Patent ID: 7232123
Filing Date: 2007-06-19
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for conveying sheets from a printing machine to a stack, comprising: gripper bar carrying at least one gripper having a gripper finger and a gripper pad for holding a sheet at an edge thereof between said gripper finger and said gripper pad during a conveyance of the sheet; an endless chain for moving said gripper bar on a path between a cylinder of the printing machine and the stack; and an actuating mechanism configured to close and open said gripper as a sheet is picked up from the cylinder and as the sheet is released at the stack; in an open state of said gripper, said gripper pad defining an upper edge and said gripper finger lying below a path described by said upper edge of said gripper pad; said gripper bar having a hollow profile and a gripper shaft rotatably disposed in an interior of said hollow profile and being rotational to and fro within a angle range, a multiplicity of gripper fingers for holding the trailing edge of the sheet being affixed to said gripper shaft, and said gripper fingers each projecting through a respective opening formed in said hollow profile, said opening having a width, in a direction of rotation of said gripper fingers, being less than a range of movement of said gripper fingers in the rotational angle range.