US1846707A - Tube forming machine - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 23, 1932. E. CONT! TUBE FORMING MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 8. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet NVENTOR gs/7e Ca l/V ATTORNEYS Feb. 23, 1932. E. CONTI TUBE FORMING MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 8, 1929. 4 SheetsSheet 2 INVENTOR Eugene Carl/7 I BY i b -ronuzm Feb. 23, 1932.

E. CONT] 1,846,707

TUBE FORMING MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 8, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR 1F@%. 23, 1932. E. CONTI 1,846,707

TUBE FORMING MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 8. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTQR 06l78 (Zr/A Patented Feb. 23, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EUGEI'JE CONTI, OF LIOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO ALEXANDER HERZ, OF

7 NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK TUBE FORMING MACHINE Application filed November 8, 1929, Serial No. 405,567. Renewed .Tniy 17, 1981.

The present invention'relates to machines for forming paper tubes.

The invention contemplates the provision of mechanism for forming a continuous tube, and mechanism for severing predetermined lengths thereof while the formed tube is bein g fed continuously forward from the forming mechanism, and a method of operation for forming tubes. The speed of operation of machines of this character usually is limited by the speed at which the tubc-severing mechanism can be efiectively operated without unduly mutilatin-g the tubes at the point of severing and without too great strain upon the tubesevering mechanism or other parts of the machine.

The present invention has for an object to provide an improved machine of this character having a tube-severing mechanism which will be effective in use and which may be operated at high speed.

The invention also has for an object to provide an improved method of forming tubes.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

The nature and objects of theinvention will be better understood from a description of a particular illustrative embodiment thereof, and for the purpose of such description reference slionld be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof and in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of the illustrative embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 1a is a detail showing the manner in which the strips of stock are fed to and wound upon the mandrel, and showing the relation of the strips to the winding tape;

"Fig"; 2 is a side elevation of the machine;

Fig. 3 is an elevation looking at the op- ,posite side of that shown in Fig. 2, and

Figs. 4. and 5 are detail views of the tubesevering mechanism.

This illustrative embodiment of the invention includes a bed 15, which is supported by legs 16 and in turn sustains the operating parts of the machine. 4

A mandrel, which is of the stationary type and round in cross-section, is supported, in substantially horizontal position, at one end only and is free at its other end. The support for this mandrel includes a post 17 rigidly associated with and extendingupwardly from the bed 15. This mandrel 18 is mounted in the post for horizontal adjustment and is secured in its various adjusted positions by means such as a set screw.

In order that the strips of stock ma be wound upon the stationary mandrel to orm a round tube, a bolster 20 is provided which extends traversely of the bed in a predetermined relation to the mandrel, and beneath the same. Cross heads 21 and 22 extend upwardly from the ends of the bolster 20, and respectively support horizontally disposed pulleys 23 and 24, which are rigid with vertically downwardlyextending shafts 25 and 26, having hearings in the cross heads and having rigid with their lower ends beveled gears 27 and 28, which mesh with similar gears 29 on a shaft 30. This shaft 30 extends longitudinally of the bolster and is supported adjacent the gears 29 in the cross heads 21 and 22, and at an intermediate point by a hearing 81, being actuated in a manner which will later be described. 7

A winding. tape passes around the pulleys 28 and 24 with the reaches of the tape crossed between the pulleys. One reach 32 extends directly from one pulley to the other while the other reach 33 is wrapped about the man drel several times so as to provide means for engaging and forming the strips of stock into the continuous tube. Tensioning rollers 34 are mounted adjustably on the cross heads 21 and 22, and engage the reach 32 of the winding tape. The disposition of the bolster with relation to the mandrel is such that the turns of the reach 33 about the mandrel will, in the formation of the tube, result in the proper overlapping of the strips of stock and the proper feeding of the tube of the diameter being made.

The pulleys 23 and 24 are actuated by the shaft 80 to draw the winding tape around the stationary mandrel. The shaft 30 receives its motion through the intermeshing of beveled gears 35 and 36, the latter being rigid on the shaft 30, and the former rigid with a gear 37 which meshes with a similar but smaller gear I the machine.

tudinally beneath the bed so that it will be most conveniently located, not only for the 38 rigid with a shaft 39 extending through the bolster and having a bearing in the bed 15. The speed of the shaft 30 and consequentl the speed of rotation of the pulle s 23 an 24, may be varied by changing t e ratio of the gears actuating the same. For inanism actuated at a constant rate the gears 37 and 38 may be changed to change the rate at which the tube is formed and fed to the tube-' severing mechanism. Consequentl the length of the severed portion of the tu may be varied.

A beveled gear 40 is'rigid with the lower end of this shaft 39 and meshes with a similar ear 421 on ashaft 42 which is supported in earings 42, de ending from the bed 15 of his shaft 42 extends longiactuation of the winding tape pulleys 23 and 24, but also for the other units of the machine, as will later appear. This shaft 42 is ac tuated b the intermeshing of'abeveled gear 43, which is rigid therewith, and a pinion 44 on a transverse pulley shaft 45. The shaft 45 is actuated by a belt which passes around the pulley 46 on the end of the shaft, and around the pulley on the commutator shaft of a motor 47, the motor convenientl being supported by a suitable frame exten ing between the legs 16.

Means is provided for feeding strips of stock, such as paper, under tension to the mandrel in proper angular relation thereto, and supplied with the desired adhesive to cause the strips to adhere to each other, and with a lubricant to reduce the friction between the mandrel and the strips as they are wound into a tube and fed from the mandrel in the form of a tube. This-means includes mechanism for applying alubricant to one of the strips, that is, the one which comes into direct contact with the mandrel, and ineludes" also a mechanism for applying adhesive to the other strip so that when it is wound upon the previously wound lubricantcarrying strip it will adhere to the outer face thereof, and result in the formation of a rigid tube.

The embodiment of this means illustrated includes a carrier bar 48 which extends substantially vertically from, and is rigid with, an extension 49 of the bed 15. This carrier bar is provided, both above and below the bed 15, with removable trunnions 50 which extend from both sides of the bar and through a guide 51, the latter being held in spaced relation to the bar. The trunnions 50 are adapted to support rolls 52 of strip stock, so that a pair of rolls will be disposed above the bed 15 and if desired, a pair-of rolls may be disposed below the bed 15.

By this arrangement, the minimum time will be consumed in threading new strips of stock to the mandrel after the strips from one pair of supply rolls are consumed. For instance, presuming that the strip stock is being fed from the upper sup ly rolls 52, shown in Fig. 2, the lower supp y rolls 52 are in readiness to be threaded when the upper rolls 52 are exhausted.

Channeled guides 53 and 54 are mounted on suitable supports 53 and 54, above the bed of the machine, and are arranged in suitable angular relationship to the mandrel to respectively accommodate the strips 55 and 56, which pass'from the supply rolls beneath a guide roller 57. Each of these channeled uides is provided with a suitable tensioning evice. These devices tension the strips as they pass to the mandrel and are wound into the form of a tube.

The strip 55 passes directly from the channeled guide 53 to the mandrel and forms the base 0 the tube on which the adhesive coated strip 56 is wound. In order that the face of the'strip 55 which contacts with the stationary mandrel may be lubricated to reduce the friction between the mandrel and the tube as the latter is formed and fed along the mandrel, I have enlarged the end of the mandrel as at 76, Fig. 1a, and extended from this enlarged end a lubricator 77, which is arranged in the path of travel of the strip 55 and has an upwardly facing opening 78 therein from which a lubricant such as oil flows to contact with the under surface of the strip. This lubricator 77 is supplied with a lubricant from a reservoir 79 carried by the enlargedend 76 of the mandrel through a duct 80 in said enlarged end.

The strip 56 which passes through the guide 54 is suitably gummed by means of an adhesive-applying roll 61, Fig. 2, mounted on a shaft 62 and dipping into an adhesivesupply reservoir 63 supported on a standard 64 extendin upwardl from the bed of the machine and indepen ent of the bolster 20. The rotation of the roll 61 is accomplished by means such as beveled gears 65 and 66, Fig. 1, the former being rigid with the shaft 62 and the latter with a vertical shaft 67, Fig. 2, which is actuated by intermeshing beveled gears 68 and 69, the gear 69 being rigid with the longitudinally disposed shaft 42.

The amount of adhesive carried by the roll 61 to the strip 56% the latter passes over the roll may be controlled by means of a the pivotal axis 94 0 the'lever.

84 is so located with respect to the guide sleeve roller 70, which is rotated by intermeshing gears 72 and 7 3, the former being rigid with the roller 7 O and the latter with the shaft 62. This roller is normally drawn toward the roll 61 by springs 74, and against adjustable abutments by means of which the space between the roller 70 and the adhesive applying roll 61 is controlled to thereby control the amount of adhesive applied to the strip 56 as it asses over the roll 61.

has the strip 55 is lubricated before it reaches the mandrel, and consequently the friction between the mandrel and the strip is reduced to a minimum; and the strip 56 is on its under surface coated with adhesive, so that when it is wound on the previously wound strip 55 it will adhere thereto and form a ri id tube.

As the firmed tube is fed from the mandrel 18 it passes longitudinally of the machine and through a guide sleeve 81, which sleeve passes through and is supported in the upper end of a vertically extending member 82. ,The member 82 conveniently is secured to one end of the bed 15.

In order that the tube, as it is continuousl formed and fed from the mandrel 18 throug the guide sleeve 81, ma be severed into predetermined lengths wit out interrupting the continuous movement of the tube, and with out distorting it, means is provided for causing a flame to traverse the path of movement of the tube periodically while the tube is moving to burn through the tube. The embodiment of this means illustrated in the drawings includes mechanism for causing a flame to move in a path transverse to the direction of movement of the tube, and to sweep across the path of movement of the tube at intervals.

As shown in'Fi s. 4 and 5, a burner or blow pipe 84 is adjustahly mounted at 85 on a lever 86, which lever conveniently is pivotally mounted at 94 on the vertically extending member 82 at a point below the guidesleeve 81. The mounting ofthe lever 86 is such that the lever and burner may be turned back and forth throu h a limited range about The burner 81 that the burner flame, indicated diagrammatically at 83, lies in a plane traversing the pathof movement of the tube, and the arrangement is such that when the lever 86 is turned about its pivotal axis 94 the flame 83 will traverse the path of movement of the tube. The burner may be supplied with gas by means of the flexible tubular connections 92, and the gas 'fed to the burner may be controlled by valved connections 95, conveniently supported on the bed 15.

Conveniently the upper end of the vertically extending member 82 is provided with a casing or shield 87 enclosing the flame 83 and the tip of the. burner 84. The tip of the burner 84 extends through an enlarged opening in the bottom wall of the shield 87, thereby permitting turning movement of the burner 84 and lever 86 about the pivotal axis 94. Openings such as 89 may be provided to in the shield 87 for purposes of observation. and heat dissipation, and an opening 90in the wall. of the shield opposite the guide sleeve 81 permit unobstructed passage of the tube therethrough. Preferably the shield 87 76 is lined with a non-combustible, heat-insulating material 91.

It will be apparent that the construction thus far described provides for the sweeping passage of the flame 83 across the path of 80 movement of the tube emerging from the guide sleeve 81 when the burner 84 and lever 86 are turned about the pivotal axis94, whereby the tube will be burned through. Means are provided for turning the burner back 85 and forth through its limited path of movement about the axis 94. As shown in the drawings, the lever 86 is rigidly connected with a lever 93, which lever 93 is rovided at I its end with afollower 97 whic normally 0' is held in engagement with the edge of a i plate cam 96 by means of a spiral tension spring 98 connecting the lever 93 and a bracket 88 secured on the bed 15, and biasing the lever 93 to the left, as viewed in Fig. 4. The cam 96 may be secured on the end of the shaft 42. v I

During operation of the tube forming mechanism the shaft 42 rotates the plate cam 96, and the lever 93 swings back and forth 1 under the influence of the cam 96 and its follower 97, and the spiral tension spring 98. It will be apparent that the swinging movement of the lever 93 turns the lever 86 and burner 84 back and forth about the pivotal axis 94 to cause the flame 83 periodically to sweep across the path of movement of the tube and severthe tube into predetermined engt s. y

Means is provided for delivering the severed portions of the tube from the tube severing mechanism. Conveniently such means comprises a bracket 100 which extends outwardly from the vertically extending member 82 and carries a vertical plate 101. Guide fingers 102 extend from the upper edge of the plate 101 in substantially hori zontal positions and thence downward in spaced relation to the plate, thus providing a delivery opening through which the severed portions of the tube will drop and be guided downwardly.

Summarizing the operation of the machine, the strips 55'and 56 of the stock are fed to the stationary mandrel 18, the former supplied on its under face, that is, the face which contacts with the mandrel, with oil and the latter supplied on its under face, which engages the previously wrap ed strip 55, with adhesive. The passage 0 these strips between the turns of the winding tape and the mandrel wird them into a continuous tube, and feeds the tube bmgitudinally of the mandrel to the severing mechanism, the flame of which mechanisu'v periodically traverses the path of movement of the tube and sevcrs the tube into predetermined lengths. These severed portions of the tube, are guided by the delivery mechanism to a suitable reeep= tacle or merharism for subsei'uiently operating on the tubes.

The description of the illustrative embodiment is not intended defining the limits of the invention, and it will be understood that the invention may be variously modified and embodied within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims:

1. in a tube forming machine, in combination, a mandrel, means for helically winding strips of material about said mandrel to form a substantially rigid tube and for continuously feeding the formed tube from said mandrel, and means for severing the formed tube into predetermined lengths comprising a flame. and means for causing the flame to traverse the path of movement of the tube, whereby the tube may be severed without distortion or buckling.

in a tube forming machine, in combination, mandrel, means for helically Winding strips of material about said mandrel to lUllll a substantially rigid tube and for c0n-' tinuously feeding the formed tube from said mandrel. and means for severing the form d tube into predetermined lengths comprising a flame, and means for periodically causing the flame to sweep across the path of movement of the tube, whereby the tube may be severed Without distortion or buckling.

3. In a tube forming machine, in combination, a mandrel, means for helically Winding strips of material about said mandrel to form a substantially rigid tube and for continuously feeding the formed tube from said mandrel, and means for severing the formed tube into predetermined lengths comprising a burner, and means for causing relative movement between the burner and the moving tube, whereby the burner flame Will traverse the path of movement of the tube and sever the tube without distortion or buckling.

4. In a tube forming machine, in combination, a mandrel, means for helically Winding strips of material about said mandrel to form a substantially rigid tube and for continuously feeding the formed tube from said mandrel, and means for severing the formed tube into predetermined lengths, including a gas burner and means for causing the burner flame to traverse the path of movement of the tube, whereby the tube may be severed without distortion or buckling.

5. In a tube forming machine, in combination, a mandrel, means for helicallywinding strips of material about said mandrel to form a substantially rigid tube and for continuously feeding the formed tube from said mandrel, and means for severing the formed tube into predetermined lengths ronnu'ising a pivotally mounted burner, and means fo turning said burner about its pivotal axis toward and away from the path of movement of the tube.

6. The method of forming tubes of predetermined lengths which com n'ises winding strips of material about a mandrel to form a tube, continuously feeding the formed tube from the mandrel. and burning the formed tube into predetermined lengths.

7 The method of forming tubes of predeterminedlengths which comprises winding strips of material about a mandrel to term a tube, continuouslyfeeding the formed tube from the mandrel, and periodically severing the tube with a flame.

8. 111 a tube forming machine, in combination, a mandrel, means for helically winding strips of material about said mandrel to form a substantially rigid tube and for continuously feeding the formed tube from said mandre a burner, and means for periodically causing relative movement between the burner and the moving tube whereby the tube will be severed by the burner into predetermined lengths.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 6th day of November, 1929.

EUGENE CONTI.

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