JP2998774B2 - Signature sorting device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a signature sorting apparatus for separating a predetermined number of signatures from a signature bundle comprising a plurality of signatures. This signature sorting apparatus is used, for example, when a predetermined number of signatures are supplied to a bookbinding machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a signature sorting apparatus, FIG.
A device provided with a separation mechanism shown in FIG. 8 is known. In this signature sorting apparatus, as shown in FIG. 6, the signature placement portion 18b of the sorting table 18 is arranged so as to be flush with the main table 10 or lower. In this state, a signature bundle including a number of signatures 12 is placed on the main table 10. Each signature 12 is placed upright with the fold side facing down and the facing side facing up.

In this state, when the air cylinder 15 is contracted and moved to displace the sorting table 18 obliquely upward with respect to the main table 10 as shown in FIG. A space R is formed between the original bundle 12a and the signature bundle on the sorting table 18 side, that is, the sorting bundle 12b. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 8, the separation device 13 is raised by the air cylinder 14 and is made to enter the space R. As a result, the signature bundle is separated into the original bundle 12a and the sorting bundle 12b, and then, for example, sandwiched from the thickness direction by the robot hand and transported to another place, for example, a signature storage unit of the bookbinding machine.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional signature sorting apparatus, when the sorting table 18 is moved obliquely upward to form a space R below the signature bundle, the folding on the sorting bundle 12b side is performed. Although the lower end of the singing section is going to perform a curved movement, the sorting table 18 is adapted to move in a straight line and parallel manner.
The lower end portions of several signatures on the space R side of the space 2b are forcibly bent at a large curvature by the signature placement portion 18b of the sorting table 18, so that the signatures were easily damaged.

[0005] Also, due to the forcible bending with such a large curvature, the restoring force of the lower end portions of several signatures on the space R side is increased, and as a result, the lower end portions are sorted. From the table 18 and back into the space R,
The lower ends of the several folded signatures may be bent by the leading end of the separating device 13 to break the signatures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a signature sorting apparatus capable of sorting signatures accurately without damaging the signatures. .

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a signature sorting apparatus according to the present invention is a signature sorting apparatus for separating a predetermined number of signatures from a bundle of signatures. , A main table on which a bundle of signatures is placed in an upright state, a sorting table for forming a space below the bundle of signatures by moving relative to the main table, and a signature mounting surface of the main table And a signature separating means which moves so as to cross the space and enter the space, wherein the sorting table has a bending motion corresponding to a bending motion of an end of the signature bundle on the sorting table side. Is performed to form the above space.

It is preferable that the curvature of some of the sorting bundles on the space R side is as small as possible. Therefore, the end of the sorting table on the side closer to the signature separating means moves parallel to the main table. It is desirable to configure as follows. Further, the configuration of the sorting table is not limited to a specific configuration, but may be configured by, for example, a plurality of movable members rotatably connected to each other.

[0009]

A space is formed below the bundle of signatures by moving the sorting table relative to the main table. By inserting the signature separating means into the space, the signature bundle is separated into two bundles and sorted. During this sorting operation, the sorting table is displaced obliquely upward while performing a curved motion, so that no excessive force is applied to the fold portion of the signature to be separated. Therefore, the signatures can be sorted into exact copies without damaging the signatures.

[0010]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a signature sorting apparatus according to the present invention. The signature sorting device has a main table 10, a sorting table 11, and a signature separation device 13. As shown in FIG.
The right side portion of 0 is partially cut out in a rectangular shape, and the sorting table 11 is disposed in the cutout portion.

As shown in FIG. 3, the signature separating device 13 is connected to an air cylinder 14, and is driven by the air cylinder to reciprocate vertically in the drawing. The sorting table 11 is connected to an air cylinder 15, and is driven by the air cylinder 15 to reciprocate parallel to the main table 10 in an oblique vertical direction.
The sorting table 11 includes a signature placing portion 11b extending in the horizontal direction and a pressing portion 11a extending in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 4, the signature separating device 13 includes a signature placing portion 11b of the sorting table 11.
It is located between.

In FIG. 1, the signature placing portion 11b is composed of a plurality of, in this embodiment four, movable members 2 rotatably connected to each other by pins 1. Of these movable members 2, the movable member 2 a closest to the signature separating device 13 is supported by a guide rod 17 so as to move in a horizontal direction, that is, a direction parallel to the main table 10. When the sorting table 11 is pulled obliquely upward in the right direction by the action of the air cylinder 15, the movable member 2 a on the left end is guided by the guide rod 17 while the main table 10
To the movable member 2 on the right side thereof.
Performs a curved motion so as to bend to the signature 12 side.

A plurality of signatures 12 are composed of a support plate 16 which can be moved in the horizontal direction in the figure and a pressing portion 11 of a sorting table.
are arranged in an upright state on the main table 10 in a state sandwiched between them. The signatures 12 are arranged with the fold side down and the facing side up.

As shown in FIG. 5, the signature separating device 13 includes a vertically long side plate 26, three rotatable rollers 27, 28, 29 provided at the upper end of the side plate 26, and a side plate 26. Two rollers 30 and 31 provided at the lower part, a belt 32 stretched between two upper and lower rollers 27 and 30 on the left side, two upper and lower rollers 29 and 31 on the right side and an uppermost roller 28 And a belt 33 stretched between them.

The side plate 26 is provided with the air cylinder 14 shown in FIG.
And reciprocates in the vertical direction of FIG. 5, that is, in the direction perpendicular to the main table 10. The left and right belts 32 and 33 are fixed to machine frames 34a and 34b, which are not moved, by bolts 35, respectively. Further, the belts 32 and 33 are connected to the upper left roller 27.
And the uppermost roller 28 are in surface contact with each other under pressure.

The operation of the signature sorting apparatus having the above configuration will be described below.

First, as shown in FIG. 1, the upper surface of the sorting table 11, that is, the signature mounting surface is attached to the main table 10.
At the same position or slightly lower than the upper surface, ie, the signature placing surface. The figure shows a state in which the sorting table 11 is arranged on substantially the same plane as the main table 10.

In this state, a plurality of signatures 12 are placed on the main table 10, and the bundle of signatures is pressed and held by the support plate 16 and the pressing portion 11a from the left and right in the figure. At this time, each signature 12 forming the signature bundle has its fold side facing downward and its facing side facing upward. Due to the pressing of the signature bundle by the support plate 16 and the pressing portion 11a, the swelling of the fold portion of each signature 12 is crushed, and each signature 12 is firmly held in a vertical state.

Thereafter, the sorting table 11 is driven by the air cylinder 15 and moves obliquely upward as indicated by an arrow B in FIG. At the time of this curve movement, the bottom of the signature bundle is separated into a sorting bundle 12b that moves on the sorting table 11 and an original bundle 12a remaining on the main table 10, and a wedge-shaped space therebetween. R is formed.

Thereafter, the signature separating device 13 moves upward, crosses the main table 10 and the sorting table 11 and enters the wedge-shaped space R as shown in FIG. 3, and further cuts into the signature bundle. Ascends and penetrates the signature bundle. Due to this upward movement of the signature separating device 13, the signature bundle becomes the original bundle 12a and a predetermined number of signatures 12 determined.
And a sorting bundle 12b composed of The separated sorting bundle 12b is held, for example, by a robot hand (not shown), and is carried to a predetermined storage position of, for example, a bookbinding machine (not shown).

As the signature separating device 13 ascends through the signature bundle, as shown in FIG.
Translates upward together with the side plate 26. Then, the left belt 32 gradually protrudes above the main table 10 in a state of being stretched over the left roller pair 27, 30. At the same time, the right belt 33 is stretched over the right roller pair 29, 31 and the uppermost roller 28, and
It gradually overhangs above 0. Each belt 32, 33
Are themselves fixed to the machine frames 34a and 34b, so that the entire signature separating device 13 is
When ascending through the space between 2a and the sorting bundle 12b,
Each of the belts 32 and 33 rotates around the side plate 26, but maintains surface contact with the side surfaces of the original bundle 12a and the sorting 12b without having a relative speed. As a result, the alignment of the signatures 12 is not disturbed by the signature separating device 13 moving upward.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the sorting table 11 is moved obliquely upward to form a space R below the bundle of signatures, the lower end of the fold of the bundle of signatures tends to bend. At this time, the signature placing unit 1 of the sorting table 11
1b will perform a bending movement due to the movement of each movable member 2, and this will be a movement that matches the bending movement of the lower end of the fold portion of the signature. Therefore, since the lower end of the signature 12 is not forced to be bent to a large curvature, no excessive force acts on the lower end of the signature 12, and the signature 12 is not damaged.

Further, since the lower end of the signature 12 is not forcibly bent, the restoring force of the signature 12 is small.
The lower ends of the left several sheets of the signatures 12 moving on the signature placement portion 11b of the sorting table 11 do not come off the signature placement portion 11b and return to the space R, Therefore, there is no fear that the signature 12 is bent by the upper end of the signature separation device 13 that rises.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and can be variously modified within the technical scope described in the claims.
For example, the configuration of the signature separating device 13 is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. The configuration of the signature placing portion 11b of the sorting table 11 is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 1, but may be configured by, for example, a flexible member that can be bent and moved.

[0025]

According to the signature sorting apparatus of the first aspect, when a space R is formed below the bundle of signatures by moving the sorting table, the space is adjusted to the bending movement of the bundle of signatures on the fold side. As the sorting table bends in shape,
An excessive force is not applied to the signature bundle, and as a result, it is possible to sort the bundle into a predetermined number without damaging the signature bundle.

According to the signature sorting apparatus of the second aspect, the bending motion of the sorting table can be more accurately matched with the bending motion of the fold portion of the bundle of signatures.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, a bending motion can be brought to the sorting table by a simple and less troublesome structure.

[0028]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front sectional view showing an embodiment of a signature sorting apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a space is formed below a signature bundle by moving a sorting table.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a state where a bundle of signatures is separated by a rising movement of a signature separation device.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the signature sorting apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a front sectional view showing an example of a signature separating device.

FIG. 6 is a front sectional view showing an example of a conventional signature sorting apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing one mode of operation of the conventional device of FIG. 6;

8 is a diagram showing another operation mode of the conventional device of FIG. 6;

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Pin 2 Movable Member 10 Main Table 11 Sorting Table 11a Pressing Section 11b Signature Placement Section 12 Signature 12a Original Bundle 12b Sorting Bundle 13 Signature Separation Device 14 Air Cylinder for Signature Separation Device 15 Air Cylinder for Sorting Table 16 Support plate 17 Guide rod

────────────────────────────────────────────────── (5) References JP-A-5-286284 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B42C 19/00 B42C 19/04 B65H 3 / 32

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A signature sorting apparatus for separating a predetermined number of signatures from a signature bundle consisting of a plurality of signatures, comprising: a main table on which signature bundles are placed in an upright state; Sorting table that forms a space below the bundle of signatures by moving the signatures together, and signature separation means that moves across the signature mounting surface of the main table and enters the space. , the sorting for the table, folding Chotaba sorting table of
A signature sorting apparatus, wherein the space is formed by performing a bending motion in accordance with a bending motion of a side end . 2. A signature sorting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an end of the sorting table close to the signature separating means moves substantially in parallel with the main table. . 3. A signature sorting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sorting table has a plurality of movable members rotatably connected to each other.