs 4 are transferred onto the press faces 6 of the end presses. The transfer device
7 includes a gripper 14, by means of which the edge portion of the reel end disc 4
to be transferred is grasped. In the basic position shown in Fig. 2, the gap of the
gripper 14 is kept open by a spring 15. When the edge of a reel end disc 4 is to be
grasped by means of the gripper 14, the gap of the gripper 14 is closed pneumatically
by means of the cylinder-piston device 16. In view of different sizes of reel end
discs, the height position of the gripper 14 has been arranged adjustable. The adjustment
of the height position takes place preferably automatically. It may be performed in
any way whatsoever that is suitable for the purpose, e.g., hydraulically, pneumatically,
by means of a rack-and-cogwheel combination, or by means of screw-spiral adjustment.
Horizontal shifting of the gripper 14 is performed by means of a shifting mechanism
13. The length of the transfer movement obtained for the transfer device 7 by means
of the shifting mechanism 13 while starting from the basic position, of course, depends
on the size of the reel end disc 4 to be attached at each particular time, and the
aligning takes place preferably automatically by means of limit switches. After the
pulling rolls 8, there are cutters 15, by means of which the reel end discs 4 to be
transferred are cut loose from the reel end discs 4 remaining in the basic position.
[0008] Below, the operation of the automatic reel wrapping line will be described. To begin
with, it is found out what is the diameter of the reel 1 to be wrapped. Preferably,
this takes place fully automatically, e.g., by means of a line of photocells. Hereupon,
the reel 1 to be wrapped moves to the position between the end presses 3, being supported
by the carrier roll reeler 12. At both sides of the wrapping line, there are several
rolls 5 of reel end discs of different sizes of reel end discs. From among the rolls
5, the correct size of reel end disc is chosen, either manually or by means of some
automatic system suitable for the purpose, and the first reel end disc 4 on the roll
5 is guided around the guide rolls 13 to between the pulling rolls 8. The pulling
rolls 8 pull the reel end disc 4 until the aligning means 9 indicate that the first
reel end discs 4 are in the basic positions and the pulling rolls stop. The gripper
14 of the transfer device in the basic position is in the open position and, by means
of its automatic aligning system, the gripper 14 finds out the correct height position.
Once the gap of the gripper 14 is aligned in the correct position, the gripper 14
grasps the edge of the reel end disc 4 pneumatically. Hereupon the shifting means
13 and the pulling rolls 8 are started and carry the band of reel end discs off the
rolls 5 of reel end discs at the same track speed. The pulling rolls 8 stop when the
following reel end discs 4 reach their basic positions indicated by their aligning
means 9. Thereat the cutters 15 cut off the narrow section 10 connecting the reel
end discs, return to their basic positions, and the transfer devices 7, actuated by
the shifting mechanisms 13, continue to carry the reel end discs 4 to the end presses
3. The movement of the shifting mechanisms 13 stops when the centre lines of the reel
end disc 4 and of the reel 1 to be wrapped are on the same axis. As was already stated
above, this aligning takes place preferably automatically by means of limit switches.
[0009] When the reel end discs 4 to be applied to the ends of the reel 1 to be wrapped are
at their correct positions at the press faces 6 of the end presses 3, the reel end
discs 4 are sucked by means of the vacuum arrangement of the end presses onto the
press faces 6. Next, the grippers 14 release their grasps on the reel end discs 4
and continue their movement, as carried by the shifting mechanisms 13, by the distance
of the gap portion of the gripper 14 forwards. Hereupon, the shifting mechanisms 13
carry the grippers 14 to their basic positions. A gripper 14 that has come back to
its basic position is automatically controlled so as to grasp the edge of the next
reel end disc 4 that has arrived at its basic position.
[0010] The reel end discs 4 that were sucked onto the press faces 6 of the end presses 3
are pressed against the ends 2 of the reel 1 to be wrapped. The faces of the reel
end discs 4 that are to be placed against the ends 2 of the reel to be wrapped have
been coated with a hot-melt agent suitable for the purpose. In the compression position,
the press faces 6 of the end presses 3 are heated, whereby the hot-melt layers on
the reel end discs 4 melt and the reel end discs 4 adhere to the ends 2 of the reel
1 to be wrapped. Next, the end presses 3 are shifted apart from each other by means
of shifting means, and the wrapped reel 1 moves away from between the end presses
3, and a new reel moves to the position between the end presses 3 for the application
of the reel end discs 4.
1. Method for the application of reel end discs in a wrapping line to the ends (2)
of a reel (1) to be wrapped, whereat, for the application of the discs, the reel (1)
moves on the wrapping line to the position'between end presses (3) and the reel end
discs (4) to be applied to the reel (1) ends (2) are fitted onto the faces (6) of
the end presses (3) facing towards each other, the end discs being pulled against
the faces of the end presses by means of negative pressure, and that the reel end
discs (4) are pressed by means of the end presses (3) onto the ends (2) of the reel
(1) located between the end presses (3), whereby the discs (4) are attached to the
reel ends when the plastic coating on the reel end discs (4),placed against the reel
(1) ends (2), melts on heating of the press faces (6) of the end presses (3), whereupon
the end presses (3) are shifted apart from each other and the wrapped reel (1) moves
away from between the end presses (3) and a new roll is shifted to the position between
the end presses (3) for application of the reel end discs (4), characterized in that
the reel end discs (4) are supplied to the end presses (3) from vertical rolls (5)
of reel end discs in the form of a band so that the first reel end discs (4) are grasped
by means of transfer devices (7) and, by means of the transfer devices (7) and pulling
rolls (8), the reel end discs (4), whose edge portions are attached to each other,
are pulled off the rolls (5) of reel end discs until it is noticed, by means of aligning
means (9), that the next reel end discs (4) are in the basic positions, the first
reel end discs (4) are cut loose from the reel end discs placed in the basic positions,
and they are transferred by means of the transfer devices (7) to positions opposite
the press faces (6) of the end presses (3), whereupon, after they have been sucked
onto these faces, the transfer devices (7) release their grip and move further to
their basic positions.
2. Method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the aligning of the reel end
discs (4) in their basic positions is performed by means of photocells and light detectors
on the basis of the corner (11) formed at the edge of the narrow section (10) connecting
the reel end discs (4) to each other.
