Method and apparatus for the buffer storage of printed products in scale formation

An apparatus for the buffer storage of printed products comprising the combination of

• conveyor means for transporting a scale flow of printed products along a path in a conveyance direction and at a predetermined speed, said conveyor means including two parallel, partial conveyor belts separated by an intermediate gap;
• a plurality of buffer elements substantially equidistantly spaced along at least a portion of said path, each said buffer element including a claw movable between an inactive state in which said claw is below said path, a ready state in which said claw is in said path and an active state in which said claw is engaged by a printed product in said scale flow;
• and
• pulling means for moving said buffer elements in said conveyance direction at a speed less than said predetermined speed, whereby each said buffer element engaged by a printed product decelerates said printed product, said pulling means comprising a pulling member including a drag chain adjacent and below said gap carrying said buffer elements so that said elements can act from below printed products carried by said belt, and wherein each of said buffer elements is pivotably attached to said drag chain.

An apparatus for the buffer storage of printed products comprising the combination of

• conveyor means for transporting a scale flow of printed products along a path in a conveyance direction and at a predetermined speed with a leading edge of each printed product adjacent a conveying surface of said conveyor means;
• a plurality of buffer elements substantially equidistantly spaced along at least a portion of said path;
• and
• pulling means below said conveyor means for moving said buffer elements in said conveyance direction at a speed less than said predetermined speed, each said buffer element including
• a body pivotably attached to said pulling means and having an extension overlapping a next adjacent buffer element body in said conveyance direction, and
• means attached to said body below said path and movable upwardly to be engaged by a printed product in said scale flow, whereby each said buffer element engaged by a printed product decelerates said printed product.