EP1108672B1 - Method and device for linear folding - Google Patents

Abstract

The folding machine has a conveyor (15) for the first part (B) of a signature and a second conveyor (16) alongside this for transporting a second part (A) of the signature. The second conveyor has a first section (20) which transports part A parallel to the direction in which part B is moving. A second section (21) follows this which moves at an angle to the first conveyor (15) and moves part A towards part B, forming a fold. An Independent claim is included for a method of folding signatures using the machine.

Description

The present invention relates to a device and a method for folding signatures according to the preamble of claims 1 and 9.

Such a device and method are known from EP-A-413 371.

In web-fed rotary printing machines, a material web, for. As a paper web, printed and then further processed in a folder of the printing press. In a folder, certain desired folds can be produced in a finished printed product. In general, a cutting unit is also provided, in which the web is cut into individual signatures. Often both the web as a whole and the signatures cut by the web have to be folded.

In US 5,030,193 a folding apparatus is described, which forms a first folding device for forming a first fold in a material web along its career. This first fold is produced by passing the web over a triangular stationary former and then passing it between a draw roll pair so that the fold is fixed. Subsequently, the web is cut on a cutting cylinder in signatures, which are then fed by a folding blade cylinder a jaw cylinder. A folding blade of the folding blade cylinder pushes the signature into a jaw flap of the jaw cylinder, so that a transverse to the first fold extending second fold is formed. Subsequently, the signatures are fed to a third folding device. This comprises a band arrangement which detects the signatures and transports them through the third folding device. The band arrangement runs in a straight line in the third folding device. On the sides of the bands, however, two stationary formers are provided, which contact the sides of the incoming signature in the third folding device. These formers converge at an angle to the bands, so that the outer edge portions of the signature are directed upwards and thus the third fold is formed.

The first folding device of the above-mentioned document has the disadvantage that it can be used only with difficulty or even not at all for folding signatures; a train has to go over the Folding funnel are guided. A disadvantage of the second folding device is that many moving parts are necessary, and the disadvantage of the third folding device is a complicated construction in which a plurality of belts of different lengths are required.

For a printing machine that runs at top speed, usually more than one known Schwertfalzvorrichtung must be provided. Therefore, in many cases, the signature stream must be split and decelerated, which in turn requires additional devices such as baffles, brake sections, and merge devices. These additional devices increase the risk of irregularities in the folding process, since the signatures are handled by different devices and must be kept exactly in position.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simplified apparatus and method for folding signatures in which the risk of damage to the signatures is reduced.

This object is achieved by the features of claim 1.

Further features of the invention are contained in the subclaims.

A device according to the invention for folding signatures comprises for this purpose a first transport device for transporting a first part of a signature and a second transport device arranged next to the first transport device for transporting a second part of the signature, the second transport device being inclined with respect to the first transport device in this way, that the second part of the signature is moved in the direction of the first part of the signature.

The first and second transport devices preferably comprise bands which capture the respective part of the signature from above and below.

Since the second transport device runs obliquely in the direction of the first transport device, the signature is moved upwards in the region between the first part and the second part, so that a fold is formed.

The folding device preferably further comprises a guide or a plurality of guides, in which enter the signatures after leaving the first and second transport device. After leaving the guides, the folded signature can be carried, for example, by a plurality of vertically extending conveyor belts.

The folding device preferably further comprises bands which form a vertically extending gap into which the fold of the signatures enters and which fix the fold. The second transport device may comprise a sloping band portion, which is followed by a straight-running band portion, wherein the straight band portion is preferably arranged upstream of the guide.

The inclined band section preferably runs at a slightly higher speed than the first transport device. In this way, the first part and the second part of the signature can be moved in the same direction at the same speed during the formation of the fold.

The inventive method for folding signatures provides that a first part of a signature is transported in a first direction and a second part of the signature is transported in a second direction, wherein the second direction is inclined to the first direction, so that forms a fold in the signature.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the fold is passed between a pair of draw rollers which forms a band gap. After transporting the signature, this can also be moved via a guide.

The transport of the second part of the signature is preferably carried out at a slightly higher speed than the transport of the first part.

The transporting is preferably carried out by means of bands which detect the respective part of the signature from above and below.

The present invention relates to a simplified apparatus and method for folding signatures. The moving parts of the devices may be formed as simple bands. There are no complicated mechanisms needed.

Since the fold is formed while both halves of the signatures are securely held by the first and second conveyors, the folding operation can be accurately performed even at high speed without using a blade folding mechanism.

The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings listed below.

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Draufsicht der erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung, in der ein Band des ersten Transportabschnitts aus Gründen der Übersichtlichkeit nicht dargestellt ist;

Fig. 2

eine perspektivische Draufsicht eines unteren Abschnitts der erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung; und

Fig. 3

eine schematische Darstellung der Falzbildung in den Signaturen gemäß der vorliegenden Erfindung.

Show it:

Fig. 1

a top perspective view of the device according to the invention, in which a band of the first transport section is not shown for reasons of clarity;

Fig. 2

a top perspective view of a lower portion of the device according to the invention; and

Fig. 3

a schematic representation of the fold formation in the signatures according to the present invention.

In Fig. 1 is a perspective top view of a folding device 1 for folding signatures 2 is shown. The signature 2 is fed from a first belt drive 3 of the folding device 1, where it is received by a first transport device 15 and a second transport device 16 such that the signature part A of the second transport device 16 and the signature part B is received by the first transport device 15. The arrow 18 indicates the direction of movement of the first transport device 15.
With reference to Fig. 2, which shows the lower portion of the folding device 1, it is clear that the second transport device 16 comprises a first straight band portion 20 and a lower obliquely extending second band portion 21, which moves in the direction of the arrow 22, as well a second straight band portion 23 which moves in the direction of the arrow 24. The arrows 18, 24 and 26 and the tape running direction 20 are all parallel to each other.

The first transport device 15 comprises a belt 25 which moves in the direction of the arrow 26, which corresponds to the direction of the arrow 18. The first transport device 15 further comprises an upper band, not shown for reasons of clarity, which detects the upper side of the signature part B, while the signature 2 is guided by the first transport device 15. In this way, the signature part B is securely detected and guided in the direction indicated by the arrow 26 direction.

The second transport device 16 comprises, as shown in FIG. 1, a slanted top band portion 30 comprising a first roller 31, a second roller 32, a third roller 33, and a fourth roller 34. Between the first and second rollers 31, 32 are retractable belts 35, non-retractable belts 36 between the second and third rollers 32, 33, and further retractable belts 37 are disposed between the third and fourth rollers. All of these bands 35, 36, 37 extend obliquely toward the first transport device 15, so that they run in the same direction as the lower band section 21 in the direction 22.

The upper band section 30 is usually arranged directly above the lower band section 21.

The first, straight lower belt section 20 is accordingly arranged at a distance 40 from the belt 25. The signature part A on the belt section 21 and the The first transport device 15 conveyed signature is passed through the retractable belts 35 immediately to the inclined belt section 21.

The inclined band portions 21 and 30 then move the signature portion A to the signature portion B, as the inclined band portion 21 in position 43 approaches the band 25. In the position 43, the distance between the bands 21 and 25 is less than the distance 40. The second straight band portion 23 is also arranged at a distance 41 to the band 25, wherein the distance 41 is preferably smaller than the distance 40th

FIG. 3 shows the effect which the convergence of the transport devices 15 and 16 has on the signatures 2. A part of the signature parts B moves in the direction 26 within the first transporting device 15. A part of the signature parts A is moved between the slanted band portions 21 and 30 in the direction 22 inclined with respect to the (parallel to each other) directions 26 and 18 , In this way, a fold 50 is formed between the two guided signature parts A and B.

All belts run on rollers that are driven by motors. However, the tape sections 21 and 30 are thereby moved slightly faster than the tape 25, so that the signature part A is moved in the direction 18 at the same speed as the signature part B is moved in the direction 26. If x is the angle between the direction 22 and the direction 26 and v is the speed of the belt 25, the belts 22 and 30 travel at a speed which is approximately ^v / _{cos x} .

After forming the folds 50, they can be fixed by a fixing device 60 comprising a band 61 and a band 62. The fold 50 can run against the belt 61 moving at the same speed as the belt 25 and is moved into a gap 63 formed between the belt 61 and the belt 62. This gap 63 assists in fixing the fold 50. Subsequently, the signature 2 running out of the first and second transport devices 15, 16 is further transported by the belts 61 and 62 and enters a former compartment 70, here referred to as a static Leadership is shown. This static guide completes the fold by pressing sections A and B of signature 2 passed over the static guide against each other. Instead of a static guide, however, a dynamic folding roller or a folding belt arrangement can be provided to complete the fold.

After leaving the folding area 70, the folded signature can be transported by further conveyor belts 80.

Although the described first and second transport device comprises belts, other types of transport devices may be provided which allow a firm detection of the signatures, for example a series of closely adjacent rollers. However, the device, which has been referred to here as the first transport device, but must not be designed as a single device that is straight, but can, for. B. comprise a first and a second portion, which are arranged at a different angle. Both transport devices can z. B. in its second section to run obliquely on a central axis. The term "sloping" thus means only that one of the transport devices is inclined with respect to the other.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the belts for transporting the first part B and / or the second part A of the signatures 2 are formed by suction belts, as they are, for. B. of investors of sheet-fed rotary printing press forth.

List of reference numbers

1

folding device

2

signature

3

first belt drive

15

first transport device

16

second transport device

18

transport direction

20

straight band section

21

lower, oblique band section

22

Tape direction

23

second straight band section

24

Tape direction

25

tape

26

Tape direction

30

upper, sloping band section

31

first roller

32

second roller

33

third roller

34

fourth roller

35

retractable bands

36

non-retractable bands

37

retractable bands

40

distance

41

distance

50

fold

60

Falzfixierungsvorrichtung

61

tape

62

tape

63

gap

70

Falztrichterabschnitt

80

conveyor belts

A

signature part

B

signature part

Claims (14)

1. Folding device with a first transport device (15) for the transportation of a first part (B) of a signature (2) in a first direction (26) and a second transport device (16) arranged alongside the first transport device (15) for the transportation of a second part (A) of the signature, wherein the second transport device (16) comprises a first portion (20) and, arranged after the first portion, a second portion (21), which extends in a second direction diagonally relative to the first transport device (15),
   characterised in that
   the first portion (20) is provided for the transportation of the second part (A) of the signature (2) in a direction extending essentially parallel to the transport direction (26) of the first part (B) of the signature,
   and that the second direction extends diagonally in such a manner that the second part (A) of the signature (2) is moved in the direction towards the first part (B) of the signature, so that, within the region between the first part (B) and the second part (A), the signature is moved in a direction perpendicular to the first and second directions thereby forming a fold (50).
2. Device according to claim 1,
   characterised in that
   the first transport device (15) comprises a moving belt (25).
3. Device according to claim 1 or 2,
   characterised in that
   the second transport device (16) comprises a lower belt (20, 21) and an upper belt (35, 36, 37), which each run diagonally relative to the direction of movement (26) of the first transport device (15).
4. Folding device according to claim 1 or 2,
   characterised in that,
   arranged after the second portion, the second transport device (16) provides a third portion (23), which extends in the same direction (26) as the first transport device.
5. Device according to any one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that
   a fold-forming portion (70) is arranged after the first and second transport device (15, 16).
6. Device according to claim 5,
   characterised in that
   the fold-forming portion (70) is designed as a static guide.
7. Device according to any one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that
   belts (80), which form a vertically-extending gap (63), are provided in order to take up the fold (50) formed in the signature (2).
8. Device according to any one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that
   the diagonally-extending portion (21) of the second transport device (16) can be moved at a higher velocity than the first transport device (15).
9. Method for folding signatures, comprising the following method steps:

   transportation of a first part (B) of the signature (2) in a first direction (26); transportation of a second part (A) of the signature (2) in a second direction (22) extending diagonally relative to the first direction (26) in such a manner that a fold (50) is formed in the signature (2),

   characterised in that,

   before transportation in the second direction (22), the second part (A) of the signature (2) is transported in a direction extending parallel to the first direction (26), and that the second direction extends in such a manner that the second part (A) of the signature (2) is moved in the direction towards the first part (B) of the signature, so that, within the region between the first part (B) and the second part (A), the signature moves in a direction perpendicular to the first and second directions thereby forming a fold (50).
10. Method according to claim 9,
    characterised in that
    the fold (50) is fixed by belts (80), which form a vertically-extending gap.
11. Method according to claim 9,
    characterised in that,
    after the transport stages, the signatures (2) are guided over a fold-forming portion (70).
12. Method according to claim 9,
    characterised in that
    the transportation of the second part (A) takes place at a somewhat higher velocity than the transportation of the first part (B).
13. Method according to any one of claims 9 to 12,
    characterised in that
    the transportation takes place by means of belts (35, 36, 37).
14. Method according to any one of claims 9 to 13,
    characterised in that, during the formation of the fold (50), the first part (B) of the signature (2) and/or the second part (A) of the signature (2) are fixed between allocated belts (21, 23, 25, 35, 36, 37).

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