Abstract: Imaging apparatus and methods for bindery systems. An example apparatus disclosed herein includes a platform having a plurality of openings to provide suction through a surface of the platform and a first track that moves across the surface of the platform. The first track has a plurality of apertures to fluidly couple the suction to an upper surface of the first track.

Abstract: An inserting machine and method for transporting newspapers is provided. The inserting machine includes a pocket conveyor having a plurality of interconnected pockets, each pocket having a fixed pocket wall, a movable pocket wall, a first side gripper, a second side gripper, a center gripper located between the first and second side grippers, at least one first suction opening on the fixed pocket wall and at least one second suction opening on the movable pocket wall. The at least one first and second suction openings coupled to a vacuum source. Hoppers are located above the pocket conveyor to feed inserts to the pockets in the pocket conveyor. The machine also includes a set of actuators for separately controlling movement of the movable pocket wall, the first side gripper, the second side gripper, and the center gripper, and for separately controlling application of a vacuum to the at least one first and second suction openings.

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 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: 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 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 method and apparatus for folding over a portion of at least one top sheet of a stack of interfolded sheets. The foldover apparatus includes a conveyor adapted to move the stack in the downstream direction, a vacuum assembly adapted to separate at least a portion of the at least one top sheet from the remainder of the stack, and a forming plow to fold over the portion of the at least one top sheet. The method includes moving the stack of sheets downstream along a path, separating the portion of the at least one top sheet from the remaining portion of the stack of interfolded sheets, moving the portion of the at least one top sheet adjacent a forming plow, moving the portion of the at least one top sheet along the folding plow, and folding over the portion of the at least one top sheet.

Abstract: An adjustable gripper system for releasably holding at least one sheet against a surface includes an adjustment body, a gripper connected thereto for holding the sheet against the surface, and a cam follower to be actuated by a cam. The cam follower is connected to the adjustment body and displaces the adjustment body dependent upon a cam position, which correspondingly displaces the gripper along the surface. The system can be part of a sheet-collating pocket having a top portion, forward and rearward walls pivotally connected to one another and defining a sheet-receiving opening, which pocket can be part of a sheet-collating machine having the cam, a conveyor, a sheet feeding device, and other pockets. A method for adjusting the grippers positions the cam in the pocket path to contact each and selectively displace the gripper holding portion with dependent upon the cam position while the cam and pocket contact.

Abstract: A method for covering a book includes delivering a book into a pocket, delivering an inverted cover for the book into the pocket, the cover having a first side and a second side, the first side of the cover contacting a side of the book in the pocket, and reversing the second side of the cover so as to contact another side of the book. Also disclosed is a book covering device including a plurality of movable pockets for receiving a book and an inverted cover, each pocket having a support wall and a spine stop movable with respect to the support wall, and each pocket including a cover reversing device for reversing the inverted cover.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating a flat product from a pile of flat products includes at least two needles arranged in at least one needle group on a respective needle block. The needle blocks and needle groups are movable from a closing position to an opening position, the needles supporting the bottom of the pile of flat products in the closing position. A respective adjustment device is provided for adjusting the position of each needle group, while a respective individual needle adjustment device may additionally provided for each needle.

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.