Patent ID: 6865818

Claim:
A method of measuring the thickness of each of a plurality of collated printed products to determine whether the printed products contain the proper number of sheets, comprising the steps of serially conveying the printed products along a path of travel which includes a measurement station, engaging the top surface of each printed product as it moves along the path of travel and through the measurement station by a lever arm which is mounted for pivotal movement about a pivot axis which is transverse to the path of travel and which is connected to the output spindle of an electric motor, sensing the pivotal position of the lever arm by means of an encoder which is connected to the output spindle of the electric motor, calculating from the sensed rotational position of the lever arm the thickness of the printed product which is engaged, and comparing the calculated thickness with a predetermined correct value, and issuing a reject or other signal whenever the calculated thickness varies from the predetermined correct value by more than a permissible tolerance.