Patents Assigned to Grapha-Holding AG
  • Patent number: 7758483
    Abstract: In a method for producing folded printed products a paper web is printed by at least one digital printing machine and the paper web is then processed by a sequence of processing steps, wherein full size sheets or web sections having at least four printed pages for a printed product with a multiple of four printed pages are cut from the paper web. The full size sheets or web sections are then folded to a folded state, respectively. The full size sheets or web sections are collected in the folded state and subsequently stitched. A buffer is formed of the full size sheets or the web sections during the sequence of the processing steps and the full size sheets or the web sections coming from the buffer are individualized to decouple the digital printing machine from at least some of the processing steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Grapha-Holding AG
    Inventor: Heinz Boss
  • Patent number: 7431277
    Abstract: A device for collecting printed sheets in a certain sequence astride and atop one another to form a printed product has a saddle-shaped support supplied by a sheet feeder with printed sheets. The saddle-shaped support is arranged above a conveying device transporting the printed products to a further processing step. The saddle-shaped support has a circulating traction mechanism and driving members connected to the circulating traction mechanism. The driving members act on the printed products to convey the printed products in a direction parallel to a conveying direction of the conveying device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: GRAPHA-Holding AG
    Inventor: Günther Silberbauer
  • Patent number: 7192028
    Abstract: In a device for processing printed products supplied to a stacking device, the printed products are picked up at a delivery of a printing machine or a printed product processing machine by a transport device and are transported in a suspended position on a transport path to a transfer device upstream of a stacking device. The stacking device is a unit detachable from the transfer device and connectable alternatingly to the transfer device connected so as to effect conveying of the printed products to the printing machine or the printed product processing machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Grapha-Holding AG
    Inventor: Felix Kramer
  • Patent number: 7097608
    Abstract: A folding device for signatures includes a saddle-shaped folding sword having an upright folding edge and an inside guide element below the upright folding edge on which the signatures are folded while passing through the folding device. An outside folding element follows and operates jointly with the inside guide element for folding the signatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: GRAPHA-Holding AG
    Inventor: Peter Merkli
  • Patent number: 7055814
    Abstract: An apparatus for collecting, stitching and/or cutting printed products includes an endless collector chain and feeders arranged one behind the other and above the collector chain for placing the printed products on the collector chain, and a stitching device for stitching or stapling the printed products, as well as a delivery unit for removing the printed products at the conveying end of the collector chain and for supplying the printed products to further processing. The apparatus also includes a drive unit which includes at least one servo drive which is controlled by a drive connected to the collector chain through a signal line in a timed synchronous manner and which drives additional units of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: GRAPHA-Holding AG
    Inventor: Heinz Boss
  • Patent number: 7007951
    Abstract: A transport disc for an opening device of a printed sheet feeder is arranged on a first opening drum of the opening device and has at least one outer elastic support. The outer elastic support cooperates with a securing disc of a second opening drum of the opening device to clamp an individual printed sheet between the outer elastic support and the securing disc for transporting the individual printed sheet to a transport device. The outer elastic support has an outer bearing layer and a compensation area positioned radially inwardly underneath the outer bearing layer. The compensation area is radially yielding and supports the outer bearing layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: GRAPHA-Holding AG
    Inventor: Alfred Glanzmann
  • Patent number: 7004463
    Abstract: A conveying arrangement for processing printed material to printed products has a conveying member supplying printed material and an intermediate conveying device with compartments rotating about an axis of rotation and formed by two opposed adjustable plates. The compartments receive the printed material from the conveying member. A synchronously operating conveyor is arranged downstream of the intermediate conveying device and has pocket-shaped receiving elements receiving the printed material from the compartments. The compartments, when approaching the conveying member, are moved into an open position for receiving the printed material and then into a closed position for further transporting the received printed material. The compartments have controllable conveyors arranged opposite one another on the opposed adjustable plates. The conveyors transport frictionally the printed material, clamped therebetween, out of the compartments. A drive acts on the conveyors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: GRAPHA-Holding AG
    Inventors: Albert Eugster, Felix Kramer
  • Patent number: 6796209
    Abstract: A cutting machine for automatically trimming edges of folded printed products has a first cutting station with a cutting element for performing a front cut at a front cut location on an open side of the printed products. A feeding device transports the printed products to the first cutting station. A transport device transports the printed products received from the feeding device in a transport direction through the first cutting station. A measuring device measures a position of each of the printed products in the first cutting station before reaching a cutting position. A control device controls the transport device based on the position measured by the measuring device such that a deviation of the position measured by the measuring device from a nominal position is corrected during further transport of the printed products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Grapha-Holding AG
    Inventor: Heinz Boss
  • Patent number: 6793211
    Abstract: A feeder for collecting printed sheets in an astride position includes a pulling-off drum which has at the circumference thereof gripping members for pulling off printed sheets stacked in a magazine. The feeder further includes a unit for conveying the printed sheets with an open side facing forward into an opening device. The opening device is arranged in front of a collecting device. The unit arranged between the pulling-off drum and the opening device is formed by a pocket wheel or a pocket chain provided with revolving pockets for receiving the printed sheets which are supplied with their folds facing forwardly, and a conveying member arranged in front of the pockets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Grapha-Holding AG
    Inventor: Hans Müller
  • Patent number: 6758469
    Abstract: A feeding device for feeding a processing line with printed products, including folded or non-folded printed sheets, from a stack of printed products. The printed sheets are held in a magazine. A conveyor defines a circulating path and moves in a conveying direction for conveying the printed products to the processing line. A synchronously driven separating mechanism, which is pivotally attached to the magazine, acts upon a closed fold or an edge of the printed product and operates to partially remove the printed product from the stack of printed products. A gripping arrangement includes a controlled gripping device attached to the conveyor in a feeding region of the processing line and essentially moves along in the conveying direction for taking over the printed product from the separating mechanism by gripping a front edge of the printed product relative to the conveying direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Grapha-Holding AG
    Inventor: Hans Müller
  • Patent number: 6698749
    Abstract: A feeder device for removing folded or unfolded signatures from a stack of signatures in an adjacent signature magazine and feeding a production line with the signatures. The device includes a conveying rotor having an approximately circular circumference and being rotatable in a conveying direction. The conveying rotor includes a recess at the approximately circular circumference for holding a front edge, in the conveying direction, of a printed product removed from the stack of signatures. A conveying belt partially rests against the circumference of the conveying rotor, and is drivable in the same direction as the conveying rotor, and together with the conveying rotor forms a conveying gap through which the signatures are conveyed to the processing line. At least one synchronously driven separating element includes a control device comprising a pivotal control shaft arranged parallel to the rotational axis of the conveying rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Grapha-Holding AG
    Inventor: Hans Müller
  • Patent number: 6655674
    Abstract: An arrangement for stitching the spine of printed products, complied of folded printed sheets, by staples has a stitching device with a stitching head/bending arrangement. A conveying device for conveying the printed products to the stitching device at a spacing sequentially behind one another and with the spine transverse to the conveying direction is provided. The stitching device has a stitching support on which the stitching head/bending arrangement is arranged. The stitching support is configured to move during the stitching process approximately in the same direction and at least approximately at the same speed as the conveying device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Grapha-Holding AG
    Inventor: Hans Müller
  • Patent number: 6632059
    Abstract: In a method for adhesive attachment of a cover and a binding strip on the flanks of a spine of an book block comprised of bound printed sheets, the book block is transported in a transport direction on a circulating transport device. A binding strip is placed onto the book block spine such that lateral strip parts project laterally past the spine. The cover is moved into a proper position relative to the book block spine in accordance with the cycle of the book block and in the transport direction of the book block. At least one of the lateral strip parts is loaded on a side facing away from the cover with a pressing element. The cover and the book block pass through a pressing device in order to connect the cover and the book block to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: GRAPHA-Holding AG
    Inventors: Jakob Debrunner, Mike Fritschi, Kaspar Furrer
  • Patent number: 6619650
    Abstract: A device is used to insert and/or deposit printed products into a conveying channel. The printed products are conveyed in the conveying channel with of carriers of a conveying element. An acceleration apparatus pre-accelerates the printed products in conveying direction. The acceleration apparatus conveys the printed products essentially in a straight line and at an angle to the conveying direction of the conveying channel. The printed products are preferably inserted with the aid of conveying belts and at an angle into the conveying channel. As a result of the slanted feed, the divisions of the conveying element can be optimized and the capacity increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Grapha-Holding AG
    Inventors: Christoph Gysin, Heinz Boss
  • Patent number: 6616139
    Abstract: A device for removing printed products, having a fold and being transported uniformly spaced and astraddle by a transport device, has a rotatingly driven gripping device with controlled gripping elements for gripping one of the printed products by the fold on the transport device and removing the printed product while stably holding the printed product. The rotatingly driven gripping device has control elements for controlling an opening movement and a closing movement of the gripping elements and is adjustable for adaptation to the different thicknesses of the printed products during running.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Grapha-Holding AG
    Inventor: Beat von Aesch
  • Patent number: 6612559
    Abstract: A conveying device for collecting and transporting printed sheets has a first chain conveyor on which the printed sheets are placed astraddle to be conveyed in a conveying direction. A second chain conveyor is arranged downstream of the first chain conveyor in the conveying direction and synchronized with the first chain conveyor. An intermediate conveying device is arranged between the first and second chain conveyors and configured to grip intermediate products of collected printed sheets formed at the end of the collecting process on the first chain conveyor and to transport and transfer the intermediate products onto the second chain conveyor. The intermediate conveying device has a circulating traction mechanism and controllable grippers connected to the traction mechanism. The grippers grip a fold of the intermediate products lifted off the first chain conveyor and transport the intermediate products in an open position to the second chain conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: GRAPHA-Holding AG
    Inventor: Heinz Boss
  • Patent number: 6609605
    Abstract: In an arrangement and a method for intermediate storage of packages, a first transport path is provided to transport packages from a loading station to a transfer station. A second transport path and at least one storage surface arranged along the second transport path are provided, wherein the second transport path receives packages from the first transport path and places the packages onto the at least one storage surface for intermediate storage of the packages and unloads the packages from the at least one storage surface for transport of the packages to the transfer station, as needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Grapha-Holding AG
    Inventor: Heinz Linder
  • Patent number: 6568672
    Abstract: A device for forming a stack of successively arranged printed sheets has a stack support with support elements and a conveying device supplying printed sheets, arranged in an imbricated arrangement, in a vertical direction to the stack support. The printed sheets formed stacks on the stack support in a stack forming direction and the support elements define a leading end and a trailing end of the stacks. A controllable insertion device correlated with the stack support moves end plates into an intermediate position between the support elements and the leading and trailing ends of the stack, respectively. The insertion device has an insertion member arrangement with passages allowing the support elements to pass through and has a drive for moving the insertion member arrangement perpendicularly to the stack support for inserting the end plates. The insertion device has at least one interstice for receiving end plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: Grapha-Holding AG
    Inventor: Christof Keller
  • Patent number: 6547240
    Abstract: A gripper drum for gripping printed products includes a drum shaft; at least one gripper disk coupled to the drum shaft; a gripper shaft disposed on the at least one gripper disk and having a shaft body rotatable about its longitudinal axis; an apparatus for controlling the gripper shaft; and a plurality of grippers disposed on the shaft body. The grippers are adaptable to be rotated about the longitudinal axis of the gripper shaft for gripping the printed products. The gripper drum further includes a tensing apparatus coupled to the gripper shaft for compensating any play between the controlling apparatus and the plurality of grippers. The gripper drum operates to define an opening movement and closing movement of the grippers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Grapha-Holding AG
    Inventor: Günther Silberbauer
  • Patent number: 6540066
    Abstract: Signatures are transported straddling on a saddle-shaped support of a conveying device by circulating drivers and are removed by means of a blade of the conveying device and are transferred to a lift-off device. The conveying device is lowered in the region of blade and the drivers push the signatures onto the essentially fixed blade. As a result of the conveying device being lowered in the region of the blade the drivers dip down after the signatures are pushed onto the blade and no longer grip the signatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Grapha-Holding AG
    Inventor: Beat Von Aesch