Apparatus for glueing the tail of a web to a log formed of the web material

Abstract

An apparatus for glueing the tail or outer end of a web of material which has been formed into a log which comprises: device ( 9, 13 ) for unwinding the tail from the log (R); applicator ( 45 ) for applying glue to the log; tail rolls ( 97, 99 ) for re-winding the tail back on the log and glueing the tail to the log; and conveyor ( 23, 41 ) for transferring said log. The applicator for applying the glue includes a dispenser device ( 55-63 ) provided with a nozzle ( 61 ) forming at least one upwardly oriented slit ( 63 ) from which the glue is dispensed by overflowing; the log (R) conveyor ( 23, 41 ) discharges the log, with the tail (L) being unwound from it, above the glue dispenser, causing it to roll over said slit ( 63 ) for the application of the glue to the log.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed as new and desired to protect by Letters Patent are the following:  
     
       1. An apparatus for glueing the outer end of a web material forming a roll or log including: 
       conveyor means ( 23 ) which lifts the roll or log vertically from a lower unwind position to an upper glue applying position,  
       roller means for rotating the roll or log as it travels vertically on the conveyor means whereby to unwind the outer end of the material wound up to form a log,  
       transport means on which the roll or log travels from the conveyor with the outer end of the material following behind the roll or log,  
       means for applying glue on a portion of the web material still wound on the log in advance of the trailing outer end,  
       means for rewinding the outer end so that said glue serves to adhere the said outer end to the log,  
       means for transferring said log,  
       said means for applying the glue comprising a dispenser device ( 55 - 63 ) having means ( 61 ) which form at least an upwardly oriented slit ( 63 ) from which the glue is dispensed by overflowing,  
       said log (R) conveyor means ( 23 ,  41 ) arranged to discharge the log, with the outer end (L) unwound therefrom, thereby causing the log to roll over said slit ( 63 ).  
     
     
       2. An apparatus for glueing the outer end of a web material forming a roll or log including: 
       conveyor means ( 23 ) which lifts the roll or log vertically from a lower unwind position to an upper glue applying position,  
       roller means for rotating the roll or log as it travels vertically on the conveyor means whereby to unwind the outer end of the material wound up to form a log,  
       transport means on which the roll or log travels from the conveyor with the outer end of the material following behind the roll or log,  
       means for applying glue on a portion of the web material still wound on the log in advance of the trailing outer end,  
       means for rewinding the outer end so that said glue serves to adhere the said outer end of the log,  
       means for transferring said log,  
       said means for applying the glue comprising a dispenser device ( 55 - 63 ) having means ( 61 ) which form at least an upwardly oriented slit ( 63 ) from which the glue is dispensed by overflowing,  
       said log (R) conveyor means ( 23 ,  41 ) arranged to discharge the log, with the outer end (L) unwound therefrom, thereby causing the log to roll over said slit ( 63 ),  
       said slit ( 63 ) extending in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the log (R) for at least a portion of the length of the log.  
     
     
       3. An apparatus for glueing the outer end of a web material forming a roll or log including: 
       conveyor means ( 23 ) which lifts the roll or log vertically from a lower unwind position to an upper glue applying position,  
       roller means for rotating the roll or log as it travels vertically on the conveyor means whereby to unwind the outer end of the material wound up to form a log,  
       transport means on which the roll or log travels from the conveyor with the outer end of the material following behind the roll or log,  
       means for applying glue on a portion of the web material still wound on the log in advance of the trailing outer end,  
       means for rewinding the outer end so that said glue serves to adhere the said outer end to the log,  
       means for transferring said log,  
       said means for applying the glue comprising a dispenser device ( 55 - 63 ) having means ( 61 ) which form at least an upwardly oriented slit ( 63 ) from which the glue is dispensed by overflowing,  
       said log (R) conveyor means ( 23 ,  41 ) arranged to discharge the log, with the outer end (L) unwound therefrom, thereby causing the log to roll over said slit ( 63 ),  
       the log (R) transferring means comprising a conveyor ( 23 ) having at least a log (R) bearing means ( 41 ,  43 ) which can oscillate to discharge the log (R) onto an inclined surface ( 65 ), said inclined surface having an aperture in alignment with the slit ( 63 ) of the dispenser device ( 55 - 63 ).  
     
     
       4. An apparatus for glueing the outer rend of a web material forming a roll or log including: 
       conveyor means ( 23 ) which lifts the roll or log vertically from a lower unwind position to an upper glue applying position,  
       roller means for rotating the roll or log as it travels vertically on the conveyor means whereby to unwind the outer end of the material wound up to form a log,  
       transport means on which the roll or log travels from the conveyor with the outer end of the material following behind the roll or log,  
       means for applying glue on a portion of the web material still wound on the log in advance of the trailing outer end,  
       means for rewinding the outer end so that said glue serves to adhere the said outer end to the log,  
       means for transferring said log,  
       said means for applying the glue comprising a dispenser device ( 55 - 63 ) having means ( 61 ) which form at least an upwardly oriented slit ( 63 ) from which the glue is dispensed by overflowing,  
       said log (R) conveyor means ( 23 ,  41 ) arranged to discharge the log, with the outer and (L) unwound therefrom, thereby causing the log to roll over said slit ( 63 ),  
       said slit ( 63 ) extending in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the log (R) for at least a portion of the length of the log,  
       the log (R) transferring means comprising a conveyor ( 23 ) having at least a log (R) bearing means ( 41 ,  43 ) which can oscillate to discharge the log (R) onto an inclined surface ( 65 ),  
       said inclined surface having an aperture in alignment with the slit ( 63 ) of the dispenser device ( 55 - 63 ).  
     
     
       5. An apparatus for glueing the outer end of a web material forming a roll or log including: 
       conveyor means ( 23 ) which lifts the roll or log vertically from a lower unwind position to an upper glue applying position,  
       roller means for rotating the roll or log as it travels vertically on the conveyor means whereby to unwind the outer end of the material wound up to form a log,  
       transport means on which the roll or log travels from the conveyor with the outer end of the material following behind the roll or log,  
       means for applying glue on a portion of the web material still wound on the log in advance of the trailing outer end,  
       means for rewinding the outer end so that said glue serves to adhere the said outer end to the log,  
       means for transferring said log,  
       said means for applying the glue comprising a dispenser device ( 55 - 63 ) having means ( 61 ) which form at least an upwardly oriented slit ( 63 ) from which the glue is dispensed by overflowing,  
       said log (R) conveyor means ( 23 ,  41 ) arranged to discharge the log, with the outer end (L) unwound therefrom, thereby causing the log to roll over said slit ( 63 ),  
       the log (R) transferring means comprising a conveyor ( 23 ) having at least a log (R) bearing means ( 41 ,  43 ) which can oscillate to discharge the log (R) onto an inclined surface ( 65 ),  
       said inclined surface having an aperture in alignment with the slit ( 63 ) of the dispenser device ( 55 - 63 ),  
       said bearing means ( 41 ,  43 ) being a cradle which is pivoted to said conveyor ( 23 ), and including a guide means ( 95 ) able to cause the cradle to oscillate about an axis ( 43 ) on which it is pivoted to the conveyor, thereby causing the discharge of the log (R) when the cradle passes a pre-determined position of its path.  
     
     
       6. An apparatus according to claim  1  characterized in that said dispenser device ( 55 - 63 ) comprises a container ( 55 ) provided with means ( 61 ) which define said slit ( 63 ) and which is connected to glue-feeding means ( 91 ), a tank ( 73 ) disposed below said container ( 55 ) for collecting the glue overflowing from said slit ( 63 ), and a conduit ( 87 ) for recovering glue from said tank ( 73 ). 
     
     
       7. An apparatus according to claim  6 , characterized in that the container ( 55 ) is provided with means ( 61 ) defining said slit ( 63 ), connected to a glue reservoir ( 93 ), wherein the glue level is maintained above said slit ( 63 ), and the glue is dispensed by free fall. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus according to claim  6  characterized in that the conduit ( 87 ) for the collection of glue from said tank ( 73 ) re-circulates the glue, through suitable means ( 92 ), into the glue reservoir ( 93 ). 
     
     
       9. An apparatus according to claim  6  characterized in that the container ( 55 ) is provided with means ( 61 ) defining said slit ( 63 ) connected to a glue reservoir ( 93 ′) located below the slit ( 63 ), and that a constant-flowrate pump ( 94 ) moves the glue from said reservoir ( 93 ′) into said container ( 55 ). 
     
     
       10. An apparatus according to claim  1  characterized in that the dispenser device ( 55 - 63 ) is provided with means ( 83 ) for adjusting the position of the slit ( 61 ) from which the glue is fed. 
     
     
       11. An apparatus according to claim  1  characterized in that the dispenser device ( 55 - 63 ) is provided with means ( 69 ,  71 ,  72 ) for adjusting the width of the slit ( 63 ) from which the glue is fed. 
     
     
       12. An apparatus according to claim  1  characterized in that along the path of the log (R), a surface ( 101 ,  103 ) is disposed between the outer end (L) unwinding means ( 7 ) and the glue-applying means ( 45 ) to divert the outer end (L) unwound from the log (R). 
     
     
       13. An apparatus according to claim  1  characterized in that the means ( 7 ) for unwinding the outer end of the log (R) are disposed in a fixed position with respect to the apparatus frame. 
     
     
       14. An apparatus according to claim  13  characterized in that the means ( 7 ) for unwinding the outer end (L) of the log (R) comprise a pair of cylinders ( 9 ,  11 ), each rotating about a respective fixed axis, on which the log (R) is made to rest, and a stationary suction box ( 13 ) with a surface ( 15 ) on which the unwound outer end (L) is laid down, said log conveyor ( 23 ,  41 ) picking up the log from said rotating cylinders ( 9 ,  11 ). 
     
     
       15. An apparatus according to claim  14 , including a sensor ( 21 ) which is located in an adjustable position near said fixed surface ( 15 ) to detect the position of the unwound outer end (L) and stop the rotation of the cylinders ( 9 ,  11 ) when said outer end is unwound a pre-determined length. 
     
     
       16. An apparatus according to claim  1  characterized in that said means ( 47 ) for rewinding the log and adhering the outer end (L) comprise two cylinders ( 97 ,  99 ) rotating at slightly different peripheral speeds to cause the log (R), in transit between said two rollers, to rotate about its own axis. 
     
     
       17. A glue applicator comprising ( a )  tubular container provided with means defining an upwardly oriented longitudinally extending slit from which glue is dispensed,  ( b )  means for continuously feeding glue to said tubular container and thus to said slit so that the glue is caused to continuously overflow from said upwardly oriented slit wherein said means comprises  (   1   )  a storage tank located beneath the tubular container to collect excess glue continuously overflowing from said upwardly oriented longitudinally extending slit and  (   2   )  recirculating means for recirculating said excess glue from said storage tank to said tubular container,  ( c )  a surface aligned with said slit said surface being constructed and arranged so that a plurality of individual items to be glued are made to roll on said surface over said slit, and  ( d )  means for intermittently feeding items to be glued to said glue applicator.   
     
     
       18. A glue applicator according to claim  17  wherein the storage tank is connected to a glue reservoir in which glue collected by said storage tank is re- introduced for subsequent feeding into the tubular container.   
     
     
       19. A glue applicator according to claim  18  wherein said glue reservoir is disposed at such a level that glue is caused to flow out through the slit due to a difference in height between the slit and level of glue inside the glue reservoir. 
     
     
       20. A glue applicator according to claim  18  wherein pumping means is arranged between said storage tank and said glue reservoir, or between said glue reservoir and said tubular container, for recirculating said glue. 
     
     
       21. A glue applicator according to any one of claims  17 ,  18 ,  19  or  20  further comprising a means for vertically repositioning the tubular container. 
     
     
       22. A glue applicator according to any one of claims  17 ,  18 ,  19  or  20  further comprising a means for adjusting width of the slit from which glue is fed. 
     
     
       23. A glue applicator according to any one of claims  17 ,  18 ,  19  or  20  wherein said slit is defined by a pair of inclined plates delimiting a wedge- shaped spout.   
     
     
       24. A glue applicator according to claim  23  wherein said pair of inclined plates are movable one with respect to another to adjust width of said slit. 
     
     
       25. An apparatus for gluing a tail end of a web of material forming a log including: 
       ( a )  a log loading wheel;    
       ( b )  a pair of rollers for unwinding the tail end of said web of material;    
       ( c )  a vacuum source for attracting said tail end of said web of material as said tail end is unwound from said log;    
       ( d )  surface upon which said log rolls, said surface having a slot through which glue is applied to said log as said log rolls over said slot; and    
       ( e )  a glue reservoir having a dispensing area adjoining said surface upon which said log rolls, said dispensing area being constructed and arranged so that said glue is applied to said log when said log rolls over said slot.