EP1206407A1

EP1206407A1 - Method and device for transferring at least two overlapped sheets to a sheet-handling machine

Info

Publication number: EP1206407A1
Application number: EP00949482A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Helmut Koelle
Original assignee: Boewe Systec AG
Current assignee: Boewe Systec AG
Priority date: 1999-08-25
Filing date: 2000-08-10
Publication date: 2002-05-22
Anticipated expiration: 2020-08-10
Also published as: US6929260B1; EP1206407B1; DE19940406C1; WO2001014234A1; ES2206280T3; ATE251584T1; DE50004016D1

Abstract

A method and a device for transferring at least two sheets, which are arranged in a shingled mode of arrangement in a sheet transport direction, to a sheet handling machine in which the at least two sheets are moved at a first speed after the transfer, a first and a second sheet being spaced by a certain length of displacement in the sheet transport direction. The two sheets are first supplied to the sheet handling machine at a second speed which is higher than the first speed. As soon as the first sheet is decelerated to the first speed in the sheet handling machine, the second sheet is decelerated to a third speed which is lower than the second speed.

Description

_τ , METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ACCEPTING AT LEAST TWO SCALED ON _¬ ORDERED LEAVES IN A LEAF HANDLING MACHINE

description

The present invention relates to a method and a device for taking over at least two sheets, which are arranged in a sheet or paper running direction, in a sheet or paper handling machine, in which the at least two sheets are moved at a first speed after taking over ,

In the prior art, paper handling systems are known in which, for example, 2-use printed sheets are fed to a cutting machine, are separated by them, and are then provided for further processing. Here, the 2-up printed sheets are printed using suitable machines, e.g. Mergers, laid one on top of the other and are thus available for further processing on subsequent paper handling machines.

For further processing of the individual sheets provided in this way, the following machines take over one sheet provided per machine cycle, with individual groups having to be formed, for example, from the sheets provided, which are then, for example, inserted, depending on the downstream machines.

The clock cycle with which the cutting machine works and with which the individual sheets are provided to the subsequent machines is higher than the clock cycle of a subsequent inserter. As an example, assume that the cutting patterns 01/14234

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can cut 1000 times, while the inserter can insert 100 times. This leads to the fact that in a first case, in which the inserter only processes single sheets, the cutting machine is stopped regularly because too many sheets would be provided by it, whereas in a second case, in which the inserter inserts fifteen sheets at a time, the inserter must be stopped regularly because the cutter cannot supply enough sheets. Solutions are already known in the prior art which, in order to avoid the disadvantages associated therewith, connect a buffer between the cutting machine and the subsequent machines, so as to enable continuous operation of the cutting machine. In this case, the individual sheets output from the cutting machine are put in the buffer, and after reaching a predetermined number of sheets, e.g. switched to a second buffer level so that the sheets contained in the first buffer level can be fed for further processing, while sheets output by the cutting machine are simultaneously input into the second buffer. Such a device is described, for example, in US Pat. No. 5,083,769.

The disadvantage of such devices, however, is that it takes too long to take over the sheets output from the cutting machines, which have been brought together by the merger, after the sheets have to be transferred individually in the buffer. If the sheets are provided in pairs, two sheets can be transferred in parallel. For large groups, two sheets are transferred in succession in parallel. Furthermore, there are performance losses with larger buffers or with odd number of sheets or group sizes or with even number of sheets and unpaired output, since such systems for forming a group require two or more cycles, depending on the number of sheets.

Based on this state of the art, the present O 01/14234

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The invention has for its object to provide a method and an apparatus that support simple and accelerated group formation with a minimum number of required machine cycles in paper handling systems.

This object is achieved by a method according to claim 1 and by an apparatus according to claim 7.

The present invention provides a method for transferring at least two sheets, which are arranged in a sheet running direction, in a sheet handling machine, in which the at least two sheets are moved at a first speed after transfer, a first and a second sheet of the at least two sheets in Sheet direction are offset by an offset, with the following steps:

(a) feeding the at least two sheets to the sheet handling machine at a second speed, the second speed being higher than the first speed; and

(b) decelerating the second sheet to a third speed as soon as the first sheet in the sheet handling machine is decelerated to the first speed, the third speed being lower than the second speed.

The present invention provides a device for transferring at least two sheets, which are arranged in a sheet running direction, in a sheet handling machine, which comprises a transport unit which moves the at least two sheets after transfer at a first speed, a first sheet and a second sheet of the at least two sheets are offset by an offset in the paper travel direction

an infeed roller holding the at least two sheets of O 01/14234

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Feeds sheet handling machine at a second speed, the second speed being higher than the first speed; and

a brake roller which brakes the second sheet to a third speed as soon as the first sheet is braked by the transport unit, the third speed being lower than the second speed.

The present invention is based on the knowledge that the advancement of the sheets to be processed according to the invention can overcome the disadvantages described above in the prior art by superimposing the two-use printed sheets with a small longitudinal offset, i.e. the leaves are pre-scaled so that they can be easily separated later. Larger groups can thus be formed in a simple manner by forming a larger stream of flakes with further, already pre-scaled leaves. The machines known in the prior art do not allow such a procedure, but only allow the formation of the shingled stream from single sheets or with a non-offset double benefit. In contrast, the present invention has the advantage that the inventive method and the inventive device for transfer in one cycle allow at least two sheets that are already shingled to be transferred to a paper handling machine without, as would be the case in the prior art, pre-scaling them Leaves would slide together again. According to the invention, this problem is solved in that the leading sheet is braked on the leading edge of the sheet and the trailing sheet on the trailing edge of the sheet.

In one embodiment, the first speed is equal to the third speed.

According to an embodiment of the present invention 01/14234

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the group formed in this way and the resulting stream of flakes are then transported further by a distance which is equal to the number of leaves in the group times the length of the scale, the movement being carried out to a subsequent transport which the group then takes over.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a further transport unit is additionally provided, to which the sheets continuously collected and shingled in the first transport unit are transferred after reaching a predetermined number of sheets in the first transport unit, the second transport unit depending on the number of sheets to be output is moved clocked, so that the shingled stream stored therein is moved in the direction of an output unit, the front sheet in the paper running direction being output from the paper handling machine at the output unit. With this configuration, a predetermined number of sheets can be output in the form of a group in a simple manner by slightly extending the cycle.

The advantage of the present invention is that it enables the merged leaves to be continuously fed in and, consequently, a high increase in performance. A method which enables the provision of at least two sheets in scaled form is described in DE 199 35 186 A.

According to a further advantage, the present invention enables operation of a paper handling machine with a medium group size, the number of sheets per group being between the above-mentioned limits at which a precursor machine (e.g. cutting machine) or a post machine (e.g., inserting machine) is stopped must become.

Further preferred embodiments of the present invention are defined in the subclaims. 01/14234

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Preferred exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

1 is a schematic illustration of a paper handling system in which the present invention is implemented;

2A-2E a schematic representation of the method according to the invention;

3 shows a side view of a first section of a paper handling machine which implements a first exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention;

4A-4C is a schematic illustration of the operation of a second section of the paper handling machine;

Fig. 5 is a side view of the second section of the paper handling machine;

Figure 6 is a side view of the paper handling machine with the portions shown in Figures 3 and 5; and

7A-7D examples of the transport units in the paper handling machine from FIG. 6.

The following description relates to a paper handling system in which the device and the method according to the invention are implemented. With regard to the individual figures, it is pointed out that the same or equivalent elements are provided with the same reference numerals. 01/14234

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1 schematically shows an example of a paper handling system which essentially comprises four separate sections AD.

In section A of the paper handling system, 2-sheet printed sheets 100 are fed to a cutting machine, and the paper web is cut lengthways and crosswise to obtain the single sheets 100a and 100b, which in section B are merged in such a way that sheets 100a and 100b are arranged in a shingled manner relative to one another, that is to say are shifted by a predetermined offset (scale length) X in a sheet or paper running direction P. From the merger section B, the two shingled sheets 100a and 100b are transferred to section C, in which the supplied sheets are buffered before being e.g. passed on to a collecting station.

The section C is divided into the sections Cl and C2, the section Cl representing a section of the sheet or paper handling machine which is described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 3. Section C2 also represents a section of the paper handling machine, which is described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 5. Section C as a whole represents the paper handling machine described later in FIG. 6.

In section C1, the shingled leaves 100a and 100b are fed continuously until a predetermined number is reached, and then the stream of shingles thus formed is transferred in a single cycle to section C2, from which individual sheets or groups are then clocked of sheets are fed to the collecting station, as will be described in detail later.

1 shows in section A and B, by way of example, how single sheets or groups of sheets in the double O 01/14234

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Benefits are arranged. Sheets belonging to the same group are labeled with the same lower case letters. Group a comprises only one sheet, group b comprises two sheets and group c comprises three sheets.

As will be described later with reference to the following figures, the present invention enables the transfer of these shingled sheets to section C in the simplest manner and the sheets to be output in groups to the subsequent processing machines D.

An exemplary paper handling machine that implements the present invention is described with reference to the following figures. In the following description, the individual components of the machine are first described in FIGS. 3 and 5, the functioning of which is explained schematically in advance using FIGS. 2 and 4.

As has already been explained above, the present invention is based on sheets that have already been shingled, and in the following description of the method and the device of the invention it is initially assumed, for the sake of simplicity, that only two shingled sheets are to be taken over.

2, the method and the device according to the invention are generally described, it being initially assumed, for the sake of simplicity, that only two shingled leaves are to be taken over.

FIG. 2A schematically shows the situation in which a first sheet 200 and a second sheet 202 are fed in a paper or sheet running direction to a paper handling machine, which is not shown in detail. As can be seen, the first sheet 200 and the second sheet 202 are in the paper travel direction P around that already described O 01/14234

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Offset X arranged shifted, thus have a scale length X, which in a preferred embodiment is 20 mm, but can be in the range from 10 mm to 50 mm.

The offset X or the scale length X is defined by the distance between the front edge 200a of the first sheet 200 in the paper running direction P and the edge 202a of the second sheet leading in the paper running direction P.

FIG. 2a also schematically shows a first scale roller 204, which is fixedly arranged with respect to the leaves 200 and 202. The scale roller 204 is part of a first transport unit, which is described in more detail in the following figures. Furthermore, a brake roller 206 is shown schematically, which is movable with respect to the blades 200 and 202 between a first position and a second position, the brake roller 206 in FIG. 2A being in its first position, in which it with the blades 200 and 202 is not engaged.

The sheets 200 and 202 are fed by a feed device (not shown in FIG. 2) at a first speed, which according to a preferred exemplary embodiment is approximately 3 m / s, but can also be in the range from 2 m / s to 6 m / s.

2B shows the situation in which the first sheet 200, more precisely its edge 200a, has reached the scale roller 204. As already mentioned, the scale roller 204 is part of the transport unit to be described below, which moves the picked up or taken over sheets at a speed which is preferably approximately 0.25 m / s, but in the range of 0.2 m / s s can be up to 2 m / s. The first or transport speed vi depends on the form height VH, i.e. the format length in the paper running direction P, the scale length X and the second or feed speed V2 (V _! = F (VH, X, V ₂ )). O 01/14234

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When the sheets 200, 202 reach the scale roller 204, they are braked by their feed speed and, in order to prevent the two sheets 200 and 202 from sliding over one another, the brake roller 206 is moved from its first position shown in FIG. 2A to its position in FIG Fig. 2B switched position, in which it engages with a rear edge 202b of the second sheet 202 in the paper travel direction and brakes it, so that the scaled arrangement of the two sheets 200 and 202 is maintained. The brake roller causes the second blade 202 to be braked to a speed of approximately 2 m / s, but this speed can also be in the range from 0.2 m / s to 2 m / s. The brake roller 206 is switched over as soon as the first sheet 206 has reached the scale roller 204. According to a preferred embodiment, the first speed (feed speed) is equal to the third speed (braking speed). This situation is preferred because in this case there is ideal behavior during the takeover. In this case, the scale length of the sheets taken over is equal to the scale length of the sheets lying against the device.

The transport unit for moving the accepted sheets is continuously driven, and after reaching the first scale roll 204, the two sheets are moved further by a distance equal to the number of sheets times the scale length X.

This situation is shown in FIG. 2C together with the introduction of further sheets into the paper handling machine. The sheets 200 and 200a have already been moved a first part of the distance between the first scale roll 204 and a second scale roll 208, the distance between the two scale rolls 204 and 208 being equal to the number of sheets times the scale length. Depending on the offset or the scale length X of the leaves to be introduced or taken over, the scale 01/14234

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rolls are arranged accordingly adjustable so that different formats can be handled. The distance between the rolls is smaller than the smallest possible form height (format length or length of a sheet measured in the direction of paper travel). With a format length of 3.5 "(8.89 cm), the distance is 3" (7.62 cm), so that the sheet is securely gripped by the following roll during further transport.

Furthermore, two further sheets 210 and 212 have been fed in, and after these have not yet reached the area of the scale roller 204, the brake roller 206 is in its first position, in which there is no engagement with the sheets.

In FIG. 2D, the sheets 200 and 202 were moved on from the situation in FIG. 2C, so that the sheet 200 now abuts the scale roller 208. The new sheet 210, with its leading edge 210a in the paper feed direction, reaches and is braked on the first scale roller 204, and at the same time the brake roller 206 is actuated, which is switched from its first to its second position, with a rear edge 212b in the paper feed direction of the second sheet 212 in order to brake this sheet in the manner already described above, so as to prevent the new sheets 210 and 212 from slipping together.

FIG. 2E shows a further exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention, in which four sheets 214, 216, 218, 220 are supplied instead of the two sheets described so far. 2E shows the situation in which the sheet 214 has already reached the scale roller 204, so that the supplied sheets are braked. To prevent the remaining sheets 216, 218 and 220 from sliding together, at the time when the first sheet 214 reached the scale roller 204, the brake roller 206 was moved to the second position shown in Fig. 2E, so that the sheets 216-220 a braking effect 01/14234

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kung is exercised so that they do not shift.

FIG. 3 shows a first section of the paper handling machine that implements a first exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention.

The section of the device shown in FIG. 3 is provided with the reference number 300 in its entirety. The section 300 comprises an inlet section 302 and a first transport unit 304.

The inlet section 302 comprises an inlet 306, which is formed by two guides 306a and 306b converging in the paper direction P, and serves to feed the at least two sheets in the paper direction P to the section 300. A pair of feed rollers 308a, 308b are arranged adjacent to the front ends of the guides 306a and 306b in the paper feed direction P, the feed roller 308a being driven by a motor (not shown in FIG. 3). The pressure force between the rollers 308a and 308b can be adjusted via an adjusting screw 310, by means of which the position of the roller 308b with respect to the roller 308a can be changed. The rollers 308a and 308b are attached to a frame 312 of the inlet section 302. The feed rollers 308a and 308b are driven in such a way that supplied sheets are moved at a speed of 2 m / s to 6 m / s, preferably 3 m / s.

Following the infeed rollers 308a and 308b, an optional latch 314 is provided in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3. The trap 314 comprises a deflection element 316, as well as two deflection guides 318a and 318b arranged adjacent to the deflection element. The deflection device 316 can be switched between the position shown in FIG. 3, in which its tip in the paper travel direction is arranged adjacent to the feed roller 308a, in a second position in which the tip in the paper travel direction of the deflection device 316 is adjacent to that 01/14234

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Roll 308b is shown. Depending on the position of the deflection device, the deflection device 316 and the respective deflection guide 318a or 318b form a first sheet path 320a or a second sheet path 320b, via which the supplied sheets are moved in the direction of the transport unit 304. The trap 314 makes it possible, depending on the position of the trap, to move the supplied "double sheets" in a descending or descending manner in the direction of the transport unit 304.

A brake roller 323a and 323b is assigned to each of the leaf paths 320a and 320b. By actuating a magnetic actuator 324a and 324b, the respective brake roller 322a and 322b is moved from its first position, in which there is no engagement with the sheets fed through the sheet paths, to its second position, in which one engages with the respective rear edge of the second sheet of the fed sheets is done to slow it down. The two brake rollers 322a and 322b are driven by a motor (not shown in FIG. 3), the braking speed being in the range from 0.2 m / s to 2 m / s, preferably at 2 m / s.

The brake roller 322a is moved back to its first position by the gravitational force after the activation of the actuator 324a, whereas the roller 322b is moved back to its rest or first position by the restoring force of a spring 326 after the activation of the actuator 324b has ended. In another embodiment, in which the gravitational force is not sufficient to move the brake roller 322a back sufficiently quickly, a spring is also assigned to this.

The first transport unit 304, which forms a buffer for receiving a multiplicity of “double sheets”, in which these sheets are received in a scaled manner, comprises a conveyor belt 328, which is driven as continuously as possible and is guided by two guide rollers 330a and 330b. O 01/14234

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3, and is operated via a motor (not shown in FIG. 3) at a continuous speed which is in the range from 0.2 m / s to 2 m / s, preferably 0.25 m / s (v _x = f (VH, X, v ₂ )). The rollers 330a and 330b are carried in a frame 332, which is shown schematically in FIG. 3. Four scale rollers 334a-334d are further provided which are arranged in contact with the conveyor belt 328 and are spaced apart from one another by a distance which is dependent on the number of sheets fed simultaneously and the offset of the sheets. The individual scale rollers 334a-334d are movably (see arrow 336) attached to a chain 338, which is shown schematically in FIG. 3. The chain shown schematically is guided over transport rollers 340a and 340b, also shown schematically. The chain, in conjunction with the scale rollers, serves to adjust the transport unit 304 to certain formats of the sheets. The transport unit described is only shown schematically, and it is obvious that the number and the distance of the rolls depends on the sheets or sheet formats used (form height) and the number of sheets to be picked up. An example is shown in the figure in which the rollers are spaced 3 "(7.62 cm) apart.

The transport unit 304 further comprises two guides 342 and 344, which are arranged in parallel and extend along the entire transport unit 304, in order to reliably take over the fed double sheets from the inlet 302.

The operation of section 300 is such that the double sheets are fed through inlet 306, and as soon as the first of the double sheets reaches the first scale roll 334a, the double sheets are braked and to prevent the sheets from slipping on one another at the time When a leading edge of the first sheet reaches the scale roller 334, one of the brake rollers 322a and 322b is activated by an operation of the corresponding actuator, and thus with a rear edge of the second 01/14234

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To engage the sheet of the double sheets so that the sheets do not slide on each other. The sheets are then moved further by the transport unit 304, with further double sheets being fed in at the same time until a predetermined number of double sheets are contained in the transport unit 304. As soon as the predetermined number of sheets is contained in the unit 304, these are passed on in one cycle to a subsequent transport unit, which will be described later.

With regard to the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 3, it is pointed out that the provision of the trap and the associated double design of the brake rollers 322a and 322b are optional. The trap can be omitted completely, for example, or the double brake rollers can be replaced, for example, by a single brake roller, which is arranged downstream of the trap.

It is also pointed out that instead of the driven brake roller, a brake roller can be used which has an increased running resistance compared to conventional rollers, so that a corresponding deceleration of the same is achieved by pressing the latter against a rear edge on the second sheet.

4A to 4C, the operation of a second section of the paper handling machine is schematically explained. The portion of the paper handling machine shown in Fig. 4 serves to easily eject a predetermined number of sheets arranged in a transport unit (not shown).

4A schematically shows a transport roller 400 and an output roller 402 arranged last in the paper running direction P. As an example, assume that four sheets 410, 412, 414 and 416 are provided in a shingled manner. The individual sheets 410 to 416 are arranged such that their in O 01/14234

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Paper running direction P front edges are offset by the distance X.

FIG. 4B shows the situation in which only a single sheet, namely sheet 410, is to be output from the sheet stream shown in FIG. 4A. This is done by the transport unit causing the sheet flow to move a predetermined distance so that only the leading edge of the first sheet 410 is brought into contact with the output roller 402. As a result of this clocked movement of the sheets and due to the continuous movement of the discharge roller 402, as indicated in FIG. 4B by the arrow, the sheet 410 is discharged from the sheet stream.

FIG. 4C shows the situation in which a group of sheets, namely sheets 412 and 414, are to be removed from the sheet stream, in which case the transport device also causes the sheets or sheet stream to move, the moving distance is determined by the number of leaves in the group and by the offset of the leaves. This clocked movement has the effect that first the now first sheet 412 in the sheet stream is brought to the exit roller 402 and removed by it, and subsequently the sheet 414 is brought to the exit roller 402 and is also removed.

The advantage of this procedure is that due to the scaled arrangement and the selected type of movement of the sheet stream, it is not necessary to travel a full format length, e.g. output two sheets, but it is sufficient to cover only a distance which is essentially determined by the offset of the arranged sheets.

This type of output of the individual sheets from the sheet stream allows the grouping of the individual sheets already illustrated with reference to FIG. 1 in a simple manner O 01/14234

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and achieve this, namely by first moving the now existing scale stream or sheet stream by the offset X to output the single sheet a, so that only the sheet a is applied to the output rollers 402 during this movement. In the same way, the movement of the shingled stream subsequently takes place at a somewhat greater distance, which is brought about by a cycle which is somewhat longer than the first cycle, so that the two sheets of group b are successively applied to the output rollers. In the same way, the sheets of group c are output in groups.

FIG. 5 shows the section which is described schematically with reference to FIG. 4 in an embodiment according to an embodiment. The section 500 comprises a second transport unit 502 and an output unit 504.

The second transport unit 502 comprises a pair of guides 506 and 508 which extend from an input of the transport unit 502 to an output 512 thereof. The transport unit 502 further comprises a conveyor belt 514, which can be driven in a clocked manner by a motor, which is not shown in FIG. 5, and is carried over two rollers 516a and 516b. The rollers 516a and 516b are in turn attached to a frame 518, as is shown schematically in FIG. 5.

Furthermore, four transport rollers 520a to 520d are provided, which interact with the transport belt 514 and are arranged displaced from one another by a predetermined distance. The individual transport rollers 520a to 520d are fastened to a chain 522, which is shown schematically in FIG. 5, the chain 522 in turn being guided over rollers 524a and 524b, also shown schematically. As shown by arrow 526, the rollers can be moved accordingly in order to enable adjustment to different formats. The transport unit described is only shown schematically, and it is often O 01/14234

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Obviously, the number and spacing of the rolls depends on the sheets or sheet formats used (form height) and the number of sheets to be picked up. An example is shown in the figure in which the rollers are spaced 3 "(7.62 cm) apart.

In the second transport unit 502, the sheets picked up in the first transport unit shown in FIG. 3 are introduced as soon as the first transport unit has picked up the maximum possible or a predetermined number of sheets. In the transport unit 502, the individual sheets are arranged in a scaled manner relative to one another and have a predetermined offset with respect to their respective front edges in the paper running direction.

The output unit 504 is connected to the output 512 of the second transport unit 502 with its input 528, a stop device 530 being provided immediately after the input 528 and being attached to a section of the frame 532 of the output unit 504.

The stopper device enables a group of sheets to be stopped or provided. If the subsequent paper handling machine, for example the collecting station, is ready for take-up and the sheets have been made available at the stop point or stopper device, the path to the collecting station is shorter, which enables a further increase in performance. As an additional example, an inserter downstream of the paper handling device is assumed. While this is inserting a group of sheets or single sheets located therein, no further sheets are output to the inserter. In this situation, the stopper device can already move the next group or the next sheet to be processed in the direction of the exit of the paper handling machine and provide it at the stopper, so that when the inserter for receiving the next group or the next Sheet is ready, the distance to be bridged is shorter O 01/14234

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than with a feed from the second transport unit, so that the feed takes place faster.

Furthermore, as an alternative or in addition to the first-mentioned functionality of the stopper device described above, the stopper device opens up the possibility of "buffering" (buffering) a group, while the shingled stream in the example shown in FIG. 6A from the first transport unit to the second transport unit is handed over. As a result, the slightly longer intermediate cycle, which may be required for the transfer, does not reduce performance.

A pair of sensor rollers 534a and 534b is arranged behind the stop device 530 in the paper running direction P, by means of which the sheets passing between the two rollers 534a and 534b are counted. The counting is carried out in such a way that a corresponding spacing of the two rollers 534a and 534b is caused by the sheets passing through, which in turn causes the signaling lever 536 to be displaced with respect to an inductive measuring element 538, which results in a change in the inductance due to the number of sheets passing between the rollers 534a and 534b can be detected. In an alternative exemplary embodiment, the sensor can also be arranged in front of the output 512.

In the paper running direction P behind the rollers 534a and 534b, the output rollers 540a and 540b, which are driven continuously by motors, not shown in FIG. 5, at a predetermined speed, which is in the range from 2 m / s to 5 m / s, are preferably located at 4.75 m / s. Rollers 534 and 540 are attached to frame 532 of section 504. The exit rollers 540a, 540b and the last transport roller 520d are spaced a distance that ensures that the sheet is engaged by the exit rollers when the shingled stream is moved. The distance between the rolls is smaller than the smallest possible form height (format length or length of a sheet in O 01/14234

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Direction of paper measured). With a format length of 3.5 _" (8.89 cm), the distance is 3" (7.62 cm), so that the sheet is securely gripped by the following roll during further transport.

In operation of section 500, it is first determined how many of the sheets contained in transport unit 502 are to be output to a subsequent processing device during a cycle. Depending on the number of sheets to be discharged, it is determined by how far the shingled stream arranged in the transport unit 502 is to be moved in the direction of the discharge unit, and this movement is then carried out, with the discharging rollers 540a and 540b pulling off the respective front sheet of the shingled stream in the direction of paper travel In the event that, for example, only a single sheet is to be removed from the shingled stream, the shingled stream is correspondingly moved by means of the transport unit 502 in such a way that only the foremost of the sheets is provided to the output rollers 540a and 540, so that during this cycle only this single sheet is output. Should several sheets, e.g. three sheets are output, the stream of shingles is moved for a period which is somewhat greater than the cycle time for the output of a single sheet, but is significantly lower than for the output of two separate sheets, so that in this case the sheets arriving one after the other arrive at the output rollers Sheets are fed to the subsequent processing unit. As a result, a group is provided within a period of time that is significantly shorter than the time period that is conventionally required, for example, to feed three individual sheets for a group to a subsequent processing unit.

Depending on the number of sheets to be dispensed, i.e. the size of the group, the sheets are accelerated more in order to achieve the highest possible speed when dispensing. O 01/14234

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FIG. 6A shows the entire paper handling machine 600, and as can be seen, it is composed of the section 300 and the section 500, the section 500 following the section 300 in the paper running direction P. Instead of the configuration of the paper handling machine shown in FIG. 6A, however, other configurations are also possible.

FIG. 6B shows a further exemplary embodiment of the paper handling machine 602, in which the transport units 304 and 502 are arranged parallel to one another, between the inlet unit 302 and the output unit 504. A deflection device 604 is arranged between the inlet unit 302 and the two transport units 304 and 502 , which is effective to first feed double sheets of one of the two transport devices. As soon as the predetermined or maximum possible number of sheets is received in one of the transport devices, the deflection device is switched over to the other of the two transport units, and the double sheets are fed to the further transport unit in a continuous form. At the same time, the operation of the first transport unit is switched from continuously to clocked, and the predetermined number of sheets is forwarded in groups in the manner described above in a clocked manner via the device 606 to the output unit 504.

In addition to the configurations of the transport units described in the previous figures, other implementations are also possible, in particular also in connection with the setting of the corresponding formats.

7, further embodiments of the transport units and the format settings are described in more detail below.

7A shows the two transport units 304 and 502, with the corresponding setting of the formats O 01/14234

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is achieved by a corresponding increase and reduction in the number of scale rollers 334 or transport rollers 520. Depending on the format, more or fewer roles are used.

7B shows the transport units 304 and 502, in which case the transport belts are realized by so-called vacuum belts. 7C shows a further embodiment in which the transport units 304 and 502 are made in one piece. 7D shows a further exemplary embodiment for setting the format.

As is clear from the above description of the present invention, this achieves a number of advantages over the devices known in the prior art, due to the advancing, the continuous inlet and the clocked outlet.

The 2-ply printed sheets are placed on top of each other, with a slight longitudinal offset, so that these sheets are pre-scaled and later easy to separate. If larger groups are formed, a larger stream of scales is formed with the further, pre-scaled leaves. In the machines known from the prior art, this is only possible with single sheets or with non-offset double benefit. Dislocated, i.e. pre-scaled leaves would slide together again in such machines. As described above, this problem is solved by braking the leading sheet on the leading edge of the sheet and the trailing sheet on the trailing edge of the sheet. For the further transport of the group, the stream of shingles is moved to a subsequent transport which takes over the group, the path by which the stream of shingles is moved equal to the number of leaves times the length of the shed.

The paper handling machine described above enables O 01/14234

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the continuous inflow of merged leaves and thus a high increase in performance, since even if there is a group separation within the merged leaves, these can be output by the forerunner. Thus, only a Ta _k t required. This enables the use of continuously running forerunners, such as rotary cutting machines, etc., which means a further increase in performance.

As described above, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a paper handling machine is formed, which essentially consists of a feed transport with brake, a trap, a scales transport, and an output transport, as described above with reference to the figures. The feed transport device with a brake serves to prevent the incoming sheets from slipping or being damaged, and, as has already been described, the scale transports can be arranged on two levels and can be operated independently of one another.

When operating the paper handling systems described above, a paper web is first cut lengthways and crossways in a cutting machine (FIG. 1). The sheets cut in this way are passed in pairs next to each other to the merger (Fig. 1), which overlays the sheets with a slight longitudinal offset.

The sheets (merged) guided one above the other by the precursor are taken over by the feed transport 302 of the paper handling machine with a small longitudinal offset of approximately 20 mm. The leading edge of the leading sheet is braked on the scale roller 334a, the trailing sheet is braked on the trailing edge. This prevents the sheets from being pushed over one another again. Depending on the position of the trap 314, optionally scaled ascending or descending, further “double sheets” are continuously transported into the transport unit 304 of the buffer until the distance is completely filled. O 01/14234

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In the exemplary embodiment described with reference to FIG. 6A, the transport units or the buffers are arranged one behind the other, the newly formed scale flow in the first transport unit 302 being complete in an intermediate cycle after reaching a predetermined number of sheets and when the second transport unit has been emptied is transferred from the first transport unit to the second transport unit.

In the arrangement shown in FIG. 6B, the switching device 604 is activated when the filling state of the first transport unit 302 is reached, so that while the sheets are now entering the second level in the manner described above, the first level is emptied in a clocked manner.

Due to the longitudinal offset of the individual sheets, individual sheets or entire groups in the correct sheet sequence can be transferred to the output transport 504 by a short or longer feed (cycle). This then transfers the group e.g. to a collecting station where the sheets are pushed lengthways and crossways so that they lie exactly one above the other. The group is then sent to a follower, e.g. a folder or an inserting machine.

The advantages of the present invention are that very high sheet outputs can be achieved since sheets can be picked up continuously without having to pay attention to group changes. Another advantage is that the forerunners and followers can be operated independently of one another, i.e. the cutting machine and the collecting station do not brake each other, for example. The scaling of the leaves enables easy separation or group formation.

According to the present invention, the pre-clutching enables rapid group formation at a low speed. O 01/14234

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be achieved. With paired or unpaired groups, there are no differences in performance, large groups can be handled with only a slightly longer cycle, start-stop operation of the cutting machine is avoided, so that there is a higher sheet output, and there is a low risk of operation due to the relatively low Transport speeds.

Claims

O 01 / 14234- 26 -patent claims

1. A method for taking over at least two sheets (200, 202) arranged in a sheet running direction (P) in a sheet handling machine (600, 602), in which the at least two sheets are moved at a first speed after taking over, one first and a second sheet of which at least two sheets are spaced by an offset (X) in the sheet running direction (P), with the following steps:

(a) feeding the at least two sheets (200, 202) to the sheet handling machine at a second speed, the second speed being higher than the first speed; and

(b) braking the second sheet (202) to a third speed as soon as the first sheet (200) is decelerated to the first speed in the sheet handling machine, the third speed being lower than the second speed.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a leading edge (200a) of the first sheet 200 in the direction of sheet travel (P) and a leading edge (202a) of the second sheet (202) in the direction of sheet travel (P) are displaced by the offset (X) , wherein the first sheet is braked on its front edge and the second sheet (202) on a rear edge (202b) in the sheet travel direction (P).

3. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2 with the following steps:

(c) advancing the at least two sheets (200, 202) in the sheet handling machine by a distance, O 01/14234

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which is determined by the sheet format and offset; and

(d) repeating steps (a) to (c) for a further pair of blades (210, 212) arranged in shingled direction (P).

4. The method according to claim 3, in which the further pair of sheets is deposited in ascending or descending shingled form in the sheet handling machine.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first speed is 0.25 m / s, the second speed is 3 m / s and the third speed is 2 m / s.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the third speed is equal to the first speed.

7. Device for taking over at least two sheets arranged in a sheet running direction (P) in a sheet handling machine (600, 602), which comprises a first transport unit (304) which moves the at least two sheets after taking over at a first speed, wherein a first and a second sheet of the at least two sheets are spaced apart by an offset (X) in the sheet running direction (P)

an infeed roller (308a, 308b) which feeds the at least two sheets of the sheet handling machine at a second speed, the second speed being higher than the first speed; and

a brake roller (322a, 322b) which brakes the second sheet to a third speed as soon as the first sheet is braked by the transport unit (304), the third speed being lower than the second speed. O 01/14234

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8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the transport unit (304) comprises a first scale roller (334a) which engages with a leading edge in the sheet running direction (P) of the first sheet, and in which the brake roller (322a, 322b) with one engages in the sheet running direction of the rear edge of the second sheet as soon as the scale roller (334a) engages with the first sheet.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 or 8, wherein the transport unit (304) comprises a substantially continuously driven conveyor belt (328) and a plurality of scale rollers (334a - 334d), which are biased against the conveyor belt (328), and in the direction of sheet travel (P) are spaced a distance determined by the sheet size and offset (X).

10. The device according to one of claims 7 to 9 with a trap (314) which is arranged between the inlet roller (308a, 308b) and the first scale roller (334a), the trap (314) in a first position a descending scale of Leaves and in a second position causes an ascending flake of leaves.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the brake roller (322a) is associated with a first sheet path (320a) through which the at least two sheets pass when the latch (314) is in the first position, a further brake roller (322b) being provided associated with a second leaf path (320b) that the at least two leaves traverse when the trap (314) is in the second position.

12. The device according to one of claims 7 to 11, wherein the sheet handling machine comprises the following features:

a second transport unit (502), which O 01/14234

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direction (P) is arranged after the first transport unit (304), the first transport unit (304) continuously collecting the sheets and transferring them to the second transport unit (502) when a predetermined number of sheets are arranged in the first transport unit (304) , wherein the sheets in the second transport unit (502) are arranged in a sheet running direction (P) in such a way that the leading edges of the sheets are offset by an offset in the sheet travel direction, the second transport unit (502) moving the sheets in a clocked manner, such that that the sheets move a predetermined distance in the sheet travel direction (P), the distance depending on the number of sheets to be dispensed and the offset; and

an output unit (504) which, when the sheets in the transport unit (502) move, outputs the front sheet in the sheet travel direction from the paper handling machine.

13. The device according to one of claims 7 to 11, wherein the sheet handling machine comprises the following features:

a second transport unit (502) which is arranged parallel to the first transport unit (304),

a deflection device (604), which is arranged in the sheet travel direction (P) in front of the first and the second transport unit (304, 502), and in a first position sheets to the first transport unit (304) and in a second position sheets to the second transport unit (402) leads, the deflection device (604) switching from the first to the second position when a predetermined number of sheets is received in the respective transport unit, and

an output arranged in the sheet running direction behind the first and the second transport unit (304, 502) O 01/14234

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unity (504),

wherein the transport unit to which no sheets are fed moves the sheets in a timed manner such that the sheets move in the sheet running direction by a predetermined distance, the distance depending on the number of sheets to be discharged and the offset;

wherein the output unit (504) outputs a front sheet in the sheet travel direction (P) from the paper handling machine when the sheets are moved.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 or 13, wherein the second transport unit (502) comprises a conveyor belt (514) and a plurality of transport rollers (520a - 520d), which are biased against the conveyor belt (514), and in the sheet travel direction (P) are spaced a distance determined by the offset (X) and the sheet format.

15. The apparatus according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the output unit (504) comprises a counter (534a, 534b, 536, 538) which detects the number of sheets output.

16. The device according to one of claims 7 to 15, wherein the third speed is equal to the first speed.