Material or article handling – Apparatus for moving intersupporting articles into – within,... – Stack forming apparatus
Reexamination Certificate
1998-04-06
2001-12-04
Olszewski, Robert P. (Department: 3652)
Material or article handling
Apparatus for moving intersupporting articles into, within,...
Stack forming apparatus
C414S788100, C198S803700
Reexamination Certificate
active
06325592
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention concerns a method and device for removing printed products from a conveying stream and for forming stacks of one or more of the removed printed products.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
During processing, such as between successive processing stations, printed products are usually transported in streams. In such conveying streams, the printed products e.g. lie one after the other or overlapping each other (scaled stream) on a conveying surface and are conveyed in a direction substantially parallel to their main surfaces (the largest surfaces of the products) or else the printed products are individually held in a hanging position, e.g. by grippers, so that their main surfaces are substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction.
Printed products are collected in stacks for different kinds of processing (intermediate storage, packing) and are further conveyed and/or processed in the form of stacks (bundles, handleable stacks or packages).
Usually, a stacking device forms the end of a conveying stream, i.e. all printed products conveyed in a conveying stream are stacked by the device. The capacity of a device for further conveying or processing the stacks is to be adapted to the conveying capacity of the conveying stream or else switch points must be introduced into the conveying stream which guide the products to a plurality of parallel stacking devices. The number of printed products which a device for further conveying or further processing (e.g. for strapping or packaging) of stacks is able to handle per time unit is substantially constant and supplying the products causes no problems as long as all stacks to be produced contain a substantially equal number of printed products. If, however, stacks containing very different numbers of printed products are to be produced (e.g. standard packages and odd packages or packages of standard size consisting of printed products with different thicknesses) the capacity of the stack-processing devices regarding number of printed products being taken in by them is subject to very fast changes. Thus, difficulties arise which are additionally increased if the stack-forming must be adapted to the characteristics of the individual printed products (individualized printed products).
In publication CH-667854 (or U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,708) a plant is described for selectively dropping printed products supplied in a scaled stream into a stacking shaft or for conveying them further to a further stacking device. In the further stacking device, the stacks are formed and immediately packed into film and are then conveyed away. The plant can only be used if the major part of printed products is dropped into the stacking shaft or if the conveying performance of the supply stream is adapted to the momentary capacity of both stacking devices but especially of the further stacking device. Using the described plant it is not possible to remove individual printed products from the scaled stream for dropping them into the stacking shaft, i.e. it is not possible to handle individualized printed products individually. For these reasons the described plant is restricted to a very narrow range of application.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide a method with which individual printed products or groups of successive printed products can be removed from a conveying stream of printed products in a predetermined manner and can be supplied to further processing either individually or as stacked groups. The method is simple and adaptable to the most various conditions. Furthermore, an object of the invention is to provide a device for carrying out the inventive method.
Briefly described, the invention comprises a method for removing printed products from a conveying stream having a conveying direction and for forming stacks of the removed printed products wherein each stack consist of one or a plurality of printed products. The printed products are conveyed in the stream with each printed product held by holding means in a hanging position and with the largest, or main, surfaces of the printed products substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction. The printed products are conveyed over a stacking surface which protrudes into the conveying stream such that a lower region of each product conveyed in the conveying stream is laid against the stacking surface or against a printed product already lying against the stacking surface. Printed products to be removed from the conveying stream are released from the holding means in the region of the stacking surface whereby each released printed product is guided by the stacking surface or a printed product already lying against the stacking surface and drops onto a support base below the stacking surface to form a stack on the stacking surface supported by the support base.
For transporting away a stack formed on the stacking surface, the support base is e.g. removed and the printed product or products on the support base fall due to gravity to further processing, e.g. into a device for packaging the stack between webs of film. For transporting away a stack formed on the stacking surface (this stack consisting of one or of a plurality of printed products), this stack can also be pushed off the stacking surface laterally.
The selected removal of printed products from a stream and the stacking of the removed printed products may form one only method step. This means that products which are not to be removed from the stream are not dropped from the gripping means in the region of the stacking surface but are conveyed past, hanging on the gripping means and thus being drawn over the stacking surface.
However, the selective removal of printed products from the stream and the stacking of the products may also be carried out in two separate steps. In that case, a switch point is provided upstream of the stacking surface, where the printed products to be removed are diverted and conveyed still hanging from the holding means towards the stacking surface while the printed products not to be removed are conveyed away in the original conveying stream. In this embodiment of the inventive method it is also possible to buffer the printed products between the switch point and the stacking surface in order to bridge bottlenecks in the further processing of the stacks.
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Ferag AG
McAllister Steven B.
Olszewski Robert P.
Rankin, Hill Porter & Clark LLP
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