Patent ID: 11932507
Assignee: BOBST LYON
Field: Handling (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 6:
7. A method for receiving sheet-form elements for a packaging manufacturing machine, the packaging manufacturing machine comprising:
an arrangement for feeding sheet-form elements successively one after another,
a lift table configured to be mobile in a vertical direction, the lift table comprising a plurality of continuous conveyor belts extending in a longitudinal horizontal direction, for receiving the sheet-form elements in bundle form,
an output conveyor configured to discharge the sheet-form elements in bundle form, and
a separator configured to be mobile in the vertical direction, the separator comprising a plurality of reception arms being deployed in the longitudinal horizontal direction, for transiently receiving the sheet-form elements in bundle form, the plurality of reception arms being disposed so as to be able to cross in the vertical direction without interacting with the plurality of continuous conveyor belts of the lift table,
wherein the separator includes:
a support, mounted to slide in a vertical direction,
at least one reception arm of the plurality of reception arms, mounted and configured to be displaced in the longitudinal horizontal direction relative to the support, a displacement of the at least one reception arm modifying an overhanging length relative to the support on a first side in the longitudinal horizontal direction, and
a drive system for displacing the at least one reception arm in a longitudinal horizontal direction, the drive system being configured to simultaneously drive the at least one reception arm in displacement in the longitudinal horizontal direction and keep another of the plurality of reception arms retracted in its longitudinal position,

the method comprising:
successively depositing a first set of sheet-form elements on the lift table, so as to form a first bundle of sheet-form elements;
vertically lowering the lift table with the first set of sheet-form elements to end a formation of the first bundle of sheet-form elements;
bringing in the separator above the lift table;
successively depositing a second set of sheet-form elements on the separator, so as to form a second bundle of sheet-form elements;
horizontally discharging from the lift table the first bundle of sheet-form elements;
vertically lowering the separator with the second set of sheet-form elements to end a formation of the second bundle of sheet-form elements;
vertically raising the lift table;
crossing the lift table with the separator, so as to recover the second bundle of sheet-form elements from the separator to the lift table; and
taking the separator out of a travel of displacement of the lift table.