EP0659669A1 - Device for introducing envelopes piled on edge in an open box - Google Patents

Abstract

The subject matter of the invention is a device for introducing successively stacked envelopes into an open box (28) which has a stacking table (2) which is arranged downstream of a vertical stacker (1) and to which there is assigned a rod forming and moving device which has operating elements (9, 10) which are movable in the longitudinal direction table and transversely to it, and a filling station (29) which is arranged downstream of the stacking table (2). Known similar devices are not suitable for introducing densely packed stacked and filled envelopes into postboxes. The object of designing such a device in such a way that it is suitable for the quick and easy filling of postboxes is achieved in that the filling station (29) is arranged so as to form a longitudinal extension of the stacking table (2), is arranged downstream of a stop device (6, 45) which releases in the stack advance direction when under load, and has an inlet chute (30) into which there can be inserted a stamp (34) which is movable in a vertical direction approximately transversely to the stack advance direction and which is bounded on the side facing away from the stamp by a floor flap device (33) which opens when loaded in the stamp advance direction and is gripped from below by a box (28) reception table (35) which is arranged in a second plane.

Description

Postboxes are required by the Post for the delivery of bulk mail. So far, these mass mailings have been manually inserted into the boxes mentioned. However, this turned out to be cumbersome and complex.

DE 41 17 434 A1 shows a device for stacking and transporting empty envelopes in a bar. However, this known arrangement would be unsuitable for introducing filled envelopes, which can have different filling strengths, into a trough-shaped box, because the stacking rod leaving the stacking table could not simply be pushed into a downstream filling station from the back to the stop. Apart from that, there is no reference to a suitable filling station.

The same applies to the arrangements as can be found in the documents DE 42 02 540 A1 and DE 36 41 859 C2. In particular, from these publications there is no device for filling the stacked envelopes which is suitable for the tight filling of postboxes.

It is therefore an object to design such a device so that it is suitable for the quick and easy filling of postboxes.

This object is achieved with the characterizing features of claim 1. Advantageous refinements can be found in the subclaims.

Fig. 1

eine Seitenansicht einer ersten Ausführungsform einer erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung in schematischer Darstellung;

Fig. 1a

eine Seitenansicht einer zweiten Ausführungsform einer erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung in schematischer Darstellung;

Fig. 2

eine Draufsicht auf den Stapeltisch der Vorrichtung nach Figur 1;

Fig. 2a

eine Draufsicht auf den Stapeltisch der Vorrichtung nach Figur 1a;

Fig. 3

eine Vorderansicht des Trenn- und Ausstoßschiebers der Vorrichtungen nach den Figuren 1 und 1a;

Fig. 4

eine Seitenansicht des Trenn- und Ausstoßschiebers nach Figur 3;

Fig. 5

eine Vorderansicht der Füllstation der Vorrichtung nach den Figuren 1 und 1a.

Fig. 5a

eine Vorderansicht einer erweiterten Ausführungsform der Füllstation der Vorrichtung nach den Figuren 1 und 1a.

Two exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. These show:

Fig. 1

a side view of a first embodiment of a device according to the invention in a schematic representation;

Fig. 1a

a side view of a second embodiment of a device according to the invention in a schematic representation;

Fig. 2

a plan view of the stacking table of the device of Figure 1;

Fig. 2a

a plan view of the stacking table of the device of Figure 1a;

Fig. 3

a front view of the separating and ejection slide of the devices of Figures 1 and 1a;

Fig. 4

a side view of the separating and ejection slide according to Figure 3;

Fig. 5

a front view of the filling station of the device according to Figures 1 and 1a.

Fig. 5a

a front view of an expanded embodiment of the filling station of the device according to Figures 1 and 1a.

The device shown in FIG. 1 comprises a vertical stacker, which is only indicated here by its extension members 1 and to which is arranged a stacking table 2 which is formed by spaced-apart, parallel strips. Successive envelopes 3 are placed one behind the other on the stacking table 2 in the upright position by the vertical stacker. These envelopes 3 form a stack 4 which grows from behind and increases on the stacking table 2 to the front, to the right in the example shown. The envelopes 3 can be filled or unfilled, and of course they are filled when filling postboxes. The present device is accordingly provided at the exit of an addressing machine or a corresponding production line.

The stacking table 2 is designed to rise in the stack feed direction, as indicated by the angle of inclination a shown in FIG. 1. This results in a certain braking effect on the stack moving to the right, which compresses it. The rear area of the stacking table 2 near the forklift is through flanked by side brushes, which hold and stabilize the incoming products in an upright position.

In the area of the front end of the stacking table 2, a gate is provided, which is formed by a stop flap device 6. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, this consists of two lateral, spring-loaded flaps 6a, which are each pivotable about a vertical axis arranged in the region of an edge of the stacking table 2. In the closed position, drawn with solid lines in FIG. 2, the flaps 6a form a front stack stop. With a corresponding force in the stack feed direction, the flaps 6a swing forward against the force of the return springs 6b acting on them and release the passage, as is indicated in FIG. 2 by broken lines. Instead of spring-loaded flaps, motor-controlled or mechanically coupled flaps etc. can of course be provided.

In the area between the brushes 5 and the stop flap device 6, lateral guides 7 are provided to form a stacking channel, which can be formed by parallel strips. These can be adjusted laterally.

An alternative embodiment of the device is shown in FIGS. 1a and 2a. In this embodiment, instead of the stop flap device 6, a stack stop 45 which is linearly displaceable along a guide 46 in the stack feed direction is provided. The displacement path of this stacking stop 45 extends from the basic position in front of the inlet shaft 30 shown in solid lines in FIG. 1a to the end position 47 shown in solid lines behind the inlet shaft 30. As can be seen from FIG. 2a, the stacking stop 45 is guided in the guide 46 the effect of two spring elements, for example helical springs 60, is pressed against the stack 8 with an approximately linear characteristic against the stack feed direction. The stack stop can also be coupled to and moved with the slide 22 by a suitable articulation, in which case the spring 60 can then be omitted.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1a and 2a, the brushes 5, which are also not mandatory in the first embodiment, have also been dispensed with.

In both embodiments, as soon as a corresponding stack length has been reached, a stacking rod 8 of a predetermined length is separated from the stack 4 forming on the stacking table 2 and pushed out toward the front. The bar forming and clearing device provided for this purpose contains, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 1a, two working elements in the form of a separating and ejection slide 9 which can be inserted into the stack 4 from above and a residual stack support 10 which can be inserted into the stack 4 from below. When a predetermined stack length is reached, the separating and ejection slide 9 is first inserted into the stack 4 from above. The separating and ejecting slide 9 has a comparatively large cross-sectional width, so that there is a wide stacking gap 11, into which the remaining stacking support 10 can then be inserted. This is positioned so that it is approximately aligned with the back of the separating and ejection slide 9 and accordingly comes to rest on the front of the remaining stack.

The rest of the stack support 10 is designed as a rake-like bracket with tines 12 distributed over the width of the stacking channel, which tines are positioned such that they can be passed between two strips of the stacking table 2. The separating and ejecting slide 9 consists, as can best be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, of a plurality of vertical strips 14, which are arranged next to one another with a lateral spacing and are distributed over the width of the stacking channel and received on a continuous cross member 13, in the direction seen from the crossbar axis have a shape symmetrical to a vertical axis, as can best be seen from FIGS. 1 and 1a and 4. The strips 14 are tapered in a wedge shape at their lower end, so that a V-shaped tip 15 results. The strips 14 preferably have parallel flanks. This results in a sword that runs across the width of the stacking channel with parallel flanks and a taper on the table side. The large width of the strips 14 leads to a corresponding large width of the gap 11. As a result, the envelopes 3 forming the separated stacking rod 8 are pressed together. The symmetrical cross-sectional shape of the sword mentioned results in an even displacement from front to back.

In the region of the lower end of the tip 15 of the separating and ejecting slide 9, as can best be seen from FIGS. 3 and 4, a roller 16 arranged with an axis parallel to the stacking table is provided. The axis of the roller 16 runs approximately perpendicular to the stack feed direction. The roller 16 can pass over the width of the stacking channel. In the example shown, the roller 16 extends only over the area of the two central strips 14. The roller 16 is driven by a motor 17 arranged on the separating and ejecting slide 9. For this purpose, the roller 16, as can be seen from FIG. 3, is provided with a central groove on which a flat belt 18 runs, which is driven by the motor 17. The lateral collars formed by the central recess are provided on the circumference with a friction lining 19. As can be seen from FIG. 4, the roller 16 protrudes circumferentially beyond the tip 15. The direction of rotation of the roller 16 is such that its lower circumferential half moves in the transport direction.

In an alternative embodiment, not shown, the roller 16 can be designed as a round belt pulley, the round belt running over it then simultaneously forming the friction lining 19. In addition, the roller 16 can also be arranged away from the central axis of the separating and ejecting slide 9.

As soon as the roller 16 comes into engagement with the upper stack edge when the separating and ejection slide 9 is lowered, the envelopes 3 located below the roller 16 are fanned out, bent forwards or backwards, as indicated in FIG. As a result, a small initial gap is formed, into which the separating and exhaust slide 9, which is wedge-shaped at the bottom, can then be inserted gently. This gap is then enlarged to the full width of the separating and ejection slide 9, so that the remaining stack support 10 can move into the gap 11. The diameter of the tines 12 of the remaining stacking support 10 is as can be seen from Figure 2 or 2a, much smaller than the width of the separating and ejection slide 9, so that there is no collision.

The retracted remaining stack support 10 is advanced at the stack formation speed into the area of the stop flap device 6 or the stack stop 45. When the front end position indicated by broken lines in FIGS. 1 and 1a is reached close to the stop flap device 6 or the stacking stop 45, the remaining stacking support 10 is lowered under the stacking table 2, that is to say into the extended, indicated on the left in FIGS. 1 and 1a Position. After lowering the rest of the stack support 10, the separating and ejecting slide 9 is advanced in high speed. The feed path extends beyond the stop flap device 6 or the basic position of the stack stop 45, as is illustrated by broken lines in FIGS. 1 and 1a. As a result, the previously separated stacking rod 8 is pushed out to the front while overcoming the force required to actuate the stop flap device 6 or the stacking stop 45.

In order to enable the up and down movement as well as the back and forth movement of the separating and ejecting slide 9 and the rest of the stacking support 10, corresponding guides and slides are respectively assigned to these working elements. The separating and ejecting slide 9 is received on a slide 20 which is slidably mounted on a vertical guide 21. This in turn is attached to a carriage 22 which is slidably mounted on a horizontal guide 23. This extends beyond the stop flap device 6 or the basic position of the stack stop 45. The rake-shaped residual stack holder 10 is received on an associated slide 25, which is slidably mounted on a vertical guide 25, which in turn is attached to a slide 26, which is slidably mounted on a horizontal guide 27. This extends into the area of the stop flap device 6 or the basic position of the stack stop 45. The drive and control units respectively assigned to the slides 20, 22 and 24, 26 are not shown. This can be, for example, cylinder-piston assemblies or gear-rack combinations or the like. It can be controlled by optical sensors or by mechanical stops.

The pushed-out stacking rod 8 is placed in a trough-shaped box 28, as can best be seen from FIGS. 5 and 5a. The length of the stacking rod 8 formed by the rod formation and clearing device is matched to the box dimensions. To box the stacking rod 8, a stacking station 29 is arranged downstream of the stacking table 2. This contains an inlet shaft 30 which is open on the stacking table and into which the stacking rod 8 is introduced by the separating and ejecting slide. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the inlet shaft 30 is delimited on its front side in the direction of entry by a fixed stop 31. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1a and 2a, the stop is formed by the end position of the stack stop 45 (position 47). Lateral guide plates 32 are provided for the lateral limitation of the inlet shaft 30, the mutual distance between which can be adjustable.

The lower boundary of the inlet shaft 30, which is arranged approximately at the level of the stacking table 2, is formed by a bottom flap device 33. As can be seen from FIGS. 5 and 5a, this consists of two lateral, spring-loaded flaps 33a, which are each pivotably mounted about a lateral axis running in the direction of advance and on which an associated return spring 33b engages. Instead of spring-loaded flaps, motor-controlled or mechanically coupled flaps can of course be provided. The flaps 33a form, in the closed position indicated by solid lines in FIGS. 5 and 5a, lateral guide rails for the stacking rod 8 entering the inlet shaft 30. With a corresponding load from above, the flaps 33a pivot laterally downward against the force of the return springs 33b acting on them away, as indicated in Figures 5 and 5a with broken lines is. Here, the inlet shaft 30 is opened on its underside, so that a stacking rod 8 located therein can be ejected downwards. For this purpose, a plunger 34 can be inserted into the inlet shaft 30 from above. This has a bracket which extends over the length of the inlet shaft 30, so that the entire filling of the inlet shaft 30 can be expelled hereby.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5a, locking pieces 61 and 62 are drawn in, which hold the flaps 33a in position, for example. If these locking pieces 61 and 62 are pulled outwards, they release the flaps 33a. In this case, the spring 33 only serves to hold back the empty flaps 33a after the filling process.

A box 28 into which a stacking rod 8 ejected from the inlet shaft 30 is inserted can be positioned below the inlet shaft 30. The flaps 33a pivoted downward in this case engage in the box 28 and form lateral guide chutes. A box receiving table 35 is provided for receiving the box 28 at a distance below the bottom flap device 33. This is provided in the area of an edge with a stop 36 for specifying the box position. In simple cases, stationary side stops can be provided, which are expediently adjustable. In the example shown, the box receiving table 35 is assigned a clearing device which can be moved transversely to the stop 36, the drivers of which form side box stops when stationary. The clearing device mentioned here consists, as can best be seen from FIGS. 5 and 5a, of a set of belts 37 arranged below the box-receiving table, the belts of which carry driver strips 38 running transversely to the stop 36. The box receiving table 35 consists of strips arranged next to one another at a distance, between which the connecting webs connecting the carrier strips 38 with the strips can reach. The driver strips 38 form lateral position stops for the box 28 when stationary.

In the example shown, the boxes 28 become the box receiving table 35 automatically fed. For this purpose, a box magazine 39 is provided on the side of the filling station remote from the stacker, from which a feed belt 40, which closes a box receiving shaft 41, leads out at the level of the stacker receiving table 35. The box receiving shaft 41 is provided at least two box heights above the feed belt 40 with side retractable and extendable stop slides 42, through which the respective lower box 28 of a stack of boxes stacked one inside the other can be retained. The boxes 28 can be introduced manually or mechanically into the shaft 41 from above.

Beneath the feed belt 40, which contains a plurality of circulation elements laterally spaced apart from one another, there is a stamp 43 provided with brackets which can be passed between them and which can be carried out between the circulation members of the feed belt 40. To lower the bottom box of the stack of boxes retained by the stop slides 42, the punch 43 is raised and brought into engagement with the underside of the box 28 in question, so that the stack of boxes rests on the punch 43. The stop slides 42 are then disengaged and the punch 43 is lowered by one box distance. In this position, the stop slides 42 are engaged again, these now holding back the second box 28 of the box stack from below. The box 28 resting on the stamp 43 can now be placed on the feed belt 40 by further lowering the stamp 33. This is driven so that the box 28 placed thereon is fed to the box receiving table 35 and is positioned there between the driver strips 38 forming lateral position stops and the stop 36 positioned at the front in the direction of entry. This position is located exactly below the inlet shaft 30.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1a, two carriages 48 and 50 are provided with fold-back stops 49 and 51, by means of which the stack of boxes can be lowered onto the feed belt 40. When the stops 49 and 51 folded back are, the sled 48 and 50 can move up slightly over the edge of a box 28. The stops 49 and 51 then fold back in and lift the stack of boxes into the position shown.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 1a finally has an upper and a lower circulating belt 55 and 56 at the envelope inlet 57 of the stacking table 2. The distance between the two conveyor belts 55 and 56 is slightly less than the height of the envelopes 3. The incoming envelope (reference number 58) bends forward and is quickly transported in the direction of stack advance due to the spring effect, whereupon it lies against the envelope stack 4 . As a result, the envelope inlet 57 is quickly cleared again for subsequent envelopes 3.

Claims (21)

Device for introducing envelopes stacked one behind the other into a trough-shaped box (28), with a stacking table (2) arranged downstream of a vertical stacker (1), to which is assigned a bar forming and clearing device which has working members (9, 10) movable in the longitudinal direction and transversely thereto and a filling station (29) arranged after the stacking table (2), characterized in that the filling station (29) is arranged in the extension of the longitudinal direction of the stacking table (2) and is arranged after a stop device (6, 45) which releases under load in the stack feed direction and one Inlet shaft (30) into which a stamp (34) which can be moved approximately transversely to the stack feed direction can be inserted and which is delimited on the side remote from the stamp by a bottom flap device (33) which opens under load in the stamp feed direction and which is arranged by a receiving table arranged in a second plane (35) for the box (28) is included. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the bar forming and clearing device has exactly two working members, the first working member being designed as a separating and ejecting slide (9) which in a rear end position close to the stacker forms a gap (11) in a stack (4) reaching into the area of the stop device (6, 45) can be moved in and can be moved beyond the stop device (6, 45), taking away the stack rod (8) thus separated, and the second working element serving as a remaining stack support (10) is formed, which in the rear area of the separating and ejecting slide (9) can be moved into the gap (10) formed by it and can be displaced at a maximum of up to the stop device (6, 45) at a stacking speed. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the separating and ejecting slide (9) can be moved into the stack (4) from below and the remaining stack support (10) from below. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stacking table (2) is flanked on the inlet side by side brushes (5). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stacking table (2) is arranged rising (a) in the feed direction. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stop device (6, 45) is designed as a stop flap device (6) and has two flaps (6a) pivotable about a vertical, lateral axis, preferably against the force of a return spring (6b) and the inlet shaft (30) is delimited by a fixed stop (31) at the front in the stack feed direction. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the stop device (6, 45) is designed as a stack stop (45) which can be moved linearly in the stack feed direction up to an end position (47) beyond the region of the plunger (34). Device according to one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that the separating and ejecting slide (9) tapers in a wedge shape towards its tip (15) and is provided on this tip (15) with a roller (16) which is about a axis parallel to the plane of the stacking table and perpendicular to the stack feed direction is rotatably drivable. Apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the separating and ejecting slide (9) has a plurality of strips arranged next to one another at a distance (14), which preferably have parallel flanks outside their wedge-shaped taper. Device according to one of claims 8 or 9, characterized in that the roller (16) is arranged only in the central region of the separating and ejection slide (9). Device according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the roller (16) has a friction lining (19) on the circumference. Device according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the roller (16) has two lateral collars, which are separated from one another by a central recess, on which a belt (18) runs, which by means of one on the separating and ejecting slide (9) attached motor (17) can be driven. Device according to one of claims 2 to 12, characterized in that the separating and ejecting slide (9) and the rest of the stack support (10) each have an entry slide (20 or 24) which is mounted on an associated vertical guide (21 or 25 ) is received, which in turn is attached to a respectively assigned sliding carriage (22 or 26), which is received on an associated, horizontal guide (23 or 27), the horizontal guide (23) assigned to the separating and ejection slide. beyond the stop device (6, 45) and the horizontal guide (27) assigned to the rest of the stack support (10) extends at least to the stop device (6, 45). Device according to one of claims 2 to 13, characterized in that the residual stack support (10) is designed as a preferably rake-like slide, the thickness of which is smaller than the thickness of the separating and ejection slide (9). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bottom flap device (33) has two flaps (33a) which can be pivoted about a horizontal axis, preferably against the force of a return spring (33a) and which, when opened, into the box placed underneath ( 28) intervene. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lateral guides (32) of the inlet shaft (30) are adjustable. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the box receiving table (35) has a fixed stop (36) determining the box position and is provided with a clearing device (37, 38) which can be moved transversely thereto. Apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that the clearing device has a drivable circulating member (37) which is arranged below the box receiving table (35) and is provided with drivers (38) which pass through assigned slots in the box receiving table (35). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the box receiving table (35) is associated with a magazine (39) which is arranged next to the box on the side opposite its fixed stop (36) and can be filled with boxes (28) and which is provided with a loading device through which the box receiving table (35) can be acted upon. Apparatus according to claim 19, characterized in that the loading device has a drivable circulating member (40) which is arranged in the extension of the box receiving table (35) and can be penetrated by a stamp (43) which is delimited by the circulating member (40) on its underside Box receiving shaft (41) is retractable, which is above the circulating element (40) is provided with stop slides (42) which can be inserted and disengaged transversely to the punch (43). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each incoming envelope (58) is delimited by the transport shaft which is smaller than the envelope casing, can be arched through the circulating belts 55 and 56 and can thus be transported on the edges.

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