US 4,223,777 AGranted

Method and apparatus for transporting stacks of paper sheets or the like between producing and processing machines

AssigneeE. C. H. Will (GmbH & Co.)

InventorKurt Aykut

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Abstract

Apparatus for transporting stacks of paper sheets from a gathering station which receives successive rows of aligned stacks to two packing machines has a discrete staggering conveyor for each stack of a row. These conveyors serve to convert each row into two groups of staggered stacks and cooperate with auxiliary conveyors which deliver such stacks to successive pallets of two separate sets of pallets which advance the stacks toward the respective packing machines. The pallets of each set travel along a separate main track. The main tracks are parallel to each other and flank two crossing connecting tracks. When a packing machine is idle, the rate of delivery of rows of stacks to the gathering station is reduced in half and the pallets which normally advance along the respective main track are diverted onto one of the connecting tracks which guides them sufficiently close to the pallets of the other set to shuffle the two files of stacks so that the resulting single file of stacks can be transported to the active packing machine. To this end, the pallets of one set are staggered with respect to the pallets of the other set, and the pallets of each set are separated from each other by gaps each of which is wide enough to receive a pallet. The pallets are slidable along motion transmitting rods which are mounted on two parallel chains and extend transversely of the main tracks.

Apparatus for transporting sheets, especially stacks of paper sheets, from a station which receives rows of aligned sheets to a plurality of processing machines including a first and a second machine, comprising elongated first and second main tracks for transport of sheets toward the respective machines;

first and second sets of successive reentrant conveyors;
drive means including means for respectively moving the conveyors of said first and second sets along the associated tracks in directions toward the respective machines, for maintaining the conveyors of each set in spaced-apart positions so that the neighboring conveyors of each set define gaps and for maintaining the conveyors of said first set in register with the gaps between the conveyors of said second set;
additional conveyor means for transporting the sheets of successive rows from said station to successive conveyors of said first and second sets;
a first connecting track extending from said first main track toward said second main track so as to enable successive conveyors of said first set to move in their entirety into the gaps between the conveyors of said second set and to thereby move the respective sheets into exact register with the sheets on the conveyors of said second set;
a second connecting track extending from said second main track toward said first main track so as to enable successive conveyors of said second set to transfer sheets into the gaps between the conveyors of said first set and into exact register with the sheets on the conveyors of said first set, said connecting tracks crossing each other, each of said tracks comprising at least one guide rail and said first and second connecting tracks including portions which are substantially parallel to said main tracks, said portion of said first connecting track being adjacent to said second main track and said portion of said second connecting track being adjacent to said first main track;
and first and second junctions between said first and second main tracks and the respective connecting tracks.

3 more elements

Facts

Application

05/877,828Filed 8 Feb 1978

Priority

DE 270813125 Feb 1977

Granted

23 Sep 1980

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

B65H 31/3081
Arrangements for removing completed piles: by acting on edge of the pile for moving it along a surface, e.g. by pushing
B65G 17/005
Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying…:…
B65G 2201/02
Indexing codes relating to handling devices, e.g. conveyors, characterised by the type of product or load being conveyed or handled: articles
B65G 2201/0288
Articles: signatures, i.e. sections of printed magazines, papers or books

Abstract

Claims12