Collating system

Claim 2

A combined system of a plurality of printing presses and a plurality of collators for assembling a freshly printed signature with at least one preprinted signature and wherein each collator includes at least one hopper for receiving and storing said preprinted signatures and at least one on-line hopper for receiving said freshly printed signatures, a collating conveyor and means for feeding the signatures individually from each hopper to said collating conveyor for collating the signatures fed from each hopper, said system comprising a manifold conveying means for feeding signatures to each of said on-line hoppers, said manifold conveying means comprising a closed continuous conveyor system which extends adjacent to each of said on-line hoppers for deposit of signatures therefrom into said hoppers, conveying means for each of said printing presses for feeding freshly printed signatures to said manifold conveying means, switch means for diverting freshly printed signatures from each conveying means for each of said printing presses to said manifold conveying means, divert gate means associated with each on-line hopper for diverting freshly printed signatures from said manifold conveying means to said on-line hopper, and control means for actuating said manifold conveying means, said conveying means for each printing press, said switch means, and said divert gate means so that said combined system is capable of operation in a plurality of modes including each priting press respectively supplying signatures to one on-line hopper or each printing press supplying signatures to all of said on-line hoppers.

Claim 3

A combined system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said conveying means are positioned above said manifold conveying means.

Claim 4

A combined system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said manifold conveying means has means associated therewith for directing freshly printed signatures therefrom at a point between where adjacent printing presses feed freshly printed signatures to said manifold conveying means.

Claim 5

A combined system of a plurality of printing presses and a plurality of collators for assembling a freshly printed signature with at least one preprinted signature and wherein each collator includes at least one hopper for receiving and storing said preprinted signatures and at least one on-line hopper for receiving said freshly printed signatures, a collating conveyor and means for feeding the signatures individually from each hopper to said collating conveyor for collating the signatures fed from each hopper, said system comprising a manifold conveying means for feeding signatures to each of said on-line hoppers, said manifold conveying means comprising a closed continuous conveyor system which extends adjacent to each of said on-line hoppers for deposit of signatures therefrom into said hoppers, conveying means for each of said printing presses for feeding freshly printed signatures to said manifold conveying means, overflow means for diverting freshly printed signatures from said manifold conveying means at a point between where adjacent printing presses feed freshly printed signatures to said manifold conveying means for temporarily storing the signatures until required by said collators, divert gate means associated with each on-line hopper for diverting freshly printed signatures from said manifold conveying means to said on-line hopper, and control means for actuating said manifold conveying means, said conveying means for each printing press, said overflow means, and said divert gate means so that said combined system is capable of operation in a plurality of modes including each printing press respectively supplying signatures to one on-line hopper or each printing press supplying signatures to all of said on-line hoppers.

Claim 6

A combined system of a plurality of printing presses and a plurality of collators for assembling a freshly printed signature with at least one preprinted signature and wherein each collator includes at least one hopper for receiving and storing said preprinted signatures and at least one on-line hopper for receiving said freshly printed signatures, a collating conveyor and means for feeding the signatures individually from each hopper to said collating conveyor for collating the signatures fed from each hopper, said system comprising a manifold conveying means for feeding signatures to each of said on-line hoppers, said manifold conveying means comprising a closed continuous conveyor system which extends adjacent to each of said on-line hoppers for deposit of signatures therefrom into said hoppers, conveying means for each of said printing presses for feeding freshly printed signatures to said manifold conveying means, overflow means for diverting freshly printed signatures from said manifold conveying means at a point between where adjacent printing presses feed freshly printed signatures to said manifold conveying means for temporarily storing the signatures until required by said collators, divert gate means associated with each on-line hopper for diverting freshly printed signatures from said manifold conveying means to said on-line hopper, and control means for actuating said manifold conveying means, said conveying means for each printing press, said overflow means, and said divert gate means so that said combined system is capable of operation in a plurality of modes including each printing press respectively supplying signatures to one on-line hopper or each printing press supplying signatures to all of said on-line hoppers.