Abstract: A calipering assembly (40) is provided for use along a collating conveyor (14) having collated assemblages (20) thereon. The calipering assembly comprises a movable member (60) in the form of a wheel having an outer circumferential surface which engages a collated assemblage when the member is moved toward a collated assemblage. The outer circumferential surface of the member includes a light reflective surface portion (83) against which light (37) is directed and then reflected (38). A light sensor (39) senses the reflected light from the light reflective surface portion of the outer circumferential surface of the member. A processor (44) cooperates with the light sensor to provide a signal (42) which varies as a function of the thickness of the collated assemblage.

Abstract: A sheet material feed drum has a plurality of grippers which are spaced apart by a first distance, measured along the periphery of the feed drum. Sheet material is transferred from the feed drum to a conveyor. The conveyor has a plurality of pusher elements which are spaced apart by a second distance which is less than the first distance. The pusher elements are moved at a slower speed than the grippers. An apparatus is provided to reduce the speed of movement of the sheet material to match the speed of movement of the pusher elements. In one embodiment, the apparatus for changing the speed of movement of the sheet material includes a ring member which is rotatable about a central axis of the feed drum. The ring member is moved at a slower speed than the grippers. A presser roll engages the ring member to define a nip through which the sheet material is conducted. In another embodiment, a wheel is rotatable about an axis which extends through the feed drum.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming sheet material assemblages includes a plurality of pockets which are movable past a plurality of sheet material feeders. Each of the pockets includes a sheet material support which is movable between any one of a plurality of closed positions and an open condition. When the sheet material support is in a closed position, it blocks the lower end portion of the pocket and supports sheet material in the pocket. When the sheet material support is in the open condition, it is ineffective to block the lower portion of the pocket so that the sheet material assemblage can move out of the pocket through the lower end portion of the pocket. An actuator is provided to move the sheet material support from the open condition to a closed position. The sheet material support is connected with side portions of the pocket by a four bar linkage.

Abstract: A sheet material collating apparatus includes a conveyor and a plurality of hoppers which hold sheet material articles. Feed drums are operable to sequentially feed sheet material articles from each of the hoppers to sheet material receiving locations on the conveyor. Each of a plurality of feed drum drive systems includes a transmission which is operable to drive a feed drum at either a first speed or a second speed which is greater than the first speed. A control system for the transmissions may include a detector which is operable to detect when a pusher element in the conveyor is at predetermined location relative to a feed drum by detecting either the pusher element itself or the trailing edge of a sheet material article being pushed by the pusher element. A signal generator, such as an encoder or pulse generator, may be used to indicate the position of a pusher element in the conveyor relative to the feed drums.

Abstract: A collator (10) comprises a collating conveyor (12) and a plurality of hopper sections (20, 40, 60) located along the conveyor. Each section includes at least one signature pile support (21-24, 41-44, 61-64) for holding signatures to be fed to the conveyor. Each section also includes a signature feeder (25-28, 45-48, 65-68) for feeding a signature from the pile support to the conveyor. Each section has its own respective motor (32, 52, 72) for driving the associated feeder. Each motor includes its own respective controller (30, 50, 70) for controlling the associated motor to control the feeding of signatures from the associated feeder to the conveyor. Each controller includes its own respective motor drive for controlling operation of the associated motor. A master controller (14) interconnecting the motor drives controls speed of operation and coordinates timing of operation of the motor drives.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing paper products from a stack on a hopper comprises a rotatably mounted gripper drum for rotating about a central axis at a substantially constant angular velocity. A stationary cam is rigidly mounted adjacent the gripper drum. A gripper mechanism is mounted on the gripper drum and rotates with the drum. The gripper mechanism is provided for gripping a paper product, removing the paper product from a stack and for entraining the paper product with the rotating gripper drum. A linkage mechanism which is also mounted on the gripper drum and which rotates with the drum is provided for angularly displacing the gripper mechanism relative to the gripper drum, i.e. to accelerate and to decelerate the gripper, and for operatively linking the gripper mechanim with the cam.

Abstract: A glue application system (10) for applying glue to books (12) moving from a binder (16) along a predetermined path (14) includes a first roller (30) which rotates in the predetermined path to apply glue to the books. A heater (114) maintains the temperature of the first roller at a predetermined temperature. A second roller (32) rotates in the predetermined path, downstream of the first roller, to apply glue to the books. A second heater (130) maintains the temperature of the second roller at a temperature less than the temperature of the first roller. A glue reservoir (50) disposed below the first and second rollers contains a supply of liquid melted glue (56). A pump (70) pumps liquid melted glue up to the first and second rollers. An electric motor drive assembly (89) is selectively engageable to drive the pump when a binder drive assembly (79) is not driving the pump.

Abstract: An improved cover breaker assembly may be used to sequentially apply covers to books of different thicknesses or to books of the same thickness. The cover breaker assembly includes inner and outer breaker members which are engageable with a cover on each of the books in turn. The inner breaker member is moved through the same distance from a retracted position to the same extended position during the application of a cover to either a thin book or a thick book. The outer breaker member is moved from a retracted position to an extended position through a distance which varies as a function of the thickness of the book. The inner and outer breaker members are effective to apply substantially the same force to either a thick book or a thin book. During the application of a cover to either a thick book or a thin book, the inner breaker member moves through the same distance along the path of travel of the book.

Abstract: A stacker assembly receives signatures. A jogger assembly engages signatures supported by the stacker assembly to align edge portions of the signatures. A turntable receives the signatures from the stacker assembly and rotates the signatures to offset relatively thick folded edge portions of the signatures. A conveyor assembly pushes a stack of signatures from the turntable to a tying station in a strapper assembly. The conveyor assembly presses a leading end portion of a stack of signatures against registration surfaces in the strapper assembly to position the main stack of signatures relative to the tying station. A pusher element presses against a trailing end of the stack of signatures to press a leading end of the stack of signatures against the registration surfaces in the strapper assembly and to ensure that the trailing edge portions of the signatures are aligned. The strapper assembly is operable to tie a band around the stack of signatures.

Abstract: A gripper assembly for clamping articles comprises a first clamp member and a second clamp member pivotal relative to the first clamp member. An actuator pivots the second clamp member relative to the first clamp member from an open position into a closed position. A coil spring is compressed when the second clamp member is in the open position. A pin engaging in a slot maintains the coil spring in the compressed condition when the second clamp member is in the open position. A releasable locking device holds the second clamp member in a closed position. The locking device includes a latch that can be mounted in one of two positions on the first clamp member. The latch is biased into engagement with one of two latch blocks, depending on the position of the latch, to hold the second clamp member in the closed position.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in handling sheet material articles includes a feed drum which is rotatable to sequentially pull sheet material articles from a hopper. A separator assembly includes a rotatable separator disk in which a plurality of gaps are formed. A plurality of suction applicator heads are rotatable with the separator disk relative to the hopper. Each of the suction applicator heads is aligned with a gap in the separator disk. During rotation of the separator disk and suction applicator heads together relative to the hopper, the suction applicator heads are operable to sequentially apply suction to lower side surfaces of lowermost sheet material article in the hopper. The feed drum pulls one sheet material article from the hopper while a next succeeding sheet material article in the hopper is engaged by a suction applicator head.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a plurality of individual books in a predetermined sequence includes a main conveyor having a plurality of spaced collating stations for receiving signatures. A plurality of feeders selectively feed signatures to the spaced collating stations as the main conveyor moves the plurality of spaced collating stations past the plurality of feeders to form the plurality of individual books in the predetermined sequence. A rejector rejects a defective book from the sequence of books leaving a space in the sequence of books. A reorderer causes the plurality of feeders to rebuild the rejected book. A first transferor transfers the sequence of books to a second conveyor to convey the sequence of books away from the main conveyor. The first transfer means is inhibited from transferring the reordered book from the main conveyor to the second conveyor.

Abstract: A stacker assembly receives signatures and supports the signatures as an intermediate stack is formed. A jogger assembly engages an intermediate stack supported by the stacker assembly to accurately align edge portions of the signatures. The stacks of signatures are deposited onto a turntable to form a main stack. The turntable rotates the main stack to offset relatively thick folded edge portions of signatures. The stacker assembly includes a plurality of slats which are moved along a first continuous circuitous path by a first drive assembly. The stacker assembly also includes a plurality of slats which are moved along a second continuous circuitous path by a second drive assembly. The drive assemblies move the slats along the continuous circuitous paths with the longitudinal axes of the slats horizontal and parallel. The jogger assembly has jogger plates which extend into central portions of the continuous circuitous paths along which the slats are moved by the drive assemblies.

Abstract: The present invention resides in a method for transferring images from an image-bearing surface, to a moving web or sheet. The image-bearing surface is advanced in a predetermined direction, and the receptor area of the image-bearing surface is exposed to successive images. The successive images are developed using a liquid toner comprising charged pigmented particles, in a liquid hydrocarbon carrier. A porous web is transported in synchronism with movement of said image-bearing surface into position for transfer of said developed images on said receptor area successively onto said web. In one embodiment, the web is an uncoated, non-conductive porous material. The web is treated with a fluorinated or partially fluorinated hydrocarbon surfactant hold-out material in an amount effective to reduce the penetration rate of the toner carrier into the web so as to ensure that sufficient carrier is available for complete and void-free transfer.

Abstract: An existing sheet material feeder has a feed tray which holds sheet material in an on-edge orientation in which side surfaces of the sheet material are generally vertical. An apparatus is provided to convert the sheet material feeder to one having a feed tray which holds sheet material in a lying-down orientation in which side surfaces of the sheet material are generally horizontal. The apparatus for converting the on-edge sheet material feeder to the lying-down sheet material feeders includes a frame having a pair of parallel side sections. A single sheet material feed drum is disposed between and is connected with the side sections. The side sections are connected with side sections of the existing collator conveyor sheet material feeder.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring a plurality of books from a binder conveyor to another conveyor. The apparatus includes a plurality of grippers for receiving the books from the binder conveyor and gripping the books. The apparatus includes a conveyor for moving the grippers at a first interval and a first orientation. The apparatus includes a device for rotating the grippers from the first orientation to a second orientation. The apparatus includes a device for changing the relative displacement of the grippers from the first interval to a second interval, different from the first interval. The apparatus includes a conveyor for moving the grippers at the second interval and the second orientation.

Abstract: A large scale LED exposure array and system for printers, and unique methods of inputting data to and operating such an array, are disclosed. The array can be loaded and refreshed with data information at rates compatible with high speed printing, and forms part of an electronic image forming and handling system which can load an refresh an exposure array at variable speeds of at least 100 to 300 ft./min. The system includes compensation for differences in illuminating capability of individual LEDs in a large array, by introducing modifications in LED on-time which are centered with respect to the incremental area of the photoreceptor on which a pixel is to be formed, and to compensate for changes in pixel exposure time with increase in speed of the photoreceptor.

Abstract: A liquid toner for developing electrostatic latent images, at speeds in excess of 100 ft./min., by electrophoretic movement of pre-charged particles of a thermoplastic polymer in a nonpolar carrier liquid, which reduces drag is disclosed wherein the particles are present in about 10% by weight of the weight of the carrier liquid, and no more than 10% by volume of such toner particles having a size less than 1.0 micron as measured by an Horiba Capa-700. The nonpolar liquid has, typically, a volume resistivity in excess of 10.sup.9 ohm centimeters, a dielectric constant no greater than 3.5, and a vapor pressure of less than 10 millimeters of Mercury at 25 degrees C. The toner composition also includes a quantity of charge director for imparting an electrostatic charge of predetermined polarity to said particles. The toner particles may have a plurality of fibers integrally extending therefrom.

Abstract: A large scale LED exposure array and system for printers, and unique methods of inputting data to and operating such an array, are disclosed. The array can be loaded and refreshed with data information at rates compatible with high speed printing, and forms part of an electronic image forming and handling system which can load an refresh an exposure array at variable speeds of at least 100 to 300 ft./min. The system includes compensation for differences in illuminating capability of individual LEDs in a large array, by introducing modifications in LED on-time which are centered with respect to the incremental area of the photoreceptor on which a pixel is to be formed, and to compensate for changes in pixel exposure time with increase in speed of the photoreceptor.

Abstract: A sheet proofing mechanism for a printing, duplicating and like machine wherein sheets are delivered seriatim by a conveyor in a path over a receiving tray whereat the sheets drop onto a stack of sheets in the tray. Releasable gripping fingers are provided on the conveyor, and stripping fingers strip each released sheet from the conveyor and direct the sheet into the tray. A sheet proofing mechanism includes deflecting fingers spaced along the path from the stripping fingers for deflecting a released sheet from the conveyor to a proofing station. A tripping cam is provided along the path for selectively releasing the gripping fingers at a first point to allow the stripping fingers to strip the released sheet from the conveyor and at a second point to allow the deflecting fingers to deflect the released sheet to the proofing station. The machine also includes a numbering head for sequentially numbering the sheets, with an indexing lever for indexing the numbering head.