Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6796552
-
Patent Number
6,796,552
-
Date Filed
Tuesday, September 17, 200221 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, September 28, 200419 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
- Davidson, Davidson & Kappel, LLC
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 270 5217
- 270 5214
- 270 5209
- 270 3901
- 270 3902
- 271 302
- 271 303
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A signature transport device has a first transport section for transporting a first signature having a first lead edge and a first trail edge, and for transporting a following second signature having a second lead edge and a second trail edge. The first transport section has a signature exit and defines a transport plane; and a second transport section transports the first and second signatures so that the second lead edge is offset from the transport plane and so that the second lead edge and the first trail edge are separated in a direction perpendicular to the transport plane.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to printing presses and more particularly to a signature delivery device for transporting printed products.
In order to singularize or collate signatures from a continuous web of material, the lead and trail edges of consecutive signatures must be separated. A conventional solution to this problem has been to accelerate signatures after they have been cut from the web so as to create a head-to-tail space in the direction of travel of the signatures. However, acceleration can cause marking or transport problems for the signatures.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,577,789 discloses a device for severing sets of endless forms or the like, in which the sets have three layers separated by separator plates or strips after the sets are severed. The layers can thus be separated.
U.K. Patent No. 1 456 648 discloses an apparatus for handling a web of material in which the web is transversely cut to divide the web into successive stacks of superposed sheets. A system conveys the stacks past a succession of devices so that the end sheet of each stack is conveyed to a receptacle for receiving the particular sheet of each stack.
German Patent Application No. 40 31 587 discloses a collator for collecting signatures having a first transport device having a plurality of signature receptacles open to the outside for receiving signatures. A second transport device has plurality of devices with a rear surface to push a plurality of the signatures off the first transport device onto a conveyor belt, so that blocks are formed. To alter the number of signatures that form a block, the angle of the lower section of the first transport device can be varied by moving roll thus minimizing the vertical spacing of the signatures and increasing the number of signatures pushed off by a single rear surface.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide for improved signature separation and transport.
The present invention provides a signature transport device comprising: a first transport section for transporting a first signature having a first lead edge and a first trail edge, and for transporting a following second signature having a second lead edge and a second trail edge, the first transport section having a signature exit and defining a transport plane; and a second transport section transporting the first and second signatures so that the second lead edge is offset from the transport plane and so that the second lead edge and the first trail edge are separated in a direction perpendicular to the transport plane.
By creating a separation between the lead and trail edge of consecutive signatures, acceleration of the signatures in the direction of travel can be eliminated. Slipping of the signature relative to the transport device can be avoided, so that marking can be reduced and positional accuracy assured.
Preferably, the first transport section includes a set of tapes.
Preferably, the second transport system includes a first belt and a second belt, the first belt having plurality of first wedge regions having a length greater than the signature length, and the second belt having a plurality of second wedge regions interacting with the first wedge regions to separate the second lead edge from the first trail edge.
The first trail edge may be offset from the transport plane by the same amount as the second lead edge, so that the transport plane defines a centerline for the second transport section. The signatures thus are angled with respect to the centerline.
The first and second belts preferably have a straight transport section.
The signature transport device may further include a collating conveyor with a plurality of pockets. The second transport section preferably is oriented vertically so that the signatures in the second transport section drop into the pockets of the conveyor. Preferably, the pocket angle is the same as that of the angle of the signatures in the second transport section.
The direct interface of the second transport section on the collator eliminates the need for storing the signatures and subsequently delivering them from storage for collation.
The present invention also provides a collator having a plurality of the signature transport devices and a collating conveyor.
The present invention also provides a printing press having a folder for cutting a web of printed material into signatures, and the signature transport device.
The present invention also provides a method for transporting signatures through a transport device comprising transporting a first signature in a signature transport plane of a first transport section of the transport device; transporting a second signature following the first signature in the signature transport plane; and moving a lead edge of the second signature with respect to a trail edge of the second signature in a direction perpendicular to the signature transport plane on a second transport section of the transport device.
As used herein, a signature includes a plurality of sheets or a single sheet.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The following figures show a preferred embodiment of the present invention in which:
FIG. 1
shows a schematic side view of a preferred exemplary embodiment of the printing press of the present invention with a signature transport device;
FIG. 2
shows a front view of the embodiment of
FIG. 1
; and
FIG. 3
shows three of the signature devices provided to form a collator of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1
shows a schematic side view of a preferred exemplary embodiment of a printing press
10
of the present invention with a signature transport device
80
. A print unit
12
print a web
100
which enters a folder section
30
having a cutting device
32
for cutting the web
100
into signatures
40
A,
40
B,
40
C,
40
D,
40
E,
40
F. The signatures first pass from cutting device
32
to a tape system or first transport section
38
of signature transport device
80
.
Once exiting the tape system
38
, the signatures enter a separating belt system or second transport section
20
of signature transport device
80
. Belt system
20
includes a first belt
22
having wedge sections
122
and a second belt having wedge sections
124
. Each wedge section
122
and
124
preferably has a plurality of segments
122
A,
122
B, etc. and
124
A,
124
B, etc., respectively. The segments have angled edges so that when the segments are together, an angled face of the wedge sections
122
,
124
results. The belts
122
,
124
may be driven by rollers
70
.
The wedge sections
122
,
124
of the belts
22
,
24
interact so that a longer wedge segment on one belt interacts with a shorter wedge segment on the other belt, as shown by wedge segment
121
A interacting with wedge segment
123
A. A lead edge
240
B of signature
20
B is thus forced to the right of a centerline
90
as signature
20
B enters separating belt system
20
. Due to the angled nature of the wedges, signature
40
C has a lead edge
140
C to the right of centerline
90
, and a trail edge
240
C offset to the left of centerline
90
.
Once the signature
40
B is gripped between belts
22
,
24
, the belts
22
,
24
travel through a straight section where the velocities of the two belts
22
,
24
are equal.
The lead edge
240
B is thus offset from trail edge
140
C and permits a clean interface with an inline collating conveyor
50
traveling in a direction
58
. The conveyor
50
has fingers
52
forming pockets
54
A,
54
B,
54
C etc. As the belts
22
,
24
pass over their lower rollers, the signatures drop into the pockets. The pockets
54
A,
54
B,
54
C etc preferably are angled with respect to centerline
90
at a similar angle to the wedge angle.
FIG. 2
shows a schematic end view of the signature transport device
80
with the signature
40
E reaching the bottom of conveyor
50
. The signatures travel in direction D.
FIG. 3
shows a collator having three signature transport devices
80
,
82
,
84
. Transport device
80
delivers first signatures
40
into pockets
54
of conveyor
50
, second transport device
82
delivers second signatures
42
into pockets
54
that already contain first signatures
40
, and third transport device
84
delivers third signatures
44
into pockets
54
that contain first and second signatures
40
,
42
. Thus a three signature collated book can be formed in each pocket.
An alternate embodiment includes that the two belts are replaced by two opposing circular disks with interacting wedge sections. However, a mismatch in surface velocity between the two disks may be disadvantageous, so that the belt embodiment shown above is preferred.
Claims
- 1. A signature transport device comprising:a first transport section for transporting a first signature having a first lead edge and a first trail edge, and for transporting a following second signature having a second lead edge and a second trail edge, the first transport section having a signature exit and defining a transport plane; and a second transport section transporting the first and second signatures so that the second lead edge is offset from the transport plane and so that the second lead edge and the first trail edge are separated in a direction perpendicular to the transport plane; wherein the second transport section includes a first belt and a second belt, the first belt having plurality of first wedge regions angles with respect the transport plane, and the second belt having a plurality of second wedge regions interacting with the first wedge regions to separate the second lead edge from the first trail edge.
- 2. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein the first transport section includes a set of tapes.
- 3. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein the first belt and the second belt each have a straight section.
- 4. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein the first trail edge is offset from the transport plane by the same amount as the second lead edge, so that the transport plane defines a centerline for the second transport section.
- 5. The device as recited in claim 1 further including a collating conveyor with a plurality of pockets.
- 6. The device as recited in claim 5 wherein the second transport section is oriented vertically so that the first and second signatures drop into the pockets of the conveyor upon exiting the second transport section.
- 7. A signature transport device comprising:a first transport section for transporting a first signature having a first lead edge and a first trail edge, and for transporting a following second signature having a second lead edge and a second trail edge, the first transport section having a signature exit and defining a transport plane; a second transport section transporting the first and second signatures so that the second lead edge is offset from the transport plane and so that the second lead edge and the first trail edge are separated in a direction perpendicular to the transport plane; and a conveyor having a plurality of pockets for receiving the signatures from the second transport section, the pockets having a pocket angle being the same as that of an angle of the first and second signatures in the second transport section.
- 8. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein in the second transport section the first signature travels at an angle to the transport plane.
- 9. The device as recited in claim 7 wherein the first belt and the second belt each have a straight section.
- 10. The device as recited in claim 7 wherein the first trail edge is offset from the transport plane by the same amount as the second lead edge, so that the transport plane defines a centerline for the second transport section.
- 11. The device as recited in claim 7 wherein the second transport section is oriented vertically so that the first and second signatures drop into the pockets of the conveyor upon exiting the second transport section.
- 12. The device as recited in claim 7 wherein the first transport section includes a set of tapes.
- 13. A printing press comprising:a signature transport device comprising a first transport section for transporting a first signature having a first lead edge and a first trail edge, and for transporting a following second signature having a second lead edge and a second trail edge, the first transport section having a signature exit and defining a transport plane; and a second transport section transporting the first and second signatures so that the second lead edge is offset from the transport plane and so that the second lead edge and the first trail edge are separated in a direction perpendicular to the transport plane; the second transport section including a first belt and a second belt, the first belt having plurality of first wedge regions angled with respect the transport plane, and the second belt having a plurality of second wedge regions interacting with the first wedge regions to separate the second lead edge from the first trail edge.
- 14. The printing press as recited in claim 13 further comprising a printing unit for printing a web of material and a cutting device for cutting the web of material into a plurality of signatures including the first and second signatures.
- 15. A method for transporting signatures through a transport device comprising:transporting a first signature in a signature transport plane of a first transport section of the transport device; transporting a second signature following the first signature in the signature transport plane; and moving a lead edge of the second signature with respect to a trail edge of the second signature in a direction perpendicular to the signature transport plane on a second transport section of the transport device using a belt having a plurality of wedges regions angled with respect to the signature transport plane.
US Referenced Citations (9)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
4031587 |
Nov 1991 |
DE |
1456648 |
Nov 1976 |
GB |