Apparatus for forming stacks from continuously arriving flat products, especially printed products, particularly those arriving in a lapped or imbricated stream

Claim 1

An apparatus for forming stacks from continuously arriving, substantially flat products, especially printed products, in particular products arriving in an imbricated product stream, comprising: a prestacker device for forming partial stacks; a stacker device having a stacker chute; support means arranged below said stacker chute of said stacker device; said stacker device serving for stacking the partial stack reposing upon the support means within the stacker chute of said stacker device into a final stack; a retention device movable relative to said support means; said retention device being placeable into an operative position following relative movement of the partial stack which is to be processed past said retention device where said retention device engages below said partial stack; said prestacker device comprising two out-of-phase operating prestacker units movable between a receiving position and a delivery position located below the stacker device; a stacker chute provided for each prestacker unit; a respective support table provided for each prestacker unit for closing towards the bottom the related stacker chute thereof and defining said support means; means for elevationally displacing said retention device relative to the support table of the prestacker unit located in the delivery position in order to receive the partial stack; means for raising and lowering the support tables of said prestacker units; and said retention device can be raised and lowered and in a lower terminal position of the partial stack reposing upon a related support table located in its upper end position engages below such partial stack.

Claim 2

An apparatus for forming stacks from continuously arriving, substantially flat products, especially printed products, in particular products arriving in an imbricated product stream, comprising: a prestacker device for forming partial stacks; a stacker device having a stacker chute; support means arranged below said stacker chute of said stacker device; said stacker device serving for stacking the partial stack reposing upon the support means within the stacker chute of said stacker device into a final stack; a retention device movable relative to said support means; said retention device being placeable into an operative position following relative movement of the partial stack which is to be processed past said retention device where said retention device engages below said partial stack; said prestacker device comprising two out-of-phase operating prestacker units movable between a receiving position and a delivery position located below the stacker device; a stacker chute provided for each prestacker unit; a respective support table provided for each prestacker unit for closing towards the bottom the related stacker chute thereof and defining said support means; means for elevationally displacing said retention device relative to the support table of the prestacker unit located in the delivery position in order to receive the partial stack; means for raising and lowering the support tables of said prestacker units; and said retention device can be raised and lowered and in a lower terminal position of the partial stack reposing upon a related support table located in its upper end position engages below such partial stack.

Claim 3

An apparatus for forming stacks from continuously arriving, substantially flat products, especially printed products, in particular products arriving in an imbricated product stream, comprising: a stacker device having a stacker chute; a retention device movable into and out of an operative position; means for selectively moving the retention device into and out of said operative position; a prestacker device for forming partial stacks to be formed into a final stack in the stacker chute of the stacker device; said prestacker device having first and second prestacker units movable in an out-of-phase manner between a receiving position and a delivery position; each prestacker unit having a stacker chute and a support table for closing the respective stacker chute towards its bottom; each prestacker unit in its receiving position receiving the arriving products for forming a partial stack in its stacker chute; each prestacker unit in its delivery position being located below the stacker device with its stacker chute being in alignment with the stacker chute of the stacker device; the retention device and the support table of the prestacker unit located in the delivery position being relatively movable in a vertical direction to move the retention device and a partial stack of products on said support table of said prestacker unit located in the delivery position past one another, following which the retention device is moved into its operative position where said retention device engages below said partial stack; means for moving the prestacker units along a semicircular path between the receiving and delivery positions; said moving means comprise a rotatably driven support element having an axis of rotation; said rotatably driven support element supporting the prestacker units; said prestacker units being arranged opposite one another with respect to the axis of rotation of said support element; and at least one prestacker unit being rigidly connected for rotation with said support element.

Claim 4

An apparatus for forming stacks from continuously arriving, substantially flat products, especially printed products, in particular products arriving in an imbricated product stream, comprising: a stacker device having a stacker chute; a retention device movable into and out of an operative position; means for selectively moving the retention device into and out of said operative position; a prestacker device for forming partial stacks to be formed into a final stack in the stacker chute of the stacker device; said prestacker device having first and second prestacker units movable in an out-of-phase manner between a receiving position and a delivery position; each prestacker unit having a stacker chute and a support table for closing the respective stacker chute towards its bottom; each prestacker unit in its receiving position receiving the arriving products for forming a partial stack in its stacker chute; each prestacker unit in its delivery position being located below the stacker device with its stacker chute being in alignment with the stacker chute of the stacker device; the retention device and the support table of the prestacker unit located in the delivery position being relatively movable in a vertical direction to move the retention device and a partial stack of products on said support table of said prestacker unit located in the delivery position past one another, following which the retention device is moved into its operative position where said retention device engages below said partial stack; means for moving the prestacker units along a semicircular path between the receiving and delivery positions; said moving means comprise a rotatably driven support element having an axis of rotation; said rotatably driven support element supporting the prestacker units; said prestacker units being arranged opposite one another with respect to the axis of rotation of said support element; and at least one prestacker unit being rigidly connected for rotation with said support element.

Claim 20

An apparatus for forming stacks from continuously arriving, substantially flat products, especially printed products, in particular products arriving in an imbricated product stream, comprising: a stacker device having a stacker chute; a retention device movable into and out of an operative position; means for selectively moving the retention device into and out of said operative position; a prestacker device for forming partial stacks to be formed into a final stack in the stacker chute of the stacker device; said prestacker device having first and second prestacker units movable in an out-of-phase manner between a receiving position and a delivery position; each prestacker unit having a stacker chute and a support table for closing the respective stacker chute towards its bottom; each prestacker unit in its receiving position receiving the arriving products for forming a partial stack in its stacker chute; each prestacker unit in its delivery position being located below the stacker device with its stacker chute being in alignment with the stacker chute of the stacker device; the retention device and the support table of the prestacker unit located in the delivery position being relatively movable in a vertical position to move the retention device and a partial stack of products on said support table of said prestacker unit located in the delivery position past one another, following which the retention device is moved into its operative position where said retention device engages below said partial stack; means for rotating one of said prestacker units during its movement from the receiving position into the delivery position about the lengthwise axis of its stacker chute; and said rotating means only rotates said one prestacker unit of said first and second prestacker units about its lengthwise axis, whereas the other prestacker unit does not rotate about its lengthwise axis.

Claim 21

An apparatus for forming stacks from continuously arriving, substantially flat products, especially printed products, in particular products arriving in an imbricated product stream, comprising: a stacker device having a stacker chute; a retention device movable into and out of an operative position; means for selectively moving the retention device into and out of said operative position; a prestacker device for forming partial stacks to be formed into a final stack in the stacker chute of the stacker device; said prestacker device having first and second prestacker units movable in an out-of-phase manner between a receiving position and a delivery position; each prestacker unit having a stacker chute and a support table for closing the respective stacker chute towards its bottom; each prestacker unit in its receiving position receiving the arriving products for forming a partial stack in its stacker chute; each prestacker unit in its delivery position being located below the stacker device with its stacker chute being in alignment with the stacker chute of the stacker device; the retention device and the support table of the prestacker unit located in the delivery position being relatively movable in a vertical position to move the retention device and a partial stack of products on said support table of said prestacker unit located in the delivery position past one another, following which the retention device is moved into its operative position where said retention device engages below said partial stack; means for rotating one of said prestacker units during its movement from the receiving position into the delivery position about the lengthwise axis of its stacker chute; and said rotating means only rotates said one prestacker unit of said first and second prestacker units about its lengthwise axis, whereas the other prestacker unit does not rotate about its lengthwise axis.