EP0279333B1 - Method and device for packaging printing products - Google Patents

Description

The invention is based on a method for packaging printed products, in which copies of the preferably folded, glued or stapled products are fed from an upstream station by means of a loading device taken over and scaled up in the loading device by partially sliding them over one another, the scaled-up specimens are stacked synchronously with a stacking device, the specimens are then fed to the stacking device in which individual specimens are aligned and counted, and partial stacks are formed from the individual copies, the partial stacks an entire stack are stacked and finally the entire stack is fed to a packaging unit and pressed there and enclosed with a packaging material.

The invention is also based on a device for packaging preferably folded, glued or stapled copies of printed products, with a loading device for taking over the copies from a preceding station, with a stacking device downstream of the loading device, and with a transfer device for transferring stacked copies the stacking device to form a packaging unit. Such a method and such a device are known from DE-G 86 11 717.

Such a packaging device is used to align, stack and package printed products after they have passed through stapling or folding machines. The packaging facility consists of several individual machines.

In the process of the type mentioned at the outset, the specimens are individually drawn off, which then fall onto a protective plate held in the stacking device by retaining flaps. A counting device registers the copies placed on top of one another on the protective plate and, after reaching a predetermined partial stack height, causes that no further copies are drawn in, but that another protective plate is placed on the uppermost copies of the partial stack. The partial stack thus formed is then pressed under the retaining plate by means of a press-down punch until it comes to rest on a floor of the stacking device. Depending on the height of the overall stack formed from the individual partial stacks, there are several protective plates in the overall stack. The entire stack formed in this way is then fed together with the stacking device, which is arranged on a rotary table, by rotating the table to a packaging unit, in which the entire stack is then pressed and, while still in the stacking device, is enclosed with a packaging means. The packaged total stack is then removed from the stacking device. The empty stacking device can then be returned to its starting position and can again hold copies or partial stacks.

This method is cumbersome, time-consuming and space-consuming and also leads to total stacks which are provided with at least two or more protective plates which either remain as waste after use of the specimens or have to be laboriously returned to the packaging point. Furthermore, especially in the case of folded sheets, it is not ensured that an even shingled stream is formed at all, since such specimens have a tendency to develop or bulge, which then makes it possible for the shingled stream in the loading device to become so uneven that the individual specimens are bulge or wedge into each other.

It is also possible for the specimens to try to relax again when the sub-stacks are formed while bulging, which can then lead to individual specimens being depressed be bent over or provided with a kink. After the entire stack has been formed, it is transferred to the packaging unit by placing a final protective plate on the cover. During the transfer, it is again possible for the entire stack to relax and bulge in the stacking direction.

The stack must be compressed in the packaging unit, in which case the air between the individual copies must escape. This process takes a certain amount of time during which the stacking device cannot be re-populated. If only a single stacking device is used, considerable dead times arise between the individual stacking processes. If, on the other hand, several stacking devices are used in the process, this leads to a very space-consuming way of working. When packaging gel-folded copies, such as advertising brochures or magazines, raised stacks are formed on the side of the folded edge, which then, when pressed together to wrap with the packaging material, possibly with used-up copy pages, cause these inclined copies to fold or fold be provided so that they can no longer be used later.

In a method or device which has become known from the "Beck, Packing Machines DP 2" brochure, loose copies of the printed products are each individually fed to a stacker by means of a conveyor belt. The copies are aligned, counted and partial stacks are formed in the stacker. Several partial stacks are stacked on top of each other offset by 180 ° to form a total stack. The aligned, but still loose, entire stack is conveyed out of the stacker via a conveyor belt and fed to a packaging machine, which presses the entire stack and welds it or wraps it in film.

Since the copies are fed continuously, individually and loosely to the stacker, folded, stapled or glued products can bulge and shift against each other. In particular, when transferring the stacker to the packaging unit as a loose stack, the products can slip against each other, so that a subsequent inclined stacking or wrapping or welding can result in a slanted stack with possibly bent ends of the products arises. The individual feeding of the copies also has the disadvantage that the stacker must work very quickly in order to avoid a jam.

The object of the present invention is therefore to improve a method of the type mentioned in such a way that, viewed in the stacking direction, evenly formed stacks can be formed in a simple, rapid and space-saving manner, the stacks being independent of the respective stack height without additional aids the packaging material is to be produced in high packaging density.

The object according to the method mentioned at the outset is achieved in that the specimens are pressed over the entire area before the scaling, that the partial stacks are stacked one after the other rotated by 180 ° about their vertical axis to form the entire stack, and that the entire stack is removed from the stacking device in the pressed state and transferred into the packaging unit while being pressed, and enclosed with the packaging means.

The object according to the device mentioned at the outset is achieved in that the loading device has first and second conveying means for the specimens, that a press for the specimens is arranged between first and second conveying means, the conveying means arranged downstream of the press having a reduced conveying speed run and have brake means actuated in synchronism with the stacker for stopping and scaling the pressed specimens, and that the transfer means include means for gripping and holding the stacked specimens under pressure for removal from the stacker and for transfer to the packaging unit.

The object underlying the invention is thus completely achieved.

The specimens are pressed over the entire area by the press in the loading device, so that the superimposed sides of a specimen are freed of air pockets and the fold is more pronounced and smoothed. The pressed specimens can then be transported and scaled up more easily and safely in the loading device.

By stacking the partial stacks one after the other, each rotated by 180 ° about their vertical axis, the result is very even, flat stacks.

The entire stack is removed from the stacking device in the pressed state and transferred to the packaging unit. This has the advantage that the individual copies remain firmly fixed in the overall stack even when shaken. By pressing the copies, the entire stack can be packed into a small package. The packaging material is stretched after the compressive force acting on the entire stack decreases, so that the packaging material holds the specimens in the entire stack immovably together.

The first funding can be adapted to the performance of upstream machines regardless of the speed of the second funding. The specimens arriving individually at the loading device are quickly transported onward so that congestion or malfunctions when the specimens are picked up in the packaging device according to the invention are avoided. The conveying speed of the second conveying means can be set in such a way that it combines the specimens arriving from the first conveying means into a constant conveying flow.

The braking means arranged in front of the stacking device can block the conveying path of the specimens between the loading device and the stacking device, so that an exact, countable transfer of the specimens to the stacking device is possible.

The means for gripping the stacked copies grasp the entire stack in the stacking device by pressing it together so that it can be transferred to the packaging unit safely and in an aligned manner.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the loading device, the stacking device, the transfer device and the packaging unit form a structural unit.

This allows a compact design of the packaging device according to the invention, and the work processes overlapping in one structural unit ensure a short packaging path for the specimens.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the loading device runs horizontally in the upper region of the structural unit, the stacking device works from the free end of the loading device downwards and the transfer device runs horizontally and in opposite directions, parallel below the loading device, and is structurally combined with the packaging unit.

This has the advantage that the packaging device according to the invention with a length of approximately two meters and a width of approximately 0.7 meters quickly and safely aligns, stacks and packs the printed products on a short packaging path, while known packaging devices have a length of between three and four Meters and have a width of about one meter.

In a further embodiment of the invention, ejection means are provided perpendicular to the transfer device in the area of the packaging unit.

This has the advantage that the packaged total stack can be conveyed gently in a confined space to other means of transport which e.g. feed to a palletizer.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the first conveying means and the press are driven by the same drive.

This has the advantage that the press can be operated safely and with simple means with the same conveying capacity as the first conveying means.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the press has two rollers which extend transversely to the longitudinal axis of the conveyor with a length corresponding to the width of the conveyor and the distance between the rollers is adjustable.

The specimens can thus be pressed over the entire surface and air pockets between the sheets or sheets can be pressed out. The force with which the specimens are to be pressed can be adjusted by changing the distance between the rollers. The distance between the rollers forming the press can also be increased so far be that the driven lower roller only takes over the function of a conveyor element and transfers the specimens unpressed, for example from a first conveyor to a second conveyor.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the braking means are arranged at the end of the loading device adjacent to the stacking device.

This has the advantage that no specimens from the loading device can get into the stacking device in an uncontrolled manner. If, for example, a plate extending over the entire conveying surface of the loading device is used as the braking means, the conveying path can be quickly blocked or released again.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the loading device borders on a first carrier of the stacking device, which furthermore has a second carrier which is arranged in alignment below the first carrier.

This has the advantage that the partial stacks formed in the first carrier can be safely transferred to the second carrier in which the partial stacks are put together to form an overall stack.

In a further embodiment of the invention, adjustable alignment elements are provided on the carriers. This has the Advantage that the copies in the carriers can be aligned transversely and along their broad sides, the alignment elements being displaceable and being able to be adapted to the format size of the copies.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the second carrier can be rotated about its vertical axis, and has rails on a base plate and angular rails which can be displaced perpendicular to the base plate and which form side edges of a cuboid, and the leg of the angular rails can be pivoted or displaced at least on one cuboid side.

This has the advantage that the specimens in the second carrier designed as a rotating basket are loosely guided securely and aligned with one another along the stack height. If the legs are pivoted or shifted on one cuboid side in such a way that they release the conveying path across the width of the entire stack, the aligned total stack can be pushed out of the rotating basket.

In a preferred development of the invention, the rails can be displaced away from the base plate in the direction of the first carrier.

This has the advantage that the fall of the partial stack from the first carrier into the second carrier can be shortened. The transfer of all the partial stacks forming an entire stack thus takes place under the same conditions (fall time, fall path).

Furthermore, the transfer device has a gripper in the form of at least one pair of gripper arms comprising a rigid and a movable gripper arm, which are arranged in parallel, and the movable gripper arm can be pivoted and / or displaced relative to the rigid gripper arm.

This has the advantage that the gripper can grasp the entire stack in a confined space and transport it in a compressed manner. In terms of weight, light and / or tall, narrow stacks thus remain safely aligned on their further transport. Depending on how the alignment elements are arranged on the second carrier, the movable gripping arm pivots and / or shifts into its holding position.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the gripper has two pairs of gripper arms which are arranged at a distance from one another.

This has the advantage that the entire stack is guided without distortion during transport. The holding forces of the gripper are evenly distributed on the upper and lower cover sheets of the entire stack, so that the cover sheets are not damaged when the entire stack is pressed. The gripper takes over the function of a guiding, transporting and pressing device. Furthermore, the spaced-apart arrangement of the gripper arm pairs creates a free space in which, for example, means for packaging the entire stack can be arranged.

In a development of the invention, the second carrier is preferably connected to the gripper via the cuboid sides with displaceable or pivotable legs, said gripper being displaceable longitudinally and transversely with respect to the fixed vertical axis of the second carrier.

This has the advantage that the entire stack remains aligned regardless of vibrations on its way to a packaging machine. The entire stack can also be moved safely and easily along the vertical.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the gripper has switching means for switching on a drive which shifts or pivots the legs in end positions.

This has the advantage that the gripper and the legs can be freely adapted to their functions. When the gripper engages in the second carrier, the legs are always displaced or pivoted when they would hinder the movement of the gripper. Furthermore, the legs are pivoted or shifted in such a way that they release the conveying path when the entire stack is moved out. This protects the side edges of the entire stack, which are sensitive to impact.

In a development of the invention, a device for banding is provided between the pairs of gripper arms.

This has the advantage that the compressed entire stack can be strapped in a very small space. The banderole holds the entire stack together particularly firmly and immovably, since the banderole is stretched when the gripper is opened.

It goes without saying that the features mentioned above and those yet to be explained below can be used not only in the combination indicated in each case, but also in other combinations and on their own without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Further advantages result from the description and the attached drawing.

Fig. 1

eine stark schematisierte erfindungsgemäße Verpackungseinrichtung zur Veranschaulichung des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens;

Fig. 2

eine Vorderansicht eines Greifers einer erfindungsgemäßen Verpackungseinrichtung;

Fig. 3

einen Schnitt entlang der Linie III-III gemäß Fig. 2;

Fig. 4

eine Schnittdarstellung einer Stapelvorrichtung einer erfindungsgemäßen Verpackungsvorrichtung;

Fig. 5

eine Draufsicht auf einen Drehkorb einer erfindungsgemäßen Verpackungseinrichtung.

Exemplary embodiments are shown in the drawing and are explained in more detail in the description below. Show it:

Fig. 1

a highly schematic packaging device according to the invention to illustrate the method according to the invention;

Fig. 2

a front view of a gripper of a packaging device according to the invention;

Fig. 3

a section along the line III-III of FIG. 2;

Fig. 4

a sectional view of a stacking device of a packaging device according to the invention;

Fig. 5

a plan view of a rotating basket of a packaging device according to the invention.

In FIG. 1, 10 designates a packaging device according to the invention, highly schematized overall, which is composed in one structural unit from a loading device 11, a stacking device 12 and from means for packaging printed products.

The loading device 11 comprises first and second conveying means 14, 15, e.g. Continuously conveying belt or belt conveyors which are connected to one another via a press 16. Copies 20 are located on conveying surfaces 17, 18 of the conveying means 14, 15 and are transported in the direction of the arrows 17ʹ, 18ʹ.

The press 16 is composed essentially of two rollers 21, 22, the lateral surfaces of which are adjustable with respect to one another. As indicated in the figure, the roller 22 is driven by the first conveying means 14 via a belt 23. The rollers 21, 22 arranged transversely to the running direction of the conveying means 14, 15 are spaced such that the specimens 20 coming from the first conveying means 14 are pressed with a preselectable force and arrive as specimens 20ʹ on the second conveying means 15.

The specimens 20 lie isolated on the first conveyor 14, while the specimens 20 Förder on the second conveyor 15 form a conveyor flow one above the other or one above the other.

At the end of the second conveying means 15 facing away from the press 16, a ram 24 is attached, which can be displaced in the arrow directions 24ʹ by known means. The width of the ram 24 corresponds to the width of the second conveyor 15.

The stacking device 12, which is composed essentially of a pre-stacking basket 24 with a pivotable or displaceable bottom 26, alignment elements 27 and a rotating basket 28, adjoins the loading device 11 directly in the region of the accumulation stamp 24.

Alignment elements 27, which can be adapted to different format sizes of specimens 20 gestr, are provided on all sides along the stack height on the pre-stacking basket 25, as indicated by dashed lines on one side in the figure. The bottom 26, also shown in dashed lines in the figure, is designed as a two-part bottom 26 which is displaceable in dashed arrow directions 26ʹ.

The rotating basket 28 is arranged below the pre-stacking basket 25 so that the specimens 20ʹ are congruent in plan view in the pre-stacking basket 25 and in the rotating basket 28. The two-part floor 26 blocks the conveying path of the specimens 20ʹ in the position shown in the direction of arrow 29.

As shown in the figure, the rotating basket 28 consists, for example, of a circular base plate 30 on which rails 31, angle rails 32 and alignment elements 27 are fastened. For the sake of clarity, only one alignment element 27 of the alignment elements 27 is shown in dashed lines in the figure. The displaceable on the base plate 30 angle rails 32 and alignment elements 27 form a cuboid, the base of which is adaptable to the format of the specimens 20ʹ.

The legs of the angle rails 32 are, e.g. shown in dashed lines in FIG. 1, pivotable into an end position 32ʹ at least on one cuboid side. No alignment elements 27 are provided between the angle rails 32 on the rotary basket side designed with pivotable legs. As an alternative to the pivotable legs, displaceable legs can also be provided and instead of the rails 31, the base plate 30 can have grooves.

The rotating basket 28 can be rotated about its vertical axis in the arrow directions 28ʹ by 180 °. Thus 25 accumulated specimens 20ʹ in the pre-stacking basket 25 can be assembled in the rotating basket 28 to form an overall stack 33. Several copies 20ʹ form a partial stack 33ʹ in the pre-stacking basket 25.

In addition to the rotating basket 28 and below the loading device 11, the means for packaging the specimens 20ʹ are provided.

A gripper 34, which can be guided in the arrow directions 34 35, 34ʺ by means of guide rods 35, has mutually independently spaced pairs of gripper arms 27 which can be moved synchronously. In the figure, two pairs of gripper arms 37 are shown, each having a rigid gripper arm 38 and a movable gripper arm 39. The movable gripper arm 39 can be pivoted in the direction of the arrows 39ʹ, 39ʺ and / or can be displaced transversely to the rigid gripper arm 38.

The gripper 34 holds the entire stack 33 between the rigid and the movable gripper arms 38, 39. The contact pressure can be selected with which the gripper arms 38, 39 press the entire stack 33 between their arms to feed a packaging unit.

In the space between the spaced pairs of gripper arms 37, rollers 40, 41 are fixed in place and hold a film strip 42 endlessly transversely to the transport direction of the entire stack 33. A welding stamp 44, which is displaceable in the direction of arrows 44ʹ, lies in a first end position on a horizontally extending section of the film strip 42 and is in a second end position outside the space in which the entire stack 33 is moved by the gripper 34.

In the first end position, the welding stamp 44 separates a banderole 45 from the film band 42, welds the banderole 45 to the pressed total stack 33 and also welds the film band 42 to form an endless band.

In the area of the banded overall stack 33, a stamp 46 is provided, which is displaceable transversely to the horizontal direction of movement of the gripper 34 in the arrow directions 46ʹ.

In a first end position, when the gripper (34) is open, it can be pressed against one of the sides of the entire stack 33 that are not strapped by a band 45. In the second end position, the punch 46 is arranged outside the range of movement of the entire stack 33. The gripper 34 can be lowered with the rigid gripping arms 38 into grooves 47 in a plate 48, so that the entire stack 33 lies flat on the surface of the plate 48 when the gripper 34 is open.

Known conveying means 49 are connected to the plate 48, which take over the banded total stack 33 and transport it further in the direction of the arrow 49ʹ.

The functioning of the packaging device 10 according to the invention shown in FIG. 1 is as follows:
The copies 20 processed in folding or stapling machines are individually transferred to the loading device 11. The first conveying means 14 conveys the copies 20 into the press 16 at a conveying speed adapted to the folding or stapling machine, which pushes the pressed copies 20 zweite onto the second conveying means 15. The first conveying means 14 and the press 16 operate with the same conveying capacity, while the second conveying means 15 is operated at a conveying speed which is lower than the conveying speed of the first conveying means 14.

On the second funding 15, the specimens 20ʹ move closer together or slide over each other to form a stream of shingles. The scale flow on the continuously conveying conveyor 15 can be stowed with the help of the ram 24 by lowering the ram 24 coming from above onto the conveyor surface 18 to such an extent that the gap between the conveyor 15 and the ram 24 is smaller than the thickness of a specimen 20ʹ .

The pre-stacking basket 25 of the stacking device 12 is always loaded with copies 20ʹ when the two-part bottom 26 of the pre-stacking basket 25 is closed. The ram 24 is raised to such an extent that the scale flow can pass through the gap between the conveying surface 18 and the ram 24 unhindered. The copies 20stap are aligned in the pre-stacking basket 25 and a partial stack 33ʹ is formed from a counted number of copies 20ʹ. When the number of copies 20ʹ which form the partial stack 33ʹ is reached, the shingled stream is stowed on the second conveying means 15, the two-part bottom 26 is opened in the direction of the arrow 26ʹ and the partial stack 33 fallen can fall into the rotating basket 28 following the force of gravity.

The bottom of the rotating basket 28 can be raised during this process, see FIG. 4, so that the fall distance between the pre-stacking basket 25 and the rotating basket 28 is shortened. The partial stack 33 28 is aligned again in the rotating basket 28 and rotated through 180 ° about its vertical axis. At the same time, a partial stack 33 wird is again formed in the pre-stacking basket 25, which falls through the opening of the bottom 26 im onto the partial stack 33ʹ already in the rotating basket 28. Several partial stacks 33ʹ are combined into a total stack 33 in the rotating basket 28. The folds or the spine of the copies 20ʹ of the partial stack 33ʹ are arranged diametrically in the rotating basket 28.

As soon as the desired total stack height has been reached, the gripper 34 moves with its gripper arm pairs 37 into the rotating basket 28. The rigid gripper arms 38 slide under the overall stack 33, while the movable gripper arms 39 lay against the surface of the entire stack 33. The gripper arm pairs 37 press the entire stack 33 between their gripper arms 38, 39 and move the aligned total stack 33 out of the rotating basket 28. The legs of the angle rails 32 on the side via which the gripper 34 engages in the rotating basket 28 are pivoted so that the transport path of the entire stack 33 out of the rotating basket 28 is free of obstacles. The gripper 34 can convey the entire stack 33, as shown in the figure with the arrow directions 34ʹ, 34ʺ, horizontally along the direction of engagement in the rotating basket 28 and vertically thereto.

The gripper 34 guides the entire stack 33 out of the rotating area of the rotating basket 28 and at the same time guides the entire stack 33 through a curtain which is stretched out by the film strip 42. The pressed total stack 33 is strapped by the film strip 42 during this movement of the gripper 34. The film strip 42 is then welded to a banderole 45 on the pressed total stack 33 using known means. The band 45 is separated from the film band 42 and the film band 42 between the rollers 40, 41 is welded to form an endless band.

If the entire stack 33 is banded, the movable gripper arms 39 open, the entire stack 33 coarsens slightly due to the decreasing pressing force of the gripper arms 38, 39 and the band 45 is stretched so that it holds the entire stack 33 together immovably.

When the gripper 44 is open, the banded overall stack 33 rests on the rigid gripper arms 38, or the gripper 34 is lowered in the direction of the arrow 34ʹ, so that the rigid gripper arms 38 engage in grooves 47 in the plate 48 and form a flat surface with the plate 48.

The banded overall stack 33 is then pressed out of the gripper 34 by the punch 46 and pushed onto the conveying means 49.

The gripper 34 then moves again into the rotating basket (28), in which it moves with its gripper arm pairs 37 on both sides of the film band 42, which is again welded to form an endless belt, and picks up a new aligned total stack 33, presses it in the process and feeds the banding.

For the sake of clarity, FIG. 1 shows no drives for the conveying means 14, 15, the press 16, the ram 24, the base 26, the rotating basket 28, the pivotable or displaceable angle rails 32, the gripper 34, the welding ram 44, the stamp 46 and the funding 49 shown. Both electrical and pneumatic drives can be used for the individual devices. There is also the possibility of automatically adjusting the alignment elements 27 and the angle rails 32 via drives.

FIG. 2 shows a front view of an exemplary embodiment of a gripper 34 according to the invention of how it can guide and press and convey an entire stack 33.

In the figure, the gripper 34 holds an entire stack 33 formed from two partial stacks 33ʹ. The gripper arms 38, 39 are each combined to form a pair of gripper arms 37 in a frame 50 which is firmly connected to a carrier 51. The ends of the supports 51 facing away from the frame 50 are each firmly connected to a plate 52, 53 which have bores 54, 55 through which rods 56, 57 are guided. The plates 52, 53 are displaceable in the arrow directions 58 along the rods 56, 57 by means of a linkage 59. The linkage 59 is connected to the supports 51 of the two pairs of gripper arms 37 and is deflected by a piston running in a cylinder 60. The two pairs of gripper arms 37 are thus deflected synchronously. The rods 56, 57 and the cylinder 60 are fastened on a plate 61 which is displaceable along a rod 62.

Figure 3 shows the gripper 34 in section III-III of Figure 2.

The entire stack 33 shown in section is held pressed by the gripping arms 38, 39. The rigid gripper arm 38 emerges in one piece from the frame 50 and the movable gripper arm 39 can only be displaced along a guide rod 63 in this exemplary embodiment. A cylinder 64 is arranged in the frame 50 next to the guide rod 63. In the cylinder 64, a piston 65 is slidably guided movable gripper arm 39 moves along the guide rod 63. The carrier 51 is connected to the frame 50, the plate 52 and the linkage 59. The linkage 59 has joints 66, 67 for deflecting the horizontal movement of a piston guided in the cylinder 60. The plate can be displaced along the rod 62 in the arrow directions 69 by means of a bushing 68.

FIG. 4 shows in longitudinal section a section of the loading device 11, the pre-stacking basket 25 and the rotating basket 28.

The second conveying means 15 operated in the direction of the arrow 18ʹ borders on the plate-shaped ram 24 and on an alignment element 27 of the pre-stacking basket 25. The second conveying means 15 is held laterally by a wall 70. The ram 24 can be moved in and out of a housing 71 in the direction of the arrows 71ʹ. In the position shown, the ram 24 blocks the entire conveying path of the second conveying means 15. A bracket 72 is attached to the wall 70, to which displaceable alignment elements 27 are attached. The bottom consisting of two slide plates 73, 73ʹ closes the pre-stacking basket 25 at the bottom. The slide plates 73, 73ʹ can be moved in the arrow directions 74, 74ʹ in housings 75, 75ʹ.

Below the pre-stacking basket 25, the angle rails 32 and the alignment elements 27 of the rotating basket 28 are arranged in alignment with the alignment elements 27 of the pre-stacking basket 25. The alignment elements 27 of the rotating basket 28 are in this embodiment with one end on the base plate 30 attached. The angle rails 32 are slidably attached to the alignment elements 27 via rods 76.

The base plate 30 has a toothed wheel 77 on the underside which engages in a toothed rack 78. The base plate 30 can be rotated about its vertical axis by means of the toothed rack 78. The gear 78 is penetrated by a shaft 79 which engages with grooves 79ʹ in springs which are arranged on the inside of the annular surface of the gear 77. At one end of the shaft 79, carriers 80 are fastened, which are embedded in the base plate 30 over their length. At the other end of the carrier 80, the rails 31, which protrude above the surface of the base plate 30, are firmly attached.

At its end facing away from the base plate 30, the shaft 79 has a cutout which engages in a pin 81 of a cylinder 82 which can be extended in the direction of the arrows 81ʹ. The shaft 79 is rotatably supported on the cylinder 82.

If the cylinder 82 is extended in the direction of the pre-stacking basket 25, the rails 31 move in the same direction and the fall of the specimens between the pre-stacking basket 25 and the rotating basket 28 is shortened.

FIG. 5 shows a top view of a section of the gripper 34 in the rotating basket 28 of the packaging device according to the invention.

The alignment elements 27 and the angle rails 32 are arranged along the rectangular overall stack 33 on the base plate 30 which is arranged in a rectangular shape in this exemplary embodiment. On the cuboid side, via which the gripper 34 engages in the rotating basket 28, legs 83 of the angle brackets 32 are slidably arranged in a housing 84. The legs 83 can be moved in the direction of the arrows 84ʹ as soon as the gripper 34 triggers a contact when entering the rotating basket 28, in which the gripper 34 e.g. immersed in the measuring circuit of a light barrier. The legs 83 are then moved so far into the housing 84 that the movable gripper arms 39 can be moved without interference into a closed position of the gripper 34, in which the entire stack 33 is pressed together by the gripper 34 and moved out of the rotating basket 28.

On the base plate 30, a first guide groove 85 is provided for adjusting the alignment elements 27, which hold the rods 76 of the angle rails 32 displaceably via a screw connection 86. On the base plate 30, second guide grooves 87, 87ʹ for the rigid gripping arms 38 are also provided.

Claims (14)

1. Method of packaging printed products, in which copies (20) of the preferably folded, glued or stitched products are taken from an upstream station by means of a loading device (11) and are piled up by being placed partially one above the other in the loading device (11), the piled-up copies (20') are collected synchronously by a stacking device (12), the copies are then fed to a stacking device (12), in which the individual copies (20) are aligned and counted, and partial stacks (33') are formed from the individual copies (20), the partial stacks (33') are stacked to form a full stack (33), and the full stack (33) is finally fed to a packaging unit and compressed there and wrapped by a packaging means, characterised in that, before they are piled up, the copies (20) are compressed over their entire surface, in that the partial stacks (33') are stacked successively, each one having been rotated by 180° about its vertical axis, and in that the full stack (33) is removed from the stacking device in the compressed state and transferred, whilst maintaining the compressed state, into the packaging unit (40 to 48) and wrapped by the packaging means.
2. Device for packaging preferably folded, glued or stitched copies (20) of printed products, having a loading device (11) for taking the copies (20) from an upstream station, having a stacking device (12), arranged downstream of the loading device (11), and having a transfer device (34 to 39") for transferring stacked copies (20) from the stacking device (12) to form a packaging unit (40 to 48), characterised in that the loading device (11) has first and second conveying means (14, 15) for the copies (20, 20'), in that a press (16) for the copies (20) is arranged between first (14) and second (15) conveying means, the conveying means (15) arranged downstream the press (16) running at a reduced conveying speed and having braking means (24, 24') which are actuated synchronously with the stacking device (12) for stopping and piling up the compressed copies (20'), and in that the transfer means (34 to 39") comprise means (37 to 39) for picking up and holding the stacked copies (20') under pressure for removal from the stacking device (12) and for transfer to the packaging unit (40 to 48).
3. Device according to Claim 2, characterised in that the loading device (11) extends horizontally in the upper region of the construction unit, in that the stacking device (12) operates downwards from the free end of the loading device (11), and in that the transfer device (34 to 39") extends horizontally and in parallel in the opposite direction below the loading device (11) and is combined in terms of construction with the packaging unit (40 to 48).
4. Device according to Claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the first conveying means (14) and the press (16) are driven by the same drive.
5. Device according to one of Claims 2 to 4, characterised in that the press (16) has two rollers (21, 22) which extend transversely to the longitudinal axis of the conveying means (14, 15) with a length corresponding to the width of the conveying means (14, 15), and in that the spacing of the rollers (21, 22) relative to each other is adjustable.
6. Device according to one of Claims 2 to 5, characterised in that the loading device (11) adjoins a first support of the stacking device (12) which, furthermore, has a second support which is arranged in alignment below the first support.
7. Device according to Claim 6, characterised in that adjustable alignment elements (27) are provided on the supports.
8. Device according to Claim 6 or 7, characterised in that the second support can be rotated about its vertical axis and has rails (31) on a baseplate (30) and displaceable angle rails (32) perpendicular to the baseplate (30), which angle rails form the side edges of a square, and in that the limbs of the angle rails (32) are swivellable or displaceable at least on one side of the square.
9. Device according to Claim 8, characterised in that the rails (31) are displaceable away from the baseplate (30) in the direction of the first support.
10. Device according to one of Claims 2 to 8, characterised in that the transfer device (34 to 39'') has a gripper (34) in the form of at least one pair of gripper arms (37) having one rigid and one movable gripper arm (38, 39), which arms are arranged in parallel, and in that the movable gripper arm (39) is swivellable and/or displaceable in relation to the rigid gripper arm (38).
11. Device according to Claim 10, characterised in that the gripper (34) has two pairs of gripper arms (37) which are arranged spaced apart.
12. Device according to Claim 10 or 11 in conjunction with one of Claims 6 to 8, characterised in that the second support is connected to the gripper (34) via the sides of the square with displaceable or swivellable limbs, which gripper is displaceable longitudinally and transversely relative to the spatial vertical axis of the second support.
13. Device according to one of Claims 10 to 12, characterised in that the gripper (34) has switching means for switching on a drive which displaces or swivels the limbs into end positions.
14. Device according to one of Claims 11 to 13, characterised in that an apparatus for banding is provided between the pairs of gripper arms (37).

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