Device for transferring print products, conveyed while suspended from spaced-apart clamps on a circulating conveying element

Abstract

A device for transferring print products comprises a circulating conveying element that includes clamps. A conveyor moves approximately in the same direction and synchronously below the conveying element, which includes grippers. A guide arrangement is provided in a transfer segment where the print products are transferred from the circulating conveying element to the conveyor. The guide arrangement includes spiral rotors having spiral sections respectively extending from opposite sides into spaces between the print products and which are effective in the conveying direction to stably position the print products. Activation devices operatively are arranged to open the clamps and close the grippers to effect the transfer of the print products from one of the clamps on the circulating conveying element to one of the grippers on the conveyor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features and advantages of the invention will be further understood from the following detailed description of an embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawing.

FIG. 1 depicts a view from the side of the device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 depicts the device shown in FIG. 1 in a different processing position;

FIG. 3 depicts a view of the device shown in FIG. 1 along directional arrow F; and

FIG. 4 depicts a view of the guide arrangement shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 from the side.

Claims

1. A device for transferring print products conveyed along a conveying path in a conveying direction, comprising: a circulating conveying element including spaced apart clamps to suspend the print products transverse to the conveying direction;a conveyor driven to move approximately in the same direction and synchronously below the conveying element, the conveyor including grippers spaced at regular intervals;a guide arrangement disposed along a transfer segment in which the print products are transferred from the circulating conveying element to the conveyor, the guide arrangement accompanying the print products along the transfer segment and including spiral rotors having spiral sections which respectively extend from opposite sides into spaces between the print products resulting from the spacing of the clamps on the conveying element, wherein the spiral sections are effective in the conveying direction to stably position the print products; andactivation devices operatively arranged to open the clamps and close the grippers to effect the transfer in the transfer segment of a respective one of the print products from one of the clamps on the circulating conveying element to one of the grippers on the conveyor.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the conveying element and the conveyor change direction and move upward in an intake region of the transfer segment, as seen in the conveying direction, so that the conveying element and the conveyor continuously move toward each other.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor follows a curved path in the transfer segment.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the conveyor moves in a substantially horizontal direction in a discharge region of the transfer segment.

5. The device according to claims 1, wherein each spiral rotor has a diameter that continues in a cone shape, as seen in conveying direction.

6. The device according to claims 1, wherein the spiral sections of each rotor have a decreasing pitch as seen in the conveying direction of the print products.

7. The device according to claims 1, wherein each spiral rotor includes a drive shaft having an axis of rotation that slopes in an upward direction, as seen in the conveying direction.

8. The device according to claims 1, wherein the spiral rotors are driven in opposite directions and are arranged so that the spacing between them is adjustable.

9. The device according to claim 1, further including a driving arrangement to which the spiral rotors are drive-connected.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the activation devices are arranged in the transfer segment.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein a distance between the conveying element and the conveyor is adjustable in the transfer segment.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein at least the conveyor includes section that is upward sloping in the transfer segment and that is adjustable to change the spacing between the conveying element and the conveyor in the transfer segment.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the section of the conveyor is arranged to be displaceable in a longitudinal direction in the transfer segment.

14. The device according to claim 1, wherein the spacing between the clamps on the conveying element is less than the spacing between the grippers on the conveyor.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the conveyor operates at a faster conveying speed than the conveying element.