Abstract:
A method and device for producing printed products wherein first primary products are supplied, respectively, fold first to successive, uniformly-spaced pockets disposed transversely to a conveying direction at a beginning of a first segment of a production path formed by feeders. Subsequently, the first primary product in each pocket is grasped at a protruding gripping edge and opened for insertion of a partial product or enclosure. A further primary product is supplied, respectively, to the successive pockets on a further segment adjoining the first segment of the production path for producing a further printed product, including partial products or enclosures, in the successive pockets.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Priority is claimed with respect to European Patent Application No. 97810799.3 filed in the European Patent Office on Oct. 27, 1997, the disclosure of which is incorporated therein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a method of producing printed products by inserting partial products and/or enclosures into a primary product, which is supplied, fold-first, to successive, uniformly-spaced pockets disposed transversely to the conveying direction at the beginning of a production path formed by feeders, the product subsequently being grasped at a protruding gripping edge and opened for the insertion of partial products and/or enclosures. 
     Methods of this type are executed by insertion machines. Such machines are described and illustrated in, for example, patent documents DE-C2-27 06 353, EP-B1-0 336 062 and EP-A2-0 475 192. 
     These known insertion machines produce about 40,000 copies per hour of a printed product, such as a newspaper, that typically comprises an actual outer portion, or primary product, and one or more partial products and/or enclosures that have been inserted into the primary product, also referred to as pre-products, as they are usually available for processing before the primary product. 
     An obvious way to attain a substantially higher production output would be to operate the relevant processing components at a correspondingly higher speed. This measure has proven insufficient, however, because the available insertion system, the automatic feeder loading and the removal system would not assure reliable production with an output of over 50,000 copies or printed products per hour. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to create a method of producing printed products with which a significantly higher production output can be attained with unlimited reliability using the insertion system described at the outset. 
     The above and other objects are accomplish according to one aspect of the invention by the provision of a method for producing printed products, comprising: supplying first primary products, respectively, fold first to successive, uniformly-spaced pockets disposed transversely to a conveying direction at a beginning of a first segment of a production path formed by feeders; subsequently grasping the first primary product in a respective one of the pockets at a protruding gripping edge and opening the primary product for insertion of a partial product or enclosure; and supplying a further primary product, respectively, to the successive pockets on a further segment adjoining the first segment of the production path for producing a further printed product, including partial products or enclosures, in the successive pockets. 
     The invention thus utilizes the production of a plurality of printed products in one pocket for attaining a higher production output. 
     With the method of the invention, 40,000 copies each of two identical printed products, or 40,000 copies each of two different printed products, or 40,000 copies of one printed product can be produced with the tried-and-true insertion system, with the feeder capacity being doubled in the first two cases. 
     To make good use of the existing operating system, and augment it with simple measures, the printed product that was previously completed in the pocket is held securely or retained against the trailing pocket wall so that the further primary product can be provided with partial products and/or enclosures. 
     Thus, the further primary product can advantageously be opened between the first printed product and the leading pocket wall so it can be provided with the aforementioned items. 
     To this end, and according to another aspect of the invention there is provided a device for producing printed products by inserting at least one inner partial product or enclosure into an outer primary product, comprising: a conveying device that circulates along a production path formed by feeders in a conveying direction and comprises a plurality of uniformly-spaced, successive pockets disposed transversely to the conveying direction for receiving the products, fold first, and enclosures, the pockets each including pocket walls, means for opening the primary product and a retaining device for holding a front side of a complete printed product, relative to the conveying direction, against a pocket wall. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention is described below in conjunction with two embodiments illustrated in the drawings, which contain all details not mentioned specifically in the description. 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic showing a side view of the arrangement of a device of the invention and a representation of the production phase employing a symbol sequence above the side view. 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of a pocket of the device shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a view of the pocket shown in FIG. 2, as seen in the conveying direction F. 
     FIGS. 4 a - 4   l  show an enlarged representation of the production phase according to the symbol sequence of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic, similar to FIG. 1, showing a side view of the arrangement of an alternative embodiment of the device of the invention, and a representation of the production phase employing a symbol sequence above the side view. 
     FIG. 6 is a side view of a pocket of the device shown in FIG.  5 . 
     FIG. 7 is a view of the pocket shown in FIG. 6, as seen in the conveying direction F. 
     FIGS. 8 a - 8   k  show an enlarged representation of the production phase according to the symbol sequence of FIG.  5 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown, in a lower portion of the figure, a schematic side view of an arrangement of a device  1 , namely an insertion machine, for producing printed products  2 ,  2 ′, and, in an upper portion of the figure, a symbol sequence  14  comprising symbolic indicators of the production phase of the printed products  2 ,  2 ′ on a production path A, which comprises two segments A′ for the first printed product  2 , and A″ for the second printed product  2 ′. Production path A is formed by an endless pulling element  3  comprising two parallel chains, between which a plurality of successive pockets  4  are disposed with uniform spacing, seen in a conveying direction F, for receiving a primary product  5  and partial products  6  and enclosures  7 . Primary products  5  are known from newspaper production, among other things, as the outer, actual part, while the partial products  6 , also called pre-products, are inserted into primary product  5  during the production of printed product  2 ,  2 ′. Pulling element  3 , or its upper run, which circulates about horizontal axes on twin chain wheels, and pockets  4  of a conveying device  10  constitute production path A, along which numerous feeders  11 ,  12 ,  13  are disposed spaced from one anther. 
     FIG. 1 shows an arrangement of device  1  of the invention, with which two identical printed products  2 ,  2 ′ are respectively produced in one of pockets  4  on segments A′ and A″ of production path A, with conveying device  10  being at least as long as production path A. Symbol sequence  14  above device  1  shows the respective production phase of a printed product  2 ,  2 ′ in respective pockets  4 . 
     Production begins on the left side of device  1  shown in FIG. 1 with the delivery of primary product  5  (as indicated by the arrow R) by primary-product feeders  11  into one of the consecutive pockets  4  of conveying device  10 , the pocket arriving on twin chain wheel  8 . Primary product  5  supplied to pocket  4  is displaced toward a leading or front pocket wall  16 , seen in the conveying direction F, through a rotational motion of a known initiator  33  visible in FIG.  3 . As shown in FIG. 2, a gripper  17  that has been deflected from an inoperative position indicated as a dot-dash line displaces a gripping edge  15  of a front part  35  of primary product  5  toward a chamfered upper edge of front pocket wall  16 , and holds it there, whereupon a following part  36  of primary product  5  is placed against a trailing or rear pocket wall  18  at the latest on the horizontal conveying path, causing the primary product to open for receiving partial products  6  and/or enclosures  7 . The symbol sequence  14  refers to an open primary product  5  in pocket  4 . To insert the items into primary product  5 , pocket  4  is displaced into the position shown in FIG. 2, i.e., trailing pocket wall  18  assumes a steeper inclination than the leading wall relative to the vertical. Pocket  4  holding primary product  5 , which is open toward the top, passes feeders  12  and  13 , which insert partial product  6  and enclosure  7 , for example, in this order, as indicated by symbol sequence  14  above feeders  12  and  13 . Partial product  6  and enclosure  7  then rest against the trailing pocket wall  18 , with the products being combined to form a complete printed product  2 . 
     Gripper  17  is immediately released from gripping edge  15  by a control slide (not visible) , so that, because of its inclined position, front part  35  of primary product  5 , acted upon by the gripper, lies against enclosure  7  that was inserted last. The complete printed product  2  is then held securely against trailing pocket wall  18  by a retaining device  19  secured to an upper end of pocket wall  18 , such that the complete printed product  2  cannot be opened again. For this purpose, a holder  20 , which is initially located between trailing pocket wall  18  and the part of primary product  5  resting against this wall, briefly pivots upward and back, so a complete printed product  2  is held securely against trailing pocket wall  18  by holder  20  in front it. 
     Holder  20  of retaining device  19  is yoke-shaped and employs a force of a spring  21  to hold printed product  2  in the vicinity of the open side. The effect of holder  20  is By triggered by a rocking lever  22 , which can be displaced over a dead center and run onto a cam track (not shown). Rocking lever  22  is connected to a shaft  23 , which is seated in a support  24  secured to trailing pocket wall  18 . A toothed segment  25 , which is adjustable with respect to a pivoting angle of rocking lever  22  and engages a toothed pinion  27  connected to a pivot shaft  26  of holder  20  for transmitting a pivoting movement, is secured to a shaft  23 . The pivoting angle of rocking lever  22  is shown in FIG.  2 . FIG. 3 shows how spring  21  is secured, on the one hand, to a stationary support  24  and, on the other hand, to a pin  28  secured to rocking lever  22 . One skilled in the art can infer further details about the holder actuation from FIGS. 2 and 3. 
     As the completed printed product  2  leaves segment A′ of production path A, it is still held against the trailing pocket wall  18  by retaining device  19  (refer to symbol sequence  14 ). The pocket thus remains accessible, that is, feeder  11 ′ delivers a new primary product  5 ′ between leading pocket wall  16  and printed product  2  held in pocket  4 , specifically against trailing pocket wall  18 , by holder  20 . Afterward, pocket  4  traverses a region  34  that curves upward on segment A″ of production path A so that a further primary product  5 ′ in pocket  4  can be opened. Primary product  5 ′, supported in the buckle region  34  by initiator  33  following closely behind pocket  4 , is displaced toward front pocket wall  16 , where front part  35  of the primary product  5 ′, resting against wall  16 , is gripped by gripper  17  at gripping edge  15  before pocket  4  is displaced back into the filling position shown in FIG.  2 . In the filling position, succeeding part  36  of primary product  5 ′ comes to rest against the previously-completed printed product  2  and partially against holder  20 , which is pivoted in pocket  4 , and passes feeders  12 ′ and  13 ′, which supply a partial product  6 ′ and/or an enclosure  7 ′. Gripper  17  now pivots into an inoperative position (shown in a dot-dash line), so front part  35  of primary product  5 ′ is released and, because of the inclination in pocket  4  and air resistance, leans against enclosure  7 ′ that was inserted last. 
     Before pocket  4  reaches a delivery  31  of a transporter  32  at the end of production path A, holder  20  is pivoted out of pocket  4  (position shown as a dot-dash line in FIG. 2) by the passing of a cam track (not visible) through the rocking lever. 
     At the end of production path A, printed products  2  and  2 ′, which are pressed closely together in pocket  4  because of a change in the conveying direction, are gripped and conveyed away together by clips  31  of transporter  32 , which are driven with the same cadence and in the same direction. 
     Furthermore, two pockets  4  following one after the other are connected, on the one hand, by suspension devices  29 , which are disposed on both sides at the upper end of front pocket wall  16 , to the chains forming pulling element  3  and, on the other hand, by trailing pocket wall  18  to a securing device  30 . 
     The depth of a pocket  4  can be set and adjusted, as indicated by FIGS. 2 and 3 via a slot in an adjustble piece  46  and a screw and nut arrangement  47  for fixing the position of the adjustable piece. 
     FIGS. 4 a  through  4   l  show enlarged representations of the production phases symbolized by symbol sequence  14  of FIG.  1 . 
     FIGS. 5 through 8 show an alternative embodiment of a device  1 ′ for producing two printed products  2 ,  2 ′ in a pocket  4 . This embodiment does not require a change in direction of conveying device  10  for opening the second primary product  5 ′, and the embodiment of the retaining device  19  is simplifed. The products can be processed carefully. For this purpose, a retaining device  19 ′ (FIG. 7) is embodied in a form of a planar flap  41 , unlike the retaining devices in FIGS. 1 through 4, and can pivot at a lower end of pocket  4  about a horizontal axis  42  extending transversely to conveying direction F. Flap  41  is connected to a control lever  43  (FIGS. 5 and 6) that is adjustable about horizontal axis  42  and runs onto a slide or cam track (not shown) for actuation. 
     FIG. 5 illustrates a symbol sequence  14 ′, above device  1 ′, which represents the respective production phases. 
     At a time that feeder  11  delivers primary product  5 , flap  41  lies against leading pocket wall  16  (shown as a dot-dash line in FIG. 6) because of a tension spring  21 ′, which is secured to trailing pocket wall  18 , and a control lever  43 . Further along the path on twin chain wheel  8 , pocket  4  tilts in conveying direction F, so primary product  5  tips against flap  41  at leading pocket wall  16 , where gripper  17  grips it at gripping edge  15  and clamps it against a chamfered upper edge of front pocket wall  16  in the next step. Afterward, pocket  4  is displaced into the position provided for filling with partial products  6  and/or enclosures  7  (see symbol sequence  14  above feeder  12 ). On the way, the rear, shorter part  36  of primary product  5  falls back against trailing pocket wall  18  due to the change in position of pocket  4  and air resistance. As the opened primary product passes feeders  12  and  13 , a partial product  6  and then an enclosure  7  are supplied to primary product  5 . Now gripper  17  opens and, due to the action of the aforementioned slide on control lever  43 , front part  35  of primary product  5  is held by flap  41 , which was deflected outward counter to the force of spring  21 ′, against enclosure  7  that was last supplied, causing a space for further primary product  5 ′ to open between flap  41  and leading pocket wall  16 . FIG. 5 indicates this situation, which is noted above feeder  11 ′ in symbol sequence  14 ′. 
     Feeder  11 ′ supplies a further primary product  5 ′ to open pocket  4  (FIG. 8 f ) which will lie against flap  41 . Gripper  17  grips gripping edge  15 ′ through a pivoting movement of flap  41  toward leading pocket wall  16 , so gripper  17  can immediately displace gripping edge  15 ′ toward a chamfered upper region of leading pocket wall  16  (FIG. 8 g ). The flap  41  is now placed back against the previously-produced printed product  2  by control lever  43 , and is followed by the rear part  361  of the primary product  5 ′. The primary product  5 ′ is now open to receive partial products  6 ′ and/or enclosures  7 ′, as ensues from the symbol sequence  14 ′ above feeders  12 ′ and  13 ′ and FIGS. 8 h  and  8   i . At the end of production path A, printed products  2 ,  2 ′ located in a pocket  4  (FIG. 8 j ) are lifted together by a delivery  31  of a transporter  32  and conveyed further (FIG. 8 k ). 
     FIGS. 5 and 6 show the embodiment of the individual pockets  4  with a flap  41  in greater detail. In accordance with FIG. 7, flap  41  is smaller in height in the gripping region of printed products  2 ,  2 ′ because of clips of the transporter  32  than in the working region of the gripper  17 , by which primary product  2 ,  2 ′ is clamped at gripping edge  15 ,  15 ′, respectively. The narrow space conditions have led to a specific geometrical shape of flap  41 , with the lower, transverse work region being tongue-shaped and ending in an extension arm  44  connected to control lever  43 . Control lever  43  in turn has a control ring, which permits an adjustment in the position of flap  41  within pocket  4 . 
     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, the changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects, and the invention, therefore, as defined in the appended claims, is intended to cover all such changes and modifications as to fall within the true spirit of the invention.