Signature handling apparatus

Apparatus comprising a transfer vehicle movable along a guide track between a stack pickup position and a stack delivery position, said transfer vehicle having a clamping mechanism for clamping a stack of signatures at the stack pickup position and for moving the stack of signatures from the stack pickup position, said clamping mechanism maintaining clamping engagement with the stack of signatures as said transfer vehicle is moved along the guide track away from the stack pickup position and to the stack delivery position, and said clamping mechanism being releasable from the stack of signatures at the stack delivery position, means at the stack delivery position for tying a stack of signatures when the transfer vehicle has moved a stack of signatures to said stack delivery position, and means defining a strap guide for guiding a tying strap around the stack while the transfer vehicle is at the stack delivery position, said means defining a strap guide comprising a first strap guide portion connected with said transfer vehicle and a second strap guide portion connected with said means for tying a stack of signatures, said first and second strap guide portions cooperating to define said strap guide when said transfer vehicle is at said stack delivery position.

Apparatus comprising a transfer vehicle movable along a guide track between a stack pickup position and a stack delivery position, said transfer vehicle including a carriage movable along said guide track and a clamping mechanism for clamping a stack of signatures at the stack pickup position and for moving the stack of signatures from the stack pickup position, said clamping mechanism maintaining clamping engagement with the stack of signatures as said transfer vehicle is moved along the guide track away from the stack pickup position and to the stack delivery position, and said clamping mechanism being releasable from the stack of signatures at the stack delivery position, said clamping mechanism being secured to said carriage for movement therewith and relative thereto between retracted and extended positions, said clamping mechanism being movable from the retracted position to the extended position in which it can clampingly engage a stack of signatures when said transfer vehicle is at said stack pickup position, and said clamping mechanism being movable back to its retracted position while maintaining clamping engagement with a stack of signatures to allow the stack of signatures to be maintained in clamped condition as the stack is being moved to the stack delivery position.