EP1717176B1 - Transport device for gathering and transporting laid astride, printed sheets - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device for collecting and transporting printed products placed astride, comprising a first conveying device with a first double chain formed from two parallel chain strands and a second conveying device, with a second double chain formed from two parallel chain strands and a transfer region in which the printed products of the first conveyor can be transferred to the second conveyor.

A device of this kind is known in the art by the EP 1 232 978 A known. This has as the first conveyor on a first saddle stitcher and second conveyor as a second saddle stitcher. The two saddle stitchers are arranged one after the other in the conveying direction. Sub-products can be transported from the first saddle stitcher to the second saddle stitcher with an intermediate conveyor. The intermediate conveyor has a cycle transporter with several grippers, which take the sub-products at the top of the fold and over the distance between the two saddle stitchers transport. In this device, the two saddle stitchers can be operated independently or in a so-called tandem operation with each other. The first saddle stitcher is also called "slave" and this usually has a stapler. After stapling, the printed products can either be fed to the second saddle stitcher or "master" or they can be discharged and fed, for example, to a cutting machine. The transport of the printed products takes place in both saddle stitchers with a double collection chain and a ridge arranged between the two strands.

Also known is a device in which the intermediate conveyor between the two collecting chains is formed by a single chain. In this case, the ridge between the two collecting chains is interrupted and thus not continuous. This can lead to disruption during the transfer and thus to production inhibitions. In particular, the products can slip sideways during the transfer.

The pre-published US Pat. No. 4,770,284 provides a conveyor, with which folded sheet fed astride a first, formed of two parallel circulating double chain by means of interposed, promoting effective, closing a conveyor gap transfer organ of a second double chain.

The invention has for its object to provide a device of the type mentioned, which is still functionally reliable and yet structurally complex.

The problem is solved in a generic device characterized in that the two double chains in the transfer area in the conveying direction each have staggered chain strand ends, such that in the transfer area, the printed products of a chain strand of the first double chain and a chain strand of the second double chain on a continuous guide means are transportable.

In the inventive device, the transfer area is thus by a strand of the first double chain and formed a strand of the second double chain. A significant advantage of the invention is seen in the fact that the ridge in the transfer area does not have to be interrupted and that the products can therefore always rest on a continuous ridge in the transfer area. The products can thus be transported in the transfer area stable and thus largely trouble-free. However, the device according to the invention is also structurally simpler, since a comparatively complex cyclic transport with several grippers is not required. Even a single collection chain in the transfer area is not required. The two double chains of the two saddle stitchers thus form the transfer area. Also with respect to the drive, there are significant simplifications.

Another advantage of the invention is also seen in the fact that the strands of the double chains can each be separately and thus optimally tensioned.

According to a development of the invention it is provided that in the transfer area, a continuously acting guide means is arranged, on which the straddled printed products are conveyed in the conveying device. The guide means are preferably formed by the above deadline. This preferably extends between the two strands from the first saddle stitcher to the second saddle stitcher. In the first saddle stitcher, this ridge may be interrupted in a known manner in the area of a stapling machine.

According to a development of the invention it is provided that in the transfer region said strands each have drivers and that the strands are formed so that the printed products are each transported by a driver of the one strand and by a driver of the other strand. The printed products can thus be transported in the transfer area as usual in each case by two drivers, resulting in a particularly high reliability.

The two mentioned strands preferably run parallel next to each other in the transfer area.

According to a development of the invention, it is provided that one strand of the double chain of the first conveying device is deflected by a deflection wheel or drive wheel in front of the transfer region and that this strand has drivers which, viewed in the conveying direction, can be swung backwards in the region of said deflection or drive wheel , This allows a particularly gentle transport of the printed products in the transfer area or at the beginning of this area.

Further advantageous features emerge from the dependent claims, the following description and the drawings.

Fig. 1

schematisch eine Seitenansicht einer erfindungsgemässen Einrichtung,

Fig. 2

schematisch eine Draufsicht auf die Einrichtung gemäss Figur 1,

Fig. 3

eine schematische Ansicht einer Variante der erfindungsgemässen Einrichtung,

Fig. 4

schematisch eine Draufsicht auf die Einrichtung gemäss Figur 3 und

Fig. 5

ein Schnitt entlang der Linie V-V der Figur 1.

Embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing. Show it:

Fig. 1

schematically a side view of an inventive device,

Fig. 2

schematically a plan view of the device according to FIG. 1 .

Fig. 3

a schematic view of a variant of the inventive device,

Fig. 4

schematically a plan view of the device according to FIG. 3 and

Fig. 5

a section along the line VV the FIG. 1 ,

The in the Figures 1 and 2 Inventive device 1 shown has a first saddle stitcher S1 and a second saddle stitcher S2, which are connected to one another via a transfer region 8. The first saddle stitcher S1 has a first conveying device 4, which has a first double chain 5. This first double chain 5 has two mutually parallel chain strands 9 and 11, according to FIG. 2 parallel to each other. Between these two strands 9 and 11 runs a ridge 17, which is interrupted in the area of a stapler H as can be seen. In the transfer area 8 but this First 17 is continuous and thus not interrupted. The dot-dash lines, which show the strands 9 and 11, are offset in height only for illustrative reasons. The saddle stitcher S2 has known investors A, with which more sheets or other printed products can be stored. He may also have other functional units, such as stapling and cutting machines.

The ridge 17 forms in a conventional manner according to FIG. 5 a guide means for printed products 2, which are transported from the first conveying device 4 via the transfer area 8 to the second conveying device 6. In the FIG. 1 is the transport direction indicated by the arrow 22. For the transport of the printed products 2, the two double chains 5 and 7 each according to FIG. 5 at equal intervals wing-shaped driver 18. These are each attached to a strand, for example on the strand 9 or 10 and guided with rollers 20. The strands 9 and 10 are guided on a chain guide 19 and are in particular endless link chains. As the FIG. 5 show the promoted printed products 2 each have a fold 3, with which they rest as shown astride the ridge 17. The ridge 17 is fixed and mounted on a support 21.

The strand 11 of the first double chain 5 ends according to the Figures 1 and 2 in front of the transfer area 8 and runs on a drive wheel 13. The other strand 9, however, extends into the transfer area 8 and is also placed at the end of this area via a drive wheel 15. The two strands 9 and 11 are driven at the same speed and in the same clock and the upper run moves in the direction of the arrow 22. The driver 18 of these two strands 9 and 11 are each at the same height. The printed products 2 are thus each transported by a driver of the strand 9 and a driver of the strand 11.

The second conveyor 6 has a strand 10 and a strand 12. The strand 10 also extends into the transfer region 8, but from the other side. At the beginning of the transfer area 8, the strand 10 is placed around a deflection wheel 14. This deflecting wheel 14 is connected to a chain tensioner, not shown here. The strand 12 ends before the transfer area 8 and is also placed around a guide wheel 16. Also this guide wheel 16 is connected to a chain tensioner, not shown here. The strands 10 and 12 are thus tensioned independently of each other and they can thereby be provided in each case with an optimal voltage. This also applies to the other strands. The two double chains 5 and 7 are thus entangled in the transfer area 8, such that in this transfer area 8 the printed products 2 are transported by the strand 9 of the first double chain 5 and by the strand 10 of the second double chain 7. In the transfer area 8, a type of double chain is therefore likewise formed, which with carriers 18 and a ridge 17 stably transport the printed products 2 in this transfer area 8.

The printed products 2 can thus be promoted astride securely in the area of the first saddle stitcher S1 as well as in the transfer area 8 and in the area of the second saddle stitcher S2. In the transfer area 8, the printed products 2 can be transported both stapled and unstacked. It is also possible that the printed products 2 are not transported into the transfer area 8, but are discharged therefrom and, for example, supplied to a cutting device, not shown here, for example a three-knife trimmer. The two saddle stitchers S1 and S2 can also be operated separately as mentioned, so that even in this case the transfer area 8 is not used for transport.

The FIGS. 3 and 4 show a device according to the invention 1 'according to a variant. This has a first saddle stitcher S1 ', a transfer area 8' and a second saddle stitcher S2 '. The first saddle stitcher S1 'has a first Conveying device 4 ', which has a first strand 9' and a second strand 11 '. The ridge 17 extends between these two strands 9 'and 11' and is interrupted as in the device 1 in the stapler H. In addition, the strand ends 11 'in front of the stapler H and is placed in front of this around a drive wheel 13'. A second conveying device 6 'has a second double chain 7' with a strand 10 'and a strand 12'. The strand 10 'corresponds to the above-mentioned strand 10 and is placed at the beginning of the transfer region 8' around the deflection wheel 14. The strand 10 'thus extends into the transfer region 8'. The strand 9 'also extends into the transfer area 8' and is placed around the drive wheel 15. The strand 9 'thus corresponds to the above-mentioned strand 9. In the area of the stapler H, the printed products 1 are thus transported here only by the strand 9'. The above-mentioned pivoting of the driver 18 takes place in this case in the region of the drive wheel 13 'and thus before reaching the stapler H.

In the device 1, the printed products 2 are transferred to the saddle stitcher S2 in four steps in the form of, for example, gathered sheets or pre-stitched products. In the area of the drive wheel 13, the drivers 18 of the strand 11 dive and transport takes place only briefly by the drivers 18 of the strand 9. In the second step, the drivers 18 of the strand 10 emerge, so that subsequently the printed products 2 from the two strands 9 and 10 are transported. In the area of the drive wheel 15, the drivers 18 of the strand 9 dive, so that in the short term the printed products 2 are transported solely by the strand 10. In the area of the guide wheel 16, the drivers dive of the strand 12, so that subsequently the printed products 2 are transported by the drivers 18 of the strands 10 and 12 in the region of the second saddle stitcher S2.

In the device 1 'according to the FIGS. 3 and 4 The transport is also carried out in the said fourth steps, wherein the first step, however, takes place here already in the area of the drive wheel 13 'and thus before the stapler H. In addition, here is the area in which only the strand 9 'maintains the transport, much longer. In the transfer area 8 ', however, the transport also takes place here with two strands 8' and 10 'and with the guidance of the ridge 17.

Claims (8)

1. Device for collecting and transporting printed products (2) deposited in a straddling manner, comprising a first conveying device (4, 4') with a first double chain (5, 5') formed of two parallel chain strands (9, 11), a second conveying device (6, 6') with a second double chain (7, 7') formed of two parallel chain strands (10, 12) and a transfer region (8, 8') in which the printed products (2) are transferred from the first conveying device (4, 4') to the second conveying device (6, 6'), characterised in that the two double chains (5, 5'; 7, 7') have respective offset chain strand ends in the transfer region (8, 8') as viewed in the conveying direction, such that, in the transfer region (8, 8'), the printed products (2) can be transported by a first chain strand (9, 11) of the first double chain (5) and by a second chain strand (10, 12) of the second double chain (7) on a continuous guide means (17).
2. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the guide means (17) are formed by a top member arranged between the two said strands (9, 9'; 10, 10') and extending across the transfer region (8, 8').
3. Device according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that the said strands (9, 9'; 10, 10') each have pushers (18) in the transfer region (8, 8') and that the strands (9, 9'; 10, 10') are arranged in such a manner that the printed products (2) are each transported by one pusher (18) of one strand (9, 9') and by one pusher (18) of the other strand (10, 10').
4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the said two strands (9, 9'; 10, 10') extend in parallel and synchronously with one another.
5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the pushers (18) of the strands (9, 9'; 10, 10') of the first conveying deice (4) are offset in the region of a deflection point.
6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that it has a first gang-stitcher (S1) and a second gang-stitcher (S2) and that the transfer region (8, 8') is formed by chains (5, 5'; 7, 7') of these gang-stitchers (S1, S2).
7. Device according to claim 6, characterised in that the two gang-stitchers (S1, S2) can be used individually or one after the other in what is referred to as tandem operation.
8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the strands (9, 9'; 10, 10'; 11, 11'; 12, 12') can be tensioned individually.

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