EP2181857B1 - Wire stitcher with variable chain distribution - Google Patents

Description

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

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 determines 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 a wire clamp. 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.

There are saddle stitchers with one-piece and two-piece chain to differentiate. In saddle stitchers with two-piece gathering chains, two roller chains are arranged in parallel. One collecting chain half assumes the function of the main collecting chain and the second collecting chain half assumes the function of the secondary collecting chain. The saddle-shaped chain roof is formed from Kettendachsgmenten which are mounted on the left and right in the conveying direction roller chains. From the EP 0 916 514 B1 For example, a two-part gathering chain is known, wherein the secondary collecting chain extends only in the area of the feeder up to the stitching station and the main collecting chain along the entire transport and stitching line beyond the stitching station. A collection chain designed in this way allows better accessibility in the area of the stitching station for assembly and adjustment work and thus a higher stitching quality.

The EP 881 180 B1 shows a saddle stitcher with one-piece gathering chain. The chain roof consists of chain end segments which are attached to a roller chain. The driver elements are fixedly arranged on the ridge of the gathering chain, whereby the gathering chain is particularly narrow executable. However, this takes the disadvantage that over the ridge arranged swords on the investors must have a corresponding distance.

An embodiment which addresses this disadvantage is disclosed in the European patent application EP 1 074 495 A1 disclosed. Here, the driver elements are movably attached to the gathering chain, so that they are pivotable from a substantially laterally projecting position into a substantially upwardly projecting position. Due to the change in position can peripherally mounted devices, eg. As inkjet devices, necessary space be procured and the driver elements so hinder the processing of the product. The driver elements continue to fulfill their function and lead the product on the legs of the signature. After the processing station there are restrictions due to the pivoted drivers. Thus, the product can not be stapled directly afterwards or checked for completeness, for example by means of ridge thickness measurement. Previously, the drivers must be pivoted back into their substantially laterally projecting position.

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. D. h., The distance between the drivers 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.

Another problem with the use of prior art saddle stitchers is in the area of the stapler's jib. A sword moving from below into the folding and stitching edge ejects the stapled product by a vertical movement. At the same time, however, the product is still transported by the carriers in a horizontal direction. Overlapping vertical and horizontal movement of the product may cause marks or paint deposits on the inside of the product by the trailing drivers.

The in the DE 10 2007 053 490 A1 disclosed collecting chain of a saddle stitcher has Kettendachsegmente and driver elements, wherein the driver elements are adjustable in their position. Thus, the driver elements in an inactive position form part of the chain roof of the gathering chain and in an active position they protrude transversely to the conveying direction from the chain roof of the gathering chain and fulfill the function of a driver. The driver element can be designed hinged and controlled by a control device. The control device consists of a drive device and a control mechanism, wherein the drive device is stationary or displaceable and the control mechanism is moved as part of the gathering chain. The control device acts on the control mechanism, whereby the position of each driver element can be adjusted individually, ie the driver element can be activated or deactivated.

The disadvantage here is that the driver elements have only a small contact surface in the ridge region of the collecting chain roof. This can be problematic, especially for thicker or stiffer products, if they do not rest completely on the chain roof in the ridge area.

If an error occurs in the area of a processing station of the saddle stitcher, the transport path is blocked and consequently the products can no longer be transported by the gathering chain, the ascending carrier elements are abruptly subjected to a load in which the driver elements can be destroyed or even the chain can be damaged. A then necessary repair is expensive and has a long machine failure result.

The object of the present invention is to provide a saddle stitcher which solves the problems of the prior art described.

This object is achieved by a saddle stitcher with the characterizing features of claim 1.

A saddle stitcher according to the invention has an endless gathering chain to which chain end-segment segments are attached. The chain end segments together form a chain roof for the step-by-step collection and transport of folded sheets. The gathering chain has foldable entrainment elements that are adjustable in their position, ie they form in an inactive position part of the chain roof of the gathering chain and in another, active position, the driver elements are transverse to the conveying direction of the chain roof of the gathering chain and cause a take away of folded bow. According to the invention, the driver elements are formed such that a respective driver element has an axis of rotation which lies substantially in the plane of the chain roof and is directed substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction. This has the advantage that the contact surface of a respective driver element in the ridge region of the collecting chain roof must not be reduced and also thicker or stiffer products safely abut and can be reliably transported. The described training the driver element has the further possible advantage that in an abrupt loading of the driver element neither the driver element nor the chain are destroyed, but the driver is pivoted about its axis of rotation in its inactive position.

In an advantageous development, a respective driver element has a load limiting element, which counteracts a collapse of the driver element from its active to its inactive position up to a limit load acting on the driver element. In an abrupt loading of the driver element, z. B. due to a material jam, the limit load is overcome, the driver element collapsed and destroyed or damaged neither this nor the chain.

In an advantageous development, the driver elements are controlled via at least one control device. It is particularly advantageous if each driver element can be activated or deactivated individually by means of the control device. This embodiment can be further developed to the effect that the driver elements seated in the conveying direction on the right and left of the gathering chain are individually controlled. Located on one side of the collection z. As an inkjet device for printing the products or a label dispenser for applying labels, it is advantageous to completely collapse the driver elements in the processing area. The driver elements thus fit into the carrier chain roof, form part of the support surface of the chain roof and hinder inline processing in no way. For this purpose, in front of the processing station there is a drive device which folds in the driver element, ie deactivates it, and after the processing station a further drive device which folds out and activates the driver element.

With regard to a further advantageous embodiment 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 erfindungsgemäßen Sammelhefter

Fig. 2

eine Sammelkette mit klappbaren Mitnehmerelementen

Fig. 3

ein klappbares Mitnehmerelement in einer Detailansicht

Fig. 4 a-c

das Mitnehmerelement aus Fig.3 in einer rückwärtigen Ansicht

Fig. 5

das Mitnehmerelement aus Fig.3 in einer weiteren Ansicht

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

Fig. 1

a saddle stitcher according to the invention

Fig. 2

a collection chain with folding driver elements

Fig. 3

a folding driver element in a detailed view

Fig. 4 ac

the driver element Figure 3 in a rear view

Fig. 5

the driver element Figure 3 in another view

Fig. 1 shows a saddle stitcher 100 for collecting folded sheets 201-209 for forming booklets which are stapled in the stitching station 8.

A first feeder 5, which is located at the beginning of the collecting line, places a separated folded sheet 205 on the gathering chain 20. The feeder is a prior art drum feeder. By the gathering chain 20 with driver elements 24 (in Fig. 1 not designated), the folded sheet 205 is transported further in the conveying direction a. A second feeder 6 deposits a second separated fold sheet 206 on the folded sheet 205 provided by the first feeder 5, and a third feeder 1 subsequently deposits another separated fold sheet 201 on the gathering chain 20.

Depending on the number of folded sheets forming the brochure, other (in Fig. 1 not shown) investors follow. The last in the conveying direction a feeder is a Umschlagfalzanleger 3, which folds a sheet 203 and deposits on the already collected sheet.

The brochure completed so far is transported by the gathering chain 20 in the conveying direction a to the stitching station 8. There, the brochure in a known manner by stapling heads (in Fig. 1 not marked) stapled. Directly to the stitching station 8, the region of the boom of the saddle stitcher 100 connects.

At the position I, and usually arranged at right angles to the collecting track, there are trimmers and display, which in Fig. 1 are not shown. In this case, a trimmer or a three-side trimmer with or without multiple-use separation can be used. The delivery can be configured as a cross delivery or parcel delivery.

Fig. 1 also shows various stations 2, 4, 9 for inline processing of the folded sheet on the gathering 20.

By means of a device 7, one half of a topmost folding sheet 207 is raised during the conveying movement in the conveying direction a into a nearly horizontal position whereby an inkjet device 2 can print the folded sheet 207 on its inside and the sheet of sheets 202 underneath. So that the folded sheet 202 leading driver element 24 (in Fig. 1 not designated) has not collided with the inkjet device 2, this is folded in front of this inline processing station. Since the inkjet device 2 is located in the conveying direction a to the left of the gathering chain 20, it is sufficient that in the conveying direction a on the left of the gathering chain 20 located driver element 24 (in Fig. 1 not designated). The device 7 can also be located in the conveying direction a to the right of the gathering chain 20. Then that would have to be folded in the conveying direction a right of the gathering chain 20 located driver element 24. As the driver element is folded, is in Fig. 3 described in more detail.
If a folded sheet 204 is to be printed on its upper side by an inkjet device 4 directly in its position on the gathering chain 20, then the driver element 24 (in Fig. 1 not designated) to avoid a collision of driver element 24 and inkjet device 4 are folded in front of the processing station.
Furthermore, the saddle stitcher 100 has a dispensing device 9 for applying further products to the folding sheet 209. This can be a label dispenser, product sample adhesive or card dispenser. So that in the conveying direction a right of the gathering chain 20 located driver element 24 (in Fig. 1 not designated), which transports the collected signatures along the dispensing device 9, does not collide with the dispensing device 9, the same entrainment element 24 (in FIG Fig. 1 not designated) previously folded.

Inkjet device 4 and Aufspendeeinrichtung 9 are in the embodiment of Fig. 1 arranged in the conveying direction a after the Umschlagfalzanleger 3 and serve the processing of the envelope. Inkjet device 4 and Aufspendeeinrichtung 9 may also be arranged at any other positions along the collection route.

Fig. 2 shows a product 200 which rides astride the chain roof 25 of a gathering chain 20 and is detected at its rear legs by a respective driver element 24. The driver element 24 protrudes from the carrier chain roof 23. The folded edge of the product 200 is guided by the cutting edge of the guide plate 21. Chain end segments 22, which are fastened to curved outer flaps 11 of the roller chain 10, form a chain face 25 as a bearing surface.
Further shows Fig. 2 the roller chain guide 12 of the roller chain 10th

In Fig. 3 is a attached to a roller chain 10 by means of an outer link 11 Kettendachsegment 23 shown with a driver element 24 in detail, which is moved in the conveying direction a. The driver element 24 has a surface 24.1, against which a sheet 200 to be transported rests (not shown). In this active position, the driver element 24 is folded out by 90 ° from the Mitnehmerkettendach 23 and thus from the plane E of the chain roof. This folding angle is in Fig. 3 denoted by c. The unfolding of the driver element 24 is effected by a non-descript folding mechanism 24.2. This can be done in an analogous manner to that in the DE 10 2007 053 490 A1 be described described controllable folding mechanism. When unfolding the driver element 24 is pivoted about its axis of rotation 30. The axis of rotation 30 is substantially perpendicular to the transport direction a and substantially in the plane E of the chain roof.

FIGS. 4a-c show the driver element 24, which is moved in the conveying direction a, in a view from the rear. These illustrations show how the driver element 24 can be folded from its inactive to its active position and vice versa from its active to its inactive position. About the control lever 31, an adjusting force F is introduced. Like in the DE 10 2007 053 490 A1 described, this force can be applied by a control cam 32 or an actuator. In Fig. 4b is the driver element 24 in its inactive position. A fixed cam 32 acts with an adjusting force F on the control lever 31 and causes its upward movement and thus unfolding, ie activate the driver element 24. In Fig. 4c is the driver element 24 in its active position. A stationary cam 32 acts with an adjusting force F on the control lever 31 and causes its downward movement and thus collapse, ie deactivate the driver 24. Analogous to that in the DE 10 2007 053 490 A1 described driver element has the driver element 24 shown here a knife edge bearing 42, so that a small force sufficient for the flaps of the driver element 24.
Next, the driver element 24 has a in Fig. 4a indicated load limiting element 40. The load limiting element 40 is as in Fig. 5 represented by the cutting edge bearing 42, a lever 44 and an angle 43 formed. By means of a compression spring 41, the limit load can be adjusted. A product 200 resting against the contact surface 24.1 permanently effects a restoring force on the driver element 24 during its transport. This restoring force is opposite to the spring force of the compression spring 41. Now, the restoring force is greater than the spring force, z. B. due to a material jam in the area of the gathering chain 20, so the driver element 24 works. By this action of the load limiting element 40, damage or destruction of the driver element 24 and the roller chain 10 can be prevented.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

investor

2

inkjet

3

cover folder

4

inkjet

5

investor

6

investor

7

Device for unfolding the product

8th

finisher

9

Aufspendeeinrichtung

10

roller chain

11

curved outer link of the roller chain

12

Roller chain guide

20

collecting chain

21

guide plate

22

Chain roof segment

23

Chain roof segment

24

dogging

24.1

contact surface

24.2

folding mechanism

25

chain roof

30

axis of rotation

31

control lever

32

frame-firm control curve

40

Load limiter member

41

Compression spring, adjusting device

42

cutting camp

43

angle

44

lever

100

saddle stitcher

200

Product: folded bow

201,202,204,205,206,207,209

Product: folded bow

203

Product: unfolded bow

a

conveying direction

c

Folding angle of the driver element

e

Level of the chain roof

F

adjusting

I

Position of trimmer and display

Claims (6)

1. Saddle stitcher (100) including an endless saddle chain (20) to which chain saddle segments (22, 23) are attached, the chain saddle segments (22, 23) forming a chain saddle for collating and transporting folded sheets (200) in a straddling manner, wherein the saddle chain (20) includes chain saddle segments (23) with a respective foldable entrainment element (24), the entrainment elements (24) being adjustable in terms of position and, in an inactive position, forming a part of the chain saddle (25) of the saddle chain (20) and, in an active position, protruding from the chain saddle (25) of the saddle chain (20) in a direction transverse to the conveying direction (a),
   characterized in
   that a respective entrainment element (24) includes an axis of rotation (30) essentially located in the plane (E) of the chain saddle (25) and essentially directed perpendicular to the conveying direction (a).
2. Saddle stitcher according to Claim 1,
   characterized in
   that a respective entrainment element (24) includes a load-limiting element (40) that counteracts a folding-in of the entrainment element (24) from its active position into its inactive position up to a limit load acting on the entrainment element (24).
3. Saddle stitcher according to Claim 1,
   characterized in
   that the load-limiting element (40) includes an adjustment device (41) for adjusting the effective limit load.
4. Saddle stitcher according to any one of Claims 1 to 3,
   characterized in
   that the entrainment elements (24) are controlled by at least one control device.
5. Saddle stitcher according to Claim 4,
   characterized in
   that using the control device, each entrainment element (24) can individually be activated or deactivated.
6. Saddle stitcher according to Claim 5,
   characterized in
   that the entrainment elements (24), which are located to the right and to the left on the saddle chain (20) in the conveying direction (a), can be actuated individually.

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