Patent Publication Number: US-6698988-B2

Title: System and method for building multiple edges of a calendar

Description:
This application claims the benefit of provisional application 60/288,766 filed on May 4, 2001. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to document binders. More specifically, this invention relates to an improved system and method for binding multiple edges of calendars or similar items with slides. 
     Slides for binding a margin of a calendar, poster, and the like are known in the art. A slide is generally an elongate strip of metal which may be folded or crimped one or more times onto the margin of an item, such as a calendar or poster. The slide may have a tab attached at a midpoint thereof so that the item may be hung by the tab at a desired location, such as on a wall. Examples of slides are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,906,024 and 2,042,912, each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     Attaching a slide to the margin or edge of a calendar, poster, or the like, is commonly referred to as “tinning”. Tinning calendars is an economical means for finishing calendars that are commonly used by companies for advertising purposes. Also, it is advantageous to tin other hanging documents, such as posters, maps, and training guides, so that they may hang neatly and be easily moved from one location to another. 
     In many situations, it is desirable to tin both the bottom and top edges of a calendar, poster or other item. The slide along the top edge of the item generally includes a tab or hook for hanging, while the slide along the bottom edge of the item does not generally include a tab. The slide provided along the bottom edge acts as an anchor, or weight, whereby the calendar or poster will hang flatly when mounted on a wall or other support. Because calendars are commonly used as promotional items and are shipped in a rolled configuration within a tube, the bottom slide advantageously helps to overcome the curl inherently induced in a calendar from being stored or shipped in a rolled configuration, once the calendar is removed from the tube 
     Another advantage of having slides on both the top and bottom edges of a calendar is the ease with which such calendars may be handled in a stack. The edge of a calendar with a slide is typically much thicker than the remainder of the calendar. Thus, when dozens or hundreds of calendars having only a single tinned edge are stacked one upon another in a similar orientation, the portion of the stack corresponding to the tinned edges of the calendars is significantly higher than the untinned portion, thereby producing an uneven stack which is difficult to maneuver, ship or handle. One possible solution to this problem is to alternate the orientation of successive calendars, but this requires manipulation of at least fifty percent of the calendars and introduces further inefficiency into the production process. In contrast, a supply of calendars having slides on both the top and bottom edges can be stacked more neatly and without requiring reorientation of the calendars in the stack. 
     Certain prior art machines for tinning have been fully automatic or semi-automatic so that large numbers of slides per hour may be applied to individual calendars. One such tinner is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,194 which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The &#39;194 patent shows a calendar tinner which automatically supplies a metal strip from a roll of metal to a first folding mechanism which automatically folds the metal strip longitudinally. A calendar then is automatically fed into the folded metal strip, whereafter the metal strip is cut to the width of the calendar to form the slide. The slide is then automatically crimped upon the calendar to sandwich the calendar therein. Thereafter, the slide is automatically folded a second time to produce a second bend which is then automatically crimped back upon itself to complete the tinning process. 
     Other automatic and semi-automatic tinners are also available from the assignee of this invention. The Stuebing Automatic Machine Company provides, for example, the Calamatic Metal Edger into which a calender is fed either manually or automatically and the edger automatically crimps the slide upon the calendar. Also, the Stuebing ACF-24 or ACF-32 systems automatically feed the slides and calendars and crimp a slide to each calendar. Machines of this type can tin over 20,000 slides per eight-hour shift and are generally used by those who wish to tin large volumes of materials. 
     Such automatic or semi-automatic machines are intended for large capacity production. Nevertheless, tinning both the top and bottom edges of a calendar requires processing each calendar twice through the tinner. As a result, overall production volume is typically cut in half. This inefficiency is highlighted during peak calendar production periods. Calendars are typically seasonal items and producers or suppliers must meet demands in a timely fashion. Therefore, an inefficiency which reduces production by fifty percent during such peak demand periods is even more problematic. Moreover, increased labor costs often require that the tinning process be conducted by a single operator for efficient and economical production of calendars, posters and the like. 
     Therefore, a need exists for a system and associated method for efficiently and effectively tinning multiple edges of calendars, posters, or other items in an economical and acceptable manner for mass production without detrimentally impacting the quantity or quality of output or increasing labor requirements. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     These and other objectives of the invention are achieved with an improved system and method for tinning top and bottom edges of an item, such as a calendar, poster, or the like, while still maintaining desired production output levels. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the system includes two automatic or semi-automatic tinners, such as the Calamatic Metal Edger, ACF-24 or ACF-32 systems, each commercially available from the Stuebing Automatic Machine Company in Cincinnati, Ohio. One tinner applies a slide to a first or top edge of each of a supply of items, such as calendars, posters, or the like. Each item is then serially discharged from the first tinner onto a conveyor or transferring apparatus. The leading edge of each item discharged from the first tinner has a slide. The conveyor system automatically transfers each of the items to a second tinner for automatically tinning the opposite or bottom edge of each item. Advantageously, the conveyor feeds each successive item to the second tinner in an orientation wherein the leading edge entering the second tinner is the bottom, or untinned edge, which requires the slide. Accordingly, operator involvement for the transfer of each item between the first and second tinners is not required to automatically process and tin the calendar on both the top and bottom edges thereof. 
     The present invention thus provides a system and associated method for automatically tinning spaced top and bottom edges of a calendar, poster or the like with state of the art semi-automatic and/or automatic tinners utilized in series with a conveyor for transferring and orienting each of the serially processed calendars, posters or the like between the two tinners. Advantageously, operator involvement is not required to process each of the calendars between the first and second tinners. Because each calendar is only processed once through the system, production output is not diminished and an operator is not required to collect each of the calendars after the first tinning operation, reorient each calendar, and input them into the second tinning machine for tinning on the opposite spaced edge thereof. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The objectives and features of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a plan view of an exemplary system for tinning top and bottom edges of a supply of serially fed items, such as calendars, posters, or the like; 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of the operations performed on a calendar being processed through the system of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a plan view of an exemplary conveyor of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 4 is a partial section view taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG.  3 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a system  10  according to one exemplary embodiment of this invention for binding multiple edges of a calendar, poster, or other workpiece  14  is shown. While this invention is primarily intended for processing calendars, other articles for tinning may be processed, such as posters, maps, instructional guides or other similar items. Such items are generally referred to herein as workpieces  14 . 
     The system  10  includes first and second tinning machines  16 ,  18 . While any type of automatic or semi-automatic tinning machine may be utilized, most preferably the tinning machines  16 ,  18  employed in this invention are Calamatic Metal Edgers utilized in conjunction with AF-500 Automatic Calendar Feeders, each of which are commercially available from The Stuebing Automatic Machine Company of Cincinnati, Ohio. The Calamatic Metal Edger and the AF-500 Automatic Calendar Feeder are available in models appropriate for processing calendars up to 24 inches wide or 32 inches wide, as appropriate. Alternatively, the Stuebing ACF-24 or ACF-32 automatic binding machines may be utilized with this invention. 
     System  10  further includes first and second calendar feeders  20 ,  30  associated with the first and second tinning machines  16 ,  18 , respectively. A conveyer  26  is positioned proximate the first and second tinning machines  16 ,  18  such that the conveyor  26  is adjacent the discharge end of the first tinning machine  16  and adjacent the infeed end of the second tinning machine  18 . Flow of workpieces through the system  10  is such that the conveyor  26  is downstream from the first tinning machine  16  and upstream from the second tinning machine  18 . 
     Referring further to FIG. 2, a supply of workpieces  14  is input (arrow A) into the first calendar feeder  20 . The calendar feeder  20  feeds successive workpieces  14  for individual processing in the first tinning machine  16 . Each workpiece  14  is fed to the first tinning machine  16  from the first feeder  20  such that a first edge  24  of the workpiece  14 , typically the top edge, is the leading edge, and a slide  22  is applied to the first edge  24  of the workpiece  14 . The workpieces  14  are serially and individually discharged from the first tinning machine  16 , leading edge first, onto the conveyor or transferring apparatus  26 , as shown by arrow B. As shown in FIG. 2, slide  22 , applied to first (top) edge  24 , may have a tab  28 . 
     Conveyor  26  transfers each workpiece  14  laterally in the direction of arrow C for input into the second feeder  30  of second tinning machine  18  (arrow D). Advantageously, each workpiece  14  is transferred from the first tinning machine  16  to the second tinning machine  18  and is presented to the second tinning machine  18  by second feeder  30  in an orientation such that a second edge  32  of workpiece  14  is the leading edge with respect to second tinning machine  30 . As such, the second edge  32  of each workpiece  14  entering the second tinning machine  18  does not have a slide  22   a  applied thereto. 
     Referring further to FIG. 3, an exemplary conveyor  26   a  will be described, wherein similar components are denoted with common reference numbers and distinguishing suffix letters (a, b, c). Suffix “a” refers to components which function to move a workpiece  14  along conveyor  26   a  in the direction of arrow B, in FIGS. 1-3. Likewise, suffixes “b” and “c” refer to components which function to move a workpiece  14  along the conveyor  26   a  in the directions of arrows C and D, respectively. 
     Exemplary conveyor  26   a  comprises an array of rollers  40   a ,  40   b ,  40   c  and bearings  42   a ,  42   b ,  42   c  configured to receive each workpiece  14  discharged from the first tinning machine  16  and to transfer the workpiece  14  for presentation to the second tinning machine  18 . Rollers  40   a ,  40   b ,  40   c  are supported on respective shafts  44   a ,  44   b ,  44   c  and are driven by a motor  46  through a gearbox  48  and belts  50   a ,  50   b ,  50   c  attached between shafts  44   a ,  44   b ,  44   c , respectively. Bearings  42   a ,  42   b ,  42   c  are supported above rollers  40   a ,  40   b ,  40   c  by elongate strips having apertures therein to capture the bearings  42   a ,  42   b ,  42   c . Bearings  42   a ,  42   b ,  42   c  may freely rotate on the elongate strips  52   a ,  52   b ,  52   c  and are driven to rotate in a desired direction upon contact with respective rollers  40   a ,  40   b ,  40   c  to thereby impart motion to workpiece  14  supported above the bearings  42   a ,  42   b ,  42   c.    
     In the exemplary embodiment shown, the elongate strips  52   a ,  52   b ,  52   c  are coupled to moveable frames  54   a ,  54   b ,  54   c  whereby the elongate strips  52   a ,  52   b ,  52   c  may be selectively moved relative to rollers  40   a ,  40   b ,  40   c  under the control of respective actuators  56   a ,  56   b ,  56   c  to bring bearings  42   a ,  42   b ,  42   c  into and out of contact with respective rollers  40   a ,  40   b ,  40   c.    
     FIG. 4 is a depicts a partial side view of the conveyor  26   a  and illustrates how frames  54   b ,  54   c  raise and lower strips  52   b ,  52   c  such that bearings  42   b ,  42   c  are brought into contact with, or are separated from respective rollers  40   b ,  40   c  to move workpiece  14  along conveyor  26   a  in the direction of arrow C. As shown in FIG. 4, bearings  42   b  are in contact with rollers  40   b , whereby motion of rollers  40   b  drives bearings  42   b  to move workpiece  14  supported above the bearings  42   b . Likewise, bearings  42   c  are separated from rollers  40   c  and do not impart motion to the workpiece  14 . 
     In operation, a first set of bearings  42   a  draws each workpiece  14  onto conveyor  26   a  in the direction of arrow B. Actuator  56   a  moves bearings  42   a  away from rollers  40   a , and actuators  56   b  move bearings  42   b  into contact with rollers  40   b  to advance the workpiece  14  along the conveyor  26   a  in the direction of arrow C. Actuators  56   b  then move bearings  42   b  away from rollers  40   b , and actuator  56   c  moves bearings  42   c  into contact with rollers  40   c , whereby the workpiece  14  is advanced toward the second feeder  30  and second tinning machine  18  in the direction of arrow D. As such, the conveyor  26   a  includes first, second and third transfer mechanisms that move the workpieces  14  in the directions of arrows B, C, and D, respectively. 
     Conveyor  26   a  may further include sensors (not shown) used in conjunction with the actuators  56   a ,  56   b ,  56   c  to maintain proper alignment of the workpiece  14  on the conveyor  26   a  and to facilitate manipulation of bearings  42   a ,  42   b ,  42   c  to advance the workpiece  14  as described above. 
     The second tinning machine  18  processes each workpiece  14  by applying a slide  22   a  to the second edge  32  of the workpiece  14 , typically the bottom edge of workpiece  14 . Upon exiting the second tinning machine  18 , each workpiece  14  has two slides  22 ,  22   a  applied or crimped to the spaced opposite edges  24 ,  32  thereof. Each workpiece  14  is serially discharged from the second tinning machine  18  in the direction of arrow E for accumulation by a collector  36  into a stack  34  for convenient packaging, shipping or further processing. 
     Referring specifically to FIGS. 1 and 2, a method for tinning first and second edges  24 ,  32  of a workpiece  14  will be described. Initially, each workpiece  14  is fed in the direction of arrow A by first feeder  20  of the first tinning machine  16 , which automatically applies or crimps a slide  22  to the first edge  24  of the workpiece  14 . The workpiece  14  is then discharged from the first tinning machine  16  onto the conveyor  26  in the direction of arrow B and transferred in the direction of arrow C for input into second feeder  30  and second tinning machine  18 . Workpiece  14  is fed into second tinning machine  30  in the direction of arrow D and in an orientation such that second edge  32  is the leading edge. Second tinning machine  18  applies second slide  22   a  to the second edge  32  of workpiece  14 . Workpiece  14  is then discharged from the second tinning machine  18  in the direction of arrow E for stacking in stack  34  by collector  36 . Therefore, the system  10  and method according to this invention, automatically processes a supply of workpieces  14  with slides  22 ,  22   a  applied to multiple edges  24 ,  32  without requiring operator involvement. 
     From the above disclosure of the general principles of the present invention and the preceding detailed description of at least one preferred embodiment, those skilled in the art will readily comprehend the various modifications to which this invention is susceptible. Therefore, I desire to be limited only by the scope of the following claims and equivalents thereof.