Method and device for combining sheet-like products with further sheet-like products, and apparatus for conveying sheet-like products, in particular printed products

A device for combining sheet-like products, in particular folded printed products with further sheet-like products, said device comprising:

• a feeding device configured to transport sheet-like products in a feeding direction to a discharge end of the feeding device;
• a gripper conveyor having grippers that are arranged one behind another and are driven in a circulatory direction along a self-contained gripper circulatory path, the path running with a receiving section past the discharge end;
• the grippers being configured for grasping the sheet-like products at the discharge end in a product border region adjacent to an edge running transversely with respect to the feeding direction, whereby the sheet-like products are grasped in the product border region in a manner offset in the direction of the edge with respect to a central section and the grasped sheet-like products are conveyed further via the gripper conveyor;
• and
• a supply station for further sheet-like products, the supply station being arranged downstream of the receiving section in the circulatory direction of the gripper conveyor and past which the gripper circulatory path is guided,
• wherein the supply station is configured to combine further sheet-like products moved past the supply station via the gripper conveyor and to combine the further sheet-like products with the sheet-like products in a manner offset laterally with respect thereto.

A device for combining sheet-like products, in particular folded printed products with further sheet-like products, said device comprising:

• a feeding device configured to transport sheet-like products in a feeding direction to a discharge end of the feeding device;
• a gripper conveyor having grippers that are arranged one behind another and are driven in a circulatory direction along a self-contained gripper circulatory path, the path running with a receiving section past the discharge end;
• the grippers being configured for grasping the sheet-like products at the discharge end in a product border region adjacent to an edge running transversely with respect to the feeding direction, whereby the sheet-like products are grasped in the product border region in a manner offset in the direction of the edge with respect to a central section and the grasped sheet-like products are conveyed further via the gripper conveyor;
• and
• a supply station for further sheet-like products, the supply station being arranged downstream of the receiving section in the circulatory direction of the gripper conveyor and past which the gripper circulatory path is guided,
• wherein:
• the supply station is configured to combine further sheet-like products moved past the supply station via the gripper conveyor and to combine the further sheet-like products with the sheet-like products in a manner offset laterally with respect thereto;
• the gripper is further guided on a guide;
• and
• the receiving section can be moved via an adjustment device from a central position, in which the grippers grasp the sheet-like products in the central section with elastic deformation of the guide and in a direction transversely with respect to the feeding direction, into a side position in order, in the side position, to grasp the sheet-like products in the product border region in a manner offset in the direction of the edge with respect to the central section and to convey said products further.

A device for combining sheet-like products, in particular folded printed products with further sheet-like products, said device comprising:

• a feeding device configured to transport sheet-like products in a feeding direction to a discharge end of the feeding device;
• a gripper conveyor having grippers that are arranged one behind another and are driven in a circulatory direction along a self-contained gripper circulatory path, the path running with a receiving section past the discharge end;
• the grippers being configured for grasping the sheet-like products at the discharge end in a product border region adjacent to an edge running transversely with respect to the feeding direction, whereby the sheet-like products are grasped in the product border region in a manner offset in the direction of the edge with respect to a central section and the grasped sheet-like products are conveyed further via the gripper conveyor;
• and
• a supply station for further sheet-like products, the supply station being arranged downstream of the receiving section in the circulatory direction of the gripper conveyor and past which the gripper circulatory path is guided,
• wherein:
• the supply station is configured to combine further sheet-like products moved past the supply station via the gripper conveyor and to combine the further sheet-like products with the sheet-like products in a manner offset laterally with respect thereto;
• an upstream conveyor section of two consecutive conveyor sections of the feeding device can be moved with respect to the conveyor section arranged downstream in a stationary manner via an adjustment device from a central position, in which the grippers grasp the sheet-like products in the central section, in a direction transversely with respect to the feeding direction, into a side position such that, in the side position, the sheet-like products are grasped in the product border region in a manner offset in the direction of the edge with respect to the central section.