EP3463886A1

EP3463886A1 - Feeding unit for a sheet-fed printing press

Info

Publication number: EP3463886A1
Application number: EP17725589.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Harald Bayer
Original assignee: Manroland Sheetfed GmbH
Current assignee: Manroland Sheetfed GmbH
Priority date: 2016-05-25
Filing date: 2017-05-24
Publication date: 2019-04-10
Anticipated expiration: 2037-05-24
Also published as: WO2017202910A1; EP3463886B1; DE102017111308A1

Abstract

A feeding unit for a sheet-fed rotary printing press comprises one or more printing units (D1, D2) and/or inking modules. Said printing unit/s and/or inking module/s is/are fitted with a substructure consisting of double-size transfer drums (4) and impression cylinders (5). The feeding unit is provided with a sheet feeder (1), a conveying unit and a feeding table (2) and includes a single-size or double-size feeding drum (3.2) which is associated with a sheet-guiding drum of a first printing unit (D1) of the sheet-fed rotary printing press. In order to improve handling, the conveying unit is designed as an endless conveyor system (11) that connects the lower feeding drum (3.2) to an upper feeding drum (3.1). The upper feeding drum (3.1) is associated with the sheet feeder (1).

Description

The invention relates to a placement unit for a sheet-fed printing press according to the preamble of claim 1.

Docking units for singling and targeted tactual feeding of sheets to a working process are known in the context of sheet-fed rotary printing presses. Sheet conveying takes place via impression cylinders and transfer drums. The printing process operates e.g. after the flexo or offset printing process. Also known are sheet coating machines such as painting machines.

On known sheet-fed printing machines, the application and alignment of the printed matter is carried out in equipment for sheet-fed equipment, the sheets separated from a pile of sheets are fed as a shingled stream via a belt table. The scale flow of the printed sheets can be conveyed by means of suction belts via a suction belt table. A sheet system usually has side marks that can work with pneumatic conveyors, and there are front and top brands provided. Finally, these alignment means are usually provided with a format adjustment. The sheetfed also includes sensory devices for controlling the position of leading edges, side edges, skew or multiple layers of the signatures. With the help of sensory devices, system barriers act to block printed sheets in the event of inaccuracies in sheet transport. Subordinate to the sheet system are oscillating pregrippers, which interact with rotating transfer drums. The substrate undergoes abrupt changes of direction on its conveying path and undergoes considerable delays and accelerations. From DE 43 43 616 A1 a landing unit in a modular printing machine system is known which combines a printing unit with the printing cylinder of a printing unit. acting first double-sized investment drum with circumferentially two gripper systems. This is a second single-sized plant drum in the sheet conveying direction arranged vertically offset in height. A third, single-size feed drum precedes the second in height and is connected to a tilted feed table for sheet transfer. The sheet acceleration system on the high pile feeder is used to process cardboard, while the press is suitable for cardboard and paper. For paper processing, a normal feeder is used, which has to be exchanged completely for a high-pile feeder during carton processing. The application unit is very expensive due to the large number of drums. Due to the many sheet transfers and curvature of the drums, the sheet run is adversely affected. Particularly disadvantageous is the replacement of the aggregates when using a high-pile feeder.

In bowing systems and rotary pre-gripper as in DE-AS 2 063 618 are known. This sheet feeder shows a rotating pregripper drum inclined in the conveying direction upstream feed table. The pre-gripper drum has two diametrically arranged gripper systems that can dive into the drum body. In one variant, the sheet feed takes place with a transfer drum connected between the pregripper drum and a printing cylinder. In a second variant, the pre-gripper drum is directly associated with a printing cylinder. Front lays are pivotally integrated in the feed table from below.

From DE 27 18 314 A1, a rotating pregripper with two gripper systems is known, upstream of which is a delivery table in the conveying direction, and a downstream conditioning drum is arranged downstream of it. The pre-gripper rotates at half the speed of the feed drum. The gripper systems perform on the pre-gripper a swinging motion about the pre-gripper axis or about a shaft mounted eccentrically to the pre-gripper axis. A partial circumference of the pre-gripper drum protrudes beyond the level of the feed table, which is unfavorable for the bowing.

From DE 10 2005 012 527 A1 a placement unit for a sheet processing machine in a sheet processing machine with a method for Creating sheet known, which is designed for attachment to a sheet processing plant. It shows a feed table and arranged at the printing unit side end of the feed table gripper system. The gripper system feeds each sheet directly to a transfer cylinder of the sheet processing plant.

DE 199 33 304 A1 discloses a laying unit for a sheet-processing machine. An investment drum, a feed table and an investor are combined in one module. The axis of the double-sized investment drum of a horizontal plane formed by the axes of all printing cylinders. Gripper systems pivotally mounted on the abutment drum consist of a gripper shaft, grippers arranged on the gripper shaft and gripper loading strips and front marks arranged thereon.

Known partial solutions for clocked sheet fed sheetfed presses are usually outdated and are not rising demands on quality, performance, cost and availability. It is particularly desirable that printed sheets are not subjected to multiple acceleration and deceleration processes and additionally required changes of direction in the transport of substrate. The gripper closure for detecting the sheet leading edge, which determines the transport of each signature and adapted to the working cycle of the sheet-fed printing press, should be able to be produced as far as possible in the vicinity of the sheet feeder. The often faulty or known as particularly prone to error scaly sheet transport should, if possible, be omitted.

The effort to supply air to suction belt tables for fans, a multi-chamber design and an oblique arc correction via suction belts should be eliminated. The orientation of the sheet should be done in the conveying movement during transport from the sheet separation in the sheet feeder serving suction head to a counter-pressure cylinder in the first printing unit of the sheet-fed press. This would considerably more time to align the sheets before the first printing unit of the sheet-fed press available. The invention is therefore based on the object to provide a landing unit for a sheet genverarbeitungsmaschine of the type described above, which avoids the disadvantages mentioned, which in particular allows a simple modular structure and allows improved sheet management of the sheet.

According to the invention the object is achieved with the features of claim 1. Further developments emerge from the subclaims.

An application unit for feeding separated sheets to a sheet-fed rotary printing press is provided with one or more printing units and / or coating modules, which are equipped with a substructure of respective double-sized transfer drums and counter-pressure cylinders. The application unit has a sheet feeder, a conveyor unit, a feed table and a single- or double-sized feed drum, which is assigned to a sheet-guiding drum of a first printing unit of the sheet-fed rotary printing press.

According to the invention, the conveyor unit is designed as an endless conveyor system connecting a lower contact drum to an upper contact drum. The upper investment drum is assigned to the sheet feeder. Advantageously, it can be provided that the lower bearing drum is formed double-sized and formed from the drum body of a delivery drum. The lower bearing drum is further arranged at the bearing point of a transfer drum of the first printing unit of the sheet-fed rotary printing press.

In an advantageous manner, it can be provided that the upper abutment drum is designed with a single-sized diameter.

An advantageous development provides that the conveyor system is designed as an endless chain conveyor with rows of gripper-carrying gripper systems, wherein the gripper systems are moved by a transport drive via conveyor chains and wherein the conveyor chains lead the gripper systems on the upper drum and the lower conditioning drum.

In an advantageous manner, it can be provided that the upper abutment drum is assigned to a feed table and the feed table is assigned to the sheet feeder. It can advantageously be provided that the feed table is assigned to the sheet feeder in the amount of the upper edge of a sheet pile received in the sheet feeder. A suction head arranged in the sheet feeder above the sheet stack for sheet separation is formed directly on the feed table to convey the sheet separated by the sheet stack.

An advantageous development provides that the suction head, the feed table, the collision drum and the conveyor system are designed so that each separated sheet is inserted directly from the stack of sheets in grippers, which are carried by moving on the conveyor system gripper systems in the open state.

An advantageous development provides that the upper abutment drum is assigned to the feed table near the edge of the sheet stack and the area of the conveyor system adjoining the upper abutment drum extends substantially parallel to the extent of the feed table in the conveying direction.

In an advantageous manner, it can be provided that, following the feed table, the conveyor system is assigned a sheet guiding device arranged essentially on the underside of the conveyor system parallel to its conveying plane.

An advantageous development provides that the conveyor system in the field of sheet conveying from the feed table to the sheet guiding device and / or in the sheet discharge from the sheet guiding device for transferring the sheet to a sheet-guiding cylinder of the first printing mechanism associated mechanical devices and / or pneumatic type to avoid Movements of the sheet are provided, which point away from the sheet guiding device. An advantageous development provides that the upper investment drum, the lower investment drum, the feed table and the sheet feeder with the suction head as a module are formed and that a process interface to a downstream, designed as a module printing unit or paint module between the lower drum and the downstream counter-pressure cylinder of the printing unit or paint module is defined.

In an advantageous manner, it can be provided that one or more measuring systems are associated with sheet position sensors adjacent to one another for the position detection of the sheet-fed rotary printing press to be fed to the lower and / or the upper feed drum and / or the conveyor system, which are coupled to an evaluation unit and a controller are, wherein the controller is operatively connected to an acting on the conveyor system actuator for position correction of gripper systems.

An advantageous development provides that the conveyor system and / or the suction head of the sheet feeder are each provided with an independent motor drive, and that the motor drives are coupled by means of the controller so with the machine control of the sheet-fed rotary printing press that transported by the conveyor system sheet in their position in the conveying direction with respect to the machine cycle of the sheet-fed rotary printing press fit exactly to the rotational movement of the sheet-fed rotary printing press can be aligned.

An advantageous development provides that the upper and / or the lower bearing drum are provided with one or two independent motor drives, and that the / the motor drives are coupled by means of the controller with the machine control of the sheet-fed rotary printing press.

An advantageous development provides that one or both conveyor chains of the conveyor system are each provided with an independent motor drive, and that the motor drives are coupled by means of the controller with the machine control of the sheet-fed rotary printing press.

It is also advantageous that in a horizontally arranged feed the isolated from the sheet feeder sheet directly in a horizontal conveying plane of can be supplied to the upper drum and can be applied in their gripper systems to integrated front brands there. This avoids possible damage to the printed sheet, which can occur, for example, at the transition from the sheet feeder to the feed table.

The feed table is preferably formed with a planar guide surface in which longitudinal openings are provided, into which the gripper fingers of the gripper systems of the conveyor system, which are opened when they enter the upper feed drum, can dip into. In the case of a horizontal or only slightly inclined arrangement of the conveyor table in the conveying direction, it is advantageous that the separated printed sheets fed from the sheet stack reach their alignment marks on a greatly shortened conveying path and can be accelerated immediately to full speed. Thus, the length of the feed table carrying the sheet to be fed can be greatly shortened, and in case of failures such as a sheet fed sheet stopper, less waste is generated. In the optimal case, this can only be a single signature.

In the solution according to the invention, parallel guidance is provided on the abutment plate between the gripper systems and the pressure arc pushed by the suction head. Thus, an investment area according to a conventional investment sheet is already formed in the known sheet feeder.

The printed sheets can be retained in the sheet feeder by means of an attachment lock. As a result, less or no waste accumulates due to press sheets, which remain after known manner in stoppers on the belt table and therefore must be removed from the investment area of the sheet feeder, making them useless.

The orientation of the sheet can be done during transport between the feeder stack and the first printing unit. Axially, ie transversely to the paper direction, the so-called side registration is set by page orientation. The orientation with respect to the slant arc and the position of the leading edge is controlled by the forward movement of the gripper systems. A system with sheet position sensors in the course of the conveyor system connected to a closed loop ensures that early, late, double and oblique sheets are already recognized on the investment sheet and can be excluded from the takeover in the sheet transport by means of the conveyor system. Also possible is a single drive of such trained as a conveyor unit sheet feeder in conjunction with the sheet feeder. In such an embodiment, an in-line alignment of the early / late sheets over the separately considered movement of the individual gripper systems of the conveyor unit can be omitted since the forward movement of the separated printed sheets can be influenced by means of the single drive.

The inventive concept of sheet feeding by means of a conveyor unit consisting of several gripper systems on a chain conveyor within a rail transport system in the sheet system between the sheet feeder and the first printing unit of a sheet-fed rotary printing machine can possibly account for the base of the printing units in so-called high-stacking machines.

Sheet-fed rotary printing presses are improved in this way in terms of their throughput. In this context, in particular, no different configuration between a first printing unit

(often referred to as plant printing unit) and the standardized sequential printing units are provided in a sheet-fed press. As a feed drum or as a lower feed drum, a bottom transport drum known per se as a delivery drum can be used in the area of the sheet feed. Carton board handling can be significantly improved and simplified, avoiding scratches and other damage through the flat sheet guide and secure sheet transport in the continuous gripper closure.

Furthermore, various wear parts are advantageously eliminated, since neither a belt table nor the belt rollers and conveyor belts connected thereto, nor complex air ducts are provided on a suction belt table. The sheet system with the conveyor system according to the invention itself is thus less stopper in operation and thus bring economic advantage, since less waste and less time required for a significantly easier operation by minimal operator intervention. The invention will be explained in more detail using an exemplary embodiment. 1 shows a sheet feeder with a sheet feed unit with a plurality of sheet transport units in a side elevation,

2 a sheet feeder for a sheet-fed printing machine shown in plan view,

3 shows a sheet transport unit in functional connection with a guide element for lateral alignment,

4 a sheet transport unit in functional connection with two guide elements for circumferential or length-related alignment and

Fig. 5/6 sheet transport units with means for sheet position control.

A sheet-fed rotary printing machine according to FIG. 1 is preferably a sheet-fed offset printing machine and has one or more printing units D1, D2 and / or coating modules. Lacquer modules are formed in the sheet-guiding area, the so-called substructure, corresponding to the printing units D1, D2 and can therefore precede, intermediate or downstream the printing units D1, D2. The paint modules can also be provided several times associated with each other.

1, the first printing unit D1 seen in the conveying direction R upstream of a landing unit 19, which is provided with an endlessly circulating conveyor system 1 1. In the conveyor system 1 1, an upper bearing drum 3.1 and a lower bearing drum 3.2 is provided, each having sprockets, rotate about the conveyor chains 23 with attached gripper systems 8. The conveyor system has between the upper and the lower bearing drum 3.1, 3.2 for guiding the conveyor chains 23 on both sides guide rails 12.

Printing unit D2 represents a standard version of a printing press. Printing unit D2 has a transfer drum 4 in the lower area and a counter-pressure cylinder 5 downstream of the transfer drum 4 in the conveying direction R Sheet transport on. This configuration is also intended for coating modules or comparable processing units.

The impression cylinder 5 is associated with a blanket cylinder 7 and a forme cylinder 6. Each form cylinder 6 are each assigned a sheetfed and a dampening unit in sheetfed offset presses (not shown here).

In paint modules, the printing cylinder is assigned a form cylinder with a paint supply device instead of a blanket cylinder.

Lacquer modules can also be designed as multifunctional modules for carrying out special processing methods (stamping, perforating, numbering, embossing, film transfer, lamination, digital imprinting).

In each printing unit D2 following the first printing unit D1, the respective counter-pressure cylinder 5 and the preceding transfer drum 4, starting from the single-sized blanket 7 and forme cylinder 6, are twice as large and each have two rows of grippers 22 for the sheet transport.

In the first printing unit D1, the space of a transfer drum 4 (printing unit D2) is occupied by a sheet conveying device of a laying unit 19, in which the first printing unit D1 is connected to the sheet feeder 1. In Fig. 1, two possibilities for the integration of a lower conditioning drum 3.2 in the printing unit D1 are indicated. It can be used in the design as a simple-sized sheet guiding drum in place and in storage of a cooperating in a known manner with a pre-gripper bearing drum.

A lower bearing drum 3.2 can be used in the design as a double-sized Bogenfüh- tion drum instead of a cooperating in a known manner with a boom chain conveyor jib drum in the storage of a transfer drum 4 according to printing unit D2.

The application unit 19 consists of a sheet feeder 1, a feed table 2 and two each based on the single-size form cylinder 6 single or double-sized Anlagetrommeln 3.1 and 3.2. The upper bearing drum 3.1 and the lower bearing drum 3.2 are by a conveyor system 1 1, the endless conveyor chains 23rd has (see Figs. 3 and 4), connected together. The installation drums 3.1 and 3.2 are basically formed by a respective axis of rotation with two sprockets, over which the conveyor chains 23 are guided. The conveyor system 1 1, in the exemplary embodiment, five guided on the conveyor chains 23 in guide rails 12 on the Anlagetrommeln 3.1 and 3.2 rotating gripper systems 8. The gripper systems 8 are formed as bar-shaped, over the width of the conveyor system 1 1 between the conveyor chains 23 extending sheet transport elements and each have controllable gripper 9 for detecting, holding, transporting and re-releasing the leading edge of sheet B on.

The feed table 2 is arranged directly following an upper edge of a sheet stack 14 held in the sheet feeder 1 in the conveying direction R and is aligned sloping inclined substantially horizontally or to a slight extent in the conveying direction R. The feed table 2 upstream in the conveying direction R is the top of the sheet stack 14 associated with a suction head 13 is arranged. The suction head 13 has suction devices 13.1 and other aids, not shown here, for safely separating the printed sheets B from the sheet stack 14 and for the trouble-free guiding of the separated sheets B to the feed table 2. By means of the suction head 13 so that the respective uppermost sheet is separated from the sheet stack 14 and advanced by means of the suction devices 13.1 in the direction of the feed table 2 and with its leading edge in the area a proposed acquisition by the gripper systems 8.

Above the feed table 2, the upper bearing drum 3.1 is arranged. About the upper bearing drum 3.1 guided on endless chains gripper systems 8 are guided by the conveyor system 1 1 on guide rails 12 in the region of sheet transfer parallel to the feed table 2 via a transfer path Ü. Each separated sheet B is thus detected by the gripper systems 8 with open-ended grippers 9 on the feed table 2 at its front edge when the sheet B was pushed by the suction head 13 in the gripper 9 and then transported away in the direction of printing unit D1. Below the feed table 2, a monitoring device with one or more sheet position sensors 20 is arranged. By means of the or sheet position sensors 20, the position of the relevant for the determination of a conveying position edges of a just separated from the sheet stack 14 and taken over by the gripper system 8 with the grippers 9 sheet B is detected and with respect to a determination of its position with respect to the machine cycle and a Determining its position with respect to the orientation during transport in the conveying direction R and evaluated in the plane of the sheet B transversely to the conveying direction R. Below the conveyor system 1 1, a sheet guiding device 21 is arranged approximately parallel to the sheet transport path. By means of the sheet guiding device 21 each separated sheet B is guided by a gripper system 8 from the upper feed drum 3.1 to the lower feed drum 3.2, where it is transferred to the impression cylinder 5 of the first printing unit D1. In this case, it is necessary that the printed sheets B, which are held only at their front edge, do not slip together as a result of their own weight during transport via the downwardly guiding sheet guiding device 21, so that disruptions occur. The sheet guide device 21 may therefore be provided with means for tightening the sheet B, with a protection of the surface of the usually still unprinted sheet B is important. Pneumatic guide means can enable non-contact sheet guiding.

In the area of the sheet guiding device 21, further sheet position sensors 20 can be arranged in order to monitor the position of the sheet edges in the gripper system 8 and also relative thereto during the sheet transport.

The data resulting from the measurement of the sheet position are used to adjust the sheet position with respect to the processing clock and the page orientation of each individual sheet B. Accordingly, in one embodiment, a measuring system with sheet position sensors 20, which determines the actual position of a front and / or side edge of the printed sheet B on the feed table 2, is arranged on or below the feed table 2. In a control hereby a target-actual comparison of the sheet position is made in real time with a calculated from specifications of the sheetfed offset press expected sheet position at the time of transfer.

By means of an optionally provided on the feed table 2 Seitenzieh- and Vorderkantenausrichteinrichtung the sheet B could then be controlled in a desired position for adoption by the gripper 9 to the gripper systems 8 aligned. For this purpose, however, only a small time window is available. Therefore, this option is technically and economically less favorable. In a preferred embodiment according to FIG. 1, the feed table 2 is arranged horizontally, so that the printed sheet B separated by the suction head 13 on the upper side of the sheet stack 14 in the sheet feeder 1 can be detected by a gripper system 8 in the area of the feed table 2 in the transfer line Ü. This takes place in a continuous horizontal conveyor plane to the incoming from the upper drum 3.1 and with open down grippers 9 incoming gripper systems 8. The open at an early date in the feed table 2 down gripper 9 are prepositioned on the gripper system 8 and the Assignment of the sheet B to the gripper systems 8 via not shown here front end stops, which are also attached to the gripper systems 8 and against the sheet B to the alignment of the front edge are applied before the gripper 9 closed on the gripper system 8 for securely detecting the sheet leading edge become.

The upper bearing drum 3.1 is arranged as shown in Fig. 1 in the application unit 19 above the feed table 2, that its conveying plane tangent to the upper bearing drum 3.1 and parallel to the path of movement of the corresponding incoming from the upper bearing drum 3.1 gripper system 8.

The concept of the application unit 19 allows variable configurations for the formation of the conveying paths or for the use of existing assemblies.

The installation drums 3.1 and 3.2 can accordingly be based on the single-sized forme cylinder 6, either single or double in size. This can be selected depending on the space requirements and the demands on materials to be processed.

The lower bearing drum 3.2 can be arranged with its axis of rotation (aligned) in or offset in height (laterally offset parallel) above an extension plane, which is formed by the mutually aligned axes of all impression cylinders 5 of the printing units D1, D2

At least the lower abutment drum 3.2 can be designed as a double-sized sheet guiding drum for simultaneously guiding two gripper systems 8. It then has a favorable for the guidance of stiffer materials for printing larger diameter, so that the material of the sheet to be transported B is not bent so much and thus easier to pass to the impression cylinder 5 of the first printing unit D1.

In the area of the upper bearing drum 3.1, the problem of the curvature of the printed matter does not exist, since the recording of the printed sheets B in the grippers 9 of the gripper systems 8 always after the draining of the gripper systems 8 from the curved guide track of the upper bearing drum 3.1 and in the area the flat feed table 2 takes place. The printed sheets B are therefore transported by the gripper systems 8 and thus on a relatively level path only after the first abutment drum 3.1.

The transition 2.1 from the flat feed table 2 to the downwardly leading sheet guiding device 21 is curved to the inside of the conveyor system 1 1. There, therefore, a movement of the guided by the gripper systems 8 sheet B is provoked in the opposite direction transverse to the transport plane.

On the one hand, the transition 2.1 can be made continuous, so that the running at machine speed from the feed 2 sheet B are not suddenly deflected in the downward movement of the sheet guiding device 21, whereby a whip effect of the out-of-sheet end can be avoided. Furthermore, from the inside of the conveyor system 1 1 in the region of the transition 2.1 a blowing device or in the region of the transition 2.1 on the sheet guiding device 21, a suction device with effect be provided on the expiring sheet B and to produce a level guide the sheet B.

In connection with the installation drums 3.1, 3.2, therefore, further smooth sheet guide means, which are arranged where the printed sheets B are subjected to a change in direction, are preferably used for trouble-free sheet transport in addition to the sheet guiding device.

Thus, in the region of the upper bearing drum 3.1, on the way to the downwardly leading bow path, a device for the transfer can be arranged at the transition from the horizontal to the downward movement. For this purpose, pneumatic suction or blast air or mechanical the printed sheet B gentle guide elements are suitable.

Furthermore, in the region of the lower abutment drum 3.2 on the way to the sheet transfer to the impression cylinder 5, a device for securing the sheet movement at the transition from the orbital motion in the lower feed drum 3.2 may be arranged on the orbital motion with impression cylinder 5. For this purpose, pneumatic suction or blowing air devices or also mechanical pressure elements B gentle guide elements are suitable. In a development, the installation drums 3.1 and 3.2 and the sheet guiding device 21 is a measuring system with at least one sheet position sensor 20, for detecting the position (actual value) of the gripper systems 8 in the upper feed drum 3.1, on the sheet guide device 21 and the lower feed drum 3.2 arcuate sheet B adjacent. The position detection may refer, for example, to at least one side edge and / or the front edge of the arcuate printed sheet B. The Bogenlage- sensors 20 are circuit-coupled with an evaluation unit for a target-actual comparison and a control, such that the gripper systems 8 in a training transversely to the conveying direction R is laterally movable.

In a further embodiment, the functional connection of sheet position sensors 20, evaluation unit and control such that a lateral movement of the gripper system 8 can be realized and / or at an inclined position of the sheet B. to the conveying direction R whose positional offset recognizable and the sheet B can be aligned by the in or against the conveying direction R obliquely adjustable gripper system 8 in the desired position.

The sheet feed sensors 20 assigned to the feed table 2 and / or the sheet guiding device 21 and / or the feed drum 3.1 and 3.2 can be used together or individually.

The operation of the application unit 19 is as follows: In the sheet feeder 1 each to be processed sheet B is singled using known means with a suction head 13 from the top of the sheet stack 14 in the machine cycle of the sheetfed offset press and continuously accelerated in the conveying direction R up to machine speed. In the resulting forward movement of the sheet B is pushed onto the feed table 2 and can already be examined at this time, preferably by means of correspondingly provided sensors in terms of sheet position, the presence of multiple sheets out or arc damage. For this purpose, corresponding sensor such as the sheet position sensors 20 are arranged in corresponding areas on or below the feed table 2.

Upon entry of the printing sheet B on the feed table 2, an orientation of the printed sheet B can preferably take place here after a side edge after metrological detection of a position actual value and a desired-actual comparison.

Immediately thereafter or in motion superimposition, the transport takes place in the conveying direction R against leading marks, not shown here, which are arranged on the gripper system 8. The gripper system 8 runs down to the feed table 2 and thereby preceded by the feed table 2 in longitudinally arranged recesses open grippers 9 the leading edge of the sheet B ahead. Thus, from the suction head 13 to the means of the gripper system 8 arranged on the front marks with open grippers 9 a flying orientation of the sheet leading edge. The grippers 9 then grasp the printed sheet B when the front marks abut the sheet leading edge, and the grippers 9 and their Gripper fingers act while the sheet edge bears against the front marks, at the same time as so-called cover marks until the sheet B is fixed in the gripper closure of the gripper 9 on the gripper system 8. This process with the detection of the position of the leading edge of the printing sheet B takes place in a synchronous movement between the printing sheet B and gripper system 8 substantially in parallel movement to each other at the feed table 2 in the transfer section Ü. For simplified adaptation to substrates of different thicknesses, the feed table 2 to the conveyor system 1 1 can be slightly inclined, so that the distance from the surface of the feed table 2 opposite gripper pads of the gripper 9 can adapt to the feed table 2 automatically.

The expired by the rotating drum 3 3.1 gripper system 8 is further moved by conveyor chains 23 on the conveyor system 1 1 in guide rails 12 and pulls the fixed in the gripper closure sheet B from the feed table 2 from. The printing sheet B is thereafter, while the plant drum 3.1 is constantly moved at the machine speed, transported in the conveying direction R on the Bogenführungsein- device 21. The sheet guide device 21 may be formed as a simple smooth or contoured guide surface over which the sheet B is towed without its surface would be damaged. The sheet guide device 21 may be formed as a pneumatically actuated guide surface over which the sheet B is dragged under the influence of compressed air floating or taut under the influence of suction air and tightened.

In the region of the sheet guiding device 21, a further or a first-time metrological detection of the printed sheets B can take place with evaluation of the sheet position in the conveying plane and a corresponding correction on the lower receiving drum 3.2. Subsequently, the printing sheet B is transferred from the conditioning drum 3.2 in the transfer area to the count of the first printing unit D1 impression cylinder 5. From the counter-pressure cylinder 5 of the first printing unit D1, the printing sheet B is then transferred to the transfer drum 4 of the second printing unit D2 after the first printing and then to the following impression cylinder 5 in a known manner. If the Anlagetronnnnel 3.2 is designed as a double-sized drum, their drum body can be taken over by a delivery drum, as it is present at the transport end of the sheetfed offset press before the sheet delivery. At the printing unit D1 a corresponding storage position for the standard attachment of a transfer drum 4 is already provided, in which the delivery drum can then be used as a lower investment drum 3.2, wherein the delivery drum is advantageously already provided for the interaction with endless chain conveyor systems.

The main variant of the lower abutment drum 3.2 shown in FIG. 1 is intended for use with a printing unit D1 which can be used with a standard abutment drum in conjunction with a pre-gripper. While the pre-gripper is then eliminated, the lower conditioning drum 3.2 can be accommodated in the storage of the standard drum.

In Fig. 2, the application unit 19 is shown in a plan view. At the sheet feeder 1 with sheet stack 14 and suction head 13, the upper bearing drum 3.1 connects. On the suction head 13 is an arrow view (see also Fig. 1) for designation of its transport movements in the sheet separation shown. The upper bearing drum 3.1 covers the feed table 2 in the plan view largely. The outline of the feed table 2 is highlighted in contrast to FIG. 1 and for better visibility in dashed representation.

The gripper systems 8 are shown according to the arrangement in the illustration of FIG. 1. Above the upper bearing drum 3.1, a gripper system 8.1 is shown, which is idle running against the conveying direction R on the way back from the printing unit D1 to the sheet feeder 1. Another gripper system 8.2 is shown on its way above the sheet guiding device 21 to the lower conditioning drum 3.2 in the conveying direction R. A third gripper system 8.3 is located above the lower feed drum 3.2 also empty on the way back to the sheet feeder. 1 Here are the gripper 9 symbolized. The gripper systems 8, the guide rails 12 and conveyor chains 23 are components of the conveyor system 1 1 and are used to convey isolated sheet B from the feeder stack 14 to the printing cylinder 5 of the first printing unit D1. Independently controllable drive motors 25 can be provided on each side of the axis of the lower abutment drum 3.2 as the drive of the conveyor system 11.

Starting from the conditioning drum 3.1, a further gripper system 8 is shown in the conveying direction R, that now holds a printed sheet B and this transported in the conveying direction R to the conditioning drum 3.2.

In this connection, two arcuate arrows are shown transversely to the gripper system 8 and an elongated arrow is shown parallel to its extension. These arrows indicate that the printed sheet B can be aligned by means of the gripper system 8 both transversely to the conveying direction R, ie with respect to its side edges, as well as with respect to a pivoting of its front edge to the conveying direction. The sheet alignment can take place during the sheet transport between the feed drum 3.1 to the feed drum 3.2, in the course of sheet transfer to the feed drum 3.1 or in the course of sheet transfer from the feed drum 3.2 on the impression cylinder 5. In Fig. 3 and 4 possibilities for sheet alignment in connection with the gripper systems 8 are shown. The gripper systems 8 are in connection with guide rails 12 (see FIG. 2), wherein they are moved on conveyor chains 22 shown schematically by means of guide rollers 10 in the guide rails 12. In Fig. 3, an alignment member 15 is shown, which engages from a drum-fixed and axially to a base body (axis) of a lower or upper bearing drum 3.1, 3.2 positionable articulation point when entering the gripper system 8 in a Ausrichtoffnung 16 mounted there. In this case, the gripper system 8 is supported by the guide rollers 10 and guided on the guide surfaces in the guide opening 16 aligned in a preselected lateral positioning. This pre-positioning occurs before and during a signature B from the grippers 9 is received on the gripper system 8 and transferred in a fixed position to another sheet transport system such as the impression cylinder 5.

In addition to the axial alignment of FIG. 4 by means of two catch forks 17, which cooperate with mounted in the gripper system 8 alignment bolt 18, a circumferential or oblique orientation of the sheet B take place. Here, the catch forks 17 of drum-mounted and circumferentially to a collision drum 3.1, 3.2 adjustable articulation points in the guide pin 18 on the gripper systems 8 a.

Depending on sheet position measurements on the sheet position sensors 20, positioning of the alignment member 15 and catch forks 17 during sheet travel can be done to ensure accurate sheet transfer for the best possible production accuracy.

In Fig. 5 and 6, an arrangement of the application unit 19 is shown in elevation and plan view, in which case different control options for drive and sheet alignment are shown.

In principle, the application unit 19 can be driven synchronously with the respective elements to be driven in the conveyor system 11 and in the suction head 13 by a main drive, with the main drive associated with the sheetfed offset printing press.

FIG. 5 shows a representation corresponding to FIG. 1 for the description of a first independently operable drive configuration.

According to Fig. 5, the drive of the conveyor system 1 1 takes place in the application unit 19 via at least one independently operated first drive motor 25 on the axis of the lower conditioning drum 3.2 in synchronization of the movement of the sheet B to move the sheetfed offset printing press.

The sheet separation takes place via an independently operated second drive motor 26 in connection with the suction head 13 in the sheet feeder 1. Thus, the conveyor chains 23 and the sprockets of the upper bearing drum 3.1 are offset by the first drive motor 25 via the sprockets of the lower bearing drum 3.2 in transport movement. If both sprockets of the lower abutment drum 3.2 are coupled to a rigid axle, the position of the leading edge of the first drive motor 25 can be driven by the drive movement of the first drive motor 25

Sheet B are adjusted via the driven gripper systems 8 relative to the movement of the sheet-fed offset printing press. In this way, a precisely fitting sheet transfer from the gripper systems 8 on the abutment drum 3.2 to the counter-pressure cylinder 5 in relation to the machine cycle of the sheet-fed offset printing machine can be carried out in a simple manner.

If each of the sprockets of the lower conditioning drum 3.2 is provided with its own first drive motor 25, by means of an independently controlled drive movement of the sheet B on the gripper systems 8 both in terms of the position of the sheet leading edge in the transport direction and in terms of a possible skew the sheet leading edge are aligned.

The signals for controlling the first and second drive motors 25, 26 with respect to the sheet position are obtained from sheet position sensors 20 in the region of the feed table 2 and the sheet guiding device 21 in the sheet movement on the gripper systems 8 and fed via data lines 27 to a controller 24. In the controller 24, the position data of the signatures B are then processed together with machine cycle related signals, which are supplied to the controller 24 via a machine data line 29 from a machine controller of the sheet-fed offset printing press. In this case, a setpoint-actual comparison is made, which compares the measured values with position data of an expected sheet position given by the machine control. The deviations obtained therefrom are processed into control signals, which are conducted via control lines 28 to the first and second drive motors 25, 26 in order to control the sheet conveyance for the correction of misalignments of the press sheets B via their drive movement. FIG. 6 shows an illustration corresponding to FIG. 2 with a plan view of the application unit 19 for an alternative drive configuration. In contrast to FIG. 2, drive motors are provided elsewhere in FIG.

According to Fig. 6, the drive of the conveyor system 1 1 in the application unit 19 via two drive motors 30, 31 which act with their own drive elements (sprockets) on the conveyor chains 23 in synchronization of the movement of the sheet B to move the sheet-fed offset printing machine. Thus, the gripper systems 8 and the conveyor chains 23 together with the sprockets of the lower and the upper bearing drum 3.2, 3.2 are set in transport movement.

The sheet separation takes place via a separate drive motor 26 in conjunction with the suction head 13 in the sheet feeder. 1

The sprockets of the lower conditioning drum 3.2 are here on the conveyor chains 23 and the drive motors 30, 31 each provided with its own drive, so that an independently controlled drive movement of the sheet B on the gripper systems 8 both in terms of the position of the sheet leading edge in the transport direction and in terms of a Oblique position of the sheet leading edge takes place. The signals for controlling the drive motors 26, 30, 31 with respect to the sheet position are obtained from sheet position sensors 20.1, 20.2 in the area of the feed table 2 and the sheet guiding device 21 in the sheet movement on the gripper systems 8 and fed to a controller 24 via data lines 27. The sheet position sensors 20.1 detect the position of the sheet leading edge and the sheet position sensors 20.2 detect the position of the sheet side edge.

In the controller 24, the position data of the printed sheets B are then processed together with signals related to the machine cycle, which are fed to the controller 24 via a machine data line 29 from a machine controller of the sheetfed offset printing press. In this case, a setpoint-actual comparison is made, which compares the measured values with position data of an expected sheet position given by the machine control. Position deviations obtained from the signals of the sheet position sensors 20.1 are processed into control signals which are transmitted via control lines 28 to the drive motors 26, 30, 31 are directed to control the sheet feed to correct misalignments of the sheet B with respect to the sheet leading edge on the drive movement.

Furthermore, in the sheet movement alignment movements are made from the signals of the sheet position sensors 20.2 for setting the sheet side edge in an optimal for the processing of the sheet B in the sheet-fed offset printing machine position.

With an appropriate arrangement and design of the sheet position sensors 20, 20.1, 20.2 for detecting larger edge areas or arrangement of separate devices for edge monitoring and damage in the sheet edges can be detected so that such sheets B are not fed to the sheetfed offset printing machine. Similarly, sheet B, which were not properly isolated as so-called double or multiple arc in the area of the feed table 2 detected by a sensor device not shown here. Since these may not be fed to the sheet-fed offset printing press, they are not transported or excluded from the sheet flow ..

As advantageous in connection with the invention described above, in summary again the following facts are to be named:

1 . The parallel guidance of the gripper systems 8 with the feed table 2 leads from the suction head 13 pushed sheet B as known on the contact plate.

2. If the sheet feeder is blocked, sheet B remains in sheet feeder 1. This avoids waste on sheet B, which would have to be taken from a belt table before rebooting.

3. The orientation of the sheet B can be done during the transport of the sheet B from the sheet feeder 1 to the first printing unit D1.

4. Axial and thus transverse to the direction of paper travel, the page register in a simple and advantageous manner by moving a gripper system 8 during the transport are set, the sheet B is held during the displacement over the entire length.

5. The alignment with respect to slanted sheet and the position of the sheet leading edge in Bogenforderrichtung R is easily controlled inline on the forward movement of the gripper systems 8.

6. A sensor (sheet position sensors 20) with one or more control loops allows early, late, double and oblique sheets possibly already on the feed table 2 (contact sheet) to recognize and hold, if a misalignment should not be ausregelbar. For example, printed sheets B with incorrect layers do not get into the transport to the press as a source of error.

7. When using one or more individual drives on the sheet feeder 1 and / or on the suction head 13 and / or on the conveyor system 1 1 and / or on the feeder unit 19 an inline orientation of the early / late bow is possible and a special alignment device for the gripper systems. 8 in Bogenforderrichtung R can accordingly be omitted ..

8. Due to the concept of sheet feeding by means of gripper systems 8 and a conveyor system 11 with conveyor chains 23 on guide rails 12 in the sheet system, a base configuration for height adjustment of the printing units D1, D2 in high-stacking machines can be omitted by designing the conveyor paths.

9. In the configuration, a first printing unit D1 and a succeeding printing unit D2 may be constituted similarly if a sheet transport drum in the form of a delivery drum is used as the lower registration drum 3.2 (feed drum).

10. The bowing is significantly improved especially for cardboard material, since damage such as scratches o. Ä. Eliminate by the simple bowing.

1 1. A belt table, also as suction belt table, with suction air supply suction belts and belt rollers is eliminated.

12. Such a sheet system less susceptible to stoppers and allows easier operation. It therefore promises minimal operator intervention, which in turn follows the emergence of less waste. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 sheet feeder

2 feed table

3.1 upper drum

3.2 lower investment drum

4 transfer drum

5 impression cylinders

6 form cylinder

7 blanket cylinder

8 gripper system

8.1 gripper system

8.2 Gripper system

8.3 Gripper system

9 grippers

10 guide rollers

1 1 conveyor system

12 guide rails

13 suction head

13.1 Sucker / suction device

14 investor stacks

15 alignment element

16 alignment opening

17 fork

18 alignment bolts

19 laying unit

20 sheet position sensor

20.1 Sheet position sensor

20.2 Sheet position sensor

21 sheet guiding device

22 gripper row

23 conveyor chain 24 control

25 drive motor

26 drive motor

27 data line (measurement signal)

28 control line (engine control)

29 machine data line (machine control, machine cycle)

30 drive motor

31 Drive motor D1 printing unit

D2 printing unit

R conveying direction

A alignment track

Ü takeover route

B print sheet

Claims

claims

Mooring unit (19) for supplying isolated sheet (B) to a sheet-fed rotary printing machine with one or more printing units (D1, D2) and / or paint modules, wherein the printing units (D1, D2) or paint modules with a substructure of each double-sized transfer drums (4 ) and back pressure cylinders (5) are provided, wherein the applying unit (19) with a sheet feeder (1), a conveyor unit and a feed table (2) is provided, wherein the applying unit (19) relative to a single - sized forme cylinder (6) one of Printing units (D1, D2) single or double-sized plant drum (3.2), which is assigned to a sheet-guiding cylinder of a first printing unit (D1) of the sheet-fed rotary printing press, characterized in that the conveyor unit as a lower plant drum (3.2) with an upper investment drum ( 3.1) connecting endless conveyor system (1 1) is formed and that the upper bearing drum (3.1) is associated with the sheet feeder (1).

Mooring unit according to claim 1, characterized

that the lower bearing drum (3.2) is double-sized and is formed from the drum body of a delivery drum and that the lower bearing drum (3.2) at the bearing point of a transfer drum (4) of the first printing unit (D1) of the sheet-fed offset printing machine is arranged.

Mooring unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized

that the upper bearing drum (3.1) is formed with a single-sized diameter.

Mooring unit according to one or more of claims 1 to 3,

characterized in that the conveyor system (1 1) as an endless chain conveyor with rows of grippers (9) carrying gripper systems (8) is formed, wherein the gripper systems (8) by a transport drive via conveyor chains (23) are moved and wherein the conveyor chains (23 ) the gripper systems (8) over the upper tunnel (3.1) and the lower tunnel (3.2).

Mooring unit according to one or more of claims 1 to 4,

characterized in that the upper bearing drum (3.1) is associated with a feed table (2) and that the feed table (2) is associated with the sheet feeder (1).

Mooring unit according to one or more of claims 1 to 5,

characterized,

in that the feed table (2) is assigned to the sheet feeder (1) at the level of the upper edge of a sheet stack (14) received in the sheet feeder (1), and in that a suction head (13) arranged in the sheet feeder (1) above the sheet stack (14) for sheet separation ) is formed directly on the feed table (2) in order to convey the printed sheet (B) separated by the sheet stack (14).

Mooring unit according to one or more of claims 1 to 6,

characterized in that the suction head (13), the feed tray (2), the feed drum (3.1) and the conveyor system (1 1) are formed so that each separated sheet (B) directly from the sheet stack (14) into the gripper ( 9) while being carried on the conveyor system (1 1) moving gripper systems (8) in the open state is introduced.

Mooring unit according to one or more of claims 1 to 7,

characterized in that the upper abutment drum (3.1) is associated with the feed table (2) near the edge of the sheet stack (14) and that the area of the conveyor system (11) adjoining the upper abutment drum (3.1) is substantially parallel to the extent of the Feed table (2) in the conveying direction (R) is formed extending.

9. laying unit according to one or more of claims 1 to 8,

characterized in that the conveyor system (1 1) is associated with a on the underside of the conveyor system (1 1) arranged substantially parallel to the conveying plane sheet guiding device (21) following the feed table (2).

10. application unit according to one or more of claims 1 to 9,

characterized in that the conveyor system (1 1) in the field of sheet conveyance from the feed table (2) to the sheet guiding device (21) and / or in the area of Bogenabführung of the sheet guiding device (21) for transfer of the printing sheet (B) a sheet-guiding cylinder of the first printing unit (D1) guide means of mechanical and / or pneumatic nature assigned to avoid movements of the printing sheet (B) are provided, which point away from the sheet guiding device (21).

1 1. Mooring unit according to one or more of claims 1 to 10,

characterized in that the upper abutment drum (3.1), the lower abutment drum (3.2), the feed table (2) and the sheet feeder (1) with the suction head (13) are designed as a module and that a process interface to a downstream, module designed as a printing unit (D1) o- the paint module between the lower bearing drum (3.2) and the downstream impression cylinder (5) of the printing unit (D1) or paint module is defined.

12. application unit according to one or more of claims 1 to 1 1,

characterized in that for the position detection of the sheet-fed rotary printing machine to be supplied sheet (B) of the plant drum (3.1) and / or the plant drum (3.2) and / or the conveyor system (1 1) one or more measuring systems with sheet position sensors (20) is assigned adjacent , which are coupled to an evaluation unit and a controller (24), wherein the controller (24) with an acting on the conveyor system (1 1) Betä- ment device for position correction of gripper systems (8) is in functional connection.

13. placement unit according to one or more of claims 1 to 12,

characterized in that the conveyor system (11) and / or the suction head (13) of the sheet feeder (1) are each provided with an independent motor drive (25; 26; 30,31), and in that the motor drives (25; 26 ; 30, 31) are coupled to the machine control of the sheet-fed rotary printing press by means of the controller (24) in such a way that the printed sheets (B) transported by the conveyor system (1 1) precisely match their position in the conveying direction (R) with respect to the machine cycle of the sheet-fed rotary printing press are alignable to the rotational movement of the sheet-fed rotary printing press.

14. laying unit according to one or more of claims 1 to 13,

characterized in that the upper abutment drum (3.1) and / or the lower abutment drum (3.2) with one or two independent motor drives (25) are provided, and that the / the motor drives (25) by means of the controller (24) with the Machine control of the sheet-fed rotary printing machine are coupled.

15. placement unit according to one or more of claims 1 to 13,

characterized in that one or both conveyor chains (23) of the conveyor system (1 1) are each provided with an independent motor drive (30, 31), and that the motorized drives (30, 31) by means of the controller (24) with the machine control the sheet-fed rotary printing press are coupled.