US 11,912,524 B2
Separator for the transient reception of sheet elements between a lifting table and an output conveyor for bundles of elements
Claude Convert, Beynost (FR); and Guillaume Perron, Villeurbanne (FR)
Assigned to BOBST LYON, Villeurbanne (FR)
Appl. No. 17/310,410
Filed by Bobst Lyon, Villeurbanne (FR)
PCT Filed Feb. 25, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/025090
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 30, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/173606, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 3, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 1901939 (FR), filed on Feb. 26, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0089399 A1, Mar. 24, 2022
Int. Cl. B65H 31/32 (2006.01); B65H 31/10 (2006.01); B65H 31/20 (2006.01); B65H 31/30 (2006.01)
CPC B65H 31/10 (2013.01) [B65H 31/20 (2013.01); B65H 31/3054 (2013.01); B65H 31/32 (2013.01); B65H 2403/41 (2013.01); B65H 2405/323 (2013.01); B65H 2405/324 (2013.01); B65H 2511/12 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A separator for temporarily receiving sheet elements that are to be transferred from a stacking table to an output conveyor of bundles of sheet elements, the separator comprising:
a support mounted and configured to slide in a vertical direction;
a drive device for driving the support in the vertical direction;
a plurality of arms extending in a longitudinal horizontal direction, spaced apart in a transverse direction, at least one arm of the plurality of arms being mounted and configured to move in the longitudinal horizontal direction with respect to the support, a movement of the at least one arm modifying an overhanging length of the at least one arm with respect to the support on a first side in the longitudinal horizontal direction; and
a drive system configured to simultaneously move the at least one arm in the longitudinal horizontal direction and to keep another of the plurality of arms in a longitudinal position, the drive system including:
a shaft, the shaft being deployed in the transverse direction and driven in rotation;
a pinion for each arm of the plurality of arms, each pinion for each arm rotating with the shaft;
a rack secured to the plurality of arms; and
a clutch-forming device configured to selectively couple and uncouple each pinion for each arm with respect to the rack,
wherein the clutch-forming device includes, for each arm, an actuator configured to move a pinion associated with an arm translationally along an axis of the shaft in order to selectively engage or disengage the rack with respect to the arm.