Signature velocity reduction device and method

An apparatus for decelerating signatures comprising:

• a movable belt arrangement including a first movable belt arrangement interspersed with a second movable belt arrangement;
• and
• a first means for driving and a second means for driving the first and second movable belt arrangements respectively, for controllably moving the first and second belt arrangements through first and second cyclical velocity profiles, the first cyclical velocity profile of the first means for driving being out of phase from the second cyclical velocity profile of the second means for driving;
• the movable belt arrangement moving the signatures through a signature engaging section;
• the first and second cyclical velocity profiles causing the first and second means for driving to decelerate a respective one of the first and second movable belt arrangements from a first speed to a second speed while engaging a signature in the signature engaging section, the signature entering the signature engaging section at the first speed, and leaving the signature engaging section at the second speed, lower than the first speed, and to accelerate the respective one of the first and second movable belt arrangements upon the signature leaving the signature engaging section, back to the first speed, prior to a next signature entering the signature engaging section that is to be engaged by the respective one of the first and second movable belt arrangements.

A method for decelerating a signature comprising the steps of:

• providing a movable belt arrangement;
• controllably moving the movable belt arrangement through a cyclical velocity profile, the profile including a continuously oscillating sinusoidal wave;
• causing the cyclical velocity profile to decelerate the movable belt arrangement from a first speed to a second speed while the movable belt arrangement engages the signature in a signature engaging section, the signature entering the signature engaging section at the first speed, and leaving the signature engaging section at the second speed, lower than the first speed;
• and
• accelerating the movable belt arrangement upon the signature leaving the signature engaging section, back to the first speed, prior to a next signature entering the signature engaging section.

A method for decelerating signatures comprising the steps of:

• providing a first and a second movable belt arrangement;
• controllably moving the first and the second movable belt arrangements through a first and a second cyclical velocity profile, respectively, the cyclical velocity profiles including a continuously oscillating sinusoidal wave;
• causing the first and the second cyclical velocity profile to decelerate the first and the second movable belt arrangements, respectively, from a first speed to a second speed while the first and second movable belt arrangements engage a signature in a signature engaging section, the signature entering the signature engaging section at the first speed, and leaving the signature engaging section at the second speed, lower than the first speed;
• and
• accelerating the respective one of the first and second movable belt arrangements upon the signature leaving the signature engaging section, back to the first speed, prior to a next signature entering the signature engaging section that is to be engaged by the respective one of the first and second movable belt arrangements.