Conveying apparatus with product reorientation capability

A method for transferring printing works products between a feed conveyor which defines a substantially linear conveying path and a receiver, the products having a leading edge and a trailing edge when moving on the feed conveyor, said method comprising the steps of:

• intercepting products moving along the conveying path;
• frictionally engaging a pair of opposite sides of the moving intercepted products;
• reducing the linear velocity of selected of the engaged products;
• imparting rotational motion to a selected product while the linear velocity thereof is being reduced whereby motion of the product will be momentarily arrested when the selected product has been rotated through an angle of approximately 90.degree.;
• continuing to rotate the selected product subsequent to the arresting of the motion thereof until the selected product has been rotated through an angle of approximately 180.degree.;
• and
• accelerating the selected product during the continued rotation thereof to thereby cause the selected product to be delivered to the receiver when the selected product has been rotated through said angle of approximately 180.degree. whereby the leading edge of the selected products will become the trailing edge thereof when the selected products are received on the receiver.

A conveying apparatus for selectively reorienting printing works products comprising a series of such products which are moving along a production line, the conveying apparatus being located intermediate a receiver and a feed conveyor which defines a feed path for the products, the products moving along the feed path with a first orientation defined by oppositely disposed leading and trailing edges, said conveying apparatus comprising:

• gripping conveyor means for frictionally engaging products delivered thereto by the feed conveyor, said gripping conveyor means defining a linear motion path, said gripping conveyor means being controllable to vary the velocity and direction of motion of an engaged product along said defined linear motion path;
• means for imparting rotation to said gripping conveyor means whereby the motion of a product engaged by said gripping conveyor means may selectively have linear and rotational components;
• and
• means for simultaneously controlling said rotation imparting means and said gripping conveyor means whereby the velocity of products selected for reorientation may be reduced to a standstill during motion along said gripping conveyor means defined linear path, said reduction in velocity occuring simultaneously with rotation of said conveyor means between a first angular position and a second angular position, said controlling means reversing said gripping conveyor means during the further rotation thereof between said second angular position and a third angular position whereby the selected products are accelerated from the standstill condition, said third angular position being displaced from said first angular position by approximately 180.degree., the leading edge of a selected product when moving on said feed conveyor thereby becoming the trailing edge of the selected product when delivered to the receiver.