Apparatus for separating stacked printed products

Abstract

The invention pertains to an apparatus for destacking printed products such as books, brochures or book blocks for further processing, with said apparatus comprising a separating belt that takes hold of the respective product to be separated, a retaining device for preventing the residual stack from being transported further and a feed belt that is arranged upstream of the separating belt and feeds additional stacks to the separating area, wherein the retaining device comprises a movable element that is in contact with the stack and acts upon the residual stack with a force that feeds this residual stack onto the separating belt.

1 . An apparatus for sequentially separating individual printed products that are stacked in a height direction between top and bottom printed products, comprising:
 a first transport device that acts upon the respective sequential bottom printed product along a first feed direction (v) extending perpendicular to the stack height,   a second transport device that is arranged upstream of the first transport device and feeds stacks thereto along said first fed direction, and   a height-adjustable retaining device that holds back printed products above the bottom printed product from transport in the first feed direction and forms a passage with the first transport device for the respective bottom printed product to be separated from the stack as transported along the first feed direction by the first transport device,   wherein the retaining device includes at least one movable contact element which contacts a surface of the stack with a force acting in a direction (d) toward the first transport device and perpendicular to the first feed direction (v).   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first transport device moves along an imaginary transport plane and the retaining device is repositionable relative to the first transport device in two directions that lie on another imaginary plane that is parallel to the transport plane. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the stack defines a planar front face and the at least one contact element of the retaining device has a planar contact surface acting upon said front face to hold back printed products above the bottom printed product. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one contact element of the retaining device is connected to and driven by a controllable drive. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the stack defines a front face and at least one contact element of the retaining device comprises an endless revolving belt, arranged at the front face of the stack to be separated, for taking hold of at least an area of the front face. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one contact element comprises an oscillating conveyor arranged at the front face of the stack to be separated for taking hold of at least an area of the front face of the stack to be separated. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , including a separating element that is arranged between the contact element of the retaining device and the stack of printed products to be separated and can be adjusted with respect to its distance from the passage between the retaining element and the first transport device. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one contact element is formed by a pressing element arranged above the first transport device. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first transport device and the second transport device respectively comprise at least one conveyor belt. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the stack defines a planar front face and the at least one contact element of the retaining device has a planar contact surface acting upon said front face to hold back printed products above the bottom printed product. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one contact element of the retaining device is connected to and driven by a controllable drive. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the stack defines a front face and at least one contact element of the retaining device comprises an endless revolving belt, arranged at the front face of the stack to be separated, for taking hold of at least an area of the front face. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the stack defines a planar front face and the at least one contact element of the retaining device has a planar contact surface acting upon said front face to hold back printed products above the bottom printed product. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the stack defines a planar front face and the at least one contact element of the retaining device comprises an endless revolving belt with a planar contact surface acting upon a portion of said front face,
 a separating element is arranged between the contact element of the retaining device and the stack of printed products to be separated and can be adjusted with respect to its distance from the passage between the retaining element and the first transport device, and   the at least one contact element of the retaining device is connected to and driven by a controllable drive.   
     
     
         15 . An apparatus for sequentially separating individual printed products that are stacked in a height direction between top and bottom printed products, comprising:
 a first transport device that acts upon the respective sequential bottom printed product along a first feed direction (v) extending perpendicular to the stack height,   a second transport device that is arranged upstream of the first transport device and feeds stacks thereto along said first fed direction,   a retaining device that holds back printed products above the bottom printed product from transport in the first feed direction and forms a passage with the first transport device for the respective bottom printed product to be separated from the stack as transported along the first feed direction by the first transport device,   at least one movable contact element which contacts a surface of the stack with a force acting in a direction (d) toward the first transport device and perpendicular to the first feed direction (v),   whereby said force urges the bottom printed product against the first transport device for separation and transport out of the stack while the retaining device holds back products above the bottom printed product.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein
 the stack defines a planar front face,   the retaining device includes a retention plate that acts on the front face of the stack to hold back a portion of the printed products above the bottom printed product, and   the at least one contact element has a planar contact surface entirely above the first transport device at the front face and to apply a force acting on at least the bottom printed product.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the contact element is adjustable with respect to a distance from the first transport device, and the retention plate is adjustable relative to the contact element with respect to a distance from the first transport device. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the first transport element is a belt that defines a transport plane;   the contact element and retaining element are supported together above the first transport element for common displacement in two dimensions parallel to said plane to position the retaining element relative to the front face of the stack as transported by the first transport element.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the contact element is adjustable with respect to a distance from the first transport device, and the retention plate is adjustable relative to the contact element with respect to a distance from the first transport device.