Material or article handling – Apparatus for moving intersupporting articles into – within,... – Stack forming apparatus
Patent
1993-01-19
1995-02-28
Huppert, Michael S.
Material or article handling
Apparatus for moving intersupporting articles into, within,...
Stack forming apparatus
198740, 271181, 414786, B65H 3106
Patent
active
053931963
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method and to an apparatus for stacking that is, for forming, holding, separating, and transporting of stacks, especially stacks made up of letter envelopes or the like downstream of a depositing mechanism which deposits continuously and individually arriving letter envelopes with one envelope edge on a stacking surface.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
A method and an apparatus of the type mentioned are known. The apparatus has a forward stack holder and a rear stack holder, whereby the forward stack holder functions as a holding element during the stack formation while the rear stack holder separates the completed stack from the next stack. The rear stack forms together with the forward stack a transport unit. This known apparatus functions basically in a satisfactory manner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention aims at solving the problem of further improving this technology and to make it more efficient, specifically to assure a positive control of stacks being formed and of an already formed stack. For this purpose the invention provides that during the removing transport of one stack and the simultaneous formation of the next new stack, simultaneously several stack holders are operational and are being moved into the movement path of the stack and out of the movement path as well as alongside the movement path.
Contrary to the prior art, the invention provides not only two stack holders that simultaneously function as transport unit, rather, the invention provides further movable stack holders. These further stack holders are, just as the stack holders serving as a transport unit, movable into the motion or movement path of the stack and out of the stack movement path as well as alongside the movement path of the stack. The movement of stack holders along the movement path is limited only to the area of the stack formation. The stack holders that are only movable in the area of the stack formation are further effective until their function is taken over by the two other stack holders that serve simultaneously as a transport unit.
According to one example embodiment, three stack holders are moved from one side across the movement path and alongside the movement path of the stack while a fourth stack holder is moved from a second side into the movement path and out of the movement path as well as temporarily along the movement path during the stack formation. Due to this combination of moving stack holders, the motion of the three stack holders takes place preferably from below upwardly as well as back and in the longitudinal direction of the motion path, while the motion of the single stack holder takes place from above downwardly and back as well as in the direction of the motion path of the stacks.
Since the stack holders become effective partially simultaneously and partially in alternation, and since they supplement each other in positively controlling the stacks, a continuous motion sequence is possible without interruption, whereby the stack formation also takes place continuously and with an altogether small individual velocity of the individual components. As a result, a high degree of operational reliability and hence a small susceptibility to trouble.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described in more detail in the following with reference to example embodiments shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of the present apparatus for stacking showing a partially completed stack;
FIG. 2 is a view as in FIG. 1 but with a completed stack and with stack holders forming a transport unit in a position prior to taking over the completed stack;
FIG. 3 is a view as in FIG. 2, showing the stack holders forming the transport unit after they have taken over the completed stack;
FIG. 4 is a view as in FIGS. 1 to 3, with a completed stack being transported away and with a further stack being formed anew;
FIG. 5 is a view as in FIGS. 1 to 4, showing the finished stack completely transported away a
REFERENCES:
patent: 3810344 (1974-05-01), Evans et al.
patent: 3866905 (1975-02-01), Trogan et al.
patent: 4772003 (1988-09-01), Nobuta et al.
patent: 4870803 (1989-10-01), Bluemle
Fasse W. F.
Fasse W. G.
Huppert Michael S.
Krizek Janice L.
Winkler & Duennebier Maschinen-fabrik und Eisengiesserei KG
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