PCT
`
`WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGANIZATION
`International Bureau
`
`
`
`INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT)
`
`
`
`(51) International Patent Classification 3 :
`(1) International Publication Number:
`20 January 1983 (20.01.83)
`Al
`(43) International Publication Date:
`
`B26F 1/00
`
`WO83/ 00112
`
`(21) International Application Number:
`
`PCT/DK82/00055|
`
`(22) International Filing Date:
`
`14 June 1982 (14.06.82)
`
`(74) Agents: INTERNATIONALT PATENT-BUREAUet
`al.; No.
`12 Nybrogade, DK-1203 Copenhagen K
`(DK).
`
`Bi
`
`
`
`(31) Priority Application Number: 3071/81|(81) Designated States: AT, AT (European patent), AU, BE
`(European patent), CH, CH (European patent), DE,
`DE (Auxiliary utility model), DE (European patent),
`DK, FI, FR (European patent), GB, GB (European
`patent), JP, LU, LU (European patent), NL, NL (Eu-
`ropean patent), NO, SE, SE (European patent), US.
`
`(32) Priority Date:
`
`(33) Priority Country:
`
`10 July 1981 (10.07.81)
`
`DK
`
`
`
`
`
`(71) Applicants (for ail designated States except US): BORD-
`ING GRAFIK. A/S [DK/DK]; No. 66-68 Narrebro-| Published
`gade, DK-2200 Copenhagen N (DK). DANISH CAR-
`With international search report.
`BIDE TOOLS A/S [DK/DK]; No. 6 Mellemvej, DK-
`6430 Nordborg (DK).
`
`*
`
`e
`
`7
`(72) Inventors; and
`(75) Inventors/Applicants (for US only) : GEBUHR, Mogens
`{[DK/DK]; No. 58 Artillerivej, DK-2300 Copenhagen
`S (DK). PEDERSEN, Knud [DK/DK]; No. 6 Mel-
`lemvej, DK-6430 Nordborg (DK).
`
`(54) Title: A PUNCHING APPARATUS, PARTICULARLY FOR PUNCHING LABELS AND SIMILAR PRINTED
`MATTER ITEMS
`
`
`
`(87) Abstract
`
`A punching apparatus for punching items having curved or arched edges from sheet material, particularly labels and
`similar printed matter items, comprises a punching die in the form of a mainly tubular member (6) manufactured from a
`sintered carbide alloy and having an internal cavity in which at least the wall surfaces (8) at the cutting edge are ground to
`smoothness, preferably to a surface roughness Ra < 0.1 um, and are perpendicular to the plane of the cutting edge, wher-
`eas grindingof the cutting edge (7) into a prescribed sharpness and cutting angle is performed solely on the external side
`of the tubular member(6). As a result thereof the intervals between necessary re-grindings of the cutting edge (7) are pro-
`longed and an unlimited numberof re-grindings may be made in practice with full retention of the accuracy of measure-
`ment of the cutting edge.
`
`

`

`FOR THE PURPOSES OF INFORMATION ONLY
`
`Codesused to identify States party to the PCT on the front pages of pamphlets publishing international ap-~
`plications under the PCT.
`
`United States of Ameneca
`
`Democratic Peopie’s Republic of Korea
`Liechtenstein
`Sri Lanka
`Luxembourg
`Monaco
`Madagascar
`Malawi
`Netherlands
`Norway
`Romania
`Sweden
`Senegal
`Soviet Union
`Chad
`Togo
`
`-
`
`AT
`AU
`BE
`BR
`CF
`CG
`CH
`CM
`DE
`DK
`FI
`FR
`GA
`GB
`AU
`JP
`
`Austria
`Australia
`Belgium
`Brazil
`Central Atrican Republic
`Congo
`Switzerland
`Cameroon
`Germany, Federal Republic of
`Denmark
`Finland
`France
`Gabon
`United Kingdom
`Hungary
`Japan
`
`.
`
`2
`’
`
`;
`>
`
`,
`
`|
`
`

`

`WO 83/00112
`
`PCT/DK82/00055
`
`>.
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`25
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`A punching apparatus,
`
`articularly for punching labels.
`
`and Similar printed matter items.
`The invention relates to a punching apparatus for
`punching items having curved or arched edges from sheet
`material, particularly labels and similar printed matter
`items,
`in a large number of pieces by a single working
`operation, comprising means for supporting a stack of a
`large number of sheet sections each containing one of
`said items and a punching die arranged above said sup-
`porting means, said supporting means and said punching
`die being movable relative to one another, said punching
`die having the form of a mainly tubular member one end
`of which is shaped to form a plane circumferential cut-
`ting edge corresponding to the form of said items.
`In the production of labels for use on bottles and
`the like a large number of identical label prints are
`made side by side on a sheet material, such as a paper
`or plastic laminate, and the printed sheet is cut along
`straight cutting lines in generally rectangular sections,
`each containing a label print having a well-defined po-
`sition within the respective section.
`After piling of a number of such sheet sections
`into a pile or stack, punching of the labels to their
`final form is performed by means of a punching die, a
`whole stack being supplied on to a movable pressure
`plate positioned below the punching die
`, by the
`subsequent activation of which the punching die cuts
`through the sheet sections in the stack such that by
`the movement of the pressure plate the punched label
`items are pressed through the internal cavity of the
`
`punching die,
`In prior art punching dies for this purpose, it
`has been customary to attempt to reduce friction when
`the punched label items are pressed through the punching
`die iron, by shaping the internal cavity with slightly
`oblique walls such that the cross sectional area of the
`cavity increases in the direction away from the cutting
`
`30
`
`35
`
`edge of the punching die.
`
`
`
`

`

`WO 83/00112
`
`PCT/DK82/00055
`
`2
`
`Since it is necessary in the prior art punching
`dies, which are usually made of tool steel,
`to regrind
`the cutting edge at relatively short intervals,
`the said
`Shape will result in a gradual increase of the cross
`
`sectional area in the plane of the cutting edge such
`that already after relatively few re-grindings the
`punched label items no longer keep the desired measure-
`
`ments, on the accuracy of which relatively high demands
`are made in view of the subsequent use in a labelling
`machine. This results in a short operational life for
`the punching die, which will thus often have to be
`scrapped after a relatively moderate number of re-
`
`grindings.
`
`For use particularly but not exclusively in the
`
`punching of labels and similar printed matter items,
`it is the object of the invention to provide a punching
`apparatus wherein the above-mentioned disadvantages are
`remedied.
`,
`In order to accomplish this, a punching apparatus
`according to the invention is characterized in that said
`
`tubular member is manufactured from a sintered carbide
`
`alloy with an internal cavity in which at least the wall
`surfaces at the cutting edge are ground to smoothness
`and are perpendicular to the plane of-the cutting edge,
`whereas grinding of the cutting edge to a prescribed
`sharpness and cutting angle is performed solely on the
`external side of the tubular member.
`
`With this design of the punching apparatus an al-
`most unlimited number of re-grindings can in practice
`be erfected with full retention of the accuracy of
`measurement of the cutting edge, and furthermore as a
`result of the die being made from a sintered carbide
`alloy an appreciable prolongation is obtained of the
`intervals between re-grinding relative to the prior art
`punching dies.
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`30
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`35
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`
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`

`

`4).
`
`WO 83/00112
`
`PCT/DK8&2/00055
`
`3
`In a preferred embodiment of the invention said
`carbide alloy is a tungsten-cobalt alloy, which is
`ground on said wall surfaces to a surface roughness
`of Ra,& 0.1 um.
`“The invention is based upon the recognition of the
`fact that in the manufacture of the punching die it is
`possible to grind the wall surfaces of the internal cavi-
`ty which are perpendicular to the cutting edge to such a
`smoothness that a
`low friction is obtained which allows
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`30
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`design of the internal cavity with a constant cross—
`section matching the punched items on a considerable
`portion of its length measured from the cutting edge.
`In order to facilitate punching from a stack or a
`pile comprising a large number of individual items in
`one operation a preferred embodiment of the punching
`apparatus according to the invention is characterized in
`that said internal cavity comprises a portion adjacent
`said cutting edge the wall surfaces of which match the
`shape of said items and a succeeding portion having in-
`creased cross-sectional area.
`
`In the following the invention will be further ex-
`plained with reference to the accompanying drawings
`wherein
`_ Figure 1 schematically shows an embodiment of a
`punching apparatus according to the invention;
`Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a
`punching die in the embodiment shown in Figure 1; and
`Figure 3 shows the punching die in Figure 2 viewed
`in the direction towards the cutting edge.
`In a label punching apparatus as illustrated in
`Figure 1 the starting material is a stack or a pile 1
`comprising a large number of usually rectangular sheet
`sections each having an individual label print. Such
`sheet sections which are not shown in the drawing have
`been produced in a preceeding operation from a printed
`
`
`
`

`

`WO 83/00112
`
`PCT/DRK82/00055
`
`4
`
`sheet comprising a large number of label prints position-
`ed side by side by cutting said sheets along straight
`
`cutting lines.
`
`The pile 1 in which each of the individual sheet
`
`sections carries a label print having a well-defined
`
`position relative to the cut edges of the sheet section
`
`is supplied by means of a guide member 2 onto a support-
`ing plate in the form of a hydraulically or pneumatically
`operated pressure plate 3 positioned below the punching
`die 4 in parallel relationship to the plane comprising
`
`the cutting edge of the printing cutter.
`By activation of the pressure plate 3 for movement
`
`in the direction towards the punching die 4 the individu-
`
`al label items on the sheet sections in the pile 1 are
`cut,and the cut label items are pressed through the
`internal cavity of the punching die.
`
`In order to remove the remaining cut-away portions
`
`of the sheet sections in the pile 1 a cutting knife 5 is
`
`provided in a manner known per se in connection with the
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`cutting edge of the punching die 4.
`
`As more clearly apparent from Figures 2 and 3 the
`
`punching die designated as a whole by 4 comprises a
`
`mainly tubular member 6 one end of which is shaped as a
`
`plane circumferential cutting edge 7 corresponding to
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`25
`
`the form of the label items to be punched. The tubular
`
`member 6 is manufactured from a sintered carbide alloy
`
`for which a tungsten-cobalt alloy is preferred, most
`
`preferably an alloy containing substantially 930 percent
`
`tungsten carbide and 10 percent cobalt.
`
`30
`
`According to the invention the tubular member 6
`
`is manufactured with an internal cavity the wall sur-
`
`faces 8 of which an ground to smoothness, preferably to
`
`a surface roughness Ra< 0.1 um and are perpendicular to
`
`the plane of the cutting edge, whereas the required
`
`35
`
`sharpness of the cutting edge is provided solely by
`
`grinding on the external side of the tubular member 6.
`
`
`
`

`

`WO 83/00112
`
`PCT/DK82/00055
`
`5
`The grinding of the cutting edge 7 may be perform-
`ed, for example, by means of a grinding machine which
`produces circumferential grinding in a kind of facets
`9a and 9b as shown in Figure 2, of which at least the
`facet 9a closest to the cutting edge is ground hollow
`for obtaining a prescribed cutting angle at the cutting
`
`edge 7.
`For use in punching of labels and similar printed
`matter items the cutting angle will preferably have to
`be 5° to 10°, e.g. 7°.
`In the embodiment shown the internal cavity of the
`
`tubular member 6 comprises a portion adjacent the cut-
`ting edge 7 having ground wall surfaces matching exactly
`the shape of the items to be punched and a succeeding
`in
`portion 10 having an increased cross-sectional area,
`which the wall surfaces need not be ground to smoothness.
`By means of this design punching from stacks or piles 1
`comprising a large number of sheet sections is made pos-
`sible.
`:
`-
`The punching die may be manufactured from a work
`piece of the sintered carbide alloy in a manner known
`per se by grinding the wall surfaces 8 of the internal
`cavity of the tubular member
`6 into the desired label
`shape, e.g. as shown in Figure 3, by means of a
`numerically controlled grinding machine and subsequent
`grinding of the cutting edge 7 on the external side of
`the tubular member 6.
`
`MA):
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`

`

`WO 83/00112
`
`PCT/DK82/00055
`
`PATENT CLAIMS
`
`* v
`
`1. A punching apparatus for punching items having
`
`curved or arched edges from sheet material, particularly
`
`labels and similar printed matter items, ina large
`number of pieces by a single working operation, compris-
`ing means
`(3) for supporting a stack (1) of a large
`number of sheet sections each containing one of said
`
`items and a punching die arranged above said supporting
`means, said supporting means and said punching diebeing
`movable relative to one another, said punching die having
`the form of a mainly tubular member
`(6) one end of which
`
`10
`
`is shaped to form a plane circumferential cutting edde
`
`(7) corresponding to the form of said items, characteriz~
`
`ed in that the tubular member
`
`(6)- is manufactured from a
`
`45
`
`Sintered carbide alloy with an internal cavity in which
`
`at least the wall surfaces (8) at the cutting edge (7)
`
`are ground to smoothness and are perpendicular to the
`
`plane of the cutting edge (7), whereas grinding of the
`
`cutting edge (7)
`
`to a prescribed sharpness and cutting
`
`20
`
`angle is performed solely on the external side of the
`
`tubular member (6).
`
`—_
`
`2. A punching apparatus as-claimed in claim 1,
`characterized in, that said carbide alloy is a tungsten-
`cobalt alloy which on said wall surfaces has been ground
`
`25
`
`to a surface roughness Ra< 0.1 um.
`
`3. A punching apparatus as claimed in claim 2,
`
`characterized in, that said alloy comprises substantially
`
`90 percent of tungsten carbide and 10 percent of cobalt.
`4. A punching apparatus as claimed in any of
`claims 1,
`2 or 3, characterized in, that said internal
`cavity comprises a portion adjacent said cutting edge
`
`the wall surfaces (8) of which match the shape of said
`
`items and a succeeding portion (10) having increased
`
`cross~sectional area.
`
`30
`
`35
`
`
`
`

`

`WO 83/00112
`
`PCT/DK82/00055
`
`5
`5. A punching apparatus as claimed in any of claims
`1 to 4, characterized in,
`that the external side of the
`tubular member
`(6) at the cutting edge (7)
`is ground to
`a cutting angle of 5° to 10°.
`6. A punching apparatus as claimed in claim 5,
`characterized in,
`that the grinding at the cutting edge
`is performed in a number of circumferential adjacent
`facets like ground surfaces (9a, 9b).
`7. A punching apparatus as claimed in claim 6,
`characterized in, that at least the ground surface (9a)
`adjacent the cutting edge (7)
`is ground hollow.
`
`10
`
`
`
`ry q
`
`i
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`
`
`

`

`WO 83/00112
`
`PCT/DK82/00055
`
`FIG.2
`
`FIGF
`
`
`

`

`hn
`“4
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`
`
`sty
`SE, NO, DE, FI classes as above
`
`
`
`?
`
`—
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`
`
`Relevant to Claim Na. 14
`
`
`INTERNATIONAL SEARCH REPORT
`POT /HE
`Internationa! Applicavon Ne
`
`1, CLASSIFICATION OF SUBJECT MATTER (Gf se-era’ c ass cstior symbols acs'y, indicate all) 3
`
`
`
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`Accorsing te International Patent Ciassi?-cation (IPC) or to bot Nat-cna!l C.essification ang Pcs
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`
`B 2¢ F 1/00
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`
`i. FIELDS SEARCHED
`
`
`
` Minwmut Docote]nts! on Searched 4
`
`
`
`Ciassificatio™ System ;
`CiassMiczion Symools
`
`
`B26 F 1/00-1/46
`IPC 2
`National Cl 54:2/02
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`Be: 358-358~y 3453 &3: 607-5 3, n4—658 , 679-591 ? 6Sé ,856
`
`
`
`Documentation Searched char thar Minimum Documeciation
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`
`
`
` i
`
`Hi DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED TO BE RELEVANT i+
`
`
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`
`
`
`
`NRREA
`attes ice ntarnational filing date
`
`f.ct with the application but
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`cmcip'e or theory underlying the
`
`igigvarce,
`the claimed invention
`
`cots reef move’ or cannot be consicearsd to
`
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`WW. CERTIFICATION
`;
`_
`Date of Mailing ofits Internat sca’ Searcn Report?
`
`
`
`Date cf the Actua’ Comaletion of tte internat
`
`Internat.ora’ Searencg Autt ority 2
`
`
`
`
`1262-15-11
`
`