GB2347924A

GB2347924A - Device for automatic stack changing

Info

Publication number: GB2347924A
Application number: GB0006372A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bernd Marneth; Mario Jung; Anton Pawlakowitsch; Arno Gaertner; Thomas Walther; Valentin Gensheimer; Juergen Wenzel; Frank Seidel; Dietrich Dettinger; Martin Hilz
Original assignee: MAN Roland Druckmaschinen AG
Current assignee: Manroland AG
Priority date: 1999-03-16
Filing date: 2000-03-16
Publication date: 2000-09-20
Anticipated expiration: 2020-03-16
Also published as: GB2347924B; FR2791047A1; GB0006372D0; DE19911524A1; FR2791047B1; DE19911524C2

Abstract

A device for non-stop pile changing in a delivery of a sheet printing press has sheet separating devices (4, 5) arranged on side guides (10, 11) above insertable sheet supporting surfaces on auxillary pile carriers. For improving the transfer of printed sheets for forming an auxiliary pile to be generated on the sheet supporting surfaces sheet supporters (6A, 6B, 7A, 7B) may be provided on sheet separating devices (4, 5). At least two of the sheet separating devices (4, 5) can be arranged adjustably in the sheet running direction (R) to match the format length of the printed sheets. The sheet separating devices lie in the pile region S in a position oblique to the sheet running direction R.

Description

I 2347924 DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC PILE CHANGE This invention relates to a

device for automatically changing a delivery pile in the delivery of a sheet 5 printing press.

For rationalisation and increasing capacity printing sheets to be printed in rotary printing presses, devices for automatic pile change are increasingly coming into use.

Particularly in the region of the sheet delivery of a rotary sheet printing press, various limiting conditions need to be observed in this connection which do not apply for the raw, not yet printed material to be printed, e.g. paper, in the region of a sheet feeder. In this connection especially, there is the factor that printed sheets arriving at high speed are trapped during a transition time and thereafter have to be deposited.When catching and holding these freely-flying and only partially braked arriving printed sheets for an intermediate time, two things have to be observed: on the one hand, the printed sheets have been provided with ink via a printing process and, as a result of this, have no longer in some cases their original flat contour. In addition to this, the printed sheets are heavier than the raw paper, since, indeed, they carry the printing ink, and this ink layer is, above all things, also possibly not yet fully dried.

A sheet delivery is known from DE-OS 4 131 015. This sheet delivery has a main pile lifter and an auxiliary pile lifter. The auxiliary pile lifter contains auxiliary pile carrier and sheet separating devices. On automatically changing a palette filled with the sheet pile against an empty palette for further piling of printed sheets, a sequence is provided in which first sheet separating devices are shot in at high speed at the transverse sides of the sheet delivery into the region of the downwardly falling printed sheets.

Thereby, these sheet separating devices create a separating position in the region of the printed sheets which are continuously further supplied and fed on to the sheet pile. The supported printed sheets provide, in this fashion, a slot which is free for the insertion of laterally arranged sheet supporting surfaces which serve as carrier for an auxiliary pile, while a loaded palette is removed from the sheet delivery and a new empty palette is inserted. While the sheet separating devices support laterally the arriving printed sheets, the sheet supporting surfaces are inserted into the region of the delivery pile and thereby take over the printed sheets. The sheet separating devices are then retracted once the sheet carrier surfaces are inserted so that the assembled printed sheets lie on the sheet carrier surfaces.

On changing the sheet pile, especially with somewhat thinner printed materials, it often arises that the sheet pile which is collecting on the sheet separating devices as a result of its loading leads to marking in the region of the support on the sheet separating devices. The reason is that for improving, accelerating and rendering secure the insertion into a gap in the sheets, the sheet separating devices are constructed relatively narrow and also as short as possible. Accordingly, they also form only a narrow relatively short support surfac-e-.-- Additionally, a shifting of the printed sheets as they build up on to the sheet separating devices cannot always be avoided, so that problems can arise in the formation of the auxiliary pile, and sometimes even the printed sheets on insertion of the sheet carrier surfaces can be pushed together, folded towards the centre of the sheet pile.

The invention seeks to improve the device in the sheet delivery so that the change process becomes both more secure and can also be used over a larger range with respect to the quality of material to be printed.

According generally to the present invention, there is provided a device for changing sheet piles in a delivery of a sheet printing press with means arranged in the delivery for raising and lowering a sheet pile or for preparing a new empty pile support the device including auxiliary pile carriers which can be moved into a pile region of the delivery above the sheet pile, sheet separating devices arranged above the auxiliary pile carriers and likewise movable into the pile region, and means for lateral guiding of the printed sheets in the pile region and during the deposition of the printed sheets on to the sheet pile, at least some of the sheet separating devices be-ing-fitted to the lateral guide means, movable essentially in the plane of the sheet transport and movable into the pile region into a position lying obliquely relative to the sheet running direction.

When such a device is put to use, an auxiliary pile, consisting initially just of a few printed sheets and thereafter increasing to several printed sheets, is deposited on the specially conceived separating devices. The arrangement of the separating device markedly improves the intermediate deposition of the printed sheets prior to this transfer to lie on auxiliary pile carriers. Additionally thereby the entire process is to run more stably.

To be seen as an important advantage of the invention is that with the proposed pile changing device, also papers of lower quality, i.e. thinner papers, can be worked with. Thereby the generation of waste is avoided. An improvement of the mode of operation is achieved by means of a swivelling drive. The swivelling drive ensures that sheet supporters which form part of the separating devices, despite their comparatively large length, can be swung into the working position in a very short time.

In a preferred embodiment, crooked sheet supporters are provided which provide an increased support surface. The crooked shape ensures that only a comparatively small swivel angle is necessary for simultaneously larger support surface to be available for use.

By means of a shiftable arrangement of the sheet supporters coordinated to the sheet ends, e.g. adjacent the edge of the pile formed by the trailing edges of the deposited sheets, the action of the device can be ensured for a large range of sheet formats.

In what follows, the invention and its mode of operation are explained in more detail with reference to an exemplary embodiment illustrated schematically in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows the arrangement of the pile changing I devices, Figure 2 shows one phase of the pile changing process and 5 Figure 3 shows an arrangement of sheet separating devices in the pile region of a sheet delivery.

Schematically illustrated in Figure 1 is a pile changing device in a sheet delivery of a sheet printing press with arrangements necessary for a so-called non-stop operation. In this connection, the sheet delivery, illustrated only partially in the Figure, is provided with an endless chain conveyor system and a main pile lifting unit (not illustrated in more detail) so that printed sheets D can be fed from the printing units of the sheet printing press to the sheet delivery, freed above a pile region S and deposited. The printed sheets D are braked for this purpose and deposited freely falling on to a sheet pile 1. The sheet pile 1 sits on a palette which, in turn, is carried by a main pile lifting unit. The main pile lifting unit takes care of continuous lowering of the palette as the height of the sheet pile 1 is increased by the printed sheets D fed to the pile and deposited thereon. Above the sheet pile 1, an auxiliary piling device is arranged at the level of the pile region S. The auxiliary piling device consists, for example, as shown schematically in Figure 1, of two sheet supp surfaces 2, 3 arranged in mirror fashion which are arranged at the sheet delivery on each side thereof. The sheet running direction in which the sheets emerge from the last printing or other finishing units of the sheet printing press is perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. The sheet support surfaces 2, 3 are movable in each case with the aid of a drive into the pile region S and-out of this. Above, and in each case arranged relative to the sheet support surfaces 2, 3 and thereby also relative to the pile region S, on both sides of the sheet pile 1 are provided in each case two sheet separating devices 4, 5. They have movableout carrier elements, here simply indicated diagrammatically and in no detail which can be moved from a position outside of the pile region S to one in which they penetrate a certain distance into the pile region S. The schematic illustration shows that the sheet separating devices 4, 5 in their orientation relative to the position of the arriving printed sheets D are arranged obliquely in a fashion such that they are inclined downwardly towards the pile region S. Thereby it can be achieved that one moved into the pile region S, sheet separating devices 4, 5 provide a downwardly arched support surface for the printed sheet D arriving and to be deposited. The sheet separating devices 4, 5 are arranged in the region of side guides 10, 11 which serve for an exact pile formation of the sheet pile 1. The side guides 10, 11 are constructed as laterally movable carriers which carry a movable guide surface. The arriving printed sheets D can thus be so aligned by the guide surfaces in each case by means of an alignment movement imparted to these during their dropping down on to the sheet pile 1, so that the edges of the sheet pile 1 are straight. The laterally movable carriers are adjustable to the respectively necessary format of the printed sheets D. Thereby also the sheet separator devices 4, 5 are always adjusted to the corresponding format width.

The sequence on pile change should now be briefly sketched with respect to the Figures 1 and 2, which are to be understood schematically:

In Figure 1, the starting condition of the sheet pile 1 in the sheet delivery is shown. The sheet pile 1 is almost filled up to its maximum pile height, the sheet support surfaces 2, 3 are in the waiting position and the sheet separating devices 4, 5 are in the waiting position. on achieving a given height of the sheet pile 1, which, e.g. can be derived from the position of the main pile lifting unit, the pile change process is triggered. In this connection, the sheet pile 1 is first slowly lowered in the direction A until the top surface of the sheet pile 1 comes to lie below the level of the sheet support surfaces 2, 3.

In Figure 2, the next stage of the pile changing process is shown diagrammatically. It is shown that two printed sheets 9 have so far been deposited on to the sheet separating devices 4, 5, after these have been moved into the pile region S, and a third sheet D is illustrated on its way down towards the two supported sheets 9. The printed sheets D come to lie in curved shape with their centre part on the surface of the sheet pile 1. Starting from this situation, both sheet supporting surfaces 2, 3 are then induced to move from their positions at the sides of the pile into the pile region S above the surface of the slightly lowered sheet pile 1. Since, as described above, the sheet carrier surfaces 2, 3 are arranged below the side guides 10, 11, the falling printed sheets D, even during deposition on to the sheet separating devices 4, 5, are still well aligned by the side guides 10, 11. The sheet carrier surfaces 2, 3 are moved into the region overlying pile 1 as far as the centre of the pile region S.

Figure 3 shows in plan and in great detail, the region of the sheet deposition area in the sheet delivery. Here one embodiment of the sheet separating devices 4, 5 in accordance with the present invention, is illustrated in more detail, though still diagrammatically. In this connection, in each case, two sheet separating devices 4, 5 are arranged on each side of the pile region S lying parallel to the sheet running direction R. On the sheet start side BA of the pile region S are arranged lying opposite one another two sheet separating devices 4, 5 with swivel drives 4A and 5A. On the oppositely lying side of the pile region S, here denoted as sheet end BE, are arranged lying opposite one another two sheet separating devices 4, 5 with swivel drives 4B and 5B. The swivel drive 4A drives a sheet supporter 6A swivellably mounted in the side guide 10. The swivel drive 4B drives a sheet supporter 6B indirectly swivellably mounted in the side guide 10. The swivel drive 5A drives a sheet supporter 7A swivellably mounted in the side guide 11. The swivel drive 5B drives a sheet supporter 7B indirectly swivellably mounted in the side guide 11. The sheet supporters 6A, 6B, 7A, 7B are drawn in each case in two positions. The non-hatched position shows the working position with the sheet supporter moved into the pile region S. The hatched position shows the inactive waiting position, outside of the pile region S.

The sheet separating devices 4, 5 are adjustable in their position to the sheet size respectively to be worked with, i.e. to the format of the printed sheets D.

On the one hand, the side guides 10, 11, as indicated already, corresponding to the direction or arrows drawn on both sides, can be matched in each case by means of their own format adjustment mechanisms 12 (illustrated purely diagrammatically in Figure 3) to the respectively desired width of the pile region S. Thereby the sheet separating devices 4, 5 are also adjusted therewith corresponding to the desired format width.

At the pile ends, alignment of the sheets is ensured by sheet stops 19 and 20. Sheets arriving in the sheet running direction R have their front end, indicated in Figure 3 as the sheet start BA, deposited against sheet I stops 20. The oppositely lying edge of the sheet pile 1, i.e. the position of the sheet end BE, varies corresponding to the sheet format. Sheet stops 19 which are adjustable so they can be located at the sheet end BE are provided. Thus the pile region S is surrounded on all four sides by alignment elements.

To enable optimal action of the device for automatic pile changing, the sheet supporters 6B, 7B with their swivel drives 4B, 5B fitted adjacent the sheet end BE are mounted indirectly and in each case shiftably on the side guides 10, 11. The sheet supporters 6B, 7B are in each case attached swivellably on to guide rails 13, 14 and shiftable in common with the respective swivel drives 4B, 5B likewise fixed to the noted guide rails 13, 14. For this, the guide rails 13, 14 are in each case shiftable mounted in, fo r example, shifting devices 15, 16 arranged as roller guides parallel to the pile edge. The shifting devices 15, 16 are in turn connected with the side guides 10, 11 in such a fashion that they can follow their format adjustment movements in the lateral direction, i.e. perpendicular to sheet running direction R. The side guides 10, 11 in turn do not automatically have to be able to follow the shifting devices 15, 16 on moving out of the rear sheet supporters 6B, 7B, though as illustrated in Figure 3, the left hand parts of guides 10 and 11 can do so if desired.

For shifting the noted guide rails 13, 14 and thereby the sheet supporters 6B, 7B, in each case corresponding drives 17, 18 are provided. In particularly simple form, these can be pneumatic cylinders which are arranged in simple fashion acting parallel to the guide rails 13, 14 and linked to these. By means of these pneumatic cylinders-,- the guide ra ls 13, 14 can then be moved to and fro by the shifting devices 15, 16 between - 10 two end positions.

Likewise, at this position, electric motor drives can be installed with control possibilities for any positioning 5 within the adjustment range of the guide rails 13, 14. These would also be suited for effecting automation in such a fashion that on inputting a sheet format into the press control, a suitable position of the sheet supporters 6B, 7B can be automatically approached.

In the above-described simpler version, the control can be provided so that a boundary format G is defined up to which the sheet supporters 6B, 7B in the inserted position of the guide rails 13, 14 can be driven in the direction counter to the sheet running direction R. For use with sheets larger than this format, the sheet supporters 6B, 7B are driven to the maximum moved out position of the guide rails 13, 14 in the direction counter to the sheet running direction R.

This is illustrated in Figure 3. In the upper half of the Figure, the device is illustrated in a position for small sheet formats with a minimum boundary format Fl. In contrast, the lower half of Figure 3 shows the device in a position for larger sheet formats with a maximum boundary format F2. The rear end of the sheet pile 1, which is determined by the sheet format Fl or F2, is here denoted as sheet end with BE. If this sheet end BE lies to the right of a line G, i.e. in the sheet running direction after the line G, then thereby the range of action of the sheet supporters 6B, 7B in the inserted condition of the guide rails 13, 14 and thereby for small sheet formats is defined. If, however, the sheet end BE lies to the left of the line G, i.e. in the sheet running direction R in front of the line G, then thereby the region of action of the sheet supporters 6B, 7B in the moved out condition of the guide rails 13, 14 and I - 11 thereby for larger sheet formats is defined.

In the preferred embodiment, the sheet supporters 6A, 6B, 7A, 7B are crooked and so arranged that in the swivelled out position, they project in mirror fashion from the pile corners into the pile region S. They thereby provide the overlying printed sheets D with a relatively large support surface. By the crooked arrangement, only a relatively small swivel angle is necessary for swinging in the sheet supporters 6A, 6B, 7A, 7B. Thereby the time for swinging in is kept small.

By the crooked shape of the sheet supporters 6A, 6B, 7Ar 7B and their functional position directed diagonally towards the printed sheet D, a more secure support of the printed sheets D is achieved. Providing the upper sides of the supporters with an increased surface roughness can improve the grip between the surface of the printed sheets D and the surfaces of the sheet supporters 6A, 6B, 7A, 7B. The device is thus suited for holding the printed sheets D relatively securely in the desired intermediate condition shown in Figure 2. The transfer of the auxiliary pile 9 by means of the sheet carrier surfaces 2, 3 is thus thereby controllable with greater security, can run faster, and generates few relative movements between the printed sheets. Thereby the problems of marking of the printing ink on the underside of the overlying printed sheets D and the pushing together of printed sheets D with lighter printed materials are avoided with certainty. The working range of the device is substantially broadened in comparison to the-known position.

A further improvement of the device can be achieved in that the parts of the side guides 10, 11 neighbouring the shiftable sheet supporters 6B, 7B can likewise be made shiftable. This is already thus indicated in Figure 3. Thereby the alignment action of the side guides 10, 11 in the case of all sheet formats can be the same, and independently of the format adjustment of the sheet supporters 6B, 7B. The exactness of the pile formation in connection with a pile change can be further improved by these measures.

I

Claims

1. A device for changing sheet piles in a delivery of a sheet printing press with means arranged in the delivery for raising and lowering a sheet pile or for preparing a new empty pile support the device including auxiliary pile carriers which can be moved into a pile region of the delivery above the sheet pile, sheet separating devices arranged above the auxiliary pile carriers and likewise movable into the pile region, and means for lateral guiding of the printed sheets in the pile region and during the deposition of the printed sheets on to the sheet pile, at least some of the sheet separating devices being fitted to the lateral guide means, movable essentially in the plane of the sheet transport and movable into the pile region into a position lying obliquely relative to the sheet running direction.

2. A device according to Claim 1 and including two sheet separating devices on each of the sides of the sheet pile parallel to the sheet running direction each separating device being arranged in a region adjacent each of the pile corners of the sheet pile and being movable into a working position to lie substantially diagonal relative to the printed sheets being deposited on the pile.

3. A device according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the sheet separating devices are arranged to move in a plane inclined to the horizontal.

4. A device according to any one of Claims I to 3 wherein the or at least two of the sheet separating devices are arranged shiftably in a direction parallel to the sheet running direction.

5. A device according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein at least some of the sheet separating devices are fitted at the side of the pile region in a fashion enabling adjustment to the sheet format of the printed sheets in a direction parallel to the sheet running 5 direction.

6. A device according to Claim 4 or 5 wherein at least the sheet separating devices provided on the side lying opposite the inlet side of the printed sheets to the sheet pile are arranged connected with side guides transversely adjustable to the sheet running direction to match the sheet format of the printed sheets.

7. A device according to Claim 6 and including sheet separating devices provided on the side opposite the inlet side of the printed sheets at the sheet pile, which devices are arranged connected with side guides adjustable to the sheet format both transversely to the sheet running direction and also in the longitudinal direction parallel to the sheet running direction.

8. A device according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein each of the sheet separating devices has a swivel drive, by means of which a support element forming can be swung out from a position lying outside the pile region into a working position within the pile region.

9. A device according to Claim 7 or 8 wherein the sheet supporters are arranged in their rest position outside of the area of the sheet pile directed parallel to the sheet running direction in pairs on each side of the pile region in each case with the free ends of the supporters being directed oppositely.

- IF -

10. A device for changing sheet piles in the delivery of a sheet printing press according to Claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. A device according to Claim 8 wherein each support element is constructed as a crooked sheet supporter.

10. A device according to Claim 9 wherein each sheet supporter consists of a narrow bar material running in conically towards its free end.

11. A device according to Claim 9 or 10 wherein the sheet supporters are arranged in their rest position outside of the area of the sheet pile directed parallel to the sheet running direction in pairs on each side of the pile region in each case with the free ends of the supporters being directed oppositely. 5 12. A device for changing sheet piles in the delivery of a sheet printing press according to Claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows CLAIMS 1. A device for changing sheet piles in a delivery of a sheet printing press with means arranged in the delivery for raising and lowering a sheet pile or for preparing a new empty pile support, the device including auxiliary pile carriers which can be moved into a pile region of the delivery above the sheet pile, sheet separating devices arranged above the auxiliary pile carriers and likewise movable into the pile region, and means for lateral guiding of the printed sheets in the pile region and during the deposition of the printed sheets on to the sheet pile, at least some of the sheet separating devices being fitted to the lateral guide means, movable essentially in the plane of the sheet transport and movable into the pile region into a position lying obliquely relative to the sheet running direction, and wherein two sheet separating devices are provided on each of the sides of the sheet pile parallel to the sheet running direction, each separating device being arranged in a region adjacent one of the pile corners of the sheet pile and being movable into a working position to lie substantially diagonal relative to the printed sheets being deposited on the pile, and wherein at least two of the sheet separating devices are arranged shiftably in a direction parallel to the sheet running direction.

2. A device according to Claim 1 wherein sheet engaging members of the sheet separating devices are arranged to move in a plane inclined to the horizontal.

3. A device according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein at least some of the sheet separating devices are fitted at the side of the pile region in a fashion enabling adjustment to the sheet format of the printed sheets in a direction parallel to the sheet running direction.

I 4. A device according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein at least the sheet separating devices provided on the side lying opposite the inlet side of the printed sheets to the sheet pile are arranged connected with side guides transversely adjustable to the sheet running direction to match the sheet format of the printed sheets.

5. A device according to Claim 4 and including sheet separating devices provided on the side opposite the inlet side of the printed sheets at the sheet pile, which devices are arranged connected with side guides adjustable to the sheet format both transversely to the sheet running direction and also in the longitudinal direction parallel to the sheet running direction.

6. A device according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein each of the sheet separating devices has a swivel drive, by means of which a support element forming can be swung out from a position lying outside the pile region into a working position within the pile region.

7. A device according to Claim 6 wherein each support element is constructed as a crooked sheet supporter.

8. A device according to Claim 7 wherein each sheet supporter consists of a narrow bar material running in conically towards its free end.