Abstract:
A device for dividing the flow of signatures into two paths of signatures uses two cam rows and a stationary guide wedge. Two conveyor belt systems initially deliver the signatures to a leading edge of the guide wedge. This leading edge is provided with guide channels into and out of which the conveyor belts in each of the two conveyor belt systems are alternatingly moved by high and low cam portions of the cam disks carried on the two cam rows.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention-relates to a device for rerouting signatures clamped between first and second conveyor belts. A guide wedge system extends transversely to the conveying direction of the conveyor belts. The conveyor belts ride on different conveying tracks. 
     A device for dividing a flow of signatures into two partial flows is known from EP 0 254 037 A1. This is accomplished in that conveyor belts, between which the signatures are clamped, respectively rest against the circumference of two oppositely disposed control rollers, which are eccentrically and rotatably seated. The two control rollers oscillate in a timed manner and alternatingly push the signatures via the conveyor belts against a deflection edge of a guide wedge. From there, they reach a first, or respectively a second conveying track. 
     Furthermore, a device for sorting sheets of paper or the like, which are guided between conveyor belts, is known from DE-PS 1 223 682, wherein one of two conveying tracks is selectively blocked. This is accomplished in that a deflection member pushes the conveyor belts against a guide face of a guide wedge. At that time, the second conveying track is open. 
     DE 3210 C discloses a sheet distributor by means of belt systems and a wedge arranged between them. This wedge is pivotably arranged as a shunt between belts of the belt system. 
     The object of the present invention is based on providing a device for rerouting signatures in a flow of signatures into two partial flows on two conveying tracks. 
     In accordance with the present invention, this object is attained by providing first and second conveyor belts which clamp the signatures and move them in a conveying direction from an infeed conveying track to a first conveying track and a second conveying track. A guide wedge extends transversely to the conveying direction and has upper and lower guide surfaces. The belts move on different conveying tracks which are typically formed on the guide surfaces of the guide wedge. 
     The advantages to be achieved by the present invention consist, in particular, in that the front edges of the signatures do not push against the deflection edge of the guide wedge, where they could cause a pile-up in this way. The service life of the conveyor belts is increased, because they need not drive any control rollers. 
     If thick signatures—for example with 64 pages—are to be rerouted, it is advantageous if the base circle of at least one of the two cam disks, or respectively cam rollers, having the radius r 1 , or respectively r 4 , on which the high cams have been placed, has a multiply larger diameter with several taller cams than the other cam roller arranged opposite it and working together with it. Only slightly harmful displacement forces between the inner and outer layers of the signatures are then created in the course of deflecting, i.e. during the directional change of the signatures. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A preferred embodiment of the present invention is represented in the drawings and will be explained in greater detail in what follows. 
     Shown are in: 
     FIG. 1, a schematic side elevation view of a device for rerouting signatures in a flow of signatures in accordance with the present invention in a first work position and releasing a first conveying track for the signatures, 
     FIG. 2, a schematic side elevation view of the device of FIG. 1, but in a second work position and releasing a second conveying track for the signatures, 
     FIG. 3, an enlarged view taken along line III—III in FIG. 1, and in 
     FIG. 4, an enlarged view taken along line IV—IV in FIG.  2 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The device for dividing the flow of signatures, in accordance with the present invention consists essentially of a first cam roller or cam row  1 , with one or a plurality of transversely spaced cams, each defining high cams  20 ,  21 ,  22  and low cams  17 , and a second cam roller or cam row  2 , with one or a plurality of transversely spaced cams, each defining high cams  25 ,  26 ,  27  and low cams  30 ,  31 ,  32 , all as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 which are arranged meshing or interdigitating and revolving with each other and which are axis-parallel with each other. It will be understood that each cam on each cam row has a high cam segment and a low cam segment and that these segments are circumferentially spaced on each cam. 
     Conveyor belts of two driven conveyor belt systems  3 ,  4  run between the oppositely located cams of the cam rows  1 ,  2  and rest against the circumferences of the cams in these two cam rows  1  and  2 . Each of the conveyor belt systems  3 ,  4  consists of several conveyor belts. Signatures  6 ,  7  are clamped between the conveyor belts of the conveyor belt systems  3 ,  4  in the following alternating sequence: signature  6 —signature  7 —signature  6 —signature  7 —and they reach an entry wedge area  8  between the oppositely located cams of the two cam rows  1 ,  2 . 
     The signatures  6 ,  7  had previously been created in a known manner by transverse cutting of a paper strand. They can be folded or not folded. 
     The conveyor belts of the conveyor system  3 ,  4  which may be referred to as conveyor belts  3 ,  4  together enter a gap  9  in the entry wedge between the cams of the cam rows  1 ,  2 , in a signature infeed conveying track and thereafter separate at an acute opening angle ′ of, for example, 10° and continue to run in separate first and second or upper and lower conveying tracks  51 ,  52 , respectively. In the process, the conveyor belts  3 ,  4  form an outlet wedge  11  downstream of the gap  9 . 
     Downstream of the outlet wedge  11 , the conveyor belts  3 ,  4  are conducted over guide rollers, not represented, to processing stations, longitudinal folding devices, etc. 
     The first, upper cam row  1  has alternatingly one or several low cams  17  with a respectively small radius r 1  and a low control surface  18 , as seen in FIG. 3 on its circumference, as well as one or several higher cams  20 , or respectively  21 , or respectively  22 , with a large radius r 2  and a high control surface  23 , as may be seen in FIG.  4 . 
     A stroke distance b 1  between the low and the high control surfaces  18 ,  23  of the low cams  17  and the high cams  20 ,  21 ,  22  respectively of the first, upper cam roll  1  can extend between two and six millimeters. A stroke distance b 2  between the low control surfaces  33  of the low cams  30 ,  31 ,  32 , and the high control surfaces  28  of the high cams  25 ,  26 , or  27  of the second cam row  2  correspondingly can also be between two and six millimeters. 
     The cam row  1  can be designed in different ways, for example, it can consist of a tube-shaped roller with high cams  20 ,  21 ,  22 , which are spaced apart from each other and which extend in a strip-shape in the circumferential direction, or it can have several cam disks, which are spaced apart at a distance a 1  from each other and are which kept apart by spacers  34 , for example. 
     The second cam row  2  can be designed in accordance with the same structural principles as the first cam row  1 , but has a reduced diameter. The second cam row  2  which may be, for example ring-shaped, has high cams  25 , or respectively  26 , or respectively  27 , which are spaced apart at a clear distance a 2 , extend in the circumferential direction, and have a respective radius r 3  and a high control surface  28 , and low cams  30 ,  31 ,  32 , which respectively adjoin the high cams  25  to  27  in the circumferential direction of the roller  2  and have a low radius r 4  and respectively low control surfaces  33 . 
     Besides the embodiments already explained, such as for example strip-shaped control surfaces placed on a roller, or cam rollers  36  kept apart by spacers  34 , as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the cam rows  1 ,  2  can also consist of a roller with circumferential annular grooves which is circular in cross section, but which is eccentrically seated. 
     A guide wedge  13 , which fixed in place on a frame and having an upper guide surface  14  and a lower guide surface  16 , is provided. 
     The guide wedge extends opposite the conveying direction of the conveyor belts  3 ,  4  with its cutter-shaped deflection edge  12 , or respectively its thin end  10 . The cutter-shaped deflection edge on the thin end  10  can be designed with a sharp edge, but can also be rounded. 
     The guide wedge  13  can consist for example—viewed in the axial direction of the cam roller  1 ,  2 —of several spaced apart individual guide wedges  37 ,  38 ,  39 ,  40 , but can also be designed comb-like with “teeth” and free spaces between them. The thin ends  10  of the guide wedge  13 , or respectively the individual guide wedges  37  to  40  are respectively located between the axially adjoining cams  20 ,  21 ,  22 . 
     In the course of the rotating movement of the cam rows  1 ,  2 , the low cams  17  with the low control surface  18  of the first cam row  1  respectively act together with the high cams  25 ,  26 ,  27  with the high control surface  28  of the second cam row  2 , as well as with the respective conveyor belts  3 ,  4  resting against them, i.e. they mesh with each other. The high cams  20 ,  21 ,  22  with the high control surface  23  of the first cam row  1  work together with the low cams  30 ,  31 ,  32  with the low control surface  33  of the second cam row  2 , and vice versa. Respective conveyor belts  3 ,  4  rest on their control surface. 
     The signatures  6 , or respectively  7 , traverse a free space above the upper guide surface(s)  14  of the guide wedge  13  as seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, or respectively a free space below the lower guide surface(s)  16  (FIGS. 2 and 4) of the individual guide wedges  37 ,  38 ,  39 ,  40 , as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. 
     The individual guide wedges  37  to  40  are fastened, spaced apart in respect to each in the axial direction of the cam rollers  1 , 2 , on a cross bar  44 , which is fixed in place on the lateral frame, and which is shown in FIG.  1 . 
     In accordance with another preferred embodiment, the individual wedges  37  to  40  are fastened in an interlocking manner, or connected because they are of the same material, comb-like with their thick ends  15  on the cross bar, or respectively cross beam  44 , which is fixed in place on the lateral frame. The conveyor belts  3 ,  4  are then pushed, in a timed manner by the high cams  20  to  22 , or respectively  25  to  27 , into the free gaps  42 , or respectively  43 , between or next to the individual guide wedges  37  to  40 . In the course of this, the conveyor belts  3 ,  4  dip with their entire thickness d, or with only a portion thereof, into these gaps  42  or  43 . 
     In the course of this movement of the conveyor belts  3  and  4  with respect to the guide wedge or wedges, the respective high control surface  23  of the high cams  20  to  22  pushes the upper conveyor belt  3  resting against it over its entire or partial thickness d into a free space between two “guide teeth” of the guide wedge  13 , which is designed in the shape of a comb, or respectively between two individual guide wedges  37  to  40 , or one to the left or the right of these. 
     In the process, the upper conveyor belt  3  moves, with its entire or partial thickness, through the free space enclosed in the virtual extension, as viewed in the axial direction of the cam row  1 , or respectively  2 , by the upper guide surface  14  and the lower guide surface  16 . This occurs in a meshing way from the direction of the lower guide surface  16  up past the upper guide surface  14 . 
     The virtual extension of the lower guide surface  16 , as viewed in the axial direction of the cam row  1 , or respectively  2 —partially or completely intersects the movement track of the conveyor belt  3  seated on the high cams  20 ,  21 ,  22 . The insertion of the signatures  7  into the lower conveying track  52  is achieved by this, as is depicted in FIG.  2 . 
     The respective guide surfaces  14 ,  16  of the individual guide wedges  37  to  40  are designed to be flat. In accordance with another preferred embodiment, the guide surfaces, and in particular the portions of the guide surfaces  14 ,  16  of the individual guide wedges  37  to  40  located in the vicinity of the deflection edge  12 , are respectively concavely curved. 
     At the respective end, close to the cross bar, of the upper and lower guide surface  14 ,  16  of the guide wedge  13 , or respectively of the individual guide wedges  37  to  40 , further conveyor belts  46 ,  47  are arranged in addition to the conveyor belts  3 ,  4  and cooperate with them. These conveyor belts  46 ,  47  are respectively guided around reversing rollers  48 ,  49 . They constitute the continuation of the conveying tracks  51 , or respectively  52 . 
     It can be advantageous if the first cam row—here the first cam row  1 —, on which the flow of signatures  6  and  7  is first moved, has a whole number multiple of cams in comparison with the second cam row  2  working together with it, for example 6 cams to 2 cams. By means of this step, it is possible to reroute thicker signatures  6  without harmful displacement forces between the inner and outer layers of the signature  6  occurring. 
     The virtual extension of the upper guide surface  14 —viewed in the axial direction of the cam row  1 , or respectively  2 —towards the left and right is defined as virtual guide surface  19 , as seen in FIG.  1 . 
     The virtual extension of the lower guide surface  16 —viewed in the axial direction of the cam roller  1 , or respectively  2 —towards the left and right is defined as virtual guide surface  24 . This lower vertical guide surface  24  is also shown in FIG.  1 . 
     The device for dividing the flow of signatures in accordance with the present invention operates as follows: the signatures  6 ,  7 , which are clamped between the conveyor belts  3 ,  4 , are fed to the entry wedge  8 . These signatures  6 ,  7  are alternatingly distributed onto the first and second conveying tracks  51 ,  52 . In the course of this, because of the position of the first cam row  1  with the low control surface  18  of the low cam  17 , respectively one signature, for example a signature  6 , is guided, sliding on the free upper guide surface  14  of the guide wedge  13 , from the upper conveyor belt system  3  to the conveying track  51 . Simultaneously, the high control surface  28  of the high cam  25  of the lower cam row  2  has respectively lifted the lower conveyor belts  4  of the lower conveyor belt system  4  sufficiently so that they move, with their entire or partial thickness through the free space between two guide teeth of a comb-like embodied guide wedge  13 , or respectively between two individual guide wedges  37  to  40 , or to the left or right of these, in the direction toward the conveying track  52 . By means of this, the path of the signatures  6  along the lower guide surface  16  of the “teeth” or individual guide wedges  37  to  40  is temporarily blocked. Both conveyor belts  3 ,  4  then run above the deflection edge  12  of the “teeth” of the guide wedge  13 , or respectively the individual guide wedges  37  to  40  as seen in FIG.  1 . Expressed in other words, in the course of this, the lower conveyor belt  4  moves with its entire or partial thickness through the free spaces enclosed on both sides by the virtual extension—viewed in the axial direction of the cam rows  1 , or respectively  2 —of the upper guide surface  14  and the lower guide surface  16 . Namely from the direction above the upper guide surface  14  and extending past the lower guide surface  16 . 
     When the cam rows  1 ,  2  continue to rotate, the trailing end of the signature  6  on the upper track finally passes by the thin end  10  of the teeth, or respectively of the individual guide wedges  37  to  40 . Now the high control surfaces  23  of the high cams  20  to  22  of the first or upper cam row  1  work against the low control surfaces  33  of the low cams  30  to  32  of the second or lower cam row  2  in order to guide the respective signature  7 , which follows the signature  6 , along the lower guide surface  16  to the lower conveying track  52 . 
     In this way, a signature  6 , or respectively  7 , or the inner face of a conveyor belt  3 , or respectively  4 , are alternatingly moved, slidingly or at a short distance of, for example, 0.1 mm, past the guide surfaces  14 , or respectively  16 , of the individual guide wedges  37  to  40  or of the guide wedge  13 . 
     A further advantage of the device of the invention also resides in that, because of the alternating passage of the conveying belts  3 ,  4  through the thin end  10  of the guide wedge  13 , or respectively of the space enclosed by the virtual guide surface  19 ,  24 , a front of a signature  6 ,  7  cannot bump against a deflection edge  12  of the guide wedge  13 . 
     While a preferred embodiment of a device for dividing the flow of signatures in accordance with the present invention has been set forth fully and completely hereinabove, it will be apparent to one of skill in the art that a number of changes in, for example, the type of printing press used to print the signatures, the motive power source for the conveyor belts and the like could be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present invention which is accordingly to be limited only by the following claims.