Apparatus For Cutting Paper Webs Or The Like

Patent No. US4255998 (titled "Apparatus For Cutting Paper Webs Or The Like") was filed by Hauni Werke Koerber on Oct 23, 1978. The application was issued on Mar 17, 1981.

'998 is related to the field of cutting running webs of material, such as paper, foil, or plastic, into sections of desired lengths. This is commonly done in industries like tobacco processing, paper manufacturing, and packaging, where continuous webs need to be divided into discrete units for further processing or assembly. Existing cutting apparatus often require significant downtime and skilled labor to adjust for different section lengths, involving replacement or adjustment of cutting mechanism components and drive transmissions.

The underlying idea behind '998 is to provide a cutting apparatus that can be quickly and easily adjusted to produce sections of varying lengths without requiring extensive mechanical changes. This is achieved by using a variable-speed motor to drive the orbiting knife and a control system that adjusts the motor's speed based on feedback from graduated disks. The key insight is to decouple the cutting speed from the web speed during the non-cutting portion of the knife's orbit, allowing for length adjustments without altering the web feed or cutting mechanism.

The claims of '998 focus on an apparatus for subdividing a running web into sections of desired length. This apparatus includes a means for advancing the web at a predetermined speed, a rotary cutter with at least one orbiting knife, a variable-speed motor driving the cutter, a control system that varies the motor's speed during each revolution of the cutter, and a means for adjusting the control system to select the desired section length. The control system uses signals denoting the web speed and regulates the motor speed to match the web speed during cutting and to vary it during the rest of the knife's orbit.

In practice, the apparatus uses two graduated disks: one linked to the web's speed and another linked to the cutter's rotation. A detector monitors the graduations on both disks, generating signals that are compared to regulate the motor's speed. To adjust the section length, the operator simply replaces the cutter-linked disk with another having a different graduation pattern. This changes the speed profile of the knife during its orbit, altering the interval between cuts and thus the section length. The quick-release coupling for the disk allows for rapid changeover with minimal tools or skill.

This design differentiates itself from prior approaches by enabling rapid and simple length adjustments without requiring changes to the cutting mechanism or web advancing system. Traditional cutters often require complex mechanical adjustments or replacement of components, leading to significant downtime. By using a variable-speed motor and a readily changeable graduated disk, '998 allows for on-the-fly adjustments with minimal effort, making it suitable for applications where frequent changes in section length are necessary.

How does this patent fit in bigger picture?

Technical Landscape

In the late 1970s when '998 was filed, transverse cutters for running webs were known, but adjusting them for different section lengths was complex. At a time when mechanical adjustments were typically required, changing section lengths involved replacing or adjusting multiple components of the cutting mechanism, transmission, and web advancing means. These operations were time-consuming and required skilled labor.

Prosecution Position

The disclosed apparatus addresses the problem of efficiently subdividing a running web into sections of varying lengths. It achieves this by using a variable-speed motor to drive the cutter, and a control system that adjusts the motor's speed during each revolution of the cutter. This allows the knife to match the web's speed during cutting and vary its speed at other times. The ability to quickly adjust the control system enables rapid conversion between different section lengths, overcoming the need for complex mechanical adjustments.

Claims

This patent contains zero claims, so there are no independent or dependent claims to analyze.

Key Claim Terms New

Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.

Term (Source)	Support for Specification	Interpretation
Adjusting means (Claim 1)	The invention is embodied in an apparatus for subdividing a running web of paper, cardboard, metallic foil, synthetic plastic foil or the like into sections (e.g., labels, uniting bands or blanks) of desired length. The apparatus comprises means (e.g., two driven rolls and a motor which drives at least one roll) for advancing the web lengthwise along a first path at a predetermined speed (preferably at a constant speed), rotary cutter means including at least one knife orbiting along an endless second path a portion of which is adjacent the first path so that the knife makes a cut transversely across the running web while moving along such portion of the second path whereby the web yields a succession of sections whose length is a function of the duration of intervals which elapse between successive movements of the knife along the aforementioned portion of the second path, a D.C. motor or another suitable variable-speed prime mover for the cutter means, control means for varying the speed of the prime mover during each revolution of the cutter means so as to drive the knife at a first speed which matches the (predetermined) speed of the web while the knife moves along the aforementioned portion of the second path and at any one of a plurality of different second speeds while the knife moves from and back to the aforementioned portion of the second path, and means for adjusting the control means so as to select the second speed and hence the duration of aforementioned intervals. The purpose of the adjusting means 28 (parts 29-34) is to select the second speed of the cutters and hence the duration of intervals which elapse between successive cutting operations.	A mechanism for selecting the second speed of the cutter and hence the duration of intervals which elapse between successive cutting operations.
Control means (Claim 1)	The invention is embodied in an apparatus for subdividing a running web of paper, cardboard, metallic foil, synthetic plastic foil or the like into sections (e.g., labels, uniting bands or blanks) of desired length. The apparatus comprises means (e.g., two driven rolls and a motor which drives at least one roll) for advancing the web lengthwise along a first path at a predetermined speed (preferably at a constant speed), rotary cutter means including at least one knife orbiting along an endless second path a portion of which is adjacent the first path so that the knife makes a cut transversely across the running web while moving along such portion of the second path whereby the web yields a succession of sections whose length is a function of the duration of intervals which elapse between successive movements of the knife along the aforementioned portion of the second path, a D.C. motor or another suitable variable-speed prime mover for the cutter means, control means for varying the speed of the prime mover during each revolution of the cutter means so as to drive the knife at a first speed which matches the (predetermined) speed of the web while the knife moves along the aforementioned portion of the second path and at any one of a plurality of different second speeds while the knife moves from and back to the aforementioned portion of the second path, and means for adjusting the control means so as to select the second speed and hence the duration of aforementioned intervals.	A mechanism for varying the speed of the prime mover during each revolution of the cutter means to drive the knife at different speeds.
First signals (Claim 2)	The control means preferably comprises means for generating first signals denoting the speed of the running web and means for maintaining the speed of orbital movement of the knife in the aforementioned portion of the second path at such predetermined speed in response to the first signals. For example, the frequency at which the first signals are generated may be indicative of the speed of lengthwise movement of the web.	Signals denoting the speed of the running web.
Rotary cutter means (Claim 1)	The invention is embodied in an apparatus for subdividing a running web of paper, cardboard, metallic foil, synthetic plastic foil or the like into sections (e.g., labels, uniting bands or blanks) of desired length. The apparatus comprises means (e.g., two driven rolls and a motor which drives at least one roll) for advancing the web lengthwise along a first path at a predetermined speed (preferably at a constant speed), rotary cutter means including at least one knife orbiting along an endless second path a portion of which is adjacent the first path so that the knife makes a cut transversely across the running web while moving along such portion of the second path whereby the web yields a succession of sections whose length is a function of the duration of intervals which elapse between successive movements of the knife along the aforementioned portion of the second path, a D.C. motor or another suitable variable-speed prime mover for the cutter means, control means for varying the speed of the prime mover during each revolution of the cutter means so as to drive the knife at a first speed which matches the (predetermined) speed of the web while the knife moves along the aforementioned portion of the second path and at any one of a plurality of different second speeds while the knife moves from and back to the aforementioned portion of the second path, and means for adjusting the control means so as to select the second speed and hence the duration of aforementioned intervals.	A cutting mechanism that includes at least one knife orbiting along an endless path to make a transverse cut across the running web.
Running web (Claim 1)	The invention is embodied in an apparatus for subdividing a running web of paper, cardboard, metallic foil, synthetic plastic foil or the like into sections (e.g., labels, uniting bands or blanks) of desired length. The apparatus comprises means (e.g., two driven rolls and a motor which drives at least one roll) for advancing the web lengthwise along a first path at a predetermined speed (preferably at a constant speed), rotary cutter means including at least one knife orbiting along an endless second path a portion of which is adjacent the first path so that the knife makes a cut transversely across the running web while moving along such portion of the second path whereby the web yields a succession of sections whose length is a function of the duration of intervals which elapse between successive movements of the knife along the aforementioned portion of the second path, a D.C. motor or another suitable variable-speed prime mover for the cutter means, control means for varying the speed of the prime mover during each revolution of the cutter means so as to drive the knife at a first speed which matches the (predetermined) speed of the web while the knife moves along the aforementioned portion of the second path and at any one of a plurality of different second speeds while the knife moves from and back to the aforementioned portion of the second path, and means for adjusting the control means so as to select the second speed and hence the duration of aforementioned intervals.	A continuous strip of material (paper, cardboard, metallic foil, synthetic plastic foil) being advanced lengthwise.
Second and third signals (Claim 3)	The aforementioned maintaining means may comprise means for respectively generating second and third signals during movement of the knife along the aforesaid portion of the second path and along the remaining portion of the second path. The second signals depend from the first signals and such maintaining means further includes means for regulating the speed of the prime mover as a function of the second and third signals. The adjusting means the comprises means for varying the third signals.	Signals generated during movement of the knife along different portions of its path, used to regulate the speed of the prime mover.

Patent Family

File Wrapper

The dossier documents provide a comprehensive record of the patent's prosecution history - including filings, correspondence, and decisions made by patent offices - and are crucial for understanding the patent's legal journey and any challenges it may have faced during examination.

Get instant alerts for new documents

US4255998

HAUNI WERKE KOERBER

Application Number: US95396478
Filing Date: Oct 23, 1978
Publication Date: Mar 17, 1981
External Links: Slate, USPTO, Google Patents

IP Verse