Sheet diverter for collating signatures and a method thereof
AssigneeQuad/Tech, Inc.
InventorsKarl P. Schaefer, Ingermar S. d'Agrella, Eric L. Kuhne
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Provided is a sheet diverter for directing signatures moving in serial fashion along a diverter path to one of a plurality of collation paths. The sheet diverter includes a pair of diverter rolls for directing a signature to one of the plurality of collation paths and a diverter wedge for deflecting the signature to a selected one thereof. The diverter wedge is positioned between the diverter rolls so as to reach high into the diverter path thereby providing increased support to the signature as it travels from between the diverter rolls to the diverter wedge. The diverter rolls are permitted to intermesh with the diverter wedge so as to allow the diverter wedge to be so positioned.
Claims11
A diverter assembly for diverting signatures from a single feed path to a plurality of collation paths, said diverter assembly comprising:
- a pair of diverter rolls adapted to receive signatures therebetween, wherein the diverter rolls reciprocate in a direction that is at least partially normal to the feed path such that the feed path translates between each of the collation paths;
- a diverter wedge separating the plurality of collation paths, wherein the diverter wedge is interposed between said diverter rolls such that a portion of said diverter wedge extends into the translating feed path between said diverter rolls;
- and wherein the diverter rolls include outwardly extending spaced apart raised steps and the diverter wedge includes spaced apart grooves in the top vertex edge such that the grooves in the diverter wedge periodically intermesh with the steps on each of the diverter rolls as the diverter rolls reciprocate.
A sheet diverter for diverting signatures delivered along a feed path to one of a plurality of collation paths, said sheet diverter comprising:
- a pair of counter-rotating diverter rolls that are adapted to receive signatures therebetween, wherein the diverter rolls reciprocate in a direction that is at least partially normal to the feed path such that the feed path translates between each of the collation paths, each of the diverter rolls including a longitudinal axis that is substantially parallel to the feed path and the other diverter roller and a roll center that is substantially parallel to the feed path and is offset from the longitudinal axis of the respective diverter roll such that each of the diverter rolls rotate eccentrically about the roll center translating the feed path back and forth between the collation paths;
- a diverter wedge extending into the translating feed path between the diverter rolls to separate the plurality of collation paths, wherein the diverter wedge includes curved surfaces that diverge from a rounded top vertex edge to a base to prevent damaging the signatures as the signatures travel past the diverter wedge;
- and
- a plurality of belts that are in opposing relation to confine the signatures therebetween for transporting the signatures along the feed path to one of the plurality of collation paths;
- wherein the diverter rolls include outwardly extending spaced apart raised steps and the diverter wedge includes spaced apart grooves in the top vertex edge that periodically intermesh with the steps on each of the diverter rolls as the diverter rolls reciprocate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.