C.g. Bretting Manufacturing Company, Inc.

C.g. Bretting Mfg. Co., Inc.

Dennis P Couturier

James R Michler

Greg M Kauppila

Jeffrey A Gendron

James M Daoust

Joseph A Yachinich

Edward R Ochsenbauer

Jie Ning

Chad Ryczek

An interfolding apparatus including a knife roll, a first interfolding roll, a second interfolding roll, and a transfer roll. The knife roll cuts sheets from a stream of web material issuing from a source in a downstream direction. The first interfolding roll is positioned downstream of the knife roll and receives the sheets. The first interfolding roll rotates in a first direction and the second interfolding roll rotates in a second direction. The first and second interfolding rolls interfold the sheets with additional sheets received by the second interfolding roll. A transfer roll is positioned between the knife roll and the first interfolding roll. The transfer roll has a non-uniform surface configuration and rotates in the second direction and receives the sheets from the knife roll, forms a bend in each of the sheets, and transfers the formed sheets to the first interfolding roll.

Interfolder with pre-forming transfer roll

An apparatus and method for moving stacks of product discharged from a stacking device. The apparatus includes a first conveyor movable at a first speed and a second conveyor movable at a second speed. The first conveyor includes an upstream end adjacent to the stacking device. The first conveyor is positioned to receive product from the stacking device. The second conveyor includes an upstream end adjacent to the stacking device. The second conveyor is positioned to receive product from the stacking device. The running speed of the first conveyor is faster than the running speed of the second conveyor to move stacks of product on the first conveyor away from the stacking device at a faster speed than stacks of product on the second conveyor.

Apparatus and method for stacking sheets discharged from a starwheel assembly

An interfolding apparatus including first and second interfolding rolls. The interfolding rolls issue a stream of web material to form a stack of interfolded web material. A first packer finger is movable with respect to the first interfolding roll and includes a retracted position at least partially received within the first interfolding roll and an extended position at least partially inserted into the stream of interfolded web material. A second packer finger is movable with respect to the first interfolding roll and includes a retracted position at least partially received within the first interfolding roll and an extended position at least partially inserted into the stream of interfolded web material.

Method of forming a stack of interfolded sheets of web

A log packaging apparatus for packaging logs using a turret or a shuttle. The turret or shuttle can be used in conjunction with a wrap conveyor. The turret system can include a rotatable turret with at least one clamp movable into different positions in the apparatus, a log station at which logs are received, and a log ejector for ejecting logs from the log station into clamps of the turret. Logs can be ejected from the log station, through wrap material, and into the turret clamps. In other embodiments, a wrap conveyor inserts wrap material between a shuttle and a log station at which logs are received. Logs in such embodiments can pass from the log station to the shuttle through the wrap material.

Log bander apparatus and method

An apparatus and method for discharging sheets from a starwheel assembly and creating stacks of a desired number of sheets without interrupting the rotation of the starwheel assembly. The present invention separates sheets such that one separated sheet completes a stack and the other separated sheet is supported by a separator to begin a new stack. The completed stack is preferably transported away from the starwheel assembly by a conveyor as the new stack supports additional sheets that are discharged from the starwheel assembly. The new stack will preferably move away from the starwheel assembly to provide clearance for the accumulation of additionally discharged sheets. The apparatus can allow for cyclical repetition of the separation of sheets, the stacking of sheets, and the transportation of stacks such that continual rotation of the starwheel assembly is not interrupted.

A vacuum timing device for applying a vacuum on a roll includes a roll with an axis of rotation, a surface, and a surface longitudinal axis oriented in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation. The device also includes at least one vacuum line running along at least a portion of the length of the roll. The device also includes a plurality of apertures defined in a surface of the roll and in fluid communication with the vacuum line. In order to alleviate angular delay of vacuum propagation, the plurality of apertures is arranged in a line that is skewed with respect to the surface longitudinal axis. Preferably, the plurality of apertures is arranged in a line that is skewed away from the direction of rotation of the roll, thereby substantially eliminating the angular propagation delay as the vacuum roll operates.

Vacuum timing device and method for producing the same

An apparatus and method for distributing wear over a plurality of elements on a rotating member. In the case of a cutoff or perforation roll, a plurality of retractable cutoff or perforation blades can be actuated to be extended or retracted to selectively cut or perforate a web. To distribute blade wear, extended blades are occasionally retracted while other blades are extended. Where it is desired to continue producing cuts or perforations of a desired length through such blade indexing, the spacing and number of blades before and after indexing are preferably the same. Most preferably, each blade retracted during indexing is replaced by a blade on the same side of and at the same distance from the blade being retracted. To hold the web during web cutting or perforating operations, the roll is preferably provided with vacuum apertures to which is supplied vacuum via vacuum lines, vacuum valves, and a vacuum source, thereby creating suction through the vacuum apertures. The valves preferably have disks each with a pattern of apertures therethrough. When the disks are rotated to selected positions with respect to one another and to the roll, certain vacuum lines are opened to the vacuum source while others are closed therefrom. In this manner, vacuum can be selectively applied to only those vacuum apertures which are necessary to hold the web in place during cutting or perforating operations. By rotating the disks, the application of vacuum can be adjusted as desired (e.g., when the blades are indexed).

Vacuum assisted method of cutting a web material

Vacuum assisted roll apparatus and method

A blade mounting arrangement for mounting a cutoff blade in a roll of a shear cut type, cut-off system includes an elastomeric member interposed between the cutoff blade and a mounting surface of the roll. The elastomeric member is configured and arranged to provide varying resistance to compressive loading, the resistance varying along a portion of elastomeric member. In one embodiment, the elastomeric member includes a first resistance portion which engages the cutoff blade near a fixed inner edge portion of the blade, and a second resistance portion which underlies the cutoff blade near its free edge portion. The second resistance portion is thinner than the first resistance portion providing a gap between the free edge portion of the cutoff blade and the second portion, the free edge portion of the cutoff blade engaging the second resistance portion only when the cutoff blade is subjected to a load force that is greater than a predetermined value. The elastomeric member includes a third portion disposed intermediate the first and second portions and joining the first portion to the second portion but configured so as to be maintained out of engagement with the cutoff blade both for non-loaded loaded conditions for the free edge portion of the cutoff blade.

Blade mounting arrangement for cut-off system

An apparatus and method for transferring a clip formed of a predetermined number of interfolded paper products away from a stacking interfolder and refolding a plurality of loose end panels having a stack building table and first count finger assembly initially holding the clip and transferring control of the clip to a transfer clamp which refolds a first loose end panel and further having a clip destination station having a post end panels receiving the clip and finally refolding the final loose end panel.

Multi-panel refolding transfer system with rotating transfer clamp

A short count sheet separator for separating relatively short count clips of laminar products or cut sheets having horizontally extending table top fingers for supporting a continuously building stack of laminar products and a rotatable count finger assembly having a plurality of count fingers extending radially therefrom and rotatable into and out of the stack building path and further having a pusher finger to displace a relatively short count clip of the laminar products from the stack building path.

Short count sheet separator

An improvement for use in machinery for interfolding porous cut sheets is disclosed having two adjacent and counter-rotating folding rolls each having projecting tuckers and recessed grippers arranged alternately on the folding rolls such that a tucker on one roll mates with a gripper on the other. Porous cut sheets are selectively adhered to the folding rolls by vacuum ported to the tuckers and grippers.

Bedroll interfolding machinery improvement

Interfolding machinery improvement

An automatic separator for separating predetermined quantities of items such as paper napkins, includes an interfolding table at a package building station to form an interfolding process stack, an actuatable platform count finger positionable above the interfolding table to provide a platform for continuing the interfolding process, a carriage to move the clip on the interfolding table to a separator outlet station, a package build finger positionable relatively closely below the platform count finger to orient the depending loose end sheet to be the bottommost layer when the interfolding process stack is again supported by the interfolding table, and an initial count finger actuatable to a position above the interfolding table after a predetermined number of sheets have been interfolded into a clip such that the initial count finger rests on the clip.

Growing community of inventors

Washburn, WI, United States of America

Dennis P Couturier