Printed product collecting device and method

A collecting device for forming a printed product comprising:

• a conveyor;
• a plurality of printed material delivery devices, the plurality of printed material delivery devices including a first delivery device for first printed materials and a second delivery device for second printed materials,
• a first transfer device assigned to the first delivery device and delivering the first printed materials to the conveyor;
• a second transfer device assigned to the second delivery device and delivering the second printed materials to be collected with the first printed materials on the conveyor, the second transfer device being downstream of the first transfer device with respect to the conveyor;
• each of the first and second transfer devices having printed material buffer positions between the respective first and second delivery devices and the conveyor, the number of buffer positions for the first transfer device being less than a number of all of the plurality of delivery devices, the number of buffer positions for the second transfer device being greater than or equal to the number of all of the plurality of delivery devices, and
• a controller determining when the first transfer device has a certain buffer position, the certain buffer position being empty or being a position to be inhibited from delivery, when the certain buffer position passes a first location of the conveyor, the controller inhibiting delivery of the second printed material from the second delivery device to the first location as the first location moves past the second delivery device.