Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Process and apparatus for conveying printed products
The invention relates to a process and apparatus
for conveying printed products.
EP 0 557 680 A1 discloses a conveying apparatus
for conveying single-leaf or mufti-leaf printed products.
This apparatus has grippers which are fixedly connected to
an endless link chain and move along a closed circulatory
path. The printed products are retained approximately at
right angles to the conveying direction.
The object of the present invention is to provide
a process and an apparatus which are intended for conveying
printed products and have increased flexibility as far as
the position of the printed products with respect to the
conveying direction is concerned.
According to one broad aspect the invention
provides a process for conveying printed products of the
type having a main surface and a side edge, comprising the
steps of retaining each printed product in the region of its
side edge by an individual gripper, conveying each gripper
and retained printed product along a conveying path in a
conveying direction, and during the conveying step, rotating
the printed products and their associated grippers about an
axis of rotation which runs substantially perpendicularly
with respect to the side edge of the retained product and is
also oriented with respect to the conveying direction such
that the rotation changes the angle between the conveying
direction and a normal running at right angles to the main
surface of the retained product, and wherein each printed
product is rotated out of an initial position in which the
associated side edge runs substantially perpendicularly with
respect to the conveying direction.
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According to another broad aspect the invention
provides an apparatus for conveying printed products of the
type having a main surface and a side edge, comprising a
conveyor extending along a conveying path which defines a
conveying direction, a plurality of individual grippers
mounted in a spaced apart arrangement along the conveyor,
with the grippers each being configured for gripping one of
the printed products in the region of its side edge and for
rotation about an axis of rotation which runs substantially
perpendicularly with respect to the side edge of the
retained product and is also oriented with respect to the
conveying direction such that the rotation changes the angle
between the conveying direction and a normal running at
right angles to the main surface of the retained printed
product, and a control system wherein, along an initial
section of the conveying path, each printed product is
disposed in an initial position in which the associated side
edge runs substantially perpendicularly with respect to the
conveying direction, and each printed product is rotated
about said axis of rotation and out of the initial position
as the product moves along the conveying path beyond said
initial section.
An advantage of the process according to the
invention and of the apparatus according to the invention
can be seen by the fact that the gripper is mounted such
that it can be rotated with respect to the conveying means,
for example an endless link chain, with the result that,
despite the predetermined path of the link chain, the
printed product retained by the gripper can assume a
multiplicity of controllable positions with respect to the
conveying direction. A printed product, for example, in a
first sub-section of the conveying path, is conveyed with a
main surface
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running at right angles to the conveying direction and,
in a second sub-section, is moved into a new position
by a rotation of the gripper, with the result that the
main surface runs, for example, transversely with
respect to, or parallel to, the conveying direction. A
printed product can also be rotated through an angle
of, for example, 90 degrees or 180 degrees, for example
during the conveying operation. The possibility of
activating a printed product to rotate it either not at
all or through 180 degrees during the conveying
operation makes it possible, in addition, to select the
alignment of the printed products, with the result
that, after such a selecting operation, printed
products arranged adjacent to one another along the
conveying section, for example, are arranged in each
case in opposite directions with respect to one
another. Printed products may also be selected, for
example, such that ten printed products are arranged
along the conveying section such that they run in the
same direction and the next ten printed products are
arranged along said conveying section such that they
run in the opposite direction, with the result that
groups of printed products arranged in the same
direction are formed.
The actuation of the grippers in order to
effect rotation about the axis of rotation can be
carried out by a multiplicity of possible arrangements,
for example by a slotted-guide control means acting on
the gripper or by a guide means acting on the printed
product. The gripper may also have a spring element in
order to move the gripper automatically into an initial
position again after rotation has taken place. The
rotatably configured grippers may be fixed on conveying
means of different configurations, thus, for example,
on a drawing means, on a chain, or on an easily and
individually movable carriage. The carriages may also
be coupled to one another by means of a pulling
connection, it being possible for the pulling
connection between the individual carriages, as is
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known for example from EP 0 309 702, to be formed by a
spring element which can be shortened and lengthened
elastically.
In one advantageous configuration of the
invention, the main surface of a printed product is
rotated into a position running parallel to the
conveying direction, with the result that the outer
surface or else the inner surface can be provided with
text individually by a recording head. In a further,
'advantageous configuration of the invention, the
printed products are arranged in a conveying section
such that they can be rotated in a controlled manner,
thus making it possible for them to be aligned with the
gripped side edge or the main surfaces parallel to the
alignment of a processing section and discharged in
this state to the latter.
A printed product is preferably retained
centrally in the region of a side edge by a gripper.
However, it is also possible for a printed product to
be retained eccentrically by a gripper.
The configuration of a gripper is known, to a
person skilled in the art, from the prior art and is
thus not described in any detail.
Exemplary embodiments of the subject matter of
the invention are explained in more detail hereinbelow
with reference to the following figures, in which,
purely schematically:
Figures la, 1b show a perspective view of two conveying
streams with printed products retained
in a rotatable manner;
Figures 2a, 2c, 2d each show a side view of in each
case one gripper with a printed product
retained;
Figure 2b shows a plan view of the gripper
according to Figure 2a in a rotated
position;
Figures 3a, 3b show a plan view of two conveying
streams with printed products retained
in a rotatable manner;
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Figure 4a shows a plan view of a conveying stream
with printed products which are provided
with text on the outside;
Figures 4b, 4c each show a continuation of the
conveying stream according to Figure 4a
with text being provided on an inner
side of the printed products;
Figures 4d, 4e show a sectional illustration along the
lines A-A and B-B, respectively,
according to Figure 4b;
Figures 4f, 4g show a sectional illustration along the
lines C-C and D-D, respectively,
according to Figure 4c;
Figure 5 shows a plan view of a curved conveying
stream;
Figure 6 shows a plan view of a conveying stream
passing through a restriction;
Figure 7 shows a plan view of three mutually
parallel conveying streams with the
spacings between them changing;
Figure 8 shows a plan view of a plurality of
conveying streams opening out into
processing lines;
Figures 8a, 8b, 8c show products of possible processing
principles on the processing lines
according to Figure 8; and
Figure 9 shows a perspective view of a plurality
of conveying streams opening out into a
common processing line.
Figure la shows a section Z1 of a conveying
path Z of a conveying apparatus which has a plurality
of grippers 3, which each retain a printed products
[sic] 1 and are conveyed in the conveying direction F.
Each printed product 1 is retained in the region of a
side edge la, approximately in the center in each case,
by a gripper 3. The grippers 3 are fixed on a drawing
means and are at a constant and fixed spacing S2 from
one another. The drawing means used is a conveying
chain 4a, which is arranged in a conveying channel (not
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shown). The conveying chain 4a may also be configured
such that a variable spacing between the grippers 3 is
possible, a maximum spacing being predetermined by the
conveying chain 4a. In addition, each gripper 3 can be
rotated about an axis of rotation D, with the result
that the side edge la or the main surfaces 2 of a
printed product 1 is/are kept rotatable with respect to
the conveying direction F. In the example illustrated,
the main surfaces 2 of the printed products 1 fed are
~in a position running perpendicularly with respect to
the conveying direction F. In the sub-section Z2 of the
conveying section, each individual printed product 1 is
rotated, by a rotation of the gripper 3 about the axis
of rotation D, with the mutual spacing S2 remaining
constant in the process, into a position in which the
main surfaces 2 enclose an acute angle with the
conveying direction. No rotation about the axis of
rotation D is executed during the course of the
sub-section Z3, with the result that the printed
products 1 running transversely with respect to the
conveying direction F have essentially mutually
parallel main surfaces 2. During passage through the
sub-section Z4, the printed products 1 are rotated,
with respect to the conveying direction F, back into
the original position, which was assumed before the
printed products ran into the first sub-section Z2,
with the result that the main surfaces 2 of the printed
products 1 run perpendicularly with respect to the
conveying direction F again at the end of the
sub-section Z4. In the exemplary embodiment
illustrated, the printed products 1 hang with
vertically running main surfaces 2 on the grippers 3.
Figure 1b shows a section of a conveying path Z
of a further conveying apparatus, of which the grippers
3, in the same way as in the exemplary embodiment
according to Figure la, are fixedly connected to a
conveying chain 4a. In this exemplary embodiment, the
printed products 1 are retained by the grippers 3 such
that they stand essentially upright. The rotation of
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the printed products 1, which are moved in the
conveying direction F, is assisted by two guide means
5, which are arranged on both sides of the conveying
path and have an inlet region 5a, it being possible, in
the exemplary embodiment illustrated, for the grippers
3 to have an automatically acting, restoring element,
for example configured in the form of a spring, with
the result that, after having passed the guide means 5,
the gripper 3 moves the printed product 1 back into a
position in which the main surface 2 or the side edge
la runs perpendicularly, or essentially perpen-
dicularly, with respect to the conveying direction F.
The rotation can also take place without assistance by
the guide means 5. The guide means 5 may be arranged on
one side or both sides of the conveying chain 4a and
act in a guiding or supporting manner on at least one
of the two main surfaces 2 of a printed product 1. This
action is only possible within a sub-section in which
the side edge la does not run perpendicularly with
respect to the conveying direction F. The grippers 3
may also be fastened individually on movable individual
carriages 4c.
Figure 2a shows a schematic illustration of a
gripper 3 which is fixedly connected to the conveying
chain 4a and is moved in the conveying direction F, the
gripper 3 having two gripper jaws 3b, 3c, which can be
pivoted relative to one another, for retaining a
printed product l, and the gripper jaws 3b, 3c being
mounted such that they can be rotated about an axis of
rotation D. The printed product 1 is retained in the
region of the side edge 1a by the gripper j aws 3b, 3c,
it being the case that, in the view illustrated, the
side edge la runs perpendicularly with respect to the
viewing plane. The printed product 1 hangs vertically
downward on the gripper 3 and has a normal N which runs
at right angles to the main surface 2 and parallel to
the conveying direction F. Figure 2b shows a plan view
of the gripper 3 and the printed product 1 according to
Figure 2a in a position rotated through an angle a,. The
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printed product 1 or the side edge la is rotated about
the axis of rotation D, with the result that the
conveying direction F and the normal N enclose an acute
angle a. The printed products 1 illustrated in the
sub-section Z3 in Figure la are located, for example,
in such a position.
Figure 2c shows a side view of a further
exemplary embodiment of a gripper 3 with gripper jaws
3b, 3c, which, in contrast to the exemplary embodiment
according to Figure 2a, retains the printed product 1
or the main surface 2 in a position inclined with
respect to the conveying direction F. Once again, the
axis of rotation D runs essentially perpendicularly
with respect to the side edge la and essentially
perpendicularly with respect to the conveying direction
F. It would also be possible for the axis of rotation D
to be aligned transversely with respect to the
conveying direction F. The decisive factor is that the
printed product 1 is retained by the gripper 3 with
respect to the conveying direction F such that the
rotation of the printed product 1 about the axis of
rotation D changes the angle a between the conveying
direction F and the normal N running at right angles to
the main surface 2 of the printed product 1. This
condition as regards the angle a is not satisfied if
the main surface 2 runs parallel to the conveying
direction F or if the conveying direction F runs
perpendicularly with respect to the normal N. This
condition is not satisfied either if the axis of
rotation D runs parallel to the conveying direction F.
In the case of a printed product 1 retained by a
gripper 3 under these two conditions, the rotation
about the axis of rotation D would not result in any
change in the angle a, nor would there be any change in
the alignment of the main surface 2 with respect to the
conveying direction F.
The printed product 1 may be retained by the
gripper 3 in a multiplicity of possible positions, and
the axis of rotation D of the gripper 3 may run in a
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multiplicity of possible directions with respect to the
conveying direction F, such that the rotation of the
printed product 1 about the axis of rotation D changes
the angle a between the conveying direction F and the
normal N of the printed product 1.
In the exemplary embodiment according to Figure
2c, it would of course also be possible for the printed
product 1, as illustrated in Figure 2d, to be retained
by the gripper 3 such that it is inclined forward with
respect to the conveying direction F, with the result
that, as seen from the side, the main surface 2 and the
conveying direction F run at an acute angle with
respect to one another.
Figure 2d shows a side view of a further
exemplary embodiment of d gripper 3, the conveying
chain 4a, in contrast to the example according to
Figure 2a, having a conveying direction F which
deviates from the horizontal. The condition which
stipulates that the printed product 1 can be rotated by
the gripper 3 about an axis of rotation D running
essentially perpendicularly with respect to the side
edge la retained applies in this arrangement as well,
the axis of rotation D additionally being aligned with
respect to the conveying direction F such that the
rotation about the axis of rotation D changes the angle
between the conveying direction F and the normal N
running at right angles to the main surface 2 of the
printed product 1. The gripper 3 may have an additional
pivot axis D2, which, in the view illustrated, runs
perpendicularly with respect to the viewing plane, in
order to retain, for example, a printed product 1, as
is illustrated, in an approximately vertically running
position, irrespective of the progression of the
conveying direction F.
The plan view of a conveying stream with
printed products 1 according to Figure 3a shows an
exemplary embodiment in which the grippers 3 are
fastened on individual carriages 4c which are moved
along the conveying path Z on a guide rail 4b. In their
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initial position, the grippers 3 convey the printed
products 1 in an oblique position, running transversely
with respect to the conveying direction F, to a section
Z2 of the conveying section. During passage through
this first sub-section Z2, the printed products 1 are
rotated from the initial position into a position in
which the main surfaces 2 run parallel to the conveying
direction F, or in which the angle a, between the normal
N of the main surface 2 and the conveying direction F
~is 90 degrees. The spacing between the individual
carriages 9c, and thus the individual grippers 3, can
be varied. The small spacing S3 between the grippers 3
at the beginning of the sub-section Z2 is increased
during passage through the sub-section Z2, with the
result that the grippers 3 located in the sub-section
Z3 have a greater spacing S1 between them, said spacing
S1 being chosen to be at least large enough for
successive printed products 1 not to come into contact
with one another. In the following sub-section Z4, the
grippers 3 are rotated further in the same direction of
rotation as in sub-section Z2, with a simultaneous
reduction in the mutual spacing, with the result that,
after passage through the sub-sections Z2, Z3, Z4, the
printed products 1 assume a new initial position,
running transversely with respect to the conveying
direction F, and are at a spacing S4 from one another
which, in the example illustrated, is the same size as
the spacing S3.
Figure 3b shows a further plan view of a
conveying stream of printed products 1, of which the
main surfaces 2, before entering into the sub-section
Z1, run perpendicularly with respect to the conveying
direction F and are aligned in the vertical direction.
One vertically running side edge 1b of the printed
product 1, said edge being on the left-hand side with
respect to the conveying direction F, is marked with a
square so that the procedure taking place can be better
understood. During passage through the section Z1, the
printed products 1 are rotated through 180 degrees
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about a vertically running axis of rotation D, with the
result that, at the end of the section Z1, the marked
side edge 1b forms the right-hand side edge, as seen in
the conveying direction F. The section Zl is divided
into two sub-sections Z2, Z3, the printed products
[sic) 1, in the first sub-section Z2, being rotated
until the main surface 2 runs parallel to the conveying
direction F, the mutual spacing being increased in the
process, and, in the following sub-section Z3, being
rotated until the main surface 2 runs vertically with
respect to the conveying direction F, the mutual
spacing being reduced in the process. In the exemplary
embodiment illustrated, the marked side edges 1b are
all arranged in the same direction after passage
through the section Z1.
However, during passage through the section Zl,
it is also possible for the printed products 1 to be
selected such that, rather than all the printed
products 1 being rotated, it is only those in which the
marked side edge 1b is to be moved to the other side
with respect to the conveying direction F which are
rotated. In order to achieve this, at the point of
transfer between the sub-sections Z2, Z3, the direction
of rotation of the gripper 3 is chosen, in accordance
with the desired end position of the side edge 1b, such
that, at the end of the section Z1, the side edges 1b
are arranged, for example, alternately on the left-hand
side and right-hand side with respect to the conveying
direction F, or that, for example, groups are formed
such that, for example, three successive printed
products have a side edge 1b arranged on the right-hand
side with respect to the conveying direction F and the
next three successive printed products have a side edge
1b arranged on the left-hand side with respect to the
conveying direction F. Of course, the conveying process
illustrated in Figure 3b is also suitable for
specifically controlling the alignment of printed
products 1 with respect to the conveying direction F,
in that, for example, the printed products pass to the
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sub-section Z2 in a random arrangement as far as the
position of the side edge 1b is concerned, it being the
case that a sensor establishes the position of the side
edges 1b, and, during passage through the section Z1,
the printed products 1 are rotated in a controlled
manner such that the side edges 1b leave the
sub-section Z3 in a predeterminable arrangement with
respect to the conveying direction F.
Figure 4a shows a further plan view of a
'conveying path Z with printed products 1 which are
conveyed at variable spacings from one another by
grippers 3 fastened on individual carriers 4c. The
printed products 1, which arrive with the main surface
2 perpendicular with respect to the conveying direction
F, are rotated in a first sub-section Z2, the mutual
spacing being increased in the process, with the result
that the printed products 1 are arranged in the
following sub-section Z3 with a main surface 2 running
parallel to the conveying direction F. In this
position, the printed products 1 may be provided with
text on their outer surface by a recording head 6, in
order to apply, for example, a personalized text or an
address. A possible continuation of the conveying
stream according to Figure 4a is illustrated in Figure
4b, in which, in the sub-section Z5, individual product
parts 1c, for example individual pages, are lifted by a
lifting means (not illustrated in detail), with the
result that both the lifted part lc, as illustrated by
a sectional illustration in Figure 4e, and the
non-lifted part 1d of the printed product 1, as is
illustrated by a sectional illustration in Figure 4d,
can be provided with text on the inner surface by a
recording head 6. Toward the end of the sub-section Z5,
the lifted product part lc is moved into the initial
position again, and the printed product 1 which has
text provided on it is rotated through 90 degrees in a
following sub-section Z4, with the result that the
printed products 1 can be fed to further processing or
conveying processes with a main surface 2 running
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perpendicularly with respect to the conveying direction
F or in the initial position assumed in Figure 4a. In
the variant according to Figure 4c, instead of the
product part lc which is lifted in Figure 4b, the
product part 1d is lifted, the product part lc
remaining in the initial position. Otherwise, the
processes are the same, as can be seen from the
sectional drawings according to Figures 4f and 4g. It
can be seen from Figures 4d, 4e, 4f, 4g that the
gripper jaws 3b, 3c of the gripper 3 run, parallel to
the conveying direction F and parallel to the alignment
of the main surface 2, of the side edge la and of the
pages lc, 1d, with the result that the pages lc, 1d can
easily be swung open virtually to the full extent.
Figure 5 shows a further exemplary embodiment
of a stream of printed products 1 which is conveyed
along a conveying rail 4b by means of individual
carriages 4c, the grippers 3 being at a constant
spacing S1, with respect to the conveying direction F,
in the first sub-section Z2. The spacing is increased
during the course of the curved sub-section Z3, with
the result that, in the subsequently [sic] rectilinear
sub-section Z4, the grippers 3 are at a spacing S2 from
one another which is greater than the spacing S1.
During the course of the curved sub-section Z3, the
grippers 3 are rotated about the axis of rotation D
counter to the direction of curvature such that all the
printed products 1 arranged in the conveying section Z
illustrated are aligned essentially parallel to one
another. The product position is thus maintained
despite a change in the conveying direction F.
Figure 6 shows a plan view of a conveying
stream which passes through an obstruction 8 with a
through-passage and a width 8a, said width 8a being
smaller than the width of the printed products 1
conveyed. The printed products 1, which enter the
sub-section Z6 in an initial position, are rotated
about the axis of rotation D by the grippers 3, in a
first sub-section Z2, such that the overall width of
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the conveying stream is smaller than the width 8a of
the through-passage in the obstruction 8, with the
result that the printed products 1 pass the
constriction without contact. After the constriction,
the printed products 1 are rotated back into the
initial position in a sub-section Z4, with the result
that, in the sub-section Z5, they resume their initial
position and can be fed to further processing.
Figure 7 shows three conveying paths A, B, C
running parallel to one another in the sub-sections Z3
and Z7 the printed products 1A, 1B, 1C of each
conveying path A, B, C being arranged vertically with
respect to the conveying direction F in the sub-section
Z7 and the mutually parallel conveying paths A, B, C
being at a spacing Ml from one another. In the
following sub-section Z2, the printed products 1A, 1B,
1C and the grippers 3 are rotated through 90 degrees,
the spacing between the grippers being increased in the
process, it being the case that the conveying paths A,
B, C, in addition, come closer together, with the
result that, in the sub-section Z3, the conveying paths
A, B, C are at a spacing M2 from one another which is
smaller than the spacing M1, the printed products 1A,
1B, 1C being retained in the sub-section Z3 with main
surfaces 2 running parallel to the conveying direction
F. The arrangement according to Figure 7 makes it
possible, by rotation of the printed products 1, to
reduce the spacings between the conveying paths A, B, C
in the sub-section Z3 to a great extent, with the
result that the conveying paths A, B, C can be arranged
such that they run very closely alongside one another.
The printed products 1A, 1B, 1C conveyed can be
separated, for example, in a following sub-section Z9,
with the result that desired product groups can be
combined, as is illustrated, for example, by collation,
to form a stack with the product sequence lA/1B/1C. Of
course, it is also possible for a greater number of
conveying paths A, B, C to be brought closer together
by the conveying process illustrated in Figure 7.
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Figure 8 shows a plurality of conveying paths
A, B, C, in which, as is described in detail in Figure
7, the printed products 1A, 1B, 1C are fed, after
rotation, to a transfer point 9, at which the printed
products 1A, 1B, 1C are transferred in a hanging
position, and running parallel to the conveying
direction F, to three rectilinear and mutually parallel
processing lines 10a, 10b, 10c. In the region of the
processing lines 10a, 10b, 10c, further conveying paths
~O, E, P, G, H, J, K, L open out into specific
processing lines 10a, 10b, lOc in each case, the
alignment of the printed products 1 of these conveying
paths 0, E, P, G, H, J, K, L being changed, similarly
to the way shown in Figure 5, by a rotation of the
respective grippers 3 such that, not later than when
the respective conveying path opens into the
corresponding processing line 10a, 10b, 10c, the
printed products 10, 1E, 1P, 1G, 1H, 1J, 1K and 1L run
parallel to the alignment of the processing lines 10a,
10b, 10c, with the result the printed products can be
transferred in the correct position. The conveying
paths H and L run via all three processing lines 10a,
10b, 10c such that the printed products 1H, 1L can be
transferred by choice to one or more of the processing
lines 10a, 10b, 10c. At the end of the processing lines
10a, 10b, 10c, three end products 15a, 15b, 15c, as
illustrated in Figures 8a, 8b, and 8c, are obtained,
and these end products either may be configured
identically or, as illustrated in Figures 8a, 8b, 8c,
are configured differently, the first end product 15a,
according to Figure 8a, being produced by a collecting
operation and having a printed-product sequence
lA/lE/1G/1H, the second end product 15b, according to
Figure 8b, being produced by a collating operation and
having a printed-product sequence 18/10/1P, and the
third end product 15c, according to Figure 8c, being
produced by an insertion operation and having a
printed-product sequence 1C/1J/1K/1L.
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Figure 9 shows a perspective view of a
plurality of conveying paths A, B, C, which open out
into a processing section 12, which is designed as a
collecting section. Each conveying path A, B, C is
configured to run in the same way, so that only the
conveying path A will be described in detail. The
printed products 1A, which are conveyed in the
conveying path A, by means of individual carriages 4c,
along the guide rail 4b in the conveying direction F
and are retained by rotatable grippers 3, are fed,
along the conveying path Z, to a first sub-section Z8,
said sub-section Z8 being delimited by a stop device 14
which, if appropriate, stops the individual carriages
4c and releases them in a regular time sequence for
continued movement to the processing section 12. In the
sub-section Z7, the printed products 1A run in a
rectilinear direction and pass, at regular spacings and
at time intervals determined by the stop device 14, to
the adjoining, arcuate sub-section Z2 and, thereafter,
for the transfer of the printed product 1A to the
processing section 12, to the sub-section Z6, which
runs parallel to the processing section. During passage
through the sub-section Z2, the gripper 3, as is also
illustrated in Figure 5, is rotated with respect to the
arcuate progression of the guide rail 4b such that the
alignment of the main surfaces 2 of the printed product
1A remains essentially unchanged, with the result that,
in the following sub-section Z6, the printed product 1A
is lowered parallel to the processing section 12 and,
in the process, is opened by a stationary opening lug
11 with an insertion tip 11a. In this case, the two
product halves are spread open and the printed product
1A is positioned in a straddling manner on the
processing section 12, or on the printed products which
have already been placed in position. The printed
products 1A, 1B, 1C released by the gripper 3 and
deposited on the processing section 12 are conveyed in
the conveying direction F1 by a projecting conveying
protrusion 13. This allows a plurality of individually
CA 02258089 1998-12-10
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conveyed printed products 1A, 1B, 1C to be collected at
the processing station 16. After the gripper 3 has been
opened, the guide rail 4b continues in a conveying
direction F2, in which case the gripper 3 grips a new
printed product 1A, 18, 1C at a location which does not
feature in the illustration.
CA 02258089 1998-12-10
