EP1816098B1 - Method and device for forming stacks - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for forming stacks of certain and differing lengths of vertically aligned printed sheets, wherein the sheets are fed with a transport device in succession from a printing press of a stacking device and separated in this by means of separating device into stacks.

The invention also relates to a device for carrying out the method.

Stacks of the type mentioned are also referred to by the person skilled in the art as bars and the stacking device as a bar extension. The formation of such stacks is intended in particular for offset and rotogravure printing presses. The formation of the stack takes place in the stacking device. The sheets to be stacked are fed via conveyor belts of the stacking device. In this, the printed sheets are pushed open standing on the bundle. During further processing, these printed sheets are removed, for example, in a saddle stitcher and perfect binder feeder. For example, book blocks are made from the printed sheets.

In the prior art are by the EP 0 623 542 A and EP 1 199 275 A Facilities for forming said stacks have become known. With these devices, the stacks can be pressed and strapped. By the EP 1 378 472 A In addition, a device has become known with which the pressed and strapped stacks can be palletized. In order for the stacks to be suitably palletised and processed further, they should have a certain length of, for example, 500-1200 mm.

The sheets to be stacked are produced, for example, in a rotary or digital printing press, which can be known to have a very high output. You can also switch very quickly from a production A to a production B. The changeover takes place, for example, with a plate change. In the stacking device then these productions must be separated exactly from each other. Stacks of copies from production A and production B are intolerable. The stacks should be sorted. It is thus a sorted separation between the stacks required. So far, this has usually been achieved only with a comparatively large amount of waste and also with a comparatively high changeover time between the productions. A high changeover time results especially when at the end of a production on the transport device still copies are available with which no more stack are formed could. These specimens were either treated as waste paper or they were ejected and subsequently placed by hand on a pallet. Until the beginning of the next production, manual intervention was required so far and a comparatively high changeover time could not be avoided.

It is increasingly printed even small editions, for example, from paperbacks and other books or printed matter. In this case, there are usually very high demands on cost-effective production. In order to reduce costs, it is particularly important for small print runs to avoid unnecessary waste and manual labor.

The invention has for its object to provide a method and a device of the type mentioned, which avoids the disadvantages mentioned. In particular, it should be possible to substantially reduce waste and to move from a production A to a production B essentially without changeover time. The produced bars or stacks should be sorted.

The invention is achieved in a generic method in that after a change of production still on the transport device located residual copies of the sheet of a previous production are counted with a counting device and formed from these remnants still stack with a different length of the stack of certain length of a certain number of remaining copies become.
By a predetermined stack is meant a stack which, for example, has a minimum length of 300 mm or a maximum length of 1200 mm. Such a standard stack enables preferably automatic palletizing on standardized pallets and suitable further processing.

In the method according to the invention it is avoided that at the end of a production there is a remainder of the printed sheet which no longer responds automatically. can be processed by manual intervention to a predetermined stack. In addition, it is possible to switch directly from production A to production B. As waste only the pressure-related switchover waste accumulates, but usually only a few copies.

The device according to the invention has a copy counting device operatively connected to a control device, with which the number of remaining copies of a production can be determined and transmitted to the control device. A suitable computer subdivides this number in such a way that stacks of differing lengths can be optimally formed from these residual copies of the production.

Fig. 1

schematisch eine Ansicht einer erfindungsge- mässen Einrichtung,

Fig. 2a-2d

schematisch einzelne Phasen der Stapelbildung in einer seitenansicht der erfindungsgemässen Einrichtung,

Fig. 3

eine Teilansicht der erfindungsgemässen Einrichtung zur Illustration einer Bildung eines Freihalteraumes in der Stapelvorrichtung und

Fig. 4

eine Ansicht gemäss Figur 3, in der der Freihalteraum gebildet ist.

An embodiment of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing. Show it:

Fig. 1

1 is a schematic view of a device according to the invention;

Fig. 2a-2d

schematically individual phases of the stack formation in a side view of the device according to the invention,

Fig. 3

a partial view of the inventive device for illustrating a formation of a Freihalteaumes in the stacking device and

Fig. 4

a view according to FIG. 3 , in which the free space is formed.

The inventive device 1 according to FIG. 1 a stacking device 2 with a separating device 15, which has a control device 6 and a transport device 4. With the transport device 4 can according to FIG. 2a Sheet 8 in a scale flow S or occasionally the stacking device 2 are supplied.

The printed sheets 8 are produced in a printing machine 3. In FIG. 1 this printing machine 3 is shown only schematically with a plate cylinder 30 and a blanket cylinder The printing machine 3 is preferably a rotary printing machine, but it may also be a digital printing machine. The printing press 3 enables a change from a production A to a production B and to further productions. The change can be done, for example, in a conventional manner with a plate change. Such a change is possible without interruption. For example, when printing a plate, the result is a printing-related waste of, for example, 20 to 50 copies. For example, in the case of production A the printed sheets 8 and in the case of a production B printed sheet 9 (FIG. Fig. 2b ). The printed sheets 8 and 9 are used for example for the production of book blocks. But you can also for the production of other printed products, for example serve for the production of brochures and the like. The printed by the printing machine 3 sheets 8 and 9 are counted by a counter 7. The counting device 7 is embodied, for example, as a laser counting head and arranged, for example, in a rotary pickup system (not shown here). The number of counted sheets 8 and 9 are transmitted to the control device 6. Due to the mentioned count and the known length of the transport device 4, the number of located on the transport device 4 sheets 8 and 9 can be calculated in a simple manner. The control device 6 is thus at any time the number of sheets 8 and 9 known, which are located on the transport device 4.

At a suitable location of the transport device 4 there is an outfeed belt 28 or another suitable discharge device, with which faulty printed sheets 8 and 9 can be fed to a container 29.

In the stacking device, the printed sheets 8 and 9 are stacked in a conventional manner on a table 23. A thus formed stack 5 is relatively loose. Of the stacked sheets 8 and 9, respectively, a certain number is separated, pressed and strapped. The strapped stacks 5 are preferably automatically palletized or otherwise fed to a storage device. In order that the stacks 5 can be suitably palletised and treated further, they must have a minimum length and must not exceed a maximum length. Regarding the pressing of the stacks and the delivery is on the EP 0 623 542 A , the EP 1 199 275 A and the EP 1 378 472 A pointed out, which are here for disclosure.

The number of stacks 5, which are formed, for example, from the printed sheets 8 of a production A, can be very different. For a small production, this can be a few stacks 5, but for a large production, for example, a few hundred.

For the invention, the processing of the residual copies of a production A or B is essential. The remaining copies are the printed sheets 8 and 9, which are still after a production change on the transport device 4 or in the scale flow S. The number of these remnants is in Fig. 1 the sum of the copies x1 to x6 plus z. The copies x1 to x6 are each present in a number which results in a stack 5 with a certain length, for example 800 mm. With z the final copies are called, but would not give a stack of certain length. In the prior art methods, these specimens had to be processed or excreted by hand. It was also necessary to interrupt production.

In the method according to the invention, the control device 6 is aware of the respective number of residual copies of a production, for example of the production A or B. By means of the control 6, now provided bars 5 ', 5 "..... are adjusted so that a residual stock z' again results in a specific stack, which is suitably strapped and palletized can. This adaptation is preferably carried out continuously with the aid of a suitable computer program, since it may still be necessary to remove specimens and thus change the stock of residual copies.

After the copies z can result in a change to a production B due to printing waste, which is discharged with the Ausschleusband 28. The conversion of production or the end of production is signaled by a signal of the printing machine 3 of the controller 6. The controller is therefore informed about the remaining stock of production A even after a production change. Due to the printing-related ejection of waste paper, a short gap may be formed between production A and production B. However, the conversion of production takes place here without interruption of work comparatively short time, for example within a few seconds.

Individual steps of the inventive method are described below with reference to FIGS. 2a to 2d . 3 and 4 explained in more detail.

The FIG. 2a shows the stacking of a production A. On a table 13 and a support of the stacking device 2 has already formed a loose stack 5. The stack 5 is supported on a pressing jaw 11 of a pressing device 10. Between the pressing jaw 11 and the stack 5, a plate 14, for example, a wooden plate is arranged, which later serves for strapping. A second pressing jaw 12 is in this phase not used yet. The scale flow S moves continuously first horizontally in the direction of arrow 18 and after a deflection in the direction of the arrow 19 finally vertically downwards against the table 13. With 8 'is the last copy or the last sheet of the production called A. A separator 15 with two fingers 16 and 17 is according to Fig. 2 shown in a rest position.

The Fig. 2b shows an arrangement with printing sheet 9 a subsequent production B. These sheets 9 form a scale flow S2. The foremost copy is here designated 9 '.

The according to Fig. 2b existing gap between production A and production B is calculated according to Fig. 2b finally closed. For this purpose, a transport part 4 'is delayed accordingly.

Now is the last sheet 8 'according to Fig. 2d in a stack 5 ', the fingers 16 and 17 are extended from the rest position to the active position shown here and thus the stack 5' is separated. This stack 5 'is the last batch of production A and has the last sheet as the printing sheet 8'. The stack 5 'is now also detected by the pressing jaw 12 of the pressing device 10 and compressed in a known manner between two end plates 14 and strapped. Finally, the strapped stack 5 'is automatically palletized.

The FIGS. 3 and 4 show a separation of production A from production B. The FIG. 3 shows the inlet of the last sheet 8 in the stack formed. The last sheet 8 'is located in the range of pulleys 21 and 22 of the transport device 4, around which a band 20 is placed. As can be seen, this last sheet 8 'is transported vertically down until it rests with his waistband on the table 13. At this moment, now a Stosselement 23 is moved against the stack formed or against the last sheet 8 '. The drive for this purpose can be arbitrary, for example, the drive can be done via a control cylinder, not shown here. The band 20 consists of a plurality of mutually spaced subbands, between which the stub element 23 can reach through. The loosely resting on the table 13 printed sheet 8 are from the stub element 23 in the in Fig. 4 shifted position shown so that a free space 32 is created, through which now the separator 15 can enter from below as indicated by arrow 27. The stub element 23 is after the classification of the sheet 8 'back into the in Fig. 3 moved shown starting position. The separating device 15 is applied to the stack 5 'and supports it. Immediately or simultaneously, the printing sheets 9 of the production B of the stacking device 2 are supplied, as shown in the Fig. 2d is shown. Through one of the fingers 16 and 17, a plate 14 (not shown here) can be inserted between them, thus compressing the stack 5 with the pressing device 10 and subsequently strapping it. The separator 15 is finally returned to the in Fig. 2a respectively. Fig. 3 shown starting position moves. The double arrow 24 shows the reciprocating movement of the push member 23. The arrow 26 in Fig. 4 shows the direction in which the stack 5 is pressed becomes. The double arrow 25 shows the movements of the fingers 16 and 17. Finally, the arrow 27 shows the movement of the separating device 15 from bottom to top, this movement being coordinated with the movement of the push member 23 according to the double arrow 24. The said movements are from the control device 6 controlled.

As can be seen from the above, a change from a production A to a production B and further productions without interruption is possible. The formed stacks 5 'are each sorted, i. they either contain printed sheets 8 of production A or sheets 9 of production B. The stacks 5 'formed are each stacks of a certain length. The length of the stacks 5 'is adjusted so that during production A there is no residual stock z that could not be used as a stack.

Claims (11)

1. Method for forming stacks (5) of particular and deviating lengths made from standing printed sheets (8, 9) arranged in rows, wherein the printed sheets (8, 9) are fed by a transport device (4) behind one another from a printing machine (3) to a stacking device (2) and are separated in the latter by a separating device (15) into stacks (5), characterised in that following a production change, residual copies (x1 to x6, z) of the printed sheets (8, 9) remaining on the transport device (4) are counted with a counting device (7) to a preceding production (A, B) and, from these residual copies (x1 to x6, z), stacks (5) with a length which deviates from the length of the stacks of particular length are formed into a particular number of residual copies.
2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the residual copies (x1 to x6, z) are continuously counted.
3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the stacks (5) of deviating length which have still to be formed are divided among the counted residual copies (x1 to x6, z).
4. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the last formed stack (5) comprises only printed sheets (8) from a production A and the subsequent stack comprises only sheets from a further production B.
5. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 4, characterised in that a free space (32) is formed in the stacking device (2) following the last copy (8') of a production A for the introduction via separating means (16, 17) of the separating device (15).
6. Method according to claim 5, characterised in that the free space (32) is formed with a pushing element (23) which is movable to and fro in the longitudinal direction of the formed stack (5).
7. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 6, characterised in that a stack (5) produced before the residual copies has a particular length.
8. Device for carrying out the method according to one of the claims 1 to 7, comprising a stacking device (2), a transport device (4) for transporting the printed sheets (8, 9) to be stacked from a printing machine (3) to the stacking device (2) and a separating device for forming stacks (5), and a control device (6), characterised in that a copy counting device (7) is provided for determining a number of residual copies (x1 to x6, z) of a production (A, B) and is effectively connected to the control device (6).
9. Device according to claim 8, characterised in that the copy counting device (7) is connected downstream of the printing machine (3).
10. Device according to claim 8 or 9, characterised in that the separating device (15) comprises a pushing element (23) which is movable to and fro in the region of the front end of the transport device (4) in order to form a free space (32).
11. Device according to one of the claims 8 to 10, characterised in that the separating device (15) can be moved in behind a stack (5) from below to separate a production A from a production B.

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