CPC A61F 13/15764 (2013.01) [B65H 39/14 (2013.01); A61F 13/15723 (2013.01); B65G 2201/02 (2013.01); B65H 2301/33216 (2013.01); B65H 2801/57 (2013.01)] | 23 Claims |
1. A configurable cutting and transfer apparatus comprising:
a cutter mechanism having a rotating knife, configured to cut an incoming web of material into a plurality of discrete articles; and
a transfer mechanism operable with the cutter mechanism to transfer and rotate the plurality of discrete articles from at least a web receiving location to an article placement location, the transfer mechanism comprising:
a drive shaft rotatable about a transfer axis;
a carriage plate formed as a ring having a continuous flat radially directed surface about a circumference thereof, the continuous flat surface having a plurality of mounting holes formed therein, the carriage plate mounted to the drive shaft so as to rotate therewith about the transfer axis;
a segmented puck wheel comprising a plurality of carriage units securable to, and repositionable on, the carriage plate so as to rotate therewith to travel along a transfer path about the transfer axis from at least the web receiving location to the pad placement location, each of the plurality of carriage units including a puck that is selectively operable to provide a rotating and re-pitching of the articles between the web receiving location and the pad placement location;
a barrel cam stationarily situated about the transfer axis and positioned on aside of the carriage plate opposite the segmented puck wheel, the barrel cam having a spincam race therein around a circumference thereof; and
wherein a variable number of carriage units are mounted at selectable spacings about the continuous flat surface of the carriage plate via the mounting holes.
|