EP2657163B1 - Method for operating a thread sewing machine - Google Patents

Description

Technical area

The invention relates to a method for operating a thread stitching machine for the processing of printed sheets to book block, wherein the thread stitching machine consists essentially of at least one transport system for the printed sheets and at least one sewing station, wherein the sewing station is in operative connection with at least one stitch saddle, wherein the stitching saddle in turn is in operative connection with the transport system for the signatures, the supply of the processed in the sewing station signatures in a vertical or quasi-vertical and / or in a horizontal or quasi-horizontal plane relative to the saddle stitch, and the (folded) sheet astride be placed on the stitch saddle lying on the sewing station. The invention further relates to a thread stitching machine for carrying out the method for the processing of printed sheets to book blocks according to claim 14.

State of the art

There are known thread stitching machines, which both manually and automatically sheet can be fed to the saddle stitch. There are known thread stitching machines, which can be automatically fed to the saddle stitched sheets of a printing press folded sheets.

It is currently not possible to supply the saddle of a book sewing machine from two different directions with printed sheets. However, this would be an advantage if you often request different formats, such as art prints, within a book. Here conventional thread stitching machines quickly reach their limits, since they can only be set up for one format at a time.

However, the state of the art includes a thread stitching machine which is operated inline and / or offline. In this variant, the loading of the saddle is not about an additional delivery device, but laterally on an auxiliary saddle instead (horizontal load) instead. For example, a digital printing machine or a folding machine can be connected to the auxiliary saddle, which places the folded and opened printed sheets directly on the auxiliary saddle. An entrainment chain then transports the signature to the stitching saddle, and a roller or conveyor belt then transports the signature to the stitching saddle. Only several sheets can be attached in a row or individual signatures can be processed. On the auxiliary saddle can be pre-collected, or unfolded signatures collected and then hung up. However, collected individual signatures can be fed from the digital printing machine onto the saddle and stapled there.

EP 2 305 485 A1 discloses a method according to the preamble of claim 1.

Presentation of the invention

The invention aims to remedy this situation. The invention, as characterized in the claims, the object of the invention is to propose a thread stitching machine which is able to make the stitch saddle fed sheet from at least two different directions.

For this purpose, a method for operating a thread stitching machine for the processing of signatures to book block is proposed, wherein the thread stitching machine consists essentially of at least one transport system for the signatures and at least one subsequent sewing station.

The sewing station itself is operated in operative connection with at least one stitch saddle, this saddle in turn is in operative connection with the transport system for the signatures. The feeding of the processed in the sewing station signatures takes place in a vertical or quasi-vertical and / or in a horizontal or quasi-horizontal plane relative to the stitching saddle, and the signatures are astride the saddle stitch fed to the sewing station. At least the vertical or quasi-vertical feed of the signatures takes place directly on the saddle or it is made in the area of the saddle.

In principle, the thread stitching machine according to the invention is designed in such a way that the signatures supplied later to the sewing station, also referred to as printing sheets, are primarily made by means of a feeding device operating in the vertical direction, whose sheet feed is always directed to the stitching saddle. Preferably, such a feed device will have the form of a gripper drum, which is preferably arranged above the saddle stitch.

However, this configuration according to the invention does not exclude that within such a loading process, horizontally operating devices can also be provided which take over the printing sheet delivery, for example, as an intermediate onto the saddle.

In this case, preferably two types of delivery devices are in the foreground in order to carry out such a horizontal sheet feed.

The method known from the prior art consists in making the horizontal delivery of the printed sheets, even in the case of an intermediate supply, via a stationary auxiliary saddle.

Another way to make the horizontal feeding, is to make the final postponement of the sheet on the saddle with a arranged on the side of the caliper compact delivery device, which may also have the shape of a gripper drum and a kinematics substantially which makes it possible to first bring the sheet in position relative to the saddle to be loaded, and then to push this sheet by a horizontally acting element directly on the saddle stitch. Thus, the horizontal loading of the saddle saddle about this delivery option does not collide space with the auxiliary saddle or with the already provided vertically above the saddle stitching in loading position gripper drum, said vertical / horizontal acting delivery device should be placed on the other front side of the saddle.

According to the invention is therefore based on that at least one vertical feed of the sheet is made in closest and direct interaction with the saddle stitch, such that basically all alone the book block forming sheet can be provided by such a vertical feed. This makes sense if the book block consists of uniformly designed and formatted printed sheets, which enables a very high delivery cadence.

But in many cases it is the case that the book blocks have different inscriptions respectively. Inserts may contain, in which a targeted intermediate supply must be made. Even such an intermediate feed of specially designed printed sheets can therefore be readily achieved via the vertical feed device, i. via the gripper drum, either directly on the saddle or with an additional horizontal delivery.

• Die vertikale Zustellung der einen Buchblock bildenden Druckbogen, seien sie gleicher Natur oder mit besonderen Einschüben versehen, lässt sich über eine Zustelleinrichtung, vorzugsweise über eine Greifertrommel, erzielen, welche im Wesentlichen oberhalb des in Ladeposition befindlichen Heftsattels operiert. Nebst einer integralen vertikalen Zustellung aller Druckbogen direkt auf den Heftsattel lässt sich auch eine horizontale Zuführung vorsehen, welche andere ergänzende Druckbogen intermediär beibringt, und welche Druckbogen ebenfalls direkt auf den Heftsattel geschoben werden können.

According to the invention, the following types of feed can be provided in such cases:

• The vertical delivery of a book block forming sheet, be they the same nature or provided with special inserts, can be via a feed device, preferably via a gripper drum, achieve which operates substantially above the saddle located in loading position. In addition to an integral vertical delivery of all printed sheets directly on the saddle stitch can also provide a horizontal feeder, which teaches other complementary printed sheets as an intermediary, and which sheets can also be pushed directly onto the saddle.

Such intermediate supplies can also take place via a stationary auxiliary saddle, this feeding being effected laterally of the saddle, and the auxiliary saddle being able to be arranged either on the left or on the right or on both sides of the saddle, whereby a high degree of design diversity with regard to different printing sheets can be achieved. In this configuration, it is also possible that the supply of the printed sheet on the auxiliary saddle via a vertically acting delivery device, preferably via a further gripper drum, takes place.

If the delivery of the press sheets to the book saddle takes place over both feed planes, ie vertically and horizontally, or vertically / vertically / horizontally, the delivery can be achieved via intermediate, clockwise sequences, which lead to an increase in productivity. It is a product-dependent disposition, from which direction the major part of the sheet is to be supplied.

The thread stitching machine according to the invention is also capable of being able to feed the printed sheets both automatically from the magazine via a gripper drum (vertically) and manually / automatically from a printing press / folding apparatus via an auxiliary caliper (horizontal) to the saddle.

The yarn stitching machine according to the invention is also capable of simultaneously feeding printed sheets vertically and horizontally to the saddle or an auxiliary saddle within a production.

The inventive thread stitching machine is also able to process several different formats within a book block safely. For this purpose, a transport path for printing sheet is proposed, which is operated between an upstream opening system and a downstream sewing station. This transport route consists essentially of an auxiliary saddle and a downstream saddle. Auxiliary saddle and saddle are designed as autonomously acting sub-transport sections, which, however, have an inventive interdependence with respect to the transport of the printed sheets according to the invention. This mode of operation according to the invention is in itself independent of whether pure "normal-format" printed sheets are transported, or whether intermittently "under-format" printed sheets are processed.

In general, the thread stitching machine according to the invention is characterized in that the vertical feed, which can preferably take place via a gripper drum, can take over the loading of both the saddle and the auxiliary caliper.

The location of such a gripper drum can be provided variously: for example, above the book saddle located in the loading position, or laterally thereof.

Brief description of the figures

Fig. 1

eine Fadenheftmaschine, welche inline - offline - kombiniert mit externer und interner Druckbogenzuführung betrieben wird und

Fig. 2

eine Fadenheftmaschine inline - offline - kombiniert mit externer und interner Druckbogenzuführung, mit verschiedenen Formaten innerhalb eines Buchblockes.

In the following, embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to FIGS. All elements not essential to the instant understanding of the invention have been omitted. Show it:

Fig. 1

a book sewing machine, which is operated inline - offline - combined with external and internal sheet feeding and

Fig. 2

a book sewing machine inline - offline - combined with external and internal sheet feeding, with different formats within a book block.

Embodiments of the invention

Fig. 1 shows a method for operating a book sewing machine 1 inline-offline combined with external and internal sheet feed 2, 3, with, for example, different formats within a book block 4. For example, 6 folded signatures 5 are to be processed into a book block, with 5 signatures (no , 2, 3, 4 and 6) have the same format and are to be fed automatically by a digital printing press. Signature No. 5 has a smaller format and, in order to avoid a time-consuming collation with the other signatures, should be fed directly to the processing process of the book sewing machine 1. The signatures no. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 are coming from the digital printing machine, folded successively placed on the auxiliary saddle 6 and cyclically successively pulled horizontally on the stitch saddle 7 or shot. This happens in the order 1, 2, 3, 4, 0, 6.

0 means that in the auxiliary saddle feeding process after the fourth signature, a gap is left in the form of an idle stroke to make room for the signature No. 5 on the saddle 7. All signatures no. 5 are inserted into the internal magazine of the book sewing machine 1, withdrawn, carried out with the open side ahead under the stitch saddle 7, 90 ° upwardly deflected, opened and transported by the gripper drum vertically on the stitch saddle. The gripper drum 8 operates only in the 5th clock, since it is controlled by a servo motor. During the empty cycle of the auxiliary caliper 6, in which the saddle 7 is not loaded horizontally, the gripper drum 8 conveys the signature No. 5 vertically on the saddle 7 and thus closes the gap in the sheet running. In the next bar, the sixth and final signature of the book is returned horizontally via the auxiliary caliper. Thereafter, the process starts again.

Fig. 2 shows a method for operating a book sewing machine 1 inline - offline - combined with external and internal sheet feed 2, 3, with eg different formats within a book block 4, the sheets should be stapled in a book both consecutively and one above the other. This means that printed sheets of different formats must be able to be inserted into one another on the saddle 7: for example, 6 folded signatures are to be processed into a book block of 5 printed sheets, with 5 signatures (numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6) having the same format and should be automatically fed from a digital press. For example, signature number 5 could be an art print, has a smaller format and should be placed above signature number 4. This corresponds to insertion of the signature No. 4 in signature No. 5. In order to avoid a time-consuming gathering or insertion by hand with the other signatures, the special signature No. 5 should be fed directly to the processing process of the book sewing machine. The signatures no. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 are coming from the digital printing machine, folded successively placed on the auxiliary saddle 6 and cyclically successively pulled horizontally on the stitch saddle 7 or shot. This is done in the order 1, 2, 3, 4, 6. This time, no empty cycle on the auxiliary saddle 6 is necessary because signature 5 is to be placed over signature 4. All signatures no. 5 are inserted into the internal magazine of the thread stitching machine 1, withdrawn, carried out with the open side ahead under the saddle 7, 90 ° upwardly deflected, opened and transported by the gripper drum 8 vertically to the stitching saddle 7. The gripper drum 8 operates only in the 4th clock, since it is controlled by a servo motor.

The signatures 1, 2, and 3 in Fig. 2 are now consecutively fed over the auxiliary saddle 6 horizontally on the stitch saddle 7 or shot and attached sequentially. While now Signature No. 4 is fed horizontally to the stitch saddle 7, at the same time Signature No. 5 is placed vertically on the saddle 7 and thus on the signature No. 4. The leading edge of signature no. 4 has previously passed geometrically the trailing edge of the supplied from above signature number 5, so it does not come to collision. Thus, both signatures are plugged into each other and can now be attached to signature number 3. After that stands the gripper drum 8 silent and signature no. 6 is again transported horizontally to the saddle 7 in the next and last bar. Now the process can start again.

The process described below corresponds to a simultaneous loading of the saddle with two sheets of different format both on the gripper drum and on the auxiliary caliper within a machine cycle. The two printed sheets are put together on the saddle and then stapled to the previous signature.

For better understanding, the process starts at 1 ° and ends at 360 °. At the beginning of the process, both the auxiliary saddle and the gripper drum are each equipped with a signature and are to be supplied to the stitch saddle: 1 °: The saddle reaches the loading position. 2 ° - 45 °: The sheet leading edge of the located on the auxiliary saddle signature 4 reaches the stitching saddle and is accelerated over the Einschiessrolle toward sheet signature stop. 20 ° - 85 °: The signature lower edge of the signature 5 located on the gripper drum reaches the saddle point and is placed on the saddle. At this point in time, the leading edge of the signature 4 has already passed the signature trailing edge of the signature 5, so that it is not possible for the two printed sheets to collide. While now signature 4 reaches the sheet stop, signature 5 is placed over it at the same time. Both sheets are thus inserted into each other. 86 ° - 170 °: The saddle moves in stapling position in operative connection with a sewing station 9. During this time, the two signatures are aligned via the cam-controlled head stop. 171 ° - 285 °: Both signatures are stapled together to the previous signature. 286 ° - 360 °: The saddle moves back to the loading position. The process can now start again.

In addition, thread stitching machines can optionally be developed with the subject of the invention, which may have different concepts. The variants described here, which are not shown in more detail by figures, can be easily grasped by the person skilled in the art and are not to be understood as conclusive concepts.

One variant relates to a thread stitching machine which is operated offline. This version is the classic type of thread sewing machine. The book saddle is supplied by one or more own magazines. It is irrelevant whether classic thread stitching (stapling several sheets in a row) or saddle stitching (stapling several sheets on top of each other) is practiced. The machine is not connected to the outside world, but produces unattached. The sheets are drawn off in the magazine, placed on a conveyor belt and led with the open side ahead under the saddle stitch, 90 ° upwards, opened, gripped by the gripper drum, steered around its own axis and placed on the saddle stitch (vertical Loading) and then stapled one behind the other or on top of each other.

Another variant relates to a thread stitching machine, which is operated inline - offline - combined. In this variant, the loading takes place either simultaneously vertically on the gripper drum and horizontally on the auxiliary saddle (a signature pulled laterally on the saddle stitch or shot and the other vertically over the gripper drum over it) or intermittently offset, for example, 3 signatures in a row from the auxiliary saddle , then a blank cycle from the auxiliary saddle and in this blank cycle a sheet is placed vertically on the gripper drum on the saddle. Or, for example, 4 signatures in a row from the auxiliary saddle without a blank cycle and on the last signature or another signature is placed vertically from the gripper drum another signature over it. The combination options here are very versatile and particularly suitable for processing at least 2 different formats in a book (Art print) or also to be able to insert printed sheets of different formats into one another.

Another variant relates to a thread stitching machine, which is operated inline - external sheet feed. In this version, for example, 5 folded signatures are to be processed by a digital printing machine or a folding machine coming to a book block. The side of the auxiliary saddle of the book sewing machine docked digital printing press or folding machine takes over the folding and placing the sheet. The folded signatures are opened in the order 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 placed one after the other on the auxiliary saddle and individually pushed over a driving chain in the direction of stitch saddle. The transport length of a Mitnehmerkettenstranges corresponds to a stapling machine cycle. The first driver now pushes the booklet to be stapled to the book saddle located in the loading position. At the beginning of the saddle, the signature is either shot onto the saddle by an accelerator roller or pulled onto the saddle via a belt transport system. Thereafter, the saddle moves into stapling position and staples the signature. After attaching the signature, the saddle moves back to the loading position and the process begins again. The loading of the saddle is done here in a basic version exclusively horizontally from the outside via the auxiliary saddle. The machine-internal gripper drum for vertical loading of the saddle is initially not in operation, but can be used at any time when needed.

Another variant relates to a thread stitching machine, which is operated offline - internal sheet feed. In this version, for example, 4 folded signatures are to be processed into a book block. To be stapled signatures are inserted in the order 1, 2, 3, 4, ... in the machine's own magazine and withdrawn successively carried out under the saddle with the open side ahead, led by 90 ° upwards towards saddle, opened and turned over its own axis by a gripper drum and placed on the saddle. The feeding of a printed sheet corresponds to one machine cycle = 360 °. After each applied signature, the saddle moves out of the Loading position in stapling position and the signature is stapled. Thereafter, the process starts again. The loading of the binding saddle takes place exclusively internally (vertically) via the own magazine and the gripper drum. The horizontal auxiliary saddle and a possibly connected digital printing press or a folding machine are thus not in operation.

Another variant relates to a collection thread stitching machine, which is operated offline - internal sheet feed. For example, a brochure to be processed consists of three individual folded printed sheets, which are collected on top of each other and then stitched with a stitch and secured against loosening with an additional empty stitch. The folded sheets are placed in the order 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, .. in the magazine and withdrawn in succession, carried out under the saddle with the open side ahead, led by 90 ° up towards saddle, opened and about a gripper drum rotated by about 180 ° and placed on the saddle. The feeding of a printed sheet corresponds to one machine cycle = 360 °. After the first sheet has been placed on the saddle, it remains in the loading position and "waits" for the next sheet. The second sheet is now placed over the first sheet and then over the third sheet over the servo-controlled book saddle of the collection thread stitching machine. After the last applied signature, the saddle moves from the loading position to the stapling position and the booklet is stapled and an empty stitch is executed. Thereafter, the process starts again. The loading of the binding saddle takes place exclusively internally (vertically) via the own magazine and the gripper drum. The horizontal auxiliary saddle and a possibly connected digital printing press or a folding machine are thus not in operation.

• Die Maschine kann mit mindestens zwei verschiedenen Formaten innerhalb einer Produktion beladen werden. Dies ist nur möglich durch eine Beladung des Heftsattels aus zwei verschiedenen Richtungen.
• Die Maschine kann sowohl inline als auch offline (stand alone) betrieben werden.
• Die Maschine kann gleichzeitig inline und offline betrieben werden (kombiniert).
• Die Maschine kann sowohl klassisch Fadenheften als auch Sammelfadenheften.
• Die Maschine kann klassisches Fadenheften und Sammelfadenheften kombinieren (Druckbogen ineinander stecken und Druckbogen übereinander als auch hintereinander Heften innerhalb einer Produktion).

The method for operating the thread stitching machine according to the invention has the following advantages:

• The machine can be loaded with at least two different formats within a production. This is only possible by loading the saddle from two different directions.
• The machine can be operated both inline and offline (stand alone).
• The machine can be operated simultaneously inline and offline (combined).
• The machine can handle both classic thread stitching and collection thread stitching.
• The machine can combine classic thread stitching and collection thread stitching (press sheets into each other and press sheets on top of each other as well as consecutively stitching within one production).

Claims (17)

1. A method of operating a thread stitching machine (1) for the processing of printed sheets to form book blocks, the thread stitching machine essentially consisting of at least one conveyor system (2, 3) for the printed sheets (5) and at least one sewing station (9), characterized in that the sewing station is operatively connected to at least one stitching saddle (7), the stitching saddle in turn being operatively connected to the conveyor system for the feeding of the printed sheets, in that the printed sheets processed in the sewing station are fed in a vertical or quasi-vertical and/or in a horizontal or quasi-horizontal plane relative to the stitching saddle, and the printed sheets, positioned in such a way as to straddle the stitching saddle, are fed to the sewing station, and in that at least the vertical or quasi-vertical feeding of the printed sheets is carried out directly onto the stitching saddle or else is carried out in the region of the stitching saddle.
2. A method according to Claim 1, characterized in that within one machine cycle the stitching saddle is loaded with at least one printed sheet.
3. A method according to Claim 1, characterized in that within one machine cycle the stitching saddle is loaded with at least two printed sheets lying one on top of the other.
4. A method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the vertical feeding of differently sized and shaped printed sheets is carried out directly onto the stitching saddle by at least one feed device.
5. A method according to Claim 4, characterized in that the feed device is operatively connected to the stitching saddle when said stitching saddle is in a loading position.
6. A method according to Claim 5, characterized in that the feed device is operated as a gripper drum (8).
7. A method according to Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the stitching saddle is operatively connected to a further feed device, which, in an end phase, pushes the printed sheets horizontally or quasi-horizontally onto the stitching saddle when this is in a loading position.
8. A method according to Claim 7, characterized in that the feed device is formed by at least one auxiliary saddle (6) which essentially extends at the side of the stitching saddle.
9. A method according to Claim 8, characterized in that the auxiliary saddle and/or the stitching saddle are loaded horizontally and/or vertically with printed sheets.
10. A method according to Claim 7, characterized in that the feed device operates directly at the side of the stitching saddle and has combined vertical and horizontal kinematics for feeding and loading the printed sheets onto the stitching saddle.
11. A method according to one or more of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the thread stitching machine is operated offline or inline.
12. A method according to one or more of Claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the printed sheets are fed from a digital printing machine and/or from a magazine to at least one folding apparatus and to at least one feed device.
13. A method according to one or more of Claims 1 to 12, characterized in that one machine cycle comprises the following steps: 1°: The stitching saddle reaches the loading position. 2° - 45°: The leading edge of the printed sheet located on the auxiliary saddle reaches the stitching saddle and is accelerated by means of the shoot-in roller towards the printed-sheet stop. 20° - 85°: The lower edge of the printed sheet located on the gripper drum reaches the top of the stitching saddle and is placed on said stitching saddle, at which time the leading edge of a first printed sheet has already passed the trailing edge of a second printed sheet so that it cannot lead to a collision of the two printed sheets. As the first printed sheet reaches the printed-sheet stop, the second printed sheet is simultaneously placed over it. The two printed sheets are thus inserted one inside the other. 86° - 170°: The stitching saddle, operatively connected to the sewing station (9), moves into the stitching position. In the meantime, the two printed sheets are aligned by means of the cam-controlled head stop. 171° - 285°: The two printed sheets are together stitched to the preceding printed sheets. 286° - 360°: The stitching saddle moves back into the loading position. The process can now start again.
14. A thread stitching machine for implementing a method of processing printed sheets to form book blocks, the thread stitching machine (1) essentially comprising at least one conveyor system (2, 3) for the printed sheets (5), at least one stitching saddle (7) and at least one sewing station (9), in which case the sewing station is operatively connected to the at least one stitching saddle (7) and the stitching saddle is in turn operatively connected to the conveyor system for the printed sheets, and the printed sheets processed in the sewing station are fed in a vertical or quasi-vertical and/or in a horizontal or quasi-horizontal plane relative to the stitching saddle, and the printed sheets, positioned in such a way as to straddle the stitching saddle, can be fed to the sewing station, and at least the vertical or quasi-vertical feeding of the printed sheets is carried out directly onto the stitching saddle or in the region of the stitching saddle.
15. A thread stitching machine according to Claim 14, characterized in that the vertical feeding of differently sized and shaped printed sheets directly onto the stitching saddle is achieved by means of at least one feed device.
16. A thread stitching machine according to Claim 15, characterized in that the feed device is located above and/or at the side of the stitching saddle.
17. A thread stitching machine according to Claim 15, characterized in that the feed device is a gripper drum and/or an auxiliary saddle.

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