EP1456106A1 - Method and device for forming groups of flat articles - Google Patents

Method and device for forming groups of flat articles

Info

Publication number
EP1456106A1
EP1456106A1 EP02754097A EP02754097A EP1456106A1 EP 1456106 A1 EP1456106 A1 EP 1456106A1 EP 02754097 A EP02754097 A EP 02754097A EP 02754097 A EP02754097 A EP 02754097A EP 1456106 A1 EP1456106 A1 EP 1456106A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
streams
objects
group
conveying direction
conveying
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP02754097A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1456106B1 (en
Inventor
Hans Ulrich Stauber
Martin Keller
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Ferag AG
Original Assignee
Ferag AG
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Ferag AG filed Critical Ferag AG
Publication of EP1456106A1 publication Critical patent/EP1456106A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1456106B1 publication Critical patent/EP1456106B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H29/00—Delivering or advancing articles from machines; Advancing articles to or into piles
    • B65H29/66—Advancing articles in overlapping streams
    • B65H29/6681—Advancing articles in overlapping streams merging two or more streams into an overlapping stream
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H39/00—Associating, collating, or gathering articles or webs
    • B65H39/02—Associating,collating or gathering articles from several sources
    • B65H39/06—Associating,collating or gathering articles from several sources from delivery streams
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2301/00—Handling processes for sheets or webs
    • B65H2301/40—Type of handling process
    • B65H2301/43—Gathering; Associating; Assembling
    • B65H2301/435—Gathering; Associating; Assembling on collecting conveyor
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2301/00—Handling processes for sheets or webs
    • B65H2301/40—Type of handling process
    • B65H2301/44—Moving, forwarding, guiding material
    • B65H2301/444—Stream of articles in shingled formation, overlapping stream
    • B65H2301/4447—Stream of articles in shingled formation, overlapping stream multiple streams
    • B65H2301/44472—Stream of articles in shingled formation, overlapping stream multiple streams superposed
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2301/00—Handling processes for sheets or webs
    • B65H2301/40—Type of handling process
    • B65H2301/44—Moving, forwarding, guiding material
    • B65H2301/445—Moving, forwarding, guiding material stream of articles separated from each other
    • B65H2301/4451—Moving, forwarding, guiding material stream of articles separated from each other forming a stream or streams of separated articles

Definitions

  • the invention is in the field of general cargo conveyance and general cargo processing and relates to a method and a device according to the preambles of the corresponding independent claims.
  • the method and apparatus according to the invention are used to form groups of flat objects, in particular printed products, the flat objects being fed in the form of a plurality of essentially continuous streams, each group carried away generally containing one object from each feed stream, and the flat objects in the groups are arranged essentially in a stack.
  • the aforementioned group formation is a frequently used step in the further processing of products obtained from printing presses.
  • the signatures of books are compiled into such groups or other printed product parts manufactured in separate printing processes, finished printed products to be combined into shipping units or inserts to be inserted into a main product.
  • Different products are usually brought together in the groups and one type of product is usually supplied with each feed stream.
  • stack-like printed product groups are formed along a collation line.
  • the resulting groups or stacks are conveyed along the collation line, lying one behind the other on an essentially horizontal surface or accommodated in conveyor compartments in which the flat objects are leaned against an inclined wall. In this way, the resulting groups or stacks are conveyed past feed points, a feed stream flowing into the collating line at each feed point and a printed product usually being added to each feed point at each feed point.
  • the resulting stacks or groups can be conveyed one behind the other on essentially horizontal conveying supports in terms of the device, for example with a conveyor belt on which simple compartments successive in the conveying direction are formed. It also shows, however, that this type of collating section becomes relatively long in the conveying direction, this length being essentially dependent on the largest formats of the printed products to be expected and on the number of feed points.
  • the supply of the printed products to such successively conveyed stacks is also easy to implement, for example directly from scale streams, in which the printed products are fed with the leading edges lying above and the foremost object is pushed down onto a stack conveyed past or falls onto it.
  • the printed products must be introduced into the conveyor compartments or between the stacks.
  • they are usually fed by a gripper each held at an upper edge and introduced into the conveying compartments from above, that is to say with the unguided, lower edge first.
  • the conveying compartments are as narrow as possible to shorten the collating distance, the space for the feed is small and the feed must be carried out with corresponding precision.
  • this requires a small relative speed between the conveying compartment and the object to be added and thus a relatively long addition distance and an absolute speed of the print product to be added, which is restricted to the top, so that its unguided, leading edge when adding is not moved uncontrolled by the air flow.
  • the objects of a subsequent stack can cover a leading stack gripper.
  • the corresponding stack gripper is opened towards the top and thereby raises the objects of the trailing stack covering it.
  • the objects to be deposited on the stacks are individually held at upper, leading edges in a feed direction which is the same as the conveying direction of the collating section, their speed being lower than the speed of the scaled stacks on the collating section.
  • the feed is controlled in such a way that the unguided trailing edge of an object to be fed is positioned on a guide surface or on an already stacked object and by the speed difference in the stack gripper and thereby also under the lifted objects of the . following stack are pushed.
  • the feeding gripper is opened and the stack gripper is closed.
  • Publication DE-19643395 also suggests a gathering method based on the idea of a shingled stack stream.
  • the rectangular or possibly square printed products to be fed at a feed point are not actually on a stack that is being conveyed past positioned, but they are placed in the form of a shingled stream on a group stream which may already consist of several shingled streams.
  • all the shingled streams placed one on top of the other in the group flow have the same shingle spacing and leading areas of the printed products of each group are aligned with one another but separated from one another by trailing areas of printed products from leading groups.
  • this shingled group stream At a head end of this shingled group stream, at which leading areas of printed products belonging to a foremost group lie on top of one another (there is no leading group whose objects lie in between), these leading areas are detected and accelerated, whereby the group is drawn from the group stream as a stack and is separated from it.
  • DE-19643395 proposes to guide the stacks pre-formed in the group stream laterally. This is made possible by the fact that the printed products are conveyed diagonally in the group flow, i.e. with a leading corner.
  • the longitudinal edges of a stream of shingles of diagonally conveyed, rectangular or square printed products are not straight but serrated, so that the individual sheds on both sides of the stream can be guided with guide means that engage the spikes (for example, guide bolts that are also conveyed) in the area of their corners opposite one another transversely to the conveying direction ,
  • the printed products to be fed to the group stream with a diagonal scale arrangement are fed in feed streams in which the product edges are aligned perpendicular or parallel to the conveying direction and which meet the stack stream obliquely, and each printed product is deflected in the direction of the diagonal conveying for its positioning on the group stream. For this redirection forces must be exerted on the printed products that are taken up by the guide bolts.
  • the position of the guide pins must be aligned with the largest format to be expected of the printed products to be stacked and with the distance between the scales. All smaller-sized products are aligned to one or the other of the guided corners depending on the feed direction and only guided on one side; very small products may remain completely unguided. Feeds are only possible from above and the leading edges in the feed streams must be on top.
  • the object of the invention is to provide a method and a device which are used to form groups from flat objects fed into feed streams and which, like the system according to DE-19643395, are based on a group stream consisting of a plurality of shingled streams lying one on top of the other ,
  • the method and device according to the invention should, however, enable improvements over the prior art not only with regard to format independence, flexibility and simplicity in terms of the device, but also with regard to the shortening of the collating path.
  • the alignment of the objects in the groups to be formed should be determined much less by the method or the device and should be largely adaptable to the properties of the objects and the stack stability.
  • the flat objects from which groups are to be formed are fed in feed streams.
  • a group stream in which a plurality of scale streams lie on top of one another, and groups are separated from the group stream from the head end of the group stream by grasping leading object areas lying on top of one another and by accelerating the gripped objects, as is also done according to DE-19643395 becomes.
  • the objects in the feed streams with respect to their alignment relative to the conveying direction and with respect to one another, already arranged as they should be arranged in the group stream, and the feed streams are brought together in parallel with the planar extent of the objects, essentially without a change in direction.
  • the group stream and the feed streams are funded on appropriate funding requirements.
  • the conveyor supports and thus the objects of the streams to be merged and the merged streams are arranged parallel to one another transversely to the conveying direction, the projections of the streams run on one level parallel to the parallel alignment of the conveyor supports mentioned parallel to one another or coincide and the projections of the currents run at an acute angle to one another perpendicular to the parallel alignment of the conveyor supports.
  • the distance between the objects (scale spacing) and the speed are the same, and for the merging, suitable means are used to ensure that the streams are in phase in such a way that edge regions of the objects of different scale streams leading in the group stream are aligned with one another.
  • the leading edge areas are detected and accelerated by a clamping and accelerating means that acts as far as possible over the entire width of the group stream, while the objects of at least one next group are pressed in such a way that they do not accelerate with the group to be separated and thus relative to the group stream can be moved.
  • the device for carrying out the method according to the invention can be implemented with the simplest of means, for example with a system of conveyor belts and / or conveyor belt pairs for combining the feed streams, with one Pressing means at the head end of the group stream directly in front of the separation point and with a separation means acting at the separation point, wherein the pressing means and the separation means can also be designed as pairs of conveyor belts that can be pressed against one another. All conveying means in front of the separation point have the same first speed, the clamping and accelerating means has a higher speed than the first speed, which is adapted to the ratio of the length of the objects in the conveying direction to the scale distances.
  • Figure 2 shows a further plurality of scale streams of rectangular and square, flat objects and two groups formed therefrom;
  • FIG. 3 shows parts of an exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention for separating groups from the head end of the group stream (section parallel to the conveying direction);
  • FIG. 4 shows the device parts according to FIG. 3 in a schematic three-dimensional representation with a group flow, in which the flat objects are laterally offset from one another, that is to say are not aligned with a center line or with a lateral edge;
  • FIG. 5 shows parts of an exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention for combining a plurality of feed streams into a group stream.
  • FIG. 1 shows parts of four exemplary feed streams 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 and 1.4 of four different types of flat objects 11, 12, 13 and 14.
  • the feed streams are shown in an arrangement such as the method according to the invention for merging into one Group stream (not shown) required.
  • a group 2 separated from the group stream which has an article 11, 12, 13 and 14 from each feed stream 1.1 to 1.4, leading edge regions of the articles in the group being aligned with one another and the lateral arrangement of the articles in the group corresponds to the relative arrangement of the feed streams before the merging.
  • the arrows Fl, F.2, F.3 and F.4 and the dash-dotted line Ll represent the conveying directions of the shingled streams (aligned with the centers of gravity of the objects), the dash-dotted lines L.2 to L.4 are projections of the dash-dotted line Ll on the conveyor path of the feed streams F.2 to F.4.
  • the objects 11 of the feed stream 1.1 are rectangular
  • the objects 12 of the feed stream 1.2 are triangular
  • the objects 13 of the feed stream 1.3 are rectangular
  • the objects 14 of the feed stream 1.4 are round.
  • All feed streams 1.1 to 1.4 are scale streams (distance between the objects smaller than the length of the objects in the conveying direction).
  • the leading edge areas are at the bottom, in the other scale streams at the top.
  • the objects lie essentially in planes transverse to the paper plane of the figure and the conveying directions run parallel to this paper plane.
  • the conveying directions are still fed at an acute angle to one another parallel to the paper plane, as indicated by the dash-dotted lines L1 to L.4, and the objects are still in planes transverse to the paper plane.
  • the leading edge areas of the objects have the same spacing from one another (scale spacing) and the feed streams are aligned (synchronized) with one another in such a way that the leading edge areas of the objects of merged feed streams lie essentially one above the other.
  • the objects 12 and 13 lie eccentrically between the objects 11 and 14. This is achieved by shifting the feed streams 1.2 and 1.3 transversely to the conveying direction (distance between the arrows F.2 and F.3 from the dash-dotted lines L .2 or L.3).
  • the method according to the invention in no way limits the format of the objects which are to be brought together in a group and also does not restrict their relative, lateral arrangement in the group (arrangement transverse to the conveying direction). The only requirement is that leading edge areas of objects belonging to a group are essentially aligned with one another (so precisely that they can be detected with one another when the groups are separated).
  • FIG. 2 shows in section (planar extent of the objects transversely to the paper plane) a group stream 3 formed from four feed streams 1.5 to 1.8 lying one on top of the other, the feed streams comprising objects of different sizes, rectangular and flat 15 to 18.
  • the feed streams lie directly on top of one another in the group stream; they are shown at a distance from one another in FIG.
  • the alignment of the leading edge areas of all feed streams is clearly evident from this.
  • FIG. 2 shows two exemplary groups 2.1 and 2.2, which can be formed from the group stream 3 depending on the lateral orientation of the feed streams. In both groups, the leading edges are aligned.
  • the objects in group 2.1 are 15 to 18 are arranged on a common center line, in group 2.2 they are aligned on a lateral edge.
  • FIG. 3 likewise shows, in a section parallel to the conveying direction, those parts of an exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention which are arranged in the region of the head end of the group stream 3 and essentially serve to separate groups 2 from this head end.
  • the group stream is conveyed on a conveyor support 20 against its head end.
  • a pressing means 21 is provided, for example pressing elements 22 which move with the group stream and whose distance from one another corresponds to the scale spacing in the group stream 3 and by means of which the group stream is pressed against the conveying support 20.
  • a clamping and accelerating means 23 is provided for the separation of groups, for example in the form of a press wheel 24, which cooperates with a removal conveyor 25 and which has indentations 26 on its circumference, such that it rotates a rhythmic sequence generated by time-spaced pressing steps in which it is pressed against the removal support 25.
  • a press wheel 24 which cooperates with a removal conveyor 25 and which has indentations 26 on its circumference, such that it rotates a rhythmic sequence generated by time-spaced pressing steps in which it is pressed against the removal support 25.
  • grippers conveyed past and grasping this at the head end of the group stream 3 can also be used as clamping and accelerating means.
  • the Wegsellier 25 and the pressing peripheral parts of the press wheel 26 have the same speed, which is at least as much greater than the speed of the group stream 3 or the conveying pad 20 and the pressing elements 21, that a group 2 to be separated is so far in one conveying cycle - is changed that the trailing edge of the longest counter in the conveying direction Stand is drawn from the group stream 3. While the group stream 3 is conveyed in a conveying cycle by a scale distance, the separated groups must be conveyed away in the conveying direction by at least the length of the group in one conveying cycle. The rhythm of the pressing steps must be matched to the scale spacing in group stream 3.
  • the distance between the downstream end of the action of the pressing means and the clamping and the head end of the group stream 3 is advantageously chosen such that the trailing areas of the objects of the group to be separated are no longer exposed to this effect.
  • the pressing force to be generated by the clamping and accelerating means is large enough to pull the objects of the foremost group out of the group stream 3 without any slip.
  • the pressing force to be generated between the pressing means 21 and the conveying support 20 is large enough to prevent entrainment of objects with a group to be separated, to which they do not belong, due to the mutual friction of the objects in and between the shingled streams.
  • FIG. 4 shows a schematic, three-dimensional representation of the pressing means 21 for pressing the head end of the group stream 3 against the conveyor support 20 and the clamping and accelerating means 23 for separating the groups 2 from the head end of the group stream 3.
  • Both means advantageously act the entire width of the group stream 3.
  • they consist, for example, of rows of pressing elements or clamping and acceleration elements which are arranged transversely to the conveying direction and can be actuated essentially independently of the local thickness of the group stream 3 or group 2 (for example, can be pressed against the conveying support) ) are. All of these elements are beneficial ternally movable across the conveying direction and thereby adjustable so that they do not act on object edges.
  • the objects in group 2 shown in FIG. 4 are laterally offset from one another, that is to say they are neither aligned to a common center line nor to a common longitudinal edge, as is shown in FIG. 2.
  • Such a laterally offset arrangement makes it essential that both the pressing means and the clamping and accelerating means act as far as possible over the entire width of the group flow.
  • the groups have a thickness that is as uniform as possible over the width and that, for example, thick folded edges do not destabilize objects lying on one another.
  • the separation of the groups from the head end of the group stream can have the same direction as the conveyance of the group stream against its head end or it can run at an angle to this conveying direction.
  • FIG. 5 shows in a very schematic manner (section parallel to the conveying direction) the parts of an exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention which are used to combine feed streams (1.1 to 1.3) to form a group stream 3.
  • These parts are simple conveyor belts and conveyor belt pairs that can be pressed against each other.
  • the figure illustrates how close to one another the junction points can be arranged in such a device.

Abstract

Groups are formed from flat articles being supplied in a plurality of supply streams by combining the supply streams to form a group stream, and by separating article groups from the head end of the group stream through clamping and accelerating aligned leading article edge zones. The supply streams are superimposed in at least one combining point, wherein in all streams to be combined and in all superimposed streams the articles are arranged parallel in a direction transverse to the conveying direction, have the same article spacings, and are conveyed at the same speed. Projections of the streams to be combined and of the superimposed streams on a plane parallel to the parallel alignment of the articles run parallel to one another or coincide. Projections of the streams to be combined on a plane transverse to the parallel alignment of the articles run together at an acute angle.

Description

VERFAHRENUND VORRICHTUNG ZURBILDUNGVON GRUPPENVONFLACHEN GEGENSTÄNDEN METHOD AND DEVICE FOR FORMING GROUPS OF FLAT OBJECTS
Die Erfindung liegt auf dem Gebiete der Stückgutförderung und Stückgutverarbeitung und betrifft ein Verfahren und eine Vorrichtung nach den Oberbegriffen der entsprechenden unabhängigen Patentansprüche. Verfahren und Vorrichtung gemäss Erfindung dienen zur Bildung von Gruppen von flachen Gegenständen, insbesondere von Druckprodukten, wobei die flachen Gegenstände in Form einer Mehrzahl von im wesentlichen kontinuierlichen Strömen zugeführt werden, wobei jede weggeführte Gruppe in der Regel von jedem Zuführungsstrom einen Gegenstand enthält und wobei die flachen Gegenstände in den Gruppen im wesentlichen stapelartig angeordnet sind.The invention is in the field of general cargo conveyance and general cargo processing and relates to a method and a device according to the preambles of the corresponding independent claims. The method and apparatus according to the invention are used to form groups of flat objects, in particular printed products, the flat objects being fed in the form of a plurality of essentially continuous streams, each group carried away generally containing one object from each feed stream, and the flat objects in the groups are arranged essentially in a stack.
Die genannte Gruppenbildung ist bei der Weiterverarbeitung von aus Druckmaschinen anfallenden Produkten ein häufig angewendeter Schritt. Beispielsweise werden die Signaturen von Büchern zu solchen Gruppen zusammengetragen oder andere, in separaten Druckprozessen hergestellte Druckprodukteteile, zu Versandeinheiten zu vereinende fertige Druckprodukte oder auch in einem Hauptprodukt einzusteckende Beilagen. Dabei werden in den Gruppen üblicherweise voneinander verschiedene Produkte zusammengebracht und wird mit jedem Zuführungsstrom üblicherweise ein Produktetyp zugeführt. Gemäss dem Stande der Technik werden stapeiförmige Druckproduktegruppen entlang einer Zusammentragstrecke gebildet. Dabei werden die entstehenden Gruppen oder Stapel entlang der Zusammentragstrecke gefördert, wobei sie hintereinander auf einer im wesentlichen waagrechten Unterlage aufliegen oder in Förderabteilen untergebracht sind, in denen die flachen Gegenstände an eine schiefe Wand angelehnt sind. Auf diese Weise werden die entstehenden Gruppen oder Stapel an Zuführungsstellen vorbei gefördert, wobei an jeder Zuführungsstelle ein Zuführungsstrom in die Zusammentragstrecke mündet und üblicherweise an jeder Zuführungsstelle zu jeder vorbei geförderten Gruppe ein Druckprodukt zugefügt wird.The aforementioned group formation is a frequently used step in the further processing of products obtained from printing presses. For example, the signatures of books are compiled into such groups or other printed product parts manufactured in separate printing processes, finished printed products to be combined into shipping units or inserts to be inserted into a main product. Different products are usually brought together in the groups and one type of product is usually supplied with each feed stream. According to the prior art, stack-like printed product groups are formed along a collation line. The resulting groups or stacks are conveyed along the collation line, lying one behind the other on an essentially horizontal surface or accommodated in conveyor compartments in which the flat objects are leaned against an inclined wall. In this way, the resulting groups or stacks are conveyed past feed points, a feed stream flowing into the collating line at each feed point and a printed product usually being added to each feed point at each feed point.
Es zeigt sich nun, dass die Förderung der entstehenden Stapel oder Gruppen hintereinander auf im wesentlichen waagrechten Förderauflagen vorrichtungsmässig einfach realisierbar ist, beispielsweise mit einem Förderband, auf dem einfache, in Förderrichtung aufeinanderfolgende Abteile ausgebildet sind. Es zeigt sich aber auch, dass diese Art von Zusammentragstrecke in Förderrichtung relativ lang wird, wobei diese Länge im wesentlichen von den grössten zu erwartenden Formaten der Druckprodukte und von der Anzahl von Zuführungsstellen abhängig ist. Auch die Zuführung der Druckprodukte zu derartig nacheinander geförderten Stapeln ist einfach realisierbar, beispielsweise direkt aus Schuppenströmen, in denen die Druckprodukte mit obenliegenden, vorlaufenden Kanten zugeführt und der je vorderste Gegenstand nach unten auf einen vorbei geförderten Stapel geschoben wird oder auf diesen fällt. Sollen aber mit derartigen Einrichtungen grosse Kapazitäten erreicht werden, werden entlang der Zusammentragstrecke hohe Fördergeschwindigkeiten notwendig, was energetisch unvorteilhaft ist. Zudem entstehen dadurch starke Luftströmungen, so dass insbesondere bei der Verarbeitung von leichten Gegenständen grossen Formats die Stapel für die Förderung festgehalten, für jede weitere Zugabe eines Produktes aber auch wieder losgelassen werden müssen. Den genannten Schwierigkeiten versucht man aus dem Wege zu gehen mit den oben genannten Methoden, in denen die Druckprodukte in Förderabteilen anlehnend (liegende Stapel) zusammengetragen werden. Die Ausdehnung dieser Förderabteile in Förderrichtung ist begrenzt nicht durch das grösste zu erwartende Format sondern durch die grösste zu erwartende Stapelhöhe (Summe der Dicken der gestapelten Druckprodukte), die für die meisten Anwendungen bedeutend kleiner ist als deren flächige Ausdehnung (Format). Für die Zuführung müssen aber die Druckprodukte in die Förderabteile bzw. zwischen die Stapel eingeführt werden. Dafür werden sie meistens durch je einen Greifer an einer oberen Kante gehalten zugeführt und von oben, das heisst mit der ungeführten, unteren Kante voran, in die Förderabteile eingeführt. Wenn zur Verkürzung der Zusammentragstrecke die Förderabteile so schmal wie möglich sind, ist der Raum für die Zuführung klein und muss die Zuführung entsprechend präzis durchgeführt werden. Dies verlangt einerseits eine kleine relative Geschwindigkeit zwischen Förderabteil und zuzugebendem Gegenstand und dadurch eine relativ lange Zugabestrecke und eine gegen oben beschränkte absolute Geschwindigkeit des zuzugebenden Druckproduktes, damit dessen ungeführte, beim Zugeben vorlaufende Kante von der Luftströmung nicht unkontolliert bewegt wird. Es zeigt sich also, dass mit dieser zweiten Methode, die vorrichtungsmässig bedeutend aufwendiger ist als die erstgenannte, die eingangs aufgeführten Schwierigkeiten auch nur teilweise gelöst werden können.It can now be seen that the resulting stacks or groups can be conveyed one behind the other on essentially horizontal conveying supports in terms of the device, for example with a conveyor belt on which simple compartments successive in the conveying direction are formed. It also shows, however, that this type of collating section becomes relatively long in the conveying direction, this length being essentially dependent on the largest formats of the printed products to be expected and on the number of feed points. The supply of the printed products to such successively conveyed stacks is also easy to implement, for example directly from scale streams, in which the printed products are fed with the leading edges lying above and the foremost object is pushed down onto a stack conveyed past or falls onto it. However, if large capacities are to be achieved with such devices, high conveying speeds are necessary along the collating line, which is disadvantageous in terms of energy. In addition, this creates strong air currents, so that the stacks must be held for conveying, especially when processing light objects of large format, but must also be released for each further addition of a product. One tries to avoid the difficulties mentioned with the methods mentioned above, in which the printed products are brought together in conveying compartments (lying piles). The extension of these conveying compartments in the conveying direction is not limited by the largest format to be expected but by the largest stack height to be expected (sum of the thicknesses of the stacked printed products), which for most applications is significantly smaller than their areal extension (format). For the feeding, however, the printed products must be introduced into the conveyor compartments or between the stacks. For this purpose, they are usually fed by a gripper each held at an upper edge and introduced into the conveying compartments from above, that is to say with the unguided, lower edge first. If the conveying compartments are as narrow as possible to shorten the collating distance, the space for the feed is small and the feed must be carried out with corresponding precision. On the one hand, this requires a small relative speed between the conveying compartment and the object to be added and thus a relatively long addition distance and an absolute speed of the print product to be added, which is restricted to the top, so that its unguided, leading edge when adding is not moved uncontrolled by the air flow. It can be seen that this second method, which is significantly more complex in terms of device than the first, can only partially solve the difficulties mentioned at the beginning.
Eine Kombination von vorrichtungsmässiger Einfachheit und kurzer, das heisst platzsparender Zusammentragstrecke (enge Stapelanordnung und nahe aufeinanderfolgende Zuführungsstellen) ist vorstellbar, wenn die Stapel einander überlappend, das heisst in der Art eines geschuppten Stapelstromes gefördert werden, in einem Strom also, der auf einer im wesentlichen waagrechten Förderauflage aufliegt und in dem jede Schuppe aus einer Mehrzahl von aufeinander liegenden (gestapelten) Gegenständen besteht. Lösungsansätze in dieser Richtung sind in den Publikationen DE-3145491 (oder US-4471953, F125) und DE-19643395 (oder US-5727781, F425) beschrieben. Gemäss DE-3145491 werden die einander überlappenden Stapel entlang der Zusammentragstrecke mit Hilfe von Stapelgreifern gefördert, die an den nachlaufenden Stapelseiten angreifen. Die Gegenstände eines folgenden Stapels können dabei einen vorlaufenden Stapelgreifer überdecken. Für die Zugabe eines weiteren Gegenstandes zu einem derart geförderten Stapel wird der entsprechende Stapelgreifer gegen oben geöffnet und hebt dabei die ihn überdeckenden Gegenstände des nachlaufenden Stapels an. Die auf den Stapeln zu deponierenden Gegenstände werden einzeln an oberen, vorlaufenden Kanten gehalten in einer mit der Förderrichtung der Zusammentragstrecke gleichgerichteten Zuführungsrichtung zugeführt, wobei ihre Geschwin- digkeit kleiner ist als die Geschwindigkeit der geschuppten Stapel auf der Zusammentragstrecke. Die Zuführung ist dabei derart gesteuert, dass die ungeführte nachlaufende Kante eines zuzuführenden Gegenstandes auf einer Führungsfläche oder auf einem bereits gestapelten Gegenstand positioniert wird und durch den Geschwindigkeitsunterschied in den Stapelgreifer und dadurch auch unter die angehobenen Gegenstände des. nachlaufenden Stapels geschoben werden. Sobald diese nachlaufende Kante des zuzugebenden Gegenstandes am Greiferkörper anschlägt und damit mit den nachlaufenden Kanten bereits im Stapelgreifer gestapelter Gegenstände ausgerichtet ist, wird der zuführende Greifer geöffnet und der Stapelgreifer geschlossen.A combination of simplicity in terms of the device and a short, that is to say space-saving, collation path (narrow stacking arrangement and closely adjacent feed points) is conceivable if the stacks are conveyed overlapping one another, i.e. in the manner of a shingled stacking stream, that is to say in a stream which is essentially on one horizontal conveyor support and in which each scale consists of a plurality of superimposed (stacked) objects. Approaches in this direction are described in the publications DE-3145491 (or US-4471953, F125) and DE-19643395 (or US-5727781, F425). According to DE-3145491, the overlapping stacks are conveyed along the collating section with the aid of stack grippers which attack the trailing sides of the stack. The objects of a subsequent stack can cover a leading stack gripper. For the addition of a further object to a stack conveyed in this way, the corresponding stack gripper is opened towards the top and thereby raises the objects of the trailing stack covering it. The objects to be deposited on the stacks are individually held at upper, leading edges in a feed direction which is the same as the conveying direction of the collating section, their speed being lower than the speed of the scaled stacks on the collating section. The feed is controlled in such a way that the unguided trailing edge of an object to be fed is positioned on a guide surface or on an already stacked object and by the speed difference in the stack gripper and thereby also under the lifted objects of the . following stack are pushed. As soon as this trailing edge of the object to be added hits the gripper body and is thus aligned with the trailing edges of objects already stacked in the stack gripper, the feeding gripper is opened and the stack gripper is closed.
Die obige kurze Beschreibung zeigt, dass gemäss DE-3145491 eine relativ einfache Stapelförderung mit kleinen Stapelabständen möglich wird. Die Zuführungsstellen können aber in Stapelförderrichtung nicht nahe aufeinander folgend angeordnet werden, die Vorrichtung ist aufwendig und die Zuführungsstellen müssen Formatabhängig ausgerüstet werden.The above brief description shows that according to DE-3145491 a relatively simple stacking with small stacking distances is possible. However, the feed points cannot be arranged in close succession in the direction of stacking, the device is complex and the feed points have to be equipped depending on the format.
Auch in der Publikation DE-19643395 wird ein auf der Idee eines geschuppten Sta- pelstromes beruhendes Zusammentragverfahren vorgeschlagen. Die an einer Zuführungsstelle zuzuführenden, rechteckigen oder gegebenenfalls quadratischen Druckprodukte werden nicht eigentlich auf einem vorbei geförderten, entstehenden Stapel positioniert, sondern sie werden in Form eines Schuppenstromes auf einem gegebenenfalls bereits aus mehreren Schuppenströmen bestehenden Gruppenstrom aufgelegt. Dabei weisen alle im Gruppenstrom aufeinandergelegten Schuppenströme gleiche Schuppenabstände auf und sind vorlaufende Bereiche der Druckprodukte jeder Gruppe aufeinander ausgerichtet aber durch nachlaufende Bereiche von Druckprodukten vorlaufender Gruppen voneinander getrennt. An einem Kopfende dieses geschuppten Gruppenstromes, an dem vorlaufende Bereiche von zu einer vordersten Gruppe gehörenden Druckprodukten aufeinander liegen (es gibt keine vorlaufende Gruppe, deren Gegenstände dazwischen liegen), werden diese vorlaufenden Bereiche erfasst und beschleunigt, wodurch die Gruppe als Stapel aus dem Gruppenstrom gezogen und von diesem getrennt wird.Publication DE-19643395 also suggests a gathering method based on the idea of a shingled stack stream. The rectangular or possibly square printed products to be fed at a feed point are not actually on a stack that is being conveyed past positioned, but they are placed in the form of a shingled stream on a group stream which may already consist of several shingled streams. In this case, all the shingled streams placed one on top of the other in the group flow have the same shingle spacing and leading areas of the printed products of each group are aligned with one another but separated from one another by trailing areas of printed products from leading groups. At a head end of this shingled group stream, at which leading areas of printed products belonging to a foremost group lie on top of one another (there is no leading group whose objects lie in between), these leading areas are detected and accelerated, whereby the group is drawn from the group stream as a stack and is separated from it.
Um die zu einer zu bildenden Gruppe aber zu verschiedenen aufeinander liegenden Schuppenströmen gehörenden Druckprodukte für eine problemlose Gruppen- Abtrennung relativ zueinander auszurichten, wird in DE-19643395 vorgeschlagen, die im Gruppenstrom vorgebildeten Stapel seitlich zu führen. Dies wird dadurch möglich, dass die Druckprodukte im Gruppenstrom diagonal, das heisst mit einer vorlaufenden Ecke gefördert werden. Die Längskanten eines Schuppenstromes diagonal geförderter, rechteckiger oder quadratischer Druckprodukte sind nicht geradlinig sondern gezackt, so dass die einzelnen Schuppen auf beiden Seiten des Stromes mit an den Zacken angreifenden Führungsmitteln (z.B. mitgeförderte Führungsbolzen) im Bereiche ihrer einander quer zur Förderrichtung gegenüberliegenden Ecken geführt werden können.In order to align the printed products belonging to a group to be formed but belonging to different shingled streams lying on top of one another for problem-free group separation, DE-19643395 proposes to guide the stacks pre-formed in the group stream laterally. This is made possible by the fact that the printed products are conveyed diagonally in the group flow, i.e. with a leading corner. The longitudinal edges of a stream of shingles of diagonally conveyed, rectangular or square printed products are not straight but serrated, so that the individual sheds on both sides of the stream can be guided with guide means that engage the spikes (for example, guide bolts that are also conveyed) in the area of their corners opposite one another transversely to the conveying direction ,
Die dem Gruppenstrom mit diagonaler Schuppenanordnung zuzuführenden Druckprodukte werden in Zuführungsströmen zugeführt, in denen die Produktekanten senkrecht bzw. parallel zur Förderrichtung ausgerichtet sind und die schief auf den Stapelstrom treffen, und jedes Druckprodukt wird für seine Positionierung auf dem Gruppenstrom in die Richtung der Diagonalförderung umgelenkt. Für diese Umlen- kung sind Kräfte auf die Druckprodukte auszuüben, die von den Führungsbolzen aufgenommen werden.The printed products to be fed to the group stream with a diagonal scale arrangement are fed in feed streams in which the product edges are aligned perpendicular or parallel to the conveying direction and which meet the stack stream obliquely, and each printed product is deflected in the direction of the diagonal conveying for its positioning on the group stream. For this redirection forces must be exerted on the printed products that are taken up by the guide bolts.
Die Position der Führungsbolzen ist auf das grösste zu erwartende Format von zu stapelnden Druckprodukten und auf den Schuppenabstand auszurichten. Alle kleiner- formatigen Produkte werden je nach Zuführungsrichtung auf die eine oder die andere der geführten Ecken ausgerichtet und nur einseitig geführt, ganz kleine Produkte bleiben gegebenenfalls ganz ungeführt. Zuführungen sind nur von oben möglich und in den Zuführungsströmen müssen die vorlaufenden Kanten obenliegend sein.The position of the guide pins must be aligned with the largest format to be expected of the printed products to be stacked and with the distance between the scales. All smaller-sized products are aligned to one or the other of the guided corners depending on the feed direction and only guided on one side; very small products may remain completely unguided. Feeds are only possible from above and the leading edges in the feed streams must be on top.
Die Erfindung stellt sich nun die Aufgabe, ein Verfahren und eine Vorrichtung zu schaffen, die zur Bildung von Gruppen aus in Zuführungsströmen zugeführten, flachen Gegenständen dienen und die wie das System gemäss DE-19643395 auf einem aus einer Mehrzahl von aufeinander liegenden Schuppenströmen bestehenden Gruppenstrom basieren. Verfahren und Vorrichtung gemäss Erfindung sollen aber gegenüber dem Stande der Technik nicht nur bezüglich Format-Unabhängigkeit, Flexibili- tat und vorrichtungsmässiger Einfachheit sondern auch bezüglich Kürze der Zusammentragstrecke Verbesserungen ermöglichen. Insbesondere soll die Ausrichtung der Gegenstände in den zu bildenden Gruppen viel weniger durch das Verfahren oder die Vorrichtung fest vorgegeben sondern weitgehend den Eigenschaften der Gegenstände und der Stapelstabilität anpassbar sein.The object of the invention is to provide a method and a device which are used to form groups from flat objects fed into feed streams and which, like the system according to DE-19643395, are based on a group stream consisting of a plurality of shingled streams lying one on top of the other , The method and device according to the invention should, however, enable improvements over the prior art not only with regard to format independence, flexibility and simplicity in terms of the device, but also with regard to the shortening of the collating path. In particular, the alignment of the objects in the groups to be formed should be determined much less by the method or the device and should be largely adaptable to the properties of the objects and the stack stability.
Die gestellte Aufgabe wird gelöst durch das Verfahren und die Vorrichtung, wie sie in den entsprechenden Patentansprüchen definiert sind.The object is achieved by the method and the device as defined in the corresponding patent claims.
Gemäss Erfindung werden die flachen Gegenstände, aus denen Gruppen zu bilden sind, in Zuführungsströmen zugeführt, wird durch Zusammenführung der Zufüh- rungsströme ein Gruppenstrom gebildet, in dem eine Mehrzahl von Schuppenströmen aufeinander liegt, und werden vom Kopfende des Gruppenstromes durch Ergreifen von aufeinander liegenden, vorlaufenden Gegenstandsbereichen und durch Beschleunigung der ergriffenen Gegenstände nacheinander Gruppen vom Gruppen- ström abgetrennt, wie dies auch gemäss DE-19643395 getan wird. Neu sind aber die Gegenstände in den Zuführungsströmen bezüglich Ausrichtung relativ zur Förderrichtung und bezüglich Abstand voneinander bereits so angeordnet, wie sie im Gruppenstrom angeordnet sein sollen und werden die Zuführungsströme im wesentlichen ohne Richtungsänderung parallel zur flächigen Ausdehnung der Gegenstände zu- s ammengeführt. Dies bedeutet, dass an den Zuführungsstellen keine wesentlichen Kräfte auf die flachen Gegenstände wirken, insbesondere keine Kräfte, die die relative Anordnung der Gegenstände zueinander in diesen Strömen beeinträchtigen würden. Aus diesem Grunde erübrigt es sich, die flachen Gegenstände in den Zuführungsströmen, bei der Zusammenführung oder im Gruppenstrom seitlich zu führen.According to the invention, the flat objects from which groups are to be formed are fed in feed streams. a group stream, in which a plurality of scale streams lie on top of one another, and groups are separated from the group stream from the head end of the group stream by grasping leading object areas lying on top of one another and by accelerating the gripped objects, as is also done according to DE-19643395 becomes. What is new, however, are the objects in the feed streams, with respect to their alignment relative to the conveying direction and with respect to one another, already arranged as they should be arranged in the group stream, and the feed streams are brought together in parallel with the planar extent of the objects, essentially without a change in direction. This means that no significant forces act on the flat objects at the feed points, in particular no forces that would impair the relative arrangement of the objects to one another in these streams. For this reason, it is not necessary to guide the flat objects laterally in the feed streams, during the merging or in the group stream.
Der Gruppenstrom und die Zuführungsströme werden auf entsprechenden Förderauflagen gefördert. Mindestens unmittelbar vor einer Zusammenführstelle, in der ein Zuführungsstrom in den Gruppenstrom oder in einen anderen Zuführungsstrom mündet, sind die Förderauflagen und damit die Gegenstände der zusammenzuführenden und der zusammengeführten Ströme quer zur Förderrichtung parallel zuein- ander angeordnet, verlaufen die Projektionen der Ströme auf eine Ebene parallel zur genannten parallelen Ausrichtung der Förderauflagen parallel zueinander oder fallen zusammen und laufen die Projektionen der Ströme auf eine Ebene senkrecht zur parallelen Ausrichtung der Förderauflagen spitzwinklig aufeinander zu. In allen beteiligten Strömen sind der Abstand zwischen den Gegenständen (Schuppenabstand) und die Geschwindigkeit gleich gross und für die Zusammenführungen wird mit geeigneten Mitteln dafür gesorgt, dass die Ströme derart in Phase sind, dass im Gruppenstrom vorlaufende Kantenbereiche der Gegenstände verschiedener Schuppenströme aufeinander ausgerichtet sind. Am Kopfende des Gruppenstromes werden die vorlaufenden Kantenbereiche von einem möglichst über die ganze Breite des Gruppenstromes wirkenden Klemm- und Beschleunigungsmittel erfasst und beschleunigt, während die Gegenstände mindestens einer nächsten Gruppe derart gepresst werden, dass sie nicht mit der abzutrennenden Gruppe beschleunigt und damit relativ zum Gruppenstrom verschoben werden können.The group stream and the feed streams are funded on appropriate funding requirements. At least immediately before a junction in which a feed stream flows into the group stream or into another feed stream, the conveyor supports and thus the objects of the streams to be merged and the merged streams are arranged parallel to one another transversely to the conveying direction, the projections of the streams run on one level parallel to the parallel alignment of the conveyor supports mentioned parallel to one another or coincide and the projections of the currents run at an acute angle to one another perpendicular to the parallel alignment of the conveyor supports. In all the streams involved, the distance between the objects (scale spacing) and the speed are the same, and for the merging, suitable means are used to ensure that the streams are in phase in such a way that edge regions of the objects of different scale streams leading in the group stream are aligned with one another. At the head end of the group stream, the leading edge areas are detected and accelerated by a clamping and accelerating means that acts as far as possible over the entire width of the group stream, while the objects of at least one next group are pressed in such a way that they do not accelerate with the group to be separated and thus relative to the group stream can be moved.
Gegenüber dem in DE- 19643395 offenbarten System ist es gemäss Erfindung möglich, Gegenstände mit anderen als rechteckigen oder quadratischen Formen in in weiten Grenzen beliebigen Ausrichtungen relativ zueinander zu Gruppen zu vereinen und können die Gegenstände in den Gruppen nicht nur aufeinander (gestapelt) sondern auch nebeneinander oder teils aufeinander und teils nebeneinander angeordnet werden. Solange die Breite der Auflageflächen genügend ist, sind Formatwechsel ohne vorrichtungsmässige Umstellungen möglich.Compared to the system disclosed in DE-19643395, according to the invention it is possible to combine objects with shapes other than rectangular or square in any direction relative to groups in any direction within wide limits and the objects in the groups can not only be stacked on top of one another but also side by side or partly on top of each other and partly next to each other. As long as the width of the contact surfaces is sufficient, format changes are possible without any changes to the device.
Es können also aus sehr verschieden grossen, verschieden dicken und verschieden steifen Gegenständen stabile Gruppen hergestellt werden. In geschuppten Zuführungsströmen können die Gegenstände mit untenliegenden oder obenliegenden vorlaufenden Kanten gefördert werden und die Zuführungsströme können von der einen oder der anderen Seite (von unten und von oben) gegen den Gruppenstrom geführt werden. Aus diesen Eigenschaften des erfindungsgemässen Verfahrens ergibt sich nicht nur die geforderte Format-Unabhängigkeit und Flexibilität sondern auch die Möglichkeit, die Zuführungsstellen sehr nahe nacheinander anzuordnen, was zu einer kurzen „Zusammentragstrecke" führt.It is therefore possible to produce stable groups from objects of very different sizes, thicknesses and stiffnesses. In shingled feed streams, the objects can be conveyed with leading or lower leading edges and the feed streams can be guided from one side or the other (from below and from above) against the group stream. These properties of the method according to the invention result not only in the required format independence and flexibility, but also in the possibility of arranging the feed points very close to one another, which leads to a short “gathering distance”.
Die Vorrichtung zur Durchführung des erfindungsgemässen Verfahrens ist mit einfachsten Mitteln realisierbar, beispielsweise mit einem System von Förderbändern und/oder Förderbandpaaren zur Zusammenführung der Zuführungsströme, mit einem Pressmittel am Kopfende des Gruppenstromes unmittelbar vor der Trennstelle und mit einem an der Trennstelle wirkenden Trennmittel, wobei auch das Pressmittel und das Trennmittel als Paare von gegeneinander pressbaren Förderbändern ausgebildet sein können. Alle Fördermittel vor der Trennstelle haben dieselbe erste Geschwindigkeit, das Klemm- und Beschleunigungsmittel hat eine gegenüber der ersten Geschwindigkeit erhöhte Geschwindigkeit, die an das Verhältnis der Länge der Gegenstände in Förderrichtung zu den Schuppenabständen angepasst ist.The device for carrying out the method according to the invention can be implemented with the simplest of means, for example with a system of conveyor belts and / or conveyor belt pairs for combining the feed streams, with one Pressing means at the head end of the group stream directly in front of the separation point and with a separation means acting at the separation point, wherein the pressing means and the separation means can also be designed as pairs of conveyor belts that can be pressed against one another. All conveying means in front of the separation point have the same first speed, the clamping and accelerating means has a higher speed than the first speed, which is adapted to the ratio of the length of the objects in the conveying direction to the scale distances.
Verfahren und Vorrichtung gemäss Erfindung werden anhand der folgenden Figuren im Detail beschrieben. Dabei zeigen:The method and device according to the invention are described in detail with reference to the following figures. Show:
Figur 1 eine Mehrzahl von Zuführungsströmen von verschieden grossen und verschieden-formatigen flachen Gegenständen und eine daraus gebildete Gruppe;1 shows a plurality of feed streams of flat objects of different sizes and formats and a group formed therefrom;
Figur 2 eine weitere Mehrzahl von Schuppenströmen von rechteckigen und quadratischen, flachen Gegenständen und zwei daraus gebildete Gruppen;Figure 2 shows a further plurality of scale streams of rectangular and square, flat objects and two groups formed therefrom;
Figur 3 Teile einer beispielhaften Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung zur Abtrennung von Gruppen vom Kopfende des Gruppenstromes (Schnitt parallel zur Förderrichtung);FIG. 3 shows parts of an exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention for separating groups from the head end of the group stream (section parallel to the conveying direction);
Figur 4 die Vorrichtungsteile gemäss Figur 3 in einer schematischen dreidimensionalen Darstellung mit einem Gruppenstrom, in dem die flachen Gegen- stände seitlich gegeneinander versetzt, das heisst weder auf eine Mittellinie noch auf eine seitliche Kante ausgerichtet sind;FIG. 4 shows the device parts according to FIG. 3 in a schematic three-dimensional representation with a group flow, in which the flat objects are laterally offset from one another, that is to say are not aligned with a center line or with a lateral edge;
Figur 5 Teile einer beispielhaften Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung zur Zusammenführung einer Mehrzahl von Zuführungsströmen zu einem Gruppenstrom. Figur 1 zeigt Teile von vier beispielhaften Zuführungsströmen 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 und 1.4 von vier verschiedenen Typen von flachen Gegenständen 11, 12, 13 und 14. Die Zuführungsströme sind in einer Anordnung dargestellt, wie sie das erfindungsge- mässe Verfahren für die Zusammenführung zu einem (nicht dargestellten) Grup- penstrom verlangt. Ebenfalls dargestellt ist eine aus dem Gruppenstrom abgetrennte Gruppe 2, die von jedem Zuführungsstrom 1.1 bis 1.4 einen Gegenstand 11, 12, 13 und 14 aufweist, wobei vorlaufende Kantenbereiche der Gegenstände in der Gruppe aufeinander ausgerichtet sind und wobei die seitliche Anordnung der Gegenstände in der Gruppe der relativen Anordnung der Zuführungsströme vor der Zusammen- führung entspricht.FIG. 5 shows parts of an exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention for combining a plurality of feed streams into a group stream. FIG. 1 shows parts of four exemplary feed streams 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 and 1.4 of four different types of flat objects 11, 12, 13 and 14. The feed streams are shown in an arrangement such as the method according to the invention for merging into one Group stream (not shown) required. Also shown is a group 2 separated from the group stream, which has an article 11, 12, 13 and 14 from each feed stream 1.1 to 1.4, leading edge regions of the articles in the group being aligned with one another and the lateral arrangement of the articles in the group corresponds to the relative arrangement of the feed streams before the merging.
Die Pfeile F.l, F.2, F.3 und F.4 und die strichpunktierte Linie L.l stellen die Förderrichtungen der Schuppenströme (auf die Schwerpunkte der Gegenstände ausgerichtet) dar, die strichpunktierten Linien L.2 bis L.4 sind Projektionen der strichpunktierten Linie L.l auf den Förderweg der Zuführungsströme F.2 bis F.4. Zur II- lustration der Format-Unabhängigkeit und Flexibilität des erfindungsgemässen Verfahrens sind die Gegenstände 11 des Zuführungsstromes 1.1 rechteckig, die Gegenstände 12 des Zuführungsstromes 1.2 dreieckig, die Gegenstände 13 des Zuführungsstromes 1.3 rechteckig und die Gegenstände 14 des Zuführungsstromes 1.4 rund. Alle Zuführungsströme 1.1 bis 1.4 sind Schuppenströme (Abstand zwischen den Gegenständen kleiner als Länge der Gegenstände in Förderrichtung). Im Zuführungsstrom 1.1 sind die vorlaufenden Kantenbereiche untenliegend, in den andern Schuppenströmen obenliegend. In allen vier Schuppenströmen liegen die Gegenstände im wesentlichen in Ebenen quer zur Papierebene der Figur und die Förderrichtungen verlaufen parallel zu dieser Papierebene. Für die nicht dargestellten Zu- sammenführungen werden die Förderrichtungen immer noch parallel zur Papierebene spitzwinklig aufeinander zugeführt, wie dies durch die strichpunktierten Linien L.l bis L.4 angedeutet ist, und die Gegenstände liegen immer noch in Ebenen quer zur Papierebene. In allen Zuführungsströmen haben die vorlaufenden Kantenbereiche der Gegenstände gleiche Abstände voneinander (Schuppenabstand) und die Zuführungsströme sind derart aufeinander ausgerichtet (synchronisiert), dass die vorlaufenden Kantenbereiche der Gegenstände von zusammengeführten Zuführungsströmen im wesent- liehen übereinander liegen.The arrows Fl, F.2, F.3 and F.4 and the dash-dotted line Ll represent the conveying directions of the shingled streams (aligned with the centers of gravity of the objects), the dash-dotted lines L.2 to L.4 are projections of the dash-dotted line Ll on the conveyor path of the feed streams F.2 to F.4. To illustrate the format independence and flexibility of the method according to the invention, the objects 11 of the feed stream 1.1 are rectangular, the objects 12 of the feed stream 1.2 are triangular, the objects 13 of the feed stream 1.3 are rectangular and the objects 14 of the feed stream 1.4 are round. All feed streams 1.1 to 1.4 are scale streams (distance between the objects smaller than the length of the objects in the conveying direction). In the feed stream 1.1, the leading edge areas are at the bottom, in the other scale streams at the top. In all four scale streams, the objects lie essentially in planes transverse to the paper plane of the figure and the conveying directions run parallel to this paper plane. For the unions not shown, the conveying directions are still fed at an acute angle to one another parallel to the paper plane, as indicated by the dash-dotted lines L1 to L.4, and the objects are still in planes transverse to the paper plane. In all feed streams, the leading edge areas of the objects have the same spacing from one another (scale spacing) and the feed streams are aligned (synchronized) with one another in such a way that the leading edge areas of the objects of merged feed streams lie essentially one above the other.
In der Gruppe 2 liegen die Gegenstände 12 und 13 exzentrisch zwischen den Gegenständen 11 und 14. Dies wird erreicht durch eine Verschiebung der Zuführungsströme 1.2 und 1.3 quer zur Förderrichtung (Distanz zwischen den Pfeilen F.2 bzw. F.3 von den strichpunktierten Linien L.2 bzw. L.3). Offensichtlich schränkt das er- findungsgemässe Verfahren das Format der Gegenstände, die in einer Gruppe zusammengetragen werden sollen, in keiner Weise ein und auch nicht ihre relative, seitliche Anordnung in der Gruppe (Anordnung quer zur Förderrichtung). Die einzige Bedingung besteht darin, dass vorlaufende Kantenbereiche von zu einer Gruppe gehörenden Gegenständen im wesentlichen aufeinander ausgerichtet sind (derart genau, dass sie bei der Abtrennung der Gruppen miteinander erfasst werden können).In group 2 the objects 12 and 13 lie eccentrically between the objects 11 and 14. This is achieved by shifting the feed streams 1.2 and 1.3 transversely to the conveying direction (distance between the arrows F.2 and F.3 from the dash-dotted lines L .2 or L.3). Obviously, the method according to the invention in no way limits the format of the objects which are to be brought together in a group and also does not restrict their relative, lateral arrangement in the group (arrangement transverse to the conveying direction). The only requirement is that leading edge areas of objects belonging to a group are essentially aligned with one another (so precisely that they can be detected with one another when the groups are separated).
Figur 2 zeigt im Schnitt (flächige Ausdehnung der Gegenstände quer zur Papierebene) einen aus vier aufeinander liegenden Zuführungsströmen 1.5 bis 1.8 gebildeten Gruppenstrom 3, wobei die Zuführungsströme aus verschieden grossen, rechteckigen und flache Gegenständen 15 bis 18 bestehen. Die Zuführungsströme liegen im Gruppenstrom direkt aufeinander; in der Figur 2 sind sie voneinander beabstandet dargestellt. Die Ausrichtung der vorlaufenden Kantenbereiche aller Zuführungsströme ist daraus klar ersichtlich. Ferner zeigt Figur 2 zwei beispielhafte Gruppen 2.1 und 2.2, die aus dem Gruppenstrom 3 gebildet werden können je nach seitlicher Ausrichtung der Zuführungsströme. In beiden Gruppen sind die vorlaufenden Kanten aufeinander ausgerichtet. In der Gruppe 2.1 sind die Gegenstände 15 bis 18 auf einer gemeinsamen Mittellinie angeordnet, in der Gruppe 2.2 sind sie auf eine seitliche Kante ausgerichtet.FIG. 2 shows in section (planar extent of the objects transversely to the paper plane) a group stream 3 formed from four feed streams 1.5 to 1.8 lying one on top of the other, the feed streams comprising objects of different sizes, rectangular and flat 15 to 18. The feed streams lie directly on top of one another in the group stream; they are shown at a distance from one another in FIG. The alignment of the leading edge areas of all feed streams is clearly evident from this. Furthermore, FIG. 2 shows two exemplary groups 2.1 and 2.2, which can be formed from the group stream 3 depending on the lateral orientation of the feed streams. In both groups, the leading edges are aligned. The objects in group 2.1 are 15 to 18 are arranged on a common center line, in group 2.2 they are aligned on a lateral edge.
Figur 3 zeigt ebenfalls in einem Schnitt parallel zur Förderrichtung diejenigen Teile einer beispielhaften Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung, die im Bereiche des Kopfendes des Gruppenstromes 3 angeordnet sind und im wesentlichen der Abtrennung von Gruppen 2 von diesem Kopfende dienen. Der Gruppenstrom wird auf einer Förderauflage 20 gegen sein Kopfende gefördert. Unmittelbar stromaufwärts vom Kopfende des Gruppenstromes 3 ist ein Pressmittel 21 vorgesehen, beispielsweise mit dem Gruppenstrom mitlaufende Presselemente 22, deren Abstand voneinander dem Schuppenabstand im Gruppenstrom 3 entspricht und durch die der Gruppenstrom gegen die Förderauflage 20 gepresst wird.FIG. 3 likewise shows, in a section parallel to the conveying direction, those parts of an exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention which are arranged in the region of the head end of the group stream 3 and essentially serve to separate groups 2 from this head end. The group stream is conveyed on a conveyor support 20 against its head end. Immediately upstream from the head end of the group stream 3, a pressing means 21 is provided, for example pressing elements 22 which move with the group stream and whose distance from one another corresponds to the scale spacing in the group stream 3 and by means of which the group stream is pressed against the conveying support 20.
Am Kopfende des Gruppenstromes 3 ist für die Abtrennung von Gruppen ein Klemm- und Beschleunigungsmittel 23 vorgesehen, beispielsweise in Form eines Pressrades 24, das mit einer Wegförderauf läge 25 kooperiert und das an seinem Umfang Einformungen 26 aufweist, derart, dass es rotierend eine rhythmische Abfolge von voneinander zeitlich beabstandeten Pressschritten erzeugt, in denen es gegen die Wegförderauflage 25 gepresst wird. Anstelle des Pressrades 26 können auch nacheinander am Kopfende des Gruppenstromes 3 vorbei geförderte und dieses erfassende Greifer als Klemm- und Beschleunigungsmittel zur Anwendung kommen.At the head end of the group stream 3, a clamping and accelerating means 23 is provided for the separation of groups, for example in the form of a press wheel 24, which cooperates with a removal conveyor 25 and which has indentations 26 on its circumference, such that it rotates a rhythmic sequence generated by time-spaced pressing steps in which it is pressed against the removal support 25. Instead of the pressing wheel 26, grippers conveyed past and grasping this at the head end of the group stream 3 can also be used as clamping and accelerating means.
Die Wegförderauf läge 25 und die pressenden Umfangsteile des Pressrades 26 haben dabei die gleiche Geschwindigkeit, welche mindestens so viel grösser ist als die Geschwindigkeit des Gruppenstromes 3 bzw. der Förderunterlage 20 und der Presselemente 21, dass eine abzutrennende Gruppe 2 in einem Fördertakt so weit geför- dert wird, dass die nachlaufende Kante auch des in Förderrichtung längsten Gegen- Standes aus dem Gruppenstrom 3 gezogen wird. Während der Gruppenstrom 3 in einem Fördertakt um einen Schuppenabstand gefördert wird, müssen die abgetrennten Gruppen in einem Fördertakt mindestens um die Länge der Gruppe in Förderrichtung weggefördert werden. Der Rhythmus der Pressschritte ist auf den Schuppenabstand im Gruppenstrom 3 abzustimmen.The Wegförderauf 25 and the pressing peripheral parts of the press wheel 26 have the same speed, which is at least as much greater than the speed of the group stream 3 or the conveying pad 20 and the pressing elements 21, that a group 2 to be separated is so far in one conveying cycle - is changed that the trailing edge of the longest counter in the conveying direction Stand is drawn from the group stream 3. While the group stream 3 is conveyed in a conveying cycle by a scale distance, the separated groups must be conveyed away in the conveying direction by at least the length of the group in one conveying cycle. The rhythm of the pressing steps must be matched to the scale spacing in group stream 3.
Der Abstand zwischen dem stromabwärts gerichteten Ende der Wirkung des Pressmittels und dem Klemm- und dem Kopfende des Gruppenstromes 3 ist vorteilhafterweise derart zu wählen, dass die nachlaufenden Bereiche der Gegenstände der abzutrennenden Gruppe dieser Wirkung nicht mehr ausgesetzt sind.The distance between the downstream end of the action of the pressing means and the clamping and the head end of the group stream 3 is advantageously chosen such that the trailing areas of the objects of the group to be separated are no longer exposed to this effect.
Die vom Klemm- und Beschleunigungsmittel zu erzeugende Presskraft ist gross genug, um die Gegenstände der vordersten Gruppe möglichst ohne Schlupf aus dem Gruppenstrom 3 zu ziehen. Die zwischen dem Pressmittel 21 und der Förderauflage 20 zu erzeugende Presskraft ist gross genug, um eine durch gegenseitige Reibung der Gegenstände in den und zwischen den Schuppenströmen bedingte Mitnahme von Gegenständen mit einer abzutrennenden Gruppe, zu der sie nicht gehören, zu verhindern.The pressing force to be generated by the clamping and accelerating means is large enough to pull the objects of the foremost group out of the group stream 3 without any slip. The pressing force to be generated between the pressing means 21 and the conveying support 20 is large enough to prevent entrainment of objects with a group to be separated, to which they do not belong, due to the mutual friction of the objects in and between the shingled streams.
Figur 4 zeigt in einer schematischen, dreidimensionalen Darstellung das Pressmittel 21 für die Pressung des Kopfendes des Gruppenstromes 3 gegen die Weiterför- derauflage 20 und das Klemm- und Beschleunigungsmittel 23 für die Abtrennung der Gruppen 2 vom Kopfende des Gruppenstromes 3. Beide Mittel wirken vorteilhafterweise über die ganze Breite des Gruppenstromes 3. Sie bestehen beispielsweise wie dargestellt aus quer zur Förderrichtung angeordneten Reihen von Presselementen bzw. Klemm- und Beschleunigungselementen, die im wesentlichen unabhängig von der örtlichen Dicke des Gruppenstromes 3 bzw. der Gruppe 2 betätigbar (z.B. gegen die Förderauflage pressbar) sind. Alle diese Elemente sind vorteilhaf- terweise quer zur Förderrichtung verschiebbar und dadurch derart einstellbar, dass sie nicht auf Gegenstandskanten wirken.FIG. 4 shows a schematic, three-dimensional representation of the pressing means 21 for pressing the head end of the group stream 3 against the conveyor support 20 and the clamping and accelerating means 23 for separating the groups 2 from the head end of the group stream 3. Both means advantageously act the entire width of the group stream 3. As shown, they consist, for example, of rows of pressing elements or clamping and acceleration elements which are arranged transversely to the conveying direction and can be actuated essentially independently of the local thickness of the group stream 3 or group 2 (for example, can be pressed against the conveying support) ) are. All of these elements are beneficial ternally movable across the conveying direction and thereby adjustable so that they do not act on object edges.
Die Gegenstände in der in Figur 4 dargestellten Gruppe 2 sind seitlich zueinander versetzt, das heisst sie sind weder auf eine gemeinsame Mittellinie noch auf eine gemeinsame Längskante ausgerichtet, wie dies in der Figur 2 dargestellt ist. Eine derart seitlich versetzte Anordnung macht es unabdingbar, dass sowohl die Pressmittel als auch die Klemm- und Beschleunigungsmittel möglichst über die ganze Breite des Gruppenstromes wirken. Mit einer derartig seitlich versetzten Anordnung kann aber dafür gesorgt werden, dass die Gruppen eine über die Breite möglichst gleichmässige Dicke aufweisen und dass beispielsweise dicke Faltkanten aufeinander liegende Gegenstände nicht destabilisieren.The objects in group 2 shown in FIG. 4 are laterally offset from one another, that is to say they are neither aligned to a common center line nor to a common longitudinal edge, as is shown in FIG. 2. Such a laterally offset arrangement makes it essential that both the pressing means and the clamping and accelerating means act as far as possible over the entire width of the group flow. With such a laterally offset arrangement, however, it can be ensured that the groups have a thickness that is as uniform as possible over the width and that, for example, thick folded edges do not destabilize objects lying on one another.
Die Trennung der Gruppen vom Kopfende des Gruppenstromes kann dieselbe Richtung haben wie die Förderung des Gruppenstromes gegen sein Kopfende oder sie kann winklig zu dieser Förderrichtung verlaufen.The separation of the groups from the head end of the group stream can have the same direction as the conveyance of the group stream against its head end or it can run at an angle to this conveying direction.
Figur 5 zeigt in sehr schematischer Weise (Schnitt parallel zur Förderrichtung) die Teile einer beispielhaften Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung, die der Zusammenführung von Zuführungsströmen (1.1 bis 1.3) zu einem Gruppenstrom 3 dienen. Diese Teile sind einfache Förderbänder und gegeneinander pressbare Förderbandpaare. Die Figur illustriert, wie nahe beieinander die Zusammenführ- stellen in einer derartigen Vorrichtung angeordnet werden können. FIG. 5 shows in a very schematic manner (section parallel to the conveying direction) the parts of an exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention which are used to combine feed streams (1.1 to 1.3) to form a group stream 3. These parts are simple conveyor belts and conveyor belt pairs that can be pressed against each other. The figure illustrates how close to one another the junction points can be arranged in such a device.

Claims

PATENTANSPRÜCHE
1. Verfahren zur Bildung von Gruppen (2) aus flachen Gegenständen (11 bis 18), die in einer Mehrzahl von Zuführungsströmen (1.1 bis 1.8) zugeführt werden, wobei die Zuführungsströme (1.1 bis 1.8) zu einem Gruppenstrom (3) zusam- mengeführt werden, in dem eine Mehrzahl von Schuppenströmen mit gleichen1. A method for forming groups (2) from flat objects (11 to 18) which are fed in a plurality of feed streams (1.1 to 1.8), the feed streams (1.1 to 1.8) being combined to form a group stream (3) in which a plurality of scale streams with the same
Schuppenabständen aufeinander gelegt sind und in dem vorlaufende Kantenbereiche der Gegenstände (11 bis 18) der aufeinandergelegten Schuppenströme in Förderrichtung aufeinander ausgerichtet sind, und wobei von einem Kopfende des Gruppenstromes (3) durch Klemmen und Beschleunigen der aufeinander ausgerichteten vorlaufenden Kantenbereiche Gruppen (2) von GegenständenScale spacings are placed on top of one another and in the leading edge areas of the objects (11 to 18) of the superimposed scale streams are aligned with each other in the conveying direction, and groups (2) of objects from a head end of the group stream (3) by clamping and accelerating the aligned leading edge areas
(11 bis 18) abgetrennt werden, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Zuführungsströme (1.1 bis 1.8) in mindestens einer Zusammenführstelle aufeinandergelegt werden, wobei in allen zusammenzuführenden und aufeinander liegenden Strömen die Gegenstände (11 bis 18) quer zur Förderrichtung parallel zueinander ausgerichtet sind, dieselben Abstände voneinander haben und mit der gleichen Geschwindigkeit gefördert werden, wobei Projektionen der zusammenzuführenden und aufeinander liegenden Ströme (1.1 bis 1.8 und 3) auf eine Ebene parallel zur parallelen Ausrichtung der Gegenstände (11 bis 18) parallel zueinander verlaufen oder zusammenfallen, wobei Projektionen der zusammenzuführenden Ströme (1.1 bis 1.8) auf eine Ebene quer zur parallelen(11 to 18) are separated, characterized in that the feed streams (1.1 to 1.8) are laid one on top of the other in at least one junction point, the objects (11 to 18) being aligned parallel to one another transversely to the conveying direction in all streams to be brought together and lying one on top of the other Have distances from one another and are conveyed at the same speed, with projections of the streams (1.1 to 1.8 and 3) to be brought together and lying on top of one another running or coinciding on a plane parallel to the parallel alignment of the objects (11 to 18), whereby projections of the items to be brought together Currents (1.1 to 1.8) on a plane transverse to the parallel
Ausrichtung der Gegenstände (11 bis 18) spitzwinklig zusammenlaufen und wobei die zusammenzuführenden Ströme (1.1 bis 1.8) derart synchronisiert sind, dass beim Aufeinanderlegen der Ströme vorlaufende Kantenbereiche der Gegenstände (11 bis 18) im wesentlichen aufeinander ausgerichtet werden.Alignment of the objects (11 to 18) converge at an acute angle and the streams (1.1 to 1.8) to be brought together are synchronized in such a way that leading edge regions of the objects (11 to 18) are essentially aligned with one another when the streams are superimposed.
2. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Gegenstände (11 bis 18) in den zusammenzuführenden Strömen (1.1 bis 1.8) voneinander verschiedene Grossen und/oder Formen haben. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the objects (11 to 18) in the streams to be brought together (1.1 to 1.8) have different sizes and / or shapes.
Verfahren nach Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass mindestens in einem Teil der Zuführungsströme (1.1 bis 1.8) die Gegenstände (11 bis 18) mit quer zur Förderrichtung ausgerichteten, vorlaufenden Kanten gefördert werden. A method according to claim 2, characterized in that at least in a part of the feed streams (1.1 to 1.8) the objects (11 to 18) are conveyed with leading edges oriented transversely to the conveying direction.
Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass in den im Gruppenstrom (3) aufeinander liegenden Strömen ein Teil untenliegende, vorlaufende Kantenbereiche und ein Teil obenliegende, vorlaufende Kantenbereiche aufweisen.Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that in the streams lying one on top of the other in the group stream (3), a part of the leading edge regions lying at the bottom and a part of the leading edge regions lying at the top have.
5. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Distanz zwischen den Projektionen der zusammenzuführenden Ströme (1.1 bis 1.8) auf eine Ebene parallel zur parallelen Ausrichtung der Gegenstände (11 bis 18) und damit eine seitliche Versetzung der Gegenstände (11 bis 18) in den5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the distance between the projections of the streams to be merged (1.1 to 1.8) on a plane parallel to the parallel alignment of the objects (11 to 18) and thus a lateral displacement of the objects ( 11 to 18) in the
Gruppen (2) in Abhängigkeit der Dicke der Gegenstände einstellbar ist.Groups (2) is adjustable depending on the thickness of the objects.
6. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Gruppenstrom (3) vor seinem Kopfende gepresst wird.6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the group stream (3) is pressed before its head end.
7. Verfahren nach Anspruch 6, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Gruppenstrom (3) an voneinander in Förderrichtung beabstandeten, mit dem Gruppenstrom (3) mitlaufenden Pressstellen gepresst wird, wobei die Abstände zwischen den Pressstellen gleich gross sind wie der Abstand zwischen den Gegenständen (11 bis 18) in den im Gruppenstrom (3) aufeinander liegenden Strömen.7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that the group flow (3) is pressed at pressing points spaced apart from one another in the conveying direction and moving with the group flow (3), the distances between the pressing points being the same as the distance between the objects (11 to 18) in the streams lying in the group stream (3).
8. Verfahren nach Anspruch 6 oder 7, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Gruppenstrom (3) an voneinander quer zur Förderrichtung beabstandeten Pressstel- len gepresst wird, wobei die Pressstellen in Abhängigkeit der Positionen der Kanten der Gegenstände (11 bis 18) quer zur Förderrichtung einstellbar sind.8. The method according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the group flow (3) at pressing stations spaced apart from one another transversely to the conveying direction. len is pressed, the pressing points depending on the positions of the edges of the objects (11 to 18) are adjustable transversely to the conveying direction.
Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 7, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die vorlaufenden Kantenbereiche am Kopfende des Gruppenstromes (3) an quer zur Förderrichtung voneinander beabstandeten Klemmstellen geklemmt werden.Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the leading edge regions at the head end of the group stream (3) are clamped at clamping points spaced apart from one another transversely to the conveying direction.
10. Verfahren nach Anspruch 9, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Klemmstellen in Abhängigkeit der Breiten der Gegenstände quer zur Förderrichtung einstellbar sind.10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that the clamping points are adjustable transversely to the conveying direction depending on the widths of the objects.
11. Vorrichtung zur Bildung von Gruppen (2) aus flachen Gegenständen (11 bis 18), welche Vorrichtung Zuführungsmittel zur Förderung einer Mehrzahl von Zuführungsströmen (1.1 bis 1.8), Mittel zur Zusammenführung der Zuführungsströme (1.1 bis 1.8) zu einem Gruppenstrom (3), in dem eine Mehrzahl von Schuppenströmen aufeinander gelegt sind, ein Wegfördermittel zur Förde- rung des Gruppenstromes (3) und ein Klemm- und Beschleunigungsmittel zum11. Device for forming groups (2) from flat objects (11 to 18), which device feed means for conveying a plurality of feed streams (1.1 to 1.8), means for combining the feed streams (1.1 to 1.8) into a group stream (3) , in which a plurality of shingled streams are placed one on top of the other, a conveying means for conveying the group stream (3) and a clamping and accelerating means for
Abtrennen der Gruppen (2) vom Kopfende des Gruppenstromes (3), dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Mittel zur Zusammenführung mindestens eine Zusammenführstelle aufweist, gegen die mindestens zwei zuführende Förderauflagen und von der weg eine wegführende Förderauflage angeordnet ist, wobei alle Förderauflagen der Zuführungsstelle quer zur Förderrichtung parallel zueinander ausgerichtet sind und mit der gleichen Geschwindigkeit in Förderrichtung bewegbar sind, wobei Projektionen der zuführenden und wegführenden Förderauflagen auf eine Ebene parallel zur parallelen Ausrichtung der Förderauflagen parallel zueinander ausgerichtet sind oder zusammenfallen, wobei Projektionen der zuführenden Förderauflagen auf eine Ebene quer zur paralle- len Ausrichtung der Förderauflagen spitzwinklig zusammenlaufen und wobei die Vorrichtung ferner Mittel zur Synchronisierung der Zuführungsströme (1.1 bis 1.8) aufweistSeparating the groups (2) from the head end of the group stream (3), characterized in that the means for merging has at least one merging point, against which at least two feeding conveying supports and a away conveying support is arranged, with all conveying supports of the feeding point transverse to the The conveying direction is aligned parallel to one another and can be moved in the conveying direction at the same speed, with projections of the feeding and away conveying supports being aligned or coinciding on a plane parallel to the parallel alignment of the conveying supports, with projections of the feeding conveying supports on a plane transverse to the parallel len alignment of the conveyor supports converge at an acute angle and the device further comprises means for synchronizing the feed streams (1.1 to 1.8)
12. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 11, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass zur Pressung des Gruppenstromes (3) im Bereiche seines Kopfendes ein Pressmittel (21) vorgesehen ist.12. The device according to claim 11, characterized in that a pressing means (21) is provided for pressing the group flow (3) in the region of its head end.
13. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 12, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Pressmittel (21) eine Anordnung von Presselementen (22) aufweist, die in Förderrichtung voneinander beabstandet sind und die mit dem Gruppenstrom (3) mitlaufend angeordnet sind.13. The apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the pressing means (21) has an arrangement of pressing elements (22) which are spaced apart in the conveying direction and which are arranged to follow the group flow (3).
14. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 13, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass quer zur Förderrichtung Reihen von voneinander beabstandeten Presselementen (22) vorgesehen sind, deren Positionen über die Breite des Gruppenstromes (3) einstellbar sind.14. The apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that rows of spaced apart pressing elements (22) are provided transversely to the conveying direction, the positions of which can be adjusted over the width of the group stream (3).
15. Vorrichtung nach einem der Ansprüche 11 bis 14, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Klemm- und Beschleunigungsmittel für ein Angreifen an quer zur Förderrichtung des Gruppenstromes (3) voneinander beabstandeten Klemmstellen eine Mehrzahl von Klemmelementen aufweist.15. Device according to one of claims 11 to 14, characterized in that the clamping and acceleration means for engaging at clamping points spaced apart from one another transversely to the conveying direction of the group stream (3) has a plurality of clamping elements.
16. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 15, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Klemme- lemente quer zur Förderrichtung des Gruppenstromes (3) verschiebbar angeordnet sind. 16. The apparatus according to claim 15, characterized in that the clamping elements are arranged displaceably transversely to the conveying direction of the group stream (3).
EP02754097A 2001-12-21 2002-08-28 Method and device for forming groups of flat articles Expired - Lifetime EP1456106B1 (en)

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PCT/CH2002/000469 WO2003053831A1 (en) 2001-12-21 2002-08-28 Method and device for forming groups of flat articles

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EP02754097A Expired - Lifetime EP1456106B1 (en) 2001-12-21 2002-08-28 Method and device for forming groups of flat articles

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US (1) US7431280B2 (en)
EP (1) EP1456106B1 (en)
JP (1) JP3999202B2 (en)
AT (1) ATE342219T1 (en)
AU (1) AU2002322957B2 (en)
CA (1) CA2471025C (en)
DE (1) DE50208440D1 (en)
DK (1) DK1456106T3 (en)
ES (1) ES2272751T3 (en)
PL (1) PL206156B1 (en)
RU (1) RU2305060C2 (en)
WO (1) WO2003053831A1 (en)

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EP2230203A2 (en) 2009-03-16 2010-09-22 Ferag AG Conveying device and corresponding method for accelerating or decelerating a stream of conveyed flat articles

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NL1025160C2 (en) * 2003-12-31 2005-07-04 Neopost Sa Method and device for processing sheets of different sizes into a postal item.
EP1751002B1 (en) 2004-06-02 2008-03-12 Ferag AG METHOD AND DEVICE for PACKAGING FLAT OBJECTS
EP1954615B1 (en) * 2005-12-02 2011-11-02 Ferag AG Method of, and apparatus for, optionally processing printed products
DE102006011642A1 (en) * 2006-03-06 2007-09-13 Palamides Gmbh Device for forming stacks of flat products
NL1032054C2 (en) * 2006-06-23 2007-12-27 Neopost Technologies Sa Method and buffer station for buffering documents.
CH712816B1 (en) 2006-12-22 2018-02-15 Ferag Ag Method and device for conveying flat products.
CA2676202A1 (en) * 2007-01-22 2008-07-31 Ferag Ag A method and device for unifying imbricated flows
DE102007008529A1 (en) * 2007-02-21 2008-09-04 Lemo Maschinenbau Gmbh shingling
AU2008280756B2 (en) 2007-07-20 2012-11-15 Ferag Ag Method and device for inserting, collecting or collating a plurality of flexible, planar products
DE102007057497A1 (en) * 2007-11-29 2009-06-10 Siemens Ag Method and apparatus for merging two streams of articles
CH701621A1 (en) * 2009-08-03 2011-02-15 Ferag Ag Device and method for storing products.
CH702390A1 (en) * 2009-12-02 2011-06-15 Ferag Ag METHOD AND DEVICE FOR Moving a FUNDING FLOW FROM FLEXIBLE FLAT OBJECTS.
JP5832265B2 (en) * 2011-12-09 2015-12-16 キヤノン株式会社 Sheet conveying apparatus and image forming apparatus
DE202013104806U1 (en) * 2013-10-28 2015-01-30 Böwe Systec Gmbh Device for processing goods to a mail item

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2230203A2 (en) 2009-03-16 2010-09-22 Ferag AG Conveying device and corresponding method for accelerating or decelerating a stream of conveyed flat articles

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JP2005512919A (en) 2005-05-12
ATE342219T1 (en) 2006-11-15
PL206156B1 (en) 2010-07-30
RU2004118849A (en) 2005-08-10
WO2003053831A1 (en) 2003-07-03
AU2002322957A1 (en) 2003-07-09
CA2471025A1 (en) 2003-07-03
DK1456106T3 (en) 2007-02-12
AU2002322957B2 (en) 2008-06-26
ES2272751T3 (en) 2007-05-01
US7431280B2 (en) 2008-10-07
US20050035521A1 (en) 2005-02-17
PL369508A1 (en) 2005-04-18
RU2305060C2 (en) 2007-08-27
DE50208440D1 (en) 2006-11-23
CA2471025C (en) 2009-10-27
EP1456106B1 (en) 2006-10-11
JP3999202B2 (en) 2007-10-31

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