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Claims  |
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I claim:
1. A runner for a creaser (1) for creasing sheets made from layer material (5 to 8) to obtain creased units, said runner including a working rotor (10, 11) comprising:
a runner base defining an operating motion including an operating direction and further defining an operating width extension, said runner base including bearing sections for mounting said runner on a machine base (2) of said creaser (1) to
perform said operating motion, including first and second base bodies (46, 47). said runner base including first and second mounting points for mounting said runner base on the machine base (2), at at least one of said mounting points said base bodies
(46, 47) including first and second bearing sections (56, 57) for separately mounting said first and second base bodies (46, 47) at said individual mounting point to perform said operating motion with respect to the machine base (2), said runner base
including support faces (82, 83; 82a, 83a) for receiving the layer material (5 to 8), said support faces (82, 83; 82a, 83a) extending substantially parallel to said operating direction, said runner base further including holding means (30, 27) for
holding the layer material (5 to 8) against said support faces over a surface extension, said holding means (30, 27) defining holding zones (80, 81; 80a, 81a) including more than one individual holding zone, said holding zones being juxtaposed along
said operating width extension and along said operating direction, for each of said holding zones a common surface unit being defined, over and within said common surface unit said holding zone including at least one holding point defining a positive
holding force positively stressing the layer material against said support faces, said holding means (30, 27) being variable with respect to its operating characteristics of zone spacings between said holding zones (80, 81; 80a, 81a), surface extensions
of said holding zones parallel to said operating direction, a relation value between said holding forces per said common surface unit of two of said at least one holding point of each of said individual holding zones and positive holding forces as
depending from a circumferential reference spacing between said individual holding zone and a stationary reference base, wherein setting means are provided for varying at least one of said operating characteristics.
2. The runner according to claim 1, wherein for said definition said operating characteristics further include holding locations of said holding zones (80, 81; 80a, 81a) with respect to said runner base, lateral extensions of said individual
holding zones (80, 81; 80a, 81a) along said operating width extension with respect to said runner base and absolute positive holding forces of said individual holding zones, at least one of said further operating characteristic being variable while said
working rotor (10, 11) performs said operating motion.
3. The runner according to claim 2, wherein said working rotor (10, 11) defines work stations lined up in a line along said operating direction, said work stations being substantially stable with respect to said stationary reference base, said
work stations functioning in a transfer mode for taking over the layer material (5 to 7) onto said working rotor (10, 11) in a rolling transfer motion, a discharge mode for discharging the layer material (6, 7) away from said working rotor in a rolling
discharge motion, a working mode for working of the layer material (5 to 7), a positive holding section for holding the layer material without slipping motion, and a slide holding section for slidingly holding the layer material, at least two of said
work stations connecting to each other and providing different said positive holding forces, at least one of said work stations being substantially free from said positive holding forces.
4. The runner according to claim 3, wherein at least one zone end of at least one of said work stations is positionally substantially continuously variable parallel to said operating direction in opposite directions, a phase adjusting means (50)
being provided for controlling said holding locations, a setting motion of said phase adjusting means being oriented substantially parallel to said operating motion, a control means (70) being provided for controlling said holding forces of said function
zones, in operation of said working rotor (10) said control means providing a diaphragm shutter for a suction current, in said operation said diaphragm shutter being positionally substantially stable but displaceable with respect to said stationary
reference base and said machine base (2), said diaphragm shutter including a control port (66, 67; 65a, 66a) for the suction current, a fluid connection being provided between said control port (66, 67; 65a, 66a) and said holding zones (80, 81; 80a),
said fluid connection including fluid ducts (84, 84a) penetrating said support faces (82, 83; 82a, 83a).
5. The runner according to claim 4, wherein said control port (65, 66, 67) extends laterally outside of but adjacent to said support faces (82, 83) and said operating width extension.
6. The runner according to claim 4, wherein in a view on said support faces (82a, 83a) said control port (65a, 66a) is extending within said operating width extension, within said common surface unit said fluid ducts multiply penetrating said
support faces.
7. The runner according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said positive holding forces is variable as a function of said operating motion, all said characteristics being variable with said setting means.
8. The runner according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said holding zones (80, 81; 80a, 81a) defines an operating mode of substantially permanent and constant holding force, while in said operating mode at least one of said circumferential
reference spacing of said at least one holding zone, and a surface extension of said at least one holding zone being variable.
9. The runner according to claim 1, wherein said holding zones include juxtaposed zones adjacently located along said operation width extension, said holding forces of said common surface units of said juxtaposed zones being differently high,
each of said holding zones including a plurality of said holding points.
10. The runner according to claim 1, wherein with said operating motion said working rotor (10) rotates about a central rotor axis, said runner base being assembled from a plurality of base bodies (46, 47) including a first base body (46) and a
second base body (47) commonly rotatable about said rotor axis, each of said first and second base body (46, 47) circumferentially including said support faces (82, 83) and further including at least one of said holding means (30), and at least one tool
(22, 23) for operationally immersing into the layer material, said first base body (46) being positionally adjustable around said central rotor axis with respect to said second base body (47).
11. The runner according to claim 10, wherein said tool of said first base body (46) includes a cross cutter (22) for transversely separating the sheets from the layer material (5), said holding means (30) of said first base body (46) extending
substantially directly up to said cross cutter (22), said tool of said second base body (47) including an internal creaser (23) for engaging a fold inside of the layer material (5) while being creased, said holding means (30) of said second base body
(47) extending substantially up to at least one of said internal creaser (23), and said cross cutter (22).
12. The runner according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said reception faces (82b, 83b) is provided on a covering segment (96 to 99) separate from said runner base (46b, 47b) but covering said runner base with said reception faces (82b,
83b).
13. The runner according to claim 12, wherein said runner base (46b, 47b) includes a gap (58b) having a variable gap width extension, said covering segment (96 to 99) directly bridging said gap (58b), while said gap width extension is varied,
said runner base (46b, 47b) including at least one tool (22b, 23b) for deformingly engaging the layer material, with respect to said operating motion said tool (22b, 23b) defining a leading front side and a trailing back side, said tool defining a
machining zone transversely offset with respect to said reception faces (82b, 83b), said covering segment (96 to 99) connecting directly to at least one of
said front side, and
said back side
of at least one of said tool (22b, 23b).
14. The runner according to claim 12, wherein said covering segment includes a plurality of covering shells including a first covering shell (96, 98) and a second covering shell (97, 99), said first and second covering shells overlapping each
other in a direction parallel to said operating direction and being slideably displaceable with respect to each other, said covering shells including an external covering shell (96, 97) and an internal covering shell (98, 99), said external covering
shell (96, 97) having an inner shell face remote from said reception faces and said internal covering shell (98, 99) having an outer shell face opposing said inner shell face, at least one of said external covering shell (96, 97) and said internal
covering shell (98, 99) directly supporting against said runner base (46b, 47b), said external covering shell (96, 97) being connected to said runner base (46b, 47b) laterally outside of said internal covering shell (98, 99).
15. The runner according to claim 12, wherein said runner base (46b, 47b) includes a plurality of gaps including first and second gaps (58b), said gaps defining gap width extensions parallel to said operating direction, said gap width extensions
being variable to define first and second broadest gap width extensions, said covering segment including first and second covering shells (98, 97), said first covering shell (98) being located closer to said runner base (46b, 47b) than said second
covering shell (97), when defining said first broadest gap width extension said first gap (58b) being covered by said first covering shell (98), when defining said second broadest gap width extension said second gap (58b) being covered with said second
covering shell (97) and said first gap (58b) being adjusted to define a smallest gap width extension, said first gap being spaced from said second gap in a direction corresponding to said operating direction.
16. The runner according to claim 12, wherein said covering segment (96 to 99) includes said holding means including grid-distributed suction ports (85b) for sucking said layer material against said reception faces (82b, 83b), said covering
segment (96 to 99) being made from sheet material.
17. The runner according to claim 1, wherein said runner base includes first and second base bodies (46b, 47b) commonly laterally opposedly bounding a gap (58b), said gap (58b) providing a fluid chamber for exposing said reception faces (82b,
83b) to a fluid current, said reception faces extending over said gap (58b).
18. The runner according to claim 1, wherein said runner base includes a gap having a circumferentially variable gap width extension, at least one base segment (58) being provided for being optionally exchangeably immersed into said gap and for
being operationally fixedly connected to said runner base, said base segment (58) circumferentially and radially outside extending said support faces (82, 83) and said holding means (30).
19. A runner for a creaser (1) for creasing sheets made from layer material (5 to 8) to obtain creased units, said runner including a working rotor (10, 11) comprising:
a runner base defining an operating motion including an operating direction and further defining an operating width extension, said runner base including bearing sections for mounting said runner on a machine base (2) of said creaser (1) to
perform said operating motion, said runner base including first and second base bodies (46, 47), said runner base including first and second mounting points for mounting said runner base on the machine base (2), at least one of said mounting points said
base bodies (46, 47) including first and second bearing sections (56, 57) for separately mounting said first and second base bodies (46, 47) at said individual mounting point to perform said operating motion with respect to the machine base (2), said
runner base including support faces (82, 83; 82a, 83a) for receiving the layer material (5 to 8), said support faces (82, 83; 82a, 83a) extending substantially parallel to said operating direction, said runner base further including holding means (30,
27) for holding the layer material (5 to 8) against said support faces over a surface extension, said holding means (30, 27) defining holding zones (80, 81; 80a, 81a) including more than one individual holding zone, said holding zones being juxtaposed
along said operating width extension and along said operating direction, for each of said holding zones a common surface unit being defined, over and within said common surface unit said holding zone including at least one holding point defining a
positive holding force positively stressing the layer material against said support faces, said holding means (30, 27) being variable with respect to its operating characteristics of zone spacings between said holding zones (80, 81; 80a, 81a), surface
extensions of said holding zones parallel to said operating direction, a relation value between said holding forces per said common surface unit of two of said at least one holding point of each of said individual holding zones and positive holding
forces above zero as depending from a circumferential reference spacing between said individual holding zone and a stationary reference base, wherein setting means are provided for varying at least one of said operating characteristics.
20. The runner according to claim 19, wherein said bearing sections (56, 57) include bearings (53, 54; 55, 59) for bearing both said base bodies (46, 47), said bearings (53, 54; 55, 59) being axially directly juxtaposed, said base bodies (46,
47) including separate drive members (37, 40) for separately driving said base bodies (46, 47) to commonly perform said operating motion, a phase adjusting means (50) being provided for reciprocally displacing said base bodies (46, 47), said working
rotor (10) including an output member (41) for driving an additional runner (12, 14) of said creaser (1).
21. A creaser for creasing sheets made from layer material (5 to 8) to obtain creased units comprising:
a machine base (2);
a working rotor (10, 11) mounted to said machine base (2) for rotation in an operating direction, said working rotor including a holding face (82, 83) and means for holding said layer material (5 to 8) with positive holding forces against said
holding face, upon rotation of said working rotor said holding face successively and repeatedly passes by a plurality of operating paths including first and second operating paths, a setting means are provided for varying said positive holding forces
when said holding face of said said first operating path to rotation by said second operating path.
22. The creaser according to claim 21, wherein upstream of said first operating path a first folding station (15) is provided and directly connected to said first operating path, downstream of said first operating path said second operating path
directly connecting to said first operating path, when said holding face (82, 83) passes said first operating path said positive holding forces being higher than when said holding face passes said second operating path.
23. The creaser according to claim 22, wherein said second operating path connects to said first operating path in the vicinity of a second folding station (16) for folding the layer material, downstream of said second operation path said
operation paths including a third operating path directly connecting to said second operating path and said first operating path, while passing said third operating path said holding face being substantially freed from said positive holding forces.
24. The creaser according to claim 21, wherein said at least one working rotor (10 to 14) is a (rotor) rotary cylinder rotating about a single rotor axis with respect to said machine base (2).
25. A creaser for creasing sheets made from layer material (5 to 8) to obtain creased units comprising:
a machine base (2);
at least one workings rotor (10, 11) mounted to said machine base (2) for performing an operating motion in an operating direction, said working rotor including a holding zone (80, 81; 80a, 81a) for holding said layer material (5 to 8) with
positive holding forces above zero, upon said operating motion said holding zone successively and repeatedly passing a plurality of operating paths including juxtaposed first and second operating paths, wherein control means (48, 50, 60) are provided for
varying said positive holding forces when said holding zone passes from said first operating path to said second operating path and a second working rotor (12) connecting to separate first and second transfer stations (16, 20) for transferring the layer
material (6, 7) onto said second working rotor (12), transfer means being provided for alternately transferring the layer material (6, 7) to said second working rotor (12) at said first transfer station (16) or said second transfer station (20).
26. The creaser according to claim 25, wherein said (runner) second working rotor (12) includes an external creaser (28) for gripping the layer material on a fold outside of a fold to be machined, said external creaser (28) being provided to
alternately fold the layer material with a lower number of fold layers and a higher number of fold layers connecting to the fold.
27. The creaser according to claim 25, wherein said operating paths connect to running paths separate from said (runner) second working rotor (12) and provided to convey the layer material, said running paths including a first running path
connecting upstream to said (runner) second working rotor (12), said running paths including a second running path including separate first and second subpaths, said first subpath being shorter than said second subpath and being provided to fold the
layer material with a lower number of fold layers than when the layer material is directly transferred from said second working rotor (12) to said second subpath.
28. A runner, said runner including a working rotor (10, 11) comprising:
a runner base defining an operating motion and including bearing sections for mounting said runner on a machine base (2) to perform said operating motion, said runner base including support faces (82, 83; 82a, 83a) for receiving layer material
(5 to 8), wherein said runner base includes first and second base bodies (46, 47), said runner base including first and second mounting points for mounting said runner base on the machine base (2), at least at said first mounting point said base bodies
(46, 47) including first and second bearing sections (56, 57) for separately mounting said first and second base bodies (46, 47) at said first mounting point to perform said operating motion with respect to the machine base (2), said first bearing
section (56) thereby being displaceable with respect to said second bearing section (57) parallel to said operating motion.
29. The runner according to claim 28, wherein said working rotor (10, 11) is a creasing rotor for creasing sheets made from the layer material to obtain creased units, at least one of said first and second base bodies (46, 47) including a
creasing tool (22, 23).
30. An apparatus comprising:
a machine base (2);
at least one working rotor (10, 11) mounted to said machine base (2) for performing a rotary operating motion, said working rotor (10, 11) including support faces (82, 83; 82a, 83a) for receiving the layer material (5 to 8), upon said operating
motion said support faces successively and repeatedly passing a plurality of operating paths including juxtaposed first and second operating paths, wherein a second working rotor (12) connects to separate first and second transfer stations (16, 20) for
transferring the layer material (6, 7) onto said second working rotor (12), transfer means being provided for alternately transferring the layer material (6, 7) to said second working rotor (12) at said first transfer station (16) or said second transfer
station (20).
31. The apparatus according to claim 30, wherein said working rotor (10, 11) is a rotary cylinder.
32. The apparatus according to claim 30, wherein said apparatus is a creaser for creasing sheets made from the layer material to obtain creased units. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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The invention refers to a rotor
and/or a creaser equipped with the same by which a flat material such as paper, tissue, non-wovens or similar can be folded once or several times and/or in reciprocal cross directions in order to create a folded unit from a flexible or pliable and
initially horizontally spread blank, such as a cleaning tissue, a duster, a cleaning rag, a kitchen towel, a napkin or similar.
According to the invention, a web layer is initially taken off from a storage roll in a conveying and/or longitudinal direction essentially continuously and is processed possibly after previous single or multiple longitudinal creasing by passing
over one or several operational runners or rotors of the said type. Initially separate sequential blanks are severed from the front end of the web by cross cuts, followed by being cross-creased one or more times whilst alternately passing over rotors,
followed by being delivered in a horizontal or upright stack formation to a deposit. Although this is conceivable, processing of the blanks should be preferably performed without perforations through the sheet layer and/or front and/or side edge
trimming after longitudinal and/or cross creasing, but with the said passage including levelling, printing with a design and/or full surface and/or edge embossing of the web prior to creasing, followed by cross cutting into two or more working webs
and/or blanks, simultaneously running next to each other, to be processed whilst passing over the same operational rotors in a juxtaposed orientation.
The unit may be creased by longitudinal creasers into a V, M, N and/or C-configurations, with the folded legs, such as those of cross creases, being of the same or different lengths and with these lengths and those of a finished creased unit
being adjustable during operation. Transfer and/or processing over each rotor may also be effected without creasing.
The individual rotor, such as a rotary and/or roller rotor, includes support faces extending in working direction for receiving the sheet layers and holding or contact means for fixing the leading front end of the sheet and the sheet web and/or
individual sheet layers. Instead of the said perforating means or contact means which only grip or clamp the narrow edge or creasing areas, and/or in addition to these, contact means are provided which essentially are exerting such a tight grip that a
tension applied to the material will allow its sliding displacement on the reception or contact face without the material tearing in cross direction to the tension. Such contact means may consist of adhesive and/or vacuum means, also pressing the
material with a minimum edge clearance of 1 cm, based on a predetermined contact pressure, against the contact face.
These contact means have functional characteristics, i.e. a predetermined static and/or sliding friction between the contact face and the material, several locations of contact areas in relation to the rotor body, intermediate spacings in
relation to the rotor means between separate contact areas and/or extensions of each contact area in the working direction and in a cross direction transverse to the working direction, a relation of the area-specific holding forces or contact pressures
of at least two contact areas, absolute contact pressures above zero in the contact areas and contact pressures depending on the distance of each contact area from a reference base non-mobile with respect to the operating and/or working direction or from
a fixed reference point non-mobile in relation to the machine base.
If the contact means, as in the case of a suction perforation, act at points nearly uniformly distributed in a close grid formation, the said contact areas may be preferably regarded as an area including a few up to a multitude of such points,
with the contact area also being understood as part of a larger contact area to which essentially constant contact pressures are applied.
Rotors including contact means of the described type are showing different operating functions over their repeated working path, i.e. when subjecting the web to a pre-determined tension, generating side guiding forces, allowing slip-free contact
and contact including slipping of the material, handing over the material possibly while creasing, preventing displacement of the fold legs within the creased units, allowing cross cuts, permitting size changes of the material respective the creased
units, etc. It has proved to be difficult to design the working surface or the contact means in such a way that these will meet several of these requirements.
An object of the invention is furthermore to provide a runner and/or a creaser in which disadvantages of prior art constructions or of the described type are avoided and which allow in particular adaptation of the functional characteristics of
the rotor to given requirements.
Each runner or rotor may be equipped with arrangements and/or tools for different processings, for instance with one or several cross cutters, counter cutters, internal creasers, external creasers, transfer means for transfer of the blank from
one rotor and/or one working station to the next and/or with other arrangements, with the said contact means not being provided. The rotor may be compulsorily and synchronously controlled by suitable gears i.e. double planetary gears in relation to one
or several other rotors, or be driven in relation to this other rotor by a rectified phase displacement or shifting in order to effect a change in size of a specific folding leg respective the entire unit or similar. Such gears and similar adjusting
devices are suitable to change each functional characteristic even during operation of the rotor, allowing a change-over to differently creased or similar units whilst the creaser is in operation.
Control and/or adjusting means will furthermore allow that the positive contact pressures of the rotor-stationary contact areas will change as a function of the operating motion, for instance for specifically strongly and therefore side-guidingly
securing the front end of the web prior to severing the blank, for then reducing the contact pressures after cross-cutting and substantially up to a positional securing on a next rotor provided for taking over the material unit and for providing again
reduced or even cancelled contact pressures for that leg of the blank which is torn off against working direction from the rotor and its support face. Furthermore, the effect may be that during bulging of the material, for instance due to a creasing
rail, contact pressures are briefly and partially released from the material leg trailing the bulging zone, in order to pull it behind, whereafter immediately increasing the contact pressure may take place prior to and/or while processing a cross-cut,
entirely severing the said material leg. This may eliminate oblique pulling of the material during this processing cycle.
As soon as each contact area, controlled as described, again reaches the material following the first, the said high contact pressures or the like are generated. Consequently contact areas of different and/or constant positive contact pressures
result which in relation to the reference base follow each other in the working direction.
According to the invention, at least one of the functional characteristics is variable, whereby the said adjustment can be effected by conversion and/or change of parts and/or by a setting means, allowing resetting merely by adjustment and
without any assembly work.
Furthermore, the distance of each contact area from the reference base and/or its extension in relation to the reference base and/or the rotor, is preferably adjustable, allowing the material to be secured at random sections and over random areas
transverse and/or parallel to the working direction depending on requirements, by applying identical or different positive contact pressures.
In operation, the rotor is acting in the vicinity of working areas, arranged adjacent to each other in working direction and/or in a direction transverse thereto, the working areas effecting motions of at least part of the material transverse to
the support face and/or effecting material machining and in most cases representing working stations in which the support area of the rotor is in engagement with the support area of a counter runner or rotor. In order to determine and/or vary the said
contact pressures along the path between such adjacent working zones or at these working zones, which are positionally substantially fixed in relation to the reference base it is preferable to arrange at least one control element which, in the case of a
web-securing unit based on fluid pressure, may be designed as an adjustable baffle, a control valve or the like. Its control and/or baffle port may be arranged entirely on the side outside the working width and/or entirely inside the working width of
the rotor.
Irrespective of the described embodiments, the invention may also include means to differently select and/or change at least one of the functional characteristics in zones juxtaposed transverse to the working direction, in particular to adjust
them reciprocally to each other or independently from each other. The contact pressures of such areas may, for instance, can be selected at varying levels, whereby positive pressures and/or contact pressures around zero can be generated in at least two
contact areas. Should the material have at least one crease in a direction parallel to working direction, such as a longitudinal crease and/or should the material be positioned on the support face in at least a double layer including material legs
superimposed on each other, it would be of advantage to apply a higher contact pressure to the area of the free end of the material leg located away from the support face than to the opposite parallel edge area of the material in order to prevent
reciprocal shifting displacement of the material layers and consequently a change in position of a crease or the like.
Variability of each functional characteristic may also be effected by reciprocal positional adjustment of runner and/or reception bodies or of sections of the support faces in working direction and/or transverse thereto whereby the named
arrangements, holding zones and/or tools can be adjusted in position in relation to the rotor and/or in their spacing from each other. The rotor preferably consists of two or more individual bodies which may be displaced in relation to each other by an
adjusting means or by conversion of the rotor while the rotor is remaining in its support, the machine base or its drive coupled state. This will allow variation of reciprocal tool spacings, of spacings between adjacent contact areas and/or of sizes
respective areal extensions of such contact areas in order to set different blank sizes. Both individual bodies forming separate contact areas.
With respect to their extension parallel to the working or operating direction and/or transverse thereto the support faces and/or contact areas may be formed partially and/or essentially completely, by components designed separately from the
associated rotor body and attached to its working side, in particular in a way to be exchangeable without distruction. Such a component, which would best be designed and/or be attached separately from the tool closest to it, may be a cover for one or
two adjacent rotor segments which are reciprocally displaceable parallel to the working direction and/or for a gap provided between opposing flanks of these segments and variable in width. This gap may form a pressure and/or vacuum chamber radially
extending nearly up to an internal shaft, which chamber is closed towards the support face by the said component, possibly with the exception of pressure respective suction ports. The respective component should preferably extend nearly to a region of
the rotor body, which is offset transverse with respect to the support face and/or to the flank of the body. This transversely offset area may be a reception recess for a tool or a tool itself projecting over the outside of the body, with the back face
of the tool in the first case providing a nearly gap-free continuation of the associated section of the support face or contact area up to the working area and/or the working edge of the tool.
If two components, attached for instance substantially rigidly to separate rotor segments and curved around a single axis only, engage each other in each reciprocal variable positioning, the respective section of the support face will always be
formed by these two covering or sleeve segments. Instead of a conceivable serrated mutual engagement of the covering segments, it would be of advantage if the covering segment, which is shorter in operating direction, partially underengages the other
covering segment with a projecting section in a direction facing away from the associated tool, with the associated section of the support face thereby including a small step. The height of this step may be kept very small and/or below 3 or 2 mm and may
form a flowing or smooth transition due to the very thin design of at least the external covering segment respective due to tapering the overlapping transverse edge. It is of advantage that the individual rotor segment includes one or more covering
segments having ends projecting in opposite directions, both these ends overlapping in the described way, further covering segments which are attached to further separate rotor segments arranged on both sides of the first named rotor segment. One of the
said segment ends projects over the associated flank of its rotor segment in order to bridge the gap whilst the other end, in particular that directed against operating direction, ends with the other flank of its rotor segment, with the gap connecting to
this flank being covered by a covering segment of the juxtaposed rotor segment.
One to all of the said covering segments may form holding areas and may be designed as a perforated sheet, for instance, the perforations of which are directly connected to chamber-shaped main ducts of the respective rotor body respective the
fluid chamber formed by the gap. The main duct may therefore be designed as pockets and/or axial groove-shaped recesses in the external circumference and/or at least one flank of the respective rotor segment, directly closed by the covering segment
and/or a separate closing unit on the open longitudinal groove side. The covering segment will then only be supported against longitudinal edges of axial or similar webs of the rotor segment, separating the adjacent main ducts and/or one main duct from
the adjacent external flank of the rotor segment and directly extending from the hub of the rotor segment. The main ducts may be of very large and/or larger volume in comparison with the remaining rotor segment, thus reducing pressure variations at
inlet ports and/or in the ducts. The very short branch ducts of the same width as the respective inlet port within each covering segment will also reduce friction losses in the flow, with the width of each branch duct possibly being larger than its
length. The manufacture of inlet ports and/or very smooth support faces has been much simplified, and the grid distribution of inlet ports may be modified by exchanging the respective cover segment. The respective rotor segment may be manufactured as a
finished or diecasting, with the main ducts and/or lateral connecting ducts being integral parts of the casting, not requiring any further machining of their internal surfaces.
Irrespective of the embodiment described, the invention also includes at least one rotor body which on one or both end faces is made in one part with a front flange extending nearly to its external circumference and/or with a respective bearing
journal extending over a larger area of its working width, designed as an integral part of the casting, with the front flange possibly forming a control disk of the inlet control and/or closing the adjoining main ducts at the respective end. Such a
one-part annular flange may be arranged between adjacent operating width sections and can separate main ducts juxtaposed along the working width. In addition, the rotor body formed in this way, in particular between two adjacent annular flanges, may
form reception pockets for the rotor segments of the other rotor body which in a direction transverse to the support face extend continuously, which also are supported between the flanges on both sides free from axial motion play, and which are firmly
connected to the respective control shaft or the like on the inside remote from the reception face of the first rotor body.
It is of advantage to support at least two of the individual bodies on at least one side of the working width separately and directly on the machine base respective to provide them with separate drive inputs, resulting in a very high stability,
allowing, just like the other embodiments described, a great improvement in output during machining without any undesired vibration. Furthermore, the two individual rotors may be adjusted in relation to each other and driven synchronously by phase
displacement of their power input at any time during operation.
Irrespective of the embodiment described, the rotor may be designed for selective reception respective processing of material of a different number of layer | | |
