EP1523443B1 - Method and device for forming horizontal stacks of printed products and securing said stacks with straps - Google Patents

Abstract

Recumbent stacks of printed products are produced and strapped by supplying the printed products from above onto a conveying surface ( 2 ) where they are lined up in an upright position forming a continuously growing stack ( 6 ), separating discreet stacks ( 7 ) from the growing stack, stabilizing the discreet stacks with endplates ( 4 ), and conveying the stabilized stacks to a strapping position ( 12 ), in which a loop of strapping material is tightened around the stack ( 7 ). For conveying and strapping, the isolated stack ( 7 ) is gripped between two compression jaws ( 10, 11 ) that extend into the stack area ( 16 ) from a first side. In the strapping position ( 12 ), a strapping device ( 30 ) is situated on the side opposite the stack area ( 16 ). For strapping, at least part of the strapping device is moved horizontally in relation to the stack, and transverse to the stacking direction (S), thereby placing a loop of the strapping material around the stack. The loop is then tightened and closed around the stack and the compression jaws ( 10, 11 ) and the strapped stack is separated from the compression jaws by moving the stack ( 7 ) and the compression jaws ( 10, 11 ) relative to each other, horizontally and transverse to the stacking direction.

Description

The invention is in the field of further processing of printed products and relates to a method and a device according to the preambles of the corresponding independent claims. Method and apparatus are used to form and strapping horizontal stacks (bars) of printed products.

In the printing industry intermediate and partial products such as individual, sections of newspapers or magazines printed in front of other sections, signatures, from which later books are made, or single sheets, leaflets, smaller leaflets, partial sheets, etc., the later newspapers or Magazines are added as supplements or collecting parts, intermediately stored between their production and their further processing and transported for this purpose within the company and possibly also from one company to another company. For such intermediate storage and transport, it has long been proven to arrange the intermediates in horizontal stacks, so-called rods and to store these stacked, for example, on pallets and transport.

Usually, the said stacks have a length (perpendicular to the surface of the printed products) which is significantly greater than the edge lengths of the printed products.

So these are stacks that are not stable without tools, not even standing upright. The length of the stacks, for example, to the dimensions of the pallets on which they are stacked and with which they are transported and stored, tuned, that is, the stacks are usually 120 or 150 cm long and include, for example, 200 to 300 printed products. The stacks are stacked on the pallets lying on top of each other and thus form easy-to-manipulate storage units that can be easily manipulated using common storage vehicles.

The ends of the stacks are usually stabilized with end plates, for example wooden boards, which are matched to the format of the stacked products, and the stacks are held together by a strapping, which consists for example of a plastic band, in a pressed state. The strapping runs over the longer edges of rectangular printed products, depending on the product format once in the middle or twice, whereby the two strapping parts divide the end faces into three roughly equal parts.

The lying stacks are usually made by stacking edge products, stabilizing the stacked products on both sides with end plates, and then pressing and strapping them. The print products to be processed into rods are thus fed, for example, in a stream of overlapping printed products (imbricated flow) from above against a horizontal or slightly sloping conveyor from the feed support and deposited thereon. On the conveyor base they are successively, on one of its edges (usually folding edge or back edge) standing and supporting each other away in this position supported by the feeder or pushed away. As a result, a lying stack that is substantially continuously growing in a stacking direction (conveying direction of the conveyor base) is formed on the conveyor base. From this continuously growing stack, discrete stacks of a given length or number of products are successively formed separated, provided on both sides with end plates, pressed and strapped. The endplates are typically positioned on the conveyor base in corresponding gaps in the growing stack during conveyance of the stack. For strapping the separated and provided with end plates stacks are accelerated in the stacking direction and conveyed to a Umreifungsposition, where they are possibly also moved transversely to the stacking direction. After strapping, the stacks are transported away.

A device for forming and strapping lying stacks of printed products, as outlined briefly above, is known for example from the publication US-4772003 (Nobuta et al. ). In this device, a scale flow is fed from above onto a slightly sloping conveyor base. In this case, the supply is interrupted periodically, so that directly discrete stacks arise. In order to support the stack formed on the conveyor base, for positioning the end plates and for further conveying the complete stack in the stacking direction, three from below through the conveyor base and a cyclically moving elements engaging from above into the area of the stack are used. The further conveyed, complete stack is pushed for the pressing and strapping transversely to the stacking direction in a pressing and binding station, wherein it is supported by stationary supports frontally.

Another device for forming and strapping lying stacks of printed products is known from the publication EP-0623542 (Grapha-Holding AG). In this device, the supplied scale flow is continuously supplied to the conveyor base, so that there is a continuously growing stack. For the separation of the continuously growing stack, a four-part separator is inserted into the stack at the feed point, conveyed with the growing stack in the stacking direction, and then spread to create a gap. Halves of a front and a back pressing jaw are inserted into the gap from both sides of the stack, by means of which the end plates are also positioned.

The pressing jaws take over the stack of the parts of the four-part separating element and further promote it for the pressing and strapping in the stacking direction. The pressing jaws are arranged on a guide system arranged above the conveying support, along which they can be moved back and forth parallel to the stacking direction. In addition, the pressing jaw halves are movable transversely to the stacking direction into the stacking area and out of the stacking area. In the Umreifungsposition a stationary loop channel is provided, in which a loop of a strapping material is presented, to then be pulled out of the channel for strapping. The loop channel has an input side and an output side, vertical part and connecting the vertical parts horizontal, extending over a stack to be strapped part. The horizontal channel part is arranged such that it lies between the pressing jaw halves, which convey a stack into the strapping position. The input-side vertical channel part is lowered for this promotion under the conveyor pad. The loop of the strapping material can thus be presented only when the stack is positioned in the strapping position and the vertical channel part is moved back to its active position.

The invention now has the object of providing a method and an apparatus for forming and strapping horizontal stacks, wherein the method and apparatus according to the invention should be simpler and more flexible than the prior art and should allow shorter cycle times, in particular for strapping.

This object is achieved by the method and the device as defined by the claims.

According to the invention for the strapping around the conveyed between pressing jaws in the Umreifungsposition and pressed, lying stack advantageously already presented loop of the strapping material (or a loop channel in which the loop is or is presented) is positioned. The loop positioning is realized by a relative movement between the loop and stack (with pressing jaws), which is directed substantially horizontally and transversely to the stacking direction. Advantageously, the loop or the loop channel is moved against the positioned stack. In order for this relative movement can be carried out by simple means, the pressing jaws are equipped for holding the stack of the opposite side of the conveyor underlay presented the loop and possibly for strapping not only the stack but also the pressing jaws holding the stack. For the necessary in such a strapping separation of pressing jaws and stack after strapping is another, essentially horizontal relative movement transverse to the stacking direction, this time between strapped stack and pressing jaws, advantageously a movement of the pressing jaws from its pressing position in the stacking area in an inactive position laterally stacking area.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, therefore, a discrete stack is separated from the continuously growing stack and conveyed between two projecting from only one side into the stacking area pressing jaws in the stacking direction in a strapping position. In the strapping position, a loop already advantageously provided is positioned around the stack and the press jaws (movement of the loop or loop channel substantially horizontally and transversely to the stacking direction) and the stack, if appropriate with the press jaws, is strapped by tightening the loop. Then, the press jaws are laterally withdrawn from the stacking area and the strapped stack is conveyed away from the strapping position in a suitable manner, for example transversely to the stacking direction.

It is obvious that the described strapping offers a very high flexibility with regard to the position and number of strappings to be performed per stack. A predetermined positioning of the strapping on the stack is achieved by a corresponding dimensioning of the relative movement between the stack and loop. For multiple strapping a correspondingly dimensioned intermediate relative movement is to be inserted between successive strappings.

Since the loop can be submitted before or during the positioning of the stack in the Umreifungsposition and after this positioning only a small way (eg, about half of the stack width) must be moved, the time required for the strapping is shorter than this is possible with a device in which the loop channel can be brought into a functional form only after the positioning of the stack and then the loop can be presented. This means that more time is available for the movement of the stack into the strapping position, that a higher feed rate is possible and / or that shorter stacks can be produced.

It also turns out that with the press jaws engaging from only one side into the stack area above the conveyor pad, the separation of discrete stacks from the continuously growing stack, the positioning of end plates on the faces of the separated stacks and the stack takeover by the die jaws are particularly can be easily realized. For this purpose, advantageously two support elements, which can be brought from below into the stacking area (raised, active position) and towards the bottom from the stacking area (lowered, inactive position) and cyclically reciprocated parallel to the stacking direction, are provided which are designed such that they simultaneously engage the same point of the stack area can be positioned, that is, that a support element in the other support element is retractable.

Figur 1

eine schematische Seitenansicht einer beispielhaften Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung;

Figur 2

eine beispielhafte Ausführungsform der beiden Stützelemente der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung;

Figur 3

eine beispielhafte Ausführungsform der beiden Pressbacken der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung;

Figuren 4 bis 6

die Umreifungsposition der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung mit Blickrichtung entgegen der Stapelrichtung in drei Phasen der Umreifung (Zeitpunkt der Förderung des Stapels in die Umreifungsposition: Figur 4; Zeitpunkt der Umreifung: Figur 5; Zeitpunkt der Wegförderung des umreiften Stapels: Figur 6);

Figur 7

ein Beispiel eines Zeit/Weg-Diagrammes für die beiden Stützelemente und die beiden Pressbacken der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung;

Figuren 8 bis 13

aufeinanderfolgende Phasen der Abtrennung eines diskreten Stapels vom kontinuierlich wachsenden Stapel;

The inventive method and an exemplary embodiment of the inventive device will be described in more detail with reference to the following figures. Showing:

FIG. 1

a schematic side view of an exemplary embodiment of the inventive device;

FIG. 2

an exemplary embodiment of the two support elements of the inventive device;

FIG. 3

an exemplary embodiment of the two pressing jaws of the inventive device;

FIGS. 4 to 6

the strapping position of the device according to the invention viewed in the direction opposite to the stacking direction in three phases of the strapping (time of conveyance of the stack into the strapping position: FIG. 4 ; Time of strapping: FIG. 5 ; Time of removal of the strapped pile: FIG. 6 );

FIG. 7

an example of a time / distance diagram for the two support elements and the two pressing jaws of the inventive device;

FIGS. 8 to 13

successive phases of separating a discrete stack from the continuously growing stack;

FIG. 1 shows a side view of an exemplary embodiment of the inventive device. The device comprises, in a manner known per se, a feed means 1 and a conveyor base 2 and a means 3 for positioning end plates 4. The feed means 1 comprises, for example, a pair of counter-pressed, counter-driven conveyor belts where a scale flow 5 is supplied from above to the conveyor base 2 (feed Z). The conveyor base 2 is, for example, a conveyor belt moving away from the feed point (stacking direction S) or a plurality of parallel and / or consecutively connected conveyor belts. Advantageously, a subsequent to the feed Z Z, first conveyor belt 2.1, which is constantly operated at about the stack growth speed, and a subsequent, second conveyor belt 2.2, which is operated at a cyclically varying speed, provided.

The supplied products lined up on the conveyor base 2 to a continuously growing stack 6, which grows by feeding other products and by the conveying action of the conveyor base 2 in the stacking direction S (stack growth speed). From the continuously growing stack 6 discrete stacks 7 are separated, which are conveyed between a rear pressing jaw 10 and a front pressing jaw 11 in the Umreifungsposition 12, advantageously during this promotion pressed and strapped in the Umreifungsposition 12. The pressing jaws 10 and 11 are arranged, for example, in the stacking direction to move back and forth on a stacking direction back and forth movable pressing carriage 13 (see also Figure 3), wherein the pressing carriage 13 is arranged laterally from the stacking area 16. For the separation of the discrete stacks 7 and their transfer to the pressing jaws 10 and 11, a first support element 14 and a second support element 15 are used, wherein the support elements have an active position on the conveyor base and an inactive position under the conveyor base and are formed such the second support element 15 can be inserted at a location in the growing stack 6 at which the first support element 14 is already positioned (see also FIG FIG. 2 ).

The means 3 for positioning the end plates 4 at the two end faces of the separated or separated stack 7 is arranged above the stack area 16 and advantageously has a disk magazine 20, the head side 21 is equipped for introducing end plates 4 in the stacking area, and optionally also for the displacement parallel to the stacking direction S of an end plate to be introduced (see also FIGS. 8 to 13 ).

In the strapping position 12 is a strapping device 30 (see also FIGS. 4 to 6 ), of which in the FIG. 1 only one loop channel 31 with a closing region 31 'is shown. The loop channel 31 together with the closing area 31 'substantially a closed loop whose format is adapted to the format of the separated stack 7. The closing area 31 'is equipped for feeding the strapping material into the loop channel 31, for holding the free end of the strapping material fed into the loop channel, for retracting the strapping material for strapping the strapping around a stack, and for closing the strapping and for the separation of the strapping of further supplied strapping material.

The term stacking area is used in the present description for the space occupied by the growing stack 6 and severed stacks 7 until strapping, which extends over the conveyor base 2 from the feed point Z to the strapping position 12 and is as high and wide as the one largest printed products to be processed with the device. The stack area is indicated in the figures by a dot-dash line and designated 16.

FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of the two support elements 14 and 15 of the inventive device. The first support member 14 is shown in its active position (projecting at least partially over the conveyor pad). In this position, it serves for the separation of the supplied scale flow at the feed point and for the subsequent support of the leading end of the continuous growing stack, for which it is moved in the stacking direction S. For its return stroke it is lowered below the conveyor. The second support member 15, which serves to separate a discrete stack, to temporarily support the trailing end of a severed stack, and to temporarily support the leading end of the continuously growing stack, is shown in its inactive position (lowered below the conveyor base) Distance downstream of the feed point as the first support member 14th

So that the second support member 15 can be brought in this position on the conveyor pad in its active position, it has, for example, two spaced apart support members 15.1, which are inserted between spaced, corresponding support members 14.1 of the first support member 14. The arrow illustrates the introduction of the second support element 15 into the first support element 14.

The function of the two support elements 14 and 15 will be described in detail in connection with the FIGS. 7 to 13 described.

FIG. 3 shows a plan view of an exemplary arrangement of the rear and front pressing jaws 10 and 11 for the inventive device. The pressing jaws 10 and 11 are on the press carriage 13, the side of the stacking area 16 parallel to the stacking direction S back and forth movable arranged, wherein the two pressing jaws 10 and 11 on the press carriage 13 from each other also independently parallel to the stacking direction S back and forth movable are. The two pressing jaws 10 and 11 are shown in a pressing position (extended) in which they are inserted into the stacking area 16 (active position) and between them hold a separate, ready for strapping stack 7 with end plates 4. The two pressing jaws 10 and 11 are also shown in a starting position (dash-dotted, 10 'and 11').

The rear pressing jaw 10 is moved on the pressing carriage 13 from the position 10 'to the position 10. This movement serves to press a stack 7 positioned between the pressing jaws. For this purpose, guides 40 and, for example, a cylinder 41 are provided as a drive. The front die 11 is moved from position 11 'to position 11, supporting the leading end of the continuously growing stack. The movement of the press carriage serves to convey the separated stack 7 into the strapping position, wherein the stack is pressed immediately before this conveyance or during this conveyance. The pressing carriage 13 and the front pressing jaw 11 are driven by a drive 43.

FIGS. 4 to 6 show with a viewing direction, which is directed against the stacking direction, the strapping of a severed stack 7 in the strapping position.

FIG. 4 shows the held between the two dies 10 and 11 (only front jaw 11 visible) stack 7 in the promotion to the strapping or already positioned in the strapping position. The pressing jaws are in their active position (protruding from one side into the stacking area). On the other side, the strapping device 30 is arranged. The essential components of the strapping device are the loop channel 31 (with closure area which is not visible), a supply roll 32 of strapping material and a stacking direction 33 oriented transversely to the stacking direction and optionally drivable, and, for example, in the form of a roller conveyor.

At least the loop channel 31 with the closing area, but advantageously the entire strapping device 30, which is designed as an independent module, is movable transversely to the stacking direction in at least two positions. FIG. 4 shows the strapping device in its inactive position in which the loop channel 31st is positioned laterally from the stacking area, and opposite to that side from which the pressing jaws 10 and 11 protrude into the stacking area.

FIG. 5 shows strapping device 30 in its active position in which loop channel 31 extends around the stack 7 positioned in the strapping position, for example centered around stack 7 as shown. When strapping device 30 is in this position, strapping is performed in FIG present case around the pressing jaws 10 and 11 around. For shorter pressing jaws and / or strapping to be mounted further to the left, the pressing jaws would not be included in the strapping

FIG. 6 shows the strapped stack 7, which has been separated by retracting the dies in their inactive position and is now conveyed away transversely to the stacking direction. The strapping device 30 is returned to its inactive position.

From the FIGS. 4 to 6 it is clear that instead of a reciprocating movement of the strapping device 30 from an inactive position ( FIGS. 4 and 6 ) into an active position ( FIG. 5 ) and the pressing jaws 10 and 11 could be designed extendable into further positions, while the strapping device 30 and the loop channel 31 remains stationary. To separate the strapped stack 7 from the dies 10 and 11, as shown, the dies are advantageously retracted to their inactive position, the weight of the stack usually being sufficient to hold it stationary. However, the separation can also be realized by the stack 7 is moved transversely to the stacking direction against the strapping device 30. In this case, the drive of the stack by the stack pad 33 may not be sufficient for the separation, so that further, suitable means for the displacement of the stack are provided.

FIGS. 7 to 13 show schematically the function of the various elements of the inventive device, which serve for the separation of a stack 7 from the continuously growing stack 6 and for the temporary support of the free stack ends. These elements are in particular the two support elements 14 and 15 and the two pressing jaws 10 and 11. FIG. 7 is a time / path diagram where time progresses from top to bottom and stacking direction S is directed from left to right. The FIGS. 8 to 13 show in a side view, which is essentially the FIG. 1 corresponds to successive stages of stacking. The FIG. 7 and the FIGS. 8 to 13 show essentially the same process, but differ in some details, which show that different embodiments of the method are possible. Nevertheless, in the FIG. 7 on the timeline the moments indicated by the FIGS. 8 to 13 correspond approximately represented moments. In the FIG. 7 solid lines mean elements in their active position, broken lines mean elements in their inactive position. In the FIGS. 8 to 13 only the most important reference signs are registered. Other references used in the text are from the FIG. 1 seen.

The two support elements 14 and 15 and the two pressing jaws 10 and 11 alternately carry out an active forward stroke (in active position) in the stacking direction S from an initial position (14A, 15A, 10A, 11A) to a stacking direction downstream end position (14B, 15B, 10B, 11B) and a passive reverse stroke (in the inactive position or optionally in the active position) in the reverse direction.

The first support member 14 serves to separate the growing stack 6 and to temporarily support its leading end. Its starting position 14A lies relative to the stacking direction behind the feed Z, its end position 14B relative to the stacking direction in front of the feed Z. The speed of his active forward stroke is substantially the same as the stack growth rate.

The second support member 15, together with the first support member 14, serves to separate the growing stack 6 and temporarily support the trailing end of a severed stack 7 and transfer it to the rear bolster 10. Further, it serves to temporarily support the leading end of the growing stack 6 Its starting position 15A is relative to the stacking direction in front of the feeding point Z and behind the end position 14B of the first supporting element 14. Its end position 15B is in front of the end position 14B of the first supporting element 14 and before the starting position 10A of the rear pressing jaw 10. The forward stroke of the second support element 15 is interrupted by a passive phase in which it is stationary (FIG. 7 with only one position of the end plate allowance E) or moves backwards (FIG. FIGS. 8 to 13 with two positions of end plate addition E1 and E2). Before the passive phase, the speed of the second support element 15 is greater than the stack growth rate, after the passive phase about the same size.

The rear pressing jaw 10 serves to press the complete stack and its promotion to the Umreifungsposition. Its home position 10A is located behind the position reached by the second support member 15 in the first part of its forward stroke relative to the stacking direction, its end position 10B being on the input side of the strapping position 12. Its forward speed is significantly greater than the stack growth rate.

The front die 11 serves to temporarily support the leading end of the growing stack and to feed the severed stack to the strapping position 12. Its home position 11A is relative to the stacking direction in front of the starting position 10A of the rear pressing jaw 10 and before the end position 15B of the second supporting element 15. Its speed is approximately the same in a first phase of the forward stroke as the stack growth speed, then significantly greater.

The interacting functional cycles of the two support elements 14 and 15 and the two pressing jaws 10 and 11 take place as follows:

While the front pressing jaw 11 supports the leading end of the growing stack 6, the first supporting element 14 is moved from its starting position 14A (FIG. FIG. 8 ) through the feed point Z in the continuously growing stack and with this further on the starting position 15A of the second support member 15 to its end position 14B. At the starting position 15A of the second support element 15, this is retracted from below into the first support element 14 ( FIG. 9 ) and then accelerated towards the front, so that between the two support members 14 and 15, a gap in the growing stack 6 is formed. In this case, the second support element 15 supports the trailing end of a severed stack 7 and the first support element 14, the leading end of the continuously growing stack. 6

As the first support member 14 continues to move at the stack growth rate, the second support member 15 pushes the trailing end of the severed stack 7 up to the home position 10A of the back die 10, which is then retracted into the stacking area. Between the rear pressing jaw 10 and the second supporting element 15 (end plate positioning E or E1), the rear end plate 4 is then positioned ( FIG. 10 ), whereupon the second support element 15 is lowered. The rear jaw 10, which has now taken over the trailing end of the severed stack, now begins its forward stroke, resulting from a Pressing stroke (movement of the rear pressing jaw on the pressing carriage) and a conveying stroke (movement of the pressing carriage) FIG. 11 , after pressing stroke). The pressed stack is now positioned between the two pressing jaws 10 and 11 and can be conveyed to the strapping position (forward stroke of the press carriage).

The lowered second support element 15 waits for the first support element 14 (variant according to FIG FIG. 7 ) or moves towards the first support element 14 (variant according to FIG FIGS. 8 to 13 ) until the two support members are sufficiently close together that the front end plate 4 (end plate positioning E or E2) can be positioned therebetween ( FIG. 12 ). The first support element 14 has thus reached its end position 14B and is lowered. The second support element 15 starts the second part of its forward stroke, by which it is brought almost to the starting position 11A of the front pressing jaw 11 ( FIG. 13 ). The second support member 15 is lowered and begins its reverse stroke, while the front die 11, the leading end of the growing stack supporting at stack growth rate the first part of its forward stroke begins (movement of the front die 11 on the press carriage).

The first conveyor belt 2.1 is operated during the whole operation at a speed which corresponds approximately to the stack growth rate. The second conveyor belt 2.2 is operated at the same speed as the first conveyor belt 2.1 during the first part of the forward stroke of the front press jaw 11, during the second part of the forward stroke of the front press jaw 11 (forward stroke of the press carriage) at about the same speed as the press carriage 13.

The advantages of the method and apparatus according to the invention lie in the simplicity of the means used for separating the discrete stacks from the continuously growing stack and its equipment with end plates, conveying the discrete stack to the strapping position and strapping the stack, and in its simplicity with which these funds are taxable. Further advantages lie in the design and control of the pressing jaws and in the relative movement between the stack to be strapped and the strapping device. These two features allow the stack to be pressed and a loop of strapping material placed in the loop channel as the stack is fed into the strapping position, allowing for a very short cycle time. Furthermore, the strapping of the stack and pressing jaws together with the said relative movement enables an extremely simple changeover from a simple to a multiple, for example double, strapping.

Claims (18)

1. Method for producing and strapping recumbent stacks of printed products, wherein the printed products are supplied at a supply point (Z) from above on to a conveying surface (2), and, standing on one edge, are conveyed as a continuously growing stack in a stacking direction (S) along the conveying surface (2) away from the supply point (Z), wherein discreet stacks (7) are isolated from the continuously growing stack, wherein endplates (4) are positioned at a downstream and an upstream end of each discreet stack, and wherein each isolated discreet stack is conveyed being held between a downstream and an upstream compression jaw (11 and 10) in stacking direction (S) into a strapping position (12), is compressed and, in the compressed condition, is strapped with a strapping material, characterized in that in order to convey the discreet stack (7) into the strapping position (12), the two compression jaws (10,11) are moved into the stack area from a first side of the conveying surface (2) in an essentially horizontal motion transverse to the stacking direction (S), and that for strapping a loop of strapping material is prepared on the a second side of the conveying surface (2) opposite its first side and is positioned around the stack (7) through an essentially horizontal relative motion transverse to the stacking direction, between the loop and the stack (7) held by the compression jaws (10,11).
2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that, by tightening the loop, the stack (7) is strapped together with the compression jaws (10, 11) and that the strapped stack (7) is separated from the compression jaws (10, 11) by an essentially horizontal relative motion transverse to the stacking direction, between the compression jaws (10, 11) and the strapped stack (7).
3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the stack (7), held between the compression jaws (10, 11), remains stationary in the strapping position (12) and the loop is moved towards the stack (7).
4. Method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, in order to separate the stack (7) from the compression jaws (10, 11), the compression jaws are retracted from the stack area (16).
5. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, between successive strapping processes, a further essentially horizontal relative motion transverse to the stacking direction, is performed between the loop and the stack (7) held by the compression jaws (10, 11).
6. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, in order to isolate the discreet stack (7) from the continuously growing stack (6), a first support element (14) is moved in stacking direction (S) from a starting position (14A) upstream of the supply point (Z) through the supply point (Z), a second support element (15) is inserted from below the conveying surface (2) into the first support element (14) in a position downstream of the supply point (Z) and, in relation to the first support element (14), the second support element (15) is accelerated in stacking direction (S).
7. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that, in order to transfer the upstream end of an isolated stack (7) to the upstream compression jaw (10), the second support element (15) is moved in stacking direction (S) just downstream of a starting position (10A) of the upstream compression jaw (10), the upstream compression jaw (10) is moved into the stack area (16) and is then moved in stacking direction (S), and the second support element (15) is lowered below the conveying surface (2).
8. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that the rear endplate is positioned between the upstream compression jaw (10) and the second support element (15) before the second support element (15) is lowered.
9. Method according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that, in order to transfer the downstream end of the continuously growing stack (6) to the downstream compression jaw (11), the second support element (15) waits downstream of the starting position (10A) of the upstream compression jaw (10), the upstream compression jaw (10) is moved into the stack area (16) and is then moved in stacking direction (S), and the second support element (15) is lowered below the conveying surface (2).
10. Method according to claim 9, characterized in that the front endplate (4) is positioned between the first support element (14) and the second support element (15) before the first support element (14) is lowered.
11. Method according to claim 8 or 10, characterized in that the endplates (4) are inserted into the stack area from above for being positioned at the stack ends.
12. Device for producing and strapping recumbent stacks of printed products, which device comprises a supply point (Z) where the printed products are supplied from above on to a conveying surface (2), wherein the conveying surface extends from the supply point (Z) in stacking direction (S) to a strapping position (12) and a stack area (16) is reserved above the conveying surface, and which device further comprises means for isolating discreet stacks (7) from a stack (6) which is continuously growing along the conveying surface (2), means for position endplates (4) at a downstream and an upstream end of the isolated stack (7), an upstream and a downstream compression jaw (10, 11) for holding the isolated stack and for conveying the held stack into the strapping position (12), and a strapping device (30) for strapping the isolated stack (7) in the strapping position, characterized in that the compression jaws (10, 11) are arranged to be moveable from a first side of the stack area (16) into and out of the stack area (16), that the strapping device (30) comprises a looping channel (31) with a closing means (31'), the strapping device being arranged in the area of the strapping position, at least when inactive, on a second side of the stack area (16) opposite the first side, and that the compression jaws (10, 11) and the looping channel (31) with the closing means (31') are moveable relative to each other, substantially horizontally and transverse to the stacking direction (S).
13. Device according to claim 12, characterized in that the compression jaws (10, 11) when positioned in the stack area (16) reach from the first side of the stack area (16) beyond the middle of the stack area (16).
14. Device according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the conveying surface (2) comprises a conveyor belt (2.1) being equipped to be driven at a constant speed, away from the supply point (Z), as well as a second conveyor belt (2.2) being equipped to be driven at a variable speed and being arranged adjacent the first conveyor belt (2.1).
15. Device according to one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that a compression carriage (13) being equipped to move back and forth in parallel to the stacking direction (S), is provided, upon which compression carriage (13) the compression jaws (10, 11) are arranged being moveable independently of each other back and forth parallel to the stacking direction (S).
16. Device according to one of claims 12 to 15, characterized in that the means for isolating a discreet stack (7) comprises a first support element (14) and a second support element (15), that both support elements (14, 15) are designed to be moveable back and forth parallel to the stacking direction (S) and to be lowered and raised below and above the conveying surface (2) and to be positioned simultaneously in the same spot of the stack area (16).
17. Device according to one of claims 12 to 16, characterized in that the means for positioning the endplates (4) comprises an endplate storage unit (20) situated above the stack area (16), the head (21) of which is equipped for positioning endplates (4) in the stack area (16).
18. Device according to claim 17, characterized in that, in addition of being equipped for positioning endplates, the head (21) is further equipped for moving the endplates parallel to the stacking direction (S).

Images