METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CREATING A GAP IN A SHEET STREAM

Abstract: Method and apparatus for creating a gap (G) in a stream (S) of sheets, and also moving the sheets at a uniform rate onto a take-off conveyor (2l). The function is accomp­ lished by diverting a portion of a conveyor (ll; 59) to have it move through a longer path than the original path, and thereby have the portion move faster in order to create the gap (G).

Description: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for creat­ ing a gap in a sheet stream, such as a stream of sheets coming from a printing press and going to a sheet stacker or the like. The graphic arts industry is aware of the concern for hand­ ling a stream of sheets moving from a printing press and going to a sheet stacker where the sheets are collected in a stacked form. This is usually accomplished in continuous movement of the sheets. For instance, US-A-3 78l 005 shows a continuous stream of sheets moved on conveyor belts and into a collected stack. In this regard, it is sometimes desirable that the stream be somehow interrupted so that the sheets forming the stack can be clearly segregated from the remainder of the sheets which are still in the stream. Still further, it is sometimes desirable that the sheets formed in a stack are placed therein in an accurate count. With regard to interrupting or forming a gap in the stream of sheets, US-A-3 834 288 shows one method of restricting or actually stopping the sheets in their path in the stream, so that the sheets that are upstream from the point of stopping or interruption are actually collected or bunched together so that those sheets in the downstream position can continue on into the stack by themselves. However, in that arrangement, there must be provision for bunching the sheets in the stream, and this frequently involves concern with respect to keeping the sheets in a neatly aligned relationship, since the interruption of the stream flow, or the bunching mentioned, will inherent­ ly cause the sheets to get out of alignment and this creates a problem with respect to desired neat stacking. Accordingly, the present invention provides a method and means for forming a gap in a stream of sheets, and to do so in a manner whereby the sheets are still continuously moved toward the stacker at a desired previous and uni­ form rate of movement, and there is no bunching of the sheets in the stream in order to form a gap. Still further, the sheets can be accurately counted, with respect to the location of the gap, and thus an accurate number of sheets can pass on to the collected stack of sheets. Still further, the present invention accomplishes the fore­ going, and distinguishes over the prior art, as mentioned, and does so in a facile and inexpensive manner so that the method and apparatus are extremely practical for commer­ cial installation and are highly reliable in forming the accurate count of sheets and in providing a distinct gap in the sheets, without upsetting the continuous flow of sheets to the stack and without getting the sheets out of alignment, all so that they are neatly stacked in the stacker. Thus, a constant stream condition is maintained, rather than the bunched gap condition as commonly used in the prior art. Further details of the invention as well as embodiments of a sheet stream gap forming apparatus embodying features of the invention will be described in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. l is a side elevational view of a preferred embodi­ ment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view similar to Fig. l, but showhing the apparatus and a different position; Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of this invention. In describing the apparatus, the method will be inherent­ ly described also. The embodiment of Figs. l and 2 com­ prises an incoming conveyor l0 onto which the sheets are disposed, dropped, or the like, and the sheets are then passed to the endless conveyor or belt ll which is dis­ posed in line with and adjacent to the conveyor l0. Thus, a stream of sheets "S" is shown disposed on the upper extent l2 of the endless belt ll, and that upper extent is shown to be planar and extends between a support pulley l3 and a support pulley l4. In all instances of describing the conveyors or belts, they move in the direction of the arrows adjacent thereto. The belt ll is of course flexible, and it extends around pulleys l6, l7, l8 and l9. Thus the stream "S" moves rightwardly, as viewed in Fig. l, and would move to a take-­ off conveyor, such as the conveyor 2l shown in Fig. 3 and which would therefore also be positioned to the right of the pulley l4, as viewed in Figs. l and 2. With that arrangement, the stream "S" moves at a continuous veloci­ ty to the right, and the sheets remain in the overlapped or imbricated relationship shown, and they move onto the take-off conveyor 2l at a uniform speed and can be moving off to a stacker or the like. The purpose of the present invention in both the method and apparatus is to form a gap in the stream "S" but with­ out causing the sheets in the stream to be bunched together, that is, the stream will continue to move at its uniform velocity and onto the conveyor 2l. To accomplish that, the conveyor ll is provided with an offset or spare portion designated 22 and extending between the pulleys l7 and l9, as seen in Fig. l. The pulley l8 is supported on a diver­ ter, in the form of a fluid cylinder assembly 23 fixedly mounted at 24 and having a piston rod 26 extending upward­ ly to connect with and support the pulley l8. Accordingly, upon retraction of the rod 26, under suitable controls for the assembly 23, such as through the fluid lines 27 and 28, the rod 26 can be retracted from its Fig.l position and moved into the Fig. 2 position, and that diminishes the diverted or spare portion 22, such as shown in Fig. 2. Simultaneously, the conveyor ll is diverted at the location designated 29, and it is diverted into the position shown in Fig. 2, and such offset or diversion is accomplished by another fluid cylinder assembly 3l fixedly mounted at 32 and having its rod 33 extend to support a pulley 34 above the stream "S". Thus, upon retracting the rod 33, the amount of original offset in the belt portion 22 is taken up in the portion 29, and thus the stream "S" foll­ ows a longer path of travel as it continues to move right­ wardly. A synchronously cooperating conveyor belt 36 is trained over the pulley 34 and also over two spaced-apart pulleys 37 and 38 which are shown supported on arms 39 and 4l, respectively. A spring 42 may be utilized to retain the pulleys 37 and 38 spaced apart, and to the triangular formation for the pulleys 34, 37, and 38, as shown. Also, the belt 36 extends endlessly over those three pulleys, and a motor 43 is shown to be in driving relation with the belt 36 which is then driven in synchronization with the speed of the belt ll which is driven by a motor 44 connected to the belt ll in a suitable fashion. Thus, the triangularly shaped belt 36 is lowered onto the stream "S", when desired, and thus presses the stream "S" downwardly onto the belt ll and holds the stream in the imbricated position on the belt ll, as desired, and as shown in Fig. 2. Two idler type pulleys 46 and 47 are rotatably disposed underneath the belt ll and aligned with the pulley 34, and these pulleys 46 and 47 are swingable on arms 48 and 49 supported on pivot mountings 5l and 52, for instance. Thus, upon lowering the triangu­ lar belt 36 onto the stream "S" the stream is pressed on­ to the belt ll and the movable pulleys 46 and 47 are apart while they upwardly support the belt ll, such as to the position shown in Fig. 2. Also, a tension spring 53 may be connected between the arms 48 and 49 for holding the pull­ eys 46 and 47 inwardly toward each other and against stops 54 and 56. Thus, to achieve the Fig. 2 position, the belt ll in­ creased its linear speed from its extent between the pulleys l7 and 47. That is, the belt ll remains taut throughout, since the assemblies 23 and 3l work in unison or synchronization such that the amount of belt released by the assembly 23 is the same as the amount of belt ll taken up by the assembly 3l. However, the linear speed of the belt ll, as mentioned, will increase between the pulleys l7 and 47 in order to accomodate the longer length of extent of the belt ll on the upper run or portion shown and being described. By virtue of that arrangement and action, the stream on the belt ll and between the pulley 47 and pulley l4 will con­ tinue to move at its constant velocity to the right and on­ to the take-off conveyor 2l, all as highly desirable. How­ ever, the portion of the belt ll to the left, as viewed, will have increased its speed, as described, and it will thus create a gap between the conveyor l0, which is a supply conveyor or source, and the conveyor or belt ll, and that is true since the sheets may be either dropped onto the belt ll or moved by the conveyor l0, both at a uniform speed, but the increased speed of the belt ll will cause a gap, such as the gap designated G in Fig. 2. Fur­ ther, a sheet counter C, of any conventional design, can be disposed at the source of supply and can count the sheets being fed to the conveyor ll. With any suitable and standard connection between the counter C and the con­ trols for the cylinders 23 and 3l, the counter can operate the belt ll at the desired diversion action being describ­ ed, to create the counted number of sheets to the right of the gap G. Therefore, the belt 36 forms an engager which presses down­ wardly on the top of the stream "S" to control the stream when it is in the Fig. 2 orientation, and suitable guides, such as the shown panel 57 is available for guiding the engager belt 36 in its up-and-down action under the in­ fluence of the fluid cylinder assembly 3l. Fig. 3 shows different embodiment, and here it will be seen that there is a supply source or conveyor 58 and the stream conveyor 59 extending adjacent thereto and the take-off conveyor 2l on the right. The stream conveyor belt 59 is suitably supported on pulleys 6l, 62, 63, 64, and 66, and again the conveyors or belts shown in Fig. 3 all move in the direction of the arrows adjacent to those belts. Again, the conveyor belt 59 has its upper planar portion extending between the pulleys 6l and 62, and idler type pulleys 67 and 68 also support the belt 59 and are swingably mounted on arms 69 and 7l mounted on pivots 72 and 73. A tension spring 74 urges the arms 69 and 7l toward each other and against stops, such as the stop 76. Here again, an engager, in the form of a belt 77 is dis­ posed above the belt 59 and is movable on pulleys 78, 79, and 8l which form the triangular relationship and which may be mounted on arms 82. The pulley 78 is suitably conn­ ected to a fluid cylinder assembly 83 which is a double acting assembly with its cylinder fixedly mounted and having its rod 84 extending both above and below the cy­ linder 86, as shown, and the pulley 78 is mounted on the upper portion of the rod 84. Thus, upon lowering the rod 84, the engager belt 77 is lowered onto the belt 59, and the stream which would be thereon, as described in conn­ ection with Fig. l, and the engager belt 77 would force the idler pulleys 67 and 68 apart and thus cause the belt 59 to move faster between the pulleys 63 and 68 when the spare portion designated 87 in the belt 59 is taken up upon lowering of the pulley 64, as being described. Of course, the pulleys 64 and 78 move up-and-down as a unit, since they are both on the same rod 84, and they can move to the dotdash lines shown for causing the increase in the speed of the belt 59, as being described. Again, that action creates a gap between the source of supply 58 and the belt 59, as desired. Also, the belt or engager 77 is driven at the same speed as the linear speed of the belt 59, and thus synchronized motors 88 and 89 may be suitably connected with those respective belts for the same speed driving mentioned. Again, the pulley 78 and the like are considered to be a diverter since they engage the upper or initially pla­ nar portion of the belt 59 to move it to a longer path of movement while that portion of the belt 59 moves at a greater linear speed, all for creating the gap as des­ described. While the engager belt 77 is shown to be a rigid triangle in formation, the belt 36 on the above described engager can be an elastic type which can contract when it moves between the Fig. l and Fig. 2 positions.

Claims: 1. A method for creating a gap (G) in a stream (S) of sheets which are provided in a supply of sheets at a supp­ ly location (l0), arranging said sheets in an imbricated stream formation and receiving said sheets on a conveyor (ll; 59) separated from said supply location (l0) and moving said sheets at a uniform rate of speed for support­ ing and moving the stream (S) of sheets at a first speed and along a path of movement away from the supply location characterized by subsequently moving the stream (S) which is adjacent the supply location (l0) at a second speed faster than said first speed to thereby form the gap (G) in the stream formation of the sheets adjacent the supply location (l0) while moving the stream (S) which is downstream from said gap at said first speed for stack­ ing said sheets at said first speed. 2. The method for creating a gap in a stream of sheets as claimed in claim l, including the step of diverting the stream (S) and said conveyor (ll; 59) off the path move­ ment and into another path of movement for creating said second speed. 3. The method for creating a gap in a stream of sheets as claimed in claim l, including the step of passing the stream of sheets onto a take-off conveyor (2l) in stream­ movement communication with the first-mentioned said con­ veyor (ll; 59) and with said passing of said stream al­ ways being at said first speed. 4. The method for creating a gap in a stream of sheets as claimed in claim l, including the step of lengthening said conveyor (ll; 59) in its extent and direction of stream-supporting movement away from the supply location (l0; 58) and where said conveyor (ll; 59) was supporting said stream, for creating said second speed. 5. Apparatus for creating a gap (G) in a stream (S) of sheets, including a first conveyor (l0; 58) providing a source of supply of sheets at a first speed, a second con­ veyor (ll; 59) adjacent said first conveyor in sheet-flow communication therewith and being operable in a direction away from said first conveyor for receiving and moving sheets in an imbricated stream relation and at said first speed of movement, characterized in that said second conveyor having a separately movable portion (29; 87) adjacent said first conveyor (ll; 59) and means (34-43; 77-88) for moving said portion of said second con­ veyor at a speed faster than said first speed in the direc­ tion away from said first conveyor to thereby form the gap (G) in the stream formation of the sheets at the lo­ cation adjacent said source of supply. 6. The apparatus for creating a gap in a stream of sheets as claimed in claim 5, where said second conveyor is a flexible belt (ll; 59) and extends endlessly, and in­ cludes a spare portion (22; 87) downstream from the first said portion and along the length of said belt, and said means includes a diverter (3l, 33, 34; 64, 83) operable on said belt and being movable for deflecting said belt to take up the spare portion therein and to thereby create the faster speed. 7. The apparatus for creating a gap in a stream of sheets as claimed in claim 6, wherein said means includes a fluid cylinder assembly (23-28; 83) extendable and con­ tractable for controlling the spare portion (22; 87) in said belt (ll; 59). 8. The apparatus for creating a gap in a stream of sheets as claimed in claim 6, including a movable stream engager (36; 77) disposed adjacent said belt and being connected with said diverter for movement onto the stream of sheets while said belt is being deflected, and thereby confine the stream of sheets between said belt and said engager. 9. The apparatus for creating a gap in a stream of sheets as claimed in claim 5, including a take-off con­ veyor (2l) in stream-flow communication with said belt (ll; 59) and movable at said first speed for receiving the stream from said belt, said belt having a spare por­ tion (22; 87) in the extent of said belt extending from the first said portion and back to the source of supply, and a diverter (3l, 33, 34; 64, 83) operable on said first portion for deflecting said first portion to take up said spare portion and thereby create the faster speed. l0. The apparatus for creating a gap in a stream of sheets as claimed in claim 9, wherein said diverter includes a fluid cylinder assembly (3l, 33; 83) extendable and contractable for controlling the spare portion in said belt. 11. The apparatus for creating a gap in a stream of sheets as claimed in claim 9, including a movable stream engager (36; 77) disposed adjacent said belt and being connected with said diverter for movement onto the stream of sheets while said belt is being deflected, and thereby confine the stream of sheets between said belt and said engager.

Inventors: STOBB, WALTER J. C/O STOBB INC.
Applicants: STOBB INC.
Application year: 1986
Main classification: B65H33
IPC codes: B65H33, B65H29