The invention relates to a device for transferring print products, conveyed along a conveying path while suspended transverse to the conveying direction from spaced-apart clamps on a circulating conveying element, to a conveyor that is driven synchronously below the conveying element, in the same direction, and is provided at regular intervals with grippers. The invention furthermore relates to a guide arrangement for accompanying the print products along a transfer segment, as well as to activation devices for opening the clamps and closing the grippers.
Reference EP 0 380 921 A2 discloses a device for taking over printed sheets that are conveyed in a first direction while suspended from a first conveying system, and for transferring these printed sheets to a second conveying system, which individually takes over the sheets and conveys these in a second direction. To ensure an uninterrupted takeover and transfer of the printed sheets, a wheel is provided between the conveying systems. The wheel is embodied with compartments that can be opened and closed for accommodating the printed sheets, wherein the printed sheets are transferred to the second conveying system only after being turned.
The company Druck-und Verlag, Neu-Isenburg, Germany, has been producing print products such as newspapers, magazines and the like since 1989, using an inserting machine, model number EM 40, sold by the Müller Martini Group. In the EM 40 machine, a delivery conveyor is used to remove the print products from the operation. For stabilizing and positioning the flat print products, which are held suspended inside the delivery conveyor, guide elements, that move along in conveying direction, are introduced into the conveying flow, during a specified segment of the conveying path, so that the print products are guided along this segment by the aforementioned guide elements in such a way that they occupy a defined, stable position at one location.