EP2383214A1 - Collating apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The collation device (90) comprises a haulage track and a receiving device (13) which is carried on the haulage track by spatial flexible, particularly chain-like haulage organ. The receiving device comprises a clamping unit, where the receiving device clamps the pre-products (P) in the clamping unit. An independent claim is also included for a method for collating the laminar compressed products, particular of pre-products.

Description

The present invention relates to the field of post-press processing. It relates to a collating apparatus according to the preamble of claim 1 and a method for operating a collating apparatus according to the preamble of claim 14.

From the prior art, rigid solutions for the collation of printed products are known, which are based on an arrangement of feed stations on a circular or nearly circular conveyor track. From the publication US 3953018 There is known a collating apparatus which is based on the object of designing the machine for inserting newspaper sections into newspaper envelopes in such a way that it can continue to operate even if some units fail in it. This object is achieved in that laterally on the magazine downstream of this in the direction of migration of the pockets is also containing envelopes auxiliary magazine whose conveyor is independent of the conveyor of the magazine and is under a control with a sensor that the conveyor of the magazine is assigned and responds to the failure of such that in this case the conveyor of the auxiliary magazine is engageable and the bag in question charged with the envelope. In this case, the circular conveyor track consists of two identical 180 ° sectors, which fill in parallel in the same way envelopes with documents and then deliver them via two outlets on two conveyor belts. A flexible further processing is not provided.

A similar fault-tolerant collating device with multiple outputs and circular conveyor track is also from the EP 0389745 known. Also in this collator a different type of processing is not provided. Rather, if one of the multiple collapse lines is broken, this collation line is shut down while the other lines continue to operate.

Above all, the problem with these known, rigid devices is that large quantities of printed products, such as those arising from the printing press-in particular from the rotation-continue to be processed in real time.

In modern print finishing, however, in addition to high performance, above all a flexible operation is required in which different products must be processed in different ways at different times. Until now, a separate collating device was used for each type of further processing, were collected in the precursors or supplements and each supplied a kind of processing, either on a single way or on several parallel paths, as the above-mentioned publications show.

If several processing operations on different lines with different steps or operations are performed in one operation, a corresponding number of gathering devices had to be set up and operated. This meant a large expenditure on equipment and resulted in an increased space requirement.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a collator and a method for operating a collator, which avoid the disadvantages of known collating devices, and allow flexible operation with reduced equipment costs and reduced space requirements.

The objects are achieved by a collator with all of the features of claim 1 and a method of operating a collator with all of the features of claim 14. Essential for the invention is that the receiving units are conveyed on a conveyor track by means of a spatially flexible, preferably chain-like, self-contained conveyor member, that the receiving units each have clamping means which collected in the receiving units Pre-products, that is, at least one intermediate product, clamped hold, and that at several points of the conveyor transfer devices are arranged, which take over collected precursors or supplements from the receiving units for further processing and transport away. Due to the special design of the conveyor track, the receiving units and the multiple transfer devices, it is possible with the same collating device without additional effort to perform different further processing processes with the collected precursors without changeover time successively or even simultaneously.

The transfer units according to the invention are units which control the products or, in particular, the collected product collections in a known manner from the receiving units of the collating apparatus and transfer them to the collated stack for further processing while keeping the relative position of the products as accurately as possible. These units are therefore not to be confused with a waste disposal, as it is also known from genus same systems of the type "Flystream" of the Applicant. Here only incomplete or surplus product collections are dropped or otherwise discharged and collected in a collection container. The waste copies must be disposed of or sorted out by hand and manually returned to processing. The waste discharge takes place in the inventive devices in the simplest case by opening the clip and gravity-driven emptying of the receiving units.

An embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the conveyor track comprises an upper track or run and a lower track or run, which are substantially parallel and connected at the ends by deflection areas and form a closed circuit, and that at least one collation area on upper track piece is provided and at the lower track piece and / or at the deflection areas a plurality of transfer means are arranged. The gathering areas are characterized by the fact that in them precursors and / or supplements are conveyed by means of at least one feed device the receiving units. Preferably, a plurality of feed device are arranged in a space-saving manner on both sides of the conveyor track in each collating area.

In particular, in this case, the upper track piece and the lower track piece may each comprise a plurality of straight track pieces whose orientation is different, and which are interconnected by at least one curved portion.

Precursors according to the present invention are preferably collected successively and one above the other.

A further embodiment of the invention is characterized in that a plurality of collating regions are arranged one after the other at the conveying path in the direction of circulation. Since the receiving units are conveyed by means of a spatially flexible, preferably chain-like conveying member, a linear section of a conveyor track can be rotated about its longitudinal axis, so that the receiving units are linearly conveyed while passing through this section and simultaneously pivoted radially. Without a collator having an upper run and a lower strand can be in this way the receiving units from above in a gathering area equipped with precursors or supplements, then the collected product groups can be by pivoting the receiving units by 180 ° down and through again pivoting about 180 ° can be in a further collection area in turn lead from above products. The functionality of the upper and lower run is realized by pivoting in an area of the device which is substantially linearly aligned.

In particular, at least one transfer device can be provided between successive collation areas.

Furthermore, it is possible that the conveyor track is led out between successive collation areas to form an intermediate loop, and that the associated transfer device is arranged on the intermediate loop.

According to another embodiment, a plurality of transfer devices are arranged in the direction of circulation directly behind one another on the conveyor track, without a collation area lying between them.

Another embodiment is characterized in that the conveyor track runs predominantly in a horizontal plane.

Another embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the feeders are arranged in the at least one collating area alternately on opposite sides of the conveyor track.

A further embodiment of the invention is characterized in that a controller is provided which controls the feeders and the transfer means in a predetermined manner so that the desired combinations of products are available at the transfer means.

As already mentioned, it is possible with the help of the new device and the new method, with the same collating device without additional effort to carry out different further processing processes with the collected precursors without retooling time successively or even simultaneously. Each of the recording units can be equipped in a known manner in the gathering area with a collection of precursors and / or supplements. It can be here with everyone Receiving unit to act an identical collection or different receiving units are supplied by various feeders with products, so that they transport different collections. Depending on the production plan and on the capacity of the subsequent processing devices, directly successive pick-up units can be equipped with different product collections, or groups of a few to several dozen pick-up units are supplied in batch mode with a specific product collection and a subsequent group receives a different set of products from other feeders. Because the devices according to the invention comprise at least two transfer devices, it is possible to assign the product collection from each receiving unit to a very specific transfer device and thus to supply it to a specific further processing.

Thus, for example, identical product collections can be fed via a first transfer device to further processing, in which they are plugged into a main product, and via a second transfer device, they can be subjected to further processing in which they are welded into film. The separation of the product streams can optionally take place simultaneously or sequentially for individual recording units or groups of recording units.

If different product collections are collected in different receiving units, then a first type of collection can be fed to a specific further processing via a first transfer device and a second collection can be supplied to a further processing via a second transfer device. This can in turn be done in succession, that is to say first the first type of collection is collected and further processed, and then the second type of collection is collected and processed further. According to the present invention, it is now also possible to collect both types at the same time and the intended further processing supply. If the systems required for simultaneous further processing are not available or do not have sufficient capacity, a particular collection from a transfer device may also be delivered to a storage device, such as known from the prior art in the form of large packages or discs be fed at a later time of further processing.

If more than two transfer devices are present in a device according to the invention, then three or more different types of product collections can be supplied to different further processing or identical types of product collections are supplied to different further processing or identical types of product collections are fed to parallel, identical further processing.

The devices according to the invention all make it possible to return incomplete collections and to complete them. This is made possible by a product tracking over the entire device. The controller records the type and number of products that are collected in each unit. Since the position of each receiving unit is known at all times, not only incomplete product collections can be repaired with the missing precursor or products, but also product collections from certain receiving units can also be selectively directed to specific transfer devices.

Figur 1

in einem vergrößerten Ausschnitt in der Seitenansicht die obere und untere Bahn einer mit klemmenden Aufnahmeeinheiten ausgestatteten Zusammentragvorrichtung, wie sie für die Verwirklichung der Erfindung besonders geeignet ist;

Figur 2

in der Seitenansicht die Konfiguration der Zusammentragvorrichtung aus Figur 1, wobei an einer Stelle der umlaufenden Förderbahn eine beispielhafte Transfereinrichtung zur Entnahme der zusammengetragenen Produkte dargestellt und die mindestens eine weitere Transfereinrichtung weggelassen ist;

Figur 3

in der Draufsicht von oben eine beispielhafte Zusammentragvorrichtung gemäss einer weiteren Ausführungsform mit zwei in unterschiedliche Richtungen orientierten Zusammentragbereichen, in denen jeweils auf gegenüberliegenden Seiten alternierend Zufördereinrichtungen für die Vorprodukte und/oder Beilagen angeordnet sind;

Figur 4

in vereinfachter Darstellung eine zu Figur 2 vergleichbare Zusammentragvorrichtung, bei der gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung an zwei verschiedenen Stellen der Förderbahn jeweils eine Transfereinrichtung angeordnet ist und eine Steuerung angedeutet ist;

Figur 5

in einer zu Figur 4 vergleichbaren Darstellung ein weiteres Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung, bei dem zwei separate Transfereinrichtungen am einen Ende der Förderbahn angeordnet sind;

Figur 6

in einer zu Figur 4 und 5 vergleichbaren Darstellung ein weiteres Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung, bei dem mehr als zwei Transfereinrichtungen an verschiedenen Stellen der Förderbahn vorgesehen sind, wobei eine der Transfereinrichtungen zwischen zwei aufeinanderfolgenden Zusammentragbereichen angeordnet ist;

Figur 7 in

der Draufsicht von oben ein anderes Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung, bei dem die Förderbahn überwiegend in einer horizontalen Ebene verläuft und mehrere Zusammentragbereiche und Transfereinrichtungen vorgesehen sind;

Figur 8 in

einer perspektivischen Ansicht ein weiteres Ausführungsbeispiel gemäss der vorliegenden Erfindung bei dem die Förderbahn in mehreren horizontalen Ebene verläuft und zwei Transfereinrichtungen in unterschiedlichen Ebenen und unterschiedlichen Richtungen angeordnet sind;

Figur 9

ebenfalls in einer perspektivischen Darstellung ein weiteres Ausführungsbeispiel bei dem drei Zusammentragbereiche und drei Transfereinrichtungen vorgesehen sind; und

Figur 10

eine schematisierte Ansicht der Zusammentragvorrichtung gemäss Figur 5 bei der im Zusammentragbereich fünf Zufördereinrichtungen mit fünf verschiedenen Beilagen und zwei Transfereinrichtungen zur Abgabe von jeweils einer unterschiedlichen Produktzusammenstellung skizziert sind.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to embodiments in conjunction with the drawings. Show it

FIG. 1

in an enlarged section in side view of the upper and lower track of a clamping receiving units equipped gathering device, as it is particularly suitable for the realization of the invention;

FIG. 2

in the side view, the configuration of the gathering from FIG. 1 , wherein at one point of the circulating conveyor track, an exemplary transfer device for the removal of the collected products is shown and the at least one further transfer device is omitted;

FIG. 3

in the plan view from above an exemplary collating device according to another embodiment with two oriented in different directions gathering areas, in each of which on opposite sides alternately feeders for the precursors and / or supplements are arranged;

FIG. 4

in simplified representation one too FIG. 2 Comparable collating device, in which according to an embodiment of the invention, a transfer device is arranged at two different locations of the conveyor track and a control is indicated;

FIG. 5

in one too FIG. 4 Comparative illustration of a further embodiment of the invention, in which two separate transfer means are arranged at one end of the conveyor track;

FIG. 6

in one too FIG. 4 and 5 Comparative illustration of a further embodiment of the invention, in which more than two transfer means are provided at different locations of the conveyor track, wherein one of the transfer means is arranged between two successive collation areas;

FIG. 7 in FIG

the top plan view of another embodiment of the invention, in which the conveyor track extends predominantly in a horizontal plane and a plurality of collating and transfer means are provided;

FIG. 8 in FIG

a perspective view of a further embodiment according to the present invention in which the conveyor track extends in a plurality of horizontal plane and two transfer devices are arranged in different planes and different directions;

FIG. 9

also in a perspective view of a further embodiment in which three collating areas and three transfer means are provided; and

FIG. 10

a schematic view of the collating device according to FIG. 5 in which five delivery devices with five different inserts and two transfer devices for delivering a different product combination are outlined in the collection area.

In FIG. 1 is a side view fragmentary a top sheet 11 and a lower sheet piece 12 of a very simple collator 10 shown, the complete configuration in FIG. 2 is shown. The web pieces 11 and 12 are sections of a closed conveyor track, according to FIG. 2 each having a deflection region 22, 23 on opposite sides. According to FIG. 1 Run on the conveyor track 11, 12, 22, 23 a plurality of in the direction of successively arranged receiving units 13. Each receiving unit 13 comprises an inclined support surface 14, on the lower side of a pivotable about a pivot axis 16 gripper jaw 15 is arranged. In the open state, the gripper jaw 15 is almost perpendicular to the conveyor track, as in FIG. 1 can be seen on the upper track piece 11.

In the opened state of the receiving unit 13 can in a designated gathering area (32 in FIG. 2 ; see the dash-dotted box) products, for example, magazines, newspapers, newspaper parts, partial and preliminary products, supplements, cards, CDs or the like (hereinafter referred to as precursors P), while forming a stack successively fed into the receiving unit 13 (inserted inserted or plugged in), as shown in FIG. 2 is indicated. Is the stack of precursors P (hereinafter also called collection) after passing through the gathering area 32 in which receiving units 13 complete, the gripper jaw 15 is pivoted to the closed position and thus the stack of precursors P held in the receiving unit 13 by clamping. The closed gripper jaws 15 of the receiving units 13 with the collections of precursors therein are then transported on the lower track piece 12 to a removal point where a second transfer device 34 is arranged. The first transfer device is located at the lower run 12 near the deflection region 22 and is for reasons of clarity in the FIG. 2 not shown. In the example according to the FIG. 2 For example, the transfer device 34 shown comprises a transport device shown in simplified form as a transport belt which takes over the stacks or collections of precursors from the receiving units 13 opened there again and transports them to further processing in devices which are likewise not shown.

For the sake of simplicity, in the FIG. 2 as well as in the Figures 5 . 8th . 9 and 10 in each case only part of the actual recording units 13 circulating in the collating device are drawn. Preferably, the receiving units in the inventive devices form a continuous circumferential sequence, wherein the individual receiving units are uniformly spaced from each other.

From the example of FIGS. 1 and 2 It can be seen that the receiving units 13 are each attached via a carrier 17 to a chain-like conveying member 18, which comprises a plurality of rollers 19, which interconnect with each other via connecting pieces 20 are connected and run in corresponding guide rails 21. The construction of in FIG. 1 and 2 shown gathering device 10 with the chain-like conveying member 18 has the advantage that the conveying member 18 in the room using curved and / or twisted sections or whole loops can be very flexibly guided and moved in space, so that the conveyor track various, distributed in space arranged Can connect production and / or processing units with each other.

So shows FIG. 3 in the plan view from above an example of a collating device 30, which comprises two mutually perpendicular web pieces 24 and 26, each associated with their own collation 27 and 28 respectively. In the track pieces 24, 26 are interconnected by a curved portion 25. In each of the two collation regions 27, 28 feed conveyers 29 are alternately arranged on opposite sides of the web, for example, to withdraw precursors from a supply stack and convey them via a spiral path 31 (looping) into the receiving units moved past. Such feeders 29 are known under the name "JetFeeder" by the applicant.

In the print finishing, the with gathering devices 10, 30 according to Figure 1-3 formed stack or collections of precursors P further processed in different ways. For example, in one case, the stacks or collections may be plugged into open newspapers as supplements. The stacks are then fed to corresponding plug-in devices. In another case, the stacks in a subsequent unit can be individually sealed in transparent foils (so-called "foiling").

So far, it has been customary to use a separate collating device for each of these different processing processes. This not only required considerable additional mechanical work, but also required considerable space in the production facilities. According to the present invention, a gathering device for a plurality of further processing processes is now shared by providing a plurality of transfer devices with corresponding transfer devices for the collected precursors on the conveyor path. Each transfer device is then assigned to a certain further processing process and the collected precursors are then discharged at this departure, if this type of further processing is to be made. If the type of processing changes, a different exit is used accordingly. In this way maximum flexibility in further processing can be achieved with a minimum of mechanical effort.

In FIG. 4 is shown in a highly simplified representation of a first embodiment of a collating device according to the invention. The collator 40 of the FIG. 4 in its configuration corresponds largely to the collating device 10 FIG. 2 with the difference that in addition to the transfer device 34, a further transfer device 35 on the conveyor track 11, 12, 22, 23 is arranged. Via a common control 36, the two transfer devices 34, 35 can be controlled individually. Similarly, the feeders 33 can be individually controlled in the collation area 32. If certain assemblies of precursors P are to be discharged at the transfer device 35 and fed to the type of further processing assigned to this transfer device, corresponding delivery devices 33 in the collating region 32 are activated, which convey the precursors provided for this purpose. If, on the other hand, other assemblies of intermediate products P are to be discharged at the transfer device 34 and fed to the type of further processing assigned to this transfer device, other delivery devices 33 are actuated. As well in FIG. 4 as well as in the following FIGS. 6 and 7 the transfer devices 34, 35 are shown only as rectangles drawn in dashed lines, without going into detail on their structure and operation.

Due to the closed circumferential guideway, it is in any case possible to realize a so-called "repair" function. In such a function, a stack of precursors, which has been recognized as incomplete, not delivered, but again passed in the gathering at the feeders, where it is completed by driving the respective feeders.

The two transfer devices 34 and 35 need not necessarily be disposed at opposite ends of the conveyor track 11, 12, 22, 23, as shown in FIG FIG. 4 is shown. Rather, it is readily possible to arrange both transfer devices 34, 35 on the same side of the conveyor track in quick succession, as shown in FIG FIG. 5 is shown schematically.

As well in FIG. 4 as well as in FIGS. 8 . 9 and 10 are the transfer devices 34, 35 only simplified as transport belts boxes reproduced without going into their structure and operation in detail. Each of the transfer devices 34, 35 may be in the FIG. 2 have shown embodiment. However, it is also conceivable to use other types of transfer devices that remove collections of precursors from the receiving units 13 and can perform further processing. In particular, it is not absolutely necessary that the stacks of precursors in the region of a lower track piece 12, or in areas in which the receiving units are directed downwards, must be removed. Thus, it is conceivable to open the clamping means of the receiving units 13 on the upper track piece 11, respectively on a portion of the conveyor track on which the receiving units are directed upward, and then take out by means of a gripping device the stack formed controlled.

Of course, the number of outlets in a collator of the type described is not limited to two. If space conditions permit it and the production process requires it, then FIG. 6 more than two transfer facilities or disposals are provided. In the embodiment of FIG. 6 are on the conveyor track 39 of the collator 60 a total of four transfer devices 34, 35, 37, 38 used, which are placed at different locations. While the arrangement of the transfer devices 34, 35 and 37 already off FIG. 4 and 5 is known, the placement of the fourth transfer device 38 is of particular importance. The guided by this transfer device 38 part of the conveyor track 39 is guided outwardly in a loop between two successive gathering areas 42, 43, so that product stacks, which require only the gathering 43 for compilation, can be discharged immediately, without having to go through the further gathering 42 , As a result, the flexibility of the operation can be further increased. Of course, for the assembly of the product stacks transferred to the transfer devices 37, 34 and 35, both collation areas 42 and 43 can be used. Again, a (not shown) control is there to realize the different variants of the operation.

The FIGS. 4 and 6 show embodiments of the invention in side view. The removal of the product stack takes place in each case in the region of a lower piece of web. This vertical orientation of the web plane is not mandatory. Rather, the conveyor track can largely extend in a horizontal plane, from which it - if necessary - is guided in a loop down to then be able to deliver product stack to a transfer device down. Such a horizontal configuration of the conveyor track is in the collating 70 of the FIG. 7 given. The conveyor track 44 of the collating device 70 is here seen in plan view from above. This is clarified by the drawn recording units 13, which are arranged along the conveyor track 44 virtually seamlessly behind one another or even overlapping (in FIG. 7 are for better clarity because in bending areas of the conveyor track 44, the receiving units 13 omitted). On the conveyor track 44 collation areas 45, 46, 47 are provided at various points, in which precursors on the introduced receiving units 13 are transported. Likewise, transfer devices 48, 49, 51 are arranged at different locations of the conveyor track 44, which convey the product stacks removed from the receiving units 13 to different further processing processes.

In the in the FIG. 8 In the embodiment of the present invention shown, the collating device 80 comprises a central collating area 83 and two transfer devices 81, 82 arranged in the direction of circulation of the conveying member before and after the collating area 83 FIG. 8 It is clear that the two transfer devices 81, 82 are arranged in different spatial directions.

The collator 90, which in the embodiment according to the FIG. 9 has an even higher degree of flexibility. It comprises three spaced-apart collation regions 94, 95, 96, two of which are arranged parallel to one another and at right angles thereto in a plane. The three transfer devices 91, 92, 93 are all in different planes and deliver the products in different directions. The embodiment according to the FIG. 9 has between the transfer device 93 and the collation 95 a pivoting region 97 in which the guide rail 21 'along a straight line in itself, helically rotated by 180 °. The receiving units 13, which are directed downwards in the area of the transfer device 93 and can deliver the product collections gravitationally downwards, are pivoted through 180 ° when passing through the swiveling area 97. The subsequent gathering area 95 passes through the receiving units directed upward so that the precursors can be easily fed from above.

The preceding embodiments described make it clear what a high degree of spatial, as well as functional flexibility can be achieved by the inventive device.

Preferably, the conveying directions F, or the corresponding conveying means in the transfer devices according to the invention, that is to say, for example, the conveying direction F of the receiving units and the arrangement of a conveyor belt, are aligned parallel or tangentially to one another in the region of product transfer. This facilitates product handover in general and, in particular, the maintenance of the exact spatial orientation of the individual products and the products in the stack and their controlled delivery.

By means of the transfer devices according to the invention, the products or product stacks K, as shown in the FIG. 9 is outlined, in the scale flow (in the transfer devices 92) but also isolated (in the transfer device 91) are discharged and fed to further processing. By using two or more transfer devices, product collections that could only be delivered in a shingled stream in conventional systems with only one outlet can be separated and fed to further processing. The singulation can take place when two transfer devices are used in that a collection is dispensed from a first receiving unit in a first transfer device, but the collection is conveyed from the next receiving unit through the first transfer device and further to a second transfer device and only delivered there. From an overlapping product stream in successive recording units can be formed in this way two product streams with isolated, spaced apart in the conveying direction products or collections, such as those required for a subsequent processing step, for example, the filming.

The device according to the invention and the method according to the invention make it possible to selectively generate gaps in the product streams from product collections from the individual transfer devices, regardless of whether they are supplied singly or in a shingled stream for further processing. Such gaps may be desirable for production engineering reasons, for example, a subsequent operation / device to relieve in further processing. Such a gap in a product stream can be generated, for example, by compiling in a collating area in which two types of collections A and B in consecutive receiving units are: A, B, A, B, B, B, A, B, A, B. The fact that the fifth receiving unit is not equipped with a collection of type A, but with a collection of type B, the collection unit is passed from the fifth receiving unit when passing the transfer means for dispensing the collections of type A and a product gap (A, A , _, A, A, called gap in the following) in the dispensed product stream. The same gap can be generated by the fact that the corresponding feeders do not release the precursors for the fifth receiving unit (A, B, A, B, B, A, B, A, B), so that in turn at the third position in FIG given product flow of the collections of the type A a gap is formed.

In the FIG. 10 is based on an embodiment as it is already in the FIG. 5 is shown, yet to be shown what a high degree of flexibility in the operation of the inventive devices is made possible. The gathering device 50 shown has a gathering area 32 in which five different feeders or precursors (indicated in the figure with five different graphic symbols) of five feeders 32.1-32.5 can be delivered to the receiving units. In the illustrated mode of operation, two different types of product collections K1, K2 are produced. The first collection type K1 comprises three inserts which originate from the feeders 32.1, 32.4 and 32.5. The second manufactured type comprises products from the feeders 32.2 and 32.3. According to a preferred embodiment, collections of the first and second types are alternately collected in the receiving units 13. While a first receiving unit dispenses the product collection K1 in the transfer device 34 for further processing and further processing, the clip of a subsequent receiving unit, which conveys a product collection K2, remains closed when passing through the transfer devices 34 and only opens after reaching the transfer device 35. From the transfer device 35, the collected products of type 2 can be supplied to an intended further processing. At the same time, different types of collections can be produced and fed to various processing processes. The repair function for incomplete collections is available for both collections in this collection process. Incomplete product collections are not delivered in the respective transfer device, but held in the receiving unit clamped to the collating area 32, the clamp is opened and completed with the missing supplement from the corresponding feed device 32.1-32.5.

With the invention, flexible solutions for different further processing of precursors or printed products can be realized with significantly reduced equipment costs and significantly reduced space requirements. The use of a gathering device with only one conveyor track for various further processing processes also reduces error sources and maintenance costs. The cost of internal logistics can also be significantly reduced, because all of the primary products to be processed have to be transported to one plant.

List of reference numbers

10, 30

Assembler

11

upper part of the track

12

lower part of the track

13

recording unit

14

bearing surface

15

gripper jaw

16

swivel axis

17

carrier

18

Conveyor (chain-like)

19

caster

20

joint

21, 21 '

guide rail

22, 23

deflection region

24, 26

track section

25

curved section

27, 28

Collation region

29, 33

feeder device

31

Spiral track (looping)

32

Collation region

32.1 - 32.5

feed devices

34, 35

transfer device

36

control

37.38

transfer device

39, 44

conveyor track

40, 50

Assembler

41

between loop

42.43

Collation region

45, 46, 47

Collation region

48, 49, 51

transfer device

60, 70, 80, 90

Assembler

81, 82

transfer device

83

Collation region

91,92,93

transfer device

94, 95, 96

Collation region

97

helical section

F

conveying direction

K, K1, K2

Product collection, product stack

P

Precursor (e.g., printed product, supplement, CD, card or the like)

Claims (19)

Collating device (10, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90) comprising a conveyor track (11, 12, 22, 23, 39, 44) on which in a closed circuit a plurality of arranged in the direction of rotation behind one another Receiving units (13) for receiving pre-products to be collected (P) circulates, and at which in at least one collation area (32, 42, 43, 45, 46, 47, 83, 94, 95, 96) in the direction of rotation behind each other a plurality of feeders (29, 32.1-32.5, 33) are arranged from which precursors (P) in the on the conveyor track (11, 12, 22, 23, 39, 44) passing passing receiving units (13) are discharged, characterized in that the receiving units (13) on the conveyor track (11, 12, 22, 23, 39, 44) are conveyed by means of a spatially flexible, preferably chain-like, conveying member (18) that the receiving units (13) each clamping means (14, 15, 16) which the Vorprod compiled in the receiving units (13) (P) hold clamping, and that at least two points of the conveyor track (11, 12, 22, 23, 39, 44) transfer means (34, 35, 37, 38, 48, 49, 51, 81, 82, 94, 95, 96) are arranged, which transport collected precursors (P) from the receiving units (13) for further processing. Collating device according to claim 1, characterized in that the transfer means (34, 35, 37, 38, 48, 49, 51, 81, 82, 94, 95, 96) are controllable such that the clamping units held in the receiving units (13) Precursors (P) are conveyed through them and remain in the collator or removed for further processing. Collating device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the conveyor track comprises an upper track piece (11) and a lower track piece (12), which are substantially parallel and at the ends by deflection regions (22, 23) are interconnected and form a closed circuit, and that at least one collation region (32) on the upper web piece (11) is provided and on the lower web piece (12) and / or at the deflection areas (22, 23) a plurality of transfer means (34, 35) are arranged. Collating apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the upper track piece and the lower track piece each comprise a plurality of straight track pieces (24, 26) whose orientation is different and which are interconnected by at least one curved portion (25). Collating device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that on the conveyor track (39, 44) in the circumferential direction behind one another several collation areas (42, 43, 45, 46, 47, 83, 94, 95, 96) are arranged. Collating device according to claim 5, characterized in that between successive collation areas (42, 43, 45, 46, 47, 83, 94, 95, 96) at least one transfer device (38, 51, 48, 49, 81, 82, 91, 92 , 93) is provided. Collating device according to claim 6, characterized in that the conveyor track (39) between the successive collation areas (42, 43, 45, 46, 94, 95, 96) is led out to form at least one intermediate loop (41), and in that the associated transfer device ( 38, 51, 91, 92, 93) is arranged on the at least one intermediate loop (41). Collating device according to claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of transfer devices (34, 35, 92, 91) in the direction of rotation immediately after one another on the conveyor track (11, 12, 22, 23, 39) are arranged. Collating apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the conveyor track (44) extends predominantly in a horizontal plane. Collapsing device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the conveyor track is rotated in a preferably linear section about its longitudinal axis, so that the receiving units (13) during the passage through this section (97) are preferably linearly conveyed and simultaneously pivoted radially. Collating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a control (36) is provided, which in a predetermined manner, the feed means (29, 32.1-32.5, 33) and the transfer means (34, 35, 37, 38, 48, 49, 51, 81, 82, 91, 92, 93) controls so that at the transfer means (34, 35, 37, 38, 48, 49, 51, 81, 82, 91, 92, 93) respectively the desired different compositions of Products (P) are available. Collating device according to claim 11, characterized in that by means of the control (36) the products of a certain feed device (29, 32.1-32.5, 33) or a group of feed device of a certain transfer device (34, 35, 37, 38, 48, 49, 51, 81, 82, 91, 92, 93) assignable and can be supplied by means of this a certain processing. Collating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a product tracking. Method for gathering and forwarding flat printed products, in particular precursors (P), preferably with a device according to one of the preceding claims 1-12, comprising the following steps: a) gathering a first collection (K1) of precursors from a particular feeder device (29, 32.1-32.5, 33) or a group of feeder means in a first receiving unit; b) gathering a further collection (K2) of precursors from a specific feed device (29, 32.1-32.5, 33) or a group of feed device in a subsequent receiving unit; c) feeding the first collection (K1) of intermediate products to a specific transfer device and thus a certain further processing d) supplying the further collection (K2) of precursors to a specific further transfer device and thus a certain further processing. A method according to claim 14, characterized in that in directly successive recording units (13) respectively alternately different product collections (K1, K2) are collected, or that in groups of immediately following recording units (13) each have a first product collection (K1) and in subsequent Groups of recording units (13) each a further product collection (K2) is collected. A method according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that different product collections (K1, K2) simultaneously in different transfer means (34, 35, 37, 38, 48, 49, 51, 81, 82, 91, 92, 93) from the respective Recording units are delivered. Method according to one of claims 14 to 16, characterized in that product collections (K, K1, K2) in different transfer devices (34, 35, 37, 38, 48, 49, 51, 81, 82, 91, 92, 93) are each isolated or supplied in a scale flow for further processing. Method according to one of claims 14 to 17, characterized in that a product collection (K) by sequential delivery in at least two transfer devices (34, 35, 37, 38, 48, 49, 51, 81, 82, 91, 92, 93) occasionally fed to a further processing. Method according to one of Claims 14 to 18, characterized in that product collections (K, K1, K2) supplied to the further or individual processing in the shingle flow from the different transfer devices (34, 35, 37, 38, 48, 49, 51, 81, 82, 91, 92, 93) each targeted gaps are generated.

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