Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor section – Conveyor for signatures
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-26
2003-04-01
Schwartz, Christopher P. (Department: 3613)
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor section
Conveyor for signatures
C198S496000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06540066
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Priority is claimed with respect to application No. 99810669.4 filed in the European Patent Office on Jul. 26, 1999, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a conveyor for the gathering and processing of signatures, printed products and paper sheets, which terms are used interchangeably herein, which are transported by circulating drivers as they straddle a saddle-shaped support of a conveying device, are removed by means of a blade on the conveying device and transferred to a lifting device.
A conveyor of this type is disclosed in Swiss Application A-358 100 which is owned by the assignee herein. A lift-off blade is provided for removing the printed products from the conveying device, which blade is arranged below an elongated slot in a slide rail. An operating system periodically lifts this blade at an angle to the advancing direction,-meaning with a-vertical movement component and a movement component in an advancing direction, through the aforementioned elongated slot. The signatures are lifted off the conveyor with this movement of the lift-off blade. The signatures are folded single sheets of paper or sheets combined to form leaflets.
An improved conveyor of this type is shown in the Swiss Application A-525-142, also owned by the assignee herein. This system is intended to permit a higher speed. The paper sheets in this case are also lifted with a blade, which is moved periodically with a vertical component and a component oriented in advancing direction. The paper sheets lifted up with the blade are pushed between driven roller pairs that are arranged one after another. Auxiliary blades are provided in order to remove the paper sheets from the operating area of the gathering chain before the roller pairs take over.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to create a conveyor of the aforementioned type which is more simple, has a higher capacity and a more secure operation.
The above and other objects are accomplished according to the invention by the provision of an arrangement for gathering and processing of signatures, comprising: a conveying device including circulating drivers separated by a saddle-shaped support for transporting the signatures; and a blade arranged for removing the signatures from the conveying device so that the signatures can be transferred to a lift-off device; wherein the conveying device is lowered in a region of the blade and the drivers push the signatures onto the blade which is stationary in the conveying direction.
With the arrangement of the invention, it is not necessary to move the blade. The comparatively expensive movement system that was previously necessary becomes obsolete and the signatures are handled more carefully since the blade does not impact with the signatures. The drivers push the signatures onto the stationary blade. By lowering the conveyor in the region of the blade, the separate drivers are subsequently returned to a position where they no longer act upon the signatures. The conveyor according to the invention permits a continuous and very careful, but also fast transfer of the signatures from the conveyor to the blade where the signatures are respectively gripped by a lifting device. The lifting device-preferably is a rotating device, such as disclosed in European Patent 0 771 675 A which is owned by the assignee of the present application.
A particularly secure and careful operational transfer of the signatures to the blade is possible if, according to one modification of the invention, the blade has an upper take-up edge that is aligned with a ridgeline of the conveying device. The drivers push the signatures respectively onto this take-up edge, wherein they are not lifted up or only insignificantly and are conveyed essentially in the horizontal direction and in a straight line.
The signatures are lifted especially securely-off the blade if the blade is provided with at least one recess where the signatures can be gripped along the fold by a rotating lift-off device, e.g. through clamping. If, according to another modification of the invention, two recesses are arranged at a distance to each other, then the signatures can be gripped respectively at two spaced-apart locations. This permits an especially secure guidance of the signatures when they are lifted off the blade.
According to another modification of the invention, the conveying device is provided with a double chain and the blade intervenes between the two strands of this double chain. This is possible since the blade can have a comparably small design.
Based upon another modification of the invention, a horizontally extending metal sheet is arranged on the side of the conveyor as a guide for the printed products. The metal guide preferably extends into the area of the blade and guides the signatures in this area, such that they are opened up in a V-shape. The drivers in the region of the conveyor that is lowered will be moved very quickly to a position where they are outside of the effective range. A sheet-metal guide is preferably arranged on each side of the conveying device.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5312059 (1994-05-01), Membrino
patent: 5779024 (1998-07-01), Harper
patent: 6142353 (2000-11-01), Boss et al.
patent: 6142354 (2000-11-01), Boss et al.
patent: A-358 100 (1961-12-01), None
patent: A-525 142 (1972-07-01), None
patent: 0 771 675 (1997-05-01), None
patent: 0 881 180 (1998-12-01), None
Grapha-Holding AG
Kinberg Robert
Schwartz Christopher P.
Venable LLP
LandOfFree
Conveyor for gathering and processing printed sheets does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Conveyor for gathering and processing printed sheets, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Conveyor for gathering and processing printed sheets will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3110180