Patent ID: 6698749
Filing Date: 2004-03-02
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
A feeder device for removing folded or unfolded signatures from a stack of signatures in an adjacent signature magazine and feeding a production line with the signatures, comprising:a conveying rotor having an approximately circular circumference and being rotatable in a conveying direction, the conveying rotor including a recess at the approximately circular circumference for holding a front edge, in the conveying direction, of a signature removed from the stack of signatures; a conveying belt partially resting against the circumference of the conveying rotor, being drivable in the same direction as the conveying rotor and together with the conveying rotor forming a conveying gap through which the signatures are conveyed to the processing line; at least one synchronously driven separating element including a control device comprising a pivotal control shaft attached to the conveying rotor and arranged parallel to the rotational axis of the conveying rotor, and at least one suction head coupled to a vacuum source and attached to the pivotal control shaft for partially lifting a signature off the stack of signatures by applying a suctioning effect to the front edge of the signature to transfer the signature to the recess of the conveying rotor; a locally fixed control track; and a sensing element arranged to circulate along the locally fixed control track and connected to the control shaft.