Handling signatures

Claim 1

An apparatus for handling a succession of flexible sheets, such as signatures, to obtain discrete bundles of the signatures from the succession, the apparatus being characterized by: first and second conveyors (18, 19) aligned to de­fine a path along which the signatures (11) are advanced, each of the conveyors (18, 19) being configured to support the signatures (11) in an edge-standing condition with the signatures (11) bowed convex forwardly in the direction of advance so the midportion of each sheet (11) leads the side edges for that sheet (11), each of the con­veyors (18, 19) having moving surfaces against which the signatures (11) are positioned such that the signatures (11) move with the moving surfaces, the moving surfaces of the second con­veyor (19) being along the sides of that conveyor (19); the second conveyor (19) being located immediately after the first conveyor (18) so the signatures (11) pass from the moving surfaces of the first conveyor (18) to the moving surfaces of the second conveyor (19); drive means (36) for advancing the moving surfaces of the first (18) and second (19) conveyors, with the surfaces of the first conveyor (18) normally moving at a velocity no less than the surfaces of the second conveyor (19); means (46) for momentarily increasing the speed of the surfaces of the second conveyor (19) to a ve­locity greater than the velocity of the surfaces of the first conveyor (18) to produce a region of looseness in the succession of signatures (11); a sword (90) located in a home position adjacent the path where the region of looseness develops and normally being retracted from the path; means (92) for extending the sword (90) into the path so it passes between two adjacent signatures (11) in the region of looseness; means (91, 95) for thereafter moving the sword (90) forward to create a distinct gap in the suc­cession of signatures (11) so as to isolate a bundle (13) of signatures (11) ahead of the gap; compression fingers (106) located adjacent the path in the vicinity of where the region of loose­ness develops; means (107) for extending the compression fingers (106) into the gap behind the isolated bundle (13) of signatures (11); means (108, 109, 111) for moving the extended com­pression members (106) along the path and away from the first conveyor (18) so as to move the isolated bundle (13) of signatures (11) off the second conveyor (19); means (95) for causing the extending sword (90) to contact and support the forward end of the succes­sion of signatures (11) to the rear of the gap; means (95) for moving the sword (90) in front of the succeeding signatures to a support in the path; means for retracting (92) the sword (90) from the path so the forward end of the following signa­tures bear against the support; and means (95) for returning the sword (90) to its home position.

Claim 2

An apparatus for handling a succession of flexible sheets, such as signatures, to obtain discrete bundles of the signatures from the succession, the apparatus being characterized by: first and second conveyors (18, 19) aligned to de­fine a path along which the signatures (11) are advanced, each of the conveyors (18, 19) being configured to support the signatures (11) in an edge-standing condition with the signatures (11) bowed convex forwardly in the direction of advance so the midportion of each sheet (11) leads the side edges for that sheet (11), each of the con­veyors (18, 19) having moving surfaces against which the signatures (11) are positioned such that the signatures (11) move with the moving surfaces, the moving surfaces of the second con­veyor (19) being along the sides of that conveyor (19); the second conveyor (19) being located immediately after the first conveyor (18) so the signatures (11) pass from the moving surfaces of the first conveyor (18) to the moving surfaces of the second conveyor (19); drive means (36) for advancing the moving surfaces of the first (18) and second (19) conveyors, with the surfaces of the first conveyor (18) normally moving at a velocity no less than the surfaces of the second conveyor (19); means (46) for momentarily increasing the speed of the surfaces of the second conveyor (19) to a ve­locity greater than the velocity of the surfaces of the first conveyor (18) to produce a region of looseness in the succession of signatures (11); a sword (90) located in a home position adjacent the path where the region of looseness develops and normally being retracted from the path; means (92) for extending the sword (90) into the path so it passes between two adjacent signatures (11) in the region of looseness; means (91, 95) for thereafter moving the sword (90) forward to create a distinct gap in the suc­cession of signatures (11) so as to isolate a bundle (13) of signatures (11) ahead of the gap; compression fingers (106) located adjacent the path in the vicinity of where the region of loose­ness develops; means (107) for extending the compression fingers (106) into the gap behind the isolated bundle (13) of signatures (11); means (108, 109, 111) for moving the extended com­pression members (106) along the path and away from the first conveyor (18) so as to move the isolated bundle (13) of signatures (11) off the second conveyor (19); means (95) for causing the extending sword (90) to contact and support the forward end of the succes­sion of signatures (11) to the rear of the gap; means (95) for moving the sword (90) in front of the succeeding signatures to a support in the path; means for retracting (92) the sword (90) from the path so the forward end of the following signa­tures bear against the support; and means (95) for returning the sword (90) to its home position.