US 4,369,015 AGranted

Apparatus for stacking note books or the like

AssigneeWomako Maschinenkonstruktionen GmbH

InventorPaul Fabrig

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Abstract

Apparatus for stacking pads with spiral binders has a reciprocable and pivotable turn-around device which inverts each second pad of a file of equidistant pads before the pads reach a stacking platform. At the stacking station, the pads are arrested by an adjustable stop which locates inverted pads in a first position and the non-inverted pads in a second position so that the binders of successive pads in a growing stack are located at the opposite sides of the stack. The turn-around device is arrested in response to detection of the absence of pads in the path along which the pads move toward the stacking platform by a photocell which further transmits signals to the mechanism for moving the stop so that the absence of one or more pads does not affect the array of pads in the stack on the platform. A level detector monitors the height of the stack on the platform and transmits signals for stepwise lowering of the platform. The number of pads in successive stacks is counted and the counter transmits signals which actuate a device for removing fully grown stacks from the platform.

Claims14

Dependent claims

Apparatus for manipulating substantially flat commodities, particularly pads each of which has a first side and a second side and first portion whose thickness deviates from the thickness of at least one second portion thereof, comprising a stacking device;

means for transporting a succession of commodities in identical orientation in a predetermined direction and along a predetermined path wherein the first portion of each commodity extends transversely of said direction and one side of each commodity is located at a level above the other side of the respective commodity, said transporting means being arranged to advance the commodities on to said stacking device where successive commodities descend on top of each other to form a growing stack, said device comprising a platform for the growing stack of commodities;
stop means disposed above said device and positioned to arrest successive commodities prior to descent onto said platform;
means for moving said stop means between first and second positions;
orientation changing means adjacent said path ahead of said device and comprising inverting means which is actuatable to invert each second commodity of said succession in said path;
means for actuating said inverting means;
and control means for synchronizing the operation of said actuating means and said moving means so that said stop means assumes one of said positions prior to engagement with commodities whose orientation remained unchanged and the other of said positions prior to engagement with commodities whose orientation has been changed by said inverting means, said control means comprising means for operating said moving means with a delay upon inversion of each second commodity by said inverting means.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.