Apparatus for handling signatures before binding

Claim 1

An apparatus for handling signatures before binding comprising a signature stacking unit for piling signatures delivered from a rotary press or the like in the preceding process into stacks of a given number of signatures, a liftable table disposed in a fixed position for receiving the stacks from the stacking unit, a stack collecting unit provided in a fixed position for piling up a number of signature stacks, lateral feed means for pushing the stack as placed on the table in a lateral feed direction to a position below the stack collecting unit, and a turntable rotatable through an angle of 180° in a direction about a vertical axis and reversibly rotatable through an angle of 90° in opposite directions about the axis for horizontally rotatingly reversing stacks of signatures to position the folds of the signatures of the stacks alternately at opposite sides in the order of piling before the stacks are piled up, the apparatus being characterized in that the liftable table is connected to hydraulic cylinder-plunger means for lifting the table which takes the form of a frame defining a space for passing the lateral feed means therethrough, the liftable table being of the divided type and upwardly and downwardly movable without contacting hydraulic cylinder-plunger means for driving the lateral feed means, the turntable being disposed in a position below the stack collecting unit and adjacent to the liftable table for receiving the signature stack laterally delivered from the liftable table by the lateral feed means, the turntable being provided with upward feed means for upwardly transporting the signature stack from the turntable to the position of the stack collecting unit.

Claim 2

An apparatus for handling signatures before binding comprising a signature stacking unit for piling signatures delivered from a rotary press or the like in the preceding process into stacks of a given number of signatures, a liftable table disposed in a fixed position for receiving the stacks from the stacking unit, a stack collecting unit provided in a fixed position for piling up a number of signature stacks, lateral feed means for pushing the stack as placed on the table in a lateral feed direction to a position below the stack collecting unit, and a turntable rotatable through an angle of 180° in a direction about a vertical axis and reversibly rotatable through an angle of 90° in opposite directions about the axis for horizontally rotatingly reversing stacks of signatures to position the folds of the signatures of the stacks alternately at opposite sides in the order of piling before the stacks are piled up, the apparatus being characterized in that the liftable table is connected to hydraulic cylinder-plunger means for lifting the table which takes the form of a frame defining a space for passing the lateral feed means therethrough, the liftable table being of the divided type and upwardly and downwardly movable without contacting hydraulic cylinder-plunger means for driving the lateral feed means, the turntable being disposed in a position below the stack collecting unit and adjacent to the liftable table for receiving the signature stack laterally delivered from the liftable table by the lateral feed means, the turntable being provided with upward feed means for upwardly transporting the signature stack from the turntable to the position of the stack collecting unit.

Claim 5

An apparatus as defined in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the turntable is movable forward and rearward in directions perpendicular to or along the direction of lateral feed of the signature stack and is provided with means for moving the turntable forward and rearward.