Abstract:
An apparatus for timed processing of book blocks for perfect binding includes a feed element to supply respective book blocks horizontally positioned with a spine facing in a feed direction of movement. A lifting device is arranged to receive the respective horizontally positioned book blocks from the feed element. The lifting device is pivotal about a horizontal axis and has an adjustably driven limit stop that forms a conveying end of the feed element. A gripper circulates on a traction element above the lifting device. The lifting device is pivoted about the horizontal axis into an upright position and operates synchronized with the movement of the gripper to lift the respective book blocks with the adjustably driven limit stop to transfer each respective book block to the gripper when the gripper is positioned over the book block in the lifting device.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the priority of European Patent Application No. 04405631.5-2304, filed on Oct. 7, 2004, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to an apparatus for the binding of a book block. Such an apparatus comprises a parallel-driven, synchronized lifting device for transferring a book block to a gripper that circulates above the lifting device on a traction mechanism. The book block is supplied to the lifting device while positioned flat and with its spine facing (pointing in a feeding direction to) a limit stop. 
     Müller Martini Marketing AG, Zofingen, Switzerland, markets a small-scale perfect binder under the trade name Amigo Digital. This perfect binder successively feeds book blocks to a limit stop of a lifting device. The lifting device is arranged at the end of a feeding segment. The book blocks can be pivoted along the limit stop to an upright position, allowing the individual book blocks to drop into the opened jaws of a gripper on a circulating conveyor. During this operation, the lifting device moves synchronously with the circulating gripper and the book block in the gripper passes through the processing stations of the binder. 
     The disadvantage of the above-described machine is that once the book blocks have been moved to the upright position, the position of the book blocks and in particular the position of the individual signatures cannot be controlled during the subsequent tilting and dropping of the book block into an opened gripper. This reduces the production quality and reliability. 
     One proposed solution is to feed the book blockers up an inclined plane to the gripper. However, this would require a longer feeding segment and several additional processing cycles. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to create an apparatus of the aforementioned type which avoids the aforementioned problems and permits an easy and simple transfer of a book block to a gripper on a conveyor. 
     The above and other objects are accomplished according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention wherein there is provided an apparatus for timed processing of book blocks for perfect binding, comprising: a feed element to supply respective book blocks horizontally positioned with a spine facing in a feed direction of movement; a lifting device arranged to receive the respective horizontally positioned book blocks from the feed element, the lifting device being pivotal about a horizontal axis and having an adjustably driven limit stop that forms a conveying end of the feed element; and a gripper that circulates on a traction element above the lifting device; wherein the lifting device is pivoted about the horizontal axis into an upright position and operates synchronized with the movement of the gripper to lift the respective book blocks with the adjustably driven limit stop to transfer each respective book block to the gripper when the gripper is positioned over the book block in the lifting device. 
     Thus, according to the invention a feed element with a corresponding lifting device has an adjustable limit stop, by which a supplied book block can be pivoted around a horizontal axis into an upright position and can be transferred with the aid of the adjustable limit stop to the gripper on the conveyor. Using this structure, the book blocks can be supplied to the lifting device while positioned flat and can be transferred unobstructed to a perfect binder. This eliminates at least one processing step of prior methods. 
     Furthermore, this structure results in a lower height for the apparatus. 
     This apparatus is suitable for use with a perfect binder, provided with a gripper that circulates along a circular or an oval path. 
     The lifting device is advantageously provided with a limit stop which can be pivoted around a horizontal axis for transferring a book block to a gripper on the conveyor. The limit stop can be adjusted for conveying the book block to the gripper to be perpendicular to the feeding direction of the book block. A movement of the limit stop lifts the book block into the gripper and can be started even before the arrival of a book block at the limit stop. The limit stop can furthermore be adjusted to fit the format of the supplied book block. 
     The limit stop is advantageously provided with projecting fingers that are spaced apart over the width of the feed element. 
     It is advantageous if the limit stop can be pivoted around a horizontal axis that is arranged below a conveying plane for the feed element, such that the lifting device can be moved out of and back into the feed element. 
     The fingers on the limit stop are advantageously arranged such that they can be disposed between two respective conveying sections of the feed element. 
     The limit stop is preferably connected to guide bars which are arranged at a right angle to the fingers. 
     The guide bars are advantageously arranged between the conveying sections of the feed element, so that the guide bars do not interfere with the movement of the book blocks. The book blocks are transported by the conveying sections. 
     The gripper may be operatively connected to a traction mechanism drive, by which the book block is conveyed from the upright position in an upward direction into the gripper. 
     The book blocks can be pivoted with the aid of the guide bars from a horizontal position on the feed element to an upright position, where they rest on their spine, by using a gearing that is operatively connected to the limit stop. 
     To prevent the book block from tilting to the side during pivoting, a guide element is spaced a distance from the guide bars forming the guide plane in order to support and guide the book block on the side opposite the guide bars. 
     A slider can be used to extend the guide element parallel to the guide plane formed by the guide bars which is particularly useful for small book block formats. 
     A traction mechanism drive is advantageously provided to adjust the distance between the guide plane formed by the guide bars and the guide element to correspond to the different thicknesses of the book blocks, thereby preventing the tilting. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other features and advantages of the invention will be further understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings to which we refer for all details not expressly mentioned in the text, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a side view of an embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, as well as a gripper for a perfect binder; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a top view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a side view of the apparatus  FIG. 1 , with a pivoted lifting device; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a side view of the apparatus, with an extended guide element; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a side view of the apparatus of  FIG. 3  with a raised book block; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a side view of the apparatus of  FIGS. 3 to 5 , with a book block transferred to the gripper of the perfect binder; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a side view of the apparatus of  FIGS. 3 to 6 , wherein the book block is gripped by the gripper while the limit stop and guide element are retracted; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a side view of the apparatus of  FIGS. 3 to 6 , with the lifting device in the starting position; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a cross-section along the line A-A in  FIG. 1 , showing a section through a joint drive axis for the adjustment drives of the lifting device, the limit stop, and the guide element. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  depict an apparatus  1  for the binding of book blocks  2 , by timed processing where the book blocks comprise at least one signature.  FIGS. 1 and 2  furthermore show a gripper  3  that is attached to a traction mechanism for a circulating conveyor of a perfect binder. The book blocks  2  are supplied in conveyor direction F on a conveying belt  4  or the like for the apparatus  1 . The book blocks are transferred in a timed operation and/or intermittently to a feed element  5 . That is, the book blocks  2 ′,  2 ″ which follow a transferred book block  2 , are stopped on the conveyor belt  4  until the apparatus  1  has transferred the book block  2  to the gripper  3  and has returned to the starting position as shown in  FIG. 1 . A light barrier  6  at a conveying end of the conveyor belt  4  detects the presence of the next book block  2 ′. 
     The feed element  5  comprises several (five according to  FIG. 2 ) conveying elements  7  in the form of circulating belts  8 . The circulating belts  8  are spaced apart side-by-side and arranged transverse to the conveying direction F (see  FIG. 2 ). Two deflection rollers  9 ,  10  are provided for the circulating belts  8 . The conveying sections of the belts  8  form a conveying plane. A deposited book block  2  is supplied in the conveying plane in direction F until it reaches a limit stop  11 . The book block is arranged with a front edge of the book block  2  facing in the conveying or feed direction F. The limit stop  11 , which is also provided for lifting up the upright book block  2  into the gripper  3 , is operatively connected on both sides to a traction mechanism drive  12 . The limit stop  11  can be displaced along the feed element  5  on a guide arrangement  13 . 
     In addition, the limit stop  11  can be pivoted around a horizontal axis  15 , for example approximately 90°, so that the book block  2  that is present at the limit stop  11  rests approximately perpendicular thereon, with a spine of the book block against the limit stop (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). For this, the limit stop  11  is provided with several fingers  16  which are evenly distributed over the length of the book block  2  spine and/or transverse to the conveying direction F. These fingers  16  are attached to a crossbar  17  that is operatively connected to the traction mechanism  12  and can be moved along the guide arrangement  13 . 
     Fingers  16  are respectively arranged between two conveying elements  7  of the feed element  5 . Guide bars  18  also extend between the conveying elements  7  and are connected to the crossbar  17  of the limit stop  11 . When the book blocks  2  are supplied to the lifting device  14 , the lifting device  14  is in a first position. The guide bars  18  are advantageously positioned below the conveying plane formed by the conveying sections of the conveying elements  7 . The conveying elements  7  are supported on and slide along supports  19 , so as to prevent the book blocks  2  from rubbing against the guide bars  18 . 
     The lifting of the book blocks  2  by the guide bars  18 , which are connected to the limit stop  11 , starts with the lifting device  14  pivoting clockwise by 90° (see  FIG. 3 ). Following this movement, the book block  2  is positioned perpendicular, meaning the book block is standing upright on the limit stop  11 . 
     The pivoting movement is realized by means of a toothed-wheel gearing  20 . The tooth-wheel gearing  20  comprises a toothed wheel  22  which is attached to a shaft  21 . The shaft  21  is connected to the limit stop  11  and meshes with a toothed segment  23 , driven so as to pivot. The toothed segment  23 , in turn, is driven by a lever gear  24 , provided with a lever arm  26 . The lever arm  26  makes contact via a roller  28  with an endless control cam  25 , as well as with a steering rod  27 . The steering rod  27  is connected at one end to the exposed end of the lever arm  26  and at the other end to the toothed segment  23 . An electric motor  29  for driving the feed element  5  is connected by a drive belt  30  to the control cam  25 . 
     The gripper  3 , which is shown schematically in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , is provided with an immovable gripper jaw  31  and a movable gripper jaw  32 , shown in the opened position of the gripper  3 . The opening of the gripper  3  is initiated by a roller  34  that is connected to the movable gripper jaw  32  and moves against the force of a spring to strike a control member  33 . 
     The apparatus  1  moves parallel to and synchronized with the gripper  3  of the perfect binder for the transfer of the book block  2 . In the process, the feed element  5  does not change its position within the apparatus  1 , but the lifting device  14  lifts up the book block  2  and inserts it from below into the gripper  3 . The synchronized operation of the apparatus  1  and the gripper  3  for the perfect binder starts as soon as a book block  2  is positioned on the feed element  5 . Following receipt of the book block  2  by the gripper  3 , the apparatus  1  moves back to the first position. 
       FIG. 3  shows the book block  2  pivoted to the upright position by the guide bars  18  on the limit stop  11  and resting on its spine. The book block  2  is guided by a guide element  35  to prevent tilting. The guide element  35  can be adjusted along the length of fingers  16  of the limit stop  11  to adapt the guide element  35  to the different thicknesses of the book blocks. The guide element  35  is provided with an additional traction mechanism drive  36 . The traction mechanism drive  36  comprises two traction elements with respectively two reversing rollers  37 ,  38  and one drive wheel  39 . A reversing roller pair  37  and the drive wheel  39  of the traction mechanism drive  36  have the same axis  15  as the toothed wheel  22  of the toothed wheel gearing  20 . 
     The guide element  35  forms a supporting wall for the book block  2  in an upright position. The guide element  35  comprises several guide members  40  distributed over the length of the book block spine and can be adjusted and secured on the fingers  16  of the limit stop  11 . If a book block  2  has a narrow width, the slider  41  can be used to extend the guide members  40 . A pneumatically controlled pressure cylinder  42  is connected to the slider  41  for this. 
       FIG. 3  furthermore shows the position where the book block  2  below the opened gripper  3  is ready to be transferred to the gripper  3 . The book block  2  is lifted by the lifting device  14  during the parallel, synchronized operation of the feed element  5 , lifting device  14  and the gripper  3 .  FIG. 3  shows the lifting device  14  in its second position. If a book block  2  with a narrow width is located between the guide bars  18  and the guide element  35 , the sliders  41  of the guide members  40  are extended before the book block  42  is lifted into the gripper  3 , so that the book block  2  is guided during the transfer into the gripper  3  (see  FIGS. 4 and 5 ). 
       FIG. 6  shows the book block  2 , gripped in the processing position by the closed gripper  3 . The roll  34  of the gripper  3  has moved away from the control member  33 . The limit stop  11  can now be lowered. 
     During the process of lowering the limit stop  11 , the sliders  41  on the guide members  40  are retracted as shown in  FIG. 7 , so that the lifting device  14  does not hit the gripper  3  when the lifting device is pivoted back to the first position. 
     In  FIG. 8  the lifting device  14  is again in the first position and ready to take another book block  2 ′ from the conveying belt  4 . 
       FIG. 9  shows the joint axis  15  that is provided for the drives of the lifting device  14 , the limit stop  11 , and the guide element  35 . This joint axis comprises a shaft  21 , positioned inside a frame  43 , for the toothed wheel  22  of the toothed wheel gearing  20 . The toothed wheel  22  is responsible for the pivoting movements of the lifting device  14 . 
     An additional toothed wheel  44  is positioned on the shaft  21  and is connected to the traction mechanism drive  12  for moving the limit stop  11  and/or for lifting up a book block  2  into the gripper  3 . A hollow shaft  45  is positioned on the shaft  21  to connect the toothed wheel  44  to the traction mechanism drive  12 . Another toothed wheel  39  is mounted on an additional hollow shaft  47  that is attached rotatably to the hollow shaft  45  and is used with the traction mechanism drive  36  for adjusting the guide element  35 . Reversing wheels for the tractions mechanism drive for adjusting the guide element  35  are connected to the hollow shaft  45 . 
     It will be understood that the above description of the present invention is susceptible to various modifications, changes and adaptations, and the same are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the appended claims.