Method of providing a stack of predetermined length and apparatus for performing said method
AssigneeGruner & Jahr AG & Co.
InventorJochen Wangermann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
From a printing machine a stream of printing products is received. To build up a stack of predetermined length a plurality of part-stacks is successively composed from the incoming stream. Each of the part-stacks comprises at least one product. The total number of products within the plurality of part-stacks is adjusted so as to correspond to the predetermined length of the stack to be built up. If said plurality of part-stacks having said total number has been successively composed these part-stacks are combined to form the total stack having the predetermined stack length.
Claims21
A method of forming a stack of predetermined length from a predetermined number N of part stacks, each having a plurality of relatively flat products, said method comprising the steps of:
- forming N minus 1 part stacks with each of the part stacks having a predetermined number of products;
- measuring the length of said N minus 1 part stacks normal to the planes of the flat products;
- ascertaining the difference between the predetermined length and the combined length of said N minus 1 part stacks;
- forming the Nth part stack with a variable number of products determined in accordance with said ascertained length difference so that the total length of N part stacks equals the predetermined length;
- and
- combining the N part stacks into a final stack having the predetermined length.
Apparatus for forming a stack of predetermined length from a plurality of relatively flat products moving sequentially along a path, said apparatus comprising:
- a counter (5) for counting the number of products moving sequentially along the path;
- interrupting means (6) for interrupting the movement of said products along said path to form said products into groups of numbers of products;
- a transporting element (8,9,10) having means for receiving said groups of products and forming part stacks therefrom, said transporting element being movable to a plurality of positions, in a first of which said groups are received and said part stacks formed;
- measuring means (13) operatively associated with said transporting element for measuring the length of said part stacks normal to the planes of said flat products when said transporting element is in a second position;
- removing and storing means (17,18;43,46) operatively associated with said transporting element when said transporting element is in a third position for removing said part stacks and for storing same;
- and
- control means coupled to said counter and measuring means for operating said interrupting means, transporting element, and removing and storing means for providing N minus 1 part stacks, each having a predetermined number of products and an Nth part stack having a number of products sufficient to form a final stack of N part stacks having a predetermined length normal to the planes of said flat products.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.