Sheet feeding or delivering – Delivering – Rotary conveyor
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-19
2001-02-06
Jillions, John M. (Department: 3651)
Sheet feeding or delivering
Delivering
Rotary conveyor
C271S069000, C271S107000, C271S151000, C198S470100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06182960
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus for processing flexible, sheet-like products, such as printed products.
An apparatus of the described type is disclosed in EP-A-0 300 170 and in the corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,360. This apparatus has a feed conveyor which is intended for feeding printed products to an intermediate conveyor in an imbricated formation in which each printed product rests, in the manner of roof tiles, on the following product. The intermediate conveyor has grippers which are arranged on a buffer chain and are moved along a continuous, banana-shaped circulatory path in the direction of circulation. Arranged downstream of the intermediate conveyor is a removal conveyor, of which the clamps are intended for receiving the printed products from the grippers, and conveying the products away, in a hanging position. Between the feed conveyor and the removal conveyor, the buffer chain is controlled such that, in an approximately horizontally running section of the circulatory path, the distance between the grippers increases, with the result that the printed product retained by the respectively preceding gripper is separated from the printed product retained by the following gripper and falls into an obliquely rearwardly directed hanging position. In a following section of the circulatory path, the distance between successive grippers is reduced again, with the result that, while the sequence of the printed products remains the same, the previously oppositely facing sides of the printed products are then directed toward one another. In order for it to be possible for the printed products to be separated from one another in the direction of circulation, the intermediate conveyor of the known apparatus requires a considerable overall length, which affects the amount of space required by the apparatus.
An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of the described type which requires a considerably smaller amount of space.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved by the provision of an apparatus which comprises a feed conveyor for supplying the products to a receiving location, and an intermediate conveyor which includes a plurality of pivotably controlled grippers arranged for movement serially along a continuous circulatory path in a direction of circulation. Each of the grippers includes means for gripping the leading product from the feed conveyor and for guiding the gripped product around the following grippers in the direction of circulation so that the gripped product moves from one side of the following gripper to the other side as the gripped product moves along the continuous circulatory path. Also, the sequence of the products remains intact and the mutually facing sides of adjacent products are reversed. The apparatus further comprises a removal conveyor arranged downstream of the intermediate conveyor for receiving the products from the grippers and conveying them away.
The apparatus makes use of the ability of flexible products to bend and the products, by being drawn around the respectively following gripper, are moved to the other side of said gripper. This means that the distance between successive grippers can be maintained. In any case, this distance need not be increased to the extent where the successive products, as seen in the direction of circulation, are separated from one another.
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Fenile Roberto
Keller Alex
Alston & Bird LLP
Ferag AG
Jillions John M.
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