EP0477763B1 - Method and device for depositing and transporting flat objects - Google Patents

Abstract

In a method and a device for depositing and transporting single- or multi-folded flat objects, comprising a stacking device for the supplied flat objects and a pressing device, the flat objects being deposited individually or as a pile on a support and piled up, the pile obtained is conveyed upwards together with the support, locked in this position and compressed; the following pile produced in the same way takes the compressed pile up again, after which the stack is finally displaced laterally together with its holder <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a method for depositing and transporting flat structures with a stacking device for the brought-up flat structures and a pressing device, the flat structures being deposited and heaped individually or in a package on a shelf.

A stacking device is known from EP-A-0 153 983, in which printed products continuously delivered on a conveyor belt are pre-collected in a basket on a rake. As soon as a predetermined number of products have been stacked at the pre-collection point, this pre-stack is transferred down to a stacking table, ie the storage unit consisting of two rakes is turned down so that the pre-stack can fall onto the lifting table underneath. The lifting table is then lowered in the stacking basket until the top layer of the pre-stack has reached a predetermined position in the basket. After reaching this position, fingers arranged on the side of the basket move over the corners of the stack while simultaneously lifting the lifting table and the stack against it Finger is pressed. Then or at the same time the basket is turned through 180 ° and the lifting table is lowered a little. The fingers are moved back and the table with the stack pressed thereon is moved up to receive a new pre-stack that has meanwhile been collected above the basket. After transferring the pre-stack, which lies on top of the already pressed stack, the pressing and turning process is repeated as described above. As soon as a desired number of cross-laid partial stacks has been accumulated, the then completed stack is ejected from the basket. For this purpose, a side wall opposite the ejector is opened and the entire stack is pushed out of the lifting table from the lifting table by means of the ejector onto a conveyor belt or the like.

A stacking device is known from GB-A-2 082 548, in which printed products continuously delivered on a conveyor belt are conveyed upwards into a vertical stacking shaft via two pre-stacking devices. The two pre-stacking devices are fastened on a rotatable platform with which the respective pre-stacking device can be rotated into the receiving position and the other into the delivery position. Each pre-stacking device consists of a stack pick-up device and a vertically movable table. In the receiving position, a partial stack with the printed products brought up is formed on the table, the table continuously lowering itself. With a certain number of printed products, the table is rotated into the delivery position, where the table with the partial stack moves upwards is, the partial stack pushes pivotable tabs out of the stacking shaft to the side, then is lowered again and the stack of printed products in the stacking shaft is retained by the flipped back tabs. One pre-stacking device is firmly connected to the rotating platform, while the other pre-stacking device rotates by 180 ° with each work cycle in order to achieve a crosswise stacking of the documents.

From EP-A-0 167 704 a device for depositing and transporting flat structures is known, which has a holding device with a gripping and supporting device. Continuously delivered sheets are stacked up in a pre-stacking device to form a partial stack. The partial stack is moved onto a rotary table by a conveyor belt. Here every second partial stack is lifted through the table and rotated by 180 ° in order to achieve a crosswise stacking. The partial stack is then moved over another conveyor belt to another table, where a gripping device with two grippers clasps the partial stack from below. The main stack is arranged above the grippers. The table with the partial stack is moved upwards and when the top fabric touches the lower edge of the main stack, the grippers open and the partial stack is pressed into the main stack from below. Before the table is lowered, the grippers close and hold back the enlarged main stack. This process is repeated until the main stack has the desired number of sub-stacks. The main stack is then from egg clipped ner movable gripper device from above and transported to the next workstation.

In a device of this type according to DE-OS 1 957 337, the folded sheets - in this case the newspapers - are fed in packs from one side to the stack and then in opposite directions from the other side to the stack. After the completion of a package, for example from ten newspapers, the page is changed, the total package stack or stack being reduced in accordance with the accumulation of the flat structures or the existing packages until the lowest position of the support for the stack is reached. The stack is then conveyed away to the side. Since compression of the individual packages or folded flat structures is not provided, the stack achieved is relatively high and there is a risk that the stack will shift laterally during further transport.

The invention has for its object to provide a method of the type mentioned, in which not only a dense or compact stack is created, but also the height differences in each package or in the entire stack are largely eliminated; a lateral shift in the stack should also be largely avoided.

The object is achieved by the method according to claim 1. According to the invention, the package or sheet obtained by stacking and heaping is conveyed upwards, locked in this position and pressed together, the subsequent package is produced in the same way, and the new package (s) are deposited on the package pile that has just been stacked from above and finally the stack is laterally offset with its holder.

On the one hand, it is possible to ensure the further transport of the individual parcel after compression or also the package joint after compression, and on the other hand, the compressed stack obtained is conveyed together with the holding device to the delivery point or for further transport.

This method is particularly suitable when the individual packages are deposited crosswise, so that, for example, the respective folds come to rest on different sides. For this purpose, it is proposed according to the invention that the individual package and / or the package stack is rotated after the upward movement; the rotation can be 90 ° or a multiple thereof. The cross-laying is expediently carried out in such a way that when two packages are placed on top of one another, the respective folding points lie opposite one another. However, it is also possible, for example, for four packages to form a stack or stack, in which case the fold points run on all four side edges.

According to a preferred modification of the method according to the invention, the pressing is maintained during the lateral displacement.

A particularly rapid stack formation, possibly also with a cross laying, can be provided if at least two similar holding devices are operated by a transport device and the next holding device is supplied to the holding device after the package or package stack has been created.

Furthermore, the invention has for its object to provide a device suitable for the application of the method described above.

This object is achieved by a device according to claim 6. According to the invention, a holding device is provided above a shelf, optionally with lateral aligners, or the like, with a gripping and supporting device that engages under the respective package or the package joint. and a pressing device acting on the package and / or the package impact is provided. The holding device can consist of a plate or the like., The pressing device arranged underneath and the gripping and supporting device running in the direction of the shelf; the latter can be made of several, possibly counter-movable gripping and support rods or the like. consist.

The pressing device expediently consists of at least one optionally two-part pressing plate; the latter expediently consists of at least two overlapping parts acted upon by springs.

The rotating device is preferably arranged above the holding device and the entire holding device can be rotated without a shelf. In this way, a cross laying of the individual fabrics or the packages of fabrics can be reached.

The rotating device can have a slewing ring-like mounting.

The bracket is expediently or the like with an adjusting device for the distance between the opposing gripping and supporting rods. Mistake. So it is not only possible to align the package laterally with the aligners - as stated above - during the placement of the individual fabrics on the shelf, but it is also possible to adjust the gripping and supporting device laterally so that different sizes of fabrics Can be taken into account.

The rotating device or the like on the plate. Centrally arranged slewing ring or the like. exhibit. It is also possible for the plate or the like for lateral displacement of the holding device. on rails, a frame or the like. to store.

Fig. 1

eine Seitenansicht auf eine Ausführungsform mit zwei Haltevorrichtungen,

Fig. 2

eine vergrößerte Darstellung einer Haltevorrichtung,

Fig. 3

eine Ansicht nach Linie 3-3 in Fig. 2,

Fig. 4

eine Draufsicht auf die Haltevorrichtung gemäß Linie 4-4 in Fig. 2 und

Fig. 5

eine seitliche Ansicht auf die gesamte Anlage gemäß Linie 5-5 in Fig. 1.

An example of an embodiment is shown in the drawing. It is described in more detail below; it shows:

Fig. 1

2 shows a side view of an embodiment with two holding devices,

Fig. 2

an enlarged view of a holding device,

Fig. 3

a view along line 3-3 in Fig. 2,

Fig. 4

a plan view of the holding device according to line 4-4 in Fig. 2 and

Fig. 5

a side view of the entire system along line 5-5 in Fig. 1st

A frame 1 holds two holding devices 2 of the same design side by side at the same height. These holding devices 2 and 2 'are alternately supplied by two conveying devices with individual fabrics.

For the sake of simplicity, only the holding device 2 is described in detail below, since the holding device 2 '- as already mentioned - is designed in the same way. Between the endless conveyors 7 and 8 there is the task of the shingled, folded flat products. The shelf 3 is adjustable in height and lowers according to the delivery of the fabrics. On the opposite sides of the tray 3, aligners 9 and 10 are provided, which ensure a package of the offset fabrics that is flush on the sides. The opposing aligners 11 serve the same purpose. After creating a package, e.g. of 10 paper products, the support 3 is raised so that the gripping and support rods 13, 14 can sit under the package. Lifting cylinders 15 and 16 are provided for this purpose.

After a package has been created on a shelf 3 by the conveying device 4, the procedure is as described in more detail below. Thereafter, the conveyor system 5 is used to deliver individual flat structures for storage 6. With such a cyclical delivery to the two holding devices 2, 2 'it is ensured that the approach of the flat structures, e.g. in scale form, without an interruption, e.g. is caused by the pressing process described below.

A press plate 17, described in more detail below, descends on the package and presses it together.

At the same time, the tray 3 has lowered again into a position (not shown), that is to say the receiving position, so that surface products can be re-fed via the conveyor belts 7, 8 in the manner just described.

Before the second package piled on the shelf 3 has reached its top or maximum stack height, which is at the height of the upper section of the conveyor belt 8, the holding device 2 has been rotated by 180 ° about its central axis 18; the compressed package now contains the folds on the opposite side. The gripping and support arms 13 and 14 are pivoted outwards, so that the compressed package is placed on the now loosely deposited sheet. Now the two packages are pushed together by lifting the shelf 3 under the gripping and support arms 13 and 14 so that the latter can be pivoted inwards again. There is now a new pressing of the two packages with the press plate 17.

This process is repeated until the holding device 2 is filled to a maximum. However, the press plate remains on the stack of packs or stacks, so that the entire holding device, as described in more detail below, can be moved laterally with the stack.

The press plate shown in more detail in Fig. 2 consists of at least two, but in the present case three parts, the two outer parts 20 and 21 being fixed or connected to a frame structure. The middle part 23 of the plate 17 is slidably mounted with respect to the plates 20 and 21 and acted upon by a spring 22. In this way it is possible to change the distance between the two gripping and supporting rods 13 and 14 or their corresponding frame parts 24 and 25 and to adapt them to the possible width or depth of the package joint or stack. An adjustment of the The distance can be achieved by means of supports 30 or 31.

As can be seen from FIG. 3, the support and gripping device has a frame construction 30 ', on the cross bar 31' of which gripping teeth 32 are attached, which in the pivoted-in position grip and hold the package or the package joint.

The press plate 17 mentioned above, consisting of the parts 20-23, can be lowered between the support and gripping rods 13 and 14.

The holding device 2 with the gripping and supporting device and the pressing plate is connected to a holding plate 40 via a rotating ring 33 (FIG. 2). The holding plate has three brackets 41 for two rails 42, on which the holding device, as described below, is displaceable.

As can be seen from FIG. 5, a storage table 50 with a roller conveyor 51 is provided next to each holding device 2 or 2 '. The holding device 2 or 2 'is moved together with the compressed packet stack held in the receptacle over the storage table 50. In this position, the support or gripping rods are pivoted back so that the compressed stack or stack of packages can be put down and fed to a further treatment. As already mentioned, the holding device or the receptacle can be rotated by 90 ° or - this will generally be preferred - by 180 °. A lifting cylinder 62 is provided for the rotation.

As can be seen from FIG. 5, the lifting cylinder 62 rotates the turntable 33 and thus the entire holding device 2 via a link 62 ′, which is guided in a link 62 ″, and a belt 61.

The entire holding device 2 is displaced on the rails 42, 43 via a lifting cylinder 63, not shown in FIG. 5, which is indicated in FIG. 3.

Claims (15)

1. Method for depositing and transporting flat objects, comprising a tray (3 or 6) of a stacking device for the flat objects advanced, a pressing device (17) and a gripping device (13, 14) of a holding device (2 or 2'), the flat objects being deposited and piled on the tray (3 or 6) individually or in bundles, characterized in that the resulting bundle of flat objects is conveyed upwards, gripped in this position by the gripping device (13, 14) and compressed by means of the pressing device (17) arranged in the gripping device (13, 14) and acting on the bundle and the next bundle is produced in the same manner, the compressed bundle(s) is/are deposited from above on the pile newly formed in the meantime, the entire stack is conveyed upwards again and gripped, etc. and finally the complete stack and the holding device (2 or 2') are displaced to the side of the stacking device.
2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the individual bundle and/or the pile is rotated after the upward movement.
3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that rotation is effected through 90° or a multiple thereof.
4. Method according to one or more of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that pressing is maintained during the lateral displacement.
5. Method according to one or more of claims 1 to 4, in which at least two similar holding devices (2, 2') are operated by one transport device, characterized in that, once the bundle or pile has been produced on one holding device (2), the next holding device (2') is operated.
6. Device for depositing and transporting flat objects placed in a bundle or stack according to one or more of claims 1 to 5, comprising a tray (3 or 6) of a stacking device, a pressing device (17) and a gripping device (13, 14) of a holding device (2 or 2'), the holding device (2 or 2'), optionally with lateral aligning elements (9, 10, 11), being provided above the tray (3 or 6) for the bundle and being provided with a gripping and supporting device (13, 14) or the like engaging under the respective bundle or stack, characterised in that the pressing device acting on the bundle or stack is arranged in the gripping device.
7. Device according to claim 6, characterised in that the holding device (2, 2') consists of a plate or the like, the pressing device arranged below it and the gripping and supporting device extending in the direction of the tray (3 or 6).
8. Device according to claim 7, characterised in that the gripping and supporting device consists of a plurality of gripping and supporting rods (13, 14) or the like optionally movable in opposite directions.
9. Device according to one or more of claims 6 to 8, characterised in that the pressing device consists of at least one pressing plate (17) or the like optionally made in two parts.
10. Device according to claim 9, characterised in that the pressing plate (17) or the like consists of at least two overlapping parts acted upon by springs (22).
11. Device for treating flat objects folded at least once according to one or more of claims 6 to 10, characterised in that a rotating device is arranged above the holding device (2, 2') and the entire holding device (2, 2') can rotate without the tray (3 or 6).
12. Device according to claim 11, characterised in that the rotating device has a slewing ring-type bearing arrangement.
13. Device according to one or more of claims 6 to 12, characterised in that the holding device (2, 2') is provided with a device for adjusting the distance between the opposing gripping and supporting rods (13, 14) or the like.
14. Device according to one or more of claims 6 to 13, characterised in that the rotating device has a slewing ring (33) or the like arranged centrally on the plate or the like.
15. Device according to one or more of claims 6 to 14, characterised in that the plate or the like is mounted on rails (42, 43), a frame (1) or the like for the lateral displacement of the holding device (2, 2').

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