CA2517378A1 - Method and apparatus for delivering flat articles to a generally vertical hopper - Google Patents
Method and apparatus for delivering flat articles to a generally vertical hopper Download PDFInfo
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- CA2517378A1 CA2517378A1 CA 2517378 CA2517378A CA2517378A1 CA 2517378 A1 CA2517378 A1 CA 2517378A1 CA 2517378 CA2517378 CA 2517378 CA 2517378 A CA2517378 A CA 2517378A CA 2517378 A1 CA2517378 A1 CA 2517378A1
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- Prior art keywords
- signatures
- conveyor
- hopper
- signature
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Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H1/00—Supports or magazines for piles from which articles are to be separated
- B65H1/02—Supports or magazines for piles from which articles are to be separated adapted to support articles on edge
- B65H1/025—Supports or magazines for piles from which articles are to be separated adapted to support articles on edge with controlled positively-acting mechanical devices for advancing the pile to present the articles to the separating device
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B42—BOOKBINDING; ALBUMS; FILES; SPECIAL PRINTED MATTER
- B42C—BOOKBINDING
- B42C1/00—Collating or gathering sheets combined with processes for permanently attaching together sheets or signatures or for interposing inserts
- B42C1/12—Machines for both collating or gathering and permanently attaching together the sheets or signatures
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H3/00—Separating articles from piles
- B65H3/46—Supplementary devices or measures to assist separation or prevent double feed
- B65H3/60—Loosening articles in piles
- B65H3/62—Loosening articles in piles by swinging, agitating, or knocking the pile
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H2301/00—Handling processes for sheets or webs
- B65H2301/40—Type of handling process
- B65H2301/42—Piling, depiling, handling piles
- B65H2301/421—Forming a pile
- B65H2301/4213—Forming a pile of a limited number of articles, e.g. buffering, forming bundles
- B65H2301/42134—Feeder loader, i.e. picking up articles from a main stack for maintaining continuously enough articles in a machine feeder
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H2701/00—Handled material; Storage means
- B65H2701/10—Handled articles or webs
- B65H2701/19—Specific article or web
- B65H2701/1932—Signatures, folded printed matter, newspapers or parts thereof and books
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Feeding Of Articles By Means Other Than Belts Or Rollers (AREA)
Description
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING FLAT ARTICLES TO A
GENERALLY VERTICAL HOPPER
[0001] The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for delivering flat products such as printed sheet signatures ("signatures") to a generally vertical hopper pocket. More specifically, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for transferring and separating a vertically aligned, parallelepided shaped stack of on-edge signatures to continuously load a generally vertical hopper pocket of a machine performing feeding of bindery equipment such as stapling and stitching equipment which process signatures on a one-at-a-time basis for the manufacture of books, magazine or the like. Although the present invention will be described by reference to handling of signatures in a bindery process, it shall be deemed applicable to a variety of applications dealing with flat products in flexible sheet form.
GENERALLY VERTICAL HOPPER
[0001] The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for delivering flat products such as printed sheet signatures ("signatures") to a generally vertical hopper pocket. More specifically, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for transferring and separating a vertically aligned, parallelepided shaped stack of on-edge signatures to continuously load a generally vertical hopper pocket of a machine performing feeding of bindery equipment such as stapling and stitching equipment which process signatures on a one-at-a-time basis for the manufacture of books, magazine or the like. Although the present invention will be described by reference to handling of signatures in a bindery process, it shall be deemed applicable to a variety of applications dealing with flat products in flexible sheet form.
(0002] Traditionally, the loading of bindery line systems, generally comprising a hopper and a rotary feeding drum, was manually accomplished by an attendant. When the signatures are coming from the folding operation, they are tightly compressed to form a bundle and some of them frequently adhere to each other depending on various printing and storage conditions. It is well known in the field that the reliability and through-output of the bindery line is mainly lying on the ability to properly operate signature separation, as traditionally executed by the attendant, so that the feeding system will continuously succeed at transferring one ,:.~. ~, ~ i .~~..~~/,~/
signature at a time to the gathering conveyer, thus avoiding costly interruptions of the bindery line. The manual operation of separation is usually carried-out by the attendant by taking a pile of signatures and bending the pile back and forth a few times. Additionally, some tapping of the edges of the pile on a generally horizontal flat surface may be perFormed. Also, the attendant carefully controls manual loading to prevent causing excessive load which may prevent the feeder from successfully pulling the leading signature. While automatic hopper loaders are now currently in use to accomplish the task of Loading the hopper pocket of feeding systems, a main challenge still resides in performing proper control of hopper loading in order to prevent misfeeds and malfunctions, leading to costly process interruptions and operator interventions.
[0003j Indeed, a critical aspect for ensuring proper operation of a bindery equipment feeder is proper upstream separation of the signatures and proper control of the pressure on the back plate of the hopper pocket.
Too much pressure as caused by excessive thickness of the signature stack or brutal changes thereof increases the risks of misfeeds and interruptions. It is consequently of prime importance to maintain pressure and friction force within specific operational limits in order to ensure proper operation of the system feeder. White a minimum stack thickness will help maintaining the bottom signature in close contact with the back plate, a stack of excessive thickness will cause too much friction force to be developed on the leading signature, which will overcome drag force from the feeder and prevent proper feed. Similarly, suddenly dropping too many signatures within a short period of time into the hopper will generate an impact force with equivalent effects.
[0004] Some signature loaders performing delivery of signatures, from tightly packed vertically aligned, parallelepipeded shaped stacks (bundles or togs) to generally vertical hopper pockets are already known in the prior ~~ie.i
signature at a time to the gathering conveyer, thus avoiding costly interruptions of the bindery line. The manual operation of separation is usually carried-out by the attendant by taking a pile of signatures and bending the pile back and forth a few times. Additionally, some tapping of the edges of the pile on a generally horizontal flat surface may be perFormed. Also, the attendant carefully controls manual loading to prevent causing excessive load which may prevent the feeder from successfully pulling the leading signature. While automatic hopper loaders are now currently in use to accomplish the task of Loading the hopper pocket of feeding systems, a main challenge still resides in performing proper control of hopper loading in order to prevent misfeeds and malfunctions, leading to costly process interruptions and operator interventions.
[0003j Indeed, a critical aspect for ensuring proper operation of a bindery equipment feeder is proper upstream separation of the signatures and proper control of the pressure on the back plate of the hopper pocket.
Too much pressure as caused by excessive thickness of the signature stack or brutal changes thereof increases the risks of misfeeds and interruptions. It is consequently of prime importance to maintain pressure and friction force within specific operational limits in order to ensure proper operation of the system feeder. White a minimum stack thickness will help maintaining the bottom signature in close contact with the back plate, a stack of excessive thickness will cause too much friction force to be developed on the leading signature, which will overcome drag force from the feeder and prevent proper feed. Similarly, suddenly dropping too many signatures within a short period of time into the hopper will generate an impact force with equivalent effects.
[0004] Some signature loaders performing delivery of signatures, from tightly packed vertically aligned, parallelepipeded shaped stacks (bundles or togs) to generally vertical hopper pockets are already known in the prior ~~ie.i
3 art. For instance, the apparatus described in US patent 6,017,029, granted to Bates et al. on January 25, 2000, is a movable hopper loader wherein signatures are separated by three conveyors, the downstream conveyor performing direct continuous loading of the pocket. A top jogger is provided to align signatures in the pocket. Such a structure proved to be inefficient for several reasons. Firstly, the original conveyor at the bottom of the feeder's hopper must be modified or removed to enable coupling of the loader. Also, continuous loading of the signatures prevent proper control of stack thickness and friction in the pocket. Jogging efficiency is also impaired due to excessive friction between signatures and to the fact that the top edge of the folded signatures standing on their backbone (spine) does not offer sufficient rigidity to transfer the motion and energy from the jogger to push signatures down, said top edge simply giving and bending uselessly. Many other loaders of older generations present similar limitations and drawbacks in addition to limited or impossible mobility from a piece of bindery equipment to another. US patents No 5,374,050 (Prim -Dec. 20, 1994), 4,973,038 (Curley et al. - Nov. 27, 1990), 4,180,259 (Bewersdort et al. - Dec. 25, 1979) and 4,177,982 (Bewersdorf et al. -Dec. 25, 1979) represent examples of such signature bundle loading equipment.
[0005] Hopper-loaders based on a different concept have also been taught in an attempt to solve some of the above limitations and drawbacks.
For example, Bates, in US patent application No 2004/0245716 A1 (Published on Dec. 9, 2004), discloses an attachment for converting a horizontally oriented stack of signature from a loader to a vertically oriented stack in a hopper pocket. This concept is quite similar to that of the adaptor patented by Chandhoke on March 13, 1984 under US patent No 4,436,297.
,,
[0005] Hopper-loaders based on a different concept have also been taught in an attempt to solve some of the above limitations and drawbacks.
For example, Bates, in US patent application No 2004/0245716 A1 (Published on Dec. 9, 2004), discloses an attachment for converting a horizontally oriented stack of signature from a loader to a vertically oriented stack in a hopper pocket. This concept is quite similar to that of the adaptor patented by Chandhoke on March 13, 1984 under US patent No 4,436,297.
,,
4 [0006] These concepts avoid modifications of the bindery equipment feeder by dropping signatures from the top directly on the e~asting chain conveyor of the hopper pocket. When such attachments are mounted at the output of a typical loader, a bundle of signatures is separated to form an overlapping shingled stream of signatures which are then accumulated into an intermediate horizontal pocket. These signatures are then fed one at a time or in thin overlapping shingle form from the intermediate horizontally oriented stack to the feeder's vertical pocket, which may provide good control of stack thickness, pressure and friction in that pocket. However, creating an intermediate horizontal stack and providing a vacuum stripper belt conveyor to pull signatures from the bottom of the stack adds much complexity to the equipment. This increases the probability of jam, misfeed and malfunction during operation, in addition to requiring more extensive set-up according to paper dimension and weight.
Furthermore, these complicated structures add to the construction and maintenance costs of the equipment.
[0007] By observing these concepts, one may notice that creating such intermediate stacks actually serves to convert the incoming shingled stream wherein the leading signature lies at the bottom of the stream into an inverted shingled stream wherein said leading signature lies free on the top thereof, in a convenient position enabling it to be dropped from the top in a vertical pocket. Indeed, experience has shown that directly creating an inverted shingle between the loading bed and the second conveyor of a loader causes an unstable behavior yielding low reliability and calling for considerable operator attention.
[0008) The above review of the prior art clearly shows that no reasonably reliable and practical solution exists to solve the problem of loading a generally vertical hopper pocket with signatures standing on their backbone. Therefore, the present invention aims at providing a .J
Furthermore, these complicated structures add to the construction and maintenance costs of the equipment.
[0007] By observing these concepts, one may notice that creating such intermediate stacks actually serves to convert the incoming shingled stream wherein the leading signature lies at the bottom of the stream into an inverted shingled stream wherein said leading signature lies free on the top thereof, in a convenient position enabling it to be dropped from the top in a vertical pocket. Indeed, experience has shown that directly creating an inverted shingle between the loading bed and the second conveyor of a loader causes an unstable behavior yielding low reliability and calling for considerable operator attention.
[0008) The above review of the prior art clearly shows that no reasonably reliable and practical solution exists to solve the problem of loading a generally vertical hopper pocket with signatures standing on their backbone. Therefore, the present invention aims at providing a .J
5 stream inverting loader for the loading of vertical hopper pockets, wherein no intermediate pocket for accumulating a vertical stack of horizontally oriented signatures is implemented.
(0009] An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a method and an apparatus for loading flat articles into a generally vertical bindery equipment hopper pocket while obviating the limitations and drawbacks of the prior art systems. Contemplated benefits of the present invention include:
(0010] avoiding modifications to the feeder's hopper pocket and conveyor;
(0011) enabling loader mobility from a piece of bindery equipment to another;
(0012] providing a high level of signature separation, (0013] providing precise control of the stack thickness, alignment and pressure, into the vertical hopper; and (0014] preserving the physical integrity of signature edges.
(0015] More specifically, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for automatically loading flat articles into a generally vertical hopper pocket of a feeding machine, said apparatu r,_
(0009] An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a method and an apparatus for loading flat articles into a generally vertical bindery equipment hopper pocket while obviating the limitations and drawbacks of the prior art systems. Contemplated benefits of the present invention include:
(0010] avoiding modifications to the feeder's hopper pocket and conveyor;
(0011) enabling loader mobility from a piece of bindery equipment to another;
(0012] providing a high level of signature separation, (0013] providing precise control of the stack thickness, alignment and pressure, into the vertical hopper; and (0014] preserving the physical integrity of signature edges.
(0015] More specifically, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for automatically loading flat articles into a generally vertical hopper pocket of a feeding machine, said apparatu r,_
6 comprising: a first conveyor; an adjacent upstream second conveyor adapted to run faster than said first conveyor and upwardly inclined with respect thereto; a third conveyor adjacent and upstream said second conveyor, driven independently from said first and second conveyors and having an outlet end adapted to deliver signatures substantially vertically into the pocket; a first sensor for generating a signal indicative of the presence of flat articles at a downstream end of said second conveyor; a second sensor for generating a signal indicative of a thickness of articles in the pocket; and a controller for receiving signals from said first and second sensors and for controlling said first and second conveyors according to said signals, whereby flat articles can be transferred to the pocket one small packet at a time.
[0016] There is further provided an apparatus for automatically loading flat articles into a generally vertical hopper pocket of a feeding machine, further comprising a jogger assembly adapted to jog lower and side edges of articles in said pocket so to promote separation and alignment thereof.
(0017] There is further provided a method for automatically loading flat articles into a generally vertical hopper pocket of a feeding machine, said method comprising:
a) loading and conveying at a first speed a vertically aligned, parallelepipeded shaped stack of signatures on an in-feed conveyor, with the backbone edge facing upward;
b) transferring signatures to a second conveyor, running faster than said first conveyor and upwardly inclined with respect thereto, to create on said second conveyor a continuous overlapping shingled stream of signatures having their backbone edge on top and facing downstream.
,_:,
[0016] There is further provided an apparatus for automatically loading flat articles into a generally vertical hopper pocket of a feeding machine, further comprising a jogger assembly adapted to jog lower and side edges of articles in said pocket so to promote separation and alignment thereof.
(0017] There is further provided a method for automatically loading flat articles into a generally vertical hopper pocket of a feeding machine, said method comprising:
a) loading and conveying at a first speed a vertically aligned, parallelepipeded shaped stack of signatures on an in-feed conveyor, with the backbone edge facing upward;
b) transferring signatures to a second conveyor, running faster than said first conveyor and upwardly inclined with respect thereto, to create on said second conveyor a continuous overlapping shingled stream of signatures having their backbone edge on top and facing downstream.
,_:,
7 c) transferring a downstream portion of said shingled stream of signatures on a third conveyor in order to separate said portion from the continuous stream to define a shingled packet of signatures;
d) conveying said packet of signatures into the generally vertical hopper pocket with the backbone edges facing downward, using said third conveyor; and e) jogging lower (backbone) and side edges of signatures into said hopper pocket to form a stack of aligned vertically oriented signatures.
[0018] FIG. 1 is a side elevational schematic view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, loading a generally vertical hopper pocket of a signature feeding equipment.
[0019] FIG.2 is an enlarged side elevational schematic view of the downstream end of the apparatus of FIG. 1, showing details of the inverting mechanism thereof.
[0020] FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of the operating protocol carried-out by the apparatus of Figure 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 4 shows a schematic representation of the flat article loading method according to the present invention.
d) conveying said packet of signatures into the generally vertical hopper pocket with the backbone edges facing downward, using said third conveyor; and e) jogging lower (backbone) and side edges of signatures into said hopper pocket to form a stack of aligned vertically oriented signatures.
[0018] FIG. 1 is a side elevational schematic view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, loading a generally vertical hopper pocket of a signature feeding equipment.
[0019] FIG.2 is an enlarged side elevational schematic view of the downstream end of the apparatus of FIG. 1, showing details of the inverting mechanism thereof.
[0020] FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of the operating protocol carried-out by the apparatus of Figure 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 4 shows a schematic representation of the flat article loading method according to the present invention.
8 [0022) A preferred embodiment of the method and flat article delivering apparatus of the present invention will now be described in detail referring to the appended drawings.
(0023) Referring to FIG.1, there is provided an apparatus generally identified by numeral 1, which is designed to deliver incoming bundled signatures B standing upright on edge to a hopper 101 of the feeding system 100 of a bindery line as a generally vertically oriented stack SVS.
The bottom of hopper 101 is constituted by a chain feed conveyor 102.
[0024) Apparatus 1 comprises a mobile frame 2 supporting a loading bed including a first substantially horizontal in-feed conveyor 3, preferably made of four steel flat chains, driven at a first linear speed in direction F.
Bundles B of signatures S can be loaded on conveyor 3 and have their straps and end plates removed in order to free signatures S to be conveyed and separated from each other. A second rising belt or chain conveyor 4 driven at a second speed higher than said first speed extends adjacent or slightly overlapping a downstream end 3b of conveyor 3.
Conveyors are driven by gear-motors and clutches under control of controller 5 connected to an operator control panel (not shown). That conventional structure is well known by those of ordinary skill in the art of bindery hopper-loaders. Signatures S are thereby separated to form an overlapping shingled stream SS on conveyor 4 comprising an upwardly inclined upstream portion 4a and a substantially horizontal downstream portion. 4b, that sudden change in angular orientation further promoting signature separation.
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(0023) Referring to FIG.1, there is provided an apparatus generally identified by numeral 1, which is designed to deliver incoming bundled signatures B standing upright on edge to a hopper 101 of the feeding system 100 of a bindery line as a generally vertically oriented stack SVS.
The bottom of hopper 101 is constituted by a chain feed conveyor 102.
[0024) Apparatus 1 comprises a mobile frame 2 supporting a loading bed including a first substantially horizontal in-feed conveyor 3, preferably made of four steel flat chains, driven at a first linear speed in direction F.
Bundles B of signatures S can be loaded on conveyor 3 and have their straps and end plates removed in order to free signatures S to be conveyed and separated from each other. A second rising belt or chain conveyor 4 driven at a second speed higher than said first speed extends adjacent or slightly overlapping a downstream end 3b of conveyor 3.
Conveyors are driven by gear-motors and clutches under control of controller 5 connected to an operator control panel (not shown). That conventional structure is well known by those of ordinary skill in the art of bindery hopper-loaders. Signatures S are thereby separated to form an overlapping shingled stream SS on conveyor 4 comprising an upwardly inclined upstream portion 4a and a substantially horizontal downstream portion. 4b, that sudden change in angular orientation further promoting signature separation.
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9 (0025] Improvements in apparatus 1 consist in the feed module 20 downstream conveyor 4 and can be better seen from the enlarged view illustrated at FIG. 2. Module 20 can be implemented as an integral portion of apparatus 1 or can be manufactured as an add-on attachment adaptable to an existing conventional hopper-loader A sensor 6 of any suitable type detects the presence or absence of signatures at the downstream end 4b of conveyor 4 and sends a status signal to controller 5. A third conveyor 7, preferably comprising three parallel belts 8, is adjacent to and extends downstream from the downstream end 4b of second conveyor 4. Conveyor 7 further includes an upper section comprising three "O ring" belts 9 running on top of each one of the three belts 8 of conveyor 7. Thereby, signatures S carried in conveyor 7 are properly guided between and in Gose contact with upper and lower sets of belts 8, 9 to be accurately directed along the arcuate outlet portion 10 providing a change in direction of approximately 90 degrees to outlet 11 thus delivering signatures with a substantially vertical orientation into hopper 101.
Outlet portion 10 can be pivoted up and down about axis 14 to set outlet 11 to an appropriate height with respect to hopper conveyor 102 according to the length of the signatures S to be fed.
(0026] A critical aspect of the present invention is that signature stream SS can not be continuously directed to hopper pocket 101 since the leading signature lies at the bottom of the overlapping shingle. Therefore, an inventive inverting operating mechanism is implemented in teed module 20. Conveyor 7 is continuously running during normal operation of apparatus 1 and sensor 12 generates a signal responsive to the presence or absence of signatures in conveyor 7. Further, another sensor 13, generates a signal representative of the thickness of the vertical signature stack SVS in hopper 101, both signals being sent to controller 5. The corresponding operating protocol is schematically represented in FIG. 3 and works as follows:
IO
(0027] If sensor 6 does not detect signatures, controller 5 runs conveyors 3 and 4 until the signature stream reaches said sensor and then stops, thereby ensuring continuous availability of signature supply at the downstream end of conveyor 4. Then, controller 5 monitors the signal from sensor 13 to determine if the thickness of the signature stack in hopper pocket 101 is within operational limits - if thickness is less than a user set value (typically 4 to 6 inches according to paper density to thereby prevent excessive pressure and friction to be developed between signatures and at the back-plate and avoid misfeeds) controller 5 monitors the status of sensor 12. Else, it returns to monitoring of sensor 6. If the signal from sensor 12 indicates that conveyor 7 is empty, the controller activates conveyors 3 and 4 for a short period of time Ot (typically 0.3 second) to enable a definite length of shingled signatures (single separated packet) to pass from conveyor 4 to conveyor 7 and be directed into hopper 101. The operation is continuously repeated thus loading small packets of shingled signatures one after the other to gently keep the supply of signatures SVS within safe operational limits, as an attendant would do manually.
(0028] It shall be noted that signatures in the packets deposited onto conveyor 102 of hopper 101 being constituted from separated shingle portions are vertically shifted relatively to each other when dropped. It is therefore advisable to provide feed module 10 with a vertical jogger 15 comprised of vertically oscillating plates extending upwardly between the chains of conveyor 102 to contact the lower edge (backbone) and vibrate the signatures to align them all in contact with conveyor 102 downstream the jogger plates.
Jogger plates 15 are slightly more tilted than conveyor 102 in the downstream direction to help signatures slip in the downstream direction. Plates 15 further comprise an angular stop kick upstream the drop zone to prevent dropped signatures from moving in the upstream direction and provide additional bias in the downstream direction at this critical zone. Jogger 15 is driven by electrical gear-motor assembly 17 through linkage 18 simultaneously driving a second set of two symmetrical lateral jogging arms 19 {one shown). Arms 19 jog the sides of vertical signature stack SVS to ensure proper lateral alignment thereof.
(0029] In operation, a bundle of vertically aligned, paraileiepipeded shaped stack (bundle) of signatures B is loaded on the upstream portion 3a of in-feed conveyor 3 with the backbone edges facing upward. The straps and end plates of the downstream bundle are removed to release the signatures S
retained between the new bundle and the downstream signatures. The free signatures are conveyed on in-feed conveyor 3, up to upwardly inclined belt conveyor 4, whereat the changes in speed and vertical inclination induce signature separation and formation of an overlapping shingled stream rising on conveyor 4 and stopping at the downstream end 4b thereof, below sensor 12, while conveyor 7 is continuously running. Signatures in the stream have their backbone edge oriented in the downstream direction and the leading signature is at the bottom, being partly covered by upstream signatures.
[0030] As explained above, controller 5 then periodically activates conveyors 3 and 4, always running simultaneously, for short periods of time to deliver individual packets of shingled signatures being pulled out by conveyor 7 and dropped onto jogger plates 15 in hopper pocket 101. Jogged signatures can then be advanced by conveyor 102 and pulled one at a time by the bindery equipment feeder 100, at the back-plate of hopper pocket 101. It shall be noted that vertical jogging is performed on the backbone edge of signatures to prevent damaging edges and provide optimal strength to transfer jogging impulses into signatures and impart movement thereto to pertorm final separation and alignment.
. ,,, [0031 The method for delivering flat articles to a generally vertical hopper pocket according to the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 4.
The method comprises the following steps:
a) loading and conveying at a first speed a vertically aligned, para((elepipeded shaped stack of signatures on an in-feed conveyor, with the backbone edge facing upward;
b) transferring signatures to a second conveyor, running faster than said first conveyor and upwardly inclined with respect thereto, to create on said second conveyor a continuous overlapping shingled stream of signatures having their backbone edge on top and facing downstream.
c) transferring a downstream portion of said shingled stream of signatures on a third conveyor in order to separate said portion from the continuous stream to define a shingled packet of signatures;
d) conveying said packet of signatures into the vertical hopper pocket with the backbone edges facing downward, using said third conveyor;
and e) jogging lower (backbone) and side edges of signatures into said hopper pocket to form a stack of aligned vertically oriented signatures.
[0032] Separating the signatures to load a vertical hopper pocket using simple, reliable and cost-effective structure and method while preserving their physical integrity achieves a first goal toward increasing the overall reliability and throughoutput of a signature feeding system. A second goal toward this objective is accomplished by providing precise control of the thickness of the stack of signatures SVS in hopper pocket 101.
Furthermore, apparatus 1 is totally independent from feeder 100, can operate without requiring any modification thereof and can be easily moved from a feeder to another. t, ,, [0033) One can thus easily contemplate that the above described embodiments of the method and apparatus for delivering flat articles to a generally vertical hopper according to the present invention obviate the limitations and drawbacks of the prior art devices.
[0034) Although the present invention has been described by means of preferred embodiments thereof, it is contemplated that various modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Namely, it is obvious that equivalent benefits could be obtained by replacing the printed signatures referred to in the description by any other type of generally flat artide in fle~able sheet form. Accordingly, it is intended that the embodiments described be considered only as illustrative of the present invention and that the scope thereof should not be limited thereto but be determined by reference to the claims hereinafter provided and their equivalents.
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Inventor ~.--L
Outlet portion 10 can be pivoted up and down about axis 14 to set outlet 11 to an appropriate height with respect to hopper conveyor 102 according to the length of the signatures S to be fed.
(0026] A critical aspect of the present invention is that signature stream SS can not be continuously directed to hopper pocket 101 since the leading signature lies at the bottom of the overlapping shingle. Therefore, an inventive inverting operating mechanism is implemented in teed module 20. Conveyor 7 is continuously running during normal operation of apparatus 1 and sensor 12 generates a signal responsive to the presence or absence of signatures in conveyor 7. Further, another sensor 13, generates a signal representative of the thickness of the vertical signature stack SVS in hopper 101, both signals being sent to controller 5. The corresponding operating protocol is schematically represented in FIG. 3 and works as follows:
IO
(0027] If sensor 6 does not detect signatures, controller 5 runs conveyors 3 and 4 until the signature stream reaches said sensor and then stops, thereby ensuring continuous availability of signature supply at the downstream end of conveyor 4. Then, controller 5 monitors the signal from sensor 13 to determine if the thickness of the signature stack in hopper pocket 101 is within operational limits - if thickness is less than a user set value (typically 4 to 6 inches according to paper density to thereby prevent excessive pressure and friction to be developed between signatures and at the back-plate and avoid misfeeds) controller 5 monitors the status of sensor 12. Else, it returns to monitoring of sensor 6. If the signal from sensor 12 indicates that conveyor 7 is empty, the controller activates conveyors 3 and 4 for a short period of time Ot (typically 0.3 second) to enable a definite length of shingled signatures (single separated packet) to pass from conveyor 4 to conveyor 7 and be directed into hopper 101. The operation is continuously repeated thus loading small packets of shingled signatures one after the other to gently keep the supply of signatures SVS within safe operational limits, as an attendant would do manually.
(0028] It shall be noted that signatures in the packets deposited onto conveyor 102 of hopper 101 being constituted from separated shingle portions are vertically shifted relatively to each other when dropped. It is therefore advisable to provide feed module 10 with a vertical jogger 15 comprised of vertically oscillating plates extending upwardly between the chains of conveyor 102 to contact the lower edge (backbone) and vibrate the signatures to align them all in contact with conveyor 102 downstream the jogger plates.
Jogger plates 15 are slightly more tilted than conveyor 102 in the downstream direction to help signatures slip in the downstream direction. Plates 15 further comprise an angular stop kick upstream the drop zone to prevent dropped signatures from moving in the upstream direction and provide additional bias in the downstream direction at this critical zone. Jogger 15 is driven by electrical gear-motor assembly 17 through linkage 18 simultaneously driving a second set of two symmetrical lateral jogging arms 19 {one shown). Arms 19 jog the sides of vertical signature stack SVS to ensure proper lateral alignment thereof.
(0029] In operation, a bundle of vertically aligned, paraileiepipeded shaped stack (bundle) of signatures B is loaded on the upstream portion 3a of in-feed conveyor 3 with the backbone edges facing upward. The straps and end plates of the downstream bundle are removed to release the signatures S
retained between the new bundle and the downstream signatures. The free signatures are conveyed on in-feed conveyor 3, up to upwardly inclined belt conveyor 4, whereat the changes in speed and vertical inclination induce signature separation and formation of an overlapping shingled stream rising on conveyor 4 and stopping at the downstream end 4b thereof, below sensor 12, while conveyor 7 is continuously running. Signatures in the stream have their backbone edge oriented in the downstream direction and the leading signature is at the bottom, being partly covered by upstream signatures.
[0030] As explained above, controller 5 then periodically activates conveyors 3 and 4, always running simultaneously, for short periods of time to deliver individual packets of shingled signatures being pulled out by conveyor 7 and dropped onto jogger plates 15 in hopper pocket 101. Jogged signatures can then be advanced by conveyor 102 and pulled one at a time by the bindery equipment feeder 100, at the back-plate of hopper pocket 101. It shall be noted that vertical jogging is performed on the backbone edge of signatures to prevent damaging edges and provide optimal strength to transfer jogging impulses into signatures and impart movement thereto to pertorm final separation and alignment.
. ,,, [0031 The method for delivering flat articles to a generally vertical hopper pocket according to the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 4.
The method comprises the following steps:
a) loading and conveying at a first speed a vertically aligned, para((elepipeded shaped stack of signatures on an in-feed conveyor, with the backbone edge facing upward;
b) transferring signatures to a second conveyor, running faster than said first conveyor and upwardly inclined with respect thereto, to create on said second conveyor a continuous overlapping shingled stream of signatures having their backbone edge on top and facing downstream.
c) transferring a downstream portion of said shingled stream of signatures on a third conveyor in order to separate said portion from the continuous stream to define a shingled packet of signatures;
d) conveying said packet of signatures into the vertical hopper pocket with the backbone edges facing downward, using said third conveyor;
and e) jogging lower (backbone) and side edges of signatures into said hopper pocket to form a stack of aligned vertically oriented signatures.
[0032] Separating the signatures to load a vertical hopper pocket using simple, reliable and cost-effective structure and method while preserving their physical integrity achieves a first goal toward increasing the overall reliability and throughoutput of a signature feeding system. A second goal toward this objective is accomplished by providing precise control of the thickness of the stack of signatures SVS in hopper pocket 101.
Furthermore, apparatus 1 is totally independent from feeder 100, can operate without requiring any modification thereof and can be easily moved from a feeder to another. t, ,, [0033) One can thus easily contemplate that the above described embodiments of the method and apparatus for delivering flat articles to a generally vertical hopper according to the present invention obviate the limitations and drawbacks of the prior art devices.
[0034) Although the present invention has been described by means of preferred embodiments thereof, it is contemplated that various modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Namely, it is obvious that equivalent benefits could be obtained by replacing the printed signatures referred to in the description by any other type of generally flat artide in fle~able sheet form. Accordingly, it is intended that the embodiments described be considered only as illustrative of the present invention and that the scope thereof should not be limited thereto but be determined by reference to the claims hereinafter provided and their equivalents.
n, . ~,;
Inventor ~.--L
Claims
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2517378 CA2517378A1 (en) | 2005-09-07 | 2005-09-07 | Method and apparatus for delivering flat articles to a generally vertical hopper |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2517378 CA2517378A1 (en) | 2005-09-07 | 2005-09-07 | Method and apparatus for delivering flat articles to a generally vertical hopper |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2517378A1 true CA2517378A1 (en) | 2007-03-07 |
Family
ID=37871956
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2517378 Abandoned CA2517378A1 (en) | 2005-09-07 | 2005-09-07 | Method and apparatus for delivering flat articles to a generally vertical hopper |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2517378A1 (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP2993147A1 (en) * | 2014-09-02 | 2016-03-09 | Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba | Sheet feeding device and sheet processing apparatus |
| CN112978426A (en) * | 2021-01-27 | 2021-06-18 | 廖韦琴 | Inclined staggered-separation type thermosensitive film separating device |
-
2005
- 2005-09-07 CA CA 2517378 patent/CA2517378A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP2993147A1 (en) * | 2014-09-02 | 2016-03-09 | Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba | Sheet feeding device and sheet processing apparatus |
| CN105383987A (en) * | 2014-09-02 | 2016-03-09 | 株式会社东芝 | sheet feeding device and sheet processing apparatus |
| CN112978426A (en) * | 2021-01-27 | 2021-06-18 | 廖韦琴 | Inclined staggered-separation type thermosensitive film separating device |
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