ITBG20000011A1 - QUICK STACKING AND SORTING PROCEDURE OF PARALLEL OBJECTS APPIPATTED PARTICULARLY SIGNATURES AND BOOKS THROUGH THEIR DISP - Google Patents

Description

Description of an industrial invention in the name:

DESCRIPTION

This invention relates to a process for the rapid stacking and sorting of flattened parallelepiped objects, particularly signatures and books, by means of their vertical arrangement. This invention also refers to the machine for implementing said process.

As is known, the construction of a book takes place by printing large sheets containing multiple pages. These sheets are then folded several times, until the format of the book is obtained, and each of them thus constitutes a signature. Each book generally includes a number of pages that require the printing of several different sheets, and therefore the association of various different signatures. These different signatures must be associated with each other in a specific order, from which the final order of the pages of the book derives, which will result following a special cut of three edges of the "rectangle-formed" of the signatures. This order of association of the various signatures is carried out by a special machine usually called Collection, which receives (from various storage or printing directions, or from various specific flow sequences) identical signatures, and superimposes them to create the order number of the individual pages necessary to make up the book. The signatures ordered by the Collection are generally intended for the usual sewing machines, which combine them with thread, before passing them to the gluing machines. The number of signature groups that can be output from the Collection machine is much greater than the number of groups that can be processed by a single sewing machine. Hence the need to have a special "sorting machine" called sorter that divides the flow received from the collection into a plurality of flows, each directed to a separate sewing machine. In the known art, this sorting machine, which contains a module known as a "Pre-stacker", operates with the signatures arranged horizontally on a plane. In this arrangement, in fact, their support on usual sliding surfaces allows an overlapping of numerous signatures which is particularly stable. This horizontal arrangement, however, is also the one that involves the greatest bulk: this determines the current technological limit constituted by the impossibility, on the part of a collection, to serve more than three sewing machines. In fact, this possibility exists only with much more complex and much more expensive systems. The continuity of the flow produced by the Collection must, in fact, be broken up into three "stacks" of signatures, such as to allow a σ. each sewing machine a continuity of operation. That is to say,

each sewing machine must be able to have "upstream" of

a quantity of signatures which, before it is totally taken from its own "tank" for sewing, is

supplemented by another quantity, or stack of signatures coming from the "chopping" station of the flow, coming from the Collection and sorted in a sorting station. This station has the task, not only of sorting the groups of signatures necessary for the constitution of

a single book, but also to stack various groups

of book signatures (i.e., an ordered plurality of constituent signatures of several books) in order to provide

individual sewing machines, the aforementioned quantity required

to allow them to operate the sewing of the individuals

books with continuity.

In the usual technique of horizontal arrangement of the signatures, the formation of the stacks of signatures takes place for

falling, of one signature over another, from progressively smaller heights as the height of the stack increases

in training. This involves the drawback of a stabilizing friction of the signatures which is variable from the bottom

at the top; it also involves a speed of training

of the pile which depends on the smallness of the acceleration of

gravity and its constancy: such properties prevent

obviously not the adoption of more advantageous laws of motion. Moreover, these stacks in horizontal arrangement of the signatures involve translations produced by thrusts transversal to the direction of stacking which create various problems. The main of these problems is constituted by the fact that said translations have different strokes depending on the mouth of the usual channel into which they must be pushed, to be then conveyed to the specific sewing machine. These mouthpieces obviously have a distance between them which, at a minimum, has the value of the width of the book (ie of the stack of signatures). It follows that to reach the furthest opening, a usual distributor drawer device, designed for their transversal movement, takes a long time. This time, added to the time required for the return stroke, leaves no time for the formation of the stack to be translated: this, in proportion to the distance to be covered, since the two operations must necessarily be correlated. Therefore, taking into account the variability of the formats that must be handled by the plants in question, the usual drawer sorter technique for feeding a hypothetical fourth sewing machine becomes impossible: precisely because the large distances to be covered from the dispenser drawer towards the feeding ducts of the sewing machines, would prevent the introduction into them of the quantities of signatures necessary to give continuity to the necessary flow. This impossibility is therefore also determined by the aforementioned low speed with which the usual pre-stacking machines with horizontal signatures are able to group the various sets of signatures, constituting the individual books.

The object of the present invention is to define a method for stacking signatures, books and other flattened parallelepiped objects, which allows high operating speeds. Another object is to define a process, as above, which allows the usual drawers, or sorting apparatuses, to travel shorter distances, in order to operate with shorter execution times. Another purpose is to define a procedure and a machine with the above particularity which, although it has its elective application in the field of bookbinding, can find use in all those fields in which it is necessary to stack parallelepiped objects of flattened shape that have need for rapid stacking according to predetermined quantities, to allow for final storage stacking as desired. That said, and to simplify the display, the following exposure will refer to the stacking of typographic signatures. The aims specified, and others besides, will appear as achieved by reading the following detailed description, illustrating a method of stacking signatures, books and other flattened parallelepiped objects, having the particularity of comprising:

a) longitudinal sliding of the signatures or the like on a channel with a support surface of variable orientation from almost horizontal to almost vertical; b) a longitudinal introduction of the signatures in a first lateral zone of a pre-stacking station, where the signatures continue in their longitudinal advancement, maintaining their vertical position, resting on a first and a second half-wall, and with their folded edge supported auxiliary on a sliding plane delimited by the vertical geometric surface of a pushed wall;

c) a transversal translation of the signatures by the aforementioned pushing wall, in the absence of anchors with synchronized vertical motion to emerge or disappear with respect to the horizontal support plane;

d) positioning of the first and second half-walls of reception at a distance, from a first side of the blocks, equal to or slightly greater than the thickness of the group of signatures to be stacked and to be received by the aforementioned pushing wall;

e) the longitudinal insertion of a pronged surface in a position where the last, rear, signature of the translated group is touched, said surface lying substantially on the same vertical plane in which the row of the aforementioned blocks operates, having in common with them a function separating the groups of signatures translated transversely and in stacking from the group of signatures arriving by means of longitudinal sliding;

f) the retraction of the aforementioned first and second half walls by a distance equal to the thickness of the next group of signatures transferred by the transverse motion from the pushing wall, said retreat occurring simultaneously with the motion of the pushing wall, and after the retraction of the aforementioned pronged surface, in order to allow the group of signatures a transversal displacement contained between the aforementioned walls;

g) the longitudinal sliding and advancement of the groups of signatures thus stacked and resting on the first and second half-walls, said sliding entailing the exclusion of the support of the groups of stacked signatures from the first receiving wall and placing groups stacked in an outlet channel in a vertical position for conveying to the intended use;

h) the simultaneous transversal advancement of the first half-wall, just freed from the presence of the aforementioned set of groups, towards an initial position for receiving a subsequent first group of signatures to be stacked by step-by-step backward movement, compensating the thicknesses gradually accumulated on of it following the current transverse transfer from the pushing wall, the aforementioned retractable plugs intervening in synchronism to allow together with the presence of the pronged surface the separation, with their first and second sides, of the set of groups of partially stacked signatures and the group of signatures just transferred to the pre-stacking station;

i) the cooperation according to known technique of presence sensors, direct or indirect, of the signatures in order to synchronize the aforementioned movements;

I) the movement of the pushing wall and the movement of the first and second half-walls entrusted to linear electric motors, said motors allowing instant coordination with the presence sensors and ideal laws of motion to perform the transverse strokes required in the minimum times required by the high stacking speed required.

The invention is illustrated, purely by way of non-limiting example, in the attached drawing tables in which:

- figs. 1, 2,3 show three usual perpendicular views, expressed in a simplified and conceptual way, of an implementation system of the method;

fig. 4 schematically shows a whole of the system.

With reference to the aforementioned figures, a generic Collection 1 machine receives, from generic flow lines 2, 3, 4, specific signatures that must be placed side by side according to a specific order, implementing the numerical order of the book pages to be created. In this way, groups of signatures are formed 5.

These groups must be pre-installed to form "groups of groups" 6, or a set of groups, which can express a maximum quantity with which to carry out a generic definitive stacking on the so-called "tank" for feeding the sewing machines (or on other means stacking). It should in fact be considered that the production of a book must take place in a time that is as short as possible, in order to cost less and thus be more sold. Faced with this problem, open production processes must be set up, but such as to solve it in the best possible way. In this sense, various printing machines could be prepared to serve a very fast collection, but it would run into the so-called "bottleneck" for the flow, expressed by the usual impossibility of using more than three stitchers. That is, there is a need for a flow with a speed that expresses a quantity of books equal to that which can be sewn by only three seamstresses. Hence the need to define a production process that allows the adoption of machines of new conception, which allow the stacking of "sets of groups" 6 of maximum importance, in order to achieve maximum filling with their thickness of the width of the transfer channels 7 .

Furthermore, there is a need to define a process that allows a "dense" flow of sets of groups of signatures, and which therefore has a pre-stacking machine 8 capable of emitting sets of groups 6, 6A, one immediately after the other. This, in order to offer to individual sorting channels 9A, 9B, 9C, 9D, 9E a greater quantity of signatures, and such as to be sufficient for filling the sewing machine tank; and this, even in the hypothesis of longer times of selective conveyance, required by the greater transversal strokes 40 of a distributor drawer 39 consequent to the greater length that derives from the placing alongside the traditional three sorting channels 9A, 9B, 9C of further sorting channels 9D, 9E , aimed at feeding two further staplers (or places for definitive stacking).

Having said this, it is therefore clear that the possibility of carrying out the process derives from the modality with which it is possible to stack t groups of signatures at a speed higher than that offered by the usual processes and machines.

This operating mode of the machine 8 is described by the following.

The group of signatures 5, from an almost horizontal arrangement thereof, is arranged according to an almost vertical arrangement. This arrangement is expressed by a group 5A in which, for example, three single signatures 5X, 5Y, 5Z are seen. This change in attitude is obtained by gradually inclining towards the aforementioned verticality a support surface 10, on which the group of signatures 5 is made to slide by means of usual dragging means: generally pegs 11 fixed to the usual chain links; these links are of the type provided with a possibility of articulation along slightly and reciprocally skewed axes, as required by the fact that the pins 11 operate perpendicularly to a surface of the support plane 10 having a helical course. The movement of the groups of signatures takes place in a suitable apparatus 12, comprising a U-shaped outlet channel 13 (Fig. 3).

From this channel 13 the group of signatures 5A passes into the pre-stacking station 8. Here, the aforementioned group of signatures is pushed backwards by its own pin 11. This pin, following the usual loop path of its drive chain with unhinged axles, from a position placed above the horizontal support surface where the various groups of signatures slide, it passes to a position located below the aforementioned plane, slipping transversely into a slot 14, which we could consider separating the parts 8 and 12 of the machine. Beyond this slot, the group of signatures does not receive other longitudinal thrusts, other than the inertial one which makes it lightly hit a stop sleeper 15. Said sleeper is fixed to a nut screw 18 torsionally constrained by two usual parallel guide bars 17A, 17B so as to be able to slide on them following the rotation of a central screw 16. It is thus possible to establish, in an easy and automatic way, the position at which the groups of signatures launched inertially by the pegs 11 must stop. At this point, a group of signatures 5B rests on a first half-wall 19, vertically oblique like a final wall 20 of the channel 13 (fig. 3) and driven by a linear electric motor 37. To facilitate reaching this position, the section initial of the aforementioned wall 19 is equipped with a leading chamfer 19A. This phase is followed by the intervention of a large thrust wall 21, comprising a plurality of bars 21A. These bars are in a horizontal longitudinal arrangement and are made of anti-friction plastic material, indicatively nylon. The aforementioned wall is constituted by such bars because it is subjected to a fast and continuous reciprocating motion which, otherwise, would create a large movement of ambient air; this is to be avoided, both because it operates in the presence of sheets of paper, and because it would involve a greater absorption of power to its motor means. Said motor means consist of a linear electric motor 22, having its sliding assisted by two usual lateral guide bars 23A, 23B. The intervention of the large thrust wall 21 transversely moves the group of signatures 5B against the aforementioned first half-wall 19, which moves back with the same law of motion with which the large thrust wall 21 advances. Together with the first half-wall 19 a second half-wall 24 moves, aligned with it, as if these half-walls constituted a single wall, which moves back together with the group of signatures 5B pushed against them by the large thrust wall 21. The second half-wall 24 is driven by its own linear electric motor 38. The first and second half-walls 19 and 24 have inclined and parallel support planes like the plane of the large thrust wall 21 (fig. 1). The retraction stroke of the first and second half-walls 19-24 is equal to a thickness 25 (Fig. 3) of the group of signatures 5B. In any case, this stroke must allow the group of signatures 5B to go beyond a row or line of blocks 26, subject to protrude and re-enter cyclically with respect to a horizontal plane 27 supporting the group of signatures, following the adoption of a cylinder 41 assisted by guides 42. Said stroke must also allow to go beyond an almost vertical plane 28, expressed by a plurality of prongs 28A, 28B, 28C, 28D moved by a pneumatic cylinder 34. These blocks 26 and these prongs 28 are inserted, respectively, from the bottom and longitudinally in a direction coinciding with that of the flow 29 of the flow of signatures. They thus interpose themselves to retain a group of signatures 5C translated transversely in a direction 30. In this way, the large thrust wall 21 can carry out a return stroke by entrusting the retaining retainer in the aforementioned position of the group of signatures 5C already translated. with vertical trim. As soon as the large thrust wall 21 returns to its initial position, the outlet channel 13 can eject a new group of signatures 5A by means of the pin 11 and introduce it into the pre-stacking machine until it stops against the sleeper 15. In this way, the translation operation in the transverse direction 30. Before this occurs, however, the vertical downward retraction of the blocks 26 and the horizontal retraction of the prong table 28 are necessary: otherwise, they would interfere with the advancement of the large thrust wall 21 Following this, the first and second half walls 19-24 move back by another pitch, or run, equal to the thickness 25 of the group of signatures. In this way, the operating cycle of the pre-stacking machine continues for a number of steps until the set of groups of signatures of the desired thickness, of maximum size but less than the width of a duct 32, is created. set of groups rests with the first and second half-walls 19-24 in the position of maximum retraction, which coincides with the plane of a support wall 31, aligned with a similar wall of the outlet channel 32 (which could coincide with the constitutive of the distributor drawer 39). The thickness thus achieved is the result of a stacking of whole groups of signatures according to a predetermined number of them: the figures show a set of three groups of three signatures. The achievement of this number, or rather the implementation of the same number of group overlapping interventions, is coded on an operating program (PLC) of the machine, and determines the start-up of a usual chain 35 which with two pins 36, 36A pushes each group of groups into the outlet channel 7. The group of groups can thus be destined to the final stacking near the tank of a specific sewing machine; or, at other stacking locations: pallets, containers, shelves, etc. In these forwarding operations to the final stacking, a usual distributor 39 with transversal slides 40 can be used to serve different channels 9A, 9B, 9C, 9D, 9E. Advantageously, all the purposes set by the invention are thus achieved as a result of the aforementioned movement of the groups of signatures with their unprecedented almost vertical orientation.

Claims (3)

CLAIMS 1) Process for stacking groups of signatures, books and other flattened parallelepiped objects characterized by the fact of varying the arrangement of groups of signatures to be stacked from almost horizontal to almost vertical, in order to achieve stacking by cooperation of vertical retaining walls and / or thrust of the groups of signatures driven by linear electric motors in order to implement horizontal transverse stacking displacements with motion laws set with maximum efficiency criteria. 2) Process of stacking signatures, books and other flattened parallelepiped objects, characterized by the fact that it includes: a) a longitudinal sliding of the signatures (5) or the like on a channel with a support surface (10) with a variable orientation from almost horizontal to almost vertical; b) a longitudinal introduction (29) of the signatures (5A) in a first lateral area of a pre-stacking station (8), where the signatures continue in their longitudinal advancement, maintaining their vertical position, resting on a first (19) and a second (24) half-wall, and with their folded edge supported auxiliary on a sliding plane (27) delimited by the vertical geometric surface of a large pushing wall (21); c) a transversal translation (30) of the signatures by the aforementioned pushing wall (21), in the absence of anchors (26) equipped with synchronized vertical motion to emerge or disappear with respect to the horizontal support plane (27); d) the positioning of the first (19) and second (24) receiving half-wall at a distance, from a first side of the anchors (26), equal to or slightly greater than a thickness (25) of the group of signatures (5A , 5B) to be stacked and received by the aforementioned pushing wall (21); e) the longitudinal insertion of a surface (28) with tines (28A, 28B, 28C, 28D) in the position of touching the last, rear, signature (5C) of the translated group, said surface being activated by its own pneumatic cylinder (34), lying substantially on the same vertical plane in which the row of the aforementioned blocks (26) operates, having in common with them a separating function of the groups of signatures translated transversely (5C) and in stacking from the group of incoming signatures (5A ) by longitudinal sliding (29); f) the retraction of the aforementioned first (19) and second (24) half-wall by a distance equal to the thickness (25) of the next group of signatures transferred by the transverse motion (30) from the push wall (21), said retraction occurring simultaneously with the motion of the pushing wall, and after the retraction of the aforementioned pronged surface (28), in order to allow the group of signatures a transversal displacement (30) contained between the aforementioned walls (19-24,21); g) the longitudinal sliding (29A) and advancement of the groups of signatures (5A, 5B) thus pre-stacked and resting on the first (19) and second (24) half-wall, said sliding involving the exclusion of the support groups of signatures (5C) stacked by the first receiving wall (19) and the introduction of the stacked groups (5C) into an outlet channel (32) in a vertical conveying position towards the desired use; h) the simultaneous transversal advancement of the first half-wall (19), just freed from the presence of the aforementioned set of groups (5C), towards an initial position for receiving a subsequent first group (5B) of signatures to be stacked by step-by-step retractions, thickness compensators (25) gradually accumulated on it following the current transverse transfer from the pushing wall (21), the aforementioned retractable blocks (26) intervening in synchronism to allow separation together with the presence of the pronged surface (28), with its own thickness, of the set of groups of partially stacked signatures (5C) and the group of signatures (5B) just transferred to the pre-stacking station (8); i) the cooperation according to motor technique of sensors of direct or indirect presence of the sets of signatures in order to synchronize the aforementioned movements; I) the movement of the large pushing wall (21) and the movement of the first (19) and second (24) half-wall entrusted to linear electric motors (22,37,38), said motors allowing instant coordination with the presence, and ideal laws of motion to carry out the necessary transversal strokes in the minimum times required by the high stacking speed required. 3) Implementation machine of the process as per the preceding claim and comprising: a) a channel with support surface (10) with variable orientation from almost horizontal to almost vertical, to arrange vertically the groups of signatures to be stacked; b) a first lateral zone of a pre-stacking station (8) (5B) a first (19) and a second (24) semi-wall driven by its own linear electric motors (37,38), a sliding surface (27) delimited by vertical geometric surface of a large pushing wall (21) also driven by its own linear electric motor c) dowels (26) equipped with a synchronized vertical reciprocating motion to emerge or disappear with respect to the horizontal support plane (27), by means of their means motors (41) and driving (42); d) a pronged surface (28) (28A, 28B, 28C, 28D) in the position of touching the last, rear, signature (5C) of the transiated group, said surface being activated by its own pneumatic cylinder (34) lying substantially on the same vertical plane in which the row of the aforementioned blocks (26) operates, having in common with them a separate function of the groups of signatures translated transversely (5C) and in stacking from the group of incoming signatures (5A) by means of longitudinal sliding (29 ); e) a sleeper (15) for stopping the insertion stroke of the individual groups of signatures (5B) into the pre-stacking machine (8), said sleeper having its own positioning derived from the displacement of one of its anchoring nut screws (18) following the rotation of an operating screw (16); f) the pegs (36) for the ejection of the set of groups of stacked signatures driven by a motorized chain (35) which triggers its start following the execution of a certain number of transversal translations (30) of groups of signatures.