Casemaker and method for feeding a joining apparatus

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for covering flat material with a flexible material blank, wherein the flexible material blank is separated from a stack from a magazine and the magazine has an operating position within the machine housing and a loading position partially outside or completely outside the machine housing and is movable between the operating position and the loading position.

Description

[0001] Ceiling machine and method for loading a joining device

[0002] Description

[0003] The present invention relates to a device for manufacturing book covers, box covers and / or game boards according to the preamble of claim 1, and a method for feeding a joining device according to the preamble of claim 12.

[0004] Devices of this type are known as book cover machines with a horizontal processing principle, in which one or more sheets of cardboard are continuously fed together with the adhesive-coated cover panels in a rolling unit. The protruding edges of the cover are folded over in successive workstations, either continuously or while stationary. The book covers are then guided between the press rollers of a pressing device, where separate systems rub the cardboard covers and the spine insert onto the cover panels. The book covers are then conveyed as stacks via a roller table to a delivery point for manual removal.

[0005] The lid boards are stored on a pre-stacking conveyor, from which they are either shingled or stacked into a board magazine. From the magazine, the bottom lid boards are pushed out and, together with the backing insert, are guided laterally along guide rails to the rolling unit. The backing insert can be a flexible roll strip cut to length and width in the machine or a pre-cut strip of cardboard. This is inserted into the feed plane for the lid boards immediately before rolling.

[0006] Simultaneously with the cardboard feed, the reference sheet is brought to the rolling level via a sheet cylinder. The reference sheet is separated from a sheet magazine, aligned, and fed to the sheet cylinder via further transport devices. The cylinder picks up the reference sheet with grippers and passes it by a glue application roller before rolling.

[0007] The board magazine and the blank magazine are positioned opposite each other at the ends of the sheet-fed machine. This means the operating stations for loading the machine are very far apart, resulting in unnecessary personnel requirements. Furthermore, the individual blanks are transported from the magazine to the blank cylinder below the folding stations. This transport route is very long and therefore presents numerous potential sources of disruption in production. Moreover, its location makes it very difficult to access for maintenance and troubleshooting.

[0008] Alternatively, ceiling-mounted machines are known in which the blank magazine is located approximately above the blank cylinder. This places the blank magazine significantly closer to the board magazine. By design, the blank magazine is positioned considerably higher than the board magazine. In known machines, the board magazine is positioned at an ergonomic height. In contrast, the blank magazine is either too high for efficient loading and operation, or is only practically accessible to the operator with the aid of a platform.

[0009] Another significant disadvantage of this arrangement is that the transport paths for the cover boards and the panels intersect. The panels are guided individually through predetermined gaps between the cover boards. This requires careful coordination of the transport processes and leads to limitations in the formats that can be processed. This arrangement also introduces additional design-related sources of malfunction.

[0010] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved device and method compared to the prior art, which overcome at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art identified above. The invention achieves this object by means of a device with the features of claim 1 and by means of a method with the features of claim 12. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are characterized by the features specified in the dependent claims.

[0011] The device comprises a cardboard feeder, a blanking feeder, an adhesive application unit, a joining unit with a blanking cylinder, and an output unit. The cardboard feeder is positioned upstream of the blanking cylinder in the product flow. It has a transport section with one or more parallel transport lanes offset from each other perpendicular to the transport direction. These transport lane(s) are oriented towards the joining position. The cardboard feeder moves one or more individual cardboard sheets at a time along the transport lane(s) towards the joining position and transfers the sheet(s) to the joining unit.

[0012] The feed unit comprises a magazine in which one or more batches are stored as a stack. A singulation device for the feed unit is configured either to separate one batch at a time from the stack in a discharge direction or one batch at a time from the stack in a feed direction to the batch cylinder. This feed direction is tangential to the batch cylinder. For this purpose, the singulation device is equipped with grippers for each batch to be singulated. These grippers can be formed by fingers, needles, suction cups, or similar known elements.

[0013] The adhesive application unit is located on the transport path of the blanks between the blank feeder's singulation unit and the joining position. The blank feeder and / or the blank cylinder guides a blank separated from the blank magazine, with its joining side facing the adhesive application unit. During this process, the adhesive application unit applies adhesive to the blank. At the joining position, a rub unit of the joining unit, which interacts with the blank cylinder, is located. This rubs the cardboard sheet(s) fed by the board feeder against the adhesive-coated side of the blank fed by the blank cylinder.

[0014] The adhesive application unit, the joining unit, the panel feeder, and at least parts of the cardboard feeder are enclosed within a housing of the device during operation. The panel magazine is arranged within the device such that it can be moved from this position inside the housing to a second position. In this second position, the magazine is accessible outside the housing in such a way that it can be loaded with reference panels.

[0015] This allows for a feed system with a feed magazine arrangement that offers high operational reliability and can be easily loaded by the operating personnel without placing unnecessary strain on them.

[0016] The singulation unit is positioned immediately upstream of the blank feeder and blank cylinder. The singulation unit transfers each separated blank to the blank cylinder. The feed direction of the blanks coincides with the discharge direction of the singulation unit. This eliminates the need for an additional transport section for the separated blanks, resulting in a compact design for the device.

[0017] Particularly advantageous are a predetermined operating position and a predetermined loading position of the tray magazine, between which the tray magazine can be moved. This ensures exceptionally high repeatability of the singulation process and consistent product quality.

[0018] In a first advantageous embodiment, the tray magazine is arranged to be movable transversely to the discharge direction of the singulation device. This requires little installation space for the movement of the tray magazine. In a second advantageous embodiment, the tray magazine is arranged to pivot about a vertical axis. This makes it particularly easy to move the tray magazine through the housing of the device.

[0019] An advantageous arrangement of the stack of labels in a pull-out drawer as a magazine is advantageous. This drawer has a linear guide oriented transversely to the discharge direction of the singulation device.

[0020] Preferably, the device includes a locking mechanism. This mechanism is designed to secure the magazine in at least one position. Advantageously, it is suitable for securing the magazine in its operating position. In this way, unwanted movements of the magazine during singulation are prevented. Singulation errors are thus avoided, and a high repeatability of the transfer of the reference blanks to the blank cylinder is achieved.

[0021] Advantageously, the device includes a first delivery unit that acts on the stack of reference units stored in the unit magazine. This first delivery unit has a vertical axis around which it pivots the stack of units. In this way, it is possible to align the stack of units with the singulation unit about its vertical axis.

[0022] Preferably, the device includes a second feeding device that acts on the stack of reference modules stored in the module magazine. This second feeding device has a linear feeding direction parallel to the discharge direction of the singulation device. This allows the position of the reference modules to be precisely adjusted in their transport direction.

[0023] A third delivery device of the apparatus is advantageous, acting on the stack of reference units stored in the unit magazine. This third delivery device has a linear delivery direction perpendicular to the discharge direction of the singulation unit. This allows the position of the reference units to be precisely determined perpendicular to their transport direction.

[0024] These delivery devices, individually and / or in combination, enable the precise alignment of the stack of blanks with the singulation unit and the respective cardboard sheets. This eliminates the need for an additional transport section for alignment or complex compensating movements of the blank cylinder without compromising process reliability or product quality.

[0025] An advantageous design of the third delivery device is such that it determines the operating position of the billet magazine perpendicular to the discharge direction of the singulation device.

[0026] The invention is then explained by way of exemplary embodiments with reference to the figures, to which reference is made for all details not mentioned in the description. The figures show:

[0027] Fig. 1a Utility magazine in perspective view;

[0028] Fig. 1b Utility magazine in perspective view

[0029] Fig. 2 partial view of a book cover machine in schematic representation;

[0030] Fig. 3 schematically shows a partial top view of a book cover machine;

[0031] Fig. 4 schematically shows a partial top view of a bookbinding machine.

[0032] An exemplary book cover machine is shown in a schematic view in Fig. 2. The central element is the blank cylinder 31 of the joining device 30. This blank cylinder 31, of a known type, is a cylinder segment rotatably driven about its axis 1031. A plurality of grippers 311 are arranged on the running edge of the cylinder segment. The grippers 311 open and close, controlled by a common cam. In doing so, they clamp the respective reference blank 1 against the outer surface of the cylinder segment. The blank cylinder 31 transports the reference blank, thus gripped and positioned against its outer surface, from a lower transfer position to an upper joining position. The diameter of the blank cylinder 31 determines the maximum possible extension of the reference blank 1 in the transport direction, or rather, the height of the reference blank.

[0033] A feeder 6 is located upstream of the blanking cylinder 31 in the product flow. A magazine 10 serves to hold a stack of 2 stored reference blanks 1. It has a base 122 that supports the stack of reference blanks 2. Side stops 17 and a rear stop 18, as shown in Fig. 3, are mounted on the base 122. These are adjustable and their position can be adapted to the format of the reference blank 1. Together they form a stacking chute and position the stack of reference blanks 2 in the magazine 10, securing it against unintentional displacement.

[0034] The tray magazine 10 is movable in a horizontal plane. Along its path of movement 1013, 1014, it can be moved from an operating position 2001 to a loading position 2002 and back. In the operating position 2001, the tray stack is completely within an enclosure 7 of the machine. The loading position 2002, on the other hand, is located far enough outside this enclosure 7 that the stacking chute of the magazine 10 is easily accessible.

[0035] According to Figs. 1 to 3, in a first example the tray magazine 10 forms a pull-out 12. This has a linear guide 121, along which the pull-out can be moved laterally out of the machine.

[0036] The extract 12 comprises several feeding devices. A first feeding device 14, when manually operated, causes the magazine 10 with the stack of blanks 2 to pivot about a vertical axis 1012. This aligns the stack 2 about a vertical axis. In this way, the angular position of the cardboard sheets 3 relative to the respective reference blanks 1 can be precisely adjusted. A second feeding device 15, when manually operated, moves the magazine with the stack of blanks 2 parallel to the discharge direction 1010 of a reference blank 1 separated from the stack 2. This precisely positions the cardboard sheets 3 relative to the respective reference blanks 1 in the transport direction. In particular, this easily enables the creation of equally wide folds of the blank 1 around the cardboard sheet 3 on both the leading and trailing edges.

[0037] A third delivery device 16, when manually actuated, shifts a first end position of the extension 12 in a direction 1013 transverse to the extraction direction 1010 from the tray 1 of the magazine 10. This first end position forms the operating position 2001 of the tray magazine 10. In this first end position, the extension 12 is releasably secured by a locking device 13. For this purpose, a pawl 132, actuated by a pneumatic cylinder 133, engages a bolt 131 of the extension 12. The third delivery device 16 shifts the locking pawl 132 in the transverse direction 1013. This allows the lateral impacts to be optimally adjusted.

[0038] Above the tray magazine 10, several suction cups 111 of the singulation device 11 are arranged on the leading edge of the tray 1. The suction cups 111 are controlled in their movement by a common cam. They lift the uppermost tray 1 of the tray stack 2 at its leading edge and guide it in a discharge direction 1010 into the discharge rollers 114.

[0039] Separating knives 112 are arranged on the leading end face of the stack 2. These securely hold back the remaining stack when the uppermost reference unit 1 is lifted by the suction cups 111.

[0040] The take-up rollers 114 of the singulation unit 11 are oriented parallel to the blank cylinder. They guide the individual blank 1 horizontally to the blank cylinder 31 at its lower transfer position. A gluing unit 20 is arranged along the transport path of the blank 1 between the take-up rollers 114 of the singulation unit 11 and the upper joining position. The conventional gluing unit 20 comprises an application roller 202 and a metering roller 203, each oriented parallel to the blank cylinder 31. Adhesive 4 is stored in the gap between the application roller 202 and the metering roller 203. This adhesive is conveyed by the application roller 202 through the roller gap and transferred to the passing blank 1. Excess adhesive 4 is collected in a tray 201 located below the rollers 202 and 203 and returned.

[0041] A cardboard feeder 5 with one or more adjacent cardboard magazines of a known type (not shown) feeds individual cardboard sheets 3 linearly to the joining position in an upper product plane 1130. The upper product plane 1130 is tangential to the blank cylinder 31. It is inclined slightly upwards relative to the horizontal.

[0042] With respect to the upper product level 1130, opposite and parallel to the blank cylinder 31, is the joining roller 32 of the joining device 30. The joining roller 32 serves as a rub and rubs the cardboard sheets 3 against the blank cylinder 31 at the respective adhesive-coated reference blank 1. Together, the blank cylinder 31 and the joining roller 32 determine the joining position.

[0043] The path of the products following the joining device 30 through the known insertion devices (not shown) is indicated in Fig. 2 by dashed arrows. Due to the slope of the upper product level 1130, it is possible to arrange the tray magazine 10 and the singulation device 11 directly adjacent to one of the insertion stations and the tray cylinder 31. The arrangement of the tray magazine 10 in a lateral extension 12 with its loading position 2002 nevertheless allows good access for refilling trays 1. Following the insertion stations in the product flow, a pressing device 40 is provided. It comprises several press rollers 41 parallel to the tray cylinder 31. As the products pass through the press rollers 41, they are pressed to achieve a bubble-free and permanent bond.

[0044] The finished products are stacked by means of a timed locking device 52 arranged downstream of the press 40 in the product flow. The stack 9 is formed directly on a conveyor belt 51 of the discharge unit. Figure 4 shows an alternative to the lateral discharge 12. The operating position 2001 remains unchanged. However, the transfer to the loading position 2002 is achieved by pivoting the tray magazine 10 about a vertical axis 1011. Here, too, the loading position 2002 is largely located outside the housing 7. The pivoting action changes the orientation of the magazine 10 with the tray stack 2 between the loading position 2002 and the operating position.

[0045] Reference sign

[0046] 1 benefit 15 second delivery device

[0047] 2 utility stacks 16 third delivery device

[0048] 3 cardboard 17 side cheek

[0049] 4 adhesive 18 foot cheek

[0050] 5 Cardboard feed 20 Glue plant

[0051] 6 Input feeder 30 Joining device

[0052] 7 Enclosure 31 Utility cylinders

[0053] 8 Ceiling 32 Joining roller

[0054] 9 ceiling stacks, 40 presses

[0055] 10-panel magazine 41-press roller

[0056] 11 Singling device 50 Export

[0057] 12 Excerpt 51 Volume

[0058] 13 Locking device 52 Lock

[0059] 14 First delivery device 111 Suction cup 112 Separating blade

[0060] 113 Transport roller

[0061] 114 Take-off roller

[0062] 121 Linear guide

[0063] 122 Base plate

[0064] 131 bolts

[0065] 132 Door handle

[0066] 133 lifting cylinders

[0067] 201 glue pots

[0068] 202 Application roller

[0069] 203 Metering roller

[0070] 311 Grippers

[0071] 1010 Discharge direction

[0072] 1011 Swivel axis of the magazine

[0073] 1012 Swivel axis of the stack

[0074] 1013 Extraction direction

[0075] 1014 Swivel direction

[0076] 1031 Axis of rotation of the utility cylinder

[0077] 1130 Product level

[0078] 1131 Plane of motion

[0079] 2001 Operating position

[0080] 2002 Loading position

Claims

Patent claims 1. Device for manufacturing book covers, box covers and / or game boards, comprising at least, • a joining device with a product level comprising at least one friction element and a blank cylinder arranged opposite the friction element with respect to the product level as a support element, • a cardboard feed preceding the joining device in the product flow, with at least one transport section directed towards the joining device, comprising a single transport lane for feeding individual cardboard sheets or strips, or with several parallel transport lanes for simultaneously feeding several individual cardboard sheets and / or strips in the transport direction, • a pre-feed section preceding the blank cylinder of the joining device in the product flow with at least • a feed direction that is essentially tangential to the utility cylinder, • a magazine for storing a stack of arc-shaped and / or cut-to-size panels and • a singulation device with at least one gripper directed at the top or bottom of the stack for separating a unit from the stack, • an adhesive application device arranged in the product flow between the panel singulation and the friction unit of the joining device for applying adhesive to each separated panel, • an output arranged downstream in the product flow of the joining device for the removal of individual and / or stacked products from the panel(s) joined with the cardboard elements, and • an enclosure which, at least in one operating state, at least partially encloses the aforementioned processing devices of the apparatus, wherein at least the magazine of the feeder is arranged to be movable at least temporarily, such that it alternately moves to at least one position can occupy a position at least partially outside the enclosure and within the enclosure. ± characterized by the fact that the magazine and the The singulation device of the blank feed is arranged adjacent to the blank cylinder in such a way that each individual sheet or cut blank is transferred directly from the singulation device to the blank cylinder in a substantially horizontal feed direction, the feed direction essentially coinciding with the discharge direction from the magazine.

2. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the blank magazine has at least one predetermined operating position and one loading position, wherein the operating position is arranged at least upstream of the blank cylinder in the discharge direction and the loading position is arranged substantially at least partially outside the housing relative to this operating position.

3. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least the magazine of the feeder is movable at least temporarily substantially transversely to the discharge direction.

4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that at least the magazine of the feeder is pivotable at least temporarily about a substantially vertical axis.

5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by an extension with at least one linear guide, wherein at least the tray magazine is arranged in the extension, the linear guide is oriented substantially transversely to the discharge direction from the tray magazine and the extension can be positioned along the at least one linear guide.

6. Device according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized by a locking device for at least temporarily fixing the magazine at least in its operating position.

7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a first delivery device of the blank magazine, wherein the first delivery device has a substantially vertical axis about which the first delivery device pivots at least the blank stack stored in the blank magazine.

8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a second delivery device of the blank magazine, wherein the second delivery device has a delivery direction substantially parallel to the discharge direction from the blank magazine, in which the second delivery device at least displaces the blank stack stored in the blank magazine.

9. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a third delivery device, wherein the third delivery device has a delivery direction that is essentially horizontal and oriented essentially transversely to the discharge direction from the blank magazine, in which the third delivery device at least displaces the blank stack stored in the blank magazine.

10. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that the third delivery device is connected to the blank magazine in such a way that it determines at least the operating position of the blank magazine substantially transverse to the discharge direction from the blank magazine.

11. Method for loading the feed magazine of a device for obtaining at least one plate-shaped first material blank made of a substantially rigid material with at least one arc-shaped second material blank made of a material that is in a substantial flexible material, wherein the at least one flexible material blank forms the blank and several blanks are stored stacked in the blank magazine and are separated by a singulation device of the device and made individually available to the device, characterized in that at least the blank magazine is transferred from an operating position within an enclosure of the device to a loading position at least partially outside the enclosure before at least one of the second material blanks is placed individually and / or as a stack into the blank magazine.

12. Method according to claim 11, characterized in that at least the utility magazine is transferred from the operating position to the loading position in a substantially linear movement.

13. Method according to claim 11, characterized in that at least the I utility magazine is transferred from the operating position to the loading position essentially in a circular arc movement, 14. Method for manufacturing book covers, box covers and / or game boards by a cover-making machine, comprising at least the steps • Singling out a cardboard sheet from a first magazine of the sheet forming machine and feeding the separated cardboard sheet to a joining device of the sheet forming machine, • Singling out a sheet of paper from a second magazine of the sheet machine and feeding the separated sheet of paper to a gluing unit of the sheet machine, • Application of adhesive to one side of the sheet by the gluing unit, • Joining the at least one cardboard sheet with the adhesive-bearing sheet and rolling up the at least one cardboard sheet, characterized by feeding at least the second magazine of the blanket machine with a sheet of paper according to one of claims 11 to 13.

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