U.S. patent number 3,671,035 [Application Number 05/037,367] was granted by the patent office on 1972-06-20 for conveyor apparatus.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Ferag AG. Invention is credited to Walter Reist.
United States Patent |
3,671,035 |
Reist |
June 20, 1972 |
CONVEYOR APPARATUS
Abstract
Conveyor apparatus for transporting an imbricated formation of
objects, such as a succession of folded newspapers, comprises a
conveyor track adjoining the trailing edges of the newspapers, and
pairs of grippers moving along the conveyor track and gripping the
trailing edges of the newspapers. A distribution or device is
disposed ahead of the conveyor track to provide the intervals
between successive newspapers of the imbricated formation so that
the distance between successive trailing edges of the newspapers
corresponds to a predetermined value.
Inventors: |
Reist; Walter (Hinwil, Zurich,
CH) |
Assignee: |
Ferag AG (Zurich,
CH)
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Family
ID: |
4362699 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/037,367 |
Filed: |
May 6, 1970 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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745596 |
Jul 17, 1968 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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Jul 21, 1967 [CH] |
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10389/67 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
271/202; 271/185;
198/803.7; 271/204 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H
29/66 (20130101); B65H 29/005 (20130101); B65H
2301/44732 (20130101); B65H 2301/4472 (20130101); B65H
2301/342 (20130101); B65H 2301/44712 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65H
29/00 (20060101); B65h 029/12 (); B65h
029/28 () |
Field of
Search: |
;271/45,63,75-76,79 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Sroka; Edward A.
Parent Case Text
This application is a continuation of Ser. No. 745,596, filed July
17, 1968, now abandoned.
Claims
I claim:
1. Conveyer apparatus for flat objects supplied in an imbricated
formation, said apparatus comprising a conveyer track on which the
objects are transported with successive trailing edges of the
objects resting on the track, a plurality of grippers travelling
along an endless path, at least a portion of which directly adjoins
the conveyer track, and means for moving the grippers, in a region
of said portion of the endless path thereof, in the conveying
direction of the conveyer track, to cause said grippers to grip
said trailing edges of the objects.
2. Conveyer apparatus according to claim 1 comprising an endless
travelling conveyer member, said grippers being secured to said
conveyer member at regularly spaced intervals.
3. Conveyer apparatus according to claim 1 comprising a
distribution means arranged ahead of said conveyer track and
comprising a plurality of driving members each cooperating with a
respective one of said objects in said imbricated formation, said
driving members being successively arranged at uniformly spaced
intervals and being moved in a direction parallel to said conveyer
track at a travelling speed greater than the conveying speed of the
supplied imbricated formation.
4. Conveyer apparatus according to claim 3, in which said
distribution means comprises an endless travelling member having
one length running parallel to said conveyer track, said driving
members being secured to the latter said travelling member.
5. Conveyer apparatus according to claim 4, in which said driving
members each comprises a two-armed lever pivotally connected to
said endless travelling member, said lever having one free end
urged to protrude into the path of conveyance of the imbricated
formation and a stop member positioned to pivot the levers out of
the conveying path.
6. Conveyer apparatus according to claim 2, in which said grippers
are arranged in pairs, the two grippers of a pair being disposed
symmetrically at both sides of said endless travelling conveyer
member.
7. Conveyer apparatus according to claim 1, comprising an endless
travelling chain guided at least over a portion of its length along
said conveyer track, said grippers being secured to said chain.
8. Conveyer apparatus according to claim 1, in which said grippers
each comprises a movable jaw adapted to travel at a greater speed
than the conveying speed of said track upon gripping said
objects.
9. Conveyer apparatus according to claim 8, in which said grippers
each comprises a fixed jaw, said means causing each movable jaw to
effect a pivoting movement towards a respective fixed jaw for
exerting clamping action on the trailing edges of said objects.
10. Conveyer apparatus according to claim 9, in which said movable
jaw is supported for undergoing a helical motion, said means
comprising a spring operated retracting mechanism having a relieved
position in which it holds the grippers in clamping position.
11. Conveyer apparatus according to claim 10, in which said means
comprises a link motion mechanism to pivotally move the movable
jaws of the grippers into open position against the action of the
retracting mechanism.
12. A method for conveying flat objects supplied in an imbricated
formation onto a conveyer track with successive trailing edges of
the objects resting on the track, a number of grippers travelling
along an endless path being adapted to grip said trailing edges
during a portion of their travelling path, said method comprising
arranging said imbricated formation, prior to transfer thereof to
the conveyer track and the grippers, so that the interval between
successive objects of the formation corresponds to a predetermined
value or to a whole multiple of this value.
Description
The present invention relates to conveyer apparatus for
transporting laminar or flat objects arriving in imbricated
formation, particularly for folded printing shop products, and
having a conveyer track adjoining the succession of trailing edges
of the laminar objects, and a number of endless travelling
grippers.
In known conveyer apparatus of the mentioned kind, the grippers are
associated with the conveyer track in such manner that they engage
the two side edges of the objects, i.e., the two sides of the
imbricated formation to clamp the latter for transportation to a
kind of continuous ribbon which travels together with the conveyer
track. This known conveyer apparatus, however, is dependent on the
size of the conveyed objects, i.e., the distance between the
grippers engaging both sides must be closely adapted to the width
of the objects.
For avoiding this drawback, a further conveyer apparatus has become
known, the grippers of which only engage one lateral edge of the
objects of the imbricated formation. This further conveyer
apparatus is no longer dependent on size, but is suitable only for
transporting relatively stiff objects. It has been proposed in this
connection, to modify this further known conveyer apparatus in such
manner that the grippers not only seize one side edge of the
objects or the side edge of the imbricated formation, but at the
same time produce a buckling of the objects at the gripping points
extending transversely to the conveying direction, i.e., a
crease-shaped fold and thereby impart to the objects the stiffness
required for transportation. This means, however, is only
applicable there where the objects to be conveyed may support a
buckling or fold, or where the traces of the action of force
required for buckling of the objects left on the surface of the
goods to be conveyed, can be tolerated.
Moreover, both of the mentioned known conveyer apparatus do not
admit complete freedom in the path of the conveyer track. In other
words, it is not possible, without else, to build-in any curvatures
into the path described by the known conveying apparatus, without
relative movements resulting between the grippers on the one hand
and the conveying goods on the other hand, which again may lead to
damaging the conveying goods, e.g., to smearing the print in the
case of printed products.
In addition, at the discharge end of the two known conveyer
apparatus, problems result upon the transfer of the goods to be
conveyed, inasmuch as the imbricated formation practically can be
transferred only in a substantially horizontal plane to a treating
station following the conveyer apparatus. A further difficulty with
the mentioned known conveyer apparatus is that the grippers may
have to grip varying thicknesses, i.e., according to the
compactness of the imbricated formation and according to the place
of gripping at the side edge of the imbricated formation.
It is an object of the invention to provide a conveyer apparatus
which substantially avoids or obviates the mentioned drawbacks and
difficulties.
In the conveyer apparatus according to the invention, at least a
portion of the travelling path of the grippers directly adjoins the
conveyer track and means are provided for moving the grippers, in a
region of said travelling path thereof, in the conveying direction
relative to the conveyer track to cause the grippers to grip the
trailing edges of the laminar objects.
In the conveyer apparatus according to the invention, the grippers
accordingly are associated with the trailing edges of the objects
and "push" so to speak the latter ahead in conveying direction, the
side edges and the leading edge of the products remaining free.
Conveniently, the grippers are arranged symmetrically, e.g., in
pairs at both sides of an endless travelling conveyer member which
coincides with the conveyer track by one of its lengths. Further,
the grippers advantageously are arranged at regular spaces
longitudinally of the conveyer member, which conveyer member can be
a chain guided within a tubular rail.
The grippers can comprise a jaw which is fixed relatively to the
conveyer member, as well as a jaw which is movable relatively to
the conveyer member and cooperating with the fixed jaw, the
movement of the movable jaw conveniently being helical, in such
manner that when the gripper is open the fixed jaw is completely
and freely accessible and the movable jaw is turned away from the
fixed one, while the closing of the gripper is effected by a
simultaneous inward pivoting movement and displacement of the
movable jaw towards the fixed jaw. At the entrance of the conveyer
apparatus a distribution member can be provided, so that upon
arrival of an imbricated succession with an irregular compactness,
this imbricated succession can be arranged such that the intervals
between successive objects of the imbricated formation correspond
to a predetermined value or a whole multiple of this value.
An example of execution of conveyer apparatus according to the
invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in
which:
FIGS. 1 and 2 show in elevation and in section, respectively, the
course of a conveyer track of the apparatus according to the
invention in a building,
FIGS. 3 and 4 represent in diagrammatic side view and in
diagrammatic plan view, respectively, a portion of the entrance
section of the conveyer apparatus,
FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic side view of the discharge section of the
conveyer apparatus,
FIG. 6 shows in diagrammatic plan view a portion of the non loaded
conveyer apparatus, two different gripper actuating means being
represented on the left hand and the right hand side, respectively,
of the figure,
FIG. 7 is a section along the line 7--7 of FIG. 6,
FIG. 8 represents diagrammatically in plan view the operation of
the actuating means of the grippers shown in FIG. 6 at the left
hand side,
FIG. 9 represents diagrammatically in side view the operation of
the actuating means of the grippers shown in FIG. 6 at the right
hand side,
FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic side view of a distribution or cadence
member at the entrance section of the conveyer apparatus.
The conveyer apparatus 11 in FIGS. 1 and 2 has an inlet section 12
with a distribution member 14 which will be described later, and
the conveyer apparatus 11 terminates at a discharge section 13.
The conveyed material in imbricated formation, in the present case
newspapers Z, arriving from a rotary printing press R into a room
20, is supplied to a feeding device 33 of a further treating
station of the production line in another room 21 along a path
providing as much free space as possible on the floor B.
This path is described by the portion of the conveyer apparatus
following the distribution member 14 and first is directed
vertically upwards in a section 15, then continues horizontally via
a section 24 bent about a horizontal axis. Afterwards the conveyer
path describes a right turn 25 about a vertical axis. After the
turn 25, the imbricated formation is twisted in a section 26 about
an axis situated in the conveying direction and then travels in a
horizontal section 27, with the imbricated formation vertically
situated imbricated formation, through an opening 28 in a wall W
between the rooms 20 and 21, whereafter the imbricated formation in
a further section 30 is twisted back and then, after a curved
section 31, it travels vertically downwards in a section 32 prior
to reaching the discharge section 13.
This total path also is described by an endless travelling conveyer
member 16 only indicated diagrammatically, at least by one of its
strands, preferably, however, by both strands. In the region of the
inlet section 12 and in the region of the discharge section 13,
deflection members for the conveyer member 16, e.g., rolls 17 and
18 are provided which are rotatably mounted in corresponding frames
or casings 22 and 23, respectively. The drive of the conveyer
member 16 is effected in conventional manner and is indicated
herein diagrammatically only by a motor driven pulley 19 near the
casing 23.
It results from this arrangement, that the conveyer path of the
represented conveyer apparatus can be designed with practically any
desired curves, twists and bends, the relative movements between
the objects, in the present case newspapers, and the grippers, as
well as the relative movements between successive objects remain
limited to a minimum rate and accordingly also the risk of damaging
the objects during transport.
Referring to FIGS. 3 to 5 the receiving and the delivery of the
imbricated succession at the inlet section 12, and at the discharge
section 13, respectively, of the conveyer apparatus shall now be
described.
FIG. 4 represents a portion of an endless conveyer member 40,
consisting of a link chain 44, a flexible follower member 41 being
attached to both sides thereof to hold the newspapers Z in spaced
relation on the link chain 44. The construction of the conveyer
member 40 is described in detail with reference to FIGS. 6 and
7.
It is seen in FIG. 4 that pairs of grippers are provided on both
sides of the conveyer member 40, for movement with the conveyer
member. The movable jaws of each of the pairs of grippers are
designated by numerals 34, 35, 36, 37 and 38, and numeral 39
designates the jaws which are fixed with respect to the conveyer
member 40 and are associated with the movable jaws 34.
In the construction shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, when the grippers are
open, the movable jaws 34 and 35 are raised above the fixed jaws by
a distance a and face rearwardly with respect the conveying
direction. When the grippers are closed, the movable jaws 36, 37,
38 are closer to the fixed jaw and are spaced there from FIG. b
which corresponds to the thickness of the gripped newspaper and are
forwardly turned with respect in the conveying direction, whereby
the newspaper is clamped at its trailing edge.
It is further seen in FIGS. 3 and 4 that the movable jaws 33 to 38
essentially consist of a circular sector-shaped flap which is fixed
to a cylindrical shank at the center of the circular sector,
extending at right angles to the flap.
As long as the gripper is open, the shank of the movable jaw first
can act as a driver which moves upon the trailing edge of an
adjacent newspaper situated in front of it as seen in the conveying
direction, whereafter the flap turns forwardly and is urged towards
the fixed jaw to clamp this edge.
This operation is effected in reverse order upon delivery at the
discharge section 13 represented in FIG. 5. In FIG. 5, as seen from
the left to the right, there are visible two not identified
grippers in closed position, a gripper 45 ready to open, and three
grippers (the first one being designated by 46) in open position,
i.e., raised by the distance a and having the jaws turned
rearwardly.
The transfer to the following conveyer belt 33, see also FIG. 1, is
assisted by a stationary guide member 43, e.g., a guide rail or a
guide plate (indicated diagrammatically in FIG. 5). The transfer,
however, can also be effected without the help of a guiding member.
It suffices to direct the path of the conveyer member, at the place
where the grippers have returned to open position, i.e., in FIG. 5
at the raised position of the gripper 46 from the imbricated
formation. The result thereof is that the objects reaching the
discharge end of the conveyer apparatus, project freely beyond this
discharge end and can be picked up from underneath by the beginning
of the following conveyer device 33.
In FIGS. 6 and 7 the construction of the conveyer apparatus is
illustrated in more detail.
In these figures, the links of the link chain 44 carry rolls 50,
which are mounted on roll pins 51 projecting from the rolls 50 on
both sides therefore. The roll pins 51 are uniformly spaced and
hingedly connected to each other in conventional manner,
alternately by means of inner link pairs 52 and outer link pairs
53. The roll pins 51 extend through the links, and both of their
ends engage an endless flexible member 41, formed, for example, as
a profiled tube of rubber moving with the chain, the purpose of
which consists in not letting the conveyed material make contact
with the link chain 44, in order to avoid possible interference
therewith. As shown in FIG. 7, the links 53 of the outer link pairs
are disposed in a plane at right angles to the roll pins 51 on the
lower side of the chain and form carrier flanges for the guide
members of the chain and the components of the grippers.
The guide members of the chain 44 consist of a carriage 54
travelling in a stationary tubular rail of substantially C-shaped
cross section.
This carriage is attached to the lower end of the outer links 53
and comprises three rolls 56, 57 and 58 which are rotatably mounted
on the carrier flanges about axes extending parallel to the roll
pins 51, and the rolls 56, 57, and 58 travel inside the tubular
rail 55. In order to laterally guide this carriage a fourth roll 59
is provided, extending through slits 60 in the links and adapted to
travel with clearance along the terminal edges of the bent-over
wings of the C-shaped tubular rail 55. The three-point contact of
the carriage 54 within the rail 55 is to be noted, which allows
travel of the conveyer member without vibration and accordingly
without noise even then when its rail and accordingly its path
describes a twist as in the sections 26 and 30 of the conveyer
track.
In the middle region of the outer links 53 and extending through
these latter are supporting arms 61 which are secured to the links
53 and carry L-shaped brackets 62. One of the wings of the bracket
62 is fixed to the link 53 and the other wing forms the table-like
fixed jaw of the gripper.
As seen in FIG. 7, one gripper is provided at each side of the
chain 44. For simplifying the drawing, however, one kind of gripper
63 is illustrated in FIG. 7 on the left hand side, and another kind
of gripper 64 on the right hand side. It will be understood that in
the practical embodiment of the conveyer apparatus, similar
grippers will be provided on both sides of the chains, e.g., such
as indicated at 63 or such as indicated at 64.
Referring to FIGS. 6,7 and 8, the gripper 63, as already mentioned,
is carried on the laterally projecting wing of the bracket 62. This
wing is formed with a bore 65 in which a threaded sleeve 66 is
secured in suitable manner. The threaded sleeve is provided with a
female screw thread of coarse pitch, in the present example, a
double square thread. The shank 67 of the movable jaw of the
gripper 63 is screwed into this thread. The circular segment-shaped
flap 68 is secured to the upper end of the shank 67, while an arm
69 is fixed to the lower end of the shank 67, a follower roll 71
being rotatably mounted about an axis extending parallel to the
shank 67 at the free end of the arm by means of a connecting pin
70. This follower roll is adopted to cooperate with a stationary
guide 72 disposed at the level of the rail (see also FIGS. 6 and
8). A compression spring 73 acts between the bottom side of the
laterally projecting wing of the bracket 62 and the arm 69, in
order to urge the shank normally into its lowermost position. In
this position also the angular position of the arm 69 is defined
owing to the action of the thread.
Now, when the follower roll 71, upon movement of the conveyer
member in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 8, arrives against the
stationary guide 72, the arm 69 together with the shank 67 and the
flap 68 are pivoted in opposition to the spring 73, i.e., the flap
68 arrives into its lifted and turned-back open position.
Inversely, when the follower roll 71 does not engage the guide 72,
the spring 73 urges the shank into its lowermost position, the flap
at the same time being turned forwardly into closing position.
Thus, in case of the gripper 63, the guide 72 directly causes a
rotation of the shank 67, and the square thread, due to this
rotation produces a lifting of the shank 67, whereas the element
corresponding to the guide 72, in the case of the gripper 64,
directly causes the raising of the shank and accordingly the thread
causes its rotation.
As shown in FIG. 7 the gripper 64 is constructed similar to the
gripper 63. This gripper again comprises the flap 68, the shank 67
with the double square thread, the threaded sleeve 66 and the
spring 73. Instead of the arm 69, the shank 67 is provided with a
sliding pad 74 having the shape of a planoconvex lens (FIGS. 7, 9)
and being fixed by its plane side to the lower end face of the
shank 67. This sliding pad 74 is adopted to cooperate with a roll
track 75, the path of which is inclined relative to the path of the
rail 69, as seen in FIG. 9. It is to be noted, when comparing FIGS.
8 and 9, that FIG. 8 is a plan view, whereas FIG. 9 is a side
elevation. While the guide 72 (when the rail 55 is horizontal) is
situated in a horizontal plane parallel to the path of the rail,
the roll path 75 is situated in a plane parallel and at right
angles to the path of the rail (see also FIG. 6).
The rolls 76 of the roll track 75 are staggered in longitudinal
direction within a U-shaped support 77, in order to afford a travel
of the sliding pads 74 as much as possible without vibrations and
shocks.
In FIG. 10 the already mentioned distribution and member is
illustrated. The conveyer belt arriving from the printing press R
is driven in the direction of the arrow at the speed v.sub.o , the
imbricated formation being transported thereby. Following this
conveyer belt a further belt conveyer driven with a speed v.sub.1
comprising a plurality of individual, parallel conveyer belts 91.
This belt conveyer is associated with a driver device 80. The
driver device 80 comprises an endless chain 81 driven by two chain
wheels 62 and 83 at a speed v.sub.2. Drivers 84 in the form of bell
crank levers are fixed to the chain 81 at uniform longitudinal
intervals and each is hingedly mounted at its angle vertex for
rotation about a pin 85 against the action of a spring (not shown),
the pin being fixed to and travelling with the chain. One of the
legs 86 of the bell crank levers 84 is trailing with respect to the
travelling direction of the chain 81 and normally abuts against a
stop 87 also travelling with the chain, while the other leg 88
extends at right angles to the direction of movement of the chain
81 and the end of outwardly of this latter, and one strand of the
chain 81 penetrates between the individual conveyer belts of the
belt conveyer driven with the speed v.sub.1.
A stationary stop member 89 is provided in proximity of the chain
wheel 83, and is adapted to rearwardly collapse the driver members
84 abutting against it, in the direction of the arrow 90 and
thereby to swing the ends of the legs 88 downwardly to face in a
direction opposite the conveying direction v.sub.1 and opposite the
direction of travel of the chain 81 and out of reach of the
conveyer belts 91. In operation, v.sub.2 is greater than v.sub.1,
while v.sub.1 is at least equal to v.sub.o.
This means that the travelling speed of the chain 81 and
accordingly of the driver members 84 in any case is greater than
the conveying speed of the imbricated formation formed by the
newspapers Z. It results therefrom, that the ends of the legs 88
penetrating between the conveyer belts 91 as a rule catch up with a
trailing edge of a respective one of the newspapers, abut against
this latter and push the corresponding newspapers forwardly through
a certain amount until the distance from the preceding newspaper is
exactly the same as the distance h between two successive driver
members 84, which is greater than the distance between two
successive gripper pairs of the following portion of he conveyer
apparatus 11 (FIG. 1).
Since now v.sub.2 is greater than v.sub.o and v.sub.1 and the
uniformity of the imbricated formation arriving at the speed
v.sub.o is not established with certainty, it may happen from time
to time, that one or the other of the driver members 84, when
travelling along its engaging path, will remain "empty," i.e., will
not run up against a trailing edge. In such cases the distance
between two successive newspapers on the conveyer belt 91 driven at
the speed v.sub.1 will be double than normal. This, however, is
without importance, since, as already mentioned, the distance h is
as uniform as is the distance between the following grippers of the
conveyer apparatus. In this manner, even when in the imbricated
succession to be conveyed, a "gap" has been formed by the
distribution and device 14, which gap has a distance twice the
normal distance between successive newspapers, it is assured that
the imbricated succession arrives in correct "frequency" and
"phase" on the section of the conveyer apparatus provided with
grippers. This means that owing to the action of the distribution
member 14, a pair of grippers of the conveyer apparatus will be
available for each single object of the imbricated formation at the
right moment and at the right place, while, inversely, one of the
gripper pairs from time to time will be "empty."
It will be understood that the speed v.sub.1 of the conveyer belts
91 and accordingly of the conveyer chain 44 with the grippers must
be so chosen that the number of grippers becoming available per
unit of time corresponds at least to the peak value of the
"compactness" of the imbricated formation arriving at the speed
v.sub.o .
The represented conveyer apparatus, besides the advantages of a
simple construction and of the greatest possible liberty in the
design of the conveyer path, offers the possibility that the
conveyed imbricated succession is regular in the sense that the
distance between successive objects always corresponds to a
constant value or to a whole multiple of this value. Further, the
illustrated conveyer apparatus, besides the general advantage of
the particular absence of any problems at the end of the conveyer
path, offers the possibility, owing to the regularity of the
conveyed imbricated formation, to serve directly as a supply device
for a successive treating station.
Moreover, the use of the illustrated distribution and member is not
absolutely limited to the represented conveyer apparatus.
It can rather be used in all those cases, where it is required to
arrange a travelling imbricated formation of articles arriving
without a regular frequency of the articles, in such a manner that
the spacing of the individual articles always corresponds to a
fixed value or to a whole multiple of this value. This can also be
the case for an imbricated formation freely transported on a
conveyer belt and directly supplied to a treating station which
depends on receiving an imbricated formation of regularly spaced
individual objects.
* * * * *