Device for feeding sheets and digital sheet-fed printing machine having the device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9764571-B2
Application number	US-201514844527-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 3, 2015
Priority date	Sep 23, 2014
Publication date	Sep 19, 2017
Grant date	Sep 19, 2017

Abstract

A device for feeding sheets to a digital sheet-processing machine includes a feed drum for transporting the sheets to the printing machine. At least two transport paths are provided to convey the sheets to be processed to the feed cylinder in at least two different positions from where the sheets are taken over by a gripper device of the feed cylinder and accelerated to processing speed. A digital sheet-fed printing machine having the device is also provided.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for feeding sheets to a printing cylinder of a printing machine, the sheets being printed on the printing cylinder, the device comprising:
a revolving feed drum having a circumference, at least two sheet take over positions adjacent said feed drum offset along said circumference, and said feed drum having a drive for revolving said feed drum controllable separately from a drive of the printing cylinder of the printing machine; and
transport paths feeding sheets to said feed drum, said transport paths disposed for respectively delivering sheets to said at least two sheet take over positions;
said feed drum having a gripper device configured to take over sheets in said at least two sheet take over positions.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said gripper device is constructed as a suction gripper.

3. The device according to claim 2 , wherein said suction gripper is supported to pivot.

4. The device according to claim 3 , which further comprises a cam mechanism for implementing pivoting movements of said suction grippers.

5. The device according to claim 4 , wherein said cam mechanism has a control cam configured to rotate.

6. The device according to claim 5 , which further comprises a drive motor configured to drive said control cam, said drive motor disposed separately from said drive of said feed drum.

7. The device according to claim 2 , which further comprises a rotary valve controlling suction air for said suction grippers, said rotary valve being controllable as a function of said at least two sheet take over positions of a respective one of said transport paths selected to convey the sheets.

8. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said gripper device has mechanically actuatable grippers.

9. The device according to claim 8 , which further comprises a cam mechanism for implementing pivoting movements of said mechanically actuatable grippers.

10. The device according to claim 9 , wherein said cam mechanism has a control cam configured to rotate.

11. The device according to claim 10 , which further comprises a drive motor configured to drive said control cam, said drive motor disposed separately from said drive of said feed drum.

12. The device according to claim 1 , which further comprises drivable pairs of transport rollers, each of said pairs of transport rollers being associated with a respective one of said transport paths.

13. A digital sheet-fed printing machine, comprising a device according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Heidelberger Druckmasch Ag

Inventors

• Mueller Andreas
• Wolf Burkhard

Classifications

• B65H2406/345

  Rotary suction grippers · CPC title

• B41J13/226 Primary

  using suction · CPC title

• B65H2801/21

  Industrial-size printers, e.g. rotary printing press · CPC title

• B65H3/44 Primary

  Simultaneously, alternately, or selectively separating articles from two or more piles · CPC title

• B65H5/12

  Revolving grippers, e.g. mounted on arms, frames or cylinders · CPC title