Abstract:
This invention concentrates on relieving the ergonomic strain on a bindery line operator by always loading at an ergonomically correct height for minimum wrist strain and also performing the “jogging,” which is normally done by the operator prior to placing a stack onto the pocket feeder. The signatures are placed onto a lift at the same height because the signature stack support is being lowered automatically until the pivoted conveyor is full. Then, the entire log is pivoted upwardly and advanced to meet the rear of the previously loaded log. The log is advanced through a series of air blasts to aerate the signatures, a vibrating table to align the backbones, and a set of oscillating guides to align the signatures head to foot to eliminate the manual jogging of signatures and thereby repetitive movement of the operator&#39;s wrist to do the jogging.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is generally directed to a method and apparatus for building a log of signatures or inserts and feeding them to graphic arts equipment such as a bindery line, a refolder or a trimmer. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In recent years, many varied customer needs require rapid handling of printed products consisting of signatures which are gathered for binding, trimmed, bundled for minimal shipping costs, and shipped. In a binding line, a typical operation utilizes a multiple of inserter pockets, each of which receives signatures serially from a signature supply means, opens each signature, and drops the signatures to successively straddle a gathering chain which runs in front of the inserter pockets and carries the complete collection of gathered signatures to a location for further handling to complete the binding process. Moreover, because of the need for highly efficient plant operations, there has been a constant effort to increase the speed at which machines operate which has required the development of new techniques for handling the signatures at all stages of the binding process. 
     In addition to high speed operation, it will be appreciated that any apparatus necessarily has to be compatible with the limit on the space that is available in a binding line facility. In development of the present invention, it was established as a goal for the signature feeding apparatus to address the concerns in terms of ergonomic problems, such as carpal tunnel syndrome and the like. 
     Currently, a bindery operator retrieves a small stack of signatures, such as three to four inch pile, and carries the pile to the table surface at the pocket feeder. The signature pile is compressed and gripped between the fingers and thumb, and then it is turned 90° for placement on the signature backbone. The operator aligns the signatures in the small pile, fans them, and jogs them, creating a uniform series of signatures. The signatures are again compressed between the fingers and thumb and are then placed with their backbones down into the bindery feed pocket. Some strains to the operator that may occur in such loading activities include possible wrist strain when rotating the signatures, possible arm strain when lifting the pile of signatures to the table height, possible finger and thumb strain when gripping and compressing the signatures, possible wrist and arm strain when fanning the signatures, and walking fatigue in moving between a pallet having the signatures and the bindery pocket machine. 
     The assignee of this invention has been addressing the problems caused by repetitive motion in current bindery and printing tasks performed manually by operators, as can be seen from a review of its U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,129 of Chang, et al. and also U.S. Pat. No. 5,451,040 of Crabtree, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,643 of Bumgardner, et al. It was established in the previous patents as a goal for the signature feeding apparatus to primarily address concerns in terms of ergonomic problems, such as carpal tunnel syndrome and the like; but it was also found in solving this problem, that it was possible to increase the capacity receiving stacked signatures for feeding to the binding line within the same or a similar amount of floor space, while operating at high speed and accepting signatures in a variety of ways. The present invention is aimed mainly at the ergonomic aspects, increasing production efficiency. Also, it is preferable that the device be portable to be moved between different bindery hoppers. Alignment, jogging and aerating by bindery personnel all need to be eliminated in order to prevent the strains caused by the repetitive motions that these tasks require. The present invention addresses the needs of being able to feed signatures at high speeds to graphic arts equipment including folders, trimmers, binding lines, etc., while maintaining an ergonomically safe process and providing portability. 
     The present invention is described herein in connection with feeding financial stock or signatures which have frictional surfaces that renders them difficult to shingle into a consistent stream in a contrast to the usual catalogue or magazine stock that shingles easily into a consistent stream. Hence, the financial stock signatures described herein are printed as closed head signatures that are fed as an entire “log” of signatures. The present invention will be described hereinafter with respect to the formation of logs of financial signatures and feeding them into a pocket of a bindery line pocket feeder; but the present invention is not limited to this described and illustrated embodiment of the invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a new and improved ergonomical apparatus and method for building a log of signatures and loading them into a piece of graphic arts equipment such as a stitcher pocket of a binding line. This is achieved by the operator building a log of signatures in a load magazine by placing small piles of signatures on the top of a log or stack at a predetermined, adjustable height, automatically raising and turning the built log into a horizontal position, advancing the log toward the pocket; and automatically aerating, jogging and aligning the signatures head-to-foot. Preferably, as each pile of signatures is transferred by the operator from the pallet to the load magazine, the signature log piles in the load magazine is automatically lowered by the height of the pile. The preferred apparatus eliminates the rotating of the signatures through 90° by the operator and the rotating motions of the wrist heretofore doing this rotation. Also, the automatic fanning and jogging eliminate possible wrist and arm strain to the operator when accomplished by equipment, rather than by the operator. 
     In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the operator loads signatures into a load or log-forming assembly, which has an automatic lowering support for the vertical piles of signatures being loaded on the support to keep the top of the vertical pile at the preselected loading height for the operator. After the log is built, the load assembly is transferred to a transfer assembly, which functions to raise and to align the signature log; and to transfer the log into the jogging and aligning assembly for automatic jogging and aligning of the signatures in the log. When the transfer assembly has advanced the log into the aligning and jogging assembly, the transfer assembly returns to its load position and is ready for reloading. The entire log is advanced within the jogging assembly to meet the rear of the previously-loaded log now in the graphic arts machine. Preferably, the advancing log of signatures is automatically aerated by air nozzles, vibrated on a surface to align the backbone of the signatures and aligned head-to-foot by oscillating side guides. The present invention is able to make logs of and to automatically feed financial stock signatures printed as closed head signatures that are difficult to align. 
     In addition to solving ergonomic problems, the building of a log, its transfer and an automatic jogging and alignment of signatures being fed into a graphic arts machine may result in increased production speed, particularly for long production runs for this invention. Also, this invention may result in crew reduction for the bindery line in some instances. 
     The preferred and illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises four major assembly components. They are 1) pocket load assembly, 2) signature transfer assembly, 3) the jogger assembly and 4) a programmable logic controller (PLC). Both the pocket load assembly and the signature transfer assembly are pivotally mounted on the frame. Initially the pocket load assembly is in a vertical position; while the signature transfer assembly is in an inclined horizontal position. The pocket load assembly includes sensing means associated with the drive system for a signature supporting plate, which is advantageously, adjustably positioned at a pre-selected signature loading height that may be reset for each individual operator at any position intermediate to the vertical upper limit and the vertical lower limit. The pocket load assembly is such as to cause the drive system to initially position the signature supporting plate at the pre-selected signature loading height to assist a particular operator in placing signatures thereon when the signature supporting plate is in the signature receiving position. Still additionally, the sensing means is operable to cause the drive system to lower the signature supporting plate in such a manner as to cause the top of the signatures placed thereon at any time by the operator to be maintained at the pre-selected signature loading height until such time as the signature supporting plate reaches the vertical lower limit. 
     Once the pocket load assembly is filled, the operator presses the pocket filled push button, which begins a series of automatic functions. These automatic functions are controlled by the programmable logic controller and the following sequence of events takes place automatically. The signature receiving assembly, which was heretofore in an inclined horizontal position drops down into a vertically inclined position. At that time, the pocket load assembly will lower to join with the signature receiving assembly, and thus, the two assemblies are in an inclined but aligned position. Next, the signatures which are in the pocket load assembly, are pushed forward so that they are entirely on the signature receiving assembly and then, the signature receiving assembly raises to the horizontally inclined position and in line with the jogger assembly. The pocket load assembly then returns to its vertical position; the receiving plate returns to its desired position as has been set by the operator; and the series of events will repeat after the operator loads the pocket load assembly and pushes the pocket filled push button. During this time, the previous load of signatures, which was placed into the signature receiving assembly, is slowly pushed forward into the jogger assembly as room is made by signatures being removed therefrom and into the saddle of the bindery line. While the signatures move forward toward the receiving pocket, they are in the jogger assembly; and as such, they are jogged, aerated with airflow and aligned so that they are perfectly straight and free to be gripped by the grippers of the bindery line hopper assembly. 
    
    
     Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIGS. 1-12 are a sequence of diagrammatic views showing the building of a log and feeding a bindery line pocket in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 13 is an assembly drawing showing all the major parts of the present invention; 
     FIG. 14 is a top view of the pocket load assembly; 
     FIG. 15 is a side view of the pocket load assembly; 
     FIG. 16 is a top view of the signature transfer assembly; 
     FIG. 17 is a side view of the signature transfer assembly; 
     FIG. 18 is a top view of the jogger assembly; 
     FIG. 19 is a side view of the jogger assembly; 
     FIG. 20 is a side view of the frame and attachments, including the programmable logic controller (PLC). 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In the illustrations given, and with reference first to FIGS. 1-12, the overall movement of signatures  240  and operation of the Automated Bindery Log Extension (referred to as the ABLE feeder from hereon), are depicted in a step by step manner. FIGS. 13-20 refer to more detailed operations and unique descriptions. 
     A brief, overall description of the illustrated apparatus will be given first. As best seen in FIGS. 1-3, signatures  240  are being loaded on a support seat  45  in a Pocket Load Assembly  20 . 
     The Pocket Load Assembly  20  is continually loaded with additional signatures  240 ; while the signatures  240  in the Jogger Assembly  10  continue to feed into the Host Bindery Pocket  5 , in FIGS. 2 and 3, until the Pocket Load Assembly  20  is full. When the pocket load assembly is full, a timer or other automatic device can cause a transfer of the log. Herein, the operator causes the transfer when the operator presses the Pocket Filled Push Button  235 , which begins a series of automatic steps controlled by a controller such as a PLC  230  which herein is mounted in an electrical control cabinet  220 . In FIG. 4, the Signature Transfer Assembly  15  lowers to accept new signatures  240 . Then, the Pocket Load Assembly  20  also lowers (FIG. 5) in alignment with the Signature Transfer Assembly  15 . The signatures  240  are transferred (FIG.  6 ); and the Signature Transfer Assembly  15  raises up and back into alignment with the Jogger Assembly  15  (FIG.  7 ). Finally, the Pocket Load Assembly  20  raises the empty seat  45  back up in preparation to receive more signatures  240  from the operator (FIG.  8 ). During this entire automated process, the Jogger Assembly  10  has continued to feed signatures  240  to the Host Bindery Pocket  5 . The final step occurs as the signatures  240 , which have just been transferred to the Signature Transfer Assembly  15 , are moved forward in the Jogger Assembly  10  (FIG.  9 ). Then, the entire procedure begins again, as shown in FIGS. 10-12. 
     A more detailed discussion involving FIGS. 13-20 follows. The ABLE feeder is designed to be rolled on wheels  201  (FIG. 20) to and fit into a bindery feed pocket, and aligned with the pocket feed chains. The ABLE feeder comprises a main frame  186  having lower horizontal bottom frame members  187 , upstanding leg frame members  188 , and inclined side frame members  190 . Alignment of Jogger Assembly  10  is accomplished by turning the adjustment screw  215 , clockwise or counterclockwise, as needed, which is shown in FIG.  20 . Utilities for the ABLE are then connected with a pneumatic quick connect fitting and an electrical plug. Activation of the utilities positions both the Pocket Load Assembly  20  and the Signature Transfer Assembly  15  into their upright positions. 
     The set-up of the ABLE feeder is accomplished by adjusting the pocket load assembly, adjustable slide guides  40  and the Signature Transfer Assembly side guide brushes  85  to the width of the signatures  240 . Additionally, the operator can position the adjustable, high proximity sensor  35  (FIG. 14) to adjust the surface height of the linear motion pocket seat assembly  45 . 
     Initial loading of the ABLE feeder requires manual loading of the bindery host pocket  5 ; and the jogger assembly  10  of the ABLE feeder. Thereafter, piles or lifts of signatures  240  are taken from a pallet by the operator and are loaded in the Pocket Load Assembly  20  and placed between the adjustable side guides  40 , and on top of the linear motion seat  45 . Rather than lifting only 3-4″ piles from the pallet, and rotating and fanning this small pile of signatures  240  herein, the operator merely places his fingers under a larger 8″ pile and sets them down onto the previous signatures  240  on the seat  45  without any rotation and at a comfortable height for the operator. This should result in better production for the bindery, particularly for long runs where operator fatigue could be a limiting factor on the production rate of the bindery line. Herein, the seat assembly comprises the seat  45 , which is a platform, or support, having an underlying nut  45   a  (FIG. 15) through which extends a longitudinal drive screw  45   c , which is rotated by a screw drive motor  45   d . The screw drive motor  45   d  is reversible to rotate the screw in opposite directions to either raise or lower the seat  45 . The seat  45  travels within a pair of slots  50   a  (FIG. 14) in supporting frame plate  55  to which are secured longitudinal frame bars  50 . The frame bars  50  are pivotally mounted at their lower end by pivot pin assemblies  195  to the bottom frame member  187 . 
     Placement of the signatures  240  on the seat  45  initiates the adjustable height proximity sensor  35  starting a delay timer in the Programmable Logic Controller (PLC)  230 . The delay timer permits the time required to properly load the signatures  240  without the movement of the linear motion pocket seat  45 . When the delay timer times out, the linear motion pocket seat  45  repositions itself lower to permit the next lift of signatures  240  to be placed at the same height as the previous lift, which is typically 8″ for this illustrated apparatus. This process continues until the Pocket Load Assembly  20  is filled; and the operator presses the Pocket Filled Push Button  235 . Pressing of the Pocket Filled Push Button  235  begins a series of automatic functions. 
     In the Pocket Load Assembly  20 , the stopping pins air cylinders  30   a  (FIGS. 4 and 15) are activated, placing the stop pins  30  in their upright position. Then, the linear motion pocket seat  45  is repositioned, placing the loaded signatures  240  tight against the air cylinder stop pins  30  to hold tightly the log and its upper signatures  240  in place when the pocket load assembly is pivoted. This is the “ready” position for the Pocket Load Assembly. The Programmable Logic Controller (PLC)  230  then examines the position of the linear motion transfer drive  80  (FIG.  17 ). If the drive location is in the closest position to the Jogger Assembly  10 , as shown in FIG. 2, this indicates that the Signature Transfer Assembly  15  is empty of signatures  240  and is ready to accept a new log from the pocket load assembly  20 . The PLC  230  actuates the Signature Transfer Assembly position air cylinder  205  (FIG.  20 ), rotating the Signature Transfer Assembly  15  clockwise towards the Pocket Load Assembly  20 . At the end of the Signature Transfer Assembly position air cylinders  205  stroke, the PLC  230  actuates the Pocket Load Assembly position air cylinder  200  rotating the Pocket Load Assembly  20  counterclockwise towards the Signature Transfer Assembly  15 , as between the upright position of FIG.  4  and the lowered, inclined position of FIG.  5 . 
     At the end of the Pocket Load Assembly Air Cylinder stroke, the following sequence of events takes place automatically controlled by the PLC  230 : 
     1) the Pocket Load Assembly Air Cylinder pins  30  are retracted by air cylinders  30   a;    
     2) the Pocket Load Assembly Linear Motion Seat  45  raises to its highest position (FIG.  8 ); 
     3) the Signature Transfer Assembly Linear Motion Transfer Drive  75  herein comprised of a nut  75   a  and a feed screw  75   b  (FIG. 17) of the Transfer Load Assembly  15  travels to its lowest point. As the Pivoting Pin Assembly  80  comes in contact with the signatures  240  from the Pocket Load Assembly  20 , the spring biased pins  80   a  are pivoted away from and under the signature log. As the Linear Motion Transfer Drive  75  and pivoting lower pins  80  complete their travel under the signatures  240 , a loaded spring  80   b  rotates the pivoting pins  80   a  about pivot pins  80   c  back to their upright position; 
     4) the Signature Transfer Assembly Air Cylinder Stop Pins cylinders  65   a  (FIG. 17) are activated, placing the upper pins  65  in their upright position; 
     5) the Signature Transfer Assembly Linear Motion Transfer Drive  75  comprises a reversible, electric motor nut  75   a  (FIG. 17) for linear travel along a threaded drive screw  75   b , mounted beneath a frame  90  for the transfer assembly. The spring  80   b  has one end mounted on the nut  75   a  and the other end is secured to the pivoted pin  80   a  to pivot the pin upright about the pivot pin  80   c , which is mounted on the nut  75   a . Having received a log of signatures  240 , as the Pocket Load Assembly  20  is pivoted down from its upright position of FIG. 4, to a position overlying the Transfer Assembly  15 , as shown in FIG. 5, the log is then captured and gripped between the upper pins  65  and lower pins  80   a  on the Transfer Assembly  15 . To this end, the transfer drive  75  then is activated to traverse the lower pins up the incline to push the upper end of the log into contact with the upper, air cylinder stop pins  65 ; 
     6) the Signature Transfer Assembly Position Air Cylinder  205  (FIG. 20) is actuated and the Signature Transfer Assembly  15  is rotated counterclockwise from its lowered position of FIG. 6 to its upright position of FIG. 7 pivoting about its pivot pin assembly  210  at the top end of the upstanding frame member  188 ; 
     7) the formerly upper and now forward pins  65  of the Signature Transfer Assembly Air Cylinder Stop Pin Assembly are now retracted, and the Linear Motion Transfer Drive  75  (FIG. 17) travels the pins  80  forwardly thereby forward feeding signatures  240  into the Jogger Assembly  10 ; 
     8) the Pocket Load Assembly Position Air Cylinder  200  is actuated and rotates the Pocket Load Assembly  20  back to its upright position of FIG. 8, ready to accept lifts of new signatures  240 . 
     This procedure of loading and transferring signatures  240  from the Pocket Load Assembly to the Jogger Assembly continues through the length of the production run. 
     Referring to FIGS. 18 and 19, the Jogger Assembly  10  will now be discussed in combination with the host bindery pocket  5 . 
     The host bindery pocket  5  continues its normal practice of advancing signatures  240  on a set of feed chains or belts actuated by a mechanical clutch, and then pulling the signatures  240  into the main drum grippers with suction cups. As the feed chains or belts index forward, a proximity switch speed sensor  120  (FIG. 18) reads the speed of the chains or belts of the host bindery pocket  5  and sends a signal to the PLC  230 . The PLC  230  then outputs a signal for the Jogger Assembly drive motor  110  (FIG. 19) to index forward as well as the signature Transfer Assembly Linear Motion Transfer Drive  75 , to maintain a steady and continuous stream of signatures  240  into the Jogger Assembly  10  and the host bindery pocket  5 . 
     It will be recalled from the earlier description of the motions by the operator that the operator fanned and jogged the signatures  240  manually to separate the signatures  240  for easy gripping by the host bindery pocket  5 , and the operator aligned the signatures  240  head-to-foot so that they also were properly positioned for the grippers of the host bindery pocket  5 . In this embodiment, the backbone, or spine, of the signatures  240  is down resting an underlying platen  125  (FIG.  18 ), which is generally a horizontal, flat, slotted plate that underlies and supports the signature spines as they are pushed along the platen. Four rubber mounts  140  are positioned at the four corners of the platen  125  and support it for vibration by the rotary vibrator mechanism  130 . Herein, the platen is jogged by the rotary vibrator mechanism  130  (FIG. 19) positioned beneath the platen and connected thereto to vibrate the platen and signature spines. Also, simultaneously aerating nozzles  135  (FIG. 19) emit streams of air through the slots in the platen to aerate the upright signatures  240  to assist in their repositioning and alignment. The head and foot of the signatures  240  are being pushed by side joggers  165  to align the heads of signatures  240  on one vertical side, and to align the foot of the signatures  240  on the other vertical side of the signatures  240 . The aeration also assists in this head-to-foot jogging and alignment. 
     Referring now in greater detail to FIGS. 18 and 19, the signatures  240  are pushed into the Jogger Assembly  10  with the Linear Motion Transfer Drive  75 , and they transition from the Signature Transfer Assembly tabletop  90  to the product transfer belts  105  (FIGS. 13 and 18) and between the set of side Jogger Belt Assemblies  155 , which are adjusted against the signatures  240  with the side jogger adjustment handles  180 . As the signatures  240  are indexed forward with the product transfer belts  105  and the side jogger belt assemblies  155 , they pass between the oscillating side joggers  165 , which align the signatures  240  head-to-foot. At the same time, the signatures  240  pass over the jogging platen  125 , which simultaneously aerates the signatures  240  with the aerating nozzles  135  and aligns the signatures  240  spine-to-face with the rotary vibrator  130 . It should also be noted that the speed and force of the rotary vibrator  130  and the oscillating side joggers  165  are fully adjustable for varying products, as is the air pressure of the aerating nozzles  135 . 
     The signatures  240  now advance over the end of the product transfer belts  105  and onto the host bindery pocket feed chains, or belts. However, the side jogger belt assemblies  155  are extended, as best seen in FIG. 18, to continue to support and advance the signatures  240  into the host bindery pocket  5 . Due to the extended length of the side jogger belt assemblies  155 , the host bindery pocket side guides are not used and should be set to their widest setting or removed. The support and controlled advancement of the signatures  240  in the side jogger belt assemblies  155  is maintained until approximately 4″ from the host pocket feed plate, at which time the signatures  240  are released from the side jogger belt assemblies  155  and fed into the host bindery pocket  5  as would be in normal practice. 
     While in the foregoing, there have been set forth preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the details herein given may be varied without departing from the true spirit and scope of the appended claims.