Sheet-material associating – Associating or disassociating – Web bursting
Reexamination Certificate
1998-04-21
2001-02-27
Ellis, Christopher P. (Department: 3651)
Sheet-material associating
Associating or disassociating
Web bursting
C270S052070, C271S184000, C271S186000, C271S225000, C271S270000, C271S275000, C226S172000, C242S558000, C242S563000, C242S528000, C242S564500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06193227
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of feeding a processing machine with flat products, such as printed sheets, cards, patterns or the like. Over a conveyor path arranged between a storage unit and the processing machine and forming a product storage unit, the flat products are carried from the storage unit in a stream formed by products arranged in an overlapping configuration.
The present invention also relates to an apparatus for carrying out the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known in the art to wind printed products delivered by printing machines or folding machines in a stream formation onto a roll core and to subject them to intermediate storage, so that they can be further processed at a later time.
In a processing machine for such printed products, for example, a gather stitcher or saddle stitcher, the printed products rolled up in the stream formation are again unwound for feeding the gather stitcher in an unwinding station and for transporting the printed products over a relatively short conveyor path to the processing machine, wherein the printed products may have to be turned into a processing position. Single-roller or double-roller stations are available for this purpose.
The single-roller station, which includes one roll, is less expensive and requires less space, however, the station makes it necessary to interrupt the processing machine or gather stitcher when an empty roll core has to be replaced by a new roll. For this reason, the processing machine cannot be utilized in an optimum manner and processing is to a certain extent unproductive.
The double-roller station avoids this disadvantage by making it possible, when a roll is empty, to immediately switch through a switch to a roll which has been prepared in an adjacent area.
However, double-roller stations are expensive and require more space which frequently is not available.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is the primary object of the present invention to further develop a method and an apparatus of the above-described type in which the disadvantages of the use of a single-roller or double-roller are avoided and the advantages are maintained.
In accordance with the present invention, the product stream conveyed on the conveyor path toward the processing machine is followed by a product stream having a higher speed.
The present invention makes it possible in a simple manner and without harmful effects for the further processing to prevent any difficulties which may be caused by an exchange of a roll of a single-roller station or any other problems which may lead to an interruption of the supply of products at the storage unit or the conveyor path. In other words, it is made possible in a simple manner and without any damage to the further processing to prevent interruptions in the supply of the products.
Moreover, the present invention makes it possible to obtain sufficient time for an exchange of a full roll against an empty roll core to be removed from the rolling station or when an unforeseen interruption occurs in the feeding path of the products to the processing machine; when the roll is to be exchanged, a residual amount of products still present on the roll is fed at a higher speed than the product flow already on the conveyor path, so that the subsequent products form on the conveyor path a more dense product stream; in the event of an interruption in the feeding path, the resulting gap can be at least essentially closed by the subsequently fed product stream in order to be able to maintain the continuity of processing.
The apparatus for carrying out the method according to the present invention includes a device with a drivable storage unit for removing the flat products, wherein the storage unit is connected through a conveyor unit to a processing machine for processing the products. The conveyor unit includes a plurality of separate conveyor elements arranged one behind the other and driven in the same direction, wherein a sensor each is directed to the conveying ends of the conveyor elements, and wherein each sensor is connected to a control unit for changing the discharge speed of the product from the storage unit and/or the conveying speed of the products on the conveyor elements.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of the disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages, specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the drawing and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4595192 (1986-06-01), Reist
patent: 4684118 (1987-08-01), Boss et al.
patent: 4953843 (1990-09-01), Reist
patent: 5088711 (1992-02-01), Newsome
patent: 5295679 (1994-03-01), Reist
patent: 5443254 (1995-08-01), Reist
patent: 5673869 (1997-10-01), Honegger
patent: 5846835 (1998-12-01), Sisbarro et al.
patent: 3532403 (1986-04-01), None
patent: 0300179 (1989-01-01), None
Ellis Christopher P.
Friedrich Kueffner
Grapha-Holding AG
Mackey Patrick
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