Apparatus for counting flat objects
AssigneeFerag AG
InventorCarl Conrad Maeder
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for counting flat objects, such as printed products, which are conveyed in an overlapping formation, and which comprises a guide means extending in the conveying direction and mounting a contact element for reciprocatory movement therealong. A drive serves to move the contact element cyclically in the conveying direction at a speed greater than the conveying speed of the overlapping objects, so that it can be brought into contact with the rear edge of each object. A detector element emits a signal to a counter upon contact between the contact element and the rear edge of an object, and a reference element is provided which rests upon the overlapping formation from above to ensure that the contact element mounted on the guide means and the formation assume a precisely defined mutual position.
Claims8
An apparatus for counting flat objects comprising a conveying device which is driven at a conveying speed in a conveying direction and is configured to convey the objects resting on it in an overlapping formation, a guide means extending at least approximately in the conveying direction and mounting a contact element for movement therealong, a drive by means of which the contact element can be moved cyclically in the conveying direction and, at least in one section of the guide means at a greater speed than the conveying speed so that it can be brought into contact with the rear edge of each object moved past the contact element, and a detector element for emitting a signal to a counter upon contact between the contact element and the rear edge of an object, wherein in order to count objects arriving in a formation in which each object rests on the respectively following object, the guide means is arranged above the conveying device and is fixed in relation to a reference element which is configured to rest on the formation from above.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.