Quipp Systems, Inc.

John Prim

David F Hall

A stack of signatures are dropped upon the platform halves of a rotatable platform, the platform halves being raised to reduce the free fall distance from the point where the stack of signatures are dropped and a lower stack ejection position. The platform halves are lowered as each stack of signatures is delivered thereto. Eventually, the platform is lowered to the stack ejection position and the pusher is pushed through a gap provided between the platform halves to eject a completed bundle from the platform. The pusher moves through the gap as the platform is being raised or lowered to significantly reduce the cycle time. Stack compressors are selectively movable to a position above the turntable and by selectively raising the platform halves, the accumulated stack of signatures on the platform halves are squeezed between the compression members and the platform halves to form a neat, compressed bundle. The turntable is rotatable through a half-revolution to form compensated stacks. The pusher may be returned to a start position while the platform halves are being raised without fear of collision due to the provision of the gap between the platform halves.

Method and apparatus for stacking, aligning and compressing signatures

An overlapping signature stream is aligned, squeezed and formed into a stack which is dropped onto a rotatable platform of a lower bin. The platform is raised to reduce the distance between the lower bin and the platform. Pivotally mounted compression clips have compression arms which are pushed into the supports by the dropping stack. The platform lowers the stack beneath the clips enabling them to resume their normal horizontal orientation. The platform is raised to compress the stack between the platform and the clip arms. The platform is then lowered and rotated 180 degrees to receive the next stack and form a compensated bundle. The platform is split, providing a gap enabling passage of a pusher arm to eject a completed bundle. The pusher arm can move through the gap as the platform is raised to significantly reduce cycle time. The proximity sensors preposition the pusher from a position allowing unobstructed rotation to a position adjacent one side of a bundle while the turntable lowers further reducing cycle time. Upper compression clips are provided to compress a full bundle.

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Chazy, NY, United States of America

John Prim