Conveyor

• US 6,220,427 B1
• Filed: 04/07/1999
• Issued: 04/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koenig & Bauer AG
• Original Assignee: Koenig & Bauer AG
• Inventors: Ratz, Holger, Stäb, Rudolf
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DILLON JR, JOSEPH A
• Application Number:
  US09/269,755
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 198/861.2, 198/890, 198/369.5, 198/436, 198/861.6, 198/442, 198/430, 198/644, 198/592, 198/587, 198/631.1, 198/369.2
• US Class Current: 198/861.2
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/642 in a horizontal plane
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 29/042 Intermediate conveyors, e.g. transferring devices
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 29/58 Article switches or diverters

Abstract

A displaceable conveyor is used to convey selected printed products to different destination points. A reversing device is positioned intermediate the different destination points and a rigid guide track. A partial guide path connects the reversing device with the rigid guide track.

Claims

1. A conveying installation for printed products comprising:

an endless conveyor chain;

a rigid guide track, said rigid guide track guiding said endless conveyor chain and extending to a reversing device;

means for moving said reversing device horizontally between a first reversing device position and a second reversing device position and

a partial, flexible guide path intermediate said reversing device and said rigid guide track, said partial, flexible guide path being selectively positionable in respective first and second partial, flexible guide path positions when said reversing device is in respective ones of said first and second reversing device positions.

2. The conveying installation of claim 1 further including additional positions of said reversing device and wherein said partial, flexible guide path is movable between all of said additional positions of said reversing device.

3. The conveying installation of claim 1 further including first and second parallel conveyor belts associated with said first and second positions of said reversing device.

4. The conveying installation of claim 1 including a reversing wheel in said reversing device and further including movable support arms supporting said reversing wheel.

5. The conveying installation of claim 1 wherein said reversing device is horizontally movable.

6. The conveying installation of claim 1 wherein said partial flexible guide path is movable horizontally between said rigid guide track and said reversing device.

7. The conveying installation of claim 6 wherein said partial guide path includes movable intermediate guide elements.

8. A conveying installation for conveying printed products from a folder, said conveying installation comprising:

an endless conveyor chain;

a rigid guide track guiding said endless conveyor chain and extending between the folder and a reversing device remote from the folding apparatus;

means for moving said reversing device horizontally between a first position and a second position;

means for moving said reversing device vertically; and

a flexible partial guide track intermediate said reversing device and said rigid guide track.

9. The conveying installation of claim 8 wherein said partial guide path includes movable intermediate guide elements.

10. The conveying installation of claim 8 including a reversing wheel in said reversing device and further including movable support arms supporting said reversing wheel.