Abstract: A method and arrangement for identifying and finding the grippers of a gripping conveyor used to transport printed products. The gripping conveyor is divided into a number of sections wherein the length of each section is sufficiently short to enable length variations of the section to be avoided in operation. A group of grippers at the end of each section form an identification code for the following section. The code may be compiled by virtue of each gripper in the group either carrying or not carrying a marker, such that the grippers will form a binary code. The gripper located before the code may carry a marker which indicates the beginning of the code and the beginning of the following section. A sensor senses the code and thereby finds the section of interest. A given gripper within the section can then be found by its position in the section. A gripper counter which senses the serial number of the gripper in the section may also be used.

Abstract: A buffering method and system used in newspaper production employed between a printing press and a production room. The buffering system and method ensures a proper flow of newspapers from the printing press to the production room.

Abstract: A gripper conveyor includes a moving conveyor chain (1) which is provided with grippers (3). Each of the grippers (3) includes a fixed clamping jaw (31), a pivotal clamping jaw (33) and a spring (36) which biases the grippers (3) towards their closed positions. The conveyor includes an opening means (40) which functions to open selected grippers (3) while the conveyor chain moves, and the pivotal clamping jaw (33) of respective grippers (3) has a maneuvering arm (37) which is activated by the opening means (40). The movable clamping jaw (33) is pivotally mounted on a shaft (32) for limited, free pivotal movement in the pivoting direction. Because the center of gravity (331) of the movable clamping jaw (33) is distanced from the shaft (32) the movable jaw (33) is able to swing downwardly and outwardly into abutment with the support surface (N1, N11) on which the article, for instance a newspaper, to be gripped lies. Optionally, the outward swinging movement of the movable jaw (33) is assisted by a spring (35).

Abstract: A gripper conveyor comprises a moving conveyor chain (1) which is provided with grippers (3), each of which includes a fixed clamping jaw (31), a pivotal clamping jaw (33) and a spring element (36) which biases respective grippers towards their closed positions and an opening mechanism (6; 41, 42, 68) which functions to open selected grippers (3) while the conveyor chain (1) is moving. The pivotal clamping jaw (33) of the gripper (3) is connected to a manoeuvering arm (37) which is activated by the opening mechanism. The manoeuvering arm (37) is mounted for limited pivotal movement in relation to the movable clamping jaw (33). An end-position element (45; 371) is provided for defining a pivotal end-position of the manoeuvering arm in a direction away from the movable clamping jaw. A biasing element (35) which is weaker than the spring element (36) functions to bias the manoeuvering arm (37) in a direction towards its end position.

Abstract: In order to enable a gripper carried by a rapid moving gripper conveyor to be opened and therewith release an object gripped by the gripper, for instance a newspaper, without influencing neighboring grippers, the gripper is opened (45', 47) while moving along a path which is shorter than the distance (t) at which the grippers are spaced on the gripper chain (1) and the opened gripper is held open by means (4, 45') which only act on the thus opened gripper. The means which holds the gripper open accompanies the movement of the gripper conveyor. The method and the arrangement find use in conveyors that are provided with self-closing grippers where the conveyors have a high conveying capacity and enable independent release of individual objects. An opened gripper is held open while the gripper moves through a distance which is greater than the gripper spacing interval and which is sufficiently long to ensure that the object will fall free from the gripper.

Abstract: A method of inserting supplements into newspapers or magazines (20) and a general method of opening newspapers or magazines prior to the insertion process entail separate newspapers being transported in open state through an insertion station. The spines of the newspapers are held in firm contact with pocketlike holders (14, 45) on a conveyor (10) and the holders (14, 45) are caused to temporarily open when they pass the insertion station (60, 61), the firm contact between newspaper (20) and holders being still maintained. Apparatus for performing the method comprises a conveyor (10) and an insertion arrangement (60, 61) with means (14, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26) to open each newspaper (20) and means (60, 61) to insert a supplement into the opened newspaper. The apparatus may also include a second conveyor (40) with separate grippers (45) for each newspaper. The conveyor (40) extends through the conveyor (10).

Abstract: A method of inserting supplements into newspapers or magazines (20) and a general method of opening newspapers or magazines prior to the insertion process entail separate newspapers being transported in open state through an insertion station. The spines of the newspapers are held in firm contact with pocketlike holders (14, 45) on a conveyor (10) and the holders (14, 45) are caused to temporarily open when they pass the insertion station (60, 61), the firm contact between newspaper (20) and holders being still maintained. Apparatus for performing the method comprises a conveyor (10) and an insertion arrangement (60, 61) with means (14, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26) to open each newspaper (20) and means (60, 61) to insert a supplement into the opened newspaper. The appartus may also include a second conveyor (40) with separate grippers (45) for each newspaper. The conveyor (40) extends through the conveyor (10).

Abstract: A method of achieving temporary storage of a succession of objects such as newspapers, arranged in overlapping formation, comprising dividing the succession of objects into sections (1) carried along on a conveyor (22) to a position close to a series of vertically displaceable shelves (21), depositing the sections (1) on the shelves and displacing the series of shelves transversely to the direction of movement of the conveyor in order to bring the shelves into a position close to the conveyor to allow the sections to be deposited on the shelves or to be transferred from the shelves to the conveyor when the temporarily stored sections are to be fed out. An apparatus for performing the method comprises dividing the succession of objects into sections, a conveyor (22) for transporting the sections (1) through a temporary store consisting of a series of shelves (21), and transferring the sections between shelves and conveyor.

Abstract: A method of achieving temporary storage of a succession of objects such as newspapers, arranged in overlapping formation, comprising dividing the succession of objects into sections (1) carried along on a conveyor (22) to a position close to a series of vertically displaceable shelves (21), depositing the sections (1) on the shelves and displacing the series of shelves transversely to the direction of movement of the conveyor in order to bring the shelves into a position close to the conveyor to allow the sections to be deposited on the shelves or to be transferred from the shelves to the conveyor when the temporarily stored sections are to be fed out. An apparatus for performing the method comprises a mechanism (10) for dividing the succession of objects into sections, a conveyor (22) for transporting the sections (1) through a temporary store consisting of a series of shelves (21), and a mechanism (20', 22, 23, 25, 26) for transferring the sections between shelves and conveyor.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for wrapping a product, particularly a bundle of newspapers or magazines, especially an extra thick bundle or an extra thin bundle comprising a few or a single newspaper or magazine. The product is carried on a conveyor system through a plane towards a curtain of film formed by an upper and a lower sheet of film. The curtain thus accompanies the product and is auto-sealed behind the product, after which the sheets of film are separated in the middle of the sealing region, the curtain of film being re-established and the product being provided with a wrapper.

Abstract: A gripping system consisting of two jaws (2, 3) pivotable in relation to each other on a shaft (32), the shaft being secured to one jaw (3) and extending through a sleeve (53) secured to the other jaw (2), the shaft having an enlarged section (39) adjacent to and having substantially the same outer diameter as the sleeve (53). A tightly coiled helical spring (70) surrounds both the sleeve (53) and the section (39). One end portion of the spring is freely movable on the enlarged section (39) and can be rotated at least in one direction in relation thereto. The other end of the spring is connected to a roller (4) which is pivotably journalled and can be turned upon peripheral contact with a tread surface arranged at a desired position along the path of the gripping system so that the gripping system opens at a position exactly defined by the tread surface.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for withdrawing a selected number of consecutive copies of newspapers, for instance, from a series of said products travelling horizontally and arranged in overlapping formation (4), a gripper (10) in the form of a mechanical clamp is caused to engage with the desired number of copies by the front edge of the clamp being kept in contact with the formation along a selected distance, the clamp being driven with a speed difference in relation to the formation such that a selected number of copies enter the clamp along the selected distance. At the end of the distance the clamp is closed and its speed thereafter accelerated in relation to the formation, to a speed considerably higher than that of the formation, its direction deviating only marginally from the direction of movement of the formation. Only a few consecutive copies are withdrawn from the formation so that no gaps occur in the formation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a conveyor rail intended for handling individual objects. The rail is composed of straight and curved modules consisting of quadratic sections (1), preferably of aluminium, with chain guides (4, 5, 6, 7) arranged on each side, This enables a single type of curved profile to be utilized for curves in any direction.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for inserting supplements into newspapers without slowing the flow of newspapers from a printing press. The method and apparatus produce a final, single stream of newspapers after the newspapers are received from inserting machines. At least two inserting machines receive portions of a main stream of newspapers from the printing press. The main stream is divided into branch stream which pass through the slower operating inserting machines. The branch streams are recombined into a single stream of newspapers having the same speed as the main stream of newspapers from the printing press. The apparatus comprises a receiving conveyor for receiving newspapers from respective branch streams. Overlapped batches of newspapers are formed on the receiving conveyor. One newspaper from each branch stream is deposited at predetermined longitudinal and lateral positions of the receiving conveyor to form the batches of newspapers.

Abstract: A device or apparatus for collecting printed matter in a pile and delivering the pile to a conveyor at the same high speed as the output rate of a modern printing machine. A collecting basket can be rotated 180.degree. to enable alternate piling of folded printing matter to keep the piles even. The bottom of the collecting basket is a roller conveyor. To achieve high speed operation, the lateral opening in the collecting basket has two swing gates and the collecting basket is supported on a laterally reciprocable sled. From a starting position, where the basket is in position for collecting newspapers, a motor can move the sled, with the basket, at a sufficiently high speed horizontally through a relatively short distance to a stop position, at which position the lateral opening of the collecting basket is open because of outward swing movement of the two swing gates. The stop position is adjacent a belt conveyor at the same level as the basket bottom roller conveyor.