Personalized on-line printing and inserting magazine binding machine
AssigneeHarris Corporation
InventorDale H. Jackson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for handling signatures such as magazines or the like which includes the on-line printing of personalized information onto materials to be inserted within a finished magazine. The system also provides on-line printing of personalized information onto materials adhered to the magazine cover, such as the address label. The on-line printed materials and the magazine or other signature are combined after the on-line printing is completed. The system operates under control of a process computer which includes means for storing the personalized information.
Claims21
Apparatus for collating preprinted signatures and at least one card comprising
- a station for processing preprinted signatures and cards,
- conveyor means for moving preprinted signatures and cards past said processing station,
- said conveyor means having a series of chain spaces each of which is adapted to receive either a printed signature or a card,
- signature feeding means for feeding preprinted signatures into said chain spaces,
- card feeding means for feeding cards into said chain spaces,
- control means for controlling said signature feeding means and said card feeding means to withold a signature from and feed a card to one chain space and feed a signature to another chain space, and
- means located downstream of said processing station for positioning a card that moved through said processing station from said one chain space into said another chain space having a signature located therein.
A method for collating preprinted signatures and at least one card comprising the steps of
- providing a path having a series of spaces each adapted to receive a signature or a card,
- moving said spaces in said path,
- witholding a signature from and feeding a card to one of said spaces and feeding a signature to another of said spaces,
- processing said signatures and cards while they are moving in said path, and
- positioning a card from said one of said spaces into said another of said spaces containing a signature.
A system for on-line processing and combining of preprinted signatures and inserts therefor comprising:
- conveyor means for carrying said signatures and inserts, said conveyor means having a series of chain spaces for receiving either a signature or an insert,
- means for feeding preprinted signatures onto said chain spaces,
- means for feeding inserts onto said chain spaces,
- means along said conveyor means for processing signatures and cards moving along said conveyor means
- storage means for storing and providing information to said processing means as to the processing of said signatures and inserts,
- means located downstream of said processing means for positioning an insert from one of said chain spaces into another of said chain spaces having a signature located therein, and
- control means connecting said storage means with said conveyor means, said signature feeding means, said insert feeding means and said processing means for instructing the witholding of a signature and the feeding of an insert to said one chain space, the feeding of a signature to said another chain space and the processing of said signatures and inserts in accordance with information in said storage means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.