Abstract: A multi-function binding machine is proposed. The multi-function binding machine (700) comprises a binding station (135) for binding blocks of signatures (105), and a feeding station (115) for receiving signatures in succession, opening the signatures, and feeding the signatures to the binding station; in the solution according to an embodiment of the invention, the multi-function binding machine further comprises a further feeding station (715) for receiving pre-signatures in successions, folding groups of at least one pre-signature into further signatures (729), and feeding the further signatures to the binding station.

Abstract: An inserter including a pocket for holding an unevenly folded printed product having a fold edge, a first section on a first side of the fold edge and a second section on a second side of the fold edge that is at least 20 percent shorter than the first section is provided. The pocket includes a lower support surface for supporting the fold edge, a first wall for supporting the first section and a second wall for supporting the second section. The first and second walls each have at least one cutout defined therein. The at least one cutout of the second wall includes a lower cutout edge that is less than a length of the second section away from the lower support surface. The inserter also includes a gripper for securely gripping unevenly folded printed product and removing the unevenly folded printed product from the pocket by passing through the at least one cutouts in the first and second walls. A method of inserting an insert into an unevenly folded printed product is also provided.

Abstract: A method for transporting newspapers includes the steps of feeding an asymmetrically folded multiple section newspaper into a pocket of a pocket conveyor of an inserting machine, wherein the asymmetrically folded multiple section newspaper has an extended lap having a height of at least 15% of a height of the asymmetrically folded newspaper when unfolded. A face of a first section of the headline side of the newspaper, when fed into the pocket is adjacent a movable wall of the pocket, and a back of a last section of the headline side of the newspaper adjacent a fixed wall of the pocket. The method further comprises feeding one or more inserts from a hopper to the pocket, where the inserts are fed into an opening between newspaper sections, removing the newspapers with the inserts therein from the pocket with a gripper conveyor, and releasing the newspapers with the inserts from the gripper conveyor headline up on a lapped stream conveyor.

Abstract: A device and a method for inserting flat objects into a folded printed product, wherein the products are held by grippers of a gripper conveyor which opens only briefly for inserting the flat object. In order to also stabilize the product in the open state of the gripper, a support element is provided, which moves between the two product parts before the gripper opens and rests on one of the product parts. If the orientations of the support elements and the grippers are selected in a suitable fashion, this will suffice in order to position the product and keep it open such that the flat object can be inserted and the gripper can then be closed again, while clamping the product with the flat object into position. Optionally, further support elements are present, which additionally support the product from the outside, such as the folded edge.

Abstract: A device for opening and further transporting of printed products with respectively at least two sheets held together over a fixed edge, including a conveying device with transport grippers driven in conveying direction (F) arranged with a distance between one another, which are designed to hold the printed products suspended on their fixed edge, as well as with an opening device arranged below the transport grippers, which is destined to open the printed products. The opening device includes an opening wedge capable of being inserted into a free edge zone between the sheets of the printed product, and the opening device furthermore includes a device for supplying blast air, by way of which the sheets of the printed product are capable of being fanned open in the edge zone, into which the opening wedge is inserted.

Abstract: A method for inserting a supplement into a multipage printed product having a back and composed of signatures and/or individual sheets, and being transported with the back oriented parallel to a conveying direction. The multipage printed product is supplied with a signature or an individual sheet projecting from the multipage printed product to define a predetermined separating location between the projecting signature or individual sheet and an adjacent signature or sheet. The multipage printed product is opened at the predetermined separating location and then the opening is expanded. The supplement is thereafter inserted into the expanded separating location.

Abstract: Receiver units (10, 90) for taking over objects (100, 101, 102) are moved past a take-over location (S1, S2) and include an abutment (95) which limits the position of the object (100, 101, 102) which is fed in the feed direction (F). At least one holding element and/or braking element (45) acts in a direct or indirect manner on the objects to be taken over, for realising a defined product position, in particular so that the object (100, 101, 102) does not bend up or rebound from the abutment (95). In one variant, the holding element and/or braking element (45) brakes the object (100, 101, 102) by way of direct friction. In another variant, the object (100, 101, 102) to be taken over transmits its momentum onto an object (100, 101, 102) which is already held in the receiver unit (10, 90) by way of the holding element and/or braking element, and is braked by way of this.

Abstract: An interfolder separator apparatus and method utilize a pair of count fingers that are movable longitudinally along and transversely to a stream of folded sheets, for temporarily supporting each successive pack formed by the separator and then releasing each successive pack when partly completed to alternating build fingers, so that the operation of separating successive packs from one another is performed separately from the operations of completing the build of each pack and transporting the completed packs to downstream operations. The count fingers may be mounted to pivot about axes that are movable longitudinally along and transversely to the stream of sheets. A first or last panel of the completed pack may also be folded back partly upon itself, after the partly completed pack is released by the count fingers. Some or all of the fingers may be spring loaded and automatically resettable for clearing jams.

Abstract: An apparatus for, and a method of, inserting flat articles, e.g. printed pre-products or additional products, parts of newspapers, goods samples, leaflets, fliers and other inserts, into folded printed products. Use is made of a rotary system with compartments which run along a closed circular rotary path and are oriented as a tangent or secant to the rotary path (U). This makes it possible for the printed products and the articles to be fed in the direction of rotation, as a result of which the forces acting on the products can be reduced. There are also advantages relating to format adaptation, since the opening angle of the product upon adjustment of the compartment base does not change to such a pronounced extent as is the case with radially oriented compartments.

Abstract: An apparatus for thread-stitching of folded print products includes a sewing station in which individual print products are stitched along the fold and print products are then sewn together along the spine to form a book block. A pivoting saddle supplies individual print products straddling thereon to the sewing station. A feeder separates folded print products from a stack of folded print products. A feeding arrangement includes a feed path connecting the feeder to the pivoting saddle, and has a feeding end that cooperates with the feeder to supply the individual print products to the feed path and a discharge end that operates to supply the individual print products to the pivoting saddle. The sewing station, as seen from the top, is arranged on the machine frame of the apparatus, between the feeding end of the feeding arrangement and the pivoting saddle.

Abstract: A device and a method for taking over flexible, two-dimensional objects (100), in particular printed products, at a take-over location (S1). The objects (100) are received by receiver units (10, 12). Controllable narrowing elements (20) are present, in order to prevent a squashing and rebounding of the objects (100) on or from an abutment of the receiver unit (10, 12), with which narrowing elements, in an active condition, the opening width (W2) of the receiver unit (10, 12) in a middle region between an entry opening (16) of the receiver unit (10, 12) and the abutment (15), may be reduced compared to an inactive condition. These are controlled with a control device (30). A more reliable positioning of the objects (100) in the receiver unit (10, 12), in particular at high feed speeds and with thin, elastically deformable objects (100), may be achieved.

Abstract: A system uses a plurality of sensors to detect and manage conditions within a moving pocket, such as a pocket carrying a flat product from one location to another. The system is particularly useful in connection with a newspaper insert machine. One sensor detects whether the product has been opened properly at a particular time; another sensor detects whether the product has been properly gripped by a gripper at a particular time; another sensor detects whether the pocket is empty at a particular time and another sensor detects whether the pocket is open or closed at a particular time. In the event an error condition is detected, the error condition is corrected by a control system.

Abstract: An apparatus for sealing paper with paste includes a paper-feeding unit, a pasting main body which seals open ends of a sheet of paper by an adhesive, and a paper-receiving unit on which the sealed sheets of paper are loaded. The pasting main body includes an opening mechanism which opens a closed sheet of paper, an adhesive applying mechanism which applies a peelable temporary adhesive in a streaky form to a lower folded piece of the opened sheet of paper, a sealing mechanism which superposes an upper folded piece on the lower folded piece, and which temporarily adheres the open ends of the upper and lower folded pieces, and a conveying mechanism.

Abstract: The device has successively disposed receiving elements (14). These are formed by a channel-like base (42) and a wall (44) trailing as viewed in circumferential direction (U). The circumferential path (24) extends in the working section (38) at an incline such that the printed products (18) fed by means of the first conveyor (10) come to rest in the system at the base (42) and plane against the wall (44). A sliding body (60) is associated with each receiving element (14), the sliding body displacing the fed printed products (18) along the wall (44) of the receiving section (46) in the insertion section (48) by abutting the same. The printed products (18) are opened, wherein the second product part (18?) is placed behind the hold-open element (50), which is disposed on the forward receiving element (14). Inserts (20) are added to the printed products (18) by means of a second conveyor (12).

Abstract: The invention relates to a first product (20) which supports identification information (30) and a second product (22) which, optionally, supports identification information (30?). Said first and second products are maintained and transported together by a clamp (12), such that the second printing product (22) at least partially overlaps the first printing product (20). The identification information (30) of the first printing product (20) is arranged in the edge section (26) and the identification information (30?) of the second printing product (22) is free. The printing products (22, 22) are subjected to an optical-electronic control where an image capturing device (38) captures an image of the identification information (30, 30?), when a control point is passed. The captured image is electronically processed and the result thereof is transformed into control signals.

Abstract: A gatherer-stitcher has a folded-sheet feeder and an apparatus for transferring folded sheets from the feeder to a transporting configuration of the gatherer-stitcher. The apparatus has a plurality of shafts or drums with grippers for gripping the folded sheets. The apparatus opens the folded sheets and places them astride the transporting configuration. The apparatus also has a blowing configuration which, as a folded sheet is transferred from one shaft or drum to another, subjects the folded sheet to a surge of air in time with a folded-sheet transportation.

Abstract: A method and an installation for the insertion of supplements into printed products (1) such as newspapers, periodicals, brochures, etc., wherein each single, folded or multi-paged printed product (1) is opened over a fold (8) and a supplement (2) is inserted, wherein a leader edge (9) of the supplement (2) is placed at least near the fold (8), or against the spine respectively, of the printed product (1). The method further comprises the following steps of: Application of a bonding agent (3) to the supplement (2) near the leader edge (9) or to the printed product (1) near the fold (8); Insertion of the supplement (2) into the printed product (1); and Adhesion by means of the bonding agent (3), of the supplement (2) in at least one place near its leader edge (9) with the printed product (1).

Abstract: A device for opening folded or bound printed products, comprises a feeder device (2, 13) for feeding-in individual folded or bound sub-products (4) and an opening device (6) for opening the sub-products (4), as well as furthermore an opening verifying installation (11, 14, 15, 16), in order to with optical means (14) identify deficiently opened sub-products (4) before the sub-products (4) are further processed. In case of sub-products (4) identified as being deficiently opened, the further processing is not carried out, but rather a deficiently opened sub-product (4) is conducted back to the opening device once more.

Abstract: A signature hopper is provided comprising a first drum having a first gripper for a lead edge of a folded signature, a second drum having a second gripper for an open edge of the folded signature, the second gripper having a gripper finger with an end curled in a direction of rotation of the second drum, a dipper blade for pushing the open edge from the first drum toward the second drum so as to contact the gripper finger and a stationary signature guide spaced with respect to the first drum, the signature contacting the signature guide as the first drum rotates the signature past the signature guide.

Abstract: A storage vessel for holding between shaves a wet razor with its head and cutting blade submerged in a liquid and its handle held out of the liquid and dry. The vessel liquid is comprised of a mixture of hydrophobic and hygroscopic materials and of anti-viral and anti-bacterial materials, effective to reduce cutting blade oxidation due to exposure to water and air during nonuse storage and to maintain the blade sharp and sanitary for shaving comfort. These materials specifically might be mineral oil and calcium chloride (CaCl2), and nano-gold or nano-silver.

Abstract: A sheet feeder for supplying a conveying device with folded signatures from a stack of folded signatures, the sheet feeder including a gripper drum. The gripper drum includes at least one gripper to individually remove respective signatures and a stopping device. The stopping device including a stop element to stop and align the signatures with the fold of the signatures in a forward direction. The sheet feeder includes an opening device to open the individual signatures, to deposit the signatures on the conveying device, and to reverse the forward direction of the signatures. The sheet feeder includes a delay element moving in the same direction as the gripper drum and at a conveying speed less than the gripper drum speed. A press-on device to press the signatures released by the gripper against the delay element and to slow down the individual signatures prior to the signatures hitting the stop element.

Abstract: Folded printed products (6) are supplied with trailing fold-edges (6.3) from above towards a clamping gap (1) and are pushed out of the clamping gap (1), in order to be deposited on, for example, saddle-like supports (7). As soon as the leading edge of each printed product (6) exits from the clamping gap (1), the printed product (6) is opened by two printed product parts (6.1 and 6.2) being separated from each other, and the opened printed products are positioned above the support (7). Gripper elements (11) are provided for gripping the trailing fold-edge (6.3) of each printed product (6), before it exits the clamping gap (1), thus preventing a free fall of the printed products (6) onto the support (7) when the trailing fold-edge (6.3) exits the clamping gap (1). The gripper elements (11) grip and guide the printed products towards the support (7). If a plurality of supports (7) is provided, and these are conveyed continuously and in succession past, below the stationary clamping gap (1), the fold-edges (6.

Abstract: Flat articles are inserted into printed products (3) continuously conveyed by grippers (11) of a gripper conveyor (1), wherein the printed products are held by the grippers at their fold or spine edges and wherein the grippers (11) are conveyed through a deflection region from below round an essentially horizontal deflection axis (2). Pegging elements (4) rotating around the deflection axis (2) are arranged along both sides of the deflection region and synchronized with the grippers, and form axially aligned and inter-spaced pairs and are radially distanced from the grippers. The printed products (3) are conveyed in a hanging manner into the deflection region and they are opened immediately upstream of the deflection region.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing printed products conveyed along a conveying path includes an adjustable positioning device presenting an adjustable guide curve arranged to adjust a position of the printed products along the conveying path.

Abstract: A method for producing multi-part print products includes supplying a folded main print product fold first to respectively one pouch of successively following pouches on a conveying device for a production line that includes a plurality of feeders. The folded main print product has front and rear legs extending from the fold. The rear leg has a frontal edge region that is penetrable by a movable clamping part. The method further includes moving the front and rear legs apart by penetrating the frontal edge region of the rear leg with the movable clamping part to clamp the front leg against a pouch wall. At least one partial print product is inserted into the main print product when the front and rear legs are moved apart to accommodate partial print products side-by-side.

Abstract: In order to produce final printed products (14) in the same compartment (12), a first product for insertion (22) is inserted into a first folded printed product (10), and a second product for insertion (28) is inserted into a second folded printed product (24). The printed products (10, 24) are displaced in the direction of the folds (16), and as a result each of the printed products (10, 24) has an edge section (26) projecting beyond the other printed product. This permits fault-free, simple access to each of the printed products (10, 24) in order to open and insert the products for insertion (22, 28).

Abstract: Two folded and printed products (11, 12) are introduced into a pocket-like holding compartment (1) with respective ones of their side surfaces resting against each other and are moved in such position jointly along a processing section in a direction running transversely with respect to the folded edge. In the course of this movement, the printed products (11, 12) are displaced in opposite directions (H, I) relative to each other in the direction of their folded edge and toward opening elements (7, 8). The opening elements (7, 8) move between the two halves (11a, 11b; 12a, 12b) of the two printed products (11, 12) and have the effect that the two product halves (11a, 11b; 12a, 12b) are lifted off each other. Inserts are then inserted into the printed products (11, 12) opened simultaneously in this way. In a second embodiment, first and second clamping fingers (107, 111) act in conjunction with a pivotable separating element (113) to open the two printed products.

Abstract: A device for opening folded or bound printed products, comprises a feeder device (2, 13) for feeding-in individual folded or bound sub-products (4) and an opening device (6) for opening the sub-products (4), as well as furthermore an opening verifying installation (11, 14, 15, 16), in order to with optical means (14) identify deficiently opened sub-products (4) before the sub-products (4) are further processed. In case of sub-products (4) identified as being deficiently opened, the further processing is not carried out, but rather a deficiently opened sub-product (4) is conducted back to the opening device once more.

Abstract: In order to produce final printed products (14) in the same compartment (12), a first product for insertion (22) is inserted into a first folded printed product (10), and a second product for insertion (28) is inserted into a second folded printed product (24). The printed products (10, 24) are displaced in the direction of the folds (16), and as a result each of the printed products (10, 24) has an edge section (26) projecting beyond the other printed product. This permits fault-free, simple access to each of the printed products (10, 24) by grippers (44, 46) respectively positioned adjacent the end regions of each of the compartments and which are configured to open the products for insertion (22, 28).

Abstract: A positioning device for a positioning element, which is rotationally displaceable about a first axis, including a positioning member engaged with the positioning element. The positioning member is rotatable about a second axis perpendicular to and spaced from the first axis. The positioning device further includes a slotted link disposed on the positioning element and arranged radially about the first axis, a threaded spindle rotatable about a fixed point, and a link block inserted into the slotted link it cannot be turned. The link block is defined by a spindle nut engaged with the threaded spindle. The thread pitch of the threaded spindle corresponds to a predefined range of the positioning angle of the positioning element such that the positioning element is displaceable within the range of the positioning angle by two rotations of the threaded spindle or less.

Abstract: An apparatus for handling inserts for printed materials has been developed. The apparatus includes a printed material conveyor that includes a support post and a gripper. The conveyor receives and supports the printed material from below. After an insert has been placed inside the printed material, it is delivered to a stacker and jackets with insert errors are automatically returned to the conveyor.

Abstract: A device for holding printed products fed in variations of at least collecting and collating feed modes. The device includes a holding element for holding products fed in different feed modes. The holding element, in turn, includes a deflection element which, in a printed product transfer region, is effective to deflect printed products being fed away from those already fed to the holding element.

Abstract: The apparatus has a feed conveyor (12) which is assigned an opening apparatus (18). Located at the downstream end of the feed conveyor (12) is the transfer region (16), through which the movement path (26) of clamps (24) runs. The clamp (24) has two clamp elements (30), which can be moved from an open position into a closed position (60?) for gripping and retaining an article (10). The clamp (24) is assigned a holding-open element (28) which, when the article (10) is gripped by means of the clamp (24), ends up between the two parts (22, 22?) of the article (10) lifted off from one another by means of the opening apparatus (18), and which is intended for holding the article (10) open when the clamp (24) is closed.

Abstract: The clamp has two interacting clamp elements (14) which can be moved relative to one another. These are intended for retaining a sheet-like article (70). The clamp (12) also has a holding-open element (20) which is intended for engaging between two parts (78, 78′) of the article and, when the clamp elements (14) are located in the closed position (18′), for keeping these parts (78, 78′) separate from one another and thus holding the article (70) open.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in forming sheet material assemblages includes a pocket assembly having upper and lower grippers. The upper gripper is spaced a first distance from a sheet material support portion of the pocket assembly to engage an upper edge portion of a large cover section having a relatively large distance between a fold and an upper edge portion. The lower gripper is spaced a distance which is smaller than the first distance from the sheet material support portion of the pocket assembly to engage an upper edge portion of a small cover section having a relatively small distance between a fold and an upper edge portion of the cover section. Pressers are mounted on a movable side wall of the pocket assembly and are engagable with a side of a small cover section to press small the cover section toward the lower gripper.

Abstract: An insertion and gathering device having two deflection wheels, a conveying apparatus circulating around the deflection wheels, receiving containers coupled to and moved along successively by the conveying apparatus with each receiving container having a pocket with an open upper end constituting an insertion opening and extending crosswise to the conveying direction, a feed station for feeding folded products into the insertion openings, a removal station for removing folded products from the receiving devices, and a stationary opening device for opening the folded products arranged between the feed station and the removal station downstream of the first deflection wheel.

Abstract: A folder includes a first cutting device for partially cutting a web of material, a former to fold the web of material, so as to form a folded web, a stationary signature opening device located between sides of the passing folded web, and a second cutting device located downstream from the former to cut the folded web into an at least one signature. A related collating device is also provided.

Abstract: A lap separator system opens a sheet in a pocket traveling in a direction at a given speed, the pocket having forward and rearward walls pivotally connected to one another and, together, defining a sheet-receiving opening, and includes a moveable separator carrier, a separator connected to the carrier, the separator carrier conveying the separator in the transport direction along the pocket at a speed greater than the given speed, and the separator sequentially contacting the rearward wall, the sheet in the pocket, and then the forward wall and sequentially releasing the rearward wall, at least a portion of the sheet in the pocket, and then the forward wall. The system can be part of a sheet-collating machine having a conveyor, a sheet feeding device, and many pockets. A method for opening a sheet includes displacing the separator to sequentially contact and release the walls and sheet.

Abstract: A method and device for producing printed products wherein first primary products are supplied, respectively, fold first to successive, uniformly-spaced pockets disposed transversely to a conveying direction at a beginning of a first segment of a production path formed by feeders. Subsequently, the first primary product in each pocket is grasped at a protruding gripping edge and opened for insertion of a partial product or enclosure. A further primary product is supplied, respectively, to the successive pockets on a further segment adjoining the first segment of the production path for producing a further printed product, including partial products or enclosures, in the successive pockets.

Abstract: A device designed to open at least one page of a publication in order to introduce printed inserts, fitted in an insert feeding and/or packaging machine, which includes a feed table for publications associated with a product feeding conveyor, at least one sheet feeder being fitted alongside table to feed secondary products, which said device including a suction and lifting element that lifts a lateral portion of said at least one page of a main product, a deflector designed to deflect the lateral portion of said at least one lifted page being fitted downstream of said suction and lifting element, which has a reduced width and is fitted alongside in correspondence of the deflector, where said at least one sheet feeder is located.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing multi-part printed products comprising an upwardly open V-shaped continuous conveying channel (1), and a V-shaped processing channel (2) arranged above the conveying channel (1). A plurality of supply locations (11-17) are arranged serially along the processing route for supplying the printed product parts (A-G). The processing channel (2) has individual successive processing regions (3-10) which receive the product parts supplied at the supply locations and between which through-passages (18, 19, 119, 20, 120) are provided which open toward the bottom and by means of which the product parts (A-G) pass out of the processing region and into the underlying conveying channel (1).

Abstract: A method of combining a number of individually printed products into a finished product, for example a weekend newspaper containing numerous sections. The individually printed products are of the type that are folded at their mid portion so that they can be opened along the fold allowing them to receive other printed product or closed which facilitates their insertion into an opened printed product. The process starts by inserting a folded printed product into the main product. The first inserted product could have been open when inserted or opened after it was inserted. Then another printed product is inserted into the main product such that it lies adjacent to the first product that was inserted. The first product that was inserted into the main product can then be opened to permit additional printed products to be inserted into it.