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(19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2010/0038841 A1
Bader et al.
(54) INSERT MACHINE
(75) Inventors:
(60)
(US); Harry C. Noll, JR., Allentown, PA (US); Randy R. Seidel, Allentown, PA (US);
Douglas B. Walter, Nazareth, PA
(51)
Int. Cl. B65H 5/02 B65H 3/08 B65H 1/04 B65G 47/22
Correspondence Address:
LUCAS & MERCANTI, LLP 475 PARK AVENUE SOUTH, 15TH FLOOR NEW YORK, NY 10016 (US)
(57)
ABSTRACT
The present invention discloses an improved insert machine for inserting ?at material into an open pocket and, more particularly, to a straight line insert machine employed for
printed matter such as newspapers. The machine includes an
(73) Assignee:
MULLER-MARTINI
MAILROOM SYSTEMS, INC., Allentown, PA (US)
12/543,150
Aug. 18, 2009
computer running under software control and a plurality of network controllers, all coupled together via a controller area network (CAN) bus. Electronic control messages for control ling machine elements are sent among the computers and controllers using a novel message protocol to enable both broadcast messages and individual messages to be employed.
US 2010/0038841 A1
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US 2010/0038841 A1
US 2010/0038841 A1
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Feb. 18,2010
[0009]
an insert Was not fed into the open jacket and corrects for the
non feed.
[0001]
[0010] The pick-up unit is also positioned in close proxim ity With the pocket conveyor for removing the product from
the pockets after the insert has been introduced into the jacket.
Jun. 14, 2005, Which, in turn, claims priority of US. Provi sional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/390,808, ?led Jun. 20, 2002. Such applications are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0011]
the elements is independently poWered by an electric motor. [0012] There is a constant need for improving insert machines to decrease the cost of production and improve the
[0002] 1 Field of the Invention [0003] This Invention relates to a high-speed insert machine for inserting ?at materials into an open pocket and, more particularly, to a straight line insert machine employed
for printed matter such as neWspapers.
[0013]
[0004] 2 Art Relating to the Invention [0005] Machines for inserting ?at materials into an open pocket, especially for use With neWspapers, are knoWn (see, for example, US. Pat. No. 4,723,770). The 770 patent teaches a straight-line insert machine for introducing inserts
into an open jacket Which is held in the open pocket carried on
a conveyor. Such machines are made up of a number of units or elements Which act in a coordinated manner to introduce
Which increases the speed of operation of the various ele ments of the machine, simpli?es the overall operation of the machine, and decreases the manufacturing cost of the
machine.
[0014] In order to accomplish this, the machine of the present Invention employs a unique all-electronic control system Wherein the individual elements of the machine each
are controlled by electronic netWork controllers. A central control computer sends and receives messages to and from
the netWork controllers by means of a bus. The messages are
inserts into an open jacket. A jacket is the term used in the publishing industry to refer to neWspapers, magaZines, books and the like. Typically, insert machines include jacket and insert feeders, a moving conveyor carrying pockets that open and close, a missed insert repair mechanism, a product pick
up unit, and other structures. Product is the term used to refer to a jacket With inserts therein.
addressed to the netWork controllers and provide activation and deactivation of selected elements at selected times. The individual netWork controllers read the address of each mes sage and thereby knoW Which messages to read and Which
[0006]
insert machines normally do not shoW any control system at all for controlling all the elements and operations of an entire insert machine. Even in commercial prior art insert machines, the control system, if any, has conventionally been all-me chanical or electromechanical (such as relay-driven). There is
no knoWn prior art for an all electronic control system, includ
comprising:
[0016] a ?rst conveyor carrying a series of pockets in a
ing computers, for an insert machine of the type described in the present invention. [0007] In a conventional prior art insert machine, there are many pockets on a moving pocket conveyor, Which forms a continuous element Which is driven by a motor. Generally, there are tWo types of conveyors, straight line and carousel. A
plurality of pockets are mounted on the conveyor and move
pockets; and
[0018] an all-electronic control system for controlling machine elements and operations. [0019] More particularly, the control system for the insert
machine of the present Invention can be de?ned as compris
ing:
[0020] a control computer for processing and generating
electronic messages for use in controlling machine functions; and [0021] a plurality of netWork controllers, each controller coupled to the control computer from a bus, and [0022] each controller con?gured to receive the messages from the control computer and to process and generate signals
in response to the messages for controlling at least one ele
Which opens only from the top and another Which opens both
from the top and from the bottom. The former are referred to as top opening pockets and the latter are referred to as bottom
opening pockets.
[0008] The feeders are positioned in close proximity to the conveyor and feed jackets or inserts (?at material), into the open pocket as the open pocket passes under the feeder. The
ment Within the machine; [0023] Whereby at least some of the messages from the control computer determine activation and deactivation of selected elements at selected times, and the signals from each
US 2010/0038841141
from the sensors and the messages from the control computer
[0026]
signals from the encoder and for generating timing signals based on rotation of the encoder, the timing signals being
communicated to the control computer and other netWork controllers to determine the exact physical position for all parts of the machine at a given time, and Wherein the timing
performance of elements of the machine; [0044] a plurality of netWork controllers, each controller
con?gured to receive and process information from the sen sors, each controller coupled to the control computer via a
sages received from the control computer. [0027] Preferably, the control computer runs under the con
trol of a multi-threaded control program.
[0028] Preferably, the control computer is coupled to a display computer for providing a graphical user interface. [0029] Preferably, each netWork controller runs under the
control of either a single-threaded program or a multi
bus, and each controller con?gured to receive the messages from the control computer and to process and generate signals for controlling machine operations of at least one element of
the machine;
[0045] Whereby at least some of the messages from the control computer activate or deactivate selected elements at
threaded program. [0030] Preferably, the bus comprises a controller area net
Work (CAN) bus compliant With the ISO 11898 and 11519
selected times, and the signals from each netWork controller control machine operations taking place Within a predeter mined element; and Whereby the control computer automati
cally calculates an optimiZed overall throughput rate for the
machine in real time based on the sensed performance of
protocols.
[0031] The electronic control system for controlling the operations of a machine for automatically inserting ?at mate
rials into folded items in accordance With the present Inven
tion can also be de?ned as comprising:
elements, determines Which elements, if any, need opera tional adjustment in an attempt to achieve the optimiZed
[0032] a control computer for processing and generating electronic messages for controlling machine functions; and [0033] a plurality of netWork controllers, each controller
coupled to the control computer via a bus, and each controller con?gured to receive the mes sage from the control computer and to process and generate signals, either in response to or
throughput rate, and then automatically adjusts the operation of the elements needing adjustment by generating and send
ing updated messages to each netWork controller assigned to
control each element needing adjustment. [0046] Furthermore, improvements have been discovered
for the feeder. Some of the improvements relate to the vacuum means for use in the feeder, and: more speci?cally, to the
vacuum control system and the sucker bar arrangement. [0047] The improvement relates to the vacuum control sys
tem and can be de?ned as comprising:
[0048] a vacuum source and an air source;
trol computer determine activation and deactivation of selected elements at selected times, and the signals from each
[0049]
netWork controller control all machine operations taking place Within a predetermined element; and
[0035] Whereby in the event of failure or interruption of the control computer or the messages from the control computer, all netWork controllers continue to process and generate sig nals for controlling all machine operations necessary to com
plete a current machine ran at an acceptable level of perfor
mance.
[0050]
speed;
[0051] at least one sensor/ encoder associated With the sec
ond area for sensing the speed and position of the second area relative to the ?rst area and generating speed and position
[0036] The electronic control system for controlling the operations of a machine for automatically inserting ?at mate rials into folded items in accordance With the present Inven
tion can also be de?ned as comprising:
[0037] a control computer for processing and generating electronic messages for controlling machine functions;
[0038] a plurality of sensors Within the machine for sensing states of machine elements or portions of machine elements; [0039] a plurality of netWork controllers, each controller
coupled to at least one sensor and to the control computer via
trol vacuum/air valves; [0053] Whereby, upon detecting a change in speed of the second area, the servo drive automatically alters control sig
nals to the valves so as to alter the application of vacuum and
[0054]
US 2010/0038841A1
[0055] In the vacuum system, the ?rst area comprises a tray and the second area comprises a rotating drum rotating at a
variable speed.
[0056] In the vacuum system, the servo drive includes a
[0074] Preferably, the sucker bar arrangement has an air inlet in said manifold. [0075] Alternatively, instead of a vacuum manifold, a set of stationary valves may be used for both vacuum and air.
[0076]
[0057]
[0058]
material from the tray assembly and a gripper drum for grip ping and transporting the separated ?at material betWeen the bottom Wall and the front Wall to the moving element, the
[0060]
[0079]
1 1.
[0080] More preferably, said front Wall of the tray assembly vibrates forWard and backWard to help align said ?at material
in said tray assembly. [0081] Preferably, the angle betWeen said bottom Wall and said front Wall is substantially perpendicular.
[0082] Preferably, a back Wall of the tray assembly is mov
ably ?xed to the frame. It can move backWard and forWard to
accommodate different siZed products. [0083] Yet another improvement in the feeder relates to the drive means for the feeder drum. Speci?cally, the improved
drive means is a frameless motor directly driving the shaft of the feeder drum. Such an arrangement eliminates belts, gears, line shaft and associated drives. As such, it reduces cost,
[0067]
reduces maintenance and improves e?iciency of the feeder. [0084] More speci?cally, this improved drive means for the
feeder can be de?ned as an improved drive motor for a gripper drum of a feeder of ?at material to a moving element Wherein
said feeder has a tray assembly for holding ?at material, a vacuum device for separating said ?at material from said tray assembly, and a gripper drum for gripping and transporting a
moving element Wherein said feeder has a tray for holding said ?at material, said vacuum device separating the ?at mate rial from the tray and a gripper drum for gripping and trans
porting the separated ?at material to the moving element, the improved sucker bar arrangement of the present Invention
comprising:
[0069] a stationary vacuum manifold having a plurality of
outlets;
[0070] a pivoting shaft oriented parallel to said gripper drum axle;
[0071] a plurality of sucker tubes a?ixed to said shaft and oriented normal to said shaft; [0072] a plurality of sucker cups one of each sucker cups a?ixed at one end of said sucker tubes; [0073] a plurality of ?exible hoses, one end of said ?exible hoses a?ixed to said outlets of said manifold and the other end
[0088] Improvements in a pocket have also been discov ered. These improvements relate to the physical design of the pocket and to both top opening and bottom opening pockets.
opening pocket.
US 2010/0038841A1
Feb. 18,2010
[0090] The improved pocket With ridges can be de?ned as an improved top opening pocket for an insert machine
Wherein said machine has a conveyor With a plurality of
pockets attached to said conveyor and feeders positioned along said convey or for feeding ?at material into a moving
[0103] a gripper bar for gripping said ?at material in said pocket When said housing is in a vertical position, and [0104] a moving means positioned in said elongated hous ing and attached to said gripper bar for moving and holding the position of the gripper bar When said housing is in a
said car attached to said gripper bar, stops in said housing for
holding said car in a position, said car movable betWeen said
stops,
[0107] a latch attached to said car for moving said car betWeen stops in one direction from one end stop to another
end stop,
[0108] a release attached to said car for releasing said car
from said stops and moving said car in the other direction to the one end stop.
of pockets attached to said conveyor and feeders positioned along said conveyor for feeding ?at material into a moving
[0109]
direction.
[0110]
Which connects the leading Wall to the trailing Wall, said bottom Wall forming a substantially right angle With said
also been discovered Wherein said device holds ?at material in a vertical orientation betWeen tWo arms, said device having
a spring means for biasing said arms in a closed position, one arm being ?xed and the other arm being movable betWeen an
leading Wall.
[0095] Preferably, said bottom Wall is integral With said leading Wall and said trailing Wall can pivot With respect to said bottom Wall.
[0096]
[0097]
ity of pockets attached to said conveyor and feeders posi tioned along said conveyor for feeding ?at material into an
[0113]
improvement comprising:
[0098] said pocket having a leading Wall, a trailing Wall a side Wall integral With said leading Wall, and a bottom Wall
tion;
[0114]
[0115]
feeders of the present Invention; feeders of the present Invention; [0116] FIGS. 4A and 4B shoW the sucker bar arrangement for the feeder of the present Invention; [0117] FIG. 5 illustrates the square pocket of the present
connecting the leading Wall to the trailing Wall, said trailing Wall being spring biased against said leading Wall;
[0099] a latch af?xed to said side Wall of said pocket, said latch having tWo positions, a ?rst position Where said latch is inactivated and said back Wall of said pocket is movable into an open and closed position to accept ?at material from said feeders When said pocket is in an upWard position, and a second position Where said latch is activated to hold partially open said pocket When said pocket is returned in an inverted
Invention;
[0118] FIG. 6 illustrates the ridges in the bottom of the
position.
[0100] The pocket latch improvement of the Invention is also used for improved product repair functions. The ?rst position of the latch alloWs the pocket to close fully. [0101] The adjustable pocket gripper of the present Inven tion When employed With the pocket results in an improved
pocket for an insert machine Wherein said machine has a conveyor With a plurality of pockets attached to said conveyor
feeders positioned along said conveyor for feeding ?at mate rial into a moving open pocket and said pocket having a leading Wall, a trailing Wall and a bottom Wall, said improve ment comprising:
the present Invention; and [0123] FIGS. 11A-11C are block diagrams Which, taken together, illustrate the electronic control system of the present
Invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0124]
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Feb. 18,2010
introducing inserts into an open j acket contained inpocket 14. Preferably, feeders 10 and 16 are interchangeable. Conveyor
12 travels along a direction marked by arroW A and returns in direction marked by arroW A. Pockets 14 on the bottom of conveyor 12 are illustrated in an open position. Each pocket 12 moves past product pick-up until 18 Which removes the
inlet is a valve connected to the netWork controller to control the vacuum and air provided to sucker cup 52. Air is used to
release the vacuum.
[0134]
adjustable. The short stroke of the cups alloWs for decreased response time and increased speed. The movement, vacuum and air is coordinated With the movement and operation of gripper 41 to facilitate the movement of ?at material from tray
[0125]
[0126]
for feeder 10. Assembly 30 has slanted bottom Wall 32 Which forms angle D With a horizontal as shoWn. Preferably, angle D is about llE. Front Wall 34 of assembly 30 is ajogger Which
moves backWard and forWard as indicated by arroW C to keep
Wall 34, hoWever, any conventional jogging mechanism can be employed. The type of front Wall 34 is hinged to the frame of assembly 30. [0127] In feeder 10, the jackets are placed such that their
ciated, ridges 86 help maintain the position of the spine of the jacket Which has been introduced into pocket 14 by jacket
feeder 10.
[0138] FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate adjustable pocket grip per 90 of the present Invention. Adjustable pocket gripper 90
is attached to leading Wall 80 of pocket 14. As illustrated in
[0130]
to its rest position, the rest position being shoWn in FIG. 7B,
latch 102 is acted on. Car 96 is spring biased to move to the rest position When latch 102 is acted on.
[0132]
[0139]
motor 43 and are connected to the netWork controller for the feeder so as to determine the speed at Which motor 43 is
position, as shoWn in FIG. 7A, by action of Wheel 104 against a portion of the frame of the machine. Wheel 104 rides along
a track in order to maintain housing 98 in a horizontal position
While a ?nger presses doWn on latch 100 and moves latch 100
its rest position, the rest position being shoWn in FIG. 7B. In this Way, gripper bar 94 is adjusted to its neW location. The
US 2010/0038841A1
Feb. 18,2010
has been inserted into pocket 14. [0140] FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate the latch mechanism of the present Invention. It is used in the repair operation in the event ofa missed insert. As shoWn in FIG. 5A, trigger 110 is illustrated in its normal position. Piston 112, via arm 114,
causing arm 116 to move back thereby causing arm 116 to move aWay from latch 118 Which, in tam, alloWs latch 118 to
rotating drum 40 and to a sucker bar arrangement that pivots back and forth via a pivot shaft 56 operated by a pivot mecha
nism 58 and a cam 47 attached to the drum. As the drum rotates, a vacuum is periodically created in the manifold 66 through a vacuum inlet 68. After a brief interval, air is then
activate and close pocket 14. Latch 118 is spring loaded. Trigger 110 is ?xed on the frame of the insert machine just
after product pick-up unit 18. [0141] The missed insert repair system of the present
Invention in conjunction With pocket latch Will noW be
described. A conventional sensor is used to determine When there is a failure to insert ?at material into an open j acket. This sensor detects When an insert has not been picked up by the feed drum or When there is a jam of inserts in the feed drum. [0142] If the sensor detects either a jam in the feed drum or a missed insert in the feed drum, control computer 22 is noti?ed and instructs all doWnstream insert feeds not to feed
bloWn into the manifold through an air inlet 70. This permits
transfer to the moving drum. [0146] A feature of the invention is that the drum does not alWays rotate at a constant angular velocity. For example, in
the event of a mis-feed or other handling problem, a control
system (discussed beloW) is programmed to speed up or sloW doWn the entire machine, including the drum, or make other adjustments. Thus, the timing and duration of the vacuum and air ?oWs must be adjusted accordingly. [0147] An electronic control system for accomplishing this
is shoWn in FIG. 10A. A microprocessor or netWork control
the product pick-up unit. At the product pick-up unit, the incomplete pocket remains open. Because the incomplete pocket is open, the gripper of product pick-up unit cannot pick-up the product from pocket. Thus, the contents of the incomplete pocket remain in the pocket. Trigger 110 is inte
gral With the frame of the machine, and positioned doWn stream of the product pick-up point. Control computer 22
instructs trigger 110 to activate latch 118 Which is part of the pocket. Latch 118 causes the pocket to close after the product
constantly monitors, signals from a drum encoder 200. Drum encoder 200 provides a rapid pulse 19 stream to the controller
as the drum rotates. In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of pulses per drum rotation are generated, to create a rapid pulse stream. A reference or index pulse is also supplied to the
controller at least once per drum rotation.
[0148] The drum encoder 200 is shoWn in more detail in FIG. 10B. It is a device ?xedly attached to the drum shaft so as to rotate With the drum. A stationary reference or index
positions arranged around the circumference of the drum shaft, the positions representing turn on and tum-off positions of the vacuum and air ?oWs, respectively. In another
embodiment, vacuum and air are under softWare control. In a
empty.
[0143] Preferably, each pocket is alWays open as it moves
into position under a feeder. A decision on Whether or not to
feed an item into a particular pocket depends upon knoWing What Was previously fed into that pocket. [0144] FIGS. 9 and 9A illustrate the overhead product grip
off positions, arranged alternatively, approximately 90 degrees apart. Drum speed and angular position are calcu
lated by a servo controller 210, Which comprises softWare to
spiral spring 124. Spiral spring 124 is movable With respect to plastic body 122. The movement of spiral spring 124 is con trolled by closing roller 126. The general operation of product
gripper 120 and its 18 con?guration are conventional. The improvement, as taught herein, is the use of latch 128 Which is a?ixed to the body of gripper 120. Latch 128 is acted on by
a ?nger so as to press doWnWard on latch 128 just prior to
[0149] Alternatively, a separate drum speed sensor/ encoder 204 may be provided to generate continuous (or rapidly peri odic) signals to the controller representative of the rotational speed of the drum, and a separate drum position sensor/ encoder 202 may be provided to generate continuous (or rapidly periodic) signals to the controller representative of the angular position of the drum.
[0150] The servo controller includes a servo control circuit
removal of the product from gripper 120. Latch 128 presses doWn on spiral spring 124 to release tension on closing roller 126 and thereby alloW closing roller 126 to open gripper 120 and alloW to facilitate the removal of the product from gripper
120.
board and a drive With a memory (not shoWn) that stores data
Vacuum Control [0145] Another feature of the present invention is an elec tronic vacuum control system that provides a variable vacuum