CA2362688A1

CA2362688A1 - Device for transferring products between conveyor paths

Info

Publication number: CA2362688A1
Application number: CA002362688A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Niek A.W. Groenendijk
Original assignee: Ferag AG
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-03-19
Filing date: 1999-12-27
Publication date: 2000-09-28
Also published as: DK1169251T3; ATE242747T1; DE59905961D1; AU761373B2; AU1646600A; EP1169251A1; EP1169251B1; WO2000056648A1

Abstract

The device comprises two successive belt conveyors (26, 28) for transporting products (14) in a slat formation (S) along the first conveyor path (10). A release device (22) is mounted on the downstream end of the first belt conveyor (26), consisting of a deflection roller (36) for the conveyor belt (34) of the belt conveyor (26), a guide element (32) embodied as a roller (3 8) and a drive element (46). The upstream end (66) of a transfer conveyor (52) is coupled to the drive element (46). When the free end (64) is in return position and the guide element (32) is in idle position (30), the slat formation (S) is transported in a straight line along the first conveyor pat h (10). If a product (14) from the slat formation (S) is to be transferred to the second conveyor path (18), the guide element (32) is then placed in release position (30') and the end (64) is placed in the working position (66') by means of the drive element (46). As a result of the curvature thus produced in the active trunk (34'), the front edge (24) and the following ed ge area (24') of the product (14) to be fed to the second conveyor path (18) is raised and is introduced into the conveyor gap (54) of the second conveyor path (18).

Description

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v APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING PRODUCTS BETWEEN CONVEYING
PATHS
The present invention relates to an apparatus for optionally transferring flexible sheet-like products, in particular printed products such as newspapers, periodicals, envelopes and the like, from an imbricated formation transported along a first conveying path onto a second conveying path which branches off from the first conveying path, according to the preamble of patent claim 1.
An apparatus of this type is known from EP-A-0 478 911 and the corresponding US-A-5,195,741. The first conveying path of this apparatus is determined by a belt conveyor, of which the active strand is guided in the form of an S around deflecting rollers in order to form a descending step. Of each product - printed products - of the products transported in the imbricated formation by means of the belt conveyor, the leading edge and an adjoining border region is [sic]
exposed - on account of the inherent rigidity of the products - upon crossing over the step. A conveying arrangement which defines a second conveying path has two conveying arms which are arranged one behind the other, are connected to one another in an articulated manner and are designed as belt conveyors. The downstream end of the said pair of conveying arms is pivotably mounted in a stationary manner and the upstream end, for the purpose of releasing products from the imbricated formation, can be moved into an operating position, adjacent to the step, and, for the purpose of terminating the release operation, can be moved into a retracted position, spaced apart further from the step. During movement into the operating position, the second conveying arrangement grips that product which projects beyond the step by way of its exposed, leading border region. This and possibly _ .. . . _..'.::,~aa.~.;~ata'u.

following products are transported on along the second conveying path. With the movement of the upstream end of the second conveying arrangement into the retracted position, the last-gripped product is drawn away from beneath the following product, with the result that the latter and the following products continue to be conveyed in the imbricated formation along the first conveying path.
Taking this prior art as the departure point, it is an object of the present invention to develop the apparatus of the generic type such that, along with the high processing capacity, smooth running is ensured.
This object is achieved by an apparatus which has the features of claim 1.
The apparatus according to the invention makes it possible for the first conveying arrangement to be designed without a step being permanently present, as a result of which it is possible to ensure smooth running for the flexible sheet-like products transported in an imbricated formation. By means of guide elements, it is possible to change the first conveying path in order to expose the leading edge and the adjoining border region of the respectively first product which is to be directed to the second conveying path.
Preferred embodiments of the apparatus according to the invention are specified in the dependent claims.
The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to an exemplary embodiment illustrated in the drawing, in which, purely schematically:
Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention in elevation, flexible sheet-like products being ,::;,;y;.a,,.~

transported in an imbricated formation along a first conveying path;
Figure 2 shows the apparatus shown in figure 1 in the same type of illustration as the latter, products being transferred from the imbricated formation to a second conveying path and continuing to be conveyed along the latter; and Figure 3 shows, on a larger scale than figure 2, part of the apparatus shown in figure 2.
The apparatus illustrated in the drawing has a first conveying arrangement 12, which defines a first conveying path 10. Said conveying arrangement is intended for transporting in a conveying direction F
flexible sheet-like products 14, in the present case newspapers, which occur in an imbricated formation S.
The apparatus is also suitable for processing other printed products, such as periodicals, envelopes and the like. At a branching location 16, a second conveying path 18 branches off from the first conveying path 10, the second conveying path being determined by a second conveying arrangement 20. In the imbricated formation S, each product 14 rests on the respectively preceding product. At the branching location 16, the first conveying arrangement 12 is assigned an exposure arrangement 22, which is intended for exposing the leading edge 24 - in the present case the folded edge of the folded printed product - and an adjoining border region 24' of the respectively first product 14 which is to be fed to the second conveying arrangement 20.
The first conveying arrangement 12 has two belt conveyors 26, 28 which are arranged directly one behind the other and, with the guide element 32 of the exposure arrangement 22 located in the rest position 30 ~:~:a:.

- see figure 1 - define a conveying plane with a first, rectilinear conveying path 10. The first belt conveyor 26 has a conveying belt 34 which at the downstream end, at the branching location 16, is guided around a driven roller 36. The latter forms a second guide element 32' of the exposure arrangement 22. The top, active strand 34' of the conveying belt 34 runs through beneath the guide element 32, which is likewise designed as a roller 38. The axis 38' of the roller 38 is located upstream of the axis 36' of the roller 36, as seen in the conveying direction F. A holding-down belt 40 is guided around the roller 38, which serves as guide element 32, the active strand 40' of said holding-down belt forming, together with the active strand 34' of the conveying belt 34, a conveying nip 42 for the imbricated formation S, and the return strand 40" of said holding-down belt being guided by way of a length-compensating arrangement which forms a changeable-length loop. At the upstream end of the first belt conveyor 26 (this end not being shown), both the conveying belt 34 and the holding-down belt 40 is [sic]
guided around corresponding rollers.
The exposure arrangement 22 comprises the two guide elements 32, 32' which are formed by the rollers 36, 38, and a drive element 46 - in the present case a cylinder/piston subassembly - for the purpose of moving the roller 38 from the rest position 30, shown in figure 1, into an exposure position 30', shown in figures 2 and 3, and back again. During movement from the rest position 30, in which the strand 34' of the conveying belt 34 runs rectilinearly to the roller 36, into the exposure position 30', the strand 34' is lowered between the stationary roller at the upstream end of the first belt conveyor 26 and the stationary roller 36, with the result that it runs in the form of an S around a region of the roller 38 and the roller 36. The change in the length of the active strand 40' .. .. . . .. _ .u of the holding-down belt 40 during movement of the roller 38 is compensated for by corresponding pivoting of the spring-loaded lever of the length-compensating arrangement 44. For the purpose of compensating for the corresponding changes in the length of the conveying belt 34, the latter is formed from elastomeric material.
The roller 38 is mounted on both sides on in each case one link plate 48 which, at the other end, is mounted in a freely pivotable manner on the spindle which bears the roller 36. The axis 38' of the roller 38 thus moves along part of the circular movement path 38" about the axis 36' of the roller 36.
The second conveying arrangement 20 has a third belt conveyor 50, which is arranged above the second belt conveyor 28, and a transfer conveyor 52, which is arranged directly upstream of the third belt conveyor.
The transfer conveyor is formed by two belt conveyors 56, 58 which together form a conveying nip 54 and each have two conveying arms 60, 60' and 62, 62' which are connected to one another in an articulated manner. The first conveying arms 60, 62, which are arranged directly upstream of the third belt conveyor 50, are pivotably mounted in a stationary manner one above the other, by way of their conveying end, such that the conveying nip 54 opens out level with the top strand of the third belt conveyor 50, in order for the products 14 transported by means of the transfer conveyor 52 to be directed to the third belt conveyor 50. The second, upstream conveying arms 60', 62' are articulated at the free end of the first conveying arms 60, 62 and their free, upstream ends 64 can be moved by means of the drive element 46, from a retracted position 66, shown in figure 1, into an operating position 66', closer to the exposure arrangement 22, and back again; see figures 2 and 3.

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Each of the conveying arms 60, 60' and 62, 62' is assigned a link-like bearing plate 70, the bearing plates 70 of each belt conveyor 56 and 58 being connected to one another in an articulated manner. This articulated connection serves, at the same time, for mounting deflecting rollers 72. The bearing plates 70 assigned to the downstream conveying arms 60, 62 are mounted pivotably at the stationary bearing locations at which the deflecting rollers 74 are mounted near the third belt conveyor 50. A smaller-diameter deflecting roller 76 is mounted in a freely rotatable manner at the free end~of the bearing plate 70 assigned to the conveying arm 60'. The belts 78 run, by way of their top, active strand, from the small deflecting roller 76 to the deflecting roller 72, to the deflecting roller 74 near the third belt conveyor 50 and, around a deflecting roller 80, back to the small deflecting roller 76. The deflecting roller 80 is arranged beneath the deflecting roller 72 and is mounted on an extension arm projecting from the bearing plate 70.
Fastened at the free end of the bearing plate 70 assigned to the conveying arm 62' is a lozenge-shaped plate 70' on which, at the corners,of a triangle, in each case one small deflecting roller 82 is mounted in a freely rotatable manner. As seen in elevation, two of these small deflecting rollers 82 are located on either side of the bearing plate 70 and one is located, approximately in rectilinear extension of the bearing plate 70, at the free end of the plate 70'. The bottom, active strand of the belts 78' runs from the small deflecting roller 82 arranged at the free end, around the small deflecting roller 82, which is directed toward the bottom belt conveyor 58, and around the deflecting roller 72 of this belt conveyor 58 to the downstream deflecting roller 74, which is mounted in a stationary manner. The return strand runs from the latter, around the deflecting roller 72 and around the 1i71,~'~~

top small deflecting roller 82, back to the deflecting roller at the free end. At the upstream end 64 of the transfer conveyor 52, the belts 78, 78' form a tapering inlet 54' into the conveying nip 54, as seen in the conveying direction F.
The spindle 82', on which the small deflecting roller 82 arranged at the free end of the top belt conveyor 58 is mounted in a freely rotatable manner, projects axially beyond the plate 70'. The spindle 82' is guided in a rectilinear guide element 86 by way of said projecting end regions. In the operating position 66', the small deflecting roller 82 mounted on the spindle 82' is located in the vicinity of the roller 38 and approximately level with the axis 38' thereof, while the small deflecting roller 76 is located adjacent to the roller 36. An imaginary rectilinear extension of the conveying nip 54 forms approximately a tangent to the roller 36. A drive link plate 84 is articulated on the plate 70', above the spindle 82', and, at the other end, is mounted pivotably on the spindle which bears the roller 38.
The apparatus shown in figures 1 to 3 functions as follows. In the rest position 30 of the roller 38 and thus in the retracted position 66 of the end 64 of the transfer conveyor 52, the imbricated formation S is conveyed through, between the rollers 36, 38 of the exposure arrangement 22, in the conveying plane to the second belt conveyor 28 and conveyed away by means of the latter. If, then, at least one product 14 is to be ejected from the imbricated formation S, the drive element 46 is used to move, at the same time, the roller 38 into the exposure position 30' and the end 64 of the transfer conveyor 52 into the operating position 66'. On account of the resulting change in the course of the active strand 34' of the conveying belt 34, and with the inherent rigidity of the products 14 being utilized, the leading edge 24 and the adjoining border region 24' of that product which has its leading edge 24 leaving the through-passage defined by the rollers 36 and 38 lifts off from the preceding product 14 which is still to be fed, or has been fed, to the second belt conveyor 28. It strikes, by way of its leading edge 24, at an acute angle against that section of the belts 78' which is located between the small deflecting rollers 82, and is deflected and carried along by the same in the direction of the conveying nip 54. If only a single product 14 is to be removed from the imbricated formation S, the drive element 46 is then activated as soon as the relevant product 14 is retained in the conveying nip 54 by way of the leading border region 24'. On the one hand, on account of the resulting movement of the end 64 of the transfer conveyer 52, the product 14 gripped by the same is drawn out from beneath the following product 14 and continues to be conveyed along the second conveying path 18 and, on the other hand, on account of the roller 38 being pivoted into the rest position 30, the following products 14, in turn, continue to be conveyed along the first conveying path 10.
If a plurality of products 14 following one after the other are to be transferred from the first conveying path 10 into the second conveying path 18, the exposure position 30' and the operating position 66' are maintained for a correspondingly longer period of time.
In order to synchronise the exposure arrangement 22 and the transfer conveyor 52 with the products 14 of the incoming imbricated formation S, a sensor for detecting the leading edge 24 of the products 14 is preferably arranged upstream of the branching location 16, said sensor emitting its signals to a control arrangement which activates the drive element 46.

The rollers 36 and 38 are spaced apart from one another to the extent where they do not form a clamping nip for the products 14 conveyed through them. This makes it possible for the product 14 fed to the second conveying path 18 to be easily drawn away from beneath the following product 14, because the latter is held back by the interaction between the active strand 34' and the roller 38.
It is also conceivable, of course, for the two rollers 36 and 38 to be of movable design, in order for it to be possible to adjust the outlet direction of the first belt conveyor 26.
It is also possible for the passive strand of the conveying belt 34 to be guided by way of a length-compensating arrangement; in this case, the conveying belt 34 need not be of elastic design.
It is not necessary for the exposure arrangement 22 to be arranged at the downstream end of a belt conveyor.
It is also possible for it to be arranged in the center of the active strand, one guide element 32' being located beneath, and the other 32 being located above, the active strand.
It is, of course, also possible for the second conveying arrangement 20 to be designed differently.
In the exemplary embodiment shown, all the conveyors in the conveying arrangement are driven continuously at the same conveying speed. It is also possible, however, for the second conveying arrangement to be operated by the start/stop method.

Claims

1. An apparatus for optionally transferring flexible sheet-like products, in particular printed products such as newspapers, periodicals, envelopes and the like, from an imbricated formation (S) transported along a first conveying path (10) onto a second conveying path (18) which branches off from the first conveying path (10), having a first conveying arrangement (12), which predetermines the first conveying path (10) and has exposure means (22) for exposing a leading edge (24) and an adjoining border region (24') of the products (14), and having a second conveying arrangement (20) which determines the second conveying path (18) and of which the upstream end (64), for the purpose of releasing products (14) from the imbricated formation (S), can be moved into an operating position (66'), adjacent to the exposure means (22), and, for the purpose of terminating the release operation, can be moved into a retracted position (66), spaced apart further from the exposure means (22), characterized in that the exposure means (22) have in each case one guide element (32, 32') on the two sides of the first conveying path (10) and, for the purpose of transferring products (14) from the imbricated formation (S), said guide elements (32, 32') can be moved relative to one another from a rest position (30), in a direction transverse to the first conveying path (10) into an exposure position (30') in order, on account of the resulting change in the first conveying path (10), for the leading edge (24) and the leading border region (24') of the relevant product (14) to be exposed and deflected from the first conveying path (10) in the direction of the second conveying path (20).

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the first conveying path (10), with the guide elements (32, 32') located in the rest position (30), runs at least more or less recti-linearly and, with the guide elements (32, 32') located in the exposure position (30'), runs in the form of an S.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the guide elements (32, 32') are formed by rollers (36, 38).

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that a first of the rollers (36) is mounted in a stationary manner and the other, second of the rollers (38) is arranged upstream of the first roller (36).

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the second roller (38) can be moved along a movement path (38''), which runs in the form of part of a circle arc about the axis (36') of the first roller (36), from the rest position (30) into the exposure position (30') and back again.

6. The apparatus as claimed in one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the first conveying arrange-ment (12) has a belt conveyor (26), and one of the guide elements (32, 32') is arranged above, and the other (36) is arranged beneath, the active strand (34') of the belt conveyor (26).

7. The apparatus as claimed in one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the upstream end (64) of the second conveying arrangement (20) and the movable guide element (32) can be moved, by means of a common drive element (46), from the retracted position (66) or the rest position (30) into the operating position (66') or exposure position (30') and back again.

8. The apparatus as claimed in one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the second conveying arrangement (20) has conveying belts (78, 78') which form a conveying nip (54) and at the upstream end (64), in the operating position (66'), run past in each case one of the guide elements (32, 32') and form a tapering inlet (54') into the conveying nip (54).

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 and 6, characterized in that the conveying belt (34) of the belt conveyor (26) is guided around the roller (36), which is arranged beneath the active strand (34'), and in that a holding-down belt (40) is guided around the roller (38), which is arranged above the active strand (34'), said holding-down belt forming, together with the conveying belt (34), a conveying nip (42) for the imbricated formation (S).

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 or 9, characterized in that the conveying belt (34) is of elastomeric design or is guided around a length-compensating means.