Method of providing a stack of predetermined length and apparatus for performing said method

Claim 3

The method as in claim 1 wherein the measuring step is further defined as measuring the length of each of the N minus 1 part stacks normal to the planes of the flat products and totaling the length of the N minus 1 part stacks and wherein the ascertaining step is further defined as ascertaining the difference between the predetermined length and the length of said N minus 1 part stacks.

Claim 4

The method as in claim 1 characterized in that the part stacks are sequentially formed and said part stacks are sequentially combined into the final stack.

Claim 5

Method as in claim 1, characterized in that the part-stacks are maintained spaced-apart while being combined to form the final stack.

Claim 6

Method as in claim 1, characterized in that the part-stacks contact each other while being combined to form the final stack.

Claim 7

Method as in claim 1, characterized in that upon completion the final stack composed of the N part-stacks is compressed parallel to its length.

Claim 8

Apparatus for forming a stack of predetermined length from a plurality of relatively flat products moving sequentially along a path, said apparatus comprising: a counter (5) for counting the number of products moving sequentially along the path; interrupting means (6) for interrupting the movement of said products along said path to form said products into groups of numbers of products; a transporting element (8,9,10) having means for receiving said groups of products and forming part stacks therefrom, said transporting element being movable to a plurality of positions, in a first of which said groups are received and said part stacks formed; measuring means (13) operatively associated with said transporting element for measuring the length of said part stacks normal to the planes of said flat products when said transporting element is in a second position; removing and storing means (17,18;43,46) operatively associated with said transporting element when said transporting element is in a third position for removing said part stacks and for storing same; and control means coupled to said counter and measuring means for operating said interrupting means, transporting element, and removing and storing means for providing N minus 1 part stacks, each having a predetermined number of products and an Nth part stack having a number of products sufficient to form a final stack of N part stacks having a predetermined length normal to the planes of said flat products.

Claim 9

Apparatus for forming a stack of predetermined length from a plurality of relatively flat products moving sequentially along a path, said apparatus comprising: a counter (5) for counting the number of products moving sequentially along the path; interrupting means (6) for interrupting the movement of said products along said path to form said products into groups of numbers of products; a transporting element (8,9,10) having means for receiving said groups of products and forming part stacks therefrom, said transporting element being movable to a plurality of positions, in a first of which said groups are received and said part stacks formed; measuring means (13) operatively associated with said transporting element for measuring the length of said part stacks normal to the planes of said flat products when said transporting element is in a second position; removing and storing means (17,18;43,46) operatively associated with said transporting element when said transporting element is in a third position for removing said part stacks and for storing same; and control means coupled to said counter and measuring means for operating said interrupting means, transporting element, and removing and storing means for providing N minus 1 part stacks, each having a predetermined number of products and an Nth part stack having a number of products sufficient to form a final stack of N part stacks having a predetermined length normal to the planes of said flat products.

Claim 10

The apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said removing and storing means comprises conveyor means positioned with respect to said transporting element to receive part stacks therefrom when said transporting element is in said third position, said conveyor means having engaging fingers spacedly mounted therealong to sequentially remove part stacks from said transporting element and place them on said conveyor means.

Claim 11

Apparatus as in claim 7 characterized in that said movable transporting element (7) comprises a star transporting means rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis and having a plurality of indented pockets (11) provided to assist in forming and transporting of part-stacks.

Claim 12

Apparatus as in claim 9, characterized in that said star transporting means (7) comprises at least two spaced indented discs (8,9,10) arranged in parallel on one shaft (12), and that the removing and storing means includes part stack removal means (17:43) projecting between the discs.

Claim 13

Apparatus as in claim 9, characterized in that the star transporting means (7) comprises eight pockets each being defined by terminating planes (11a,11b) perpendicularly arranged with respect to each other, and is rotatable by incremental steps 45°.

Claim 14

Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said removing and storing means includes a pusher mechanism (43) disposed within the star transporting means (7) for removing part stacks from said star transporting means (7) onto a substantially horizontally extending stack carrier, said stack carrier including holding element (44,45,46) for holding part stacks already deposited on said stack carrier.

Claim 15

Apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said removing and storing means includes pusher means positioned with respect to said transporting element to push said part stacks out of said transporting element when same is in said position and includes a stack carrier for receiving and holding the part stacks pushed from said transporting element.

Claim 16

Apparatus as in claim 7 characterized in that the removing and storing means for the part stack removed from said transporting means extends substantially horizontally and is supported for being lifted by a lifting means coupled to and operable by said control means.

Claim 17

Apparatus as in claim 14, characterized in that the lifting means (22) is a cross-bar arrangement (25,29) actuable by a piston/cylinder drive (23).

Claim 18

Apparatus as in claim 14, characterized in that above said removing and storing means and said lifting means (22), a press means (31) is disposed, which is capable of engaging the ends of the final stack (SS) with pressing jaws (33, 34) actuable towards each other by drive means (36;37), when said removing and stacking means has been lifted by said lifting means (22) so far that it lies between the pressing jaws.

Claim 19

Apparatus as in claim 16 characterized in that the pressing jaws (33,34) movable into contact with the final stack (SS) having stack contacting surfaces with at least one recess (40), said apparatus including gripping means (42) having gripping fingers (41) insertable in said recesses and actuatable towards each other by drive means for holding said final stack.

Claim 20

The apparatus as in claim 17 wherein said press means (31) and said gripping means (42) are coupled to and operable by said control means.

Claim 21

Apparatus as in claim 16, characterized in that the press means (31) includes at least two stack holders (39) adapted to be pivoted under the final stack (SS), for holding the final stack (SS) in the press means (31) before actuation of the pressing jaws (33,34) and descent of the removing and storing means.

Claim 22

Apparatus as in claim 16 characterized in that the press means (31) is pivotally supported in a machine frame (21) for movement about an axis parallel to the length of said final stack toward and away from said removing and storing means for removing said final stack.

Claim 23

Apparatus as in claim 7 further including press means operatively associated with said removing and storing means for compressively engaging the removed part stacks, parallel to their lengths for permitting displacement of the final stack of part stacks from the removing and storing means.