GB2264279A

GB2264279A - Inserting items into folders.

Info

Publication number: GB2264279A
Application number: GB9303316A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Uwe Diekmann
Original assignee: BERTELSMANN DISTRIBUTION GmbH
Current assignee: BERTELSMANN DISTRIBUTION GmbH
Priority date: 1992-02-20
Filing date: 1993-02-19
Publication date: 1993-08-25
Anticipated expiration: 2013-02-19
Also published as: FR2687612B1; ITMI930216A0; IT1271935B; DE4205197A1; GB2264279B; CH687191A5; ITMI930216A1; FR2687612A1; DE4205197C2; GB9303316D0

Description

2264279 A Method and Device for Feeding Items for Filling into a Folder,

in particular into an Envelope The invention relates to a method of the kind disclosed in the preamble to Claim 1, and to a device for carrying

out this method, having the features disclosed in the preamble to Claim 2.

A method and device of this kind are disclosed in DE-OS 33 12 087. Therein, the folder is separated from a stack, the closure flap of the folder is opened, and this is then supplied to a feeding station from below, in a flat position, on a first, slightly rising conveyance track. The item for f illing is also supplied to the f eeding station in a f lat position on a second conveyance track which falls away inclinedly. The end regions of both conveyance tracks extend so that they are substantially congruent above one another. The folder is conveyed on the first conveyance track in such a way that its f eed opening f aces to the rear. The item f or f illing is then f ed into the f older which is kept open by suction means by the use of feed guide means and alignment cams, with the folder being held or by the conveyance speed of the item f or f illing being increased relative to the conveyance speed of the folder. Both methods require complex mechanics and accurate and thus expensive control means.

The aim of the invention is to create a method and a device of.the kind mentioned in the introduction, which provide a continuous feeding process with fast stroke motion, without complex kinematics and thus expensive control means being required for this.

According to the method, this problem is solved by the operational steps disclosed in the characterising part of Claim 1.

- 2 According to the device, the same problem is solved by the features disclosed in Claim 2.

The basic concept of the invention is the fact that the conveyance track for the item for filling and those for the folder are allowed to end at the feeding station at the same height relative to one another, and that this feeding station is basically in the form of a third conveyance track on which the item for filling is pushed into the folder at right angles to the conveyance track, or alternatively, the folder is pushed over the item for filling. This makes it possible for all conveyance tracks to be allowed to move synchronously, for simple positioning means to suffice for the folder and item for filling, and for a fast stroke motion to be obtained.

Claims

One preferred embodiment of the third conveyance track which f orms the feeding station is disclosed in Claim 3. Structural details of this third conveyance track are dealt with in Claims 4 to 13. The drawings show a simplified illustration of an embodiment, selected by way of example, of the proposed device for carrying out the method according to the invention. In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view, Figure 2 is a section through the third conveyance track, along the line I-I in Figure 1, Figure 3 is a section, on a larger scale, through the third conveyance track, along the line II-II in Figure 1, Figure 4 is a part longitudinal section through the third conveyance track, on a larger scale, z Figure 5 is a partial region, corresponding to Figure 4, but in cross- section, and Figure 6 is a plan view of a partial region of the guide members arranged bel6i the plane of conveyance of the third conveyance track. With the feed device shown in the plan view in Figure 1, the path of conveyance passes from left to right. The device comprises a first conveyance track 25 on which items 3 for filling, in this case single sheets, are conveyed in a flat position. The item 3 f or f illing arrives at the conveyance track 25 from one or more of the feeding apparatus 21 to 211 1 1 1 for the item for filling arranged alongside the conveyance track 25. Suitable control means which ensure that the items for f illing are in the correct sequence or are correctly sorted are known. A second conveyance track 23 which is driven at the same speed passes parallel to, and at the same level as, the f irst conveyance track 25, this second conveyance track being intended for folders 2, e. g - envelopes, which are drawn off from a stack 38 of folders in a supply station 22. It is important that the folder 2 and the item 3 for filling are conveyed in alignment relative to each other. To this end, the first conveyance track 25 has entrainment members 37 and the second conveyance track 24 has entrainment members 42. The edges of the item 3 for filling or of the folder 2, which edges are to the rear of the conveyance device, rest positively on the entrainment members in question. The folders 2 are oriented in such a way that their feed opening faces the item for filling. The first and second conveyance tracks end at the intake side of a feeding station, which, in turn, consists of a third conveyance track 4. On this third conveyance track, which will be described in greater detail hereinafter with the aid of the drawings, the item 3 for filling is pushed into the feed opening of the folder, kept open, by a displacement movement which is superposed over the conveyance movement and at right angles thereto. The envelopes shown in the drawings thus pass over through an opening device 24, disposed upstream of the third conveyance track 4, for the closur-, flaps 17 of the folders 2. Properly filled folders are transferred from the third conveyance track to a fourth conveyance track 39 which is disposed in the extension of the third conveyance track, which has an associated closure station 26 and which ends at a deposit station 27. Unfilled items 31, on the other hand, arrive at a mis-feed station 20 which is also at the end of the third conveyance track, but which is arranged to the side of the fourth conveyance track 39. Details of the third conveyance track 4 are shown in Figures 2 to 6. The cross-sectional drawing in Figure 2 shows that the third conveyance track consists of two mutually spaced apart, parallel traverses 28, 28' which are connected together by a number of crosspieces 30. The traverses 28, 28' have toothed belt guide means 29, 29' on the insides thereof, over which toothed belts 7, 71 move. Connected to the toothed belts 7, 71 are guide rods 6 which are disposed at uniform spacings apart and which are arranged transversely to the toothed belts. The guide rods are provided with ball bearings 31 and 31' at both ends, the ball bearings moving on corresponding guide tracks provided on the toothed belt guide means 29, 291. Disposed beneath the guide rods 2 are mutually spaced apart guide members 12, 12' and 16. The guide members 12, 12' each have a groove on their upper side, into which groove the guide pin 11 of a lateral pushing device 5 arranged on the guide rod 6 shown in the drawings and displaceable along this guide rod engages. The upper side of the guide member 16 is also provided with a groove, into which groove the guide pin 15 of a positioning pushing device 14, arranged on the same guide rod 6 and also displaceable along it, engages. As can be seen in Figure 1, neither the lateral pushing devices 5, 51 nor the positioning pushing devices 14 shown there are arranged on each guide rod, but are arranged at divisional spacings apart in accordance with the size of the item 3 f or f illing or the f older 2. The same applies to the entrainment members 34 corresponding to the entrainment members 37 of the f irst conveyance track 25, and also to the entrainment members 44 corresponding to the entrainment members 42 of the second conveyance track 23, on which entrainment members 44 the rear edges of the items for f illing or of the folders rest. By skilfully selecting the basic division predetermined by the guide rods, it is possible for the guide rods to be divided up proportionally to suit all typical formats, so that the lateral pushing device, the positioning pushing device and entrainment members simply need to be changed over. As can also be seen in Figure 1, the positioning pushing devices 14 move in a straight line in the direction of conveyance, and to be more exact they are guided by the guide member 16, also straight. On the other hand, during the normal feeding process, the lateral pushing devices 5, 51 move in dependency on the movement of the guide member 12, being first of all directed towards the folders 2, and then after the item 3 for f illing has been completely fed in, pointing away from the folders 2 again in the end region of the feeding station. in dependency on the position of a deflector device 19, 19' which is provided at the feed side of the feeding station, which deflector device will be described in greater detail hereinafter with the aid of Figure 6, the lateral pushing devices 5, 51, instead of meshing with the guide member 12 by means of their guide pin 11, can also mesh with the guide member 12' (see Figure 2). They then simply continue in a straight line in the direction of conveyance, so that the feeding process ceases and the item for filling is then fed instead to the mis-feed station 20 (see Figure 1). Figure 3 shows the transfer region between the first conveyance track 25 and the third conveyance track 4, on a larger scale, in a sectional view along the line II-11 in Figure 1. It can be seen that the first conveyance track 25 consists of a conveyor belt 33 %hich is provided with entrainment members 37, this belt changing its direction by means of a belt wheel 36. The transfer region is covered over by a brush 40 which is responsible for ensuring that the item 3 for filling rests against the entrainment members 37, but that after it has been transferred it rests against the entrainment members 34 on the guide rods 6 of the third conveyance track 4. The toothed belt 7 of this third conveyance track 4 reverses its direction by way of a toothed belt wheel 35, and is connected, in a way not shown in greater detail, to the guide rods 6 which are hexagonal in profile, the toothed wheel belt preventing twisting of the entrainment members 34, 44 and also of the lateral pushing devices 5, 5' and of the positioning pushing devices 14. To keep the folders 2 open during the feeding operation of the item 3 for filling, as shown in Figure 2, use is made of a suction arrangement comprising the parts 8, 9, 10 and 32 and a sheet metal guide 18 disposed above the guide rods 6, moving in the direction of conveyance and which is open in the direction of the closure f laps 17 of the folders and receives the former. The structure of the suction arrangement can be seen more clearly in Figures 4 and 5. It consists of a toothed belt guide means 32 for a suction toothed belt 8. Disposed between the toothed belt guide means 32 and the suction toothed belt 8 is a continuous suction chamber 10 which is connected to a corresponding underpressure source by way of the bore shown. The suction toothed belt 8, in turn, has bores which open into the channels of the suction pieces 9, 9', which, in turn, are arranged between successive guide rods 6, 61, C and reach into the plane of conveyance. The suction toothed belt 8 extends - accordingly in synchronisation with the guide rods 6 or toothed belts 7, 71 entraining them. The prof ile pieces 9 have suction openings 91 which end in the plane of conveyance of the folders 2. In addition, the profile members 9 have a step at the longitudinal edge facing the item 3 for filling, on which step the longitudinal edge, on the same side, of the folder 2, rests. Adjacent to the step is a wedge surf ace which f alls away in the direction of the item 2 for filling, so that the item 3 f or f illing is slightly raised on being f ed into the folder 2, with the result that it does not get caught on the lower edge of the feed opening of the folder 2. Figure 6 shows the afore-mentioned deflector device 19, 19'. The direction of conveyance passes here from the left to the right. To provide parallel displacement of respective lateral pushing devices 5, 51 in succession on the guide rods 6, 6', the part of the guide member 12, which part approaches the other guide member 16 (not shown in Figure 6) consists of two parallel sections 12', 12", at the start of which a first deflector device 19 is disposed, which, in dependency on the sequence of the lateral pushing devices 5, 51, switches over between the sections 121, 121' of the guide member 12. A second deflector device 19' follows on from the first deflector device 19 in the direction of conveyance. When both deflector devices 19 and 191 change the direction from the position shown to provide for movement in a straight line, the guide pins (11 in Figure 2) of the side pushing devices 5, 51 are changed over to the guide member 41 which continues in a straight line so that the item 3 for filling is fed to the mis-feed station 20, instead of being pushed into the folder. The afore-described kinematics, wherein the item for filling moves towards the folders is simply to be interpreted as an example. The arrangement can also be such that the folders are instead moved towards the item for filling. It is also possible to realise a solution, wherein both the folders and also the items for filling are displaced conveyance. transversely to the direction of Claims:

1. A device for feeding items, such as single sheets or magazines, which are to be filled into a folder, in particular an envelope, having a iirst conveyance track for the item to be filled; a second conveyance track for the f older which is parallel to, at the same level as, and driven synchronously to, the first conveyance track; and a feeding station at the same level., at which f eeding station the two conveyance tracks end which convey the item which is intended to be filled into a folder or which convey the folder in question in a flat position and transversely in relation to the direction of conveyance in alignment with one another; wherein the feeding station consists of a third conveyance track which moves at the same speed as the f irst and second conveyance tracks, the third conveyance track consisting of two parallel, mutually spaced apart toothed belts and further consisting of mutually spaced apart guide rods which are arranged transversely to the toothed belts and which are connected to them, the guide rods having a cross-section which differs from the circular cross-section, on which guide rods there are pushing means and positioning means for the edge of the folder, remote from the feed opening of the folder, which pushing and positioning means grip the longitudinal edge of the item for f illing and, remote from the folder, are arranged at longitudinal spacings apart, depending on the size of the item for filling and of the folders; the pushing means and the positioning devices having to be moved continuously relative to each other in succession in the direction of conveyance during conveyance of the item for filling and of the folder until the item for filling is completely within the folder.

2. A device according to Claim 1, wherein the pushing means for each guide rod comprise a lateral pushing is device which is displaceable along the guide rod, all the lateral pushing devices being positively connected to a common stationary guide member which is arranged beneath the third conveyance track and the course of which determines the d-isplacement path of the lateral pushing devices on the respective guide rods.

3.

A device according to Claim 2, wherein the positioning means for each guide rod comprise a positioning pushing device which is displaceable along the guide rod, all the positioning pushing devices being positively connected to a common stationary guide member, the course of which determines the position of the positioning pushing devices on the guide rods in question.

4. A device according to Claim 3, wherein the guide member for the positioning pushing device extends parallel to the direction of conveyance of the third conveyance track, and wherein the guide member for the lateral pushing device first of all approaches the guide member for the positioning pushing device over the length of the third conveyance track, and then moves away therefrom.

5. A device according to Claim 4, wherein the part of the guide member for the lateral pushing devices, which part approaches the other guide member and which is intended to produce parallel displacement of each of the two successive lateral pushing devices consists of two parallel sections, at the start of which a first deflector device is disposed, which, depending on the sequence of lateral pushing devices switches over between the sections of the guide member.

6. A device according to Claim 4 or 5, wherein the path of the lateral pushing devicet over the deflector devices arranged at the start of the guide member can be reversed in respect of lateral displacement onto a further guide member for movement in a straight path, and wherein adjoining the further guide member at the end of the third conveyance -track is a misfeed station.

7. A device according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the conveyance tracks have entrainment devices, against which the rear edges of the items for filling or of the folders positively rest.

8. A device according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein disposed beneath the third conveyance track is a suction conveyor belt which moves synchronously with the third conveyance track, against the suction openings, guided into the plane of conveyance, on which suction conveyor belt the undersides of the folders rest.

A device according to Claim 8, wherein the upper side of the suction conveyance belt rests against the undersides of the profile members, the upper sides of which are disposed in the plane of conveyance of the folders, and wherein the profile members have the suction openings, and on the longitudinal edge thereof facing the item for filling, they have a step for positioning of the longitudinal edge, on the same side, of the folder, and they further have an adjoining wedge surface which falls away in the.direction of the item for filling.

10. A device according to any one of Claims 1 to 9, wherein arranged at the end of the second conveyance track is an opening device for the closure flaps of the folders.

11. A device according to any one of Claims 1 to 10, wherein disposed above the third conveyance track is a sheet metal guide of U-shaped prof ile which extends in the direction of conveyance and which receives the closure flaps of the folders.

12. A device for feeding items, such as single sheets or magazines, which are to be filled into a folder, in particular an envelope, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings