JPS6214449B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a device for sequentially feeding signatures to a pocket for temporarily storing signatures to be sent to a collating machine for bookbinding.

When binding a bookcase for magazines, paperbacks, etc., a predetermined number of printed pages, or signatures, are stacked in a series of corresponding pockets, and one by one is inserted from the bottom of each pocket. The books are taken out, collected into one bookcase, and bound. Therefore, each pocket must always store an appropriate amount of signatures in an untangled state, that is, in a state where the signatures can be taken out one by one. However, in the conventional method, when the number of signatures in a pocket becomes low, the signatures stored in another location are manually unraveled and the appropriate amount is fed to each pocket. was extremely inefficient. Furthermore, the signatures may be inserted into the pocket without being completely unraveled and stuck to each other, which may result in misaligned pages. I was getting used to it.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and therefore, an object of the present invention is to automatically supply an appropriate amount of signatures in a completely unraveled state to a pocket for a collating machine. It is an object of the present invention to provide a signature feeding device that obtains signatures.

In order to achieve the above object, the signature supply device according to the present invention lifts the bottom side of the stack of signatures lifted by the lifting device, sucks each signature one by one with a suction roller, and conveys the signatures. Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

The signature feeding device according to the present invention generally includes first to
As shown in Figure 3, a lifting device 1 for moving the stack of signatures upward, and a conveyor 2 of an appropriate type provided between the lifting device 1 and a pocket 3 for a collating machine.
and a device 10 that is located near the upper end of the lifting device 1 and sequentially transfers the lifted signatures onto the conveyor 2. These devices are supported on a base 4. A support plate 6 is installed on a support post 5 erected on a base 4, and the conveyor 2 is supported by the support plate 6. In this embodiment, the lifting device 1 includes a pair of parallel transmission members 1a, such as chains or timing belts, which are hung on chain wheels 4a and 6a provided on a base 4 and a support plate 6, and a transmission member 1a, such as a pair of parallel chains or timing belts. It consists of a receiving plate 1b installed at a height,
The lifting device 1 may also be another device or mechanism, such as a cylinder device, for example. Preferably, guides 1c with an L-shaped cross section are arranged on both sides of the lifting device 1. 7 is a motor, and one chain wheel 6a is driven by this motor via a chain 7a.

As shown in FIG. 2, the conveyor 2 is preferably a belt conveyor, and in the example shown, it is composed of three endless belts, and the receiving plate 1b of the lifting device 1 is configured to pass between the belts. . There are guide plates 2a on both sides of the conveyor 2, and a horizontal alignment plate 2b is provided near the pocket 3. This horizontal alignment plate reciprocates in a direction perpendicular to the conveyor 2 by an eccentric shaft, a link, etc. Between the outlet end of the conveyor 2 and the pocket 3 there is a driven roller 8 which serves to properly feed the signatures fed by the conveyor 2 into the pocket 3.

The present invention is characterized by a transfer device 10, which includes, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6,
Hollow shaft 11 having at least one hole in the lower peripheral wall
The hollow shaft 11 includes a suction roller 12 which is rotatably installed on the hollow shaft 11. Both ends of the hollow shaft 11 are sealed, and as shown in FIG. is evacuated.
The suction roller 12 has a series of holes 13 around its periphery as shown, these holes 13 successively connecting the hollow shaft 11.
It is designed to be able to communicate with the hole 14 of. A suitable drive device 15 is included for rotating the suction roller 12 around the hollow shaft 11; in the illustrated example, the drive device 15 consists of a pair of endless belts placed on both sides of the suction roller 12; Although it is preferable to use a belt as shown in FIG. 1, the driving device may be a chain or a gear mechanism.

In this embodiment, each endless belt 15 has a hollow shaft 11
The shaft of the roller 16 is rotated in communication with the shaft of the chain wheel 6a by a chain 6b, as shown in FIG. It is configured as follows. In the illustrated example, a series of holes 13 are formed in the center of the suction roller 12, and an endless belt 1 is formed on both sides of the hole 13.
5, holes 14 are provided near both sides of the hollow shaft 11, and as shown in FIG.
It is clear that it is also possible to arrange an endless belt 15 in the center of the suction roller 12 and provide a series of holes 13 on each side of the endless belt 15 .

Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, an air nozzle 17 is installed on one side of the lifting device 1 near the upper end. Each signature is made by folding an appropriate number of sheets of paper and stacking them in the same direction as shown in Figure 6, so the folded side of the signature in the stack of signatures is high and the opposite side is low. , air is blown onto the lower side of the stack of signatures by the air nozzle 17 to blow up at least the topmost signature a little to make it level. Note that the lifting device that fulfills this role does not have to be an air nozzle; for example, as shown in FIG.
It is also possible to contact the

During operation, signatures A stacked on the receiving plate 1b of the lifting device with the folded side inward are lifted by the operation of the motor 7, and when they reach near the upper end of the lifting device 1, they are pulled up by the suction roller 12. It is sucked and transferred onto the conveyor 2. At that time, the inside of the hollow shaft 11 is in a vacuum state, and when a certain hole 13 of the suction roller 12 rotating around it communicates with a hole 14 in the hollow shaft, that hole becomes a vacuum state, and the topmost part near it becomes a vacuum state. Aspirate signature A. The suction roller 12 is the first
As shown by arrow B in the figure, the lifting device 1 rotates from the upper end toward the conveyor 2, and the hole 13 rotates while sucking the signatures, but the rotation of the suction roller causes the hole 13 to rotate at the next moment. Even though the communication with the hole 14 of the hollow shaft is terminated, there is a residual vacuum for a short period of time, and therefore the signature is weakly suctioned. Then, at the next instant, the next hole 13 communicates with the hole 14 of the hollow shaft, attracts another position of the signature, and rotates in the same manner. In this way, each hole 13 of the suction roller 12 is sequentially
The signatures are sucked, rotated, and transferred onto the conveyor 2.
A1 and A2 in FIG. 7 show the state of the signatures in the middle. Note that when the signatures are suctioned by the suction roller 12, it is advantageous to blow air from the air nozzle 17 to the bottom side of the stack of signatures to level the topmost signature to facilitate suction. It is.

The signatures placed on the conveyor 2 are placed on the guide plate 2a.
is guided by the rollers 8 and arranged by the horizontal alignment plate 2b, and inserted into the pocket 3 via the rollers 8. When a predetermined amount of signatures are accumulated in the pocket 3, the operation is stopped by the action of the limit switch 3a.

Therefore, according to the present invention, when the signatures are transferred from the lifting device onto the conveyor, the suction roller sucks the signatures one by one, so that the signatures are sent into the pocket in a completely loosened state. , two signatures will not be fed into the pocket with them attached to each other. Furthermore, even if the folds placed on the receiving plate of the lifting device are uneven, they can be transferred appropriately.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a signature feeding device according to an example of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof, FIG. 3 is a side view, FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a transfer device included in this device, and FIG. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the main parts of this device, Figure 6 is a side view of the main parts, Figure 7 is a diagram schematically showing the transfer device in operation, and Figure 8 is another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a side view similar to FIG. 6 illustrating an example; In the figure, 1...lifting device, 2...conveyor, 3...pocket, 9...vacuum source, 10...transfer device, 11...hollow shaft, 12...suction roller, 13...hole of suction roller,
14...Hollow shaft hole, 15...Drive device, 17...Air nozzle.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A device for lifting a stack of signatures, a conveyor installed between the lifting device and a pocket for a collating machine, and a conveyor for lifting the signatures lifted by the lifting device. A signature supplying device including a device for sequentially transferring onto the conveyor, the transfer device having a hollow shaft communicating with a vacuum source and having at least one hole, and rotatably installed on the hollow shaft; A folding folder characterized in that it includes a suction roller having at least a series of holes that can communicate with the holes, a drive device for rotating the suction roller, and a lifting device for lifting the bottom side of the elevated stack of signatures. Ding feeding device. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lifting device includes an air nozzle that blows air onto the bottom side of the stack of signatures. 3. A signature feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the drive device comprises an endless belt.