Web forming machine

Abstract

A web forming machine, and a method of forming a web is described and which includes a first rotatable assembly; a second rotatable assembly positioned in spaced relation relative to the first rotatable assembly, and wherein a gap is defined between the first rotatable assembly, and the second rotatable assembly; and wherein a web of material to be formed is received in the gap; and means for reciprocally moving the first rotatable assembly into contact with the web, and into mating relation relative to the second rotatable assembly.

1 . A web forming machine, comprising:
 a first independently and selectively rotatable assembly having a substantially horizontally disposed axis of rotation;   a second independently and selectively rotatable assembly positioned in spaced relation relative to the first rotatable assembly, and wherein a gap is defined between the first rotatable assembly, and the second rotatable assembly, and wherein a web of material to be formed is received in the gap, and wherein the second rotatable assembly has a substantially horizontally disposed axis of rotation; and   means for reciprocally moving the first rotatable assembly into contact with the web, and into mating relation relative to the second rotatable assembly, and wherein the first rotatable assembly moves along a substantially linear and vertically oriented path of travel.   
   
   
       2 . A web forming machine as claimed in  claim 1 , and wherein a punch is borne by the first rotatable assembly, and wherein the reciprocal movement of first rotatable assembly causes the punch to penetrate the web to form an aperture. 
   
   
       3 . A web forming machine as claimed in  claim 1 , and wherein a severing tool is borne by the first rotatable assembly, and wherein the reciprocal movement of the first rotatable assembly causes the severing tool to cut the web of material. 
   
   
       4 . A web forming machine as claimed in  claim 1 , and wherein the web of material may be permanently deformed, and wherein a deforming tool is borne on the first rotatable assembly, and wherein the reciprocal movement of the first rotatable assembly causes the deforming tool to deform the web of material. 
   
   
       5 . A web forming machine as claimed in  claim 1 , and wherein a severing tool, deforming tool, and a punch are borne on the first rotatable assembly, and wherein the first rotatable member may be selectively indexed into given orientations relative to the second rotatable member so as to permit each of the severing tool, deforming tool and punch to be reciprocally moved into contact with the web of material. 
   
   
       6 . A web forming machine as claimed in  claim 1 , and wherein the first rotatable assembly comprises a rotatable punch assembly, and wherein the axis of rotation of punch assembly is substantially parallel to the web of material, and wherein the punch assembly has an exterior facing surface, and wherein a plurality of punches extend normally outwardly relative to the exterior facing surface. 
   
   
       7 . A web forming machine as claimed in  claim 1 , and wherein the first rotatable assembly comprises a rotatable punch assembly, and the second rotatable assembly comprises a rotatable die assembly, and wherein the web forming machine further comprises:
 a first, selectively actuatable motor disposed in force transmitting relation relative to the rotatable punch assembly and which causes the rotatable punch assembly to rotate about the substantially horizontal axis to a predetermined orientation relative to the rotatable die assembly;   a second, selectively actuatable motor disposed in force transmitting relation relative to the rotatable die assembly and which causes the rotatable die assembly to rotate about the substantially horizontal axis to a predetermined orientation relative to the rotatable punch assembly; and   a controller controllably coupled to the first and second selectively acutatable motors, and the means for reciprocally moving the rotatable punch into penetrating contact with the web and into mating relation relative to the rotatable die assembly, and wherein the controller first causes the rotatable punch and die assemblies to each be positioned in the respective predetermined orientations, and then secondly causes the rotatable punch assembly to reciprocally move into penetrating contact with the web.   
   
   
       8 . A web forming machine as claimed in  claim 7 , and wherein the rotatable punch assembly and the rotatable die assembly each have an exterior facing surface, and wherein the rotatable punch assembly has a plurality of punches positioned at various locations about the exterior surface thereof, and the rotatable die assembly has a plurality of dies positioned at various locations about the exterior surface thereof, and wherein individual punches are operable to mate with individual dies, and wherein the controller selectively actuates the respective first and second motors to rotate the respective rotatable punch assembly and rotatable die assembly so as to substantially coaxially align mating punches and dies. 
   
   
       9 . A web forming machine as claimed in  claim 1 , and wherein the means for reciprocally moving the first rotatable assembly comprises a hydraulic cylinder and moveable ram, and wherein the moveable ram is affixed in force transmitting relation relative to the first rotatable assembly, and is operable to reciprocally move the first rotatable assembly along the substantially linear, and vertically oriented path of travel into contact relative to the web, and into mating relation relative to the second rotatable assembly to penetrate, sever and/or permanently deform the web of material. 
   
   
       10 . A web forming machine as claimed in  claim 1 , and wherein the first rotatable assembly comprises a rotatable punch assembly which has an exterior facing surface, and wherein at least one punch is moveably borne on the rotatable punch assembly, and which is operable to travel along a substantially radially inwardly path of travel from a first position, wherein the at least one punch extends outwardly relative to the exterior facing surface, to a second position, wherein the at least one punch is received substantially internally of the rotatable punch assembly. 
   
   
       11 . A web forming machine as claimed in  claim 10 , and further comprising:
 a punch orientation assembly borne by the rotatable punch assembly and which is operable in a first mode of operation to position the at least one punch in the first position, and in a second mode of operation permits the at least one punch to move from the first to the second position, and wherein at least one punch moves along a substantially horizontal path of travel.   
   
   
       12 . A web forming machine as claimed in  claim 11 , and further comprising:
 a means for placing the punch orientation assembly in the first and second modes of operation.   
   
   
       13 . A web forming machine as claimed in  claim 10 , and wherein the second rotatable assembly comprises a rotatable die assembly, and wherein the web forming machine further comprises:
 a punch movement assembly borne by the rotatable punch assembly, and which is operable to move at least one punch along a course of travel which is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotatable punch assembly to change the relative position of the punch with respect to the exterior facing surface;   a die movement assembly borne by the rotatable die assembly, and wherein the rotatable die assembly has an exterior facing surface, and wherein the die movement assembly is operable to selectively move at least one die along a course of travel which is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotatable die assembly; and   a drive assembly borne on each of the rotatable punch and die assemblies, and which is operably coupled to the respective punch and die movement assemblies, and which moves the respective at least one punch and die to a predetermined position relative to the exterior facing surfaces of the respective rotatable punch and die assemblies.   
   
   
       14 . A web forming machine as claimed in  claim 1 , and further comprising:
 a computer memory which stores at least one pattern of apertures which are to be formed in the web; and   a controller electrically coupled with the computer memory, and further controllably coupled with each of the first and second independently and selectively rotatable assemblies, and further controllably positioning the web in the work station, and wherein the controller selectively causes the rotational movement of the respective first and second rotatable assemblies and the selective positioning of the web, and further causes the first rotatable assembly to move along the path of travel and into penetrating contact with the web, and in mating relation with the second rotatable assembly to form the at least one pattern of apertures which are stored in the memory.   
   
   
       15 . A web forming machine comprising:
 a work station;   a ram mounted above the work station, and which has a distal end, and which is reciprocally moveable along a substantially linear, and vertically oriented path of travel relative to the work station;   a punch assembly positioned above the work station, and mounted on the distal end of the ram, and which is further selectively, and independently rotatable about a first axis of rotation relative thereto, and wherein the distal end of the ram carries the punch assembly along the reciprocal path of travel both into, and out of the work station;   a die assembly positioned below the workstation, and which is selectively, and independently rotatable about a second axis of rotation relative thereto, and wherein the first and second axes are in substantially horizontal and parallel spaced relation, one relative to the other;   a web of material selectively positioned in the work station, and wherein the punch assembly is carried by the distal end of the ram into penetrating contact with the web of material and into mating engagement with the rotatable die assembly, and wherein the first and second axes of rotation are substantially parallel relative to the web of the material; and   a controller which is controllably coupled with each of the selectively rotatable punch and die assemblies, and the fluid powered ram, and wherein the controller selectively and independently rotates the respective punch and die assemblies to given positions, selectively positions the web, and further causes the fluid powered ram to carry the punch assembly into penetrating contact with the web.   
   
   
       16 . A web forming machines, comprising:
 a work station;   a web of material positioned in the work station;   an independently and selectively rotatable and substantially vertically moveable punch assembly, having a plurality of moveable punches mounted above the web of material in the work station, and which rotates about an axis of rotation which is substantially parallel relative to the web of material;   a punch movement assembly borne by the punch assembly, and which is operable to change the relative position of at least one punch with respect to the punch assembly, and wherein the punch movement assembly moves along a substantially horizontal path of travel;   a punch orientation assembly borne by the punch assembly and which is operable to selectively act upon at least one punch so as to cause the at least one punch to extend outwardly from, or be received within the punch assembly;   an independently and selectively rotatable die assembly positioned in the work station and below the web of material, and which rotates about an axis of rotation which is substantially parallel relative to the web of material;   a die movement assembly borne by the die assembly, and which selectively moves at least one die relative to the die assembly, and wherein the die movement assembly moves along a substantially horizontal path of travel;   a computer memory which stores at least one pattern of apertures which are to be formed in the web; and   a controller which is operably coupled to the computer memory; punch assembly; die assembly; punch and die movement assemblies; and the punch orientation assembly so as to cause the punch assembly to selectively move along a substantially vertical path of travel into contact with the web, and into mating contact with the die assembly so as to form the at least one pattern of apertures in the web.   
   
   
       17 . (canceled)