EP0870712A1 - Method and device for unloading stacks of sheets - Google Patents

Abstract

The procedure, for use with a machine in which the paper is stacked on shelves (31) at its output end, involves placing a container (1) with an opening door (6) against the outlet end of the machine and locking it into place. The stacks of paper on the shelves are then transferred automatically to the container, which also has a series of inner shelves, and once the loading procedure has been completed the container is disengaged from the machine and its door closed and locked. The container door can be opened and closed automatically, and it is positioned relative to the output end of the machine by means of centering elements and guides. The transfer of the paper stacks from the machine to the container is effected by a pusher (41).

Description

The invention relates to a method of unloading one or more several reams of leaves, in particular leaves of securities, from an output of a machine belonging to a facility for the production of securities and a device for unloading one or more oars from leaves.

Under the term machine for the production of securities, it include printing machines, numbering machines and control machines quality of securities.

In known production machines, in particular intaglio printing, sheets of paper intended to be printed are brought to the machine entrance one after the other and receive prints either single-sided or double-sided. The sheets are finally sent in the output of the printing machine.

The output of the paper production machines generally have at least two shelves and their filling is carried out as follows: a board in the form of a tray or pallet is introduced on horizontal rails in one of the shelves, rails which are mounted on a paternoster type system. The tray then receives the printed sheets until than a train of a certain size, for example five hundred leaves, either incorporated. At that moment, the other shelf, in which a tray has been previously introduced, is selected for new printed sheets arriving in the exit, while the slides and the tray carrying the ream of leaves from the first shelf are shifted down. A new tray is introduced on the rails of the first shelf and sheets printed will be stacked on this tray as soon as this shelf will be selected, i.e. when the shelf of the second shelf will support a full train. The stacking of the leaves on this new tray and on the following plateaus continues alternately until the shelf contains a specific number of trays, for example ten trays each carrying an oar of five hundred sheets. Patent application EP 0 725 027 describes an example of filling the shelves of a machine printing. In this request, the oars are finally transferred from the shelves to a cart and taken away.

Emptying an exit shelf is an operation that is still currently done manually, operation during which the plates supporting the reams of sheets are removed from the shelf and transferred on a cart. This transfer is made for all trays of a shelf, each shelf generally containing ten trays, and once the cart is filled with the ten trays of the shelf he is taken either to a other production machine either to a storage location.

The major disadvantage of manual tray transfer carrying oars is that printed sheets can on the one hand be soiled or torn and on the other hand be stolen when trains were moved between two machines. Each ream of leaves weighing between 30 and 40 kilos, the manual unloading is particularly work annoying. In addition, thefts of printed sheets are not also not acceptable.

a) mise en place d'un conteneur comportant au moins une porte du côté de l'étagère à plateaux,

b) positionnement et blocage du conteneur par rapport à l'étagère,

c) transfert des plateaux portant les rames de l'étagère à plateaux dans le conteneur,

d) fermeture de la porte du conteneur,

e) déblocage du conteneur, celui-ci pouvant être déplacé.

The object of the invention is to reduce as much as possible the manual handling of the reams of printed sheets and therefore to reduce the risk of the printed sheets being damaged or disappearing. This object is achieved, according to the invention, by a method of unloading the reams of sheets from an outlet of a machine having at least two shelves with trays, the method being characterized by the following steps:

a) installation of a container comprising at least one door on the side of the tray shelf,

b) positioning and blocking of the container relative to the shelf,

c) transfer of the trays carrying the oars from the tray shelf to the container,

d) closing the container door,

e) unlocking of the container, which can be moved.

There is thus obtained at least partial automation of the process for unloading and transferring the oars of leaves.

Dependent claims 2 to 5 define steps particular of the process according to the invention.

Preferably, all the reams of leaves are transferred simultaneously from the tray shelf of the production machine in the container.

All operations are performed automatically through appropriate control, transmission means and means of control. In this way, the operation sensitive to the transfer of the trays carrying the oars of the shelf in the container is always in a space closed, without manual manipulation, and on the other hand the container is not released until its door has been opened closed. Reams of printed sheets can therefore be moved without risk of theft or damage.

• un conteneur fermé dont au moins l'une des parois comporte une porte pouvant être ouverte et fermée de manière automatisée,
• des moyens de positionnement et de blocage du conteneur par rapport à l'étagère de sortie,
• des moyens d'ouverture et de fermeture de la porte,
• un système de transfert pour déplacer les plateaux portant les rames depuis l'étagère de sortie dans le conteneur,
• un système automatique pour commander et contrôler les moyens de positionnement et de blocage, les moyens d'ouverture et de fermeture de la porte, le système de transfert et la position de la porte.

The device according to the invention for unloading reams of sheets of securities from the output of a production machine comprising at least one shelf with trays, is characterized in that it comprises:

• a closed container, at least one of the walls of which has a door which can be opened and closed automatically,
• means for positioning and blocking the container relative to the outlet shelf,
• means for opening and closing the door,
• a transfer system for moving the trays carrying the trains from the outlet shelf into the container,
• an automatic system for controlling and controlling the positioning and locking means, the door opening and closing means, the transfer system and the position of the door.

Dependent claims 7 to 12 define modes particular execution of the device according to the invention.

One of the advantages of the device according to the invention is that it is fully modular so it can stand fit on new production machines as well of securities only on machines already in service.

The present invention will be better understood thanks to the description of an embodiment and drawings which accompany him.

Figures 1 to 4 show the principle of the automatic unloading.

Figure 5 is a front view of a container.

Figure 6 is a side view in partial section of a container.

Figure 7 is a bottom view of a container.

Figure 8 is a front view of the indexing system.

Figure 9 is a side view in axial section of the system indexing.

Figure 10 is a top view of the indexing system.

Figure 11 is a top view in partial section horizontal transfer system.

Figure 12 is a sectional front view of the transfer.

Figure 13 is a side view of the transfer system.

The principle of the automatic unloading process is now described with reference to Figures 1 to 4.

In FIG. 1, a tray shelf 31 of a machine 34 for the production of securities is equipped with a system indexing and locking 20 and a pusher 41 which will be described in more detail below. A first tray 32 is introduced into shelf 31. A container 1 closed and having a door 6 is brought in front of the exit of the tray shelf 31. The indexing and lock 20 is retracted. In addition, the pusher 41 is retracted to the bottom of the tray shelf 31.

In FIG. 2, the machine 34 is in production: the printed sheets arrive at the top of the tray shelf 31 driven by a clamp chain system and they are released in the shelf. The shelf shelf 31 is filled with reams of leaves 36 on the trays 32, all of the plates shifting downwards when new tray is introduced on the top slides the shelf 31. The container 1 is positioned relative to the tray shelf 31 of the production machine 34 and the pusher 41 is always in the retracted position.

In FIG. 3, the container 1 is adjusted by indexing and locked in relation to the shelf 31 of the production machine 34, door 6 of container 1 has been open and pusher 41 is transferring a set of ten trays 32, each carrying a train of sheets 35, by the open side of the output shelf 31 in container 1, while an eleventh tray 32 is located at the very top in the exit shelf 31 receives printed sheets that will constitute a new row 35. When the transfer is complete, the door to container 1 is closed, the indexing and lock 20 is removed and pusher 41 returns to bottom of exit 31.

In FIG. 4, the closed container 1 filled with oars of leaves 36 is taken on a pallet truck while the tray shelf 31 of the machine 34 fills with new of trays 32 and reams of sheets 36.

The container 1 is described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7. It is fully closed and includes a supporting frame four side walls 2, 3, 4 and 5, one of which has a door 6 sliding vertically. The container includes further horizontal slides 11, 12 facing each other in pairs to receive the trays 32 carrying the oars 36 sheets. The vertical distance between the slides 11 and between the slides 12 corresponds to the vertical distance between the supports of the trays 32 in the shelf 31 of the production machine 34.

The container 1 also has four legs 8, 9, 14 and 15, a bottom 13 and a ceiling 10 fixed to the frame. Gate 6 is wound on a support 16. In FIGS. 5 and 6, oars 36 on trays 32 are also shown. In addition, the fixed walls of the shelf can be openwork.

The container frame is sufficiently rigid and solid to support a stack of several containers filled with oars of leaves. In addition, the ceiling 10 includes means (not shown) for receiving the container feet when stacking them.

The indexing and blocking means 20 are described in reference to FIGS. 8 to 10. These means 20 which are fixed above the tray shelf 31 of the machine 34 of production of securities include a support 19 on which are mounted two positioning indexes 24, 25. The support 19 is itself fixed on the tray shelf of the 34 production machine through guides vertical 22, 23, for example slide systems, allowing its displacement in the vertical direction, and this displacement is actuated by two pneumatic cylinders 21, 21 '.

Advantageously, the two indexes 24, 25 can in addition to being mounted on springs (not shown), this which compensates for the position of container 1 if the ground is not flat.

Means for opening and closing the door of the container are also fixed to the support 19. These means comprise at least one pneumatic motor 26, one opening and closing coach 27, a means of transmission between the motor 26 and the coach 27 and a torque limiter 30.

Indexing and locking of container 1 relative to a tray shelf 31 of a production machine 34 are carried out as follows: container 1 is brought in front of the opening of the tray shelf 31, either frontally or laterally, and the two feet 8, 9 from the machine side container 34 are fed into two cones corresponding to the ground (not shown) and fixed by compared to the exit shelf 31. By self-centering feet 8, 9 of container 1 in the cones, the position of this with respect to the tray shelf 31 is thus referenced.

The support 19 of the indexing system 20 is then lowered along the guides 22, 23, by means of the jacks tires 21, 21 'and the positioning indexes 24, 25 enter corresponding holes (not shown) of container 1. Once these indexes 24, 25 are place, the position of container 1 is blocked relative to the tray shelf 31 of the production machine 34 and the transfer of the plates 32 can take place.

The door opening and closing drive 27 must still be powered by a pneumatic motor 26 opening and closing doors to open door 6 of container 1 by means of a belt, by example.

The container 1 also includes means allowing the opening of its door 6 from the outside. The container 1 shown in Figures 1 to 7 having a door 6 winding in its upper part, these means can be, for example, a vertical worm whose the upper end cooperates with the coach opening and closing 27 and the lower end threaded causes a horizontal support 16 in the container 1 around which the door 6 is wound. In case of problem when the door is rolled up, a torque limiter 30 avoids overloading the motor 26. Once the door 6 is fully open, the transfer of the trays 32 can take place and as soon as it is finished, the motor control 26 is reversed and door 6 is closed via the opening coach and closing 27.

In a particular variant, a security finger 28 is added, this finger now the means of indexing and blockage in raised position in case the air supply compressed indexing and blocking means 20 is interrupted.

In FIG. 9, the index 25 is also represented in lines mixed in its lowered position, position which allows the container blocking.

The transfer system is now described with reference Figures 11, 12 and 13. This transfer system 40 includes a pusher 41 in the form of a vertical upright, two horizontal chassis 42 and 43 interconnected by a rail guide 44 on which the pusher 41 is fixed and is moves. To drive the pusher 41 along the rail guide 44, the system also includes a ball screw 45 arranged parallel to the guide rail 44. The screw balls 45 itself is, at one of its ends, connected to a notched transmission 48 connected to a motor 46 by through a transmission shaft 49 and a safety torque limiter 47. The entire transmission system transfer 40 is mounted inside each shelf to trays of a paper production machine and when the shelf must be emptied into a container, previously indexed and blocked as described above, a appropriate control starts the motor 46 which, by driving the ball screw 45 by the transmission, causes the pusher 41 along the guide rail 44. This displacement of pusher 41 transfers all the trays from the shelf to trays 31 in container 1 in a single pass. A Once the trays have been transferred, the rotation of the motor 46 is reversed and pusher 41 goes back along rail 44.

In FIG. 12, two protective sheets 50, 51 are in besides shown, the sheet 51 making it possible to protect the motor 46 for driving the pusher 41.

To allow the automation of the process, a unit of command and control is used as well as means control, control means and means of transmission. The command and control unit allows determine the commands to be executed, for example lowering the indexing and locking system, opening the door, moving the pusher, closing the door or releasing the container. This unit can be a calculator. The means of control allow to control that a command can be executed or has been executed. These means include for example position sensors associated with the mobile elements of the device. Transmission means, such as cables and pneumatic circuits, allow the transmission of commands from the command and control unit to the actuators and receive information from Control measures.

One of the advantages of the device according to the invention is that it is perfectly modular. Indeed, the system indexing can without other be placed on a machine production of existing securities since it suffices to mount it above the shelf and connect the pneumatic elements on the compressed air network already present on these production machines. On the other hand, the transfer system can be integrated into the shelves platforms of existing production machines.

The embodiments are given by way of example and variations are possible within the framework of the claimed invention. For example, the shelves of the production machine can also be fitted with a sliding door. This can only be opened when a container is indexed and locked and it will be closed after the container door. This construction makes it possible to create a sort of airlock for the printed sheets which will at no time be free to access. In addition, the container door can be rolled up vertically on one side of the container rather than horizontally at the top of the container.
The container may also include a second door similar to the first and placed on the wall facing it. This would reduce handling of the container during unloading.

Claims (12)

Method for unloading reams of sheets of securities from an outlet of a machine for producing securities comprising at least one tray shelf, said method being characterized by the following partially automated steps: a) installation of a container comprising at least one door on the side of the tray shelf, b) positioning and blocking of the container relative to the shelf, c) transfer of the trays carrying the racks from the shelf into the container, d) closing the container door, e) release of the container, which can then be moved. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the positioning and blocking step comprises the following steps: positioning of the container by self-centering means, blocking of the container by an index system, the container blocking step comprising the following steps: coupling of a door opening and closing driver, door position detection, control of a motor linked to the door opening and closing driver to open the door, if necessary, and the coupling of the door opening driver taking place at the same time as the locking of the container by the index system. Method according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the transfer of the trays carrying the reams of the shelf in the container is done so simultaneous for all platforms and in that a pusher is used to perform the transfer step. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the step of closing the container door comprises the following steps: control of the motor linked to the door opening and closing coach to close the door, removal of the door opening and closing coach, and door lock. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the step of unlocking the container involves the withdrawal of the index system. Device for unloading reams of sheets of securities from an outlet of a machine for producing securities comprising at least one shelf with trays (31), and characterized in that it comprises: a closed container (1), at least one of the walls (2,3,4,5) of which has a door (6) which can be opened and closed automatically, positioning and blocking means (20) of the container (1) relative to the tray shelf (31), means for opening and closing (16,17,26,27,29,30) of the door (6), a transfer system (40) for moving the trays (32) carrying the oars (36) from the shelf (31) in the container (1), an automatic system for controlling and controlling the positioning and blocking means (20), the door opening and closing means (16,17,26,27,29,30), the transfer system (40) and the position of the door. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that that the container (1) comprises four walls (2,3,4,5) is facing in pairs, the walls (3,5) of a pair have supports (11,12) intended to receive the trays (32) carrying the oars (36), and feet (8,9,14,15) and in that the door (6) slides vertically. Device according to one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that the means for positioning and blocking (20) comprise positioning means at the ground, constituted by two self-centering cones, fixed by with respect to the tray shelf (31) to receive at least two feet (8,9,14,15) of the container (1), at least one jack (21,21 '), a support (19) fixed on the outlet of the machine production (34) by means of guidance, made up of two slide systems vertical (22,23), and at least one positioning index (24.25) fixed to the support (19) and cooperating with a corresponding opening in the container (1), the cylinder (21,21 ') moving the support (19) along the means of guide (22,23) from a retracted position to a position blocking of the container (1) relative to the tray shelf (31). Device according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the means for opening and closing the door (6) of the container (1) comprise a winding tube (16) cooperating with an endless screw, a motor (26), an opening and closing driver (27) intended to cooperate with the worm, a transmission element connecting the motor (26) to the driver (27), the winding tube (16) and the worm screw being mounted on the container (1), the motor (26), the opening and closing driver (27) and the transmission element connecting the motor (26) to the coach (27) being mounted above the shelf (31) on the support (19). Device according to one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that the transfer system (40) comprises at least one chassis (42,43), a pusher (41) moving laterally on a guide rail (44) and means driving the pusher (41) to move it along the guide rail (44), said pusher (41) being high enough to transfer a set of trays simultaneously. Device according to claim 10, characterized in that that the pusher drive means include a motor (46) and a ball screw (45) interconnected by a transmission shaft (49) and a notched transmission (48). Device according to claim 11, characterized in that that the opening and closing means (16,26,27,29,30) of the container door (1) further include a safety limiter (30) to avoid overloading the motor (26), in that the means for driving the pusher (41) includes a safety limiter (47) for prevent overloading of the motor (46) and in that the device has a security element (28) now the locking means (20) in the retracted position in the event of breakdown.

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