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US 5,740,900 AGranted
Apparatus for splitting a product stream
AssigneesHeidelberger Druckmaschinen AG, Heidelberg Harris, Inc.
InventorsKevin Lauren Cote, Richard Daniel Curley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for splitting a product stream includes a conveying belt entering a folder to grip products. The conveying belt comprises first and second product grippers arranged thereon in an endless configuration. The first grippers are selectively rotatable around an axis during movement of the conveying belt to allow for a secondary stream of products to be formed.
Claims19
An apparatus for splitting a product stream comprising:
- a conveying belt including at least a plurality of first grippers and a plurality of second grippers, each of the first and second grippers gripping a respective product and conveying the products as a first product stream in a conveying direction;
- one or more of the second grippers being rotatable about an axis and rotating its respective product so as to form a separate second product stream in the conveying direction.
An apparatus for splitting a product stream comprising:
- a conveying belt including at least a plurality of first grippers and a plurality of second grippers, each of the first and second grippers gripping a respective product and conveying the products as a first product stream in a conveying direction;
- one or more of the second grippers having a gripper head rotatably mounted thereon and rotating its respective product so as to form a separate second product stream in the conveying direction, the gripper head rotating between a first position and a second position, the one or more of the second grippers having an actuating pin mounted thereon, a spring linked to the actuating pin and the gripper head, the spring held in tension in the first position, the spring released from tension upon triggering of the actuating pin, thereby causing rotation of the gripper head into the second position.
An apparatus for splitting a product stream comprising:
- a conveying belt including at least a plurality of first grippers and a plurality of second grippers, each of the first and second grippers gripping a respective product and conveying the products as a first product stream in a conveying direction;
- one or more of the second grippers having a gripper head rotatably mounted thereon;
- and
- a support, the gripper head rotationally mounted on the support, the gripper head rotating its respective product so as to form a separate second product stream in the conveying direction.
1 more element
An apparatus for splitting a product stream comprising:
- a conveying belt including at least a plurality of first grippers and a plurality of second grippers, each of the first and second grippers gripping a respective product and conveying the products as a first product stream in a conveying direction;
- one or more of the second grippers rotating its respective product so as to form a separate second product stream in the conveying direction wherein at least one of the plurality of first grippers and the plurality of second grippers has a product gripper head having a moveable portion for gripping a product and an actuating pin, the moveable portion being linked to the actuating pin.
An apparatus for splitting a product stream comprising:
- a conveying belt including at least a plurality of first grippers and a plurality of second grippers, each of the first and second grippers gripping a respective product and conveying the products as a first product stream in a conveying direction;
- one or more of the second grippers rotating its respective product so as to form a separate second product stream in the conveying direction;
- and
- a positive control mechanism, the positive control mechanism gripping the products from the first product stream, each of the first grippers releasing the product after the product has been gripped by the positive control mechanism.
1 more element
An apparatus for splitting a product stream comprising:
- a conveying belt including at least a plurality of first grippers and a plurality of second grippers, the first and second grippers being linked to one another to form the conveying belt, each of the first and second grippers gripping a respective product and conveying the products as a first product stream in a conveying direction;
- one or more of the second grippers rotating its respective product so as to form a separate second product stream in the conveying direction.
An apparatus for splitting a product stream comprising:
- a conveying belt including at least a plurality of first grippers and a plurality of second grippers, each of the first and second grippers gripping a respective product and conveying the products as a first product stream in a conveying direction;
- each of the second grippers rotating its respective product so as to form a separate second product stream in the conveying direction;
- and
- a positive control mechanism, the positive control mechanism gripping the products from the second product stream, the second grippers releasing the product after the product has been gripped by the positive control mechanism.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.