Collating method and apparatus

Claim 2

A collating apparatus for forming a book from a plurality of signatures, said apparatus comprising a gatherer conveyor having a plurality of conveyor spaces movable in a path successively past a plurality of signature feeding stations and adapted to receive signatures at said feeding stations to form an assembly of different signatures contributing toward a book in each conveyor space, at least one jam detector located on said path of said conveyor spaces for sensing a jam of said assemblies of different signatures as they are moved by said conveyor and for producing a code signal thereupon, means responsive to a code signal from said jam detector to stop said conveyor immediately upon a jam, manually operable means for restarting said conveyor, and reject means along said conveyor path following said plurality of feeding stations for rejecting signature assemblies from said conveyor and controlled by said code signal to reject books from successive conveyor spaces including the conveyor space nearest said jam detector as well as at least one conveyor space upstream from said nearest space and at least one conveyor space downstream from said nearest space when said jam detector produced said reject code signal.

Claim 3

A collating apparatus for producing different books composed of different predetermined combinations of signatures for different groups of subscribers classified in accordance with predetermined subscriber information, the apparatus comprising a gathering machine having a gatherer conveyor with a plurality of conveyor spaces movable successively along a path through a plurality of signature feeding stations and adapted to receive signatures at said feeding stations to form an assembly of different signatures contributing toward a book in each conveyor space as the conveyor space moves through the feeding stations, said gathering machine comprising signature feed means at each of said stations, said gathering machine operating in cycles, each cycle of operation causing successive feeding of signatures from at least some of said signature feed means to make up each book, each of said signature feed means having instruction means for instructing the associated signature feed means to feed or not feed during each gathering machine cycle, file means for storing information in machine readable form identifying different subscribers with different predetermined combinations of at least some of said signature feed means to be instructed to feed during a machine cycle to provide the predetermined combination of signatures constituting the appropriate book for each subscriber, reading means for reading said file means and instructing feeding of said signature feed means in the predetermined combination required to provide the different books appropriate for the corresponding subscribers, a plurality of jam detectors located on said path of said conveyor spaces for sensing a jam of said assemblies of different signatures as they are moved by said conveyor and each for producing a code signal thereupon, means responsive to a code signal from each of said jam detectors to stop said conveyor immediately upon a jam, manually operable means for restarting said conveyor, reject means along said conveyor path following said plurality of feeding stations and controlled by said code signals to reject books from the conveyor space nearest the signalling jam detector as well as at least one conveyor space upstream from said nearest space and at least one conveyor space downstream from said nearest space when any of said jam detectors produced said reject code signal.

Claim 4

A collating apparatus for producing different books composed of different predetermined combinations of signatures for different groups of subscribers classified in accordance with predetermined subscriber information, the apparatus comprising a gathering machine having a gatherer conveyor with a plurality of conveyor spaces movable successively along a path through a plurality of signature feeding stations and adapted to receive signatures at said feeding stations to form an assembly of different signatures contributing toward a book in each conveyor space as the conveyor space moves through the feeding stations, said gathering machine comprising signature feed means at each of said stations, said gathering machine operating in cycles, each cycle of operation causing successive feeding of signatures from at least some of said signature feed means to make up each book, each of said signature feed means having instruction means for instructing the associated signature feed means to feed or not feed during each gathering machine cycle, file means for storing information in machine readable form identifying different subscribers with different predetermined combinations of at least some of said signature feed means to be instructed to feed during a machine cycle to provide the predetermined combination of signatures constituting the appropriate book for each subscriber, reading means for reading said file means and instructing feeding of said signature feed means in the predetermined combination required to provide the different books appropriate for the corresponding subscribers, a plurality of jam detectors located on said path of said conveyor spaces for sensing a jam of said assemblies of different signatures as they are moved by said conveyor and each for producing a code signal thereupon, means responsive to a code signal from each of said jam detectors to stop said conveyor immediately upon a jam, manually operable means for restarting said conveyor, reject means along said conveyor path following said plurality of feeding stations and controlled by said code signals to reject books from the conveyor space nearest the signalling jam detector as well as at least one conveyor space upstream from said nearest space and at least one conveyor space downstream from said nearest space when any of said jam detectors produced said reject code signal.

Claim 7

A collating apparatus for forming a book from a plurality of signatures, said apparatus comprising a gatherer conveyor having a plurality of conveyor spaces movable in a path successively past a plurality of signature feeding stations and adapted to receive signatures at said feeding stations to form an assembly of different signatures contributing toward a book in each conveyor space, at least one jam detector located on said path of said conveyor spaces for sensing a jam of said assemblies of different signatures as they are moved by said conveyor and for producing a code signal thereupon, means responsive to a code signal from said jam detector to stop said conveyor immediately upon a jam, manually operable means for restarting said conveyor, reject means along said conveyor path following said plurality of feeding stations for rejecting signature assemblies from said conveyor, and means controlled by said signal for actuating said reject means after manual operation of said means for restarting said conveyor to reject signature assemblies from at least three consecutive conveyor spaces including the conveyor space at which the jam occurred.

Claim 8

A collating apparatus for forming a book from a plurality of signatures, said apparatus comprising a gatherer conveyor having a plurality of conveyor spaces movable in a path successively past a plurality of signature feeding stations and adapted to receive signatures at said feeding stations to form an assembly of different signatures contributing toward a book in each conveyor space, at least one jam detector located on said path of said conveyor spaces for sensing a jam of said assemblies of different signatures as they are moved by said conveyor and for producing a code signal thereupon, means responsive to a code signal from said jam detector to stop said conveyor immediately upon a jam, manually operable means for restarting said conveyor, reject means along said conveyor path following said plurality of feeding stations for rejecting signature assemblies from said conveyor, and means controlled by said signal for actuating said reject means after manual operation of said means for restarting said conveyor to reject signature assemblies from at least three consecutive conveyor spaces including the conveyor space at which the jam occurred.

Claim 9

A collating apparatus as defined in claim 4 and further comprising storage means for storing said signal in response to the sensing of said jam, and wherein said means controlled by said signal for actuating said reject means comprises means responsive to the stored signal for actuating said reject device in time succession once for each conveyor space when said two or more successive conveyor spaces are successively at said reject device.

Claim 10

A collating apparatus as defined in claim 5 and wherein said storage means for storing said signal comprises means for tracking the particular identified conveyor space that was nearest said jam detector when said jam detector produced said signal, as said particular conveyor space moves through the collating apparatus to said reject means, and wherein said means for tracking further includes means for tracking all of the identified conveyor spaces from which books are to be rejected as said spaces move through the collating apparatus.

Claim 11

A collating apparatus as defined in claim 6 and further comprising signature feed means located at each of said signature feeding stations and selectively controllable to feed or to not feed a signature, and downstream shutoff means responsive to said means for tracking the conveyor spaces to control each of said signature feed means downstream from the most upstream of said identified conveyor spaces to not feed a signature when said identified conveyor spaces are at the respective feeding stations.

Claim 12

A collating apparatus as defined in claim 7 and wherein said means for tracking all of the identified conveyor spaces from which books are to be rejected comprises a shift register having data stages representing stations including signature feeding stations and the reject station, And further comprises means for simultaneously storing replications of said signal in a plurality of contiguous ones of said data stages representing locations of said identified conveyor spaces, and wherein said shift register comprises means for shifting all of said replications, and wherein said means for actuating said reject device in time succession comprises means responsive to the arrival successively of each of said replications of said signal at said data stage representing said reject station.

Claim 13

A collating apparatus as defined in claim 4 and wherein said means for actuating said reject means comprises means for selectively programming a jam detector influence pattern to specify which conveyor spaces are to have their books rejected in response to the sensing of a jam by said jam detector, and means for storing the selective program for actuating said reject means in response to said reject code signal.

Claim 14

A collating apparatus for producing different books composed of different predetermined combinations of signatures for different groups of subscribers classified in accordance with predetermined subscriber information, the apparatus comprising a gathering machine having a gatherer conveyor with a plurality of conveyor spaces movable successively along a path through a plurality of signature feeding stations and adapted to receive signatures at said feeding stations to form an assembly of different signatures contributing toward a book in each conveyor space as the conveyor space moves through the feeding stations, said gathering machine comprising signature feed means at each of said stations, said gathering machine operating in cylces, each cycle of operation causing successive feeding of signatures from at least some of said signature feed means to make up each book, each of said signature feed means having instruction means for instructing the associated signature feed means to feed or not feed during each gathering machine cycle, file means for storing information in machine readable form identifying different subscribers with different predetermined combinations of at least some of said signature feed means to be instructed to feed during a machine cycle to provide the predetermined combination of signatures constituting the appropriate book for each subscriber, reading means for reading said file means and instructing feeding of said signature feed means in the predetermined combination required to provide the different books appropriate for the corresponding subscribers, at least one jam detector located on said path of said conveyor spaces for sensing a jam of said assemblies of different signatures as they are moved by said conveyor and for producing a code signal thereupon, means responsive to a code signal from said jam detector to stop said conveyor immediately upon a jam, manually operable means for restarting said conveyor, reject means along said conveyor path following said plurality of feeding stations for rejecting signature assemblies from said conveyor, and means controlled by said signal for actuating said reject means after manual operation of said means for restarting said conveyor to reject signature assemblies from at least three consecutive conveyor spaces including the conveyor space at which the jam occurred.

Claim 15

A collating apparatus for producing different books composed of different predetermined combinations of signatures for different groups of subscribers classified in accordance with predetermined subscriber information, the apparatus comprising a gathering machine having a gatherer conveyor with a plurality of conveyor spaces movable successively along a path through a plurality of signature feeding stations and adapted to receive signatures at said feeding stations to form an assembly of different signatures contributing toward a book in each conveyor space as the conveyor space moves through the feeding stations, said gathering machine comprising signature feed means at each of said stations, said gathering machine operating in cylces, each cycle of operation causing successive feeding of signatures from at least some of said signature feed means to make up each book, each of said signature feed means having instruction means for instructing the associated signature feed means to feed or not feed during each gathering machine cycle, file means for storing information in machine readable form identifying different subscribers with different predetermined combinations of at least some of said signature feed means to be instructed to feed during a machine cycle to provide the predetermined combination of signatures constituting the appropriate book for each subscriber, reading means for reading said file means and instructing feeding of said signature feed means in the predetermined combination required to provide the different books appropriate for the corresponding subscribers, at least one jam detector located on said path of said conveyor spaces for sensing a jam of said assemblies of different signatures as they are moved by said conveyor and for producing a code signal thereupon, means responsive to a code signal from said jam detector to stop said conveyor immediately upon a jam, manually operable means for restarting said conveyor, reject means along said conveyor path following said plurality of feeding stations for rejecting signature assemblies from said conveyor, and means controlled by said signal for actuating said reject means after manual operation of said means for restarting said conveyor to reject signature assemblies from at least three consecutive conveyor spaces including the conveyor space at which the jam occurred.

Claim 18

A method as defined in claim 11 further including sensing a malfunction in the feeding of signatures at each feeding station and at the reject station rejecting the book in the chain space affected by said malfunction.

Claim 19

A collating apparatus for forming a book from a plurality of signatures, said apparatus comprising a gatherer conveyor having a plurality of conveyor spaces movable in a path successively past a plurality of signature feeding stations and adapted to receive signatures at said feeding stations to form an assembly of different signatures contributing toward a book in each conveyor space, at least one jam detector located on said path of said conveyor spaces for sensing a jam of said assemblies of different signatures as they are moved by said conveyor and for producing a code signal thereupon, means responsive to a code signal from said jam detector to stop said conveyor immediately upon a jam, manually operable means for restarting said conveyor, reject means along said conveyor path following said plurality of feeding stations for rejecting signature assemblies from said conveyor, and means controlled by said signal for actuating said reject means after manual operation of said means for restarting said conveyor, programming means independently settable with respect to said jam detectors for providing an influence pattern, and means coupling said influence pattern to said reject means for rejecting signature assemblies from at least two consecutive conveyor spaces including the conveyor space at which the jam occurred when said jam detector produced said signal.

Claim 20

A collating apparatus for forming a book from a plurality of signatures, said apparatus comprising a gatherer conveyor having a plurality of conveyor spaces movable in a path successively past a plurality of signature feeding stations and adapted to receive signatures at said feeding stations to form an assembly of different signatures contributing toward a book in each conveyor space, at least one jam detector located on said path of said conveyor spaces for sensing a jam of said assemblies of different signatures as they are moved by said conveyor and for producing a code signal thereupon, means responsive to a code signal from said jam detector to stop said conveyor immediately upon a jam, manually operable means for restarting said conveyor, reject means along said conveyor path following said plurality of feeding stations for rejecting signature assemblies from said conveyor, and means controlled by said signal for actuating said reject means after manual operation of said means for restarting said conveyor, programming means independently settable with respect to said jam detectors for providing an influence pattern, and means coupling said influence pattern to said reject means for rejecting signature assemblies from at least two consecutive conveyor spaces including the conveyor space at which the jam occurred when said jam detector produced said signal.

Claim 21

A collating apparatus for producing different books composed of different predetermined combinations of signatures for different groups of subscribers classified in accordance with predetermined subscriber information, the apparatus comprising a gathering machine having a gatherer conveyor with a plurality of conveyor spaces movable successively along a path through a plurality of signature feeding stations and adapted to receive signatures at said feeding stations to form an assembly of different signatures contributing toward a book in each conveyor space as the conveyor space moves through the feeding stations, said gathering machine comprising signature feed means at each of said stations, said gathering machine operating in cycles, each cycle of operation causing successive feeding of signatures from at least some of said signature feed means to make up each book, each of said signature feed means having instruction means for instructing the associated signature feed means to feed or not feed during each gathering machine cycle, file means for storing information in machine readable form identifying different subscribers with different predetermined combinations of at least some of said signature feed means to be instructed to feed during a machine cycle to provide the predetermined combination of signatures constituting the appropriate book for each subscriber, reading means for reading said file means and instructing feeding of said signature feed means in the predetermined combination required to provide the different books appropriate for the corresponding subscribers, at least one jam detector located on said path of said conveyor spaces for sensing a jam of said assemblies of different signatures as they are moved by said conveyor and for producing a code signal thereupon, means responsive to a code signal from said jam detector to stop said conveyor immeDiately upon a jam, manually operable means for restarting said conveyor, reject means along said conveyor path following said plurality of feeding stations for rejecting signature assemblies from said conveyor, and means controlled by said signal for actuating said reject means after manual operation of said means for restarting said conveyor, programming means independently settable with respect to said jam detectors for providing an influence pattern, and means coupling said influence pattern to said reject means for rejecting signature assemblies from at least two consecutive conveyor spaces including the conveyor space at which the jam occurred when said jam detector produced said signal.

Claim 22

A collating apparatus for producing different books composed of different predetermined combinations of signatures for different groups of subscribers classified in accordance with predetermined subscriber information, the apparatus comprising a gathering machine having a gatherer conveyor with a plurality of conveyor spaces movable successively along a path through a plurality of signature feeding stations and adapted to receive signatures at said feeding stations to form an assembly of different signatures contributing toward a book in each conveyor space as the conveyor space moves through the feeding stations, said gathering machine comprising signature feed means at each of said stations, said gathering machine operating in cycles, each cycle of operation causing successive feeding of signatures from at least some of said signature feed means to make up each book, each of said signature feed means having instruction means for instructing the associated signature feed means to feed or not feed during each gathering machine cycle, file means for storing information in machine readable form identifying different subscribers with different predetermined combinations of at least some of said signature feed means to be instructed to feed during a machine cycle to provide the predetermined combination of signatures constituting the appropriate book for each subscriber, reading means for reading said file means and instructing feeding of said signature feed means in the predetermined combination required to provide the different books appropriate for the corresponding subscribers, at least one jam detector located on said path of said conveyor spaces for sensing a jam of said assemblies of different signatures as they are moved by said conveyor and for producing a code signal thereupon, means responsive to a code signal from said jam detector to stop said conveyor immeDiately upon a jam, manually operable means for restarting said conveyor, reject means along said conveyor path following said plurality of feeding stations for rejecting signature assemblies from said conveyor, and means controlled by said signal for actuating said reject means after manual operation of said means for restarting said conveyor, programming means independently settable with respect to said jam detectors for providing an influence pattern, and means coupling said influence pattern to said reject means for rejecting signature assemblies from at least two consecutive conveyor spaces including the conveyor space at which the jam occurred when said jam detector produced said signal.