Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FOLDER APPARATUS FOR A WEB-FED PRINTING PRESS
Specification:
The invention relates to a folder apparatus for a web-fed
printing press and, more specifically, to a folder apparatus
located downstream of the printing press in the direction of
travel of a printed product.
After a paper web, which has been fed through a web-fed
rotary printing press, is printed, it is fed to a folder
apparatus wherein processing of the printed products (fold-
ing, cutting and separating) occurs.
A focal point of the invention is concerned with a printed
product delivery system which permits the printed product
stream conducted through the folder apparatus to divide into
a plurality of printed product streams for the purpose of
delivering the printed product.
The printed product delivery is effected by means of one or
more contra-revolving assemblies such as fan assemblies or
arrangements which take up the printed product and deposit
it on a conveyor belt for further processing.
In U.S. Patent 3,894,479, a method of forming piles of
newspapers is disclosed. Two fan arrangements are provided
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to which printed products are alternatingly fed. The alloca-
tion of the individual printed products to one of the fan
arrangements is effected via a diverter which is disposed
upstream of the fan arrangements in the flow direction of
the printed products.
In U.S. Patent 3,762,697, many embodiments of a delivery
mechanism for printed products are shown and described. Fan
arrangements for a printed product delivery system are also
disclosed therein for permitting division of the printed
product stream passing through the folder apparatus.
These heretofore known fan arrangements are of the construc-
tion type wherein several identical fans are arranged at a
spaced distance from one another along a common axis.
According to the last-mentioned patent, two fan arrangements
can be provided with respect to one printed product stream,
the fan arrangements, respectively, having a printed product
alternatingly fed thereto. In contrast with Patent
3,894,479, no diverter for channeling the printed product
stream to the two fan arrangements is provided in Patent
3,762,697. The spacing between the mutually opposing axes of
the fan arrangements in the latter patent is smaller than
the diameter of each of the identical fan arrangements. The
paddles of the first fan arrangement are arranged so as to
be offset laterally from the paddles of the second fan
arrangement, so as to prevent any collision of the
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oppositely disposed paddles. The feed of the printed
products occurs in the middle between the parallel axes of
the fan arrangements.
In accordance with the respective setting of a fan arrange-
ment, the first or the second fan arrangement can take over
the oncoming printed product and deliver it.
A disadvantage of the latter construction is that the
printed product virtually drops in a free fall without
guidance into the respective paddles of a fan arrangement.
Such printed products falling without guidance can, for
example, pass between the paddles of the fan arrangements
which are disposed axially offset from one another or can
become jammed between the paddles, which results in damage
to the printed product.
It is an object of the invention, accordingly, to avoid the
foregoing disadvantage of heretofore known arrangements of
this general type and to optimize sheet guidance there-
through.
With the foregoing and other objects in view, there is
provided, in accordance with the invention, a folder
apparatus for a web-fed printing press having a printed-
product delivery, comprising two assemblies, respectively,
revolvable in opposite directions and including respective
receiving means formed with pockets for receiving a printed
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product therein, the respective receiving means of each of
the assemblies being displaceable along respective endless
paths as the assemblies revolve, the receiving means of both
of the assemblies being on a collision course with one
another so as to be collidable at a given location of the
endless paths, and collision-preventing means included in
each of the assemblies for preventing a collision at the
location between the receiving means in one of the
assemblies and the receiving means in the other of the
assemblies.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a folder
apparatus of a web-fed printing press having a
printed-product delivery is provided, comprising two fan
assemblies, respectively, formed of a rotatable body having
a substantially cylindrical configuration and having
respective rotational axes disposed alongside and spaced
from one another, each of the fan arrangements being formed
with a multiplicity of blades having tips located at a
circumference of the respective fan arrangement, respective
mutually adjacent pairs of the blades defining therebetween
a pocket for receiving a printed product therein, the
rotational axes being spaced a distance from one another
which is less than the sum of the radii of the cylindrically
configured rotatable bodies so that the circumferences
thereof mutually intersect, the fan assembly having means
for preventing the respective blade tips of the fans from
colliding.
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In accordance with another aspect of the invention, each of
the two fan arrangements is formed of a plurality of mutual-
ly adjacent fans spaced-apart from one another on a common
axis,
the respective common axis of each of the two fan arrange-
ments being disposed parallel to the common axis of the
other, each of the fans of one of the fan arrangements being
disposed adjacent to and in a respective common plane with a
respective one of the fans of the other fan arrangements,
each of the fans being formed with blades having tips
located at a circumference of the respective fan, the
circumferences of the fans in the respective common plane
intersecting with one another, and means provided on the
fans for preventing a collision of respective blade tips of
the fans disposed in the respective common plane.
The arrangement of the opposing fans to one another offers
many advantages with respect to paper transport and handling
of the individual products processed in the folder appara-
tus, respectively. Thus, by the arrangement of the fans it
is possible also to guide reliably folded products, such as
four-page signatures, for example, which are problematic
i.e. thin, light, small-formatted or open at the leading
edge thereof, which tend to flutter during transport (espe-
cially at very high speeds).
A folded product which is taken up by the blades of one of
the fan assemblies is thus lifted away from the product
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stream by the succeeding blade tips of the opposing other
fan assembly, and additionally displaced in the direction of
the first-mentioned fan assembly. A minimum spacing, if
necessary or desirable, is thereby produced advantageously
between the folded products in the product stream, because
the following printed products can then be ideally taken up
immediately from the next fan assembly. Furthermore, the
folded product can additionally be stabilized.
In accordance with a more specific feature of the invention,
the blades of the fans are formed with recesses at a radial-
ly outer region thereof, for receiving therein the tips of
the blades of the fans disposed therewith in the respective
common planes.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the
blades are formed with a given curvature, and the collision
preventing means include a resilient covering for the
respective recess formed in the blades, the resilient
covering having substantially the same curvature as the
given curvature of the respective blade and being movable
into the respective recess. The advantage deriving from this
feature is that the folded product, during the stripping
process i.e. when it is stripped from the fan assembly, is
not hindered by or caught in the recesses.
In accordance with more detailed features of the invention,
the resilient covering is a leaf-spring element.
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In accordance with further detailed features of the inven-
tion, the recess has its greatest depth closest to a free
end of the respective blade tip and is formed with an
undercut portion thereat, the leaf-spring element being
fixed to the respective blade tip at a location of the
recess farthest from the free end of the respective blade
tip and having, in turn, a free end yieldingly received in
the undercut portion of the recess.
In accordance with an additional feature of the invention,
the recess is formed in only one side of each of the respec-
tive blades of the fan, and the tip of each of the respec-
tive blades of the other fan is correspondingly formed so as
to be accommodated in the recess.
In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, the
recess has a depth which is a fraction of the thickness of
the blade, and an outermost part of the tips of the blades
has a reduced thickness substantially corresponding to the
depth of the recess so as to afford a contact-free passage
of the outermost parts of the tips of the blades,
respectively, through the recess. Thus, the recesses are
formed in only part of the thickness of the blade tips and
sufficient clearance between the defining surfaces of the
recesses and the corresponding tip portions of reduced
thickness permit a trouble-free interengagement of the
opposing fans.
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In accordance with even more specifically detailed features
of the invention, respective pairs of the blades of the fans
define pockets therebetween for receiving printed products
therein, and the folder apparatus includes means for succes-
sively feeding a stream of cut printed products directly to
the fan assemblies, the feeding means comprising tape
rollers carrying transport tapes and including lowermost
tape rollers projecting downwardly into the fans for
effecting a positive, high-speed placement of the printed
products into the respective pockets.
In accordance with yet a further feature of the invention,
the blades have a slide-resistant material (such as foamed
material or the like) thereon for braking an oncoming
printed product. Due to this feature, the folded product can
be additionally braked, in an advantageous manner, the
instant the tip of the respective opposing fan comes into
contact with the printed product.
In accordance with yet an additional feature of the inven-
tion, the tips of the blades of one of the fan arrangements
are movable towards and away from the tips of the blades of
the other of the fan arrangements.
In accordance with yet an added feature of the invention, a
slide-resistant material is disposed in the pockets for the
printed product so as to effect a braking of the printed
product therein, in an advantageous manner.
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In accordance with an alternate feature of the invention
which avoids the necessity for forming recesses in the
blades or for correspondingly forming the tips of the blades
which are to be accommodated in the recesses, at least a
portion of the tips of the blades is movably disposed on the
blades, and means are provided for actuating the movable
portion of the tips. Thus, a collision of a respective tip
with a stripping location at which a signature is being
stripped from an assembly can be avoided because the
approaching tips located within the overlapping region of
the circumference of the fan arrangements can be moved or
swivelled away.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is
provided, in a folder apparatus of a web-fed printing press,
a printed product delivery comprising two fan assemblies,
respectively, formed of a rotatable body having a substan-
tially cylindrical configuration; and means for successively
delivering a stream of cut printed products directly to the
fan assemblies, the rotatable bodies having respective
rotational axes disposed alongside and spaced from one
another a distance less than the sum of the radii of the
substantially cylindrically configured bodies so that a
mutually overlapping region of the circumferences of the
bodies is formed, each of the fan assemblies having a multi-
plicity of blades defining pockets therebetween for
receiving printed products therein and being formed with
respective tips extending into the overlapping region of the
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circumferences for diverting the printed products directly
delivered to the fan assemblies alternatingly into a pocket
of the one fan assembly and into a pocket of the other fan
assembly, and means formed on the fan assemblies for
preventing the respective blade tips from colliding.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the
blade tips are pivotally connected to the blades, and
including means for alternatingly pivoting the blade tips,
respectively, out of the mutually overlapping region of the
circumferences so as to prevent collision between the
respective blade tips of the respective fan assemblies.
In accordance with a concomitant aspect of the invention,
there is provided a folder apparatus of a web-fed printing
press having a printed product delivery comprising two fan
assemblies, respectively, formed of a rotatable body having
a substantially cylindrical configuration and having
respective rotational axes disposed parallel to one another,
each of the fan assemblies being formed with a multiplicity
of blades having tips located at a circumference of the
respective fan assembly, respective mutually adjacent pairs
of the blades defining therebetween a pocket for receiving a
printed product therein, the rotational axes being spaced a
distance from one another which is less than the sum of the
radii of the substantially cylindrically configured
rotatable bodies so that the circumferences mutually
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intersect, the fan assemblies having means for preventing
the respective blade tips of the fans from colliding.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for
the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein
as embodied in a folder apparatus for a web-fed printing
press, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the
details shown, since various modifications and structural
changes may be made therein without departing from the
spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of
equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention,
however, together with additional objects and advantages
thereof will be best understood from the following descrip-
tion of specific embodiments when read in connection with
the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic front elevational view of a folder
apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention;
Fig. 2 is a much-enlarged fragmentary view of Fig. 1 showing
part of a delivery system of the folder apparatus which
includes two fan assemblies;
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Fig. 3 is a view similar that of Fig. 2 of a second embodi-
ment of the fan assemblies wherein the fans thereof are
provided with springs;
Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic end view of the fan assemblies;
Fig. 5 is a view like that of Fig. 3, wherein the springs of
the second embodiment of the invention have a modified
construction;
Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic perspective view of another embodi-
ment of the fan assemblies, wherein each fan assembly has a
substantially cylindrical configuration;
Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic elevational view of a fourth
embodiment of the invention, wherein the delivery system
includes assemblies formed as endless belts; and
Figs. 8 and 8a are views like those of Figs. 3 and 4,
respectively, of a fifth embodiment of the fan assemblies,
wherein the fans have non-intersecting circumferences and
extensible and retractable blade tips.
Referring now to the drawing and, first, more particularly
to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, there is shown therein the trans-
port path of a printed product.
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One or more paper webs 14 are conducted over a former 24 and
folded. After being folded, the paper web 14 is fed through
nips of upper and lower draw rollers 23 and 22, respective-
ly, and guide rollers 21 to a cutting cylinder 20, which
severs the printed product from the paper web 14. A paper
web separating device 25 is provided between the upper draw
rollers 23 and the lower draw rollers 22.
The cut and folded printed products are then fed by high-
speed conveyor belts or transport tapes 13, which may also
be formed as accelerators, to two fan assemblies or arrange-
ments 17 and 18. The high-speed transport tapes 13 conduct
the printed products to a location in the immediate vicinity
of the respective fans 15 and 16 of the fan assemblies 17
and 18.
The cooperation of the respectively opposing fans 15 and 16
of the fan assemblies 17 and 18 is readily apparent from
Fig. 2. A leading edge 9 of the printed product conveyed
and suitably accelerated by the high-speed transport tapes
13 meets the fan blade 3, which is momentarily disposed in a
position for receiving the printed product, in the vicinity
of a tip 8 of the fan blade 3, and is displaced into a
receiving pocket 11 formed by the two blades 1 and 3 of the
respective fan 15. A tip 6 of the succeeding, oppositely
disposed fan blade 2 deflects the printed-product flow from
the vertically oncoming flow 14 of printed products into the
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direction of the fan blade 1, due to which also additional
stabilization of the printed product occurs.
After the printed product has been fully received in the
receiving pocket 11, the tip 6 of the fan blade 2, which had
previously deflected and stabilized the printed product,
dips into a recess 5 formed in the blade 1 following the
receiving pocket 11.
The next printed product is then transported by the high-
speed tapes 13 into the vicinity of the tip 6 of the fan
blade 2 which had previously caused the deflection of the
printed product, and is moved completely into the receiving
pocket 12 which is provided therefor. These steps are
alternatingly repeated.
The printed product disposed in the receiving pockets 11 and
12 are slid out of the respective receiving pockets 11 and
12 by a conventional non-illustrated output stripper in a
direction opposite to that in which they had been inserted
into those receiving pockets and are deposited onto output
conveyor belts 26 and 27.
In order to prevent possible collision of the printed
product with the existing, substantially transverse wall of
the respective recess 5, 7, 10, which can cause a blockage
of the receiving pockets 11 and 12, a spring element or leaf
spring 19, as shown in Fig. 3, is provided for covering the
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respective recess 5, 7, 10. Although not explicitly shown
in the drawing, the spring element 19 is suitably connected
at one end thereof to the respective blade 1 to 4 and, as
shown in Fig. 3, is suitably prestressed so that, in the
state thereof wherein it is not engaged by the point of an
adjacent blade, it follows the contour of the blade to which
it is attached. As shown in Fig. 5, the free end of the leaf
spring element 19 is modified with a suitable bend formed
therein so that it may catch or be received in a suitably
undercut portion of the recess located at the end thereof of
greater depth. This prevents the free end of the leaf spring
element 19 from snagging on the printed product as it enters
the receiving pocket.
Instead of a spring element 19, the respective blade 1 may
be provided with a cutout or notch 5 (Fig. 2), which extends
over only part of the thickness of the blade 1, as seen in
Fig. 4, the tip 6 of the blade 2 located opposite thereto
being, in turn, constructed i.e. undercut, in a similar
manner (note Fig. 4), so that it can be received in the
notch 5 of the blade 1 without collision with the defining
walls of the notch 5. The lowermost rolls of the tapes 13
are disposed deeply between the fans 15,16 so as to afford a
positive high-speed placement of the printed products or
signatures into the fan pockets 11.
The juxtaposed fans 3 and 4 of the respective fan assemblies
17 and 18 are thus clearly shown in Fig. 4. Each of the
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pairs of juxtaposed fans 15, 16; 29, 30 and 31, 32 are shown
clearly arranged in respective common planes extending
perpendicularly into the plane of the drawing of Fig. 4. As
more clearly shown in Fig. 2, the tip 28 of the fan blade 4
engages in the notch 10 of the fan blade 3. In the case
wherein the notch 10 has a covering in the form of a resil-
ient or spring element 19, as shown in Fig. 3, the fan blade
4 would simultaneously force the spring element 19 into the
notch 10 as it i.e. the blade 4, dips into the notch 10.
The fans 15, 16, 29, 30, 31 and 32 of the fan assemblies or
arrangements 17 and 18, of which only the fans 15 and 16 are
shown in Fig. 1, have a diameter of 36 inches in a given
embodiment thereof and are preferably formed of molded
plastic material. Of course, they may be formed of any other
suitable material as well, and the pockets and notches may
be formed of any suitable machining process. Due to the
relatively large diameter of the fans, the receiving pockets
11 and 12 may be formed quite deep so that the printed
product sliding into the receiving pocket 11 or 12 can
travel back over a sufficiently long path on which, in turn,
smooth braking, for example, by using a suitable slide
retarding material, can be effected. A shock-absorbing or
impact-damping element, such as foam material, for example,
may additionally be applied to the end of the receiving
pocket ll, 12, which finally and softly brakes the leading
edge 9 of the printed product.
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The leading edge 9 of the printed product which arrives at
the end of the receiving pocket 11, 12 has a relatively slow
peripheral speed, because the end of the receiving pocket
11, 12 lies near the center of the fan. The stationary
stripping device, which is presented by the included broken
lines above the conveyor belts 26 and 27 in Fig. 1, and
which is supposed to slide the printed product again out of
the receiving pocket 11, 12, thus collides with the leading
edge 9 of the printed product at a slow speed so that no
damage to the leading edge 9 is anticipated even if very
thin printing paper is used. The stripping device may be
disposed at suitable locations along the axes of the fans
constituting each of the fan assemblies, those locations
being in the spaces between individual fans of the respec-
tive fan assemblies.
In Fig. 6, a third embodiment of the fan arrangements is
shown, wherein each fan arrangement 40, 41 is, in substance,
a cylinder formed with pockets between respective blades~
and, although not actually shown in the figure, suitable
circumferential recesses may be formed in the surface of the
substantially cylindrical fan arrangements to accommodate
transport tapes and rollers, as well as strippers.
Fig. 7 illustrates diagrammatically a fourth embodiment of
the invention wherein the fan assemblies are in the form of
endless belts 51 and 52. Blades 53 formed with respective
pockets therebetween are secured at selected spaced
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intervals along the respective endless belts 51 and 52, the
alternating delivery of the printed products 14 to the
respective pockets 54 of the two fan assemblies 51 and 52,
the speed with which the respective drive sprockets 55 for
the belts, as well as the spacing of the blades 53 along the
endless belts 51 and 52, being controlling factors for
slowing down the travel of the products 14. The blades 53
may be constructed like any of the blades in the
aforedescribed embodiments of the invention.
As shown in Fig. 8, the tips 35,36 of the blades 37,38,
respectively, of the fans 42 and 43 of two fan arrangements
17' and 18' similar to those of Figs. 2 and 3, for example,
are, however, extensible to divert an oncoming printed
product or signature into respective receiving pockets 39,
and then retractable so as to avoid any possibility of a
collision. In this regard, it is noted that the
circumferences of the fan arrangements 17' and 18', in the
retracted condition of the tips 35,36 of the fan blades
37,38 do not intersect i.e. there is a gap 50 between the
fan arrangements 17' and 18'as viewed in the retracted
condition of the blade tips 35 and 36. When the respective
tips 35 of the blades 37 of the fan 42 have been extended,
the respective tips 36 of the blades 38 of the fan 43 have
been retracted, and vice versa. The tips 35 Of the fan
blades 37 cannot collide with the tips 36 of the fan blades
38 because neither set of tips of the respective fans 42 and
43 is permanently within the circle of action of the other.
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A suitable mechanism for effecting the extension and
retraction of the tips 35,36 is illustrated diagrammatically
in Fig. 8, and is made up of a linkage or push rod 44
pivotally connected at one end thereof to the respective
pivotal end tip of the blades of those fans located at one
side of the respective fan arrangements, the linkage 44
having a cam roller at the other end thereof which follows a
suitably configured cam 46 fixed to a stationary side wall
of the machine. As is shown in Fig. 8a, the respective tips
of all of the fan blades disposed along the axes of the
respective fan arrangements 17' and 18' are connected to one
another so as to be extensible and retractable in unison in
accordance with the action of the respective cam follower
arrangement 44,45.
Of course, it is also possible to keep the tips 35 and 36 of
all the blades 37 and 38 extended as the fans 42 and 43
revolve, in which case the thus formed circumferences of the
fan arrangements 17' and 18' at the ends of the blade tips
35 and 36, respectively, would intersect. Consequently,
only those tips, respectively, which must be retracted in
order to avoid a collision at the intersecting location,
would, in fact, be retracted by means of the cam follower
arrangement 44,45 and a suitably configured cam 46, for
example. The tips of the blades may also be formed with
suitable recesses such as the recess 5, 7, 10 in the
embodiment of Fig. 2, for example, in which case the tips of
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the blades of the fans 42 and 43 of Fig. 8 need not retract
but may remain extended at the location at which they
intersect, without collision.
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