Abstract:
Please add the Abstract of the Disclosure as set forth on the separate accompanying sheet. That Abstract of the Disclosure is essentially the same, in content, as the Abstract which is a part of the published PCT application WO 2004/069704A2. No new matter is being presented by the addition of this Abstract of the Disclosure.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This patent application is the U.S. national phase, under 35 USC 371, of PCT/DE 2003/003697, filed Nov. 7, 2003; published as WO 2004/069704 A2 and A3 on Aug. 19, 2004 and claiming priority to DE 103 04 564.3, filed Feb. 5, 2003, the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention is directed to a device for the transfer of printed products, having a paddle wheel arrangement. The paddle wheel arrangement has a plurality of paddle wheels which are rotatable about an axis.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Transfer devices with paddle wheels are employed, for example, at the outlet of a folding apparatus for use in receiving folded printed products introduced by the folding apparatus into the paddles of the paddle wheel. The paddle wheels are thereafter used for transferring the folded products, in an overlapping manner, to a conveyor belt or to a conveyor chain that is equipped with grippers for the printed products. The subject invention relates to a transfer device of the latter type. Such a transfer device is generally known from Swiss Letters Patent 427 625.  
         [0004]     With this type of transfer device; i.e. one that uses a conveyor chain with grippers, a problem occurs because the conveyor chain, which is looped around a deflection wheel which is rotating, along with the paddle wheel, on a common shaft, must be released from the deflection wheel in a tangential direction, so that a gripper, which is attached to the conveyor chain, takes along a gripped printed product in this tangential direction. However, the paddle, into which the printed product was inserted, continues its rotation around the shaft, so that the danger arises that the printed product buckles between the gripper and the paddle and is thereby damaged when the paths of the paddle and the gripper diverge.  
         [0005]     In an effort to solve this problem, it has been proposed, in EP 0 931 011 B1, for the deflection wheel to be rotatorily driven at a lower angular velocity than the paddle wheel. The precessing of the paddle wheel produced by the utilization of this proposed solution achieves that, at the time when the gripper, which is holding a printed product, leaves the circumference of the deflection wheel, the paddle, which previously had contained the printed product, is already so far ahead in its continuing rotation, that further straight-ahead movement of the printed products is no longer hampered. Although it is possible, in this way, to prevent damage to the printed product, a careful matching of the speeds and the phases of the movements of the paddle wheel and the conveyor chain is required. If the precession or the speed of the paddle wheel is too slow, buckling of the printed product is not reliably prevented. If the precession or the speed is too fast, at the time the gripper closes around a printed product the paddle wheel, this can have such a lead, in respect to the gripper, that the printed product is no longer assuredly held and can be tilted or can even fall out of the paddle before the gripper closes.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The object of the present invention is directed providing a device for transferring printed products, which includes a paddle wheel arrangement.  
         [0007]     In accordance with the present invention, this object is attained by the provision of a device for transporting on transferring printed products that has a paddle wheel arrangement which has a plurality of paddle wheels that are rotatable around at least one axis. A conveyor chain supports a plurality of grippers. The conveyor chain passes around a deflection wheel which is situated between the two spaced paddle wheels and which is rotatable about an axis. Axes of rotation of the paddle wheels are inclined with respect to the axis of rotation of the deflection roller. The paddle wheel axes of rotation may also be inclined with respect to each other.  
         [0008]     The advantages to be gained by the present invention consist, in particular, in that because of the inclination of the axes of the paddle wheels, at a location where the conveyor chain is released from the deflection wheel, the distance between the paddles of spaced paddle wheel disks, adjacent to the deflection wheel, can be greater than the width of the product to be transferred. Therefore, the product to be transferred can move off the paddle wheel disks, with the aid of the conveyor chain without the risk of damage by the paddles. This can be accomplished without an elaborate matching of phase position and of speeds of the paddle wheels and the deflection wheel being required, as was the case with prior devices.  
         [0009]     To make the difference between the maximum and minimum spacing distances between the two paddle wheel disks adjacent to the deflection wheel variable, these two paddle wheels are preferably mounted to be pivotable transversely to their axes, on a frame.  
         [0010]     The axes of the paddle wheel disks are preferably arranged in such a way that they intersect the axis of the deflection wheel, preferably at an angle of between 10° and 30°.  
         [0011]     As a result of the inclination of the axes of rotation of the paddle wheels, the projection of the paddle wheels onto the plane of the deflection wheel is not circular, but instead is elliptical. It is not possible to achieve an absolute synchronization of the movements of the paddles with the rotation of the deflection wheel over the entire circumference. However, in the preferred range of the angle of inclination, the deviations do not cause any interference. This is particularly the situation in the case in which the centers of the projected ellipses coincide with the axis of the deflection wheel. To achieve as good a synchronization as possible of the movements of the grippers and of the paddles, in relation to the conveying direction of the handled products, the intersection of the shaft of a paddle wheel and the shaft of the deflection wheel should preferably be located at the level of the respective paddle wheel.  
         [0012]     To adopt the device, in accordance with the present invention, to the handling of printed products of different widths, the paddle wheel disks should be displaceable along an axis of displacement, which preferably is the shaft of the deflection wheel.  
         [0013]     Different rotational speeds of the paddle wheel disks on the one hand, and of the deflection wheel, on the other hand, are no longer required in the device. Therefore, drive assembles capable of accomplishing identical angular speeds are preferably provided for driving these elements.  
         [0014]     Preferably, the deflection wheel and the paddle wheels, which are arranged on different sides of the paddle wheel, are assigned their own drive motors, which individual drive motors can be electronically coupled in order to assure an identical angular speed of the paddle wheels and of the deflection wheel. Mechanical coupling of the paddle wheels and the deflection wheel can also be considered. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]     Preferred embodiments of the present invention are represented in the drawings and will be described in what follows.  
         [0016]     Shown are in:  
         [0017]      FIG. 1 , a side elevation view of the deflecting wheel with the conveyor chain looped around it, and of a paddle wheel of the transfer device in accordance with the present invention, in  
         [0018]      FIG. 2 , a perspective plan view of the deflection wheel, the conveyor chain, as well as of two paddle wheels situated adjacent to the deflection wheel, in  
         [0019]      FIG. 3 , a front view of a slightly modified embodiment of the transfer device, and in  
         [0020]      FIG. 4 , a variation of the transfer device in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0021]     A deflection wheel  01  can be seen in the side elevation view of  FIG. 1 , which deflection wheel  01  is rotatable in a counterclockwise direction around an axis which is extending perpendicularly with respect to the plane of  FIG. 1 . Notches  02  are distributed evenly around the circumference of the deflection wheel  01 , which notches  02  are engaged, over a portion of the circumference of the deflection wheel  01 , by bolts of a link chain  03 . This is also shown in  FIG. 2 . Every link  04  of the link chain  03  supports a gripper  06 , with each gripper  06  being provided with a gripper mouth  07 , which is bordered, on its side facing away from the link chain  04 , by a clamping jaw  08 , which clamping jaw  08  is rigidly connected with the chain link  04 . On the side of the gripper  06 , which is facing the chain link  04 , the mouth  07  is bordered by a pivotable clamping jaw  09 . The pivotable clamping jaw  09  is pivotable, in a spring-loaded manner, between a receiving position, in which the gripper mouth  07  is open for receiving a printed product  26 , and a holding position, in which the pivotable clamping jaw  09  presses the printed product  26  against the fixed clamping jaw  08 . These two positions are shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0022]     The pivotable clamping jaw  09  is connected with a lever arm  11  which lever arm  11 , in the course of the movement of each gripper  06 , while it is supported on the circumference of the rotating deflection wheel  01 , works together with a stationary cam for pivoting the clamping jaw  09  from the receiving position into the holding position.  
         [0023]     A first paddle wheel disk  12   a , which is arranged, in the perspective of the drawing of  FIG. 1 , behind the deflection wheel  01 , has a plurality of printed product receiving paddles  13  of a number corresponding to a number of the notches  02  of the deflection wheel  01  on its periphery. Receiving pockets  41 , which are defined by the paddles  13 , and which are configured for receipt of the printed products  26 , are respectively aligned with the gripper mouths  07  of grippers  06  located on the deflection wheel  01 .  
         [0024]     A second paddle wheel disk  12   b , which is not visible in  FIG. 1  but which can be seen by referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , is arranged in a mirror-symmetrical manner, in respect to the plane of  FIG. 1 , in relation to the paddle wheel  12   a . As can be seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the two paddle wheel disks  12   a ,  12   b  have rotational shafts  14   a ,  14   b  respectively, which rotational shafts  14   a ,  14   b  are inclined in relation to a rotational shaft  16  of the deflection wheel  01  at an angle α of 10° to 30° and which shafts  14   a ,  14   b  intersect the rotational shaft  16 . The angle of intersection α, as seen in  FIG. 2 , can be fixed. However, in the embodiment of the present invention which is represented in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , links, which themselves can be fixed in place, and by the use of which, a holder of the respective shaft  14   a  or  14   b  is connected with a lateral frame plate  34   a  or  34   b , permit a change of the angle α. For typical setting values of the angle α, an intersection point  18   a  or  18   b  of the axis of rotation of the deflection wheel rotational shaft  16  with the rotating shafts  14   a ,  14   b  of the paddle wheel disks  12   a  or  12   b  on the axes  14   a ,  14   b  lies at the level of the respective paddle wheel disk  12   a  or  12   b , or in its interior.  
         [0025]     In contrast to the paddle wheel disks  12   a ,  12   b  of  FIG. 2 , each of the paddle wheel disks  12   a ,  12   b , which are represented in  FIG. 3 , is divided into two separate disk segments in the axial direction. However, this is the single difference between the embodiments in these figures, so that both can be described together here.  
         [0026]     As a result of the inclination of the shafts,  14   a ,  14   b  there is a respective point  19  of the greatest or nearest approach, and a point  21  of the greatest distance or separation at the circumference of the paddle wheel disks  12   a ,  12   b , which two points are located diametrically opposite each other. An insertion point  22  wherein printed products  26 , which are received for example, from a folding apparatus, as seen in  FIG. 3 , fall into the pockets  41  of the paddle wheels  12   a ,  12   b , is located closely behind the point of nearest approach  19 , in the direction of rotation. Therefore, the spacing distance between the bottoms of the pockets  41  is short at the location of the insertion point  22 . A lower edge of an inserted product  26  is supported at its respective ends by a bottom  23  of each pocket  41 , and is supported in the center by the gripper mouth  07  of a gripper  06 . In the course of the rotation of the device, the product  26  moves downward along the circumference of the deflection wheel  01 . The clamping jaw  09 , which was still open at the insertion point  22 , is now closed and is effective for clamping the product  26 . As the paddle wheel disks  12   a ,  12   b  continue to rotate, the distance between the product receiving pocket bottoms  23 , on which bottoms  23  the product  26  rests, increases until finally, at a release point  24 , the distance is greater than the width of the printed product  26 . Starting at this release point  24 , the paddles  13  no longer prevent a movement of the printed product  26  away from the deflection wheel  01 , so that downstream of the release point  24 , which is shortly ahead of, or before in the direction of rotation of deflection roller  01 , the point  21  of the greatest separation or distance, the link chain  03  can be released from the deflection wheel  01  without there being a danger that the printed products  26  are buckled by the paddles  13 .  
         [0027]     As depicted in  FIG. 3 , the printed product receiving pocket bottoms  23  are inclined, in respect to the rotating shafts  14   a ,  14   b  of the paddle wheel disks  12   a  or  12   b  in which they are located, so that, in a typical position of the rotating shafts  14   a ,  14   b , the pocket bottoms  23  are oriented approximately horizontally. The pocket bottoms  23  are moreover also slightly saddle-shaped, so that an inserted product  26  can also not hit a sharp edge at the pocket bottom  23 , if the inclination of the paddle wheel disks  12   a  or  12   b  differs slightly from the typical position.  
         [0028]     As can be seen most clearly in  FIG. 3 , the left and the right paddle wheel disks  12   a ,  12   b  and the deflection wheel  01  are each assigned their own electric drive motors  27   a ,  27   b ,  28 , respectively. The electric motors  27   a ,  27   b ,  28  are regulated by the use of a suitable control circuit, which is not specifically shown, in such a way that they drive the paddle wheel disks  12   a ,  12   b  and the deflection wheel  01  at a uniform angular speed. The electric motors  27   a ,  27   b  act directly on the paddle wheel disk rotating shafts  14   a ,  14   b . The electric motor  28  drives the deflection wheel  01  by the use of a drive belt  29  which is circulating between two pulleys  31 ,  32 . In an arrangement which differs from the representation shown in  FIG. 3 , the electric motor  28  which drivers the deflection wheel  01  is not arranged below the deflection wheel  01 , since, in that case, the drive belt  29  would collide with the conveyed products  26 . Instead, in the perspective of  FIG. 3 , it lies horizontally behind the deflection wheel  01 .  
         [0029]     The paddle wheel disks  12   a ,  12   b  can be shifted parallel, in respect to the axis of rotation the deflection wheel  01 , on support arms  33   a ,  33   b , which, as seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , are mounted on right and left lateral frame plates  34   a ,  34   b . The distance of the paddle wheel disks  12   a ,  12   b  from each other can be changed by shifting their position on the support arms  33   a ,  33   b , and it is possible, by this distance variation capability, to adapt the transfer device of the present invention to accomplish the handling of printed products  26  of different widths.  
         [0030]      FIG. 4  shows a modified embodiment of the transfer device of the present invention in a plan view which is analogous to that shown in  FIG. 3 . Only one electric paddle wheel disk drive motor  27  is provided in this embodiment, which sole drive motor  27  acts directly on the shaft  14   a  of the left paddle wheel disk  12   a . The shaft  14   a  is coupled, by the provision of a universal joint  36 , to the rotating shaft  16  of the deflection wheel  01 . In this case, a cube or socket  37  of the universal joint  36 , on which the two shafts  14   a ,  16  act and which defines the center point of the freedom of the pivoting movement of the shafts  14   a ,  16  in respect to each other, is located in the interior of the paddle wheel disk  12   a.    
         [0031]     The deflection wheel shaft  16  is kept stationary by the use of ball bearings  38  which are connected with the frame. The position of the shaft  14   a  is fixed at one end by the universal joint  36 , its other end, which is its end facing the motor  27 , can be both displaced and fixed in place by being positioned in a bow  39 , which bow  39  is curved concentrically with respect to the universal joint  36 , so that by shifting the shaft  14   a  arcuately along the bow  39 , it is possible to set different angles of intersection a between the paddle wheel shafts  14   a , and the deflection wheel rotational shaft  16 .  
         [0032]     The shaft  14   b  of the right paddle wheel  12   b  is held in an analogous manner between a second universal joint  36  and a second bow  39 , which bow is concentric with respect to the second universal joint  36 . The bows  39  are each maintained, so as to be displaceable in the direction of the shaft  16 , on support arms  33   a ,  33   b , which support arms  33   a ,  33   b  are mounted on lateral frame plates  34   a ,  34   b . This displacement of the bows  39 , in the direction of shaft  16  is provided in order to be able to adapt the distance between oppositely located paddle wheel disks  12   a ,  12   b  to printed products  26  of different width, the same as was done in the previous preferred embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 3 . For the same purpose, the shaft  16  is of a telescopic structure, which is not specifically shown in detail in the drawing figure, with a center section of shaft  16  supporting the deflection wheel  16 , and with two head sections of shaft  16 , which are connected, fixed against relative rotation, with the center section, and which are axially displaceable and each of which head sections acts on one of the two universal joints  36 , respectively.  
         [0033]     In an alternative to the embodiment represented in the drawing figure of  FIG. 4 , the single electric motor  27  could act, in a manner the same as the electric motor  28  in  FIG. 3 , via a belt or a comparable transmission mechanism, on the deflection wheel  01  and could drive the two paddle wheel disks  12   a ,  12   b  by this drive assembly.  
         [0034]     While preferred embodiments of a bucket or paddle-wheel operated device for handing over or delivering printed products, in accordance with the present invention, have been set forth fully and completely hereinabove, it will be apparent to one of skill in the art that various changes in, for example the structure of the grippers and their method of actuation, the type of press used to print the folded products, 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 appended claims.