EP0762950A1

EP0762950A1 - Process and device for handling printed products

Info

Publication number: EP0762950A1
Application number: EP96908992A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ernst Lüthi
Original assignee: Grapha Holding AG
Current assignee: Grapha Holding AG
Priority date: 1995-05-02
Filing date: 1996-04-24
Publication date: 1997-03-19
Anticipated expiration: 2016-04-24
Also published as: EP0762950B1; WO1996034724A1; DE59600953D1; US5950511A

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for handling printed products (10) for edge-cutting using a cutter (50, 60). For this purpose, the printed products (10) are taken to the cutter (50, 60) by means of grips (22) circulating along a first conveyor loop (20) and the edge region of the printed products (10) in the grips (22) to be cut is tabilised by means of clamps (40) which can be applied in the region of the cutter (50, 60). After the edge has been cut, the printed products (10) are removed from the clamps (40) by the grips (22) and taken away.

Description

Method and device for handling printed matter

The invention relates to a method for performing an edge cut by means of a cutting apparatus for handling printed products, in which the printed products are encircling in the area of an edge of the printed products with a first conveyor loop while maintaining a mutual distance, and thereby attacking them grippers are carried along the first conveyor loop, as well as a device that can be used to carry out such methods.

In known methods of this type, which are described, for example, in CH-PS-668 216, the printed products for performing the edge cut are made from the along the the first conveyor loop revolving grippers of a feed conveyor and thus thrown from above into pockets open at the top and fixed to an endlessly driven traction element. In the pockets they are then displaced perpendicular to the drive direction to carry out the edge cut, after which the printed products thus aligned with knives which are assigned to one another and are attached to a second endlessly driven traction element, one strand of which runs parallel to a section of the first traction element - be cut. The printed products are then gripped by grippers of a conveyer rotating around a mutual distance and thus removed from the pockets and transported away.

To ensure reliable operation of a device which can be used to carry out such methods, the conveying speeds of the feed conveyor and the away conveyor must be matched exactly to the rotational speed of the pockets. Furthermore, a precise coordination of the circulation of the knives assigned to one another in pairs with the circulation of the pockets is required. In particular, the coordination between the rotation of the knives and that of the pockets must be carried out extremely precisely not only with regard to the circulation speed but also with regard to the circulation phase, because an insufficient phase adjustment can already cause a shift in the printed products in the pockets which hinders the further work flow, if one of the knives assigned to one another in pairs is too early, ie before the corresponding counter knife is placed in a cutting engagement with the printed product.

In view of the problems in the prior art described above, the object of the invention is to provide a method for handling printing works which permits reliable execution of an edge cut. Products and a device that can be used to carry out such methods.

From a procedural point of view, this object is achieved in that the printed products are inserted by the grippers into a second conveyor loop running parallel to the first conveyor loop along a common path of movement, with clamping clips arranged at a distance from the grippers, the clamping clips being in the course of the common path of movement is brought into stabilizing engagement with the free edge regions of the printed products lying in the grippers of the first conveyor loop, and in this state the edge cut from the cutting device fixedly arranged on the common path of movement on the protruding beyond the clamping clamps towards the cutting device free edge areas of the printed products is executed, and the trimmed printed products connect the common path of movement in the grippers along the first conveyor loop.

With these methods, the assignment between the printed products and the grippers feeding them remains even during and after the execution of the edge cut, so that no transfer of or takes place either for feeding the printed products to the cutting apparatus or for removing the printed products after the edge cut has been carried out to a gripper conveyor is required. A coordination of the conveying speeds of different conveying means, which ensures the reliability of such transfers, which are necessary when carrying out known methods, is therefore not required when carrying out the method according to the invention.

By means of the stabilizing engagement of the clamps with the free edge areas of the in In addition, undesired displacement of the printed products during the execution of the edge cut can be prevented even when a knife of the cutting apparatus is placed on the printed product too early. Such an error then only results in an edge cut that deviates from the nominal cut, but generally still runs within permissible tolerances. Such deviations in the edge cut usually do not constitute an obstacle to further processing for the printed products. Therefore, the stabilization of the printed products with the clamps contributes significantly to increasing the reliability of the handling of the printed products during and after the implementation of the edge cut at.

Finally, when the method according to the invention is carried out, the printed products are fed and removed by means of grippers rotating along a single conveyor loop, i.e. with a single gripper conveyor, while in the known method described above two separate gripper conveyors are to be used for feeding and removal, which moreover also have to be exactly coordinated with one another at least with regard to the conveying speed. This further contributes to increasing the operational reliability when carrying out the method according to the invention.

A device which can be used to carry out the method according to the invention for handling printed products for making an edge cut is characterized essentially by a number of second conveyor loops running along a common movement path and running parallel to the first conveyor loop and spaced apart from the grippers Clamps into which the printed products are gripped by the grippers in the course of the common movement path are feasible and with which non-trimmable edge areas of the printed products lying in the grippers can be stabilized, and also in that the cutting device for performing the edge cut on the free edge areas of the printed products protruding beyond the clamping clips toward the cutting device are fixed on the common path of movement is arranged and the printed products can be transported along the first conveyor loop following the common path of movement in the grippers.

The printed products in the grippers are only comparatively roughly aligned for feeding. Furthermore, the grippers of a conventional gripper conveyor and therefore also the printed products carried with them are usually subjected to considerable vibrations or even deflections. To ensure a precise edge cut, it is therefore expedient if the grippers are detached from the printed products located therein in the course of the common path of movement and are only put back on the printed products after the edge cut has been carried out.

For this purpose, the grippers of the device according to the invention can be adjusted in the course of the common movement path from a closed position into a release position.

After loosening the gripper, the printed products can be held by the corresponding clamp without the task of assigning them to the feeding gripper. Since the clamps are only required in the course of the comparatively short common movement path, the second conveyor loop can be made significantly shorter than the first conveyor loop. This allows vibration and deflection-free guidance of the clamps along the second conveyor loop with reasonable design effort. The use of the clamps therefore opens up a The most cost-effective way to carry out an exact edge cut.

In order to improve the merely rough alignment of the printed products lying in the grippers, it is contemplated to move the printed products after the loosening of the grippers to align them in an edge-cutting position perpendicular to the conveying direction.

For this purpose, the clamps and the second conveyor loop are expediently formed such that the printed products rest on a clamping jaw of the clamps during the displacement and are stabilized only after the displacement, perpendicular to the conveying direction, by applying a further clamping jaw of the clamp. For this purpose, the clamping brackets of the device according to the invention are expediently adjustable between a clamping position and an opening position and each have a clamping jaw on which the printed products can be placed in the open position in the course of the common movement path and on which the printed products are aligned ¬ direction perpendicular to the direction of conveyance, as well as another after the alignment to adjust the clamping brackets in the clamping position and to stabilize the printed products further clamping jaw.

To adapt the clamps to different printed product formats, it can be provided that at least one of their clamping jaws has at least two clamping jaw parts which can be displaced relative to one another perpendicular to the conveying direction.

To move the printed products along the common path of movement can be brought into a grinding system with a guide rail. This grinding approach However, this can lead to damage to the printed products. It is therefore particularly advantageous if, in order to move at least along part of the common path of movement with the printed products, tappets that move with the printed products are brought into contact with free edge regions of the printed products. These plungers can rest on their side facing away from the printed products, for example via rollers rotatably attached to them, on guide rails and thus be displaced perpendicular to the conveying direction.

In general, the second conveyor loop can have any shape and can be circular, for example. However, it is particularly advantageous if the second Ford loop has two straight sections which run parallel to one another and are connected via semicircular loop sections. If the common movement path in such a configuration of the second conveyor loop runs at least partially along a part of the straight line sections, at least one edge cut can take place in the course of this straight line section.

Since the free edge regions, which are stabilized with the clamps and project toward the cutting apparatus, perform an unaccelerated, uniform movement along the straight section, an increased reliability in the execution of the edge cut can be achieved in this way. Furthermore, this course of the second conveyor loop can be used to extend the common path of movement to a simple one without impairing the stability of the clamps to vibration and fluctuation. This opens up the possibility of arranging a plurality of cutting devices one behind the other along the common path of movement in a space-saving manner.

To realize this preferred course of the second conveyor loop, the clamps are more expedient. fixed on a traction element rotating along the second conveyor loop, which is guided over a drive roller and a deflection roller arranged at a distance therefrom.

In order to reduce the footprint required for a device which can be used to carry out the method according to the invention, the straight line sections running parallel to one another are expediently arranged one above the other. The alignment of the printed products lying in the grippers and on a clamping jaw of the clamping brackets can be carried out particularly easily if the printed products pass through one of the semicircular loop sections after insertion into the clamping clips and before the edge cut is made. In the course of this semicircular loop section, the printed products lie on the one clamping jaw of the clamping clips after loosening the grippers and can be aligned in a simple manner when the clamping clips are placed in the open position. In order to implement the above-described course of the second conveyor loop, the drive roller and the deflecting roller of the device according to the invention advantageously have roller axes lying in a common horizontal plane.

The edge section expediently takes place along the lower straight section on the printed products conveyed there below the grippers. The cutting waste can then fall down and be carried away without loading the grippers or the clamps. This further contributes to the operational reliability of the method according to the invention.

The edge cut at the free edge areas of the printed products stabilized with the clamps can be made especially when trimming thin printed products. The use of a cutting apparatus which uses only a knife to carry out the edge cut takes place. In order to absorb the cutting pressure and to increase the accuracy when making the edge cut, however, it is particularly advantageous if the cutting apparatus has at least one knife and at least one counter knife interacting with it, the counter knife in the course of the common movement path to a rear side in the conveying direction of the free edge region protruding toward the cutting apparatus can be applied and the knife acts on the front side thereof to make the edge cut.

The knife is expediently moved in a direction opposite to the conveying direction.

The counter knife is expediently drivable for placement against free edge regions which are fed one after the other and stabilized with the clamping clamps, in order to revolve around a circumferential axis running perpendicular to the conveying direction. The movement of the knife in the direction opposite to the conveying direction of the printed products can then be carried out particularly easily if the knife can be driven in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the counter knife in order to rotate the rotating axis.

Although the method according to the invention can also be carried out using a cutting device having only one counter knife and only one knife, the processing speed can be increased while avoiding undesirably high wear of the cutting device if the cutting device has a plurality of the spacers of the grippers revolving counter knife and / or knife.

As already mentioned in connection with the preferred arrangement of the second conveyor loop, this is also part of it intended to arrange a corresponding number of cutting devices along the common path of movement for trimming a plurality of protruding edge regions of a printed product stabilized with the clamps.

The invention is explained below with reference to the drawing, to which reference is expressly made with regard to all details essential to the invention and not detailed in the description.

The drawing shows:

1 is a side view of a device according to the invention,

Fig. 2a is a view of a clamp of the device shown in Fig. 1 in a first position and

FIG. 2b shows a view of the clamp shown in FIG. 2a in a second position.

With the device shown in FIG. 1, printed products 10 are conveyed with grippers 22 running around a first conveyor loop 20 while maintaining a mutual distance, along the first conveyor loop 20. The grippers 22 act on the back of the printed products 10.

In the course of the first conveyor loop 20, the printed products 10 conveyed by the grippers 22 are introduced into clamping clamps 40 running around a second conveyor loop 30 at a distance from the grippers. The second conveyor loop 30 has two straight sections 32 and 34 which are arranged one above the other and which have semicircular sections 36 and 38 are interconnected. The clamping clips 40 are fixed to a conveyor chain which is driven in the region of the semicircular section 36 by means of a drive roller in the direction indicated by the arrow 31 and which is deflected in the region of the semicircular section 38 by means of a deflection roller.

In order to insert the printed products 10 conveyed along the first conveyor loop 20 by the grippers 22, the clamping clamps 40 are placed in an open position in the region of the lower straight section 32. In this open position, the printed products 10 together with the grippers 22 can be inserted between a first clamping jaw 42 and a second clamping jaw 44 of the clamping clamps 40.

After completion of the engagement at the end of the lower straight section 32, the clamps 40 are conveyed along the common movement path running along the semicircular section 38 and part of the upper straight section 34 of the second conveyor loop 30. In the upper region of the semicircular section 38, the printed products 10 located in the grippers 22 rest on the jaw 42 of the clamping clip 40.

After the grippers 22 have been moved into a release position in the course of the upper region 39 of the semicircular section 38, the printed products 10 resting on the clamping jaw 42 are pressed by means of a plunger (not shown) engaging one of their edges to align them in a precise edge cut Edge cut position shifted perpendicular to the conveying direction 31.

After the alignment has been completed, the second clamping jaw 44 is used to stabilize the edge region to be trimmed applied to the printed products 10 in the course of the upper straight section 34. After this adjustment of the clamps 40 into a clamped position, the edge area of the printed products 10 to be trimmed projects beyond the clamp 40. The edge cut can now take place in this position. The grippers 22 can remain in the release position.

The execution of the edge cut is explained using the example of trimming the front of the printed products. For this purpose, a cutting apparatus 50 is fixedly arranged on the common movement path, towards which the front of the printed products 10 protrudes beyond the clamping clips 40. The cutting apparatus 50 has a number of counter-knives 54 running perpendicular to the conveying direction 31 in a direction indicated by the case 55. The counter knives 54 are arranged along the orbit at a distance from the grippers 22 or the clamps 40. The rotational speed of the counter knives 54 corresponds to the conveying speed of the grippers 22 or the clamps 40. In the course of the orbit, the counter knives 54 are placed against the rear side of the printed products 10 stabilized with the clamps 40 in the conveying direction.

To carry out the edge cut, the cutting apparatus 50 further comprises a number of knives 56 rotating around the circumferential axis 52 in a direction indicated by the arrow 57. The knives 56 are also arranged along the orbit at a distance from the grippers 22 or the clamps 40. The knives 56 engaging on the front side of the front of the printed products 10 are also driven at a rotational speed corresponding to the conveying speed of the grippers 22 or the clamping clamps 40. This ensures that when the edge cut is carried out continuously on printed products which are successively conveyed to the cutting apparatus 50, 10 a specific one of the counter knives 54 always interacts with the same knife 56.

The edge cut at the head and foot regions of the printed products 10 is carried out in a similar manner by means of a cutting apparatus 60 which is fixed in the further course of the straight section 34. After leaving the cutting apparatus 60, the clamping clamps 40 are adjusted into the open position. At the same time, the grippers 22 are moved into the closed position to again grasp the backs of the printed products 10 and the printed products 10 now carried again by the grippers 22 leave the common path of movement along the first conveyor loop.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, the clamping jaws are

42 and 44 of the clamps 40 are made in two parts. The space between the jaw parts 44a and 44b serves to receive the gripper 22 along the common path of movement. As can be seen from the comparison of FIGS. 2a and 2b, the jaw parts 44a and 44b as well as 42a and 42b can be displaced relative to one another perpendicular to the conveying direction. As a result, the clamps 40 can be adapted to different printed product formats. In the position shown in FIG. 2a, the outer edges of the clamping jaw parts 44a and 44b are, for example, a distance of 400 mm, while in the position shown in FIG. 2b they are only 200 mm apart.

The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiment explained with reference to the drawing. For example, the edge cut can also take place along the lower straight section 32 if the printed products are inserted into the clamps 40 along the upper straight section 34 or the semicircular section 36. It can thereby be achieved that the cutting waste is neither the grippers 22 nor the clamps 40 acted upon. The execution of the edge cut on printed products hanging below the grippers 22 or the clamping clamp 40 thus leads to a further operational reliability of the device according to the invention. Furthermore, it is also envisaged to effect the alignment of the printed products before making the edge cut by means of scenes which can be applied to the printed products.

Claims

EXPECTATIONS

1. Method for performing an edge cut by means of a cutting apparatus for handling printed products, in which the printed products are fed along a first conveyor loop while maintaining a mutual distance, and are fed to grippers that grip in the area of an edge of the printed products and thereby carry them along the first conveyor loop , characterized in that the printed products are introduced by the grippers in a second conveyor loop running parallel to the first conveyor loop along a common movement path and with clamping clamps arranged at a distance from the grippers, the clamping clamps running along the common movement path are brought into a stabilizing manner with the free edge regions of the printed products lying in the grippers of the first conveyor loop to be trimmed, and in this state the edge cut from the one according to FIG lonely movement path, the cutting apparatus is arranged in a fixed manner on the free edge regions of the printed products projecting over the clamping clips towards the cutting apparatus, and the trimmed printed products then leave the common movement path in the grippers along the first conveyor loops.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the grippers are loosened in the course of the common movement path from the printed products located therein and are only applied to the printed products again after the edge cut has been made.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized gekennzeich¬ net that the printed products are displaced therein after aligning the grippers for alignment in an edge cut position perpendicular to the conveying direction.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that the printed products rest on a clamping jaw of the clamping clamps during the displacement and are stabilized after alignment by applying a further clamping jaw of the clamping clamps.

5. The method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized gekennzeich¬ net that for moving along the common path of movement with the printed products moving ram with the edge regions of the printed products opposite the free edge regions to be trimmed are brought into contact.

6. The method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second conveyor loop has two parallel straight line sections connected via semicircular loop sections and the common movement path runs at least partially along part 0 of one of the straight line sections and at least one channel tent cut is made in the course of this straight line section.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that the straight sections are arranged one above the other. 5

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that the edge cut is made along the lower straight section to the printed products conveyed there below the grippers. C

9. The method according to claim 7 or 8, characterized gekennzeich¬ net that the printed products pass after insertion into the Ein¬ clamps and before making the edge cut one of the semicircular loop sections. 5

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that the alignment takes place in the course of the semicircular Schleifenab¬ section.

11. The method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cutting apparatus has a knife and a counter knife cooperating therewith, the counter knife for making the edge cut being placed on the rear side of the projecting free edge region in the conveying direction and that with the Counter knife cooperating knife for performing the edge cut on the front of the printed products attacks.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that the knife is moved in a direction opposite to the conveying direction of the printed products.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that the counter knife rotates an axis extending perpendicular to the conveying direction of the printed products.

14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that the knife rotates the axis of rotation in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the counter knife.

15. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a plurality of edge cuts are made along the common path of movement at different free edge regions of the printed products projecting beyond the clamping clamp toward corresponding cutting devices.

16. Device for handling printed products (10) for performing an edge cut with a first conveyor, which is a number under a mutual Distance along a first conveyor loop (20) has grippers (22) that serve to grasp the printed products (10) in the region of one of their edges and to feed the printed products along the first conveyor loop (20), and a cutting apparatus (50, 60) for executing the edge cut, characterized by a number of clamping clamps (40), which run parallel to a common movement path with the first conveyor loop (20) and run around the second conveyor loop (30) at intervals of the grippers (22), into which the printed products ( 10) can be introduced by the grippers (22) in the course of the common movement path and with which the edge regions of the printed products (10) lying in the grippers (22) to be trimmed can be stabilized, and in that the cutting apparatus (50, 60) for executing them of the edge cut at the free edge regions protruding beyond the clamping clips (40) towards the cutting apparatus (50, 60) Products (10) are arranged fixed on the common path of movement and the printed products (10) can be transported along the first conveyor loop (20) in the grippers (22) following the common path of movement.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, characterized in that the grippers (22) are adjustable from a closed position to a release position in the course of the common movement path for releasing the printed products (10) therein.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 or 17, characterized in that the clamps (40) between one

Clamping position and an open position are adjustable and each have a clamping jaw (42) on which the printed products (10) can be placed in the open position in the course of the common movement path and on which the printed products (10) can be adjusted by means of an alignment device. can be displaced perpendicular to the conveying direction (31), as well as a further clamping jaw (44) which can be placed on the printing products (10) after alignment for adjustment in the clamping position and for stabilization.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, characterized in that at least one of the clamping jaws (42, 44) has at least two clamping jaw parts (42a, 42b, 44a, 44b) which are displaceable relative to one another perpendicular to the conveying direction.

20. The apparatus according to claim 18 or 19, characterized gekenn¬ characterized in that the alignment device along the common path of movement with the printed products (10) mitlau¬ fende on free edge areas of the printed products (10) can be applied plunger.

21. Device according to one of claims 16 to 20, da¬ characterized in that the clamps (40) on a along the second Ford loop (30) rotating traction element are fixed.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21, characterized in that the pulling element is guided over a drive roller and a deflection roller arranged at a distance therefrom.

23. The device according to claim 22, characterized in that the drive roller and the deflecting roller have roller axis lying in a common horizontal plane.

24. The device according to claim 23, characterized in that the common path of movement extends at least partially below the tension member and the edge cut can be performed in the course of this part of the path of movement.

25. Device according to one of claims 22 to 24, characterized in that the alignment of the Druckereierzeug¬ nisse (10) in the area of the drive and / or deflection roller is executable.

5

26. Device according to one of claims 16 to 25, characterized in that the cutting apparatus has at least one knife (56) and at least one counter knife (54) cooperating therewith, the counter knife (54) in the course

IC of the common movement path can be placed against a rear side in the conveying direction (31) of the free edge region protruding towards the cutting apparatus and engages the knife (56) to make the edge cut on the front thereof.

15 27. The apparatus of claim 26, characterized in that the counter knife (54) for rotating a perpendicular to the conveying direction (31) extending axis of rotation (52) can be driven.

28. The device according to claim 27, characterized in that the knife (56) can be driven in order to revolve the revolving axis (52) in a direction (57) opposite to the revolving direction (55) of the counter knife (54).

25. The device according to claim 27 or 28, characterized in that the cutting apparatus (50, 60) has a plurality of counter-knives (54) and / or knives (56) rotating around the circumferential axis (52) each at a distance from the grippers (22) ) having.

30. 30. Device according to one of claims 16 to 29, characterized in that for cutting a plurality of free edge regions of a printed product (10) projecting over the clamping bracket (40), a corresponding number of cutting apparatuses (50, 60) along the common path of movement

35 is arranged.