JPH0571400B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a device for sequentially feeding signatures to a pocket for temporarily storing signatures sent to a collating machine used for bookbinding.

When binding various types of books, a certain number of pages of printed matter that form part of the book are stacked in a series of corresponding pockets, and one book is taken out from the bottom of each pocket to form one book. are collected and bound. Therefore, each pocket must always store an appropriate amount of signatures in an untangled state, that is, in a state where the signatures can be taken out one by one. Furthermore, since the signatures are bundled in appropriate amounts with strings, they have binding kinks, which must be fixed before being sent into the pocket. Furthermore, it is desired that a large amount of signatures can be placed therein, and that it can be adapted to high speeds.

It should be noted that the term "folding" as used herein includes not only printed matter that forms part of a book, but also other book-shaped papers or paper sheets, as well as flexible thin plates.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a signature feeder which is capable of supplying signatures to a collating machine pocket in a completely unraveled state and which can correct binding.

The feature of the signature feeding device according to the present invention is that it can support a large amount of signatures by supporting the signatures in an upright state on a conveying device, and can also support a large number of signatures by suction by vacuum and by sandwiching the signatures between a pair of belts. By transferring the paper, it is possible to completely unravel it and correct the binding.Furthermore, it is possible to handle signatures of various sizes, and to properly feed the signatures into the pocket. This is what I did.

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the signature feeder according to the present invention basically includes a conveying device 1 that supports a series of signatures in an upright state and gradually moves them, and a distal end of the conveying device. It is comprised of a device 3 that transfers the signatures sent to a collating machine into a pocket 2 for a collating machine.

This conveying device 1 comprises an endless conveying member, preferably a pair of juxtaposed chains 4 or uneven belts, on which the signatures are placed, and a support member provided along the bottom for supporting the chains 4. 5, and guide plates 6 on both sides of the signature, the distance between the guide plates 6 being adjustable via a screw mechanism by a handle 7 so that the interval between the guide plates 6 can be changed according to the width of the signature. There is. Further, it is preferable that the tip of the conveying device 1, that is, the end on the delivery side, is adjustable in height, so in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. A rod 9 is provided along the conveying device 1, and a female thread 11 at the tip of a link 10, which is pivotally fixed to the support frame of the conveying member 4, engages with the threaded rod 9. In addition,
Although a chain is used as the conveying member in the above embodiment, a conveying belt with unevenness or the like may be used instead of the chain.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the transfer device 3 includes an endless perforated belt 12 that circulates between the transfer device 1 and the pocket 2, and a vacuum belt provided near the tip of the transfer device 1. The perforated belt 12, which includes a chamber 13, is passed over a series of rollers 14a, 14b, . The vacuum chamber 13 communicates with a vacuum pump 13' (FIG. 1), which is placed opposite the tip of the conveying device 1 with the perforated belt 12 in between, and sucks up the signatures one by one while holding the perforated belt 12. I'm starting to do that. Furthermore, an endless guide belt 15 is provided, which is placed on the perforated belt 12 and holds the signatures therebetween;
This guide belt extends above the pocket 2, that is, as shown in FIG.
The guide belt 1 protrudes further toward the pocket side.
Since the end of 5 overhangs the pocket, the signature can be dropped into the pocket with a relatively small slope.

In this signature supply device, in order to accommodate changes in the length of signatures, the roller 14f, which hangs the perforated belt at the position closest to the pocket 2, is configured to be able to move forward and backward relative to the pocket, and such adjustment is possible. As shown in FIG. 4, the device in this embodiment includes a threaded rod 16 supported by threaded engagement, a manual handle 17 provided at one end thereof, and a hole adjacent to the threaded rod 16 and the pocket 2. Link 1 connecting support shaft 18 of roller 14f of attachment belt 12
Although not shown in the figure, the links 19 are provided on both sides of the threaded rod 16. One roller 14a of a series of rollers 14 on which the perforated belt 12 is hung is elastically supported via a spring 20 in order to accommodate the movement of the roller 14f close to the pocket 2 back and forth.

Preferably, each chain 4 of the conveying device 1 is driven by power transmission from any of the rollers 14 on which the perforated belt 12 is hung. Therefore,
In this embodiment, as clearly shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, ratchet mechanisms are used on both sides of the vacuum chamber 13, and the rollers 1
A wheel 22 rotated by power from 4b, a pin 23 provided at an eccentric position of the wheel 22,
a lever 24 pivoted to be movable up and down to a certain extent;
The lever includes a pawl 25 at the tip of the lever and a ratchet wheel 26 that can be engaged with the pawl, and the pin 23 engages with an elongated hole 27 located at an appropriate position on the lever 24, and the pawl 26 engages with the pawl 25 at the tip of the lever. 25 is advanced and slightly lifted or pushed down to rotate the ratchet wheel 26 by one pitch, and the rotation is transmitted via the transmission member 28 to the wheel 29 on which the chain 4 is hung, and the chain 4 is moved slightly. When this lever 24 is pushed by a signature on the conveyor 1, it moves backward as shown by the imaginary line in FIG. 6, and the pawl 25 comes off the ratchet wheel 26, preventing the chain 4 from being driven. It's summery.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the conveyance device 1 includes a rear presser 30 for pressing the rear end of the signatures thereon, and this rear presser is used for each guide plate 6 as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. a rail 31 provided on the outside of
2 and a bar 34 extending downwardly from the bar 34, the lower end 3 of one of the bars 34;
5 engages with the chain, and the rear presser 30 also moves together with the chain 4. The rail 31 is attached to the frame 37 by a pair 36,
When the rear presser foot 30 is moved backward, the entire rail tilts outward.

Next, the effect will be explained. The signatures to be fed into the pocket for the collating machine are placed in an upright position in the conveying device 1.
The signature is placed on a pair of chains 4, and the rear end of the signature is held by a rear presser 30. Each chain 4 connects a pin 23 and a long hole 27 with each rotation of a wheel 22 that is linked to one roller 14b on which the perforated belt 12 is hung.
The pawl 25 engages with the ratchet wheel 26, thereby gradually moving forward and advancing the signature. When reaching the tip of the conveying device 1, the signature passes through the perforated belt 12 and enters the vacuum chamber 1.
3, and therefore rises together with the perforated belt 12, and moves while being sandwiched between the perforated belt 12 and the guide belt 15, and reaches the tip of the perforated belt 12, from which it is drawn into the pocket 2. sent inside.

Since the signatures in the pocket 2 are aligned with the front edge as a reference, the frontmost roller 14f is moved forward or backward by operating the handle 17 depending on the vertical dimension of the signature, so that the front edge of the signature is aligned at a predetermined position in the pocket. introduced into position.

In the vacuum chamber 13, as shown by the imaginary line in FIG. , adjacent signatures are fed by belt 12 in a slightly overlapping state and are sandwiched between a pair of belts 12 and 15. Therefore, the signatures are completely unraveled by suction by the vacuum chamber 13 and held and conveyed by the belt, and the signatures are sent partially overlapped, so that they can be transferred at a relatively high speed.

Therefore, according to the present invention, since the signatures are supported in an upright state on the conveying device 1, a large amount of signatures can be stored and handling of the signatures is facilitated. The signatures can be completely loosened by suction in the transfer device and clamped between the belts, so that they can be taken out properly from the pocket. Further, the signatures are set up on the conveying device and gradually moved, and the binding is naturally corrected by separating and clamping the sheets during the conveying process in the next transfer device. Moreover, it is possible to accommodate signatures of various sizes, and since the end of the guide belt on the pocket side overhangs the pocket, the signatures fall into the pocket with a small slope and are properly fed without bending. be done. Furthermore, by increasing the amount of overlap between adjacent signatures, high-speed conveyance becomes possible.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 is a front view of a signature feeding device according to an example of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof, FIG. 3 is an end view, FIG. 4 is a front view of a transfer device included in this device, and FIG. Figures A and B are front and side views of the part shown by arrow B in Figure 4, Figure 6 is an enlarged view of the part shown by arrow C in Figure 4, and Figure 7 is the part shown in Figure 6. 8 is a front view of the rear presser that presses the rearmost part of the signature, and FIG. 9 is a plan view of a part of the rear presser. In the figure, 1...transport device, 2...pocket, 3...
... Transfer device, 4 ... Endless conveyance member, 6 ... Guide plate, 12 ... Belt with holes, 13 ... Vacuum chamber, 14
...Roller, 15...Guide belt.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A conveyance device including an endless conveyance member that supports the signatures in an upright state and gradually conveys them, and the signatures on the conveyance device are conveyed approximately horizontally into a collating machine pocket and stacked. The transfer device includes an endless perforated belt that passes near the tip of the transfer device, and a belt that is located near the tip of the transfer device and sequentially suctions up the signatures through the perforated belt. and an endless guide belt overlying the perforated belt and sandwiching the signatures therebetween, the end of the endless guide belt on the pocket side being the end of the perforated belt. 2. A signature supplying device characterized in that a roller that overhangs above the pocket and hangs a perforated belt at a position closest to the pocket is configured to be able to move forward and backward with respect to the pocket.