US3854642A

US3854642A - Method of guiding a thin flexible web strip which is at least partially metallic

Info

Publication number: US3854642A
Application number: US00326686A
Authority: US
Inventors: P Mueller
Original assignee: J Bobst et Fils SA
Current assignee: Bobst Mex SA
Priority date: 1970-03-26
Filing date: 1973-01-26
Publication date: 1974-12-17
Anticipated expiration: 1991-12-17
Also published as: FR2084719A5

Abstract

A method of guiding a thin flexible web strip which is at least partially metallic and has opposite curled edge portions, comprising receiving and running the web strip within and through a guide having two uniformly curvilinear guide surfaces extending generally upwardly from a common base and facing one another and providing intermediate their height allochiral bights spaced apart slightly less than the width of the web strip between opposite edges of the web strip, engaging the curled edge portions of the web strip in lateral alignment within the bights and thereby guiding the web strip as it runs through the guide, and as the strip runs through the guide, maintaining the curled edge portions in the bights and thereby maintaining the web strip below upwardly extending portions of the surfaces and freely spaced above the base and above downwardly extending portions of the surfaces. The guide may have the guide surfaces fixed or rotary.

Description

United States Patent [191 Mueller Dec. 17, 1974 METHOD OF GUIDING A THIN FLEXIBLE WEB STRIP WHICH IS AT LEAST PARTIALLY METALLIC [75] Inventor: Pierre Mueller, Preverenges,

Switzerland [73] Assignee: .J. Bobst & Fils S.A., Prilly,

Switzerland [22] Filed: Jan. 26, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 326,686

Related US. Application Data 63] Continuation of Ser. No. 127,178, March 23, 1971.

[52] US. Cl 226/3, 226/196, 226/199, 242/76 [51] Int. Cl B65h 23/04 [58] Field of Search 226/196, 199, 88, 91, l, 226/3; 242/76; 271/59; 270/93 [561 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,297,525 9/1942 Anheuser 242/76 2,540,844 2/1951 Strauss 270/93 2,763,364 9/1956 Matheny 214/338 3,072,309 l./l963 Hill 226/196 5/1964 Myer 198/233 3,421,675 l/l969 Brown 226/196 Primary ExaminerRichard A. Schacher Attorney, Agent, or Firm,Hill, Gross, Simpson, Van Santen, Steadman, Chiara & Simpson 57 ABSTRACT web strip between opposite edges of the web strip, en-

gaging the curled edge portions of the web strip in lateral alignment within the bights and thereby-guiding the web strip as-it runs through the guide, and as the strip runs through the guide, maintaining the curled edge portions in the bights and thereby maintaining the web strip below upwardly extending portions of the surfaces and freely spaced above the base and above downwardly extending portions of the surfaces. The guide may have the guide surfaces fixed or rotary.

6 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PAIENTELBEB 1mm 3,854,642

INVENTOR.

P/er/"e Mae/kw .ATTYS.

METHOD OF GUIDING A THIN FLEXIBLE WEB STRIP WHICH IS AT LEAST PARTIALLY METALLIC This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 127,178 filed Mar.23, 1971.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention generally relates to a method of guiding a thin flexible wet strip and more particularly concerns a method of guiding thin flexible webs such as metal or metalized strips. Although the contemplated strips may only be about 0.02 mm. thick, they are nevertheless relatively rigid and strong though flexible.

The lateral guidance of such thin belts or strips has posed a large number of problems in the prior art which are not satisfactorily resolved. Thus, grooves of a distance slightly greater than the width of the strip or belt allow lateral movement which is liable to produce tears, uneven edge wear'and may even cause folding of the thin web. Where grooves having generally circular configurations have been provided, it has been found that the thin strips or belts tend to twist and jump out of the guide causing considerable problems because of their extreme sharpness. Where the grooves have been closedor have intermittent closure strips it has been found that the initial threading of the grooves is difficult and time consuming.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the method of the present invention which comprises receiving and running the web strip withinand through a guide having two opposite guide surfaces adapted to receive a metal thin flexible web strip therebetween. The guide surfaces have a curvature such that they enclose one of the edges of the strip and the curved surfaces define a throat spaced a distance slightly less than the width of the strip to be guided. The guide surfaces are generally symmetrical in relation to each other about a center line therebetween. The curved guidance surface may be of a semi-circular section having a radius of curvature less than half the width of the web or strip. While the guide means may take the form of a part of its circumference. Each of the wheels has an axle which extends beyond the wheel and' may be received in a hole in a common support member. The support member may have a plurality of holes to allow positioning of the wheel-like guide means at various distances from each other. The axles of the guide members may be fixed in the holes through the use of thumb screws or other suitable securing means so that they may be locked in position with respect to one another. Where the guide members are rotatably mounted I have found that the wear in the grooves may be substantially reduced. The material from which the groove surfaces are fashioned should be of a hardness such that undue wear is avoided. This will depend upon the particular material of the strip or web.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be best understood from the following detailed description thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational cross section of the first embodiment of a lateral guide means according to the invention, and

FIG. 2 illustrates on a smaller scale an elevational view of a second embodiment of a guiding device according to the invention herein.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of a lateral guide means for practicing the method according to theinven tion may be seen in FIG. 1 to. comprise a body member 1 having a groove-like channel passage 2 adapted to receive and laterally guide a very thin strip or web 3. In this case the guide means'is a groove of a short length along the length of the strip or web 3. The groove-like guide means 2 has opposite guidance surfaces 4 and 5 which extend generally upwardly in spaced apart relation from a common base therebetween and'face toward one another and have such a curvature that they each provide intermediate their height respective bights which are allochiral to each other and engage an edge portion 3',3" respectively of the belt 3 when it is positioned in the passage. The curved surfaces 4,5 define a throat having a width slightly less than the width of the web or strip to be guided with the result that the very outer edges of the web portions may be slightly thickened or, as shown, are turned up very slightly by the engagement with the bights of the surfaces as the web or strip runs longitudinally between the bights, the remainder of the surfaces 4 and 5 extending to a substantial distance above and below the bights and thus above and below the web or strip as the latter progresses through the guide means. The guidance surfaces 4,5 may be of a generally symmetrical configuration with respect to each other about a centerline "therebetween. In an advantageous construction of mine these guidance surfaces may be semi-circular and have a radius of curvature less than half of the width of the strip 3 so that the groove 2 has a horizontal axis of greater length than its vertical axis.

To provide supplemental support for the web or strip 3 to maintain it approximately at the height of the maximum throat width, I have found that roller supports,-

not shown, are satisfactory. Experience has shown that both curved guidance surfaces 4 and 5 assure an excelmeans shown in elevational view in FIG. 2. lnthis second embodiment a pair of opposite guide surfaces 6 and 7 are similarly curved and serve to laterally limit the passageway 9 receiving a web or strip 10 therein. Here the guiding surfaces 6 and 7 are formed by peripheral grooves 11 and 12 in spaced wheels or guides 13 and l4'respectively. The wheels or

guides

13,14 are mounted at a predetermined distance from each other on a common support 15 which support 15 includes a large number of holes as illustrated at 16 through 19 for example.

Each of the wheel or

guide members

13,14 has an axially directed spindle or

screw

20,21 respectively extending therethrough so as to permit mounting of the wheels or

guides

13,14 on the common bar support 15.

The guides or

spindles

20,21 may threadedly engage the holes 16,19 respectively so as to lock the wheels or guides in place. In the alternative, the wheels or

guides

13,14 may be allowed to rotate as the strip or web passes therethrough so that the wear is distributed about the periphery of the groove. In this manner when any wear develops the wheels, 13,14 may be quickly and simply replaced. With the latter embodiment any width strip 10 may be accommodated by simply drilling further holes in the common support bar 15. It is also possible to mount the wheels or guides in a rail in a longitudinal groove of a support so that it is possible to adjust it to any width of the band or web strip 10.

Many changes and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention and it is to be understood that I wish to include within the patent warranted hereon, all such changes and modifications as may reasonably and properly be included within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A method of guiding a thin flexible web strip which is at least partially metallic, said web strip having opposite curled edge portions, comprising:

receiving and running the web strip within and through a guide having two uniformly curvilinear guide surfaces extending generally upwardly from a common base and facing one another and provid ing intermediate their height allochiral bights spaced apart slightly less than the width of the web strip between opposite edges of the web strip;

engaging said curled edge portions of the web strip in lateral alignment within said bights and thereby guiding the web strip as it runs through the guide;

and as the strip runs through the guide maintaining the curled edge portions in said bights and thereby maintaining said web strip below upwardly extending portions of said surfaces and freely spaced above said base and above downwardly extending portions of said surfaces.

2. A method according to claim 1, including maintaining said web in a position wherein the curled edge portions are at substantially the curvilinear center of said guide surfaces providing said bights.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said guide surfaces have a radius of curvature less than one-half the width of the web, and maintaining said web with the curled edge portions in engagement with substantially the center of curvature of said surfaces providing said bights.

4. A method according to claim 1, including longitudinally moving said web through said channel, and maintaining said guide surfaces in relatively fixed positions.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said guide surfaces are on respective rotatably mounted members and extend respectively about the perimeters of said members, running said web longitudinally between said surfaces, and rotating said members with said surfaces turning on said edge portions.

6. A method according to claim 1, including relatively adjusting the spacing between said surfaces to accommodate webs of different widths.

Claims

1. A method of guiding a thin flexible web strip which is at least partially metallic, said web strip having opposite curled edge portions, comprising: receiving and running the web strip within and through a guide having two uniformly curvilinear guide surfaces extending generally upwardly from a common base and facing one another and providing intermediate their height allochiral bights spaced apart slightly less than the width of the web strip between opposite edges of the web strip; engaging said curled edge portions of the web strip in lateral alignment within said bights and thereby guiding the web strip as it runs through the guide; and as the strip runs through the guide maintaining the curled edge portions in said bights and thereby maintaining said web strip below upwardly extending portions of said surfaces and freely spaced above said base and above downwardly extending portions of said surfaces.