EP0396998B1 - Device for removing folded products from a carrying structure - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device for removing V-shaped folding products positioned in a carrier structure. Devices are already known from DE patents 36 21 832, 36 21 834, 36 21 822, in which folded products can each be positioned open upwards in a V-shape. It is also known from these patents to remove the folded products from the carrier structures, for example for storage or to mix folded products or to insert other folded products into them.

If the folded products are stored, different stack heights result at the individual edges due to the differences in thickness due to the fold back, which leads to instability relatively quickly. In order to prevent the stack from collapsing, special measures must therefore be taken. If the stacked products were to be opened again in the subsequent further processing, for example in which other folding products or objects are inserted into the folding products, then complicated opening devices, for example in the form of opening cylinders, had to be provided or a so-called overlap had to be present on the folding products.

Fig. 1 bis 4

schematisch den Vorgang einer Stapelbildung gemäß der Erfindung,

Fig. 5 bis 18

das kammartige Ineinanderstecken von Falzprodukten in eine Trägerstruktur unter dem Einsatz von Spannbalken in verschiedenen Übergabeschritten und verschiedenen Ansichten der Vorrichtung gemäß der Erfingung und

Fig. 19 bis 28

die erfindungsgemäße Entnahme von kammartig in einer Trägerstruktur vorhanden Druckprodukten mit anschließender Stapelbildung und einer Vorrichtung zum Abarbeiten des Stapels unter gleichzeitiger Öffnung der Falzprodukte mit Hilfe einer neuartigen Transportvorrichtung in verschiedenen Verfahrensstufen und Ansichten.

The object of the invention is to remove the folded products positioned in a carrier structure in a comb-like manner while maintaining the comb-like connection from the carrier structure and to enable safe or stable stack formation, wherein the individual folded products should also be easily opened when the stack is being processed, without an overlap or other complex devices are required. This object is achieved by applying the features of the characterizing part of patent claim 1. An advantageous embodiment of the invention is to first position folded products in a carrier structure in the manner of a comb. Another advantageous training the invention comprises a device for later processing of the stack formed according to the invention, while opening the folded products. Further advantageous embodiments of the invention result from the subclaims and the description in conjunction with the drawings. In these show:

1 to 4

schematically the process of stacking according to the invention,

5 to 18

the comb-like interlocking of folded products in a support structure using clamping beams in different transfer steps and different views of the device according to the invention and

19 to 28

the removal according to the invention of comb-like printed products present in a carrier structure with subsequent stack formation and a device for processing the stack while simultaneously opening the folded products with the aid of a novel transport device in various process stages and views.

1 shows two multi-page sheets each folded, hereinafter referred to as folded products 1, 2, with pages 3 and 4 formed by a longitudinal fold and pages 5 and 6 folded across, as well as open pages 7 and 8 or 9 and 10. The folded products 1 , 2 are of different heights due to the different side designs at their four corners 11 to 14 and 15 to 18. If they were simply stacked on top of one another according to the generally known prior art, these differences would add up, so that the stack becomes unstable, slips or tips over a certain height.

FIG. 2 shows how, after rotation of a folded product 1 by 180 ° and subsequent stacking, different corners come to lie on top of one another, as a result of which the differences in height and thickness differ compensate. If, in succession, every second folded product 2 is rotated by 180 ° in the direction of arrow 19 and, in addition, the folded products 1, 2 are inserted in a zigzag shape in the middle in the direction of arrows 20 and 21 according to the invention (FIG. 3 4, this results in the stable shape of a stack 22 shown in FIG. 4. This stack 22 offers, for later sheet removal, access to closed folding edges 5 and 6, respectively, with the folding products 1, 2 opening in the middle.

A particularly advantageous possibility is described below with reference to FIGS. 5 to 18, according to which folded products 1, 2 are combined in a zigzag-shaped carrier structure 23 as a preliminary step to the stack formation according to the invention, with folded products 1 opening upward in a V-shape are in the support structure 23 and, with rotation of 180 ° from a support structure 23 ', folded products 2 are placed on the folded products 1 in the support structure 23 or are inserted in the manner of a comb. Such support structures are known for example from DE patent 36 21 832.

Using two views, FIGS. 5 and 6 schematically show the device for transferring folded products 2 from a carrier structure 23 'into the carrier structure 23 having the folded products 1. The support structures 23, 23 ', as can be seen from FIGS. 5 and 6, are initially positioned in storage cartridges 24, 24' and are pulled out of these with the aid of preferably rotating drive devices 25, 25 'and 26, 26' and in cassette-shaped supports 27 and 27 'positioned. Due to the on the support structures 23, 23 'arranged tongues 28, 28' when pulling apart the support structures 23, 23 'the folding products located therein are opened in a V-shape upwards. The support structures 23, 23 'in rails 29, 29' are mounted, which in turn by drives 30, 30 'and racks 31, 31' and brackets 32, 32 'laterally movable in the direction of arrows 33 and 34 or laterally apart are.

According to the invention, clamping beams 35, 35 'are positioned above the support structures 23, 23', the function of which results from FIGS. 9 to 12. FIG. 10 shows a side view of FIG. 9 again. 9 shows a top view of a clamping bar 35.

As can be seen best in FIGS. 9 and 10, the clamping beams 35, 35 'each comprise a carrier 36 which carries 37 rails 38 and 39 in guides. Grippers 40, 41 are attached to the latter. The rails 38 and 39 are moved in opposite directions against the pressure of a spring 43, for example a gas spring, by means of a pivot lever 42 with the aid of levers 44 and 45, as indicated by arrows 46, 47 in FIG. 9. This allows the grippers 40, 41 to be opened.

As can be seen from FIG. 11, which shows an enlarged section of FIG. 9, a pivoting lever 42 is brought into the position shown in FIG. 11 against the pressure of the spring 43 by a stationary pneumatic cylinder 48 or its piston the clamping bar 35 is arranged. In this position, the pivot lever 42 can be locked by a bolt 49, which is moved by the piston of a stationary pneumatic cylinder 50 against the pressure of a spring 51 into the position shown in FIG. 11. As a result, the swivel lever 42 remains in its position after the retraction or after the retraction of the pneumatic piston 48 or the pneumatic piston 50, since the spring 43 presses the swivel lever 42 against the bolt 49.

If, as is apparent from Fig. 12, the pneumatic piston 48 is moved against the pivot lever 42 and this is thus pressed into the position 42 ', the bolt 49 is released and pressed by the spring 51 into the position shown. Thus, the spring 43 can move the rails 38, 39 in the direction of the arrows 52 and 53 in opposite directions after the pneumatic piston 48 has been moved back, so that the grippers 40, 41 are pressed against one another. This means closing the grippers 40, 41 with the aid of the spring 43. Thus, arcs or can be between the grippers 40, 41 Folded products are held while the clamping beams 35, 35 'as a whole are moved by means of pins 54, 55 in guides 56, 57 by drives, not shown here. The pneumatic pistons 48 and 50 are arranged in a fixed position, ie they are not moved with the tensioning beams 35, 35 '.

7 and 8, one of the clamping bars, here the clamping bar 35 'is moved from the waiting position according to FIGS. 5 and 6 in the direction of an arrow 58 (FIG. 7), with its gripper 40', 41 'being opened beforehand were, as has already been described in connection with FIGS. 9 to 12. During this downward movement of the tensioning beam 35 ', the grippers 40', 41 'dip into the carrier structure 23' and thereby capture the V-shaped folding products held open upwards by the tongues 28 'when the pneumatic piston 59 indicated in FIG. 7 , which corresponds in its function to the piston 48 (see FIGS. 9 to 12), is actuated so that after immersion of the grippers 40 ', 41' in the support structure 23 'each by a pair of grippers 40', 41 'adjacent sides of the in these lying V-shaped folded products held open upwards.

Now, with the help of the drives 30 ', the two-part support structures 23' can be moved laterally outwards, as indicated by the arrows 33, 34 in Fig. 7. The tongues 28 'release the folded products 2.

The tensioning beam 35 'is now moved upwards with the V-shaped upwardly hanging folding products 2 in the direction of arrow 60 along guides 56, 57 and then in the direction of arrow 61 into the upper left position shown in FIG. 7 brought. Thus, the clamping bar 35 'with the folded products 2 is located directly above the storage structure 23, in which the folded products 1 are also openly positioned in a V-shape, which is possible with the aid of the tongues 28 arranged on the support structures 23. Below the clamping bar 35 'is a second clamping bar 35 in the waiting position. Both clamping beams 35 'and 35 are located according to FIG. 7 on an annular track or guide 62 which has a diametrically arranged guide. If the clamping bar 35 'takes the position shown at the top left in FIG. 7, the clamping bar 35 which is in the waiting position with the grippers open can be raised, so that its upward-pointing grippers 40, 41 each have one of the ones on the clamping bar 35' from below. hanging folded products 2 can capture.

For this purpose, the stationary piston 48 indicated in FIG. 7 is used to release the grippers 40, 41 from below for the purpose of detecting the folded products 2, so that the grippers 40, 41 are closed as a result of the spring action already described.

Fig. 14 shows the situation described above in connection with Fig. 7 again, after the folded products 2 from above by grippers 40 ', 41' of the clamping bar 35 'and from below by the grippers 40, 41 of the clamping bar 35 were detected. As is apparent from Fig. 14, each V-shaped open folding product 2 is held at the bottom of the fold back by a gripper 40, 41 and above by adjacent grippers 40 ', 41'. With the exception of the left and right folding products 2 in FIG. 14, an upper gripper 40 ′, 41 ′ holds the mutually facing sides of adjacent folding products 2.

13, the clamping bar 35, 35 'move on the circular path 62 by means of a drive, not shown here, by 180 °, so that the clamping bar 35 then the position of the clamping bar 35' and the clamping bar 35 'the position of the Tension bar 35 occupies (see also Fig. 7). The position of the clamping bars 35, 35 'reached after a rotation of 180 ° results from FIG. 13.

Then rails 63, 64 with fingers 65, 66 arranged on them are pushed into positions 63 ', 64'. The fingers 65, 66 now take the position 65 ', 66' (Fig. 13). They were therefore inserted from the side between the V-shaped folded products 2 (see FIG. 14). 14 shows a side view.

Now the folded products 2 can also be held in the V-shaped downward open position after retracting the tensioning beam 35 'to the right, as shown in FIG. 15. Of course, the gripper 40 ', 41' were opened by actuating the pneumatic pistons 48, 50 before the clamping bar 35 '(FIG. 15) moved away laterally in the manner described above.

The folded products now hang in a V-shape downwards on the tensioning beam 35 and are thus introduced into the carrier structure 23 or placed or inserted like a comb on the folded products 1 located in the carrier structure 23, as can be seen from FIG. 16. 16, the clamping bar 35 'is again in its starting position (see. Fig. 6). 15 and 17 show in side view, as by fingers 65, 66 in the positions 65 ', 66' on the rails 63, 64 in the position 63 ', 64' and in the positions 65 '', 66 ' 'as well as 63' 'or 64' 'the folded products 2 are kept open during the lowering process until the folded products 2 just dip into the folded products 1 and then return to their starting position (FIG. 13).

Simultaneously, drives 67, which are connected to the carrier 27, tension rails 68, 69 with open grippers 70, 71 are moved in the direction of an arrow 60 into the position shown in FIG. 16 in order to use a tensioning device, not shown here, similar to that on the clamping beams 35, 35 ', to capture the folded products 1 from below. The support structures 23 with the tongues 28 can now be moved apart with the aid of a drive 30, the toothed racks 31, the holders 32 and the rails 29 in the direction of the arrows 33, 34, so that the folded products 2 are roof-shaped from above into the folded products 1 can be plugged on or placed on (Fig. 16 and 17).

Fig. 18 shows in an enlarged view of Fig. 17 the comb-like or zig-zag now interlocking folded products 1, 2 rotated by 180 °, which are a particularly good prerequisite for the subsequent stacking according to the invention according to Fig. 4.

By using pneumatic pistons 72, 73, the grippers 40, 41 of the clamping bar 35 are released (FIG. 16) and thus locked in the open state in the manner already described. Subsequently, the tensioning beam 35 returns to its starting position via intermediate positions shown in FIG. 16 on the circular guideway 62, being rotated by 180 ° by guiding it over the right half of the circular guideway 62 (FIG. 16) when it is in the upper position in Fig. 16, as has been shown with dashed lines. By lowering vertically after reaching the upper position of the tensioning bar 35 in FIG. 16, the tensioning bar again reaches a starting position for a new working cycle, in which its open grippers 40, 41 protrude upward (see FIG. 6).

Also, the clamping bar 35 'is brought back to the initial position shown in Fig. 6 after the rotation by 180 °, in which its open grippers 40', 41 'point downward, so that in the subsequent operation folded products are again taken up from a new support structure can. As can be seen from a comparison of FIGS. 15 and 16 with FIG. 6, each of the clamping bars 35 'after the transfer process of folded products 2' from the position according to FIGS. 15 and 16 with grippers 40 ', 41' pointing upward Can be rotated 180 ° so that the position is reached with downward-facing grippers 40 ', 41' (Fig. 6).

19, the carrier 27 is then moved with the carrier structures 23 moved apart with the comb-like interlocking folded products 1, 2 first in the direction of an arrow 61 and then in the direction of an arrow 74, the position shown in FIG. 19 below a transport device 75 in the form of gripper chains . The structure of the transport device 75 results from FIGS. 23, 24 and 27, FIG. 23 showing a section along the line I, II of FIG. 27. FIG. 24 shows a top view of FIG. 23.

As shown, the transport device 75 consists of two in total Gripper chains 76, 77, which can be roller chains, for example, and which run in guides 78, 79. Their driver bolts 80 carry guide rollers 81 and drivers 82. Gripper carriers 83 are screwed onto the latter. A gripper finger 84 is fixedly attached to a gripper carrier 83, while a second gripper finger 85 is pivotally mounted and can be controlled via a support roller 86 against the force of a compression spring 87 supported on the gripper carrier 83.

If, for example, a gripper finger 85 is moved or pivoted via the support roller 86 with the aid of a cam piece 88 (FIG. 22), the roller chains 76, 77 are supported on guide tracks 89, 90 via their guide rollers 81.

According to FIG. 20, the carrier 27 with the carrier structures 23 moved apart is positioned under the transport device 75 in such a way that when an upward movement in the direction of an arrow 74 preferably the sheet half of a leading folded product 2 penetrates centrally into a first opened folded product 1 (see FIG. 20) , wherein the sheet half of the folded product 1 also centrally between half of the leading, ie on the transport device 75 (Fig. 20) hanging folding product 2 is introduced. Thus, with the successive feeding of carriers 27 under the transport device 75 (Fig. 20) there remains a continuous, i.e. receive a continuous arrangement of comb-like folded products 1, 2, so that a bumpless stacking and unstacking is possible, as described below.

In the upper position of the carrier 27 shown in FIG. 21, ie directly below the transport device 75, a rail 91 with drivers 92 is lowered in such a way that it grips all the required gripper fingers 85 on its rear cams 94 with a movement in the direction of arrow 93 and thus opens for the takeover. After the take-over of the folded products 1, 2, the rail 91 moves back into its starting position shown in FIG. 20 and the carrier 27 with the support structures 23 is likewise moved into the starting position shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, where after the emptied support structures 23 have been moved away, everything is ready for a new working cycle with the aid of a drive 26.

The gripper chain or the transport device 75 now runs in the direction of arrows 93 and 95 (FIGS. 21, 25 and 26) and, after the transition to a vertical (arrow 95), stacks the folded products 1 which are guided one inside the other on grippers 84, 85, 2 on a pallet 96 (Fig. 25). 25 shows a complete stack and the start of a stack 99 to the right of this stack already in a somewhat exploded view.

When the folded products 1, 2 are stacked, the interlocked folded products 1, 2 virtually form an endless, zigzag-shaped chain. The grippers 84, 85 are kept closed by the tension of the compression spring 87. It is only in the area of the lower deflection wheel 97 for the chains 76, 77 that the grippers 84, 85 are opened by the curve 88 and place the folded products 1, 2 held in them cleanly on the stack 99 with the aid of a scraper tongue 98.

Since at the start of the stacking the first sheet or the first sheet half of the incoming folded product could take the position 100 shown in FIG. 22, a tongue 101 should be temporarily pushed into position 101 'in order to positively influence the beginning of the stack, so that the first folded product is already deposited exactly on the pallet 96 or on the stacking table 110.

As schematically shown in FIG. 25 in an overall view, the positioning of the transport device 75 enables the stacks 99 to be produced to be formed close together on the pallet 96. 26, a sensor 102 is provided for this purpose, which scans the stack height and a sensor 103 measures the distance to the stack. A sensor 104 detects the distance to the pallet and a sensor 105 detects the side stack edge (FIG. 28). These measurements become control commands for the feed drive determined. The constant stack height measurement controls the feed or the height of the lower deflection wheel 97 in the direction of an arrow 106 during stacking. In other words, the position of the deflection wheel 97 is adapted to the respective height of the stack when stacking and also when stacking. 25, a length compensation for the chains is required for this purpose, for which a deflection wheel 107 is provided, which moves during the movement of the deflection wheel 97 in the direction of arrow 106 for length compensation from its initial position 107 'in the direction of arrow 108.

The drive of the transport device 75 is initiated via a drive wheel 109.

The distance measurement to pallet 96 is used to determine the stack height, i.e. to determine the time at which a stack is finished, after which a next stack is started. The table 110 on which the pallet 96 stands is moved in the X-Y direction via feed drives (not shown), i.e. in the direction of arrows 111, 112 (FIG. 28). As a result, the location of the stack 99 on the pallet 96 can be ascertained precisely and thus a dense stacking is possible. The sensor 105 controls the lateral distance to the stack 99 so that the transport device 75 or the gripper chain 75 always runs in the middle of the stack.

For unstacking according to the invention, i.e. when the folded products 1, 2 are removed from a stack 99, for example for the purpose of refilling support structures 23, all the movements take place in the opposite direction.

A controlled pickup 113 (FIGS. 26, 27) advantageously serves for picking up sheets at the closed fold edge. It is driven cyclically via a crank mechanism 114 and is suspended at one end with a bearing pin 115 in a longitudinal guide 116, while the other, tapering end engages under an arch edge and thus raises it at the level of the grippers 84, 85. Here they slide between the open grippers 84, 85, the tongue 98 preventing the protrusion from being too wide.

The shorter gripper finger 85, viewed in the direction of rotation 117, runs ahead and thus past the edge of each folded product which is only picked up by the trailing, longer gripper finger 84. Each folded product is inserted deep between the open grippers 84, 85 in the further course. The course of the sheet edge or the edge of the folded product is indicated in FIG. 27 by a circular arc 118.

As shown, the special design of the pick-up 113 also allows the last half of the sheet to be picked up from the pallet surface. The sensor 104 constantly scans the pallet surface. As can be seen from the drawings, the first receiving edge of a folded product when destacking at the beginning (fresh) sheet stack preferably consists of a closed folded edge, i.e. from a fold back. As a result, the last half of the sheet to be recorded is forced to open to the front (Fig. 27). The recording is only supported here in this last half of a folded product by a pivotable bracket 119 with a spherical head 120, which penetrates from the curvature 121 of the last half of a folded product into its position 119 ′ or 120 ′ and enables secure recording ( 27, 28). You can then begin to destack another sheet stack.

From the preceding description in connection with the illustrations it follows that the entire stacking and unstacking process can be carried out fully automatically, which has a significant advantage. The comb-like or zigzag-shaped concatenation of the folded products 1, 2 supports the individual work processes in a favorable manner. On the one hand, since the edges of a folded product to be picked up, with the exception of the last half of a folded product, are always closed folded edges or folded backs, and on the other hand, as a result of this comb-like connection or concatenation in the folded product storage and when the folded products are picked up by grippers with the help of opposing ones closed arch edges 122 tensile forces in the direction of arrow 123 arise that always press the front edge of a folded product against the tongue 98 and thereby enable exact and safe stacking with a clean stack edge of the folded product tray and a secure pick-up of the folded products with the help of the grippers 84, 85 when processing a stack 99.

From the foregoing description it follows that within the scope of the invention the formation of comb-like folded products described in connection with FIGS. 5 to 19 is extremely favorable, but the principle underlying the invention of removing comb-like folded products can also be successfully carried out on others Devices are used in which there are correspondingly prepared folding products. In the same way, the principle of combing folded products shown in FIGS. 5 to 18 can also be provided for other purposes, i.e. the removal described with reference to FIGS. 19 to 28 is an advantageous, but not the only way to remove the folding products present in FIGS. 5 to 18.

Claims (18)

1. Device for removing folded products (1, 2) positioned in a V-shaped manner in a carrying structure (23), characterized in that

   - the carrying structure (23) is provided to accommodate folded products (1, 2) which are inserted into each other in a comb-like manner and are positioned in the carrying structure alternately in an upward V-shape and a downward V-shape,

   - gripping devices (84, 85) of a transport device (75) arranged above the carrying structure (23) are present in order to pick up the folded products (1, 2) in each case at a folding spine of each folded product (1, 2) which is open to the bottom in a V-shape and at a side of the adjacent V-shaped folded product (1,2) open to the top, which side is located under the folding spine,

   - to remove the folded products (1, 2) from the carrying structure (23) either the carrying structure (23) is constructed so that it can be lowered or the transport device (75) is constructed so that it can be raised,

   - means are present to convey the folded products (1, 2) hanging on the gripping devices (84, 85) into a vertical run (Figure 21, arrow 95) and means are present to direct the folded products successively (1, 2) onto a place of deposit (96), to release the folded products (1, 2) from the gripping devices (84, 85) and to form a stack (99) of folded products (1, 2) inserted into each other in a comb-like manner.
2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the transport device (75) comprises two chains (76, 77) arranged in parallel guides (78, 79) spaced apart from each other and in that gripping-device carriers (83) with space between them are positioned between the chains (76, 77), on which carriers there are arranged in each case a gripping-device finger (84) which is rotationally secure and a gripping-device finger (85) which can be swivelled by way of a support roller (86) against the pressure of a spring (87).
3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the gripping-device fingers (85) which can be swivelled are opened (Figure 21) to simultaneously pick up the folded products (1, 2) by the lowering and then the horizontal displacement of the rail (91) carrying the pushers (92), so that the gripping devices (84, 85) can at the same time pick up the folded products (1, 2) after the carrying structure (23) has been raised, after which, after the release of the gripping devices (85), at their rear cams (94) for the purpose of gripping, the rail (91) is moved back into its starting position (Figure 20).
4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that after the folded products (1, 2) have been picked up they are successively released by the roller chains (76, 77), after they have been conveyed into a vertical run (arrow 95, Figure 22), over a pallet (96) by opening the gripping devices (84, 85) before they are guided about a deflection wheel (97), so that they can be deposited on a stack (99), whereby by means of a tongue (101), which can be positioned over the pallet (96), in a position (101', Figure 22) the folded products (1, 2) are brought into a horizontal position and whereby by means of a wiper tongue (98) the folded products (1, 2) can be pushed out of the gripping devices (84, 85).
5. Device according to claim 2 or 4, characterized in that in the region of the circulating wheel (97) the gripping devices (84, 85) can be directed by a curved piece (88) in each case against the pressure of the associated spring (87).
6. Device according to one of the preceding claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the deflection wheel (97) can be applied in a manner corresponding to the growing stack (99) and in that the transport device (75) has a length-compensating piece (107, 109, Figure 25).
7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that by means of sensors (102 to 105, Figures 26, 28) the height of the stack (99) and its spacing from the deflection wheel (97) can be determined and in that in dependence upon the determined values the table (110) can be displaced in the X-Y direction and the height of the deflection roller (97) can be altered.
8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that for the purpose of processing the stack (99 in Figure 26) a pick-up device (113) is arranged to the side of the stack (99) and underneath the deflection wheel (97), which pick-up device is positioned in a guide (116) in a longitudinally displaceable manner at the end away from the stack and can be swivelled about a bearing bolt (115) and by way of a crank gear (114) carries out an up-and-down movement during its horizontal displacement in the guide (116) so that folded products (1, 2) are successively lifted up from the stack (99 in Figure 26), wherein in each case the first gripping-device finger (85) running in the direction of an arrow (106, in Figure 26) can be moved past the stack and for picking up a folded copy (1, 2) by way of the following longer gripping-device finger (84) the folded products can be picked up by directing the gripping device (85) running ahead after leaving the curved piece (88).
9. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrying structures (23) can be pushed apart and together in the longitudinal direction and are positioned in a carrier (27) and have tongues (28) to keep the folded products (1, 2) open and in that the carrying structures (23) are kept in the extended state by a drive (26) arranged above them for delivery to the transport device (75).
10. Device according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the pick-up of the last sheet half of a folded product (1 in 121, 122 in Figure 27) is supported by a bracket (119, Figure 28) which can be pivoted in and which advances from an arch (121) of the last sheet half up to and into a predetermined position (119', 120') and thus enables a secure pick-up of this sheet half by a gripping device (84, 85).
11. Method of bringing together folded products (1, 2) positioned in an open V-shaped manner in carrying structures (23, 23'), whereby the folded products (1, 2) are positioned in one of the carrying structures (23, 23') so that they are inserted into each other in a comb-like manner and alternately have an upward V-shape and a downward V-shape, characterized in that a respective spreader bar (35, 35') extending over the carrying structures (Figure 6; 23, 23') and in each case having gripping devices (40, 41, 40', 41') picks up the folded products (2), the gripping devices (40, 41') of the one spreader bar (35') taking up the folded products (2) open to the top in a V-shape from the one carrying structure (21'), after which this spreader bar (35') is guided along a guide (56) with the folded products (2) over the other spreader bar (Figure 7; 35), after which the gripping devices (40, 41) of this spreader bar (35) pick up the folded products (2) at the opposite end and after which by way of an annular guide (62) both spreader bars (35, 35') are rotated by 180° about a common centre and the one spreader bar (35'), after the insertion of fingers (Figure 13; 65, 66) for the purpose of keeping the folded products (2) open, is moved back into its starting position above the carrying structure (23') by way of the guide (56) after being turned back by 180° and the other spreader bar (35) delivers the folded products (2) rotated by 180° in a comb-like manner to the folded products (1) of the other carrying structure (23) which are open to the top in a V-shape, after which the spreader bar (35) after being turned back by 180° returns into its starting position (Figure 6).
12. Method according to claim 11, characterized in that the carrying structures (23, 23') are constructed in two parts and in each case before the insertion or the removal of folded products (1, 2) can be moved apart laterally by drives (30, 30'; 31, 31').
13. Method according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the carrying structures (23, 23') are each located in a carrier (27), in the floor part of which for picking up the folded copies (1, 2), gripping devices (70, 71) are arranged which pick up the folded products (1, 2) (for example 70, 71 in Figure 16) before the carrying structures (23, 23') are moved apart from each other laterally.
14. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the annular guide (62) has a guide passing through it diagonally, by way of which, after rotation of the folded copies (2) to be delivered, for returning into its starting position the bar (35) holding the folded copies (2) rotated by 180° can be lowered (Figure 13).
15. Method according to claim 14, characterized in that after the folded copies (1, 2) have been brought together in a comb-like manner in a supporting structure (23) the spreader bar (35) for the purpose of turning back by 180° is first of all guided upwards via the semi-circular guide (62) and is subsequently guided to its starting position (Figure 7) by way of the path passing diagonally through the annular guide (62).
16. Method according to one of the preceding claims 11 to 15, characterized in that before the insertion of the folded copies (2) into the structure (23) they can be separated from each other by the drives (30, 30'; 31, 31'), after the folded products (1) located therein have been grasped from below by gripping devices (70, 71).
17. Method according to one of the preceding claims 11 to 16, characterized in that all the gripping devices (40, 41, 40', 41') of the spreader bars (35, 35') can be controlled simultaneously by way of an oppositely directed displacement of two rails (38, 39) by means of stationary pneumatic pistons (48), wherein during the movement of the spreader bars (35, 35') the gripping devices (40, 41, 40', 41') are held in the locked state by means of compression springs (43) (Figures 9 to 12).
18. Method according to claim 17, characterized in that the rails (38, 39) can be displaced by means of a common pivoting lever (42), at the one end of which act the stationary pneumatic cylinder (48) and a stationary pneumatic piston (50) acting on a bolt (49) (Figures 11 and 12).

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