Abstract:
An insertion and gathering device for folded products is provided. The device has two deflection wheels arranged at a distance to one another and a conveying apparatus which circulates around the two deflection wheels. Receiving containers are coupled to the conveying apparatus and are moved along successively by the conveying apparatus in a conveying direction, the receiving containers each having a pocket with an open upper end constituting an insertion opening and extending crosswise to the conveying direction. A feed station is provided for feeding the folded products into the insertion openings of the receiving devices fold first, and a removal station is provided for removing folded products from the receiving devices. A stationary opening device for opening the folded products is arranged between the feed station and the removal station and downstream of the first deflection wheel as seen in the conveying direction.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
         [0001]    This application claims priority to European Patent Application No. 01811077.5-1526, filed Nov. 8, 2001, the disclosure of which, together with the disclosure of each U.S. and foreign patent and patent application mentioned herein, is incorporated herein by reference.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The invention relates to a device for the insertion and gathering of printed products in pocket-type receiving containers which extend lateral to the conveying direction and are provided with feed openings at the upper end. The containers are moved one behind the other on a conveying apparatus that circulates around two deflection wheels. Between a feed station for feeding in the printed products and a removal station for removing the printed products with inserts, the device is provided with a stationary opening device that opens the printed products which are supplied fold first by a feeding device.  
           [0003]    Devices of this type are also called insertion machines and are used, for example, in newspaper production.  
           [0004]    An arrangement of this type, as defined in European Patent 0 336 062 B1, is provided with an opening device that is effective on the side of a rotationally driven twin chain wheel and following a main product inserting station. With this type of arrangement, the printed products supplied for opening cannot settle down because of the short moving distance to the opening device, so that the opening operation cannot be carried out reliably.  
           [0005]    This type of device for opening printed products furthermore can be realized only in connection with a drive wheel or a deflection wheel and is very costly if several opening stations are arranged along a conveying apparatus.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    It is an object of the invention to create a device of the aforementioned type which eliminates the previously mentioned disadvantages and which meets the requirements of modern-day processing.  
           [0007]    This object is solved by exemplary embodiments of the invention which provide that the opening device is installed behind a first deflection wheel, as seen in a conveying direction.  
           [0008]    Embodiment of the invention provide an insertion and gathering device for folded products. The device has two deflection wheels arranged at a distance to one another and a conveying apparatus which circulates around the two deflection wheels. Receiving containers are coupled to the conveying apparatus and are moved along successively by the conveying apparatus in a conveying direction, the receiving containers each having a pocket with an open upper end constituting an insertion opening and extending crosswise to the conveying direction. A feed station is provided for feeding the folded products into the insertion openings of the receiving devices fold first, and a removal station is provided for removing folded products from the receiving devices. A stationary opening device for opening the folded products is arranged between the feed station and the removal station and downstream of the first deflection wheel as seen in the conveying direction.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    The invention is explained below in further detail with the aid of exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings, wherein:  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevation view of a device according to the invention;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a detail view of the device shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is a section along line III-III in FIG. 2;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is a section along line IV-IV in FIG. 3;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5 is a partial top view showing details of the conveying apparatus in the opening region; and  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 6 is a partial top view showing details of the conveying apparatus with an alternatively designed opening region. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 schematically shows a device  1  according to an embodiment of the invention. Device  1  is for inserting and gathering main products  2  to form finished products  3 . Device  1  comprises a conveying apparatus  4 , comprising two endless conveying chains  5 , moving side by side, which are connected by pocket-type receiving containers  6  that extend laterally relative to the conveying direction F. The latter are designed with a feed opening at the upper end and, for the exemplary embodiment shown, circulate at one end on a deflection wheel  7  around an axis  8 . A deflection wheel  9  having a smaller diameter than deflection wheel  7  is provided at the opposite conveying end of device  1 . Of the two deflection wheels  7 ,  9 , one can be designed as a drive wheel for the conveying apparatus  4 . Between the deflection wheels  7 ,  9 , the conveying chains  5  move in side-mounted guide rails that are not shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0017]    The upper run of the circulating conveying chains  5  forms a conveying section that extends from the first feed station  10  for the main product  2  to a removal station  11  for the finished product  3 . Additional feed stations  10 . 1  and  10 . 2  are provided along the conveying section and are indicated by an arrow. Opening devices  12 ,  12 ′ (referred to as feeders) which open up the main products  2  inserted into the receiving containers  6  are arranged downstream and at a distance to the feed stations  10 ,  10 . 1 ,  10 . 2  along the conveying path for the main products  2 . The main products  2  are preferably opened during the conveying operation and not in cooperation with the deflection wheel  7 .  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 1 also shows that the opening device  12  can be removed from the processing region if it is not in use. The opening device  12  is attached, for example, to an arm  13  that can be pivoted upward. For the exemplary embodiment shown here, the opening device  12  (designed as a rotor), which is fed the main product  2 , is shown following the deflection wheel  7  in the conveying direction. The circumference of the opening device  12  and the conveying apparatus  4  (that moves in the same direction) form an approximately sector-type opening segment and/or section  14 . Following the opening device  12 , an additional feed station  10 . 1  is provided along the conveying section in which an insert  2 ′ is inserted fold first into an opened main product  2  that is moving past in a receiving container  6 . An additional opening device  12 ′ is provided further downstream for inserting an additional insert  2 ″ into the insert  2 ′. To create an opened section, the conveying apparatus  4  is raised in the manner of a hump in front of the opening device  12 ′ and is lowered again in front of the opening device  12 ′ proximate to the perimeter of the opening device  12 ′.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIGS. 2 and 3 show details of the joint operation of the conveying apparatus  4  and the opening device  12 . FIG. 2 shows the movement course for the conveying apparatus  4  and the opposite-arranged opening device  12  in the opening region. The opening device  12  that is, in this example, a drum, is arranged above the conveying section of the conveying apparatus  4  and is provided with opening means that act upon the exposed edge region of the main product  2  inside the receiving container  6 . These means essentially comprise a gripping element  15  and a separating element  16 , which can be supported by a support element  17  for carrying out the operation.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 2 shows the operating sequence for opening the inserted main products  2  while they pass through the opening section. The main product  2 , fed to the receiving container  6  of the conveying apparatus  4 , is closed when it reaches the opening region. In a first step, the gripping element  15 , designed in this example as a suction device having a suction head  18 , grips the main product  2  on the back of the upper edge region as seen in the conveying direction. A support element  17  that can be engaged is provided to prevent the upper edge region of the main product  2  from evading during this operation. The support element  17  is positioned in front of the main product  2 , opposite the suction head  18 , thus ensuring a reliable gripping of the rear flank of the main product  2  by the suction gripping element  15 . The flanks of the main product  2  are separated and the separating element  16  of the opening device  12  is inserted into the opened main product  2  with the aid of a pivoting movement of the gripping element  15 , in a direction counter to the conveying direction F. As soon as the separating element  16  is inserted between the flanks of the main product  2 , as a result of carrying out an additional movement counter to the conveying direction F, the gripping element  15  on the rear flank of the main product  2  is released and is moved back to the starting position. The support element  17  also returns to its starting position some distance from the main product  2 .  
         [0021]    Following the withdrawal of the support element  17 , the exposed upper edge of the front flank of the main product  2  is pressed with a gripper  19  against the front inside wall of the receiving container  6 . As a result, the main product  2  is immobilized at least on one side and the separating element  16  can complete the opening operation. The main product  2  subsequently is held open and positioned on the fold inside the receiving container  6  so the insert  2 ′ can be inserted. The region of the support element  17  that acts upon the front of the main product  2  could be designed as a suction element to enhance the reliability during the opening operation.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 3 illustrates the joint operation between the opening device  12  and the conveying apparatus  4  that is suspended from conveying chains  5  in side-mounted guide tracks  21 . The opening device  12  is provided with a hub  22  on which the aforementioned opening means  15 ,  16 ,  17  are arranged. The hub  22 , in turn, is positioned on a coupling sleeve  24  that can be displaced along the rotational axis  23  of the opening device  12 . The rotational axis  23 , on the other hand, is formed by a guide rod  26 , which is mounted crosswise to the conveying direction F on a frame  25 . A bracket  28  is attached to the coupling sleeve  24  that can be displaced on axial bearings  27 . A motor  29  that is drive-connected to the hub  22  is screwed to this bracket. The drive connection is realized with a train of gearwheels  30 , wherein a gearwheel sitting on a motor shaft meshes with a gear ring on the hub  22 . Adjacent to the gear ring, the hub  22  is provided with bearing devices  31 ,  32  (FIG. 4), distributed over the circumference, for the separating element  16  and the support element  17 . The distance between the bearing devices  31 ,  32 , on which the separating element  16  and the support element  17  are positioned so as to pivot, is adjustable. FIG. 4 shows an arrangement of this type where the support element  17  is positioned so as to pivot directly on the hub  22 . In contrast, the separating element  16  and the gripping element  15  are arranged on a bearing device  32  which can be turned relative to the support element  17  on the circumference of hub  22 .  
         [0023]    Of course, the support element  17  could also be designed adjustable relative to the separating element  16  and the gripping element  15  for changing the distance. The separating element  16  and the support element  17  are each provided with one toothed wheel  33 ,  34  for actuation, arranged concentric to the pivoting axis  48 , wherein the toothed wheels respectively engage toothed racks  35 ,  36 . The toothed racks  35 ,  36  that extend in a longitudinal direction inside the hub  22  are designed with a control roller on one end. The rollers respectively move along control cams  37 ,  38 , fixedly arranged around rotational axis  23  for respectively driving the separating element  16  and the support element  17 . The drive movements of toothed racks  35 ,  36  for the separating element  16  and the support element  17  are directed approximately parallel to the rotational axis  23 .  
         [0024]    A flange  39  is provided on the end of the coupling sleeve  24  for securely connecting the control cams  37 ,  38  to the coupling sleeve  24 . The hub  22  is designed with two jointly rotating parts, a drive part  40  and an adjustment part  41  that can be turned in opposite directions for changing the distance between the separating element  16  and the corresponding support element  17 .  
         [0025]    As shown in FIG. 4, the separating element  16  and the support element  17  move at flat angles β and α, respectively to the lateral extension of the receiving container  6 . In the process, the support element  17  is pivoted ahead of the separating element  16  from the idle position above the conveying apparatus  4 , through a recess  42  in the receiving container  6  into an upper side region in the front of the main product  2 . The support element  17  lifts the main product  2  off the inside wall of the receiving container  6 , so that it can subsequently be opened by the separating element  16  that is pivoted in from the opposite direction (see also FIG. 5 for this). The part of the main product  2  gripped by the separating element  16  is thus moved to the following inside wall of the receiving container  6  and the front portion of the main product  2  (in the conveying direction) is held with the grippers  19  securely against the receiving container  6  (see FIG. 2). The sequences shown in FIG. 5 with references a) to d) reflect this operation, as previously illustrated in FIG. 3.  
         [0026]    If the pneumatic gripping element  15  is used, a roller  46  that is attached (freely rotating) to a lever  45 , connected to a pivoting shaft  44 , moves along a control path  47  on the circumference of flange  39 . The gripping element  15  is pivotally positioned on an extension arm  43  that is connected to the adjustment part  41  on the hub  22 .  
         [0027]    According to FIG. 6, the subsequently arriving part of the main product  2  can be lifted up with a suction head  18  and the main product parts can be separated by the subsequently pivoted-in separating element  16 . According to FIG. 6, the front wall of the receiving container  6  takes over the rear support function for the operation in place of a support element  17  as shown in FIG. 5.  
         [0028]    The invention has been described in detail with respect to preferred embodiments and it will now be apparent from the foregoing to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. The invention, therefore, is intended to cover all such changes and modifications that fall within the true spirit of the invention.