CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority of EP 18 405 019.3, filed Sep. 11, 2018, the priority of this application is hereby claimed and this application is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a method for franking packages individually supplied from a stack on a conveyor line to a franking machine, such as envelopes, mailing bags, sleeves, cards, labels, printed products, or the like, which are removed at the lower side of a stack for separation and which are supplied on an upstream conveyor line to a printing mechanism of the franking machine and which, after printing of the packages, are discharged from the franking machine.

Sleeves are intended to be understood to be inter alia closable bags of (semi) card for flat, in particular thin, products such as, for example, printed products, CDs or other items of a similar format.

The packages may of course be individually presented manually via a feeding device.

Devices of the type described in the introduction are described in the European patent applications EP 17 405 029, EP 17 405 030 and EP 17 405 031, wherein EP 17 405 029 relates to a device for franking individual flat packages which are removed at the lower side of a stack and which are guided in a transport direction on a side edge and which are transported or transported onward on a processing line between a feeder and a separation device in a cyclical manner.

In EP 17 405 030 packages are separated in a device and transported onward in a cyclical manner for franking.

EP 17 405 031 sets out a device for printing packages which are supplied individually from a printing mechanism of a franking machine and which on at least one flat side pass the printing mechanism of the franking machine in a manner driven in a frictionally engaging manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Based on knowledge of the prior art, the objective is to provide a method and a device produced accordingly for processing packages which as a result of a simple method and simple construction means functions in a reliable manner and can be produced under favorable conditions.

According to the invention the object was achieved in that the packages are supplied on the conveyor portion via a switch to the franking machine and after printing are returned counter to the supply direction from the printing mechanism of the franking machine via the transposed switch to a depositing device which is provided therebelow for printed packages.

In the print processing industry, a depositing device may also be referred to as a shelf.

With this procedure, a simplified processing and undisturbed transfer of the packages into the franking machine to the greatest possible extent and return in the opposite direction with the switch transposed into a depositing device, also referred to as a shelf, can be achieved.

This method allows a simpler and more compact construction of the device than before.

A cyclical processing of the packages consequently promotes control and reliability.

Advantageously, the actuation of the switch or the switch position when packages are supplied is carried out with the timing of the printing sequence of the printing mechanism of the franking machine so that an undisturbed start-up of production can be produced.

Preferably, there is provided to transpose the switch an independent switch tongue which controls the supply of the packages to the franking machine and the return of the printed packages in the depositing device.

Alternatively, the switch tongue can be controlled by means of a device for transposition.

A device for franking/printing images on packages according to the above method, having a feeder which receives the packages for processing and in which the packages are placed one on top of the other/beside each other, preferably guided on one side, and are each separated from the stack by a separation device and supplied to the conveyor line one behind the other in the conveying direction F, has been found to be particularly suitable for processing packages when the conveyor line of the conveying device which is connected to the franking machine in an actively conveying manner has a conveying portion having a switchable for guiding the packages on the conveyor line into the franking machine and in the opposite direction out of the franking machine, the printing mechanism of which has the switch tongue of a switch determining the conveying direction of the packages, so that a compact unit comprising the conveying device and the franking machine which can be operated as a separate franking machine by manually feeding the packages.

The device has been found to be particularly reliable if the switch tongue is constructed so as to be able to be lowered in order to guide the packages on the conveyor portion of the conveyor line extending transversely relative to the conveying direction and so as to be able to be raised in order to supply the depositing device (shelf) so that undisturbed transport of the packages to the franking machine and into the depositing device is achieved.

A simple embodiment has been found to be a switch tongue which is constructed so as to be able to be pivoted about a horizontal axle which is arranged transversely relative to the conveying direction F, particularly since, as a result of the desirably compact construction of the device, there is little space available for a mechanically and precisely functioning device.

It has been found to be effective and simple for the switch tongue to be constructed so as to be able to be independently adjusted by means of an irregular weight distribution on the axle (imbalance) in order to guide the packages on the conveyor line or the conveying portion and to afford/provide the conveying portion/conveyor line with the required stability.

It has been found to be efficient for the switch tongue to be controlled with the timing of the packages supplied on the conveyor line of the franking machine or with the timing of the printing franking machine so that a regularity is produced in the processing.

Advantageously, the redirection and adjustment of the switch tongue may be variable by means of a setting and adjustment screw which is arranged in a counter-weight of the switch tongue and which rises on a (fixed) stop and which enables/provides optimum adaptation of the switch to the partially different thickness of the packages on the conveying portion.

The conveying end of the conveyor line in front of the franking machine is preferably formed by means of two conveyor rollers which are perpendicular one above the other and which form a conveying gap and which provide a printing mechanism with packages and which remove the printed packages from the guiding shaft of the printing mechanism of the franking machine in an opposite direction and which can be controlled so as to rotate in a reversible manner about an axle which is arranged transversely relative to the conveying direction, and of which the lower roller is driven and controlled in a motorized manner and the upper roller is drivingly connected to the lower roller by means of friction.

There is provision for a free-standing, extension-arm-like guiding tongue of the switch tongue and a guiding plate which is arranged above the switch to form the conveying portion so that a conveying cross-section which is adapted to the thickness of the passing packages for optimal guiding thereof is produced.

The height of the conveying portion may be determined by the fixed stop for the counterweight of the switch tongue.

In order to promote the conveying efficiency on the conveyor line, the conveying end of the separation device may be formed by means of a conveyor roller pair of conveyor rollers which are arranged one above the other on the conveyor line and which form a changeable conveying gap which extends transversely relative to the conveying direction F and which is connected to the conveying portion which is formed by the switch in an actively conveying manner and which supports the reliability of the transport of the packages.

The construction of the device is suitable for the franking machine also not to require an upstream conveying device as a result of manually feeding the individual packages by the independent housings of the conveying device and franking machine which are constructed to be able to be separated from each other having housing openings which connect the conveyor line of the conveying device to the guiding shaft/printing shaft of the franking machine and which are connected to the conveying gap of the conveyor roller pair in an actively conveying manner so that a manual feeding of the individual packages is possible.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of the disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages, specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.

