EP1288151B1 - Method and apparatus for seizing a moved flat product - Google Patents

Abstract

A gripper assembly for a deceleration/acceleration drum is described which includes a pivot arm with a gripper seat and a gripper bar with a gripper and a pin assembly. The assembly further includes a first toggle link supported by the pivot arm about a first pivot points the gripper bar is able to partially rotate about the first toggle link about a second pivot point. The assembly also includes a second toggle link supported by the pivot arm which supports the pin assembly of the gripper bar.

Description

The present invention relates to a method for gripping a moving flat product according to claim 1 and to a device for gripping a moving flat product according to claim 7.

To capture and transport signatures in a folder often paddle wheels are used. The curve shape and the uneven surface of the blades forming the blade wheel slows down the forward movement of the stored signatures. The pockets of the paddlewheel formed by adjacent airfoils pick up the signatures after they have left the folder. A disadvantage of such devices is that the signatures on the pockets of the paddle wheel can be torn or otherwise damaged because the signatures are deposited in the pockets at high speed.

The US 4,629,175 discloses an apparatus for overcoming these problems. The apparatus includes rows of grippers that rotate between a feeder and a subsequent lay-out system. The grippers are located on a cylindrical drum which rotates at a constant speed, and the gripper rows are accelerated by a drive to the speed of the feeder and then braked to the speed of the delivery system. However, there is a fear that the signatures will be damaged because the grippers are rotated to a position in front of a leading edge of the signature supplied from the feeder. This occurs because the speed of the signature on the feeder must be greater than a tangential velocity of the gripper. The signature moves faster than the gripper when it enters the gripper and closes around it. The front edge of the signature is braked immediately to the speed of the gripper, while the trailing edge is still in the control of the feeder and therefore moves at a higher speed than the leading edge. Due to these different speeds there is a risk that the signature will be damaged.

In the US 5,452,886 a brake drum is described for braking signatures transported in a folder. The drum includes a plurality of pivotal arms connected to a rotating hub and capable of independent rotation. Each pivot arm is connected to a control lever whose other side is connected to a rotating control disc. The rotating control disc enables acceleration and deceleration of a signature. An arranged on the pivot arm gripper detects the signature when it enters the brake drum. The system is preferably timed so that the leading edge of the incoming signature is detected by the rapier head before the trailing edge of the signature is released by a conveyor system. Again, the signature is transferred to the gripper at high speed and detected by this, while it is still held by the conveyor system. Therefore, the signature may be damaged at the time of transfer.
Other devices and methods for gripping flat products are out US-A-4, 132, 403 ; and DE-A-197 33 694 known.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of gripping a moving flat product and a device for gripping a moving flat product by which the mentioned disadvantages of known methods and devices of this kind are eliminated.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for gripping a moving flat product, and in which no abrupt change in the speed of the product occurs during and / or after gripping.

These objects are achieved by a method according to claim 1 and by an apparatus according to claim 7. Further features and advantageous embodiments of the present invention are contained in the subclaims.
In the claimed manner, the gripper and the product have the same speed upon detection of the signature by the gripper assembly, thus reducing the risk of damage to the signature upon handover.

Furthermore, the method according to the invention can provide that the gripper is moved to a position in front of the front edge of the product and / or above the level of the product, wherein the gripper support is positioned below the level of the product.

Aligning the gripper pad with the leading edge of the product and adjusting the speed of the gripper pad to the product speed preferably occurs prior to release of the leading edge of the product by a transport system.

According to one embodiment of the method according to the invention, it may be provided that a gripper arm is moved in the direction of the swivel arm in such a way that the gripper is above the front edge of the product or the signature before the gripper is moved in the direction of the gripper support. In this case, the gripper arrangement preferably moves in the same direction as the signature. The signature can now be picked up by a transport system, i. be released from this and braked after acceptance by the transport system.

The gripper assembly is preferably moved and moved further by rotating the gripper assembly about a pivot point.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the gripper assembly may include a rod connected to the gripper arm and a rod guiding and controlling Cam, wherein the rod controls the movement of the gripper in the direction of the gripper support and rotates the gripper arm in the direction of the pivot arm.

Furthermore, it can be provided according to the invention that the gripper pad is aligned with the signature before the leading edge of the signature leaves the control by the transport system.

According to the invention, the signature between the gripper and the gripper support is detected in such a way that the speed of the signature is not changed during the grasp of the signature between the gripper and the gripper support. The signature is recorded between the gripper and the gripper support in such a way that the signature, the gripper and the gripper support move in the same direction.

In a further embodiment of the invention can be provided that the gripper assembly performs at least one rotational movement, in particular a superimposed by a pivoting movement of rotation.

A device according to the invention for gripping a moving flat product, in particular a signature in a folder of a web-fed rotary printing press, with a pivoting gripper assembly, wherein the product moving at a product speed is detected by a gripper support cooperating gripper of the gripper assembly includes a gripper-carrying and on the gripper assembly at least pivotally arranged gripper arm which is moved by means of a cam follower such that the gripper is moved to the aligned with the front edge of the product and adapted to the product speed of the product gripper pad.

• einen die Greiferauflage aufweisenden Schwenkarm, welcher die Greiferauflage in der Weise bewegt, dass die Greiferauflage mit der Vorderkante des Produkts ausgerichtet wird und sich mit derselben Geschwindigkeit wie das Produkt bewegt,
• einen mindestens eine Stange aufweisenden Greiferarm,
• eine an dem Schwenkarm um einen Schwenkpunkt gelagerte erste Gelenkstange, um welche der Greiferarm mittels eines zweiten Schwenkpunkts zumindest teilweise drehbar ist,
• eine an dem Schwenkarm gelagerte, die Stange des Greiferarms lagernde zweite Gelenkstange,
• und eine Kurvenscheibe mit einer Kontur, auf welcher eine Kurvenrolle abrollt,

wobei das Zusammenwirken der Kurvenscheibe und der Kurvenrolle eine Bewegung der Stange in der Weise bewirkt, dass sich der Greifer in die Richtung der Greiferauflage bewegt, so dass das Produkt zwischen dem Greifer und der Greiferauflage erfasst wird, ohne dass sich die Geschwindigkeit des Produkts ändert.Preferably, the device according to the invention further comprises

• a gripper arm having the gripper support which moves the gripper support so as to align the gripper support with the leading edge of the product and moving at the same speed as the product,
• a gripper arm having at least one rod,
• a first articulation rod, which is mounted on the pivoting arm about a pivot point and about which the gripper arm is at least partially rotatable by means of a second pivot point,
• a second articulated rod mounted on the pivoting arm and supporting the rod of the gripper arm,
• and a cam with a contour on which rolls a cam roller,

wherein the interaction of the cam and the cam roller causes movement of the rod such that the gripper moves in the direction of the gripper pad so that the product between the gripper and the gripper pad is detected without changing the speed of the product.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the rod is arranged on the second link rod.

The first link rod may have a cylindrical portion about which the gripper arm is rotatable. This allows the gripper arm to approach the swivel arm under the influence of the cam.

The pivot arm preferably has bores, and the first pivot rod preferably has pins which are rotatable in the bores of the pivot arm.

According to a further embodiment, a channel for receiving the rod may be formed in the pivoting arm.

The contour is preferably formed irregular sinuskurvenförmig.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the second link rod has a pin and that the rod has a bore for receiving the pin of the second link rod, wherein the rod is rotatable about the pin.

Further features and advantageous embodiments of the present invention will be explained in more detail in the following description of preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings listed below.

Fig. 1

eine vereinfachte, schematische Darstellung einer erfindungsgemäßen Greiferanordnung;

Fig. 2

eine Darstellung eines zwischen Signaturen heraus ragenden Greifers;

Fig. 3

eine Darstellung eines sich um eine Signatur schließenden Greifers;

Fig. 4

eine Darstellung eines eine Signatur erfassenden Greifers;

Fig. 5

eine perspektivische Detailansicht von Elementen der Greiferanordnung;

Fig. 6

eine perspektivische Ansicht einer Vorrichtung zur Übergabe von Signaturen mit angepasster Geschwindigkeit mit einer Vielzahl von Greiferanordnungen;

Fig. 7

ein Längsschnitt der Vorrichtung zur Übergabe von Signaturen mit angepasster Geschwindigkeit; und

Fig. 8

eine Schnittansicht der Vorrichtung zur Übergabe von Signaturen mit angepasster Geschwindigkeit.

Show it:

Fig. 1

a simplified schematic representation of a gripper assembly according to the invention;

Fig. 2

a representation of a protruding between signatures gripper;

Fig. 3

a representation of a closes around a signature gripper;

Fig. 4

a representation of a signature gripping gripper;

Fig. 5

a detailed perspective view of elements of the gripper assembly;

Fig. 6

a perspective view of a device for transferring signatures with adapted speed with a plurality of gripper assemblies;

Fig. 7

a longitudinal section of the device for transferring signatures with adapted speed; and

Fig. 8

a sectional view of the device for transferring signatures with adapted speed.

In all figures the same elements are designated by the same reference numerals.

Fig. 1 shows a gripper assembly 31 with a pivot arm 1, which rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow 17 about a pivot point 7. A gripper arm 8 is at one arranged upper pivot rod 16 and partially pivotable about a pivot point 9. The upper link rod 16 is in turn pivotally mounted on the pivot arm 1 about a pivot point 10. The gripper arm 8 is also connected via a arranged on the gripper arm 8 rod 21 in a pivot point 4 with a lower link rod 6. The rod 21 is pivotable about a pin 4 'projecting out of the articulated rod 6. The lower joint rod 6 is in turn arranged in a pivot point 3 on the pivot arm 1 and pivotable about a protruding from the pivot arm 1 pin 3 'in the pivot point 3.

At one end of the gripper arm 8, a gripper 15 is attached. A gripper pad 18 is attached to the pivot arm 1. A cam roller 5 is disposed on the lower link 6 and supported around a pivot point 2 around. The position of the cam roller 5 determines the position of the gripper arm 8 and thus also the position of the gripper 15 relative to the pivot arm. 1

The gripper 15 is located in Fig. 1 immediately below a region 13 between a trailing edge of a signature 14 and a leading edge of the next signature 12. The signatures 12, 14 are transported in the direction indicated by the arrow 11 direction. The position of the swing arm 1 is controlled by the rotation of the swing arm 1 about the pivot point 7. The signatures 12, 14 are conveyed on a belt system 20 and transferred to the gripper assembly 31.

In Fig. 2, the gripper 15 protrudes after a further rotation of the pivot arm 1 in the region 13 between the trailing edge and the front edge of the signatures 12, 14.

3 shows the further sequence until the swivel arm 1 has rotated so far that the gripper seat 18 is aligned directly with the front edge of the signature 12. In the position shown in Fig. 3, the signature 12 and the gripper pad 18 move in the same direction 11 and at the same speed. In addition, determined by the position or movement of the cam roller 5, the gripper 15 has begun to close.

In Fig. 4, the swing arm 1 moves at the same speed as the signature 12, while the gripper 15 completely closes around the signature 12 by being gripped against the gripper pad 18. In this way, the signature 12 is removed from the belt system 20 and further transported. It should be noted that no abrupt change in the speed of the gripper 15 is made after the signature 12 has been detected. The signature 12 is obtained without the undesirable side effects known in the art, such as e.g. abrupt deceleration or acceleration, d. H. Speed changes, further transported. In addition, the gripper 15 does not abut the edge of the signature to detect this in its return movement. This reduces the risk of damaging the signature 12.

Fig. 1-4 are shown in a highly schematic. Figs. 5-8 show further details of the invention.

Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of the gripper assembly 31, in which the gripper arm 8 is shown with a plurality of grippers 15. The swing arm 1 carries a plurality of gripper pads 18. The upper link rod 16 has a pin 22 which rotates in a disposed in the pivot arm 1 bore 26 and defines the pivot point 10. The upper link 16 also includes a cylindrical portion 23 about which the gripper arm 8 rotates and defines the pivot point 9. The gripper arm 8 is rotatable about the pivot point 9 and vertically movable, since there is a gap between the underside of the upper link rod 16 and the gripper arm 8. The cam roller 5 rolls on a cam 24 with a contour or curved path 25. Upon rotation of the cam 24 through the cam roller 5, the rod 21 of the gripper arm 8 follows the contour 25 of the cam 24. Due to the change in height and direction of the contour 25 moves Gripper arm 8 up and down and at an angle to the swing arm 1 to or from this way. By the upward and downward movement of the gripper 15 is moved to the gripper pad 18 and away from it. As a result of the oblique or rotary movement, the gripper arm 8 is moved toward or away from the swivel arm 1. The pivot arm 1 further comprises a channel 27, in which the rod 21 of the gripper arm 8 is guided.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a device 30 for transferring signatures at a suitable speed. The device 30 comprises a plurality of gripper assemblies 31, each comprising the pivoting arm 1 and the gripper arm 8. The device 30 has a first drive wheel or pulley 32, a second drive pulley 33, and a third drive pulley or third pulley 34. For driving the drive wheels 32-34, e.g. Drive belt be provided. The device 30 for transferring signatures with adapted speed shown in FIG. 6 serves here as a brake drum or deceleration drum / unit; however, it can also be used as an acceleration drum.

7 and 8 show a longitudinal section and a cross section of the device 30 for transferring signatures with adapted speed. The drive wheel 32 drives a shaft 35, which in turn drives the gripper assemblies 31 about the pivot points 7. The drive wheels 33, 34 each drive six of the gripper assemblies 31. The drive wheels 33, 34 drive an upper portion 38 of a connection 36, which in turn drives a shaft 37 (see also Figures 1 and 5), by means of which the speed of the gripper assemblies 31 can be further changed.

List of reference numbers

1

swivel arm

2

pivot point

3

pivot point

3 '

pen

4

pivot point

4 '

pen

5

follower

6

lower link rod

7

pivot point

8th

gripper

9

pivot point

10

pivot point

11

movement direction

12

subsequent signature

13

gap

14

signature

15

grab

16

upper link rod

17

direction of rotation

18

Gripper pad

20

belt system

21

pole

22

pen

23

cylindrical section

24

cam

25

contour

26

drilling

27

channel

30

contraption

31

hook assembly

32-34

Drive wheel / belt pulley

35

wave

36

connection

37

wave

38

upper section

Claims (9)

1. Process for gripping a moving flat product (12), particularly a signature (12) in a folding apparatus of a roller-type rotary printing press, by means of a pivotable gripper arrangement (31), wherein the product (12) moving at a product speed is gripped by a gripper (15) of the gripper arrangement (31) which is attached to the end of a gripper arm (8), said gripper (15) cooperating with a gripper support (18) attached to a swivel arm (1), comprising the steps of:

   - aligning the gripper support (18) with the front edge of the product (12);

   - adapting the speed of the gripper support (18) to the speed of the product such that the product and the gripper support (18) move in the same direction and at the same speed;

   - rotating the gripper arm (8) and moving it downwards relative to the swivel arm (1) in order to close the gripper (15), such that as a result of the rotary movement the gripper arm (8) is moved towards the swivel arm and as a result of the downward movement the gripper (15) is moved towards the gripper support (18), and wherein the gripper support is moved at said product speed throughout the entire closing of the gripper (15) around the product (12).
2. Process according to claim 1, comprising the step of:

   - moving the gripper (15) into a position in front of the front edge of the product (12) and/or over the plane of the product (12), the gripper support (18) being positioned underneath the plane of the product (12),
3. Process according to claim 1 or 2, wherein
   the alignment of the gripper support (18) with the front edge of the product (12) and the adaptation of the speed of the gripper support (18) to the speed of the product takes place before the front edge of the product (12) is released by a transporting system (20).
4. Process according to one of the preceding claims, wherein
   the product (12, 14) is seized between the gripper (15) and the gripper support (18) in such a way that the product (12, 14), the gripper (15) and the gripper support (18) move in the same direction.
5. Process according to one of the preceding claims, wherein
   the gripper arrangement (31) performs at least one rotary movement, in particular a rotary movement on which a swivelling movement is superimposed.
6. Process according to one of the preceding claims 3 to 5, wherein
   the product (12, 14) is decelerated after being released by the transporting system (20).
7. Apparatus for gripping a moving flat product (12), particularly a signature (12) in a folding apparatus of a roller-type rotary printing press, having a pivotable gripper arrangement (31), wherein the product (12) moving at a product speed can be gripped by a gripper (15) of the gripper arrangement (31) cooperating with a gripper support (18),
   having a gripper arm (8) that carries the gripper (15) and is pivotably mounted on the gripper arrangement (31),
   wherein the gripper arm (8) is movable up and down relative to the swivel arm (1), and in that the gripper arm (8) is movable by means of a cam follower
   such that the gripper (15) is moved towards the gripper support (18), which is aligned with the front edge of the product (12) and moves at the same speed as the product (12), and

   - a swivel arm (1) comprising the gripper support (18), by means of which the gripper support (18) is movable in such a way that the gripper support (18) is aligned with the front edge of the product (12,14) and moves at the same speed as the product (12, 14),

   - at least one rod (21) which the gripper arm (8) comprises,

   - a first articulation rod (16) mounted on the swivel arm (1) about a swivel point (10), about which the gripper arm (8) is at least partly rotatable by means of a second swivel point (9),

   - a second articulation rod (6) mounted on the swivel arm (1) and forming a bearing point for the rod (21) of the gripper arm (8),

   - and a cam disc (24) with a contour (25) over which a curved roller (5) can roll,

   wherein the cooperation of the cam disc (24) and the curved roller (5) brings about a movement of the rod (21) such that the gripper (15) moves in the direction of the gripper support (18), so that the product (12, 14) is seized between the gripper (15) and the gripper support (18) without any change in the speed of the product (12, 14).
8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the gripper (15) is located above the front edge of the product (12) before the gripper (15) is moved towards the gripper support (18).
9. Printing press or folding apparatus or delaying drum, having a plurality of apparatus according to one of claims 7 or 8 for gripping flat printed products moving in succession.

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