Rotary web processing apparatus

Abstract

A rotary die cutter includes a frame having spaced side plates. An anvil roll and a die plate roll are rotatably supported in bearing housings which are mounted in vertical slots in the side plates. A roll gap adjustment unit includes a lead screw and a follower member fixedly attached to the anvil bearing housing. The lead screw is threaded into said follower and projects upwardly. A thrust bearing is mounted on the sprocket and the upper bearing housing rests on the thrust bearing. An actuator is mounted to the side frame and a chain and sprocket couples it to the gap sprocket. The actuator includes a gear reduction drive means having a rotating input dial and an output coupled to the actuator sprocket to rotate the chain and sprocket at the rate of substantially one revolution for each one hundred revolutions of the input dial. Cam roller units engage the outer bottom ends of the anvil roll. Spring-loaded preload cam roller units engage the opposite top ends of the die cut roll. Each roller assembly includes a pair of cam rollers mounted in a yoke and engaging the surface of the roll. The preload cam roller units include an adjustment screw threaded through a load plate and bearing on the backside of the yoke. A pair of bolts pass through the load plate and thread into the frame. Springs act between the bolt heads and the plate to load the die roll and thereby both the die and anvil rolls downwardly and thereby eliminate the effect of bearing clearance in the operation of the rolls.