The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 27, 1994
Filed:
Mar. 17, 1993
Earl Anker, Glenwood, IL (US);
Robert Davis, Hickory, NC (US);
R. R. Donnelley & Sons Company, Lisle, IL (US);
Abstract
A binding line having selectable pin spacing on a gathering chain includes a gathering section including the gathering chain having a plurality of spaced pusher pins for transporting gathered signatures seriatim therealong to a signature exit end. A stitcher section includes a stitcher chain having a plurality of spaced pusher pins for transporting signatures seriatim therealong from a signature entry end. A drive system provides for driving the gathering chain synchronously with the stitcher chain so that both the gathering section and stitcher section operate at a constant signature feed rate. The gathering chain pins are spaced apart a first select distance and the stitcher chain pins are spaced apart a second select distance, different from the first select distance. The drive system drives the gathering chain at a different velocity from the stitcher chain to provide the constant signature feed rate. A transfer section includes a fixed saddle plate extending between the gathering section exit end and the stitcher section entry end and an endless overhead chain having a plurality of spaced pusher pins. A belt drive system includes a timing belt extending between a drive pulley and a driven pulley. The drive pulley is operatively coupled to the first drive system and the driven pulley is operatively coupled to the overhead chain. An idler pulley and cam mechanism are each operatively associated with the timing belt. The cam mechanism cyclically, reciprocally moves the idler pulley generally toward and away from a center line of the driven pulley to pulse velocity of the driven pulley, and thus the overhead chain, approximately between the velocities of the gathering section and the stitcher section so that when a signature is delivered to the saddle plate from the gathering chain, one of the pusher pins begins pushing a signature at a velocity similar to velocity of the gathering chain and then rapidly varies velocity of the overhead chain, so that when a signature is delivered to the stitcher section from the saddle plate, the pusher pin is pushing the signature at a velocity similar to velocity of the stitcher chain.