Sheet, or sheet package transport and rotation apparatus, and method
First Claim
1. Sheet or sheet package transport and rotation apparatus havingmeans (1, 2) for supplying a sheet or sheet package (3);
- means (6,
7) for removing the sheet, or sheet package, an endless belt means located between said supplying means and said removing means; and
means located downstream of said supplying means, including a transport path (19, 33,
45) for changing the orientation of the leading edge of the sheet or sheet package as it is being received from a sheet supply means, moved within said transport path, and delivered to the sheet or sheet package removal means with changed orientation of a reference edge of the sheet or sheet package;
comprisingtwo transport path guide rollers (20, 30,
58) guiding said endless belt means in said transport path;
a pair of superimposed endless gear belts looped about the transport path guide rollers;
a pair of superimposed aligned plates or disks (4,
5) movable;
(a) away and towards each other to clamp the sheet, or sheet package between the disks or plates;
(b) rotatably about an axis transverse to the major surface of the disks or plates (4,
5) to rotate the sheet or sheet package and thus change the orientation of the reference edge; and
(c) conjointly with said endless gear belts (16,
29) in said transport path;
a cam means (23, 24,
25) extending lengthwise of said transport path coupled to at least one of said disks or plates and controlling movement toward and away from each other as the disks or plates move in said transport path;
the cam means controlling the respective position of the plates or disks with respect to each other for clamping and releasing the sheet or sheet package between the disks or plates;
an upper shaft (21) to which the upper one (4) of the plates or disks is secured;
and means for rotating the upper shaft (21) about a predetermined angle with respect to the transport path (45) to realign the reference edge of the sheet or sheet package, includinga gear (34);
an endless gear belt (35) in engagement with said gear; and
motor and rotation transmission means (37-42,
36) in engagement with said gear belt to rotate the gear belt and hence impart rotation to the shaft and hence to the upper plate or disk (4) as the upper plate or disk is being moved in said transport path.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
To re-orient the position of a sheet, or package of sheets (3), for example after having been folded in a folding former, cut, and transversely folded in a folding knife cylinder, a pair of vertically aligned dish-like plates, or disks (4,5) are moved in an endless transport path. The plurality of such pairs of plates or disks may be provided, each pair being moved in a path by a gear belt (16, 29) driven by a gear or sprocket wheel (20, 30). The plates or disks receive a sheet, or package of sheets (3) therebetween, then are moved towards each other to clamp the sheet therebetween, for example under cam control (25) and a spring (24), and, when the sheets are clamped, additional rotation is supplied to one (4) of the plates or disks, the other (5) being freely rotatable, for example by a stepping motor (37) coupled thereto via a gear transmission and a bushing or sleeve concentric with the shaft driving the sprocket wheel. Alternate pairs of plates or disks (4, 5; 4'"'"', 5'"'"'; 4", 5") are connected to individual stepping motors and gearing so that rapid handling of sheets, or sheet packages being delivered can be obtained. The system is particularly suitable for combination with multiple folding cylinders since multiple folds can be made by transporting the sheets at full supply speed.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. Sheet or sheet package transport and rotation apparatus having
means (1, 2) for supplying a sheet or sheet package (3); -
means (6,
7) for removing the sheet, or sheet package, an endless belt means located between said supplying means and said removing means; andmeans located downstream of said supplying means, including a transport path (19, 33,
45) for changing the orientation of the leading edge of the sheet or sheet package as it is being received from a sheet supply means, moved within said transport path, and delivered to the sheet or sheet package removal means with changed orientation of a reference edge of the sheet or sheet package;comprising two transport path guide rollers (20, 30,
58) guiding said endless belt means in said transport path;a pair of superimposed endless gear belts looped about the transport path guide rollers; a pair of superimposed aligned plates or disks (4,
5) movable;(a) away and towards each other to clamp the sheet, or sheet package between the disks or plates; (b) rotatably about an axis transverse to the major surface of the disks or plates (4,
5) to rotate the sheet or sheet package and thus change the orientation of the reference edge; and(c) conjointly with said endless gear belts (16,
29) in said transport path;a cam means (23, 24,
25) extending lengthwise of said transport path coupled to at least one of said disks or plates and controlling movement toward and away from each other as the disks or plates move in said transport path;the cam means controlling the respective position of the plates or disks with respect to each other for clamping and releasing the sheet or sheet package between the disks or plates; an upper shaft (21) to which the upper one (4) of the plates or disks is secured; and means for rotating the upper shaft (21) about a predetermined angle with respect to the transport path (45) to realign the reference edge of the sheet or sheet package, including a gear (34); an endless gear belt (35) in engagement with said gear; and motor and rotation transmission means (37-42,
36) in engagement with said gear belt to rotate the gear belt and hence impart rotation to the shaft and hence to the upper plate or disk (4) as the upper plate or disk is being moved in said transport path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification