Device and method for processing printing products

A device for processing printing products comprising:

• a processing device having a large number of receiving elements which are driven along a circulation path in a direction of circulation and are arranged one after another and transversely to the circulation path, and
• a discharge station for grasping and discharging printing products, which are brought in the receiving elements up to the discharge station, in a portion of the circulation path that runs in an arc of a circle about an axis of rotation,
• wherein the discharge station has a removal conveyor with a number of gripper tongs which are driven so as to circulate along a self-enclosed movement path counter to the direction of circulation and are moved in a takeover portion, which runs in an arc of a circle around a takeover axis parallel to and set apart from the axis of rotation of the circulation path, into the receiving elements in synchronization therewith and, after the grasping of the printing products at a side rim, out of the receiving elements, and
• wherein the discharge station has a clamp transporter which is arranged, viewed in the direction of circulation, downstream of the removal conveyor and has controlled clamps which are driven along a self-enclosed clamp path in the same direction as the direction of circulation and are capable of grasping the printing products, which are held by the gripper tongs at their edge opposing the side rim and of conveying them onward once released by the gripper tongs,
• wherein the position of the takeover portion can be set, for adaptation to the size of the printing products, by displacing the takeover axis in a direction running at least approximately radially to the axis of rotation, and
• wherein each receiving element has a, viewed in the direction of circulation, trailing wall with a radially external guide element for the printing products held by the gripper tongs in order to introduce the printing products into the opened clamps.

A device for processing printing products comprising:

• a processing device having a large number of receiving elements which are driven along a circulation path in a direction of circulation and are arranged one after another and transversely to the circulation path, and
• a discharge station for grasping and discharging printing products, which are brought in the receiving elements up to the discharge station, in a portion of the circulation path that runs in an arc of a circle about an axis of rotation,
• wherein the discharge station has a removal conveyor with a number of gripper tongs which are driven so as to circulate along a self-enclosed movement path counter to the direction of circulation and are moved in a takeover portion, which runs in an arc of a circle around a takeover axis parallel to and set apart from the axis of rotation of the circulation path, into the receiving elements in synchronization therewith and, after the grasping of the printing products at a side rim, out of the receiving elements, and
• wherein the discharge station has a clamp transporter which is arranged, viewed in the direction of circulation, downstream of the removal conveyor and has controlled clamps which are driven along a self-enclosed clamp path in the same direction as the direction of circulation and are capable of grasping the printing products, which are held by the gripper tongs at their edge opposing the side rim and of conveying them onward once released by the gripper tongs,
• wherein the position of the takeover portion can be set, for adaptation to the size of the printing products, by displacing the takeover axis in a direction running at least approximately radially to the axis of rotation, and
• wherein the receiving elements have a recess which is outwardly open in the radial direction and through which the gripper tongs and the clamps are moved.

A method for processing printing products comprising the steps of:

• bringing the printing products up to a discharge station, by a processing device having a large number of receiving elements which are driven along a circulation path in the direction of circulation and are arranged one after another and transversely to the circulation path;
• and
• grasping and discharging the printing products, which are brought in the receiving elements up to the discharge station in a portion of the circulation path that runs in an arc of a circle about an axis of rotation by the discharge station;
• wherein the printing products are grasped at a side rim by a removal conveyor of the discharge station having a number of gripper tongs which are driven so as to circulate along a self-enclosed movement path counter to the direction of circulation and are moved in a takeover portion, which runs in an arc of a circle around a takeover axis and faces with its radial outer side the processing device, the takeover axis being parallel to and set apart from the axis of rotation of the circulation path, into the receiving elements in synchronization therewith and, after the grasping of the printing products at the side rim, out of the receiving elements while moving along the arc of the circle, and
• wherein the printing products, which are held by the gripper tongs, are grasped at their edge opposing the side rim and conveyed onward once released by the gripper tongs by a clamp transporter of the discharge station which is arranged, viewed in the direction of circulation, downstream of the removal conveyor and has controlled clamps which are driven along a self-enclosed clamp path in the same direction as the direction of circulation and are capable of grasping the printing products, which are held by the gripper tongs at their edge opposing the side rim and of conveying them onward once released by the gripper tongs.

A method for processing printing products comprising the steps of:

• bringing the printing products up to a discharge station, by a processing device having a large number of receiving elements which are driven along a circulation path in the direction of circulation and are arranged one after another and transversely to the circulation path;
• and
• grasping and discharging the printing products, which are brought in the receiving elements up to the discharge station in a portion of the circulation path that runs in an arc of a circle about an axis of rotation by the discharge station;
• wherein the printing products are grasped at a side rim by a removal conveyor of the discharge station having a number of gripper tongs which are driven so as to circulate along a self-enclosed movement path counter to the direction of circulation and are moved in a takeover portion, which runs in an arc of a circle around a takeover axis parallel to and set apart from the axis of rotation of the circulation path, into the receiving elements in synchronization therewith and, after the grasping of the printing products at the side rim, out of the receiving elements, and
• wherein the printing products, which are held by the gripper tongs, are grasped at their edge opposing the side rim and conveyed onward once released by the gripper tongs by a clamp transporter of the discharge station which is arranged, viewed in the direction of circulation, downstream of the removal conveyor and has controlled clamps which are driven along a self-enclosed clamp path in the same direction as the direction of circulation and are capable of grasping the printing products, which are held by the gripper tongs at their edge opposing the side rim and of conveying them onward once released by the gripper tongs,
• wherein printing products are discharged from the processing device by the removal conveyor as a consequence of deactivation of the clamp transporter.

A method for processing printing products comprising the steps of:

• bringing the printing products up to a discharge station, by a processing device having a large number of receiving elements which are driven along a circulation path in the direction of circulation and are arranged one after another and transversely to the circulation path;
• and
• grasping and discharging the printing products, which are brought in the receiving elements up to the discharge station in a portion of the circulation path that runs in an arc of a circle about an axis of rotation by the discharge station;
• wherein the printing products are grasped at a side rim by a removal conveyor of the discharge station having a number of gripper tongs which are driven so as to circulate along a self-enclosed movement path counter to the direction of circulation and are moved in a takeover portion, which runs in an arc of a circle around a takeover axis which is parallel to and set apart from the axis of rotation of the circulation path, into the receiving elements in synchronization therewith and, after the grasping of the printing products at the side rim, out of the receiving elements while moving along the arc of the circle, and
• wherein the printing products, which are held by the gripper tongs, are grasped at their edge opposing the side rim and conveyed onward once released by the gripper tongs by a clamp transporter of the discharge station which is arranged, viewed in the direction of circulation, downstream of the removal conveyor and has controlled clamps which are driven along a self-enclosed clamp path in the same direction as the direction of circulation and are capable of grasping the printing products, which are held by the gripper tongs at their edge opposing the side rim and of conveying them onward once released by the gripper tongs;
• wherein the position of the takeover portion is set, for adaptation to the size of the printing products, by displacing the takeover axis in a direction running at least approximately radially to the axis of rotation.