EP1669312B1 - Device for the further on-line transport of flat objects coming from a feeding device and being stacked on a support - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a carrier rotating system (2) with a number of grip arm elements (1), a grip arm promoter (4) behind the other grip arms that can be promoted. The grip arm promoter is maintained such that each grip arm across the direction aligned edge (11) can be promoted. During this promotion, pile edge is aligned on the carrier edge which can be seized. Carriers are equipped for receiving and carrying one pile (8) each and grip arms carried by the carrier are equipped by for seizing one pipe each. The carrier of the carrier rotating system promotes the article from readiness position (1.2), lowering range (1.3), reorientation range (1.5), separation range (1.6), driving out range (1.7) and by a reconducting range (1.8) back into readiness position. The carriers are horizontally aligned by catch position and upto the beginning of reorientation range. They are vertically aligned after the reorientation range.

Description

The invention is in the field of conveyor technology and relates to a device according to the preamble of the first, independent claim. The device is for on-line transport of flat objects that are stacked by a feeding device and on a flat carrier. The flat articles are in particular freshly printed paper sheets which are laid out and stacked by a sheet-processing printing machine in, for example, a continuous stream.

Sheet-fed printing machines are known to be equipped with a delivery device, which usually has a rotating delivery conveyor with a plurality of successively rotating grippers and a stacking device. The delivery conveyor adjoins the last sheet-transporting cylinder of the last printing unit or a post-treatment plant following the last printing unit (eg coating unit), wherein each gripper of the delivery conveyor detects a sheet fed by this cylinder at its leading edge oriented transversely to the conveying direction and via the stacking device transported where the sheet is released from the gripper and placed on a stack support or on a stack of sheets lying on the pile stack. If necessary, the Bow, before it settles in the stacking device, braked by a sheet brake.

For the stacking of the fed sheets, a stack support (e.g., pallet) is positioned in the delivery device and advantageously lowered during the stacking process so that its height is always matched to the height of the resulting stack. When the stack has reached a predetermined height, the stack support with the stack is removed, for example by means of a lift truck, from the stacker and a new stack support is positioned. Onward transport and also further processing of the stacked sheets removed from the stacking device takes place off-line. In order for the supply during the removal of a stack does not have to be interrupted, for example, a plurality of stack supports are applied, which are arranged one above the other. For a smooth transition from creating a stack to creating a subsequent stack without feed interruption, it is advantageous to introduce the new stack support in the feed direction into the stacker and at about the same speed as the sheets are fed.

In many cases, the sheets or the printing inks or lacquers on the sheet are not yet completely dry or cured immediately after leaving the last printing unit or aftertreatment unit, so that the sheets can not be stacked on one another without sticking together or not relative to one another or relative to them touching device parts can be moved without smearing. For this reason, for example, it is proposed to provide air cushion between stationary device parts and the sheet to be transported and possibly also between adjacent such sheet by appropriate supply of compressed air and / or provide auxiliary devices between the last printing unit or aftertreatment unit and the stacking device, the drying or curing the printing inks or varnishes serve.

It is also known not to deposit the sheets in a larger stack on the stack support but in relatively small sub-stacks, which are separated by stacking parts and arranged one above the other, is ensured by appropriate support of the stacking partitions that the part stacks in the vertical direction from each other are. This measure prevents the pressure on the stacked sheets from rapidly increasing as a result of an excessively high number of further sheets deposited thereon, so that air present between the sheets is rapidly pressed out and the sheets are undesirably pressed against one another. Even with this measure, therefore, an attempt is made to prevent sticking of the stacked sheets together.

The DE 4 304 841 A discloses a device for on-line onward transport according to the preamble of claim 1.

The object of the invention is to provide a device with which flat objects, which are supplied in a continuous stream, for example, and stacked on a substantially horizontal support, are on-line transportable. The device should in particular be suitable for further transporting sheets arranged stack-wise by a sheet-processing printing machine on-line, in particular such sheets which are to be handled with particular care, for example because of not yet dry or not yet cured inks or lacquers. However, the device can readily be used for other applications, in any case it connects to an upstream device from which the flat objects to be transferred are supplied in the manner mentioned.

The stated object is achieved by the device as defined in the patent claims.

The device according to the invention comprises a carrier circulation system with a plurality of flat carriers and a gripper conveyor with a plurality of successively the grippers are adapted to receive and carrying a relatively small stack of the supplied flat objects, wherein the grippers for gripping and holding such a stack in the region of a predetermined edge of the articles are formed, wherein the carrier circulation system to a the flat objects feeding device is then arranged and formed for the positioning of the carrier in a substantially horizontal position in a receiving position, the carrier circulation system and the gripper conveyor cooperating with each other for a reorientation of the stack from the substantially horizontal position in a in the significant vertical position, in which the stacks are held by the grippers at upper edges, and wherein the gripper conveyor is equipped for a hanging onward transport of the thus held stack. The object edge to be gripped by the grippers is advantageously the edge on which the objects are already held during the feed.

In the following it is assumed that the flat objects have a rectangular or square shape and the carriers also. Of course, the device described below can be easily adapted to other forms of carriers.

The supports of the carrier circulation system successively pass through the following positions and areas: the receiving position in which they have a substantially horizontal position, a lowering area in which they maintain the horizontal position, optionally a shifting area in which they maintain the horizontal position, a reorientation area in which they are brought from the horizontal position to a substantially vertical position, a separation area in which they maintain the vertical position, an extension area in which they are brought from the vertical position to an arbitrary position, a return area any carrier position and a stand-by position with any carrier layer. From the ready position, the carriers are returned to the receiving position.

The carriers are advantageously roller shutter-like structures of a plurality of flexibly interconnected, transversely oriented to the direction of support elements. However, they can also be newly formed for each circulation from such independent support elements and corresponding guide elements or they can be rigid shelves.

The orbit of the carrier circulating system advantageously extends in a plane (carrier circulation plane), which is, for example, vertically aligned, and has on both sides of the carriers attacking drives and possibly guides on. Partial drives can also attack the carriers centrally from below. Optionally, a portion of the orbit is disposed in a second carrier circulation plane, wherein the two carrier circulation planes are parallel and spaced apart.

The gripper conveyor is advantageously also a circulating system, the grippers advantageously with unchangeable, equal distances from each other, for example, arranged on a conveyor chain, but also on independently conveyed conveyor elements, which rotate for example in guide channels, can be arranged. The gripper conveyor is arranged and controlled such that the grippers successively pass through at least part of the reorientation area synchronized with the carriers, being activated relative to the carriers in a gripping position, ie on a carrier edge, and activated for gripping. At the exit of the reorientation area, the grippers separate from the carriers in the horizontal direction and further transport the gripped stacks in a suspended position.

The trajectory of the gripper conveyor is at least in the reorientation area and separation area in the carrier circulation plane.

The grippers of the gripper conveyor are equipped in a conventional manner, for example, as aligned transversely to the conveying direction rows of spaced sub-grippers, the sub-grippers are aligned with corresponding gaps in the edges facing the carrier, so that the sub-grippers in these Lükken the edge of a can take the carrier lying stack. The grippers can also have two gripper bars which can be pressed against one another and extend transversely to the conveying direction, in which case the edges of the stacks to be gripped must protrude beyond the carrier edge.

Figur 1

ein Schema der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung (Blickrichtung quer zur Trägerumlauf-Ebene);

Figur 2

eine erste, beispielhafte Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung mit biegbaren Trägern (Blickrichtung quer zur TrägerumlaufEbene);

Figuren 3 bis 7

Detailansichten der Vorrichtung gemäss Figur 2;

Figur 8

ein Teil eines Trägerumlauf-Systems mit Trägern in Form von starren Tablaren (Blickrichtung quer zur Trägerumlauf-Ebene);

Figur 9

weitere beispielhafte Antriebe für den Bereich zwischen Bereitschaftsposition und Empfangsposition sowie für den Absenkbereich und den Ver- schiebebereich für eine erfindungsgemässe Vorrichtung mit biegbaren oder starren Trägern;

Figur 10

eine weitere beispielhafte Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung mit biegbaren Trägern (Blickrichtung quer zur Trägerumlauf-Ebene).

The device according to the invention will be described in more detail in connection with the following figures. Showing:

FIG. 1

a scheme of the inventive device (viewing direction transverse to the carrier circulation plane);

FIG. 2

a first exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention with bendable carriers (viewing direction transverse to the carrier circulation plane);

FIGS. 3 to 7

Detailed views of the device according to Figure 2;

FIG. 8

a part of a carrier circulation system with carriers in the form of rigid trays (viewing direction transverse to the carrier circulation plane);

FIG. 9

Further exemplary drives for the area between the ready position and the receiving position and for the lowering area and the sliding area for a device according to the invention with bendable or rigid carriers;

FIG. 10

a further exemplary embodiment of the inventive device with bendable straps (viewing direction transverse to the carrier circulation plane).

FIG. 1 shows a diagram of the device according to the invention, from which the partial functions of the device can be seen. Shown are flat carrier 1 of a carrier circulation system 2, wherein the carrier successively through different positions and areas. The orbit of the carrier 1 is shown schematically with arrows and dash-dotted lines. Also shown are the grippers 3 of the gripper conveyor 4 (shown schematically in phantom) and a delivery conveyor 5 (shown schematically in phantom) with grippers 6 as an example of one of the devices according to the invention, the flat articles 7 being continuously feeding and stacking, for example. The conveyed by carriers 1 and grippers 3 stack of items 7 are denoted by 8.

1 shows the circulation of a single carrier 1, but can also be regarded as a current recording of the circulating system 2, wherein at least a part of the circulating carrier 1 is shown.

• Von der Bereitschaftsposition 1.1 wird der Träger in die Empfangsposition 1.2 gebracht, in der er horizontal ausgerichtet ist, so dass zugeführte Gegenstände 7 darauf gestapelt werden können. Bei kontinuierlicher Zuführung erfolgt die Trägerbewegung in die Empfangsposition 1.1 in Zuführungsrichtung A, bei unterbrochener Zuführung kann diese Bewegung auch in anderen Richtungen erfolgen. In der Empfangsposition 1.1 ist der Träger 1 entweder stationär (für Stapel mit kleinen Stapelhöhen von beispielsweise nicht mehr als etwa 3 cm) oder er wird an die wachsende Stapelhöhe angepasst abgesenkt.
• Wenn der Stapel 8 eine vorgegebene Höhe erreicht hat, wird der Träger 1 durch einen Absenkbereich 1.3 abgesenkt und der folgende Träger 1 wird aus der Bereitschaftsposition 1.1 in die Empfangsposition 1.2 gebracht, um der nächste Stapel 8 wird auf diesem folgenden Träger gebildet.
• Vom Absenkbereich 1.3 wird der Träger 1 mit dem darauf liegenden Stapel 8 gegebenenfalls im wesentlichen horizontal durch einen Verschiebebereich 1.4 gefördert, wobei die Verschiebung wie in der Figur 1 dargestellt in der Trägerumlauf-Ebene (Papierebene der Figur 1) oder quer zu dieser (von einer ersten in eine zweite Trägerumlauf-Ebene) verläuft;
• An den Verschiebebereich 1.4 oder direkt an den Absenkbereich 1.3 schliesst der Umorientierungsbereich 1.5 an. Während der Förderung durch den Umorientierungsbereich 1.5 wird der Träger 1 zusammen mit dem Stapel 8 von einer horizontalen Lage in eine vertikale Lage gebracht. Dabei folgt ein mit dem Träger kooperierender Greifer 3 des Greiferförderers 4 der Trägerbewegung, wobei der Greifer auf eine der quer zur Förderrichtung ausgerichteten Kanten 11 des Trägers 1 ausgerichtet ist und am Anfang des Umorientierungsbereiches 1.4 oder kurz danach die entsprechende Stapelkante durch Schliessen ergreift. Die Förderung durch den Umorientierungsbereich erfolgt vorteilhafterweise dadurch, dass die beiden quer zur Förderrichtung ausgerichteten Kanten 11 und 12 des Trägers entlang von zwei Kreisbahnen bewegt werden, wobei die mit dem Greifer 3 kooperierende Kante 11 um einen kleineren Radius umläuft als die gegenüberliegende Kante 12. Am Ende des Umorientierungsbereichs 1.5 hat der Träger 1 eine vertikale Lage. Die relative Position von Stapel 8 und Träger 1 sind unverändert.
• Durch den auf den Umorientierungsbereich 1.5 folgenden Trennbereich 1.6 werden der Träger 1 und der durch den Greifer 3 gehaltene Stapel 8 in einer gleichen Wegförderrichtung B, die horizontal ist oder eine horizontale Komponente hat, weitergefördert, wobei der Träger 1 relativ zum Stapel 8 horizontal beschleunigt und dadurch vom Stapel 8 getrennt wird.
• Wenn der Träger 1 vom Stapel 8 getrennt ist, wird er in vertikaler Richtung zwischen dem ihm zugeordneten Stapel 8 und einem vorlaufenden Stapel ausgefahren (Ausfahrbereich 1.7), wobei er in eine beliebige Lage umgelenkt werden kann.
• Auf den Ausfahrbereich 1.7 folgt der Rückführbereich 1.8 durch den der Träger 1 in die Bereitschaftsposition 1.1 zurückgeführt wird, während der Stapel 8 durch den Greiferförderer 4 in der Wegförderrichtung B weggefördert wird. Während der Förderung durch den Rückführbereich 1.8 kann der Träger 1 beliebige Lagen haben.

The successively traversed by the carriers 1 positions and areas, the corresponding carrier functions and the cooperations of carriers 1 and grippers 3 are the following:

• From the ready position 1.1, the carrier is brought into the receiving position 1.2, in which it is aligned horizontally, so that supplied items 7 can be stacked on it. With continuous feeding, the carrier movement takes place in the receiving position 1.1 in the feed direction A, with interrupted feeding this movement can also take place in other directions. In the receiving position 1.1, the carrier 1 is either stationary (for stacks with small stack heights of, for example, not more than about 3 cm) or it is lowered adjusted to the growing stack height.
• When the stack 8 has reached a predetermined height, the carrier 1 is lowered by a lowering range 1.3 and the following carrier 1 is brought from the standby position 1.1 in the receiving position 1.2, to the next stack 8 is formed on this following carrier.
• From the lowering 1.3 the carrier 1 with the stack 8 is optionally supported substantially horizontally by a displacement area 1.4, wherein the displacement as shown in Figure 1 in the carrier circulation plane (paper plane of Figure 1) or transversely to this (from a first into a second carrier circulation plane);
• The reorientation region 1.5 adjoins the displacement region 1.4 or directly to the lowering region 1.3. During conveyance through the reorientation area 1.5, the carrier 1 is brought together with the stack 8 from a horizontal position to a vertical position. In this case, a gripper 3 of the gripper conveyor 4 which cooperates with the carrier follows the carrier movement, the gripper being aligned with one of the edges 11 of the carrier 1 oriented transversely to the conveying direction and grasping the corresponding stack edge by closing at the beginning of the reorientation region 1.4 or shortly thereafter. The promotion by the reorientation region advantageously takes place in that the two edges 11 and 12 of the carrier, which are oriented transversely to the conveying direction are moved along two circular paths, wherein the cooperating with the gripper edge 3 11 rotates by a smaller radius than the opposite edge 12. At the end of the Umorientierungsbereichs 1.5, the carrier 1 has a vertical position. The relative position of stack 8 and carrier 1 are unchanged.
• By following the Umorientierungsbereich 1.5 separating region 1.6 of the carrier 1 and held by the gripper 3 stack 8 in a same Wegförderrichtung B, which is horizontal or has a horizontal component, further promoted, wherein the carrier 1 relative to the stack 8 accelerates horizontally and thereby separated from the stack 8.
• When the carrier 1 is separated from the stack 8, it is extended in the vertical direction between its associated stack 8 and a leading stack (extension range 1.7), where it can be deflected into any position.
• The retraction region 1.7 is followed by the return region 1.8, through which the carrier 1 is returned to the ready position 1.1, while the stack 8 is conveyed away by the gripper conveyor 4 in the removal direction B. During conveyance through the return area 1.8, the carrier 1 can have any desired positions.

The speeds at which the carrier 1 is conveyed through the mentioned positions and areas are to be adapted to a wide variety of conditions. The speed with which the carrier is brought from the ready position 1.1 to the receiving position 1.2, in the case in which the supply is a continuous, must be approximately equal to or greater than the speed at which the flat objects 7 are supplied , If the supply for the positioning of the carrier is interrupted in the receiving position 1.2, the said speed is adapted to the length of the interruption. The speed with which the Carrier is promoted by the Absenkbereich 1.3, is to be adjusted to a distance to be set between successive carriers or stacks lying thereon. The further conveying speeds are advantageously to be selected as small as possible, in particular so small that the objects in the stacks 8 are not moved relative to one another by a traveling wind. The support conveyance from the receiving position 1.2 to the end of the extension range 1.7 is subject to a clock whose cycle length corresponds to the time in which a stack 8 is formed on a carrier 1 positioned in the receiving position 1.2. In each such cycle a carrier must leave the lowering range 1.3, a carrier must leave the displacement range 1.4, a carrier must leave the reorientation range 1.5, a carrier must be conveyed through the separation region 1.6 and a carrier through the extension range 1.7 and must be a carrier in the Ready position 1.1 and a carrier are promoted by this in the receiving position 1.2. This clock can be broken when carrier buffers are provided in the carrier circulation, which can be realized in particular in the displacement area and in the return area.

Obviously, the carrier promotion should have different speeds in different areas of the carrier circulation and are also carriers oriented in various ways relative to the conveying direction, so that it is advantageous to drive the carrier 1 during its circulation by different drives. Such drives advantageously engage on both sides of the carriers 1, but can also on their underside (top is the support surface on which a stack rests) attack.

FIG. 2 shows, together with detail figures 3 to 7, a first, exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention. Identical elements are designated by the same reference numerals as in FIG. 1.

The carriers 1 of the embodiment according to FIG. 2 are roller shutter-type elements which consist of a plurality of carrier elements 20 extending transversely to the conveying direction and flexibly connected to one another. These carriers are bendable in at least one direction, so that they are bent around deflection rollers and can be reoriented. Of course, this is only possible in areas of the carrier circulation in which no stack 8 is positioned on the carrier 1, that is to say in particular in the extension region 1.7, in the return region 1.8 and between the ready position 1.1 and the receiving position 1.2. Instead of the roller shutter-like carrier and carrier of a flexible sheet material are conceivable.

Figure 3 shows a roller shutter-like carrier 1 seen transversely to the conveying direction and Figure 4 shows a corresponding support member 20 seen parallel to the conveying direction. The support elements 20 have, for example, on both sides protruding thorns 21, on each of which two support elements 20 connecting chain links 22 are mounted pivotally relative to the support member. The support elements are held by the chain links 22 abutting and pivotally supported against each other and have a cross-section, which allows such pivoting away only from the support surface 23 away, however, not in the opposite direction. At least a part of the support elements 20 of a carrier 1 is further equipped with rollers 26 arranged on both sides, which are arranged freely rotatable on the mandrels 21. At least over part of the carrier circulation, the rollers 26 roll off in corresponding guide rails 24.

For the carrier circulation, the roller shutter-type carriers 1 are pushed or pulled along guide rails 24 or they are displaced together with the guide rails. For pulling or pushing the carrier 1 serve for example on the spikes 21 attacking drive wheels 25, as shown in Figures 2, 4 and 5 . Figures 2 and 6 show as an example of a drive which engages guide rails 24, a chain 30 (schematically as a dotted line shown), with the aid of guide rails 24 and positioned on the guide rails carrier 1 can be moved in particular in the vertical direction.

FIG. 7 schematically shows a cylinder or linear motor 31 pivotably engaging on a guide rail 24. Such drives and guide rails 24 arranged on both sides of the carrier circulation plane are suitable for the reorientation region 1.5 and the separation region 1.6. The guide rails 24, which are guided in a suitable manner, are first pivoted by the linear motor 31 about an axis 32 from a horizontal position to a vertical position (reorientation area 1.5), then for example moved horizontally further (separation area 1.6) and then on the same path brought back to the horizontal position. A carrier 1, which is pushed or pulled at the entrance of Umorientierungsbereichs 1.5 on the horizontally oriented guide rails 24 is held at least at its leading edge on the guide rails 24 for the pivoting movement. For this purpose, for example, a snap closure 33 is arranged at the front on each guide rail, which closes around the dome 21 of the foremost support element 20 when it is pushed against the snap closure 33.

Instead of acting on guide rails 24 cylinders or linear motors 31, it is also conceivable on both sides each provide a plurality of about the axis 32 rotatably arranged guide rails 24 in Umorientierungsbereich 1.5. In this case, a separate, possibly with the guide rail 24 rotating drive is provided for the separation area 1.6.

The device according to FIG. 2 has, for example, the following guides and drives for the carriers 1: For the lowering area 1.3, circumferential guide rails 24 are arranged on at least four synchronously driven chain trains 30 Figure 6 provided. Driving wheels 25 according to FIGS. 4 and 5 are provided for the displacement area 1.4, with which the carriers 1 are pushed and / or pulled by the guide rails 24 of the lowering area 1.3 onto the guide rails 24 of the reorientation area 1.5, whereby further, stationary guide rails are provided between the mentioned guide rails 24 can be provided. For the promotion by the reorientation 1.5 and the separation area 1.6 drives are provided on both sides according to Figure 7 (not shown in Figure 2). Drive wheels 25 according to FIGS. 4 and 5 are again provided for the extension region 1.7 and the return region 1.8 and the delivery from the ready position 1.1 to the receiving position 1.2.

If, instead of flexible supports 1, as shown in FIG. 2, rigid trays with laterally arranged rollers are used as carrier 1, the same drives and guides can be used for the lowering region 1.3, the displacement region 1.4, the reorientation region 1.5 and the separating region 1.6 , as described in connection with the figures 2 to 7 above.

FIG. 8 schematically shows the extension region 1.7, the return region 1.8, the ready position 1.1 and the receiving position 1.2 for such rigid carriers 1. Since the carriers 1 are not bendable, they must be conveyed vertically through the entire extension region 1.7, for which, for example, gravity is usable as a drive. In the return area 1.8, a further reorientation area 1.5 'is to be integrated, for which the same drives can be provided as for the reorientation area 1.5. In the ready position 1.2, the carrier 1 are aligned horizontally and are pushed in the horizontal direction in the receiving position 1.2.

FIG. 9 shows a further embodiment of drives for the area between standby position 1.1 and receiving position 1.2, the lowering area 1.3 and the displacement area 1.4 for a carrier circulation system with rigid carriers 1. The drive for inserting the carriers 1 from the ready position 1.1 into the receiving position 1.2 a first cam conveyor 40, the cam 41, the carrier 1 to push abutted and which is operated intermittently. The drive for the lowering 1.3 is a Kettenzugsystem 42 with, for example, four on both sides of the carrier attacking chain hoists 43 and 43 ', the chain hoists 43 each second carrier and the chain hoists 43' promote the other carrier. The chain hoists 43 are independently driven by the chain hoists 43 '. This makes it possible to lower a carrier positioned in the receiving position 1.2 slowly (adapted to the stack growth) and to lower a leading carrier faster. As shown in FIG. 9, a plurality of carriers 1 can be located in the lowering region 1.3 or only one carrier each. The drive for the displacement area 1.4 is a second cam conveyor 44, the cam 44 push a lowered by the chain hoists 43 'on the conveyor carrier 1 on the shift range 1.4 to Umorientierungsbereich 1.5.

FIG. 10 shows a further embodiment of the device according to the invention, which in turn has bendable, for example roller shutter-type, carriers 1. Instead of the individual and various drives shown in Figure 2 for the promotion of the carrier 1 through the various areas of the carrier circulation, the embodiment shown here essentially has only one drive. This drive operates chain hoists (shown schematically as dotted lines), for example, two pairs 50 and 51 are provided by suitable deflection wheels and drive wheels chain hoists are provided and the chain hoists of the pair 50 rotatably and reversibly coupled to two support corners zugeordenten coupling points 52 and the chain hoists of Pair 51 with opposing two support corners associated coupling points 53. The coupling points 53 and the chain hoists of the pair 51 are laterally spaced from the carrier 1 laterally than the coupling points 52 and the chain hoists of pair 50 (see details C and D). For a promotion perpendicular to the support surface (detail C) the chain hoists run perpendicular to the support surface and with distances from each other, which correspond approximately to the carrier size. For a conveyance parallel to the carrier surface (detail D), the chain hoists run parallel to the carrier surface and at distances from each other which correspond to the distances between carrier corners and coupling points.

As can be seen from FIG. 10, the length of the chain hoist pair 50 is greater than the length of the chain hoist pair 51, in particular in the reorientation range 1.5. For this reason, the leading support corners or coupling points 52 at the entrance to the reorientation area 1.5 are to be decoupled from the chain hoists 50 and to a to couple another drive to be coupled to the chain hoists 50 again at the output of Umorientierungsbereichs 1.5. As a further drive, for example, a wheel rotating about the axis of the reorientation region (32 in FIG. 7) can be provided with snap connections.

The chain hoists of the two chain hoist pairs 50 and 51 must all have the same speed at all times. In order for different speeds to be possible in predefined areas (for example between readiness position 1.1 and receiving position 1.2 and at the beginning of lowering range 1.3), the chain hoists are to be operated at a cyclically varying speed and are the range lengths and the distances between the carriers 1 coupled to the chain hoists to choose that the speeds specified for certain areas in other areas do not disturb.

Claims (11)

1. Device for on-line transporting away flat objects (7) which are stacked to form a stack (8) on a support by a supplying device, wherein the device comprises a support-circulating-system (2) with a plurality of supports (1) circulating in successions and a gripper-conveyor (4) with grippers (3) conveyable in succession, characterized in that the supports (1) are equipped for receiving and supporting one stack (8) each, and that each gripper (3) is equipped for gripping one stack (8) being carried by a support (1) on a predetermined edge and for transporting the stack (8) held on this edge away in a suspended manner (8), wherein the supports (1) of the support-circulating-system (2) are conveyable from a standby position (1.1) into a receiving position (1.2), then through a lowering region (1.3), a re-orientation region (1.5), a separating region (1.6), an exit region (1.7) and a re-circulation region (1.8) back into the standby position (1.1), wherein the supports (1) are orientated substantially horizontally during conveyance from the receiving position (1.2) to the beginning of the reorientation region (1.5), are re-oriented to a substantially vertical orientation during conveyance through the reorientation region (1.5), and are maintained in the substantially vertical orientation during conveyance through the separating region (1.6) and through at least a first part of the exit region (1.7), and wherein the gripper-conveyor (4) is arranged and controllable such that each gripper (3) is conveyable through the reorientation region (1.5) being aligned to an edge (11) of one of the supports (1), which edge is orientated perpendicular to the conveying direction, and, during this conveyance, is actuateable to grip a stack edge aligned to said support edge (11).
2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that a re-location region (1.4) is provided between the lowering region (1.3) and the re-orientation region (1.5), in which re-location region the supports (1) are re-locatable in a substantially vertical first circulation plane or from the first circulation plane into a second circulation plane, orientated in parallel to the first circulation plane.
3. Device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the supports (1) comprise rolls (26) arranged on both sides, that the support-circulation-system comprises guide rails (24) for the rolls (26), drives for conveying the supports along the guide rails (24) with the rolls (26) rolling in the guide rails (24), and further drives for re-locating the guide rails (24).
4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the supports (1) are bendable in at least one direction and that the guide rails (24) comprise curves in the exit region (1.7), in the re-circulation region (1.8) and in the region between the standby position (1.1) and the receiving position (1.2).
5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the supports (1) comprise a plurality of support elements (20) extending transversally to a conveying direction, wherein the support elements (20) are connected to each other in a chain-like manner or are independent of one another.
6. Device according to one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the drives for conveyance in the exit region (1.7), in the re-circulation region (1.8), and between the standby position (1.1) and the receiving position (1.2) are drive wheels.
7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the supports (1) are rigid trays and that in the re-circulation region (1.8) a further re-orientation region (1.5') is provided.
8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the drives for conveyance in the re-location region (1.4), in parts of the re-circulation region (1.8) and between the standby position (1.1) and the receiving position (1.2) are cam conveyors (40, 44) engaging on trailing support edges.
9. Device according to one of claims 3 to 8, characterized in that the drives for the lowering region (1.3) are chain hoists with circulating guide rails (24) and that drives for the re-orientation region (1.5) and the further re-orientation region (1.5') are cylinders or linear motors engaging on guide rails (24) or on the carriers (1).
10. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the carriers (1) are bendable and that their corners are coupled to a chain hoist (50, 51) in a detachable and rotateable manner and that the carriers (1) circulate driven by the chain hoists (50,51).
11. Device according to claim 10, characterized in that, in the re-orientation region (1.5), a further drive is provided to which leading support corners or coupling locations (52) are couplable, when de-coupled from the corresponding chain hoists (50).

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