An interfolding machine with separation fingers adjacent to respective interfolding rollers

Abstract

The interfolding machine includes a first interfolding roller rotating around a first rotation axis and a second interfolding roller rotating around a second rotation axis parallel to the first rotation axis; wherein the first interfolding roller and the second interfolding roller form an interfolding nip therebetween. The interfolding machine further includes a first set of separation fingers associated with the first interfolding roller and arranged for reciprocatingly pivoting around a first pivoting axis parallel to the first rotation axis. The reciprocating pivoting movement of the first set of separation fingers is controlled by a first actuation mechanism including a first desmodromic cam. The interfolding machine also includes a second set of separation fingers associated with the second interfolding roller and arranged for reciprocatingly pivoting around a second pivoting axis parallel to the second rotation axis. The reciprocating pivoting movement of the second set of separation fingers is controlled by a second actuation mechanism including a second desmodromic.

1 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . An interfolding machine comprising:
 a first interfolding roller rotating around a first rotation axis;   a second interfolding roller rotating around a second rotation axis parallel to the first rotation axis; wherein the first interfolding roller and the second interfolding roller form an interfolding nip therebetween;   a cutting arrangement adapted to divide continuous web material into separate sheets; wherein the first interfolding roller and the second interfolding roller are adapted to interfold sheets delivered from the cutting arrangement;   a first set of separation fingers associated with the first interfolding roller and arranged for reciprocatingly pivoting movement around a first pivoting axis parallel to the first rotation axis; wherein the reciprocatingly pivoting movement of the first set of separation fingers is controlled by a first actuation mechanism comprising a first desmodromic cam;   a second set of separation fingers associated with the second interfolding roller and arranged for reciprocatingly pivoting movement around a second pivoting axis parallel to the second rotation axis; wherein the reciprocatingly pivoting movement of the second set of separation fingers is controlled by a second actuation mechanism comprising a second desmodromic cam.   
     
     
         19 . The interfolding machine of  claim 18 , further comprising a first feed path for a first continuous web and a second feed path for a second continuous web; wherein the cutting arrangement comprises cutters adapted to divide the first continuous web and a second continuous web into sheets, said sheets being delivered to the first interfolding roller and the second interfolding roller. 
     
     
         20 . The interfolding machine of  claim 18 , wherein the first desmodromic cam is driven into rotation by a first gear train connection between the first interfolding roller and a first cam shaft, on which the first desmodromic cam is mounted for co-rotation therewith; and wherein the second desmodromic cam is driven into rotation by a second gear train connection between the second interfolding roller and a second cam shaft, on which the second desmodromic cam is mounted for co-rotation therewith. 
     
     
         21 . The interfolding machine of  claim 18 , wherein the first interfolding roller and the second interfolding roller are driven into rotation by a first motor, and wherein the first desmodromic cam of the first actuation mechanism and the second desmodromic cam of the second actuation mechanism are driven into rotation by a single additional motor, or by two separate additional motors, different from the first motor which drives into rotation the first interfolding roller and the second interfolding roller. 
     
     
         22 . The interfolding machine of  claim 18 , wherein each of the first desmodromic cam and the second desmodromic cam comprise a first cam profile and a second cam profile co-acting with a respective rocking arm, configured for transmitting the reciprocating pivoting movement to the respective set of separation fingers. 
     
     
         23 . The interfolding machine of  claim 22 , wherein the first cam profile and the second cam profile of each of the first desmodromic cam and the second desmodromic cam co-act with a first contacting body and a second contacting body, respectively. 
     
     
         24 . The interfolding machine of  claim 22 , wherein the first cam profile and the second cam profile are configured to control oscillation motion of respectively the first set of separation fingers and the second set of separation fingers at a higher speed when moving away from respectively the first interfolding roller and the second interfolding roller, and at slower speed when moving towards respectively the first interfolding roller and the second interfolding roller. 
     
     
         25 . The interfolding machine of  claim 18 , wherein each separation finger of the first set of separation fingers is pivotally supported by a stationary frame and is drivingly coupled to the first actuation mechanism by a respective first connecting rod, a first end whereof is hinged to respectively said each separation finger of the first set of separation fingers; and wherein each separation finger of the second set of separation fingers is pivotally supported by the stationary frame and is drivingly coupled to the second actuation mechanism by a respective second connecting rod, a first end whereof is hinged to respectively said each separation finger of said second set of separation fingers. 
     
     
         26 . The interfolding machine of  claim 25 , wherein a second end of the first connecting rod is hinged to a first rotary shaft of the first actuation mechanism provided with a reciprocating rotary motion around an axis parallel to the rotation axis of the first interfolding roller; and a second end of the second connecting rod is hinged to a second rotary shaft of the second actuation mechanism, provided with a reciprocating rotary motion around an axis parallel to the rotation axis of the second interfolding roller; wherein the first rotary shaft and the second rotary shaft are driven into reciprocating rotation by respectively the first desmodromic cam and the second desmodromic cam. 
     
     
         27 . The interfolding machine of  claim 25 , wherein the first actuation mechanism comprises a first rotary shaft provided with a reciprocating rotary motion around an axis parallel to the first rotation axis of the first interfolding roller; wherein each first connecting rod is coupled to the first rotary shaft by a respective first crank, whereto the second end of the first connecting rod is hinged, such that the reciprocating rotary motion of the first rotary shaft is transmitted through respective ones of the first cranks and the first connecting rods to the separation fingers of the first set of separation fingers; wherein the second actuation mechanism comprises a second rotary shaft provided with a reciprocating rotary motion around an axis parallel to the second rotation axis of the second interfolding roller; wherein each said second connecting rod is coupled to the second rotary shaft by a respective second crank, whereto the second end of the second connecting rod is hinged, such that the reciprocating rotary motion of the second rotary shaft is transmitted through respective ones of the second cranks and the second connecting rods to the separation fingers of the second set of separation fingers; wherein the first rotary shaft is driven into reciprocating pivoting movement by the first desmodromic cam; and wherein the second rotary shaft is driven into reciprocating pivoting movement by the second desmodromic cam. 
     
     
         28 . The interfolding machine of  claim 27 , wherein a rocking arm of each of the first actuation mechanism and the second actuation mechanism is mounted on a respective one of the first rotary shaft and the second rotary shaft for co-rotation therewith, the rotation of respectively the first desmodromic cam and the second desmodromic cam being transformed into the reciprocating pivoting movement of the rotary shaft by said rocking arm. 
     
     
         29 . The interfolding machine of  claim 27 , wherein the distance between the axis of each of the first rotary shaft and the second rotary shaft and the pivoting point between respectively the first crank and the second crank is greater than distance between the pivoting axis of respective separation fingers of the first set of separation fingers and the second set of separation fingers and the hinge point between said separation finger and respectively the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod. 
     
     
         30 . The interfolding machine of  claim 18 , wherein the first pivoting axis is adjacent to the first interfolding roller; and the second pivoting axis is adjacent to the second interfolding roller. 
     
     
         31 . The interfolding machine of  claim 29 , wherein the first pivoting axis is arranged on or inside a cylindrical surface of the first interfolding roller and the second pivoting axis is arranged on or inside a cylindrical surface of the second interfolding roller. 
     
     
         32 . The interfolding machine of  claim 18 , wherein each separation finger of the first set of separation fingers is pivotally supported on a respective first stationary arm which extends in front of the first interfolding roller beyond the first rotation axis towards the interfolding nip; and wherein each separation finger of the second set of separation fingers is pivotally supported on a respective stationary arm which extends in front of the second interfolding roller beyond the second rotation axis towards the interfolding nip. 
     
     
         33 . The interfolding machine of  claim 18 , wherein the first desmodromic cam is mounted on a respective first cam shaft for rotation therewith, and the second desmodromic cam is mounted on a respective second cam shaft for rotation therewith, the first cam shaft and the second cam shaft being parallel to and distanced from the rotation axes of the first interfolding roller and second interfolding roller.