Abstract: A dual drive signature stacker having side-by-side stacker sections, each of substantially identical design and including a stepper motor for driving a pair of buckets for receiving signatures secured at spaced intervals along a drive chain driven by the stepper motor. the buckets have intercept blades supported by brackets joined to the drive chain to position one of the intercept blades of each drive assembly in front of the adjacent drive assembly so that all of the buckets of the dual drive assembly are in alignment with one another and with the signature stream. The side-by-side arrangement greatly simplifies the design cost and assembly. A microprocessor-based control system permits stacking of stacks having as few as two signatures and is further capable of forming successive signature stacks of differing count in a precision manner and compatible with the speeds of any signature flow rate.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for wrapping a signature bundle by moving a wrapping sheet into the path of movement of a bundle, said sheet being maintained in self-supporting fashion by imparting a bend thereto as it is fed to the wrapping station. The bundle "crashes" into the sheet causing it to collapse and wrap itself about the bundle. When the wrapping operation is completed, the wrapping sheet is wrapped around three contiguous surfaces of the bundle. The sheet is automatically cut and a new wrapping operation is initiated. The wrapping sheet may be printed upon by an ink jet printing characters "on the fly". The characters are printed backwards and "bleed through" the wrapping sheet to appear in normal manner.

Abstract: A bundle distribution system comprised of tilt tray carriers coupled in tandem forming a continuous loop, each conveyor being a link in the loop. Vertical and horizontal wheels guide the conveyors along a closed loop path which may include curved and straight sections as well as vertical curves and inclined path sections. Each carrier includs a pivotally mounted tilt tray normally maintained in an upright position. Linear induction motors (LIMs) cooperate with a conductive plate arranged along the underside of each carrier for propulsion. The LIMs are distributed at spaced intervals along the closed loop track, each carrier being a movable element of the motor. The LIMs are operated in parallel and a speed sensor provides feedback for controlling the operating speed to a tolerance of within .+-.5%. The cam follower rollers of a tilting assembly follow a movable tilt cam which initially unlocks the tilting mechanism from the locked position followed by tilting of the carriage about its longitudinal axis.

Abstract: Intercept arms of a stacker are coupled to the drive chains by connecting links pivotally connected at one end directly to one of the drive chain links so that the pivot point of the connecting link is coincident with the pitch centerline of the drive chain resulting from the fact that the connecting link forms an integral part of the drive chain, directly replacing one of the drive chain rollers. The connecting link design provides a mechanical advantage of five to one and is pivotally mounted and angled so that the connecting link is free to pivot about the chain to avoid interference as the intercept arm moves about the sprocket, providing greater stability to the intercept arm while simultaneously increasing the mechanical advantage thereby significantly reducing power losses.

Abstract: A stacker having platforms movable along a path by chains. Cam followers on the platforms engage a cam surface which controls the platform path. The chains are driven by a motor in a closed-loop system which monitors the platforms and controls their speed. The closed-loop system first decelerates the platforms and thereafter stops one platform in the intercept-ready position. The platform cam follower enters a claw which moves the end of the platform through the stream to collect signatures when the downstream platform reaches a predetermined count and deposits the stack on a turntable. A piston assembly rotates the turntable one-half turn after each deposit. Different pressure values are selectively applied to the piston assembly to slow the turntable before it is halted.

Abstract: In a stacker turntable used to form compensated bundles, a drive assembly for moving completed bundles off of the turntable comprises first and second drive motors mounted to the underside of the rotatable turntable at equally distant locations from the center line and as close thereto as is practicable to minimize the offcenter mass. The locations of the motors are balanced to balance the rotatable mass. Each motor drives a "picket fence" assembly, each assembly being a movable wall formed of individual vertical slats. Pusher elements are arranged at spaced distances among the slats to cooperatively form end guides for supporting bundles as they are being formed and during the time that they are rotated for pushing a completed bundle off of the turntable.The leadlines of the motors extend through a hollow center support and coaxial with the turntable center of rotation to prevent any whipping of the leads during turntable rotation.

Abstract: A stacker having platforms movable along a path by chains. Cam followers on the platforms engage a cam surface which controls the platform path. The chains are driven by a motor in a closed-loop system which monitors the platforms and controls their speed. The closed-loop system first decelerates the platforms and thereafter stops one platform in the intercept-ready position. The platform cam follower enters a claw which moves the end of the platform through the stream to collect signatures when the downstream platform reaches a predetermined count and deposits the stack on a turntable. A piston assembly rotates the turntable one-half turn after each deposit. Different pressure values are selectively applied to the piston assembly to slow the turntable before it is halted.

Abstract: A vacuum operated accumulating conveyor including a table with a slick top surface having an elongated gap. A perforated belt moves along said gap above the open ends of a plurality of vacuum chambers arranged end-to-end at spaced intervals beneath the upper run of the belt. A vacuum generator is coupled to each vacuum chamber. A proximity sensor is arranged adjacent to each vacuum chamber. A controller controls the operation of the vacuum accumulating conveyor to collect a group of bundles upon the conveying table by selective operation of the vacuum generators which create a vacuum condition in the associated vacuum chambers to draw a bundle toward the belt to move each bundle a predetermined distance for initially collecting a group of bundles of a desired number and thereafter delivering the group of bundles collected to suitable take-off apparatus. Bundles may also be advanced without being collected in groups. The selective operation of the vacuum generators conserves energy.

Abstract: A sensor assembly having senser fingers swingably mounted upon a rotatable support and resiliently biased to extend radially outward. In the three-finger embodiment, a detent assembly rotatable with the support detents the support through a 120 degree rotation when the nose of a signature engages the finger lying in the path of signature movement. A one-way clutch cooperates with the detent assembly to dampen movement of the fingers and cooperating rotatable support to prevent oscillation of the rotating members. The finger advanced to the detent position slides upon the adjacent surface of the last counted signature and is freely yieldable to prevent irregularities in the signature from causing an erroneous count.

Abstract: A signature stacker having an infeed section for receiving a continuous stream of signatures arranged in overlapping fashion to form either compensated or uncompensated bundles having a predetermined and precise number of signatures. Counter means in the infeed section counts each signature in the stream to generate a signal upon accumulation of a predetermined count to activate a retractable stop means which enables a preloaded swingable intercept blade to be abruptly urged into the path of the signature stream which is passing from the infeed conveyor towards a reciprocating blade assembly.

Abstract: A household compactor mechanical press structure for refuse provided with a screw with a relatively large pitch having a piston attached to one end thereof. The screw runs through a threaded hole in a vertically movable structure that is supported by a pair of threaded rods. The latter are rotatably journalled at one end in a support plate and at the other end pass through threaded holes in the vertically movable structure.

Abstract: Signatures arranged in overlapping fashion are typically delivered from a press at high speeds (at the order of 80,000 per hour) to be stacked in bundles of a predetermined precise quantity, bundled and shipped to desired locations. During the delivery of signatures to the counting and bundling facility, typically referred to as the "mailroom," an extraction capability is provided wherein one or two signatures may be removed from the continuous stream without otherwise affecting the delivery of signatures to the stacking and bundling equipment. Alternatively, a number of copies greater than 2 may be extracted or paster copies inserted within the stream may be removed at high speed without interrupting the normal delivery of signatures to the stacking and bundling equipment.