EP0286868B1 - Device for uniting two stacks of sheets - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for combining partial piles of book pages by laying one on another. The partial piles may be brought up alternately in an inclined position on a conveying chain. According to the invention, there is provided above the conveying chain a rotary rearranging apparatus. The rearranging apparatus carries a plurality of gripping systems each adapted to pick up one partial pile of book pages and, after rotation of the rearrangement apparatus through a 360 degree revoluion, deposits the partial pile of book pages beside an identical succeeding partial pile. During the 360 degree revolution of the rearranging apparatus, each gripping system is rotated about an axis parallel to the rotational axis of the rearranging apparatus such that the gripper systems continuously remain in an upright orientation with the grippers always projecting downwards at the lowest point of the gripping system. Before combination of any given partial pile of book pages with another partial pile, every such given partial pile may be rotated by the respective gripper system through 180 degrees about an axis extending at 90 degrees to the normal of the plane of the partial pile, and for this purpose every gripping system of the rearrangement apparatus is mounted so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis and, in a part of its orbital path of motion during the 360 degree revolution of the rearranging apparatus, is rotated through 180 degrees about this vertical axis.

Description

The invention relates to a device for combining two partial stacks, each of which contains all the pages of a complete book block on sheets printed on both sides, and one half of the stack has half the page numbers from bottom to top, the other half lying adjacent from top to bottom. After combining the partial stacks, the entire blocks are then cut lengthways in the middle, and you get two complete book blocks with the correct page order.

A known device serving this purpose according to DE-PS 24 35 082 is constructed such that a tray is arranged for each sub-stack of similarly oriented stack sheets, also called signatures, and one of these conveyors for rotating a sub-stack in its support plane by 180 ° is formed and both conveying devices are guided parallel to each other in the same conveying direction in the area of the union of the two partial stacks to form the entire stack. One conveyor carries out a turn through 180 ° and is guided in a plane that is parallel and adjacent to the plane of the other conveyor. A plow-like guide is provided to combine the partial stacks. Such a device requires due to its two shelves and its two conveyors a significant amount of construction and also a significant footprint; this known device also requires special types of folders.

In addition, from DE-OS 27 26 406 is also one. The same purpose serving device is known with a conveyor chain, which is provided with drivers for transporting the successive sub-stacks and in which above the conveyor chain a rotating swivel system with several, evenly distributed grippers rotating on a self-contained path for the central gripping and pivoting of a partial stack 180 ° and storage is provided. As a result of the construction and mode of operation of this known device, it requires an additional acceleration device for the individual partial stacks so that they can be correctly gripped by the grippers. These additional acceleration elements mean a relatively considerable additional construction effort, with corresponding costs. In addition, there is always the risk of damage to individual sheets of the partial stacks at the edges at which the accelerating elements act, and also the risk of displacements of individual sheets within each partial stack, with each acceleration device always, but especially with particularly thin paper. The known device has individual receiving pockets on the conveyor chain, which make adaptation to different partial stack formats impossible or at least very complex and cumbersome. The alternating partial stacks are not placed on top of one another here either, but this must then take place in a separate collation unit, and in addition a second collation unit must also be present.

The invention has for its object to avoid these disadvantages of the known devices described, and it should also be designed so that it is also possible in certain special cases, two successive partial book blocks without turning each to lay the second partial stack on top of each other.

These objects are achieved according to the invention in that the swivel system consists of a drum with a horizontal axis of rotation extending transversely to the direction of movement of the conveyor chain, which is driven synchronously with the speed of the conveyor chain and which carries on its outer circumference the grippers which are perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the Drum are arranged in the upper rotating range pivotable by 180 ° and the partial stack after a full rotation of the drum to the subsequent one, which slants in a cross-sectionally L-shaped guide track, and releases the partial stack, each gripper during its rotation by a gear in Speed ratio 1: 1 is designed to be rotatable about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum, so that the grippers remain in a vertical position while projecting downward from the drum. An example of such a transmission is a transmission which consists of a fixed sun wheel, an intermediate wheel rotating with the gripper around the sun wheel center line and a planet wheel fixed on the axis of rotation about which the grippers are rotatably mounted in the drum , wherein the number of teeth of the sun gear on the one hand and all planet gears on the other hand are the same for the purpose of achieving the desired speed ratio.

Each gripper can be pivoted by means of a friction wheel connected to it and interacting with a fixed friction rail, this friction rail being provided in the upper region of the movement path of each gripper and the friction wheel being rotated together with the gripper connected to it by running over this fixed friction rail. In order to ensure a pivoting of each gripper by exactly 180 °, the two are expedient Positions of the grippers offset from each other by 180 ° are determined by a catch. If such a device is to be used in such a way that the partial stacks are not pivoted in themselves before they are combined, then this is possible in a very simple manner in that the friction rail can be moved into a position in which the friction wheels of the grippers don't come into contact with her.

Because of the geometric conditions, such a friction gear can only extend over a relatively small circumferential angle, with the result that, particularly at higher operating speeds of the device, the pivoting of the partial stack by 180 ° about a vertical axis must be done quite quickly, and this can be too disturbing vibrations or flutter movements of the partial stack. In addition, such a friction gear is exposed to certain wear and tear because it also contains transverse displacement movements perpendicular to the direction of frictional entrainment. According to the invention, this friction gear can therefore also be replaced by a form-fitting motion transmission gear, for example in the form of a rack and pinion gear. This is then designed so that the pivoting of each gripper is carried out by a driven gear connected to it, which is provided with part-circular recesses of more than 180 ° cut-out angle, which for receiving the cylindrical drive rods of aur a shaft, which connects the gripper to the planet gear , attached drive rack drive wheel serve, on the circumference of which drive sticks are attached distributed over 180 °. Here too, in order to ensure that each gripper can be pivoted by exactly 180 °, catches can be used to ensure that the two positions of the grippers, which are offset by 180 ° to one another, are precisely defined. To be used for those applications in which the sub-stacks are not in themselves before merging are to be pivoted to prevent this pivoting, the drive shaft drive wheel is expediently mounted on the shaft carrying this axially so that its drive sticks no longer come into engagement with the recesses of the drive wheel in the displacement position.

For practical reasons, it has proven particularly useful to provide the drum with three grippers.

In addition, it is expedient to make the circumferential speed of the grippers somewhat greater than the running speed of the conveyor chain by increasing the diameter of their orbit compared to the theoretical diameter. In this way, disruptive influences between the partial stacks and the carriers of the conveyor chain are avoided when the partial stacks leave the L-shaped guide channel or arrive in it.

In the drawing, an embodiment of the invention is shown, in some cases very highly schematized.

Fig. 1

zeigt die Gesamtkinematik der Trommel sowie schematisch das die Kinematik bewirkende Getriebe, in Stirnansicht der Trommel.

Fig. 2

bis Fig. 6 zeigen verschiedene Arbeits- und Funktionsstellungen der Trommel.

Fig. 4a

ist ein Schnitt entlang der Linie 4a-4a in Fig. 4.

Fig. 5a

ist ein Schnitt entlang der Linie 5a-5a in Fig. 5.

Fig. 6a

ist ein Schnitt entlang der Linie 6a-6a in Fig. 6.

Fig. 7

zeigt ein anstelle des Reibradgetriebes verwendetes Triebstockgetriebe in gleicher Darstellungsweise wie Fig. 6a.

Fig. 7a

ist eine Draufsicht auf Fig. 7 in Richtung der in Fig. 7 eingetragenen Pfeile 7a.

Fig. 7b

ist ein Schnitt entlang der in Fig. 7 eingetragenen Linie 7b-7b.

If the term "drum" was used or is used above and below, then it should be noted that this does not have to be a compact drum running through 360 °, but also a line of firmly connected support arms, one per gripper.

Fig. 1

shows the overall kinematics of the drum and schematically the kinematic effecting gear, in front view of the drum.

Fig. 2

to Fig. 6 show various working and functional positions of the drum.

Fig. 4a

Fig. 4 is a section along line 4a-4a in Fig. 4.

Fig. 5a

Fig. 5 is a section along line 5a-5a in Fig. 5.

Fig. 6a

Fig. 6 is a section along the line 6a-6a in Fig. 6.

Fig. 7

shows a rack drive used in place of the friction gear in the same representation as Fig. 6a.

Fig. 7a

7 is a plan view of FIG. 7 in the direction of the arrows 7a shown in FIG. 7.

Fig. 7b

is a section along the line 7b-7b shown in Fig. 7.

In the drawing, identical parts are designated with the same reference numbers in all the figures. Parts acting in the same way are identified by the same reference numerals, but with the addition of the letters a or b.

The directions of rotation of most rotatable parts and the directions of movement of linearly moving parts are indicated by arrows.

1 shows a fixed sun gear 14, an intermediate gear 16 rotating together with one of the three grippers around the center line 15 and the planet gears 17 serving to drive the grippers (not shown). The number of teeth of the sun gear 14 and the planet gears 17 are the same, the suspension point A of the grippers always remains at the lowest point of the grippers. The axes of rotation, parallel to the center line 15, of the grippers and thus of the planet gears 17 are denoted by 18.

In Fig. 2, a partial stack is picked up at point 1 during the rotary movement when it arrives there at the speed determined by the conveyor chain with its drivers. During the movement points 2, 3 and 4, the partial stack is still in the vertical position in which it was detected. When position 5 is reached, the partial stack begins to pivot about its vertical axis. This pivoting continues via point 6 to point 7, where a pivoting of 90 ° is then achieved. The individual sheets of the first partial stack 19a shown at the bottom of the drawing are printed on one side with the book pages 1 and 24 and on the other side with the pages 12 and 13. During transport between positions 1 and 5, the side printed with pages 1 and 24 faces forward.

Fig. 3 shows that the sub-stack 19a has carried out a further pivoting movement in position 8 and has reached a pivoting movement of 180 ° at point 9. Then the partial stack 19a moves over the positions 10 and 11 to the end position 12, during which way the book pages 12 and 13 now point forward to the bottom position 12. When position 13 is reached, a second partial stack 19b has been moved under the drum by the transport chain, and the partial stack 19a carried by it is placed on the drum, so that the end position of the two partial stacks 19a and 19b shown in FIG. 3 is reached . If you now cut these two stacked partial stacks in the middle in the transverse direction, you get two complete books with pages 1 to 24.

4 and 5 show that the drum consists of three firmly connected support arms 20 which are rotated together about the center line 15. Each of the support arms 20 carries a gripper labeled 21. In the position according to FIG. 4, a gripper 21 is in the process of gripping a partial stack 19a. A gripper is empty. The third gripper carries a partial stack 19a, which has already been rotated by 180 ° about a vertical axis, on its way to the release point.

5, the partial stack 19a is rotated in a gripper 21 by just 90 ° about its vertical axis. Another gripper is on the way to grasping a partial stack 19a.

In the position according to FIG. 6, a partial stack 19a is in the storage position, and another gripper is on the way to picking up a partial stack.

As can be seen in particular in FIG. 4a, each support arm 20 is rotatably mounted in the fixed frame 22 about the center line 15. The fixed sun gear 14 is also attached to this frame. The associated intermediate wheel 16 is rotatably mounted in each support arm 20. A shaft 24, rotatable about a horizontal axis, is mounted in a tubular housing part 23 of the support arm 20 by means of two bearings. In the head 25 of this shaft 24, a shaft 26 is rotatably supported about a vertical axis of rotation, which carries the actual grippers 27a and 27b. This shaft also carries a friction wheel 28 which can be locked with the head 25 by a spring ball catch 29 in two rotational positions offset by 190 ° to one another. Strictly speaking, the shaft 26 is not rotatably mounted directly in the head 25, but rather via a tubular sleeve 28 'which is integral with the friction wheel 28 and in which the shaft 26 can be displaced by means of an adjusting screw 30 for adjustment to different heights of the partial stacks 19a and in any position is noticeable. - With 31 the L-shaped guide track for the partial stacks 19a and 19b is designated.

The conveyor chain 32 runs in this guideway 31 and is provided with drivers 33 for the partial stacks 19a, 19b.

One gripper 27a is fixed, the other gripper 27b is movable for opening and closing. For the purpose of opening and closing, the movable gripper 27b is connected to a pin 34 with head 35; the pin 34 is surrounded by a prestressed compression spring 36. In order to bring about the opening or closing of the gripper 27b, an angle lever 37 is provided which cooperates with the closing cam 38 in FIG. 4a in such a way that it releases the head 35 so that the compression spring 36 can press the gripper 27b against the partial stack 19a . When the opening cam 39 takes effect, as shown in FIG. 6a, this causes the angle lever 37 to grip behind the head 35 and to pull the pin 34 together with the gripper 27b firmly connected thereto against the force of the compression spring 36 and thus to open the gripper 27b.

The rotation of each partial stack 19a about a vertical axis takes place by the interaction of the friction wheel 28 with a fixed friction rail 40 provided in the upper region of the orbit of the grippers 21, which, in the event that the partial stack 19a is deposited once without a 180 ° rotation the vertical axis is to take place, can be moved out of the movement path of the friction wheel 28 in a manner (not shown).

The fixed gripper 27a, with its effective gripping surface, as can be seen in FIGS. 4a and in particular 6a, is located somewhat outside the vertical axis of rotation 26 of the gripper system, in order to ensure that the partial stack 19a is placed without problems next to the partial stack 19b located in the L-shaped guide 31 enable.

The center shaft 15 of the support arms forming the drum is driven (see FIG. 4a) via a gear 41 fastened to the shaft 15 and a drive wheel 42.

7a and 7b, on the shaft 24, which supports the gripper 21 and connects it to the planet gear 17, a drive stick drive wheel 40a is fastened, which supports drive sticks 40b distributed over 180 ° of its circumference. The shaft 26 carrying the gripper carries an output gear 28a which is provided with part-circular recesses, the recess angle of which is greater than 180 °; these recesses serve to receive the cylindrical drive sticks 40b. Due to the engagement of the drive sticks 40b on the drive stick drive wheel 40a with the cutouts on the driven wheel 28a, each gripper system 21 is rotated by 180 ° with its vertical shaft 26 with each rotation of the gripper system 21. By (not shown) notches, the two positions of the grippers 21, which are offset by 180 ° to one another, can be precisely defined and secured in the same way as was described above in connection with the friction gear.

List of reference symbols used:

A

Hanging point of the Grefer on the Greifer systems

1-13

Positions on the reordering drum

14

fixed sun gear

15

Center line

16

Idler gear

17th

Planet gears

18th

Rotary axes of the gripper systems

19a

first partial stack

19b

second partial stack

20th

Support arms

21

Gripper system

22

frame

23

tubular housing part of 20

24th

wave

25th

Head of 24

26

wave

27a

fixed gripper

27b

movable gripper

28

Friction wheel

28ʹ

tubular sleeve

28a

Output gear

29

Rested

30th

Set screw

31

L-shaped guideway

32

Conveyor chain

33

Driver on 32

34

pen

35

Head of 34

36

preloaded compression spring

37

Angle lever

38

Closing cam

39

Opening cams

40

Friction rail

40a

Triebstock drive wheel

40b

Triebstock at 40a

41

gear

42

Drive gear

Claims (9)

1. Device for the uniting of two part stacks, each of which contains all pages of a complete inner book with sheets double-printed on both sides and one half stack has half of the page numbers from below upwardly, the other adjacent-lying half from above downwardly, with a conveying chain which, with carriers, transports next to one another each part stack, with a turning system, rotating above the conveying chain, with several uniformly distributed grippers, running round on an endless path, with central holding and turning of a part stack through 180° and stacker plate, characterised in that the turning system consists of a drum (20) with horizontal axis of rotation (15), running transversely to the direction of movement of the conveying chain (32), which is drivable synchronously with the speed of running of the conveying chain (32) and which, on its outer circumference, are arranged the grippers (21) which, vertically to the axis of rotation (15) of the drum (20), are turnable through 180° in its upper range of rotation and deposits and frees the part stack (19a), after a complete rotation of the drum (20), to the following part stack (19b) transported to the obliquely-standing conveying path (31), L-shaped in cross-section, whereby each gripper during its rotation by a drive (sun wheel 14, intermediate wheels 16 and planet wheels 17) is constructed rotatably in the speed of rotation ratio of 1:1 around an axis (28) parallel to the axis of rotation (15) of the drum (20) so that the grippers, during a drum rotation, remain projecting downwardly in vertical position.
2. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the turning of each gripper (21) takes place by means of a frictional wheel (28) fixed to it cooperating with a stationary frictional rail (40).
3. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the turning of each gripper (21) takes place by means of a drive wheel (28a) connected with it which is provided with part circular-shaped recesses (of more than 180° recess angle) which serve for the reception of the cylindrical drive pins (40b) of a drive pin driving wheel (40a), fixed on a shaft (24) which connects the grippers (21) with the planet wheel (17), on the circumference of which drive pins (40b) are applied distributed over 180°.
4. Device according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the two positions of the grippers (21), offset by 180° to one another, are fixed by stops (29).
5. Device according to claim 2, characterised in that the frictional rail (40) is movable into a position in which the frictional wheels (28) of the grippers (21) do not come into contact with it.
6. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the drive pin driving wheel (40a) is so axially movable on the shaft (24) carrying this that its drive pins (40b) do not come into engagement with the recesses of the drive wheel (28a).
7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the drum (20) has three grippers (21).
8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the circumferential speed of the grippers (21) is, by increasing of the diameter of its circular path with respect to the theoretical diameter, somewhat greater than the running speed of the conveying chain (32).
9. Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the pincer-like constructed grippers of the drum are vertically adjustable for the purpose of adaptation to the height of the part stack.

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