GB2296697A

GB2296697A - Detection of guide channel wear in conveying means

Info

Publication number: GB2296697A
Application number: GB9600305A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Wolfgang Fischer; Andreas Schramm; Hans Wetzig; Gerald Loh; Klaus Goerner
Original assignee: SAECHSISCHES INST fur DIE DRU
Current assignee: SAECHSISCHES INST fur DIE DRU
Priority date: 1995-01-06
Filing date: 1996-01-08
Publication date: 1996-07-10
Also published as: FR2729218A1; DE19500285C1; GB9600305D0; GB9600167D0

Abstract

The device uses a system of sprung sensor wheels (2) arranged in the path (1) of the individual running wheels of the conveyor chain carrying the gripper elements for the sheets. Each pair of adjacent sensor wheels are coupled together by a rotary coupling (3), their deflection used to provide electrical signals representing the wear, via associated sensors (4), coupled to an evaluation stage. Pref. the evaluation stage has a transmission reception device using a pulse transmitter associated with the conveying channel and a receiver associated with the conveyor chain.

Description

2296697 - 1 DETECTION OF GUIDE CHANNEL WEAR IN CONVEYING MEANS The present

invention relates to conveying equipment, especially equipment with means for positionally accurate measurement of the wear, which is due to rolling-off, at guide channels, in particular at guide channels by means of link chains which comprise gripper elements rolling in a closed circulation and transport printed products in overlapping arrangement from a printing machine to intermediate storage and/or dispatch equipment.

In DE-PS 26 29 528 there is disclosed conveying equipment with a ball-joint link chain, the links of which have a hinge body in the form of a spherical segment at one fork-shaped end and a hinge pan surrounding the hinge body of the next chain link. Each ball joint is equipped with a horizontal axle, which extends from the fork-shaped ends, for two guide wheels which run on a support and are supported on the flanges of a substantially C-shaped guide channel. Attached to each of the chain links is a respective arm at which a rod, which projects towards the side with respect to the links is mounted for the fastening of conveyed stock.

Due to the laterally projecting fastening rod, the links in the guide channel are canted so that one of the two guide wheels of each link on the side remote from the fastening rod does not bear against the flange, but against the top web of the guide channel. Each chain link assumes a canted and therefore stable position. Chain tensioners can thereby be dispensed with.

There is no knocking or shaking of the chain either during starting- up or in operation.

Longer conveying equipment, too, runs smoothly witho,,.,t the chain having to be tensioned by additional means.

This conveying equipment solves conveying problems and also drive 2 problems with respect to the aspect of three-dimensional chain guidance. It is, however, a disadvantage that detection of the wear due to rollingoff can be carried out only with relatively high technical effort, particularly in the case of longer conveying equipment.

There is thus a need for measuring means for measurement of such wear, particularly measuring means which may require only a small technical effort and which may be suitable for the positionally accurate wear measurement in longer conveying equipment.

According to the present invention there is provided equipment for positionally accurate measurement of wear, which is due to rolling-off, at conveying equipment guide channels, in particular at conveying equipment guide channels by means of link chains which comprise gripper elements rolling in a closed circulation and transport printed products in an overlapping arrangement from a printing machine to intermediate storage units and/or despatch equipment, with runners which run on a support and are supported on the flanges of a C-shaped guide channel, characterised in that a system of feeler wheels, which are mounted one resiliently to the other, are articulated at least in the tracks of the individual runners of the chain, that the respective feeler wheel of one runner track is connected with the respectively adjacent feeler wheel by connecting means which is mounted to be rotatable, that the detection of the amount of the deflection of the feeler wheels, which arises one relative to the other in consequence of wear, takes place by means of sensors producing electrical signals, and that evaluating equipment, which serves for association of the electrical signals produced by the sensors with the respective position of the sensors relative to the guide channel and for the ascertaining of detection signals, which are preset in time, of the sensors, is arranged behind the sensors.

Preferably, the evaluating equipment comprises transmittingreceiving equipment, which comprises a pulse signal transmitter arranged at the guide channel and a receiver arranged at the chain, or a multichannel pulse signal transmitter arranged at the chain and a receiver arranged at the guide channel. Expediently, the evaluating equipment comprises sensors which serve for time-proportional detection and storage of the link spacings of the chain and are associated with storage equipment serving for the time-proportional storage of deflection values, which have been detected by the sensors, of the feeler wheels.

For preference, of at least two feeler wheels, at least one feeler wheel is articulated each time to a runner track and/or at least one feeler wheel is arranged parallelly to the other outside the runner track within the guide channel as seen in running direction, and evaluating equipment, which serves for the association of the electrical signals produced by the sensors with the respective position of the sensors relative to the guide channel, is arranged behind the sensors.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic overall view of equipment embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a schematic cross-section of a guide channel and measuring means in such equipment; and Fig. 3 is a cross-section along the line A-A of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings there is shown part of conveying equipment for printed products, the conveying equipment comprising a C- section guide channel and link chains (not shown), which comprise gripper elements rolling in closed circulation to transport the printed products in an overlapping arrangement from a printing machine to intermediate storage units and/or despatch devices. The chains have runners or guide wheels which are supported on the flanges of the channel and can create wear.

measurement of such wear is carried out by measuring means comprising a system of feeler wheels 2 which are mounted resiliently relative to each other. The feeler wheels 2 are articulated at least in the tracks 1 of the individual runners of the chain, with the respective feeler wheel 2 of one runner track 1 being connected with the adjacent feeler wheel 2 of the other track 1 by way of rotatable connecting means 3. In particular, the two halves of the measuring means are connected one with the other by the connecting means 3 to be rotatable one relative to the other. Thereby, any desired curvature as well as twisting of the guide channel is possible without canting of associated deflection sensing means and consequent falsification of the measured values.

One each of the two feeler wheels 2 of each half of the measuring means runs in the respective track 1 and one on the side surface, wherein each wheel 2 is mounted resiliently and can be deflected independently of the other.

The feeler wheels 2 of each half of the measuring means are carried by a rocker and the amount of rocker deflection, in particular the amount of deflection of the feeler wheels relative to each other in consequence of wear, is detected by means of sensors 4 producing electrical signdlS, which are fed to storage equipment 5. Associated with the storage equipment 5 is a signal receiver 8. The feeler wheels 2, connecting means 3, sensor 4, storage equipment 5 and receiver 8 constitute a wearmeasuring unit. These components are all arranged at the chain.

Arranged at the channel are an evaluating unit 6 and a signal transmitter 7, which is coupled with the evaluating unit 6. The evaluating unit 6 serves for the association of the sensor output signals with respective position of the sensors relative to the channel and for the ascertaining of detection signals, which are preset in time, of the sensors. The unit 6 scans the passing chain links and generates a pulse train which is proportional to the link number and is transmitted wirelessly by the transmitter 7 to the receiver 8.

The storage equipment 5 stores the output signals of the sensor 4, which signals are wear- proportional voltage values, at each instant a pulse of the pulse train proportional to link number is present.

The evaluating unit 6 is mounted at a specific position of the channel and scans the chain, which is running in endless circulation, optically, magnetically, mechanically or inductively. The generated pulse train proportional to link number is thus proportional to conveyor path.

After the pulse transmission from the transmitter 7 to the receiver 8 for the storage equipment 5 fixed to and transported with the chain, the wear-proportional voltage values from the sensor 4 are stored in the rhythm of the pulse train.

whole-number multiple of This rhythm advantageously corresponds to a the individual links of the chain.

Consequently, the storage equipment 5 can be a less expensive electronic system.

Advantageously, wear-proportional voltage values are always stored as peak value of the preceding measurement period and utilised as comparison value for the following measurement.

The positions of the transmitter 7 and receiver 8 can, of course, be reversed.

Claims

1. Conveying equipment provided with wear-measuring means for measurement of wear at guide channels by means of link chains which comprise gripper elements rolling in a closed circulation, with guide wheels which run on a support and are supported on the flanges of a substantially C-section guide channel, characterised in that a system of feeler wheels, which are resiliently mounted relative to one another, are articulated at least in the tracks of the individual guide wheels of the link chain, that the respective feeler wheel of one track is connected with the respectively adjacent feeler wheel by rotatably mounted connecting means, that detection of the amount of deflection of the feeler wheels relative to one another due to wear is effected by sensors producing electrical signals, and that evaluating means for association of the sensors signals with the respective position of the sensors relative to the guide channel and for ascertaining of sensor detection signals preset in time is arranged downstream of the sensors.

2. Equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the evaluating means comprises transmitting-receiving means which comprises a signal transmitter arranged at the guide channel and a receiver arranged at the chain.

3. Equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the evaluating means comprises transmitting-receiving means which comprises a multichannel signal transmitter arranged at the chain and a receiver arranged at the guide channel.

4. Equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the evaluating means comprises sensors for time-proportional detection and storage of the link spacings of the chain and storage means for time-proportional storage of the deflection values, which have been detected by the first-mentioned sensors, of the feeler wheels.

5. Equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein of at least two feeler wheels of the feeler wheel system at least one feeler wheel is articulated each time to a track and/or at least one feeler wheel is arranged parallel to the other outside the track within the guide channel as seen in running direction and wherein evaluating means, which serves for association of the electrical signals produced by the sensors with the respective position of the sensors relative to the guide channel, is arranged downstream of the sensors.

6. Equipment substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.