EP1764232B1 - Method and device for manufacturing digitally printed newspapers - Google Patents

Abstract

According to the process, the sheets (4) are, firstly, folded one after the other in a folding device (11). Secondly the folded sheets are gathered into a bundle (B) at a gathering station (S). The bundle is conveyed to a work station (A2) in which the bundle is folded in about the middle. Then a continuous train (1) of printed paper is printed in sequentially in a print machine (D) and cut with a cross cutter (3). Alternatively, the sheets are centered in a centering device (8) after being separated. Device to carry out this process has a folding device. a gathering station, and at least one work station.

Description

The invention relates to a method for the production of digitally printed printed matter comprising at least one newspaper bundle formed from centrally folded and sequentially printed sheets. The invention also relates to a device for carrying out this method.

Methods for producing newspapers have long been known. Traditionally, paper webs or sheets are produced in offset printing or gravure printing and the sheets printed on both sides are combined to form a newspaper bundle. Recently, for the production of newspapers digital printing machines are used, with which individual sheet parts can be printed sequentially in a row, that at the end of a complete newspaper is created. This allows different newspapers to be printed in any order, and it is also possible to print newspapers one after another in broadsheet format and tabloid format.

By the EP 1 209 000 A a method has become known in which individual planar arches, so-called planographic arches, collected and then folded loosely on each other. However, the alignment and folding of such sheets of freshly printed newsprint is extremely difficult in practice.

Berger: Investing with regard to digital niche products describes a digital printing system with flexible finishing - mixed production. In this process, information occurring in different sheet formats is passed through, folded and stapled.

The pre-published GB - A - 1 205 581 describes a multi-stage folding machine for the production of printed products , wherein the individual folders are arranged for the production of transverse and Längsfalzen on supplied sheet in series.

The erection is based on the object to provide a method of the type mentioned, in which this difficulty is avoided. The process should also be suitable for the production of very large newspapers.

The object is achieved in a method according to the invention in that the sequentially printed sheets are individually folded in a folding device, that folded sheets are collected in a collecting station to form a bundle and that the federal government is fed to a workstation in which it is folded approximately centrally, In this process, the folded sheets can be aligned when forming the newspaper bundle, which is also possible with large sheets of freshly printed newsprint.

According to a development of the invention, it is provided that an endless paper web is printed. This is then preferably cut with a cross cutter, so that sheets are formed, which are preferably separated in register.

Before collecting, the separate sheets are folded in a folder and preferably in a pass folder.

Collecting the folded sheets is particularly safe and reliable when the sheets are collected on a stationary collection chain. In this case, the sheets are preferably pushed against an adjustable stop. Bows are collected until a complete newspaper bundle is found.

According to a development of the invention, it is provided that the collecting station has an extendable sword on which sheets can be retained until a collected newspaper bundle has been transported further. This allows continuous production.

According to a development of the invention, it is provided that the collected newspaper bundle is further processed in an inclined arrangement. This allows an advantageous orientation of the newspaper bundle on attacks by gravity.

According to a development of the invention, a first workstation is provided, which has at least one cutting blade and / or a stapling device for producing a tabloid. Preferably, in this first workstation for the production of a tabloid, the newspaper bundle is cut at its waistband and stapled at the same time. By a combination of a concurrent pressing of the cutting device with benders of the stapling device also very different thicknesses of newspaper bundles can be stapled without complex electromotive adjustment. By means of a flying change of the section length and the variation of the section in this first work station, trimmed tabloid formats with different dimensions can be produced.

According to a development of the invention, a second workstation is provided in which one or more newspaper bundles is or will be folded. When making a newspaper in broadsheet format, this fold is the second fold and in the case of a tabloid the first fold.

According to a development of the invention, it is provided that for the production of the newspaper several newspaper bundles are collected, for example, in circulating bags or in a display star.

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

Fig. 1

schematisch eine Ansicht eines ersten vorderen Bereichs der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung,

Fig. 2

schematisch eine Ansicht eines zweiten hinteren Bereichs der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung,

Fig. 3

schematisch eine Ansicht eines Teils des vorderen Bereichs gemäss Figur 1,

Fig. 4

schematisch eine Ansicht eines Teils des vorderen Bereichs gemäss Figur 1,

Fig. 5

schematisch ein Teil des hinteren Bereichs gemäss Figur 2,

Fig. 6

schematisch eine weitere Ansicht eines Teils des Abschnitts gemäss Figur 5,

Fig. 7

schematisch eine weitere Ansicht des hinteren Bereich gemäss Figur 2,

Fig. 8

schematisch eine Ansicht eines Teils des hinteren Bereichs gemäss Figur 2,

Fig. 9

schematisch eine Ansicht eines Teils des hinteren Bereichs gemäss Figur 2,

Fig. 10

schematisch eine Ansicht eines Teils des hinteren Bereichs gemäss Figur 2.

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

Fig. 1

2 is a schematic view of a first front region of the device according to the invention;

Fig. 2

2 is a schematic view of a second rear region of the device according to the invention;

Fig. 3

schematically a view of a portion of the front portion according to FIG. 1 .

Fig. 4

schematically a view of a portion of the front portion according to FIG. 1 .

Fig. 5

schematically a part of the rear area according to FIG. 2 .

Fig. 6

schematically another view of a portion of the section according to FIG. 5 .

Fig. 7

schematically another view of the rear area according to FIG. 2 .

Fig. 8

schematically a view of a portion of the rear portion according to FIG. 2 .

Fig. 9

schematically a view of a portion of the rear portion according to FIG. 2 .

Fig. 10

schematically a view of a portion of the rear portion according to FIG. 2 ,

The FIG. 1 shows a first front portion of the inventive device, to which directly in FIG. 2 shown rear area is attached. The device is used for the production of newspapers Z ( Fig. 2 ), which consist of one or more newspaper groups B ( Fig. 1 ) consists. The newspaper Z can be a newspaper in the so-called broadsheet format and thus a conventional large-format newspaper. The newspaper Z or at least a newspaper B can also be a newspaper in tabloid format. Tabloid newspapers are smaller in size and stapled.

The device has according to FIG. 1 a digital printing press D on, for example, a laser printer or inkjet printer is. With the digital printing machine D, an endless paper web 1 is digitally printed on both sides in a manner known per se. This sheet parts can be printed one behind the other so that they give a complete newspaper Z. Here, the two sides are printed on the paper web 1 standing side by side to produce newspapers in the broadsheet format and for tabloid newspapers are printed two pages one above the other and two sides side by side. The digital printing machine D allows a flying change between the two formats mentioned, so that the newspaper Z can be composed of frets B in broadsheet format and in tabloid format.

The paper web 1 is transported in the region of a first conveying path F1 with draw rollers 2 at a predetermined speed and tension. After these draw rolls 2, the endless paper web 1 is fed to a known cross cutter 3 which separates the endless paper web 1 into sheets 4. The sheeter 3 has a rotating knife 49 and a standing knife 50. These sheets 4 are also called planographic sheets. To produce a federal B in Boradsheet format, such a sheet 4 four pages and in the case of Tabloidformats eight pages. The section length of the sheet 4 is controlled by the speed of the cross cutter 3.

The cross cutter 3 is driven by a drive not shown here and is controlled by the printing press D so that the sheets 4 are separated in register in the transport direction. At substantially the same time as this separation process, the front separate sheet 4 is in each case provided with a tear-off cylinder 5 or another suitable device accelerated and transported on with vacuum bands 6. As a result of this acceleration, a fixed division of the further transported sheets 4 is achieved. The peripheral speed of the tear-off cylinder 5 is greater in mm / cycle than the section length of the sheets 4, so that in each case between two sheets 4, a predetermined gap 7 is formed.

In the area of the first conveying path F1, a centering device 8 is provided, with which the sheets 4 are aligned laterally precisely and conveyed by belts 9, for example toothed belts, in a clock-bound manner. In order to ensure safe transport and the aforementioned lateral alignment, a plurality of balls 10 are provided in the region of the belt 9, which are each mounted in a belt 52 and press on their own weight on the sheets 4 and the underlying belt 9.

The sheets 4 aligned and distanced from one another as explained above are weakened in the middle by means of creasing rolls 12 before being folded in a continuous folding device 11. In this case, the sheets 4 are guided by inlet tapes 13 so that the sheets 4 are then folded in the Durchlauffalzvorrichtung 11 exactly along the line of weakness. The inlet tapes 13 are as in FIG. 1 can be seen slightly inclined downwards with respect to the horizontal. This also applies to the continuous folder. In the FIG. 1 two folded sheets 16 and 16 'are indicated by dashed lines. The folding process can in a known manner according to the Swiss patent CH 615 646 or the US 4,221,373 carried out with rotating profile belt 14 or ribbons. But there are also other folding devices conceivable here.

When leaving the pass-through folder 11, the sheets 16 and 16 'are pressed by vertical rollers 15 at their fold. This allows a more accurate and sharper seam to be achieved.

After Durchlauffalzvorrichtung 11, a second conveyor line F2 is arranged, seen in the conveying direction in a rear region has a collection station S, in which the sheets 16 and 16 'are collected to a full newspaper B or B'. The conveyor line F2 has an endless collection chain 17, which is preferably a known endless double collection chain. This has according to FIG. 4 Saddle-shaped members 57 and at equal intervals driver 24. The gathering chain 17 is placed around rollers 58 and driven intermittently with a drive, not shown here.

The upper run of the gathering chain 17 runs in FIG. 4 according to arrow 53 from left to right. As the FIG. 4 shows, the collecting station 17 a stop 18, which in the directions of the double arrow 59 in accordance FIG. 4 is limited adjustable. The adjustment is carried out with a threaded spindle 61 which is rotatably mounted in a bearing 62 and driven for example by a motor 60. The stop 18 is displaceably mounted on guide rods 63. With the displaceability of the stopper 18, an adaptation to the format of the folded sheets 16 and 16 'is possible. The position shown by dashed lines corresponds to the sheet 16 ', which has a smaller format than the sheet 16. The adjustment is made due to a control device not shown here. To the impact of the sheets 16 and 16 'to the stop 18 reduce, the above-mentioned press rollers 15 can be driven by a servomotor, not shown here so that the sheets 16 and 16 'is braked shortly before leaving the press rollers 15.

The sheets 16 and 16 'are collected on the stationary collecting chain 17. If the newspaper bundle B or B 'is complete, then a sword 20 in the in FIG. 4 shown extended position, so that the subsequent sheets 16 and 16 'fall on this separation blade 20 and thus retained. At the same time, the newspaper binding B or B 'formed on the gathering chain 17 becomes FIG. 4 promoted from left to right. The newspaper bundle B or B 'is transported until the in FIG. 1 shown division 22 is reached. If this is the case, the separating blade 20 is withdrawn again, with the sheets 16 or 16 'collected on the separating blade 20 falling onto the collecting chain 17, which in turn is stationary. The further following sheets 16 or 16 'now fall directly back onto the stationary collecting chain 17 or onto the sheets 16 or 16' already located there, until another newspaper bundle B or B 'is completely collected again. The double collection chain 17 is now set in motion again and the separating blade 20 is extended.

The transport of the newspaper bundle B or B 'on the gathering chain 17 is carried out by the said drivers 24, on which the federal government B or B' is applied. The separating blade 20 runs in a linear guide 25 and is reciprocated substantially horizontally with a toothed belt 26 by a servomotor 27.

At the end of the first conveying path F1, the newspaper binding B or B 'with the in FIG. 5 shown delivery device 28 supplied to the next processing step. The display device 28 has an ejection comb 29, according to FIG. 5 is vertically movable in the directions of the double arrow 64 and which lifts the newspaper binding B or B 'from the collecting chain 17 and pushes between a belt 65 and a roller 66, which move the newspaper B and B' upwards, where he deflected in an arcuate guide plate 68 and bands 31 and round strings 70 is supplied. The ejection comb 29 is actuated by a drive 54 and has a rod 56 which is guided on rollers 55. The roller 66 is mounted on a suspension 67, which is pivotable about an axis 19, so that the roller 66 is adaptable to different thicknesses of the newspaper B or B '. In addition, the contact pressure is adjustable.

The bands 31 and strings 70 are as in FIG. 6 shown so pivoted that the federal government B or B 'can be centered for stapling and folding mentioned below. The bands 31 are driven by a drive shaft 69, which acts on the toothed belt 95 on pivoting rollers 96, around each of which a band 31 is placed. To adapt to different formats, a pressure roller 71 according to double arrow 97 (FIG. Fig. 6 ) displaceable. The strings 70 run on grooved rollers 87th Die FIG. 6 shows the collar B and B 'above before aligning and below each in the aligned position. There are also other known means for aligning the federal B or B 'conceivable here. When aligning the waistband B or B 'runs as in FIG. 5 clearly inclined downwards. Since the band B or B 'is held by the strings 70, would be a horizontal transport conceivable, resulting in the advantage of a lower height.

The centrally aligned collar B or B 'is now fed to a first workstation A1 and aligned in this due to its own weight at its collar on a stop member 32. The stopper member 32 is actuated by an example pneumatic cylinder 76. Workstation A1 is as in FIG. 2 shown inclined and in FIG. 6 erected for graphic reasons. As the FIG. 2 shows, the transport level of the newspaper B or B 'in the workstation A1 is inclined downwards. The inclination with respect to the horizontal is preferably more than 10 °, preferably more than 20 °, preferably about 30 °. Due to this inclination, it is possible that the collar B or B 'as explained below below due to its own weight, in particular at its rebate collar 30 can be aligned.

The first work station A1 is used for cutting and / or stapling the newspaper bundle B, if this is intended for the production of a tabloid.

The work station A1 has a cutting device with a vertically movable blade 33 and a stationary counter blade 37. The movable blade 33 is according to the FIGS. 7 and 8th fastened in a conventional manner to a yoke 34 and is moved with pull and guide rods 80 vertically. The tension and guide rods 80 are guided on guide bodies 35 and in each case via a sliding block 98 with a crank pin 36 in engagement. The two crank pins 36 are each attached to an eccentric 79 of a drive shaft 78. The yoke 34 becomes intermittently driven and has its rest position in the FIGS. 6 and 7 shown upper position. The waistband B is cut at its hem 30 as mentioned above. The knife 33 acts here according to the known shear principle with the counter blade 37 together.

At the yoke 34, a pressing beam 38 is arranged, which presses before the cut under the force of springs 75 on the collar B in order to achieve a perfect cut. After the cut of the press bar 38 which is attached to guide rods 74, again in the in the FIGS. 7 and 8th shown rest position moved upward. Instead of a single newspaper B, several folded newspaper bundles can be collected, cut and stapled as explained below.

The stapling of the newspaper B is done with a stapler H, the two stitching heads 41 and two Umbieger 39 has. The stitching heads 41 are as shown below the federal B and the Umbieger 39 arranged above this collar B. In each case a stapling head 41 works in a conventional manner with a bender 39 together. Stapled here with not shown, known staples. The Umbieger 39 are attached to a support 73 which is connected to the pressing beam 38 and moved vertically with this. When lowering the press bar 38 thus simultaneously Umbieger 39 are lowered and pressed against the collar B. Thus, the Umbieger 39 are automatically adjusted to the thickness of the newspaper Bund B. These are thus each in the optimal position when stapling. The Umbieger 39 have in the usual way not shown Umbiegerflügel for closing the staples, said Umbiegerflügel be operated with a pneumatic cylinder 40.

The stitching heads 41, which, as mentioned above, work together from below with the clinchers 39 are driven by a motor 77 independently of the knife 33. The stapling heads 41 each have in a known manner scenes 99 which are actuated by a crank pin 100. Preferably, the pressing bar 38 and the knife 33 have a much larger stroke than would be necessary for the cutting of the newspaper B bunch. This also allows a not optimally pressed newspaper bundle B unhindered run under the benders 39 and under the press bar 38 and the knife 33 and settle on the stop member 32 and align.

As mentioned, in the first work station A1 only newspaper bundles B are cut and stapled, with which tabloids are placed higher. If the newspaper binding B is provided for a newspaper Z in the broadsheet format, then this newspaper binding B is neither cut nor stapled, but calmed only at the stopper member 32. Here are the knife 33, the pressing beam 38 and the Umbieger 39 in the in the FIGS. 6 and 7 shown upper position and are not moved.

After stapling and cutting the federal B, if this has taken place, the stopper member 32 is lowered by operating a pneumatic cylinder 36 and the newspaper binding B slips due to the above and in FIG. 2 shown inclination independently due to its own weight over a waterfall 42 in the in the FIGS. 6 and 8th shown second workstation A2, which has a folding device 43. Of the Bundle B slips up to a stop 45 ( Fig. 9 ), which is arranged over two pressure rollers 46. When the newspaper bundle B slips into the second workstation A2, they are laterally separated from the one in FIG FIG. 10 shown guide plate 89 with respect to the two pressure rollers 46 centered. The two pressure rollers 46 cooperate with a folding ax 81, which is mounted vertically movable on a vertical guide rod 84. The vertical movement of the folding ax 81 takes place with a crank 83, which is actuated controlled by a drive 82. With the folding ax 81 of newspaper binding B is applied centrally and beaten between the mutually moving pressure rollers 46. These pressure rollers 46 are each according to FIG. 10 mounted on a two-armed lever 90 and are pressed against each other with a spring 91. With the two pressure rollers 46 thus the newspaper binding B is folded in the middle or provided with a collar. With an adjustment device 92, the force of the spring 91 and thus the contact pressure of the pressure rollers 46 can be adjusted. This adaptation to differently thick newspaper bundles is possible.

Instead of a single newspaper bundle B or B ', a plurality of newspaper bundles B or B' can also be collected over the two press rollers 46 and these can subsequently be folded together with the folding blade 44. If a newspaper with a broadsheet format is formed from the newspaper binding B or B ', then this fold is the second fold which runs at right angles to the fold mentioned above. In a tabloid, however, the only fold is formed, which runs centrally and along the staples.

The folded newspaper bundle B is moved downwards by the current press rollers 46 and fed to a delivery belt 48 via a delivery star 47. The display star 47 has according to FIG. 10 a drum 93 to which a plurality of sheets 94 are fixed, the pockets 101 for receiving at least one newspaper B or B 'have. On this delivery belt 48, the newspapers Z are transported, for example, in a shingled stream for further processing. The display star 47 or another display device can be designed so that with this several newspaper bundles B and B 'collected, for example, are inserted into each other. The insertion takes place in each case in a pocket 101. A first collar B or B 'is here in a pocket 101 upwards V-shaped open, so that a second collar B or B' can be inserted from above into this covenant. It can in this way more than two sheets B and B 'inserted into each other and thus very thick newspapers Z are made. The newspapers Z according to FIG. 10 Thus, several newspaper bundles B may include. A newspaper Z may also contain one or more newspaper bundles B in broadsheet format and one or more newspaper bundles B in tabloid format. It can thus be produced very large newspapers Z. The trimmed tabloids can have different dimensions or formats, which also applies to the newspaper B in broadsheet format.

Claims (32)

1. A method of producing digitally printed newspapers (Z) comprising at least one section (B) consisting of sheets (4) folded roughly in the middle and sequentially printed, said method involving the following steps:

   a) Folding the sheets (4), which are separately conveyed one after the other in a folding device (11)

   b) Gathering the folded sheets (4) in a gathering station (S) to form a section (B)

   c) Feeding the section (B) to a workstation (A2), at which the section (B) is folded roughly in the middle.
2. A method according to Claim 1, characterized in that a continuous paper web (1) is sequentially printed in a printing machine (D).
3. A method according to Claim 2, characterized in that the continuous printed paper web (1) is cut using a guillotine (3).
4. A method according to Claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the sheets (4) are separated from one another on a first conveying stretch (F1).
5. A method according to Claim 1, characterized in that, after the separation process, the sheets (4) are laterally centred in a centring device (8).
6. A method according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, on entering the folding device (11), the sheets (4) are weakened in the middle for foaming the fold.
7. A method according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the sheets (4) are gathered in the gathering station (S) on a stationary conveying device (F1) to form a section (B).
8. A method according to Claim 7, characterized in that the sheets (4) on the conveying device (F1) are butted up against a preferably adjustable stop (18).
9. A method according to Claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the conveying device (F1) is a gathering chain (17).
10. A method according to one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the separate sheets (4) are gathered on the conveying device (F1) in such a way as to straddle it or by means of insertion.
11. A method according to one of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the gathering station (S) has an extendable knife (20), on which sheets (4) can be retained until a complete section (B) gathered on the conveying device (F1) has been transported onwards.
12. A method according to one of Claims 7 to 11, characterized in that the gathered and complete section (B) is lifted from the conveying device (F1) by means of an ejector comb (29) and is fed to a delivery device (28).
13. A method according to one of Claims 1 to 12, characterized in that a first workstation (A1) is provided, at which a section (B) can be cut and/or stitched along its fold gutter (30).
14. A method according to Claim 13, characterized in that each section (B) to be processed at the first workstation (A1) slides, under the force of gravity, towards a stop element (32) and rests against it.
15. A method according to one of Claims 1 to 14, characterized in that folding is carried out at a second workstation (A2).
16. A method according to Claim 14 or 15, characterized in that, for producing a printed product (Z) in broadsheet format, a complete section (B) each is provided with a second fold, which extends at right angles to a first fold.
17. A method according to one of Claims 1 to 16, characterized in that located upstream of the first workstation (A1) is a delivery device (28) and in that, downstream of the latter, means (31, 70) are provided, by which a section (B) each is aligned relative to the first workstation (A1).
18. Apparatus for carrying out the method according to Claim 1, comprising a folding device (11), a gathering station (S) and at least one workstation (A1, A2).
19. Apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that a first conveying stretch (F1) including a guillotine (3) is disposed upstream of the folding device (11).
20. Apparatus according to Claim 19, characterized in that, downstream of the guillotine (3), the first conveying stretch (F1) has means (5) for producing gaps between the separate sheets (4).
21. Apparatus according to Claim 20, characterized in that, downstream of the aforementioned means (5), the first conveying stretch (F1) has a centring device (8) for lateral centring of the sheets (4).
22. Apparatus according to one of Claims 18 to 21, characterized in that provided upstream of the folding device (11) are means (12), in particular scoring rollers (12), for producing a weakened line.
23. Apparatus according to one of Claims 18 to 22, characterized in that the gathering station (S) includes a gathering chain (17) which is driven intermittently.
24. Apparatus according to one of Claims 18 to 23, characterized in that located above the gathering station (S) is a separating knife (20) which can be extended in conveying direction.
25. Apparatus according to one of Claims 18 to 24, characterized in that the first workstation (A1) has a cutting device (33, 37) and/or a stitching device (H).
26. Apparatus according to Claim 25, characterized in that the cutting device has a press crosshead (38).
27. Apparatus according to Claim 25 or 26, characterized in that the stitching device (H) has at least one stitching head (41), which is located underneath a conveying path of the sheets (B) to be stitched and is associated with at least one clincher (39) located above said stitching head (41).
28. Apparatus according to one of Claims 18 to 27, characterized in that the first workstation (A1) has a stop element (32) at the end of an inclined conveying stretch.
29. Apparatus according to Claim 28, characterized in that the inclined conveying stretch has a gradient of at least 10°, and preferably 30°, relative to the horizontal.
30. Apparatus according to one of Claims 18 to 29, characterized in that a second workstation (A2) disposed downstream of the first workstation (A1) takes the form of a folding device (81, 83).
31. Apparatus according to Claim 30, characterized in that a delivery device (47) is associated with the folding device (43).
32. Apparatus according to Claim 31, characterized in that the delivery device (47) takes the form of an inserter.

Images