Sheet feeding or delivering – Feeding – Separators
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-18
2001-05-01
Ellis, Christopher P. (Department: 3651)
Sheet feeding or delivering
Feeding
Separators
C271S112000, C271S266000, C271S268000, C271S270000, C271S276000, C271S277000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06224050
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for feeding astride folded signatures to a collection path, wherein a signature is lifted partially from a stack and gripped on the fold by a rotating conveyor drum and transported on the circumferential path of the conveyor drum to a discharge location with the fold facing forwardly. The signature is subsequently moved to the collection path from a following opening device which grips the signature in a marginal region opposite the fold and moves in an approximately opposite direction.
An apparatus for processing signatures in this manner reaches its upper performance limit at a throughput of approximately 20,000 printed copies per hour, mainly as a result of the high feed speed, the short decollation time and the large acceleration forces etc. Additional technical measures are therefore required to improve reliability and/or performance.
One bottleneck exists along the path extending from the capture location between the signature magazine and the adjacent conveyor drum to the discharge location between the conveyor drum and the opening device. The processing time and operating performance and the reliability of the decollation process may be improved by moving the signatures faster along certain section of this path and/or by clearing these sections earlier, in order to gain time for the next decollating cycle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an therefore an object of the present invention to implement an apparatus and a process according to the aforedescribed type in such a way that decollation of signatures is improved and the process reliability and/or performance is enhanced.
In general, according to one aspect of the invention, the transport speed of a signature taken from the stack is first increased relative to the circumferential speed of the conveyor drum and then decreased before a region or in a region of the discharge site or in the capture region of the opening device, respectively, so that the signature is again set back relative to the circumference of the conveyor drum.
Preferably, the transport speed of the signature in the discharge region is decreased with respect to these circumferential speed of the conveyor drum, so that the signature is slowed down before being transferred to the opening device.
Advantageously, the signature is slowed down, stopped or even moved in the reverse direction when reaching the discharge region or discharge location, respectively, so that the signature can be reliably transferred to the opening device.
According to another aspect of the invention, an apparatus for carrying out the method and feeding the collection path, respectively, includes a rotating conveyor drum which lifts a signature from a stack of an adjacent signature magazine with the fold of the signature facing forward. A suction device is associated with the conveyor drum for lifting the signature partially from the stack, and a gripping device is disposed on the circumference of the conveyor drum for gripping the lifted signature portion. An opening device is arranged after the conveyor drum. The opening device grips the marginal region opposite the fold of the signature at a discharge location arranged along the circular path of the gripping device and transports the signature in the opposite direction. The operating region of the opening device merges with the collection path.
According to one feature of the invention, the gripping device is connected to a lever which is located inside the conveyor drum and can be controllably tilted about an axis parallel to the rotation axis of the conveyor drum. The gripping device can also be rotated on the lever for displacing the signature on the conveyor drum in the direction of rotation along a path extending inwardly from the circumference of said conveyor drum approximately in the form of a spiral, thereby providing a very reliable operation.
According to another advantageous feature, the lever connected to the gripping device is attached to a shaft which is pivotally supported and forms the parallel axis. Advantageously, the free end of the lever is formed as a stationary portion of tongs of the gripping device, which has proven to be a very effective design.
According to yet another advantageous embodiment, a movable member cooperating with a stationary portion of the tongs for providing a gripping effect is attached to a gripper shaft which is supported on the lever parallel to the shaft. Accordingly, the movable member of the tongs can be moved to a closed position through the resilient force of a spring and to an open position with a control lever connected to a radial cam, which is known from conventional devices.
Preferably, for operating the gripping device, the gripper shaft may include a pinion which is drivingly connected to the control lever and a torsion spring through a toothed quadrant forming a cam.
Advantageously, the toothed quadrant, the torsion spring and the control lever may attached to a pivot axle which is supported concentrically with the shaft.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are intended solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, for which reference should be made to the appended claims.
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Bower Kenneth W
Darby & Darby
Ellis Christopher P.
Grapha-Holding AG
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