Abstract:
A tape transport system for printed products comprising a first tape, a pulley supporting the tape, and a lever arm supporting the pulley, the lever arm including a first side rail and a second side rail, the pulley supported rotatably between the first and second side rails to form a narrow mechanism.

Description:
Priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/317,774, filed Sep. 6, 2001 and incorporated by reference herein, is claimed. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
     The present invention relates generally to controlling printed products, for example signatures. 
     In a folder of a printing press, a web of paper often is folded and then cut, for example using a first set of cutting cylinders to make a first cut, and then a second set of cutting cylinders further downstream to complete the cut to form signatures. Tapes often are used to support the signatures on both sides while the second set of cutting cylinders is finishing the but between the tapes. A delivery device, for example deceleration drum, then can grip the front edge of the signatures through the tapes so as to transfer the signatures to the deceleration drum. A set of grippers that extends through the tapes is typically provided in the delivery device. 
     The components that grip and transport the printed signatures are generally desired to be as wide as possible to minimize marking an damage to the products as well as to support a variety of product widths. 
     These gripper components sweep between the tapes. The tapes are supported on pulleys which are supported by lever arms. However, existing lever arms typically are much wider than the pulleys, and thus reduce the space for the grippers that pass between the tapes. 
     FIG. 1 shows a prior art device with a tape transport mechanism  2  and a signature diverter  4 . Diverter flippers  18  of the diverter  4 , supported on a pivot center  16 , pass between pulleys  15 ,  115  which support tapes  14 ,  214  on the left side of FIG.  1 . Other tapes are not shown for clarity. The lever arms  12  that support the pulleys  15 ,  115  are supported on a rod  10 . 
     As shown in FIG. 2A for another prior art device, an adjustable lever arm  12  having an air cylinder for extending the arm length has a side support  11  for pulley  15  which causes the width  118  of the lever arm and pulley combination to be much larger than a tape width  114 , for example 2.21 times as large. FIG. 2B shows a side view of the adjustable lever arm  12 , while FIG. 2C shows details of the pulley  15  through section A—A in FIG.  2 B. FIG. 2D shows a perspective view of the adjustable lever arm  12 . 
     The large ratio between width  118  and width  114  reduces the space S between the lever arms supporting tapes similar to tapes  14 ,  214  (See FIG. 1) permissible for the parts  218  of the diverter flippers  18  that extend between the tapes. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a reduced ratio of the pulley and lever arm width with respect to the tape width. 
     A further alternate or additional object of the invention is to be able to increase the effective gripper or diverter width. 
     Another alternate or additional object of the present invention is to provide improved gripping and handling of printed products. 
     The present invention thus provides a tape transport system for printed products comprising a first tape, a pulley supporting the tape, and a lever arm supporting the pulley, the lever arm including a first side rail and a second side rail, the pulley supported rotatably between the first and second side rails. 
     “Rail” as defined herein is an elongated thin piece of material. 
     Preferably a plurality of tapes are provided, each tape supported by a pulley and lever arm with two side rails. 
     The side rails preferably are thin sheets, for example made of steel. 
     The present invention also provides a lever support arm for a tape pulley of a folder in a printing press comprising a first side sheet, a second side sheet and a pulley supported between the first side sheet and the second side sheet. 
     The present invention also provides a method for transporting printed products comprising transporting signatures using a first tape, and passing the first tape over a pulley, the pulley being supported on a lever arm supporting the pulley, the lever arm including a first side rail and a second side rail, the pulley supported rotatably between the two side rails. 
     The present invention also provide a folder comprising: 
     a tape transport device having a first tape and a second tape, a first pulley supporting the first tape and a second pulley supporting the second tape, a first lever arm supporting the first pulley, the first lever arm including a first side rail and a second side rail, the first pulley supported rotatably between the first and second side rails; and 
     a printed product transfer device including at least one component passable between the first tape and the second tape. 
     Preferably, the transfer device is a deceleration drum and the component a gripper. 
     Preferably, the ratio of a combined width of the first pulley and the first side rail and second side rail at the pulley to that of the tape is less than 2, and most preferably less than 1.2. 
     Preferably, the second lever arm includes two side rails, the second pulley being supported between the two side rails. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIGS. 1,  2 A,  2 B,  2 C and  2 D show sections of prior art folders. 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described below by reference to the following drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 3 shows a simplified view of a folder according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 shows the lever arm of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 shows a part of the tape transport device of the present invention from a first view; 
     FIG. 6 shows a rear view of the tape transport device as shown in FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7A shows technical details of the lever arm of the present invention in perspective view; 
     FIG. 7B shows an end view of the lever arm of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7C shows a more detailed view of the lever arm in the region of pulley  52  through cross section B—B of FIG. 7D; and 
     FIG. 7D shows a side view of the lever arm. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 3 shows partially a folder  60 , which has a cutting cylinders  30 , shown schematically, cutting a web  5 . Cutting cylinder  30  may be a second set of cutting cylinders with spaced knives, which a plurality of tapes  32  run through on a back side of the web at already cut perforations  6 . The cutting cylinder  30  then completes the cut between the perforations  6 , so that signatures  50  are formed. Part of a signature is not shown for clarity. Also tapes  88  (FIG. 5) on the front side of web  5  are also not shown in FIG. 3 for clarity. 
     Folder  60  also includes a tape transport device  62  for signatures and a deceleration drum  80 . Tape transport device  62  guides the plurality of tapes  32  (the bottom tapes being shown) that guide signature  50  cut from web  5  along the tapes  32 . The tapes  32  are supported by pulleys  52 ,  54  (FIG. 7B) in lever arm  40 , which has a first side rail  42 . 
     As shown in FIG. 4, lever arm  40  has a first side rail  42  and a second side rail  44 . Supported between the side rails  42  and  44  are pulleys  54  and  52 , having axes of rotation  46 ,  45 , respectively. 
     A mounting pad  43  can be provided on one of the rails  44 , so as to permit alignment of the tape transport device  40  with another device, such as another tape transport device. 
     An alignment block  56  can be provided to space the rails  42 ,  44  apart. The pulleys axles also provide spacing. Fasteners  156  and  256  can hold the rails  42 ,  44  together. 
     Pulleys  54  and  52  thus are rotatingly supported in the arms  42 ,  44 . 
     FIG. 5 partially shows a plurality of the lever arms  40  supporting tapes  32 , with part of the tapes not shown so that the pulleys  52  and  54  can be viewed. However, it should be understood that the tapes run over pulleys  52  and  54  as shown in FIG.  4 . 
     Opposing tapes  88 , shown for clarity spaced apart from tapes  32 , contact another side of the signature  50  so that the signatures are held between the tapes. The signatures are transferred to grippers  82  of drum  80  (FIG. 3) at a planar (flat) transfer area  93 , with the velocity of the tapes  32  matched to the tangential velocity of the grippers  82 . The grippers can act in a space D between the lever arms  40 . 
     Inside guides  90 , which can be movable, can attach to mounting pad  43  for additional support. A cantilever support  55  attached to a support  61  can attach all of the tape levers  40 . 
     FIG. 6 shows the cantilever support  55  more clearly, some of tapes  32  not being shown for clarity. Connectors  63  can connect the alignment blocks  56  to the support  55 . Set screws  67  can be used to adjust the angularity of each lever arm  40  in direction  92 . This can ensure a flat, planar surface  93  (FIG. 5) of the transport device for proper transfer of the signatures. 
     FIGS. 7A,  7 B and  7 D show more details of lever arm  40  with side rails  42 ,  44 . Pulley  54 , which fits between rails  42 ,  44  includes a bearing  154 , retaining ring  155 , shaft  153  and connectors or fasteners  156  and  166 . Pulley  52  may be of similar construction. Alignment block  56  can be connected to the rails to space the rails by connectors  256 . A fastener  157  with a spacer nut  257  can be provided as well. 
     As shown in FIG. 7C, a width  220  of the lever arm at the pulley  52  may be such that it is less than twice the width  232  of tape  32 . The ratio of width  220  to width  232  advantageously may even be less that 1.5, for example 1.4. 
     List of Elements 
       2  tape transport mechanism 
       4  diverter 
       5  web 
       6  perforations 
       10  rod 
       11  side support 
       12  adjustable lever arm/ air cylinder 
       14  tape 
       15  pulley 
       16  pivot center 
       18  diverter flipper 
       30  cutting cylinders 
       32  tapes (lower) 
       40  lever arm assembly 
       42  side rail 
       43  mounting pad 
       44  side rail 
       45  rotational axis 
       46  rotational axis 
       50  signature 
       52  pulley 
       54  pulley 
       55  support 
       56  alignment block 
       60  folder 
       61  support 
       62  tape transfer device 
       63  connectors 
       67  set screws 
       80  deceleration drum 
       82  grippers 
       88  tapes (upper) 
       90  guides 
       92  lever movement direction 
       93  transfer area 
       114  tape width 
       115  pulley 
       118  width 
       153  shaft 
       154  bearing 
       155  retaining ring 
       156  fastener 
       157  fastener 
       166  connector 
       214  support tape 
       218  diverter parts 
       220  width 
       232  width 
       256  connectors 
       257  spacer nut