EP2119568B1 - Wire stitcher - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a saddle stitcher according to the preamble of claim 1.

Such a saddle stitcher is from the document DE 10058796 A1 known.

Generic saddle stitchers are known. From folded sheet investors individual folded sheets are separated from a stack, opened and placed on the gathering chain. The gathering chain has a guide device whose upper portion is formed like a blade and whose ridge line defines the transport and stitching line, and a substantially roof-shaped support on which the signatures are transported astride. In order to securely capture the folded sheets deposited on the gathering chains, even at high processing speeds, and to achieve safe entrainment and to transport them uniformly, the collecting chain has entrainment elements which convey the deposited folding sheets in the horizontal direction. The folded sheets conveyed by the gathering chain and the carriers are transported through the gathering chain up to a stitching station, in which successive folded sheets are stapled in the fold with the aid of wire staples. For this purpose, stapling heads arranged above the gathering chain and clincher boxes arranged below the gathering chain which bend the free ends of the wire staples pierced by the stapling heads through the folding sheets. Thereafter, the stapled folded sheets are transported in the boom area of the gathering chain for further processing. For example, edge trim and display follow.

The productivity of a saddle stitcher depends not only on the operating speed, but also on how many products can be processed with the machine in a given time. In order to increase the number of products per unit of time and thus the productivity of the saddle stitcher, without increasing the speed of the gathering chain, the chain pitch is adapted to the product format, ie, the distance between the pins on the gathering chain is changed. Since with smaller products a smaller distance between the drivers on the gathering chain is sufficient, by a corresponding reduction of this distance more products can be stored on the gathering chain per unit of time, whereby the productivity increases.

Various approaches to changing the chain pitch are known in the art. For example, driving elements can be attached to outer straps of roller chains by means of screwing and simply removed again. Or entrainment elements can be attached without tools to the external straps of the roller chain by means of clamping connections.
In a further variant, the driver elements may be designed as plastic pins which are inserted into saddle segments of the collector chain provided with receiver holes.
The problem with these approaches is that the manual change of the chain pitch is complex and time-consuming. The necessary downtime for adapting the machine to the product format, in turn, requires less productivity.

The post-published EP 1939008 A2 equals to DE 10 2007 053 490 A1 and shows a saddle stitcher with an endless gathering chain for rallying and transporting folded sheets, the gathering chain having chain end segments and dog elements and the cam element being adjustable in position. The folding driver element forms in an inactive position part of the roof of the gathering chain and protrudes in a different, active position transversely to the conveying direction from the roof of the gathering chain. By means of a control device, the driver element can be controlled. By folding out or folding in the driver elements, the chain pitch of the collector chain can be quickly and easily adapted to different product formats to be processed.

In such a saddle stitcher, the speed profile of the stapler must be adapted to the saddle stitching. The associated conversion effort is time-consuming and therefore disadvantageous.

The closing movement of the Umbiegers is usually initiated by frame fixed arranged curves via a arranged on the stitching lever. This also requires an adaptation of the drive of the bender to the corresponding collection chain pitch. This can be done for example by a complex replacement of the frame-fixed guide curves.

Object of the present invention is therefore to provide a saddle stitcher, which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art and in which the adaptation of the drive of the bender to the collection chain division is unnecessary.

This object is achieved by a saddle stitcher with the characterizing feature of claim 1. In the saddle stitcher according to the invention is advantageously ensured that the drive of the bender does not have to be adapted to the collection chain pitch and is independent of the position of the stitching carriage. In particular, the drive is therefore independent of frame-mounted control cams.

The saddle stitcher according to the invention for gathering signatures of paper or paperboard, for wire stapling of the collected signatures and for laying out the stitched signatures comprises a collecting section with a conveyor driven by a first drive, a stitching station and a delivery station. The conveying means of the collecting line can in particular be a collecting chain, which is driven by a controllable electric motor. The stapling station has a stapling carriage with at least one stapling head, wherein the stapling carriage during the stapling operation at approximately the speed of the collected signatures, d. H. the speed of the conveyor, is moved by a second drive. This second drive may in particular be a controllable electric motor. The stapling carriage comprises at least one bender, which is assigned to the at least one stapling head, so that each stapling head is assigned a bender. The Umbieger, also referred to as Klinscher, is driven by a third drive. Thus, it is advantageously possible to optimize the Klinschzeitpunkt the staple closing process. This can be controlled variably and independently of the machine speed and adapted to the stapling speed.

In a first advantageous development of the saddle stitcher according to the invention, both the stapling head and the clincher are driven by the third drive. Stapling head and Umbieger are each connected via a gearbox with the third drive, wherein the transmission of the clincher has a cam gear, a coupling gear, a Nutwelle, a Nutwellemutter and a clinching ram. The cam mechanism is by means of Belt connected to the third drive, the groove shaft is connected by means of the coupling gear with the cam gear and the clinching ram is connected by means of the Nutwelle nut with the groove shaft. The ram tappet is displaceable together with the Nutwellenmutter on the Nutwelle. Since the Nutwellenmutter is connected to the stitching carriage, both are moved together by the stitching carriage drive, the second drive.

In a second advantageous development of the saddle stitcher according to the invention, the bender is driven by the third drive and the stapling head by a fourth drive. The third drive advantageously has a controllable electric motor, in particular a servomotor. Alternatively, the third drive may have a pneumatic cylinder.

With regard to further advantages and advantageous embodiments of the invention, reference is made to the dependent claims and the description of an embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings.

embodiment

Fig. 1

einen Sammelhefter für Broschuren in vereinfachter Darstellung mit Anlegern, einer Heftstation und einer darauf folgenden Auslegestation sowie mit hier nicht im Detail dargestellten Transportmitteln, welche von den Anlegern abgegebene Signaturen zur Heftstation und anschließend zur Ausgabestation befördern,

Fig. 2a

eine Prinzipdarstellung der Schaltungseinheit in einer ersten Position

Fig. 2b

eine Prinzipdarstellung der Schaltungseinheit in einer zweiten Position

Fig. 3a

einen Schnitt durch den Sammelhefter quer zur Transportrichtung und den Antrieb von Heftkopf und Umbieger in einer Prinzipdarstellung

Fig. 3b

verschiedene Ausführungsbeispiele für den Antrieb des Umbiegers

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment. It show in a schematic representation

Fig. 1

a saddle stitcher for brochures in a simplified representation with investors, a stitching station and a subsequent delivery station, as well as transport means not shown here in detail, which convey signatures issued by the investors to the stitching station and subsequently to the delivery station;

Fig. 2a

a schematic diagram of the circuit unit in a first position

Fig. 2b

a schematic diagram of the circuit unit in a second position

Fig. 3a

a section through the saddle stitcher transverse to the transport direction and the drive of stapling head and Umbieger in a schematic representation

Fig. 3b

Various embodiments for the drive of the clincher

The machine components of the saddle stitcher according to Fig. 1 In the present exemplary embodiment, these comprise three feeders 10, 12, 14, each of which transmits a signature 16, 18, 20 to a continuous conveyor 34 (not shown in detail here). The thus ab- and superimposed signatures 16, 18, 20 form together collected signatures 30, which as before the forming paperback, in a transport direction according to the arrow P along a transport and stitching line 22 is transported, along the Investors 10, 12, 14 and a stitching station 24 also extends to a delivery station 29. The stitching station 24 in the present exemplary embodiment comprises two stitching heads 26 and a respective one assigned to them, in FIG Fig. 1 unrecognizable Umbieger which bend by means of stapling heads 26 in the booklets to be stapled 30 wire clips 27 and that the legs of the wire staples 27, which have penetrated the collected signatures 30.

The Umbieger form together with the stitching heads 26 and not shown devices for producing the wire staples 27, a machine component in the form of a stapler.

The delivery station 29 comprises in the present embodiment, a machine component in the form of an ejector, not shown. The ejector engages in the respective fold breakage of the stapled brochure 32 and lifts it out of the transport and stapling line 22 so that it can be transported further in the direction of the arrow T, preferably in the direction of a trimming device.

From the stitching station 24 upstream with respect to the transport direction according to arrow P, a measuring station 33 is provided, in which the thickness of the stitched together to be stapled signatures 30 is determined.

The continuous conveyor 34 is formed in the present embodiment as an endless operationally circulating collecting chain, are arranged on which driver 35, which in this case astride the saddle transferred signatures 16, 18, 20 and finally pushed to stapled compiled signatures 30 in front of him.

The FIGS. 2a and 2 B show the drive of the ejector carriage 108 and the stitching carriage 107 for large or alternatively for small product format. Shown is the drive for each aggregated signatures of large product format 30G, which are shown in phantom, and small product format 30K, which are shown by a solid line. The signatures 30 are from a continuous conveyor 34, z. B. a gathering chain, transported in the transport direction P by the stitching station 24 to the delivery station 29.

For example, the large-format products may be products in the A3 format, while the small-format products may be products in the A4 format.

In Fig. 2a is the situation in the acquisition of stapled signatures 30 and the subsequent stapling in the stitching station 24 shown. There is shown a collated large product format signature 30G which is passed through the cam 35G and processed by the stapling head (not shown) of the stapling carriage 107G. Also shown is a small product format 30K compiled signature carried by a driver 35K and processed by the stapling head (not shown) of the stapling carriage 107K. The stapling carriage 107 is moved vertically during the stapling operation at approximately the speed of the signatures 30 to be stapled.

In Fig. 2b the situation when laying out the stitched brochure in the delivery station 29 is shown. Fig. 2b shows a stapled paperback of large product format 32G which abuts a driver 35G as well as a stapled paperback of small product format 32K which abuts a cam 35K. Stapled brochures 32G and 32K, respectively, are laid out by an ejector (not shown) mounted on the ejector carriage 108. The center of the ejector carriage thereby assumes the position of the center of the delivery station 170, which coincides with the center of the stapled brochures 32, regardless of whether it is a large product format 32G or a small product format 32K.

The stapling carriage 107 is guided by a linear guide 109 and is moved during the stapling operation in a horizontal plane at about the speed of the signature 30. The stapling carriage 107 is driven by a stapling carriage drive 140. The ejector carriage 108 is also guided by a linear guide 109 and moved approximately at the speed of the stapled brochures 32 during the ejecting operation. The ejector carriage 108 is driven by an ejector carriage drive 150.

The stitching carriage drive 140 and the ejector carriage drive 150 are mechanically coupled together. In an alternative embodiment, not shown, the two drives 150, 140 could also be coupled together by an electronic shaft.

The gathering chain 34 has drivers 35, which serve to transport the collected signatures 30. To adapt to the product format of the signatures 30 to be processed, the position of the drivers 35 on the gathering chain 34 can be adapted. For large product format 30G compiled signatures, the drivers 35G are at a different position than the 35K small product format carriers 35K. In this way, the gathering chain 34 can be set to a large chain pitch G for a large product format and a small chain pitch K for a small product format.

In order to guarantee a central stapling in the stitching station 24 and a central laying in the delivery station 29, on the one hand the length of the horizontal lifting movement of the stitching carriage 107 and the horizontal distance of stapling carriage 107 to the center of the delivery station 29 must be adjusted. This is done by the circuit unit 160:
The stitching carriage drive 140 comprises a crank 101, on which a drive coupling 102 is rotatably mounted. At its second end, the drive coupling 102 is connected to a rocker 104. The rocker 104 includes a guide 106, in which a coupling element for coupling the drive coupling 103 is displaceable. The Drive coupling 103 is connected at its second end to the stapling carriage 107 and causes its horizontal lifting movement. To adapt the large product format circuit unit 160, the coupling point 135G is moved by the actuator 105 to the upper end of the guide 106. In order to adapt the circuit unit 160 to a small product format, the coupling point 135K is moved by the actuator 105 to the lower end of the guide 106. By this adjustment, on the one hand, the size of the vertical lifting movement of the stitching carriage 107 and the position of the stitching carriage center 180 are adapted to the chain pitch. For the large chain pitch for large product format G, the stitching carriage center is located at position 180G, for the chain pitch for small product format the stitching carriage center is at position 180K. By this setting, the horizontal distance between the stitching carriage center 180 and the center of the delivery station 29 is adjusted. Additional mechanical setup procedures, such. As a change of the crank radius and positioning of the stitching heads deleted so.

In Fig. 3a the drive of the clincher 290 and the stapling head 26 is shown. The drive of the stapling head 26 causes a staple to be driven into the gathered signature 30, the drive of the clincher 290 causes the staple driven into the product to bend over. Both the stapling head 26 and the clincher 290 are attached to the stapling carriage 107. The stapling carriage 107 is guided by linear guides 109 and thus supported on the machine frame 201. The stapling head drive 275 is mounted on the machine frame 201 and comprises a toothed belt pulley 204 for driving a toothed belt 281 which rotates about this first toothed belt pulley 204 associated with the stapling head drive 275 and a second toothed belt pulley 204 associated with a cam mechanism 205. When the timing belts 281 and 282 are identical, the rotational movement of the grooved cam of the stapling head drive 275 is transmitted to the cam gear 205 via the timing belt 282. About the coupling gear 209 and the pivoting movement of the groove shaft 203, a lifting movement 208 of the ram tappet is effected, which then actuates the Umbieger 290.
If the toothed belts 281 and 282 are not identical, a drive movement for operating the stapling head 26 can be transmitted by the toothed belt 281 from a first drive (not shown). From the timing belt 282 can not from a second Drive shown a drive movement via the cam gear 205 are transferred to the bender 290.

The control of the clincher tappet 208 also results Fig. 3b , The rotational movement of the toothed belt pulley 204 is transmitted via the cam gear 205 to a coupling gear 209, which causes a pivoting movement of a stationarily mounted groove shaft 203. On the groove shaft 203, a ball-guided Nutshaft nut 202 is mounted horizontally displaceable. With the Nutwelle nut 202 of the ram plunger 208 is indirectly connected, which actuates the Umbieger 290 by its lifting movement. Directly above the bender 290 is a collated signature (not shown) and above a stapling head 26 (not shown).

In Fig. 3b three alternative ways to drive the Umbiegers 290 are indicated. In a first alternative, the cam gear is not as in Fig. 3a from a toothed belt 282 but directly driven by an electric motor 210. In a second alternative, the groove shaft 203 could be driven directly via a servomotor 206. Coupling gear 209, cam gear 205 and timing pulleys 204 would then not be necessary. In a third alternative, a servomotor 207 could be arranged directly on the stapling carriage 107 and the rotational movement of the servomotor 207 via a crank mechanism or a cam mechanism could bring about the lifting movement of the clincher plunger 208. Also, a linear actuator or a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder could cause the stroke directly. Coupling gear 209, cam gear 205 and timing pulleys 204 would then not be necessary.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

saddle stitcher

10

investor

12

investor

14

investor

16

signature

18

signature

20

signature

22

Transport and stapling line

24

finisher

26

stapling head

27

wire clamp

29

delivery station

29.1

ejector

30

Compiled signatures

30G

compiled signatures large product format

30K

compiled signatures small product format

32

stapled paperback

32G

stapled paperback big product format

32K

stapled paperback small product format

33

Observed

34

Continuous conveyor / collector chain

35

takeaway

35G

Position driver for large product format

35K

Position driver for small product format

40

Drive collecting chain

101

crank

102

drive coupling

103

drive coupling

103G

Position drive coupling for large product format

103K

Position drive coupling for small product format

104

wing

105

actuator

106

guide

107

stitching carriage

107G

Position stapler for large product format

107K

Position stapling carriage for small product format

108

Auswerferschlitten

109

linear guide

110

transmission

111

crank

112

paddock

124

Coupling point drive coupling - rocker

135

Coupling point output coupling - rocker

135G

Position Crosspoint Output coupling - Swingarm for large product format

135K

Position Crosspoint Output coupling - Swingarm for small product format

140

Stitching carriage drive

150

Auswerferschlittenantrieb

160

circuit unit

170

Position middle delivery station

180

Position middle stitching carriage

180G

Position stitching carriage center for large product format

180K

Position stitching carriage means for small product format

201

machine frame

202

Spline

203

splined shaft

204

Timing pulley

205

cam gear

206

servomotor

207

servomotor

208

Lifting ram tappet

209

coupling gear

210

electric motor

275

Stitching head drive

281

toothed belt

282

toothed belt

290

Clincher / clincher

G

large chain pitch for large product format

K

small chain pitch for small product format

P

Transport direction of the signatures

T

Outward direction of the signatures

Claims (7)

1. Wire stitcher (1) for assembling signatures (14, 16, 18; 20) for wire staple binding the assembled signatures (30) and for delivery of the stitched signatures (32), comprising a gathering path (34) with a conveying means (34) driven by a first drive (40), in particular comprising a controllable electric motor, a stitching station (24) and a delivery station (29), wherein the stitching station (24) comprises a stitching carriage (107) with at least one stitching head (26) and the stitching carriage (107) is moved during the stitching process at the speed of the assembled signatures (30) by a second drive (140), particularly comprising a controllable electric motor, wherein the stitching carriage (107) comprises at least one folder (290) which is associated with the at least one stitching head (26), characterised in that the folder (290) is driven by a third drive (275, 206, 207, 210) to carry out a closing movement of the folder (290).
2. Wire stitcher according to claim 1, characterised in that the stitching head (26) and the folder (290) are driven by the third drive (275).
3. Wire stitcher according to claim 2, characterised in that the stitching head (26) and the folder (290) are each connected to the third drive (275) by means of a transmission, wherein the transmission of the folder (290) comprises a cam mechanism (205), a coupler mechanism (209), a grooved shaft (203), a grooved shaft nut (202) and a clincher pusher (208), wherein the cam mechanism (205) is connected by means of at least one belt (281, 282) to the third drive (275), wherein the grooved shaft (203) is connected by means of the coupler mechanism (209) to the cam mechanism (205), and wherein the clincher pusher (208) is connected by means of the grooved shaft nut (202) to the grooved shaft (203) and is displaceable thereon together with the grooved shaft nut (202) and with the stitching carriage (107).
4. Wire stitcher according to claim 1, characterised in that the folder (290) is driven by the third drive (206, 207, 210) and the stitching head is driven by a fourth drive (275).
5. Wire stitcher according to claim 4, characterised in that the third drive (206, 207, 210) comprises a controllable electric motor.
6. Wire stitcher according to claim 5, characterised in that the third drive (206, 207, 210) comprises a servomotor.
7. Wire stitcher according to claim 4, characterised in that the third drive (206, 207, 210) comprises a pneumatic cylinder.

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