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  Apparatus for torning over piles of itemsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080093793. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001]The present invention relates to an apparatus intended to set up piles of items in sheets and relevant enveloping, with special reference to stations intended for turning over such piles. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART [0002]At present, such automatic enveloping systems of sheet items comprise conveying members, in the proximity of which there are provided one or more sheet feeders, converging into a station intended for receiving such piles into an envelope. [0003]Such conveyors, continuously actuated at high speeds, consist of a fixed support base, generally featuring one or more longitudinal grooves inside which there are provided corresponding chains provided with a plurality of pushing pins, known as "lugs", capable of moving the corresponding piles of items being formed. [0004]To this end, pairs of consecutive lugs delimit seats for housing said piles. [0005]Such conveyors are further provided with a pair of side abutments, associated to the fixed support base and generally adjustable, for the longitudinal guiding of each pile of items in sheet in the predetermined feeding direction. [0006]A pile of items usually consists of a main sheet, or master, and of one or more enclosures, or secondary sheets, each released by a corresponding sheet feeder on the pile being formed, in phase relation with the forward motion of the lugs. The main sheet generally exhibits a barcode and optionally an address of the recipient to which, afterwards, the corresponding envelope will be delivered; an optical sensor, for example located in a suitable recess obtained in said fixed support base, will have the function of reading, coding and sending the electrical signal associated to such bar coding, to a controller intended for decoding and interpreting. Based on the information shown on the bar code, suitable enabling signals will enable or not the dispensing of secondary sheets by the relevant sheet feeders; therefore, a pile of items in sheet can exhibit a variable number of secondary sheets based on the bar code imprinted on the main sheet. As known, envelopes can exhibit a small opening of transparent material intended for showing the address of the recipient to which the same envelope will be delivered: to this end, the interposition of a further section intended for turning over the same piles of items in sheet between the pile forming station and the enveloping station can be functional. [0007]However, the introduction of an additional apparatus in the enveloping system causes an increase of the overall dimensions, which are already considerable due to the longitudinal development of said conveying member. [0008]Crossed belt devices are currently used, which grip and rotate the pile by one hundred eighty degrees relative to a median axis, but they exhibit the disadvantage of a considerable longitudinal extension. [0009]Another known apparatus consists of a pair of plates that grips the pile and carries out a one hundred eight degree rotation relative to an end thereof, connected to the relevant support frame; disadvantages of such solution are found in the high cost, in the overall dimensions and in the presence of dead times that make the apparatus not very productive. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0010]An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which should be capable of turning over piles of items in sheet and which should be compact and of limited dimensions, so as to solve the disadvantages mentioned above. [0011]Another object of the present invention is to provide a functional and efficient apparatus capable of adjusting to the production requirements with certain versatility. [0012]Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of simple and essential construction and relatively low cost. [0013]Said objects are achieved, in accordance with the claims, by an apparatus for turning over piles of items, characterised in that it is provided with: [0014]a forming station, adapted for defining said piles of items, each pile consisting of one or more items, and for pulling the piles towards a relevant outlet section according to a feeding direction; [0015]conveying means, adapted for receiving said piles of items from said outlet section and, in the order, conveying the piles according to a direction substantially equal to said feeding direction, turning them over relative to a median axis perpendicular to the feeding direction and, finally, conveying the piles according to a forwarding direction, substantially opposed to the feeding direction, into a receiving station, adapted for inserting the piles of items into corresponding envelopes. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0016]The features of the invention will appear more clearly from the following description of preferred but non-exclusive embodiments made with reference to the annexed drawings, wherein: [0017]FIG. 1 shows a front schematic view of the apparatus subject of the present invention; [0018]FIG. 2 schematically shows the steps of forming, turning over and enveloping a pile of items in sheet handled by the apparatus under discussion; [0019]FIG. 3 shows an enlarged detail of the apparatus subject of the present invention, in a different embodiment. BEST MODES OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Continue reading... Full patent description for Apparatus for torning over piles of items Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Apparatus for torning over piles of items patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Apparatus for torning over piles of items or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Sheet feeding unit and image forming apparatus having the same Next Patent Application: Bottom placement sheet accumulator device and method for an inserter system Industry Class: Sheet feeding or delivering ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Apparatus for torning over piles of items patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.09765 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Novartis , Pfizer , Philips , Polaroid , Procter & Gamble , |
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