CA2017443C - Process and apparatus for collecting and stapling folded printed sheets - Google Patents

Abstract

A~process and apparatus for collecting and stapling printed products is provided. A self-enclosed track of travel for stapling heads extends around a collector drum having a plurality of supports. A
stapling head is assigned to each support. The stapling heads rotate mutually synchronously about the axis of rotation o~ the drum. While running past a wire section dispenser, each stapling head accepts a wire section from which a staple is Formed in a predetermined first region. In a second region, the staple is brought onto the side of the stapling heads facing the supports. In a third region, the stapling heads axe lowered onto the printed sheets, which are deposited onto the supports, and stapled together.

Description

05~24~1990 10: 28 FROM lJ I LL I RIJ ~ $R I I~IKS. OLDS TO 91613232844p P. 0 i 4~ y~ ~~

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING
AN~7 STAPLING FOLDED 1'RTN'TED SHEETS
BACKGROUND O>; H~' E IP~1_ TIO
The present invention ralates to a pracess and an apparatus for collecting and stapling .~o~.ded printed sheets a~ the 'type having a plurality of supports which travel along a closed path o~
conveyance, on which supports pr~.~nted sheets can be deposited astride one another and a stapling station for placing staples onto the printed sheets on the supports.
such an apparatus is known, for example, ~rom DE-OS 3,616,566, or ~rom th.a corrdsponding U.S. Patent No. 4,'35,406. This disclosed apparatus alas a coll~c-tor drum witk~ saddle-shaped supports that axe ax:~anged paz~allel to a common axis o~ rotation and are driuen to rotate about this axis. Fro~rideci in the direc~apx>; of the axis of rotation are two feeders which follow one another and deposit folded printed sheets onto the supports. A stapl:~ng rotation (allows the feeders ~ox stapling together the mutually overlying printed sheets. Immediately a~tex stapling, the oo~.~.ected and stapled prixated sheets are deposited onto a canveyo~c bait which transports the stapled printed sheets away.
The stapling statiora has ~ plurality of staplixrg head pairs, which are arranged at the spaoing o~ the supports, which extend parallel to one another, oz°i a OSi24i1990 10:29 FROM ~JILLIRN~BRIhIKS~OLDS TO 91E1'2 2 ~ F ~I
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bail that is swivelably mounted on the axis of rotation o~ the drum. The bail as moved to and from by means o~
a swivel drive with the stapling heads simultaneously ~~
placing one staple each ~.wto the printed sheets during the synchronous operation with the supports.
As to tJhe construction of the stapling heads.
these above-referez~eed printed publications refer to CFA
Patent Spoci~ication 549,443 or U.~, Patent No. 4,014,290. These known stapling heads are each fed a wire from which a wixe section 5~s severed in each case by means o~ a cutting device arranged on the stapling head, This wire sectioza is bent around a matrix by means of a slidably mounted stamp to ~orm a rataple. The staple is Forced out of the stamp by means of a slidably mounted ram and inserted into the printed sheets. This mown apparatus has the disadvantage that thn stapling statS.on must have a Complicated drive which must apply ~.arg~: accelerating Forces, especially in the case of a high pxoGessing rate. 1'4oreover, during each opex~at3.onal cycle of the stapling station, the movement of the stapling heads must be exactly synchronized with the supports. Since a wire has to be Fed to each stap2s.ng head, an the casr~ o~ mova.rig stapling heads this sy.nahran~.zation zs carnplicated both for the feeding of the wire and for the staplfi,ng heads themselves.
A stapling station fox' stapling togethex printed sheets caxried by a rotating cylinder is described ix~ EP-A 4, 205,144. and corxespanding tT. S.
Patent No. 4,750,661. Three stapling heads are arranged next to ox~e anothe~x i.ln each case a~G the free ends o~ a cruc~,~orm l~oldirag device. The holding device is driven to rotate opposite to the direction of rota-tion of the cylinder about a shaft paxallel to thp axis of the cylinder. The three stapling heads run past three wire section dispensers common to all corresponding stapling heads. The circular track of travel of the stapling heads is tangent to the surface of the cylinder. The rotary motion of the holding device is synchronized with the cylinder in such a way that the printed sheets to be stapled to one another always meet the stapling heads. In this known stapling station, only an exceptionally short time is available in each case for placing the staples. This renders reliable, good quality stapling difficult in the case of high processing rates.
Furthermore, an apparatus for collecting folded printed sheets is known from CH Patent Specification 645,074 and corresponding U. S. Patent No. 4,408,755. This apparatus likewise has a drum with supports extending parallel to a common axis of rotation. The folded printed sheets are deposited one above the other, mutually associated to form zigzag volumes, on the supports. By-means of a stapling station (not described in more detail), staples are placed in the volumes which are laid one above the other and supported by the supports.
Therefore, it is desired to create a process accord-ing to the generic type described above for collecting folded printed sheets, and to provide a corresponding stapling apparatus in which the stapling station has a high processing capacity yet has simply constructed stapling heads and a relatively uncomplicated drive.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides an apparatus for collecting folded printed sheets, comprising: a plurality of spaced saddled-shaped supports including means for arranging the plurality of supports to rotate along a closed path of conveyance; the supports, in at least one section of the path of conveyance, having a mutually parallel longitudinal extent extending substantially perpendicular to the direction of rotation; at least two feed stations arranged spatially from one another for depositing printed sheets astride one another i on the supports; a stapling station disposed at at least one section of the path of conveyance and the downstream of the feed stations, the stapling station having a plurality of stapling heads arranged in a row one behind another essentially at the spacing of the supports for placing staples, in a staple region, into the printed sheets deposited on the supports; the stapling heads essentially moving in a plane extending transverse with the supports means for forming staples from essentially straight wire sections held by the stapling heads; a wire section dispenser; a lead-away means for conveying the stapled printed sheets away from the stapl-ing station; wherein the stapling station has one single extensive staple placing region extending along said section of the path of conveyance and the stapling heads travel along a closed track pf travel, the track of travel leading past the wire section dispenser and along said section of the path of conveyance, the stapling heads traveling at a rate or velocity essentially equal to the rate or velocity of the supports, and moving together synchronously with the supports along said section of the path of conveyance of the supports.
Since the stapling heads are essentially arranged behind one another with a spacing corresponding to the spacing of the supports and rotate along a closed track of travel 'at essentially the same rate as the supports, large accelerating forces are avoided for the rotation of the stapling heads in the stapling station.

05i24i1990 10:31 FROM L1ILLIfaN.BR,INf(S.OLBS TO 916132328440 P. D'7 t This arranc_ternent in conjunction with the direction of rotation of the stapling heads, which always remains the same, enables a simple drive. The closed track o~ travel of the stapling heads leads past a common w~r~ aeo~clor~ d~apencar .nor -tne E~aplin~ he acts.
An individual wire section dispenser thus supplies all stapling heads of a stapling head arrangement. This keeps the apparatuses which provide the wire sections extremely modest. Moreover this arrangemaz~t enables a simple construction of the stapling heads, since the stapling heads themselves lao lazzger need to have a>«y cuttizzg device, the spaci.z~g between the stapling heads along the track of travel is large enough that, during glac-ing of the staples, the distance between the staples corresponds in each case to the spacing of the sup-ports. Thus, depending upon the course of txavel of ' the track, during placing of the staples, the mutual spacing of the stapling heads can be slightly dif~erexat in relation to the spaci><ag of the supports.
zn a particularly preferred embodiment, the apparatus according to the invention has an extremely simple drive fox the stapling heads. In this embodi-ment, supports of a collector drum rotate about a common axis of rotation and extend essentially in the horizontal direction. A holding arrangement embraces the collector drum and is constructed ila an annular shape. The holding arrangement is pivvtaliy mounted on a frame and ane stapling head per supp~rt is arranged az> the holding arrangement.
_ ~ -05/2411990 10:31 FROM WILLIRN~BRIhIKS~OLDS TO 916232328440 P.08 ~d ~llf a . ~ ~'~ ~ E
-BRIEF' DESCRIP ' p~! U~H~ DR.AwzN~s The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing, wherein in strictly diagrammatic form:
figura 1 ehowo a pre~erx~d B'EItbPC~.LtTI~?Ilt: OT the invention which includes a collector drum having a sta-pling station a~ wnzct~ tree s~apamg heaa:~ ~v4uu~ a~..-..xz~
a track of travel guided around the collector drum.
E'lgu3'es ~ alic3 3 Show tla~ arauw colioa~ax drum a~ ~n Fig. a, bu'C W~.th Zh~ staplinc3 l~Y:ad~; z:otat3~ng along a kidney-shaped or circular track of travel.
Figure 4 shows a callsctor device with an elongated rotation track for the supports, and a likewise elongated track of travel for the stapling heads.
figure 5 shows a further embodi>«ent of the invention according to Fag. ~..
figure 6 shows an enlarged representation of a sectian along the line VI-VI of Fig. 5.
figures 7 and 8 show a stapling head in elevation and top view, respectavely.
Figure 9 shows a section along the ~.ine IBC-IX
of Fig. 8.
Figures 10 axed 15 show a simpla.fied repres-entation of the stapling head at d~.ffersnt phases of an operational cycle.
figures 16 and 17 shaw a wixe section dis-penser in elevation and end views respectively.
Figures 18 to 24 show an enlarged representa-tion of parts of the appamatus accoxding to F~,g. S at various phases o~f a rotata.on.

DETAINED DESCRIPTTON OF. THE PRESENThY
PREFERRED'EMBODIMENTS
Figure 1 shows a collector drum 10 such as is described in detail in EP-A- 0 341 425 or the corresponding CA Patent Application No. 599,201-0. This collector drum 10 has saddle-shaped supports 14 which are arranged around a common axis of rotation 12, extend in the direction of the axis of rotation 12, and are driven in the direction of rotation U. A carriage 16 is arranged such that it can be moved back and forth in the direction of the axis of rotation 12. The carriage 16 is provided in the region between two neighboring supports 14 in each case with a controllable clamping arrangement 18 for the folded printed sheets 20 which are deposited astride the supports 14.
A stapling station 22 has a stapling head arrange-ment 24 with stapling heads 28 which are arranged essentially behind one another along a track of travel 26 which extends coaxially around the collector drum 10. Each support 14 is assigned a stapling head 28 and, therefore, the stapling heads 28 are essentially arranged with the same mutual spacing A as the supports 14.
Provided outside the track of travel 26 is a wire section dispenser, designated by 30, past which the track of travel 26 leads. This wire section dispenser 30 has a cutting device 32 by means of which wire sections 38 are severed from a wire 36 drawn from a supply roll 34. Down-stream of the cutting device 32 is a magazine 40 that is fed by the cutting device 32 with wire sections 38. A conveyor wheel 42 includes holding elements 44 distributed along the circumference of the conveyor wheel 44. The conveyor wheel 42, driven in the direction of rotation V, draws a wire _ g _ section 38 from the magazine 40 in each case by means of its holding elements 44 and conveys the wire section 38 to the stapling heads 28.
The apparatus represented in Fig. 1 operates as follows. Seen in the direction of conveyance of the carriage 16, feed stations for printed sheets are located in a known way upstream of the stapling station 22. In each case, these feed stations deposit a folded printed sheet 20 astride each support 14, which runs past the feed station in the direction of rotation U. In each case, before a support 14 enters the lower region of its circular track of travel, the relevant clamping arrangement 18 is clamped in place in order to retain the parts of the printed sheets 20 reaching into the appropriate carriage 16. As the carriages 16 pass through the lower half of the track of travel of the supports 14, they execute a working stroke in the longitudinal direction of the axis of rotation 12 to the nearest feed station or to the stapling station 22.
Upon leaving the lower half of the track of travel of the supports 14, the relevant clamping arrangement 18 is once again released, so that the printed sheets 20 in the upper region of the rotation track of the supports 14 experience no movement in the direction of the axis of rotation 12. In this region of the track of travel, the carriages 16 execute a return stroke with the opened clamping arrangement 18.
The stapling heads 28 are likewise driven synchronously with the supports 14 in the direction of rotation U. When a stapling head 28 runs past the conveyor wheel 42, the stapling head 28 accepts a wire section 38 from the conveyor wheel 42. In a region that is designated by B and, seen in the direction of rotation U, follows the wire section dispenser 30, the wire section 38 now held by the stapling head 28 is 05i24i1990 11: 38 FRQh1 ~J I LL I t~~l ~ BR I NKS r OLDS TO J161323284Q0 F, 01 c, <n ~ ?~ c3 fr~_~. ~~~~>
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formed into a staple, as is described in detail below.
In a subseeguent region o~ the track of travel 25 that is designated by C, the staple is brought from the outer side of the stapling heads 28, seen i.n the radial diz~ectxon, to the inner side facing the supports l~. A
region D of the track of travel 26 of the stapling heads 28 is located in the upper half of the rotatiorx track of the supports 14 in which the praa~ted sheets 20 execute no movement in the direction of the axis ox rotation 12. In this region D, the relevant stapling heads 28 axe lowered onto the printed sheets 20 which are deposited one above the other on the supports 1~
and the staples are inserted into the printed sheets.
In this process, tk~e spacing A of the wtapling heads 28 corresponds to the spacing o~ the support I,~. After the staples are placed, the stapling heads 28 are raised once again, whereupon the collected and stapled printed sheets 2d axe now fed, in the course of the next rotation of the collector drum 10 in the direction o~ the axes or rvtat~vn lZ, tv a lead-away r~~.a4lvF', Tho collootor drum 10 ehown in figures 2 and 3 carxesponds to that of Figure Z, and will therefore not be described ~:n more detail. According to fi.g. 2, the track o~ travel 26 fox the stapling heads 28 is constructed in the form of a kidney and runs in a region D along the rotatzon track of the supports l~ of the collector drum 10. The collector drum 10 is arranged outside the track of travel 26. The wire section dispenser 30, which is indicated only diagram-matically, is arranged inside said.track. the collector drum lU rotates in the counterclockwise direction Lt, and the stapling heads 28 axe draven in the opposite direction u' at the same rate as that of the supports 14. During pl~c~.r~g o~ the staples, the spacing A of the stapling heads 28 correspoz~ds in tuna g _ to the spacing of the supports 14, so that in each case a corresponding stapling head 28 runs along with each support in the region D for placing the staples.
The embodiment shown in Figure 3 corresponds essentially to that of Figure 2. The only difference consists in that the track of travel 26 is constructed in the form of a circle, and the region D is consequently essentially shortened to a point D'. This means that the particular stapling head 28 comes to bear only very briefly for placing the staple into the printed sheets 20 deposited onto the supports 14. Here, too, the stapling heads 28 are arranged along their track of travel 26 at a spacing A that corresponds, during placing of the staples, to the spacing of the supports 14 of the collector drum 10.
The embodiment of the apparatus represented in Figure 4 for collecting folded printed sheets 20 has a collector conveyor 46 such as is described in the EP-A-0 346 578 or in the corresponding CA Patent Application No.
602,289-8 or with a similar construction in EP Patent Specification 0,095,603 or corresponding U. S. Patent No.
4,489,930. The collector conveyor 46 has a tension element 50, which is led around two mutually spaced deflecting wheels.
The wheels are merely indicated in the drawing with their axes of rotation 48 which extend essentially horizontally. The tension element supports 14 are arranged on the tension element 50 at specific spacings behind one another and extending parallel to one another and perpendicular to the direction of rotation U. The stapling station 22 has a stapling head arrangement 24, arranged above the collector conveyor 46. The stapling station 22 includes an elongated track of travel 26 for the stapling heads 28. The stapling heads 28 are arranged on a tension member (not - ll -riveted) at the same spacings A as the supports 194 in the region D. The tension member is driven in the direction U' at the same rate as the tension element SO
in the direction U. Consequently, the stapling heads 28 extend synchronously with the supports 14, and each move past the wire section dispenser 30 remote from the region D. Feed stations for laying folded printed sheets 20 onto the supports 19r are located in a known manner upstream, seen in the direction of the arrow U, of the stapling station 22 along the upper side of the collector conveyor 46. Of course, a lead-away station for the stapled printed sheets 20 is located downstream of the stapling station 22.
The stapling stations 22 represented in figures 2 to 4 function as follows. On each occasion, each stapling head 28 accepts a w~.re section from the wire section dispenser 30 as it runs past it. Tn the course of the rotational movement in the direction of the arrow U' along the track of travel 26, a staple is bent from the wire sertion in the region between the wire section dispenser 30 and the region D, D' (staple placing region), the staple is brought onto the side of the stapling heads 28 that is located outside in relative to the track of travel 26. ~n the region D, b', the staplin~l heads 28 come to bear on the relevant supports 14 or an the printed sheets 20 deposited thereupon, and place the staple into the printed sheets 20.
Tn embodiments according to Figs. 2 arid 4, it is also conceivable to arrange ~Ghe wire section dispenser outside the track o~ travel 2C~. O.f Course.
in this case the wire section or~the staple remains on the side a~ the stapling head 'Gloat is located outside relative to the track of travel.

U_. '.-1 1!!U lLi._i, rl-.UII I~JILLINIIibNllli _~L~L~,_, ILI
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~~ ~' d. G~ l ~ l An embodiment o~ the invention according to FigurQ Z is now described below i.z~ more detail. The stapling station 22 shown in Figures 5 and 6 has two stapling head arrangements 24 arranged on the same holding arrangemezat S2. The holding arrangement 52 is constructed with an annular shape az~d coaxially embraces the collector drum 10, which is driven about the axis of rotation 12 in the direction o~ rotation U.
xhe holding arrangement 52 has two holding rings 54, which are mutually spaced in the direction of the axis of rotation 12 and are connected to one another in the manner of a cage via transposed bars 56. Each of the holding rings S4 is mounted freely pivotally on three bearing rollers 60 which are arranged on a frame 5~3.
In each case the rollers 60 are mutually spaced approximately equidistant.
Each suppozt 14 is assigned a stapling head' 2$ from each stapling head arrangement 24, which are fastened mutually spaced f.n the direction of the axis of rotation 12 to a common support section 62 (Figure 6). A C-shaped bearing part 6~ is fastened to the support section 62 at both ends. ~'he C-shaped bearing paxt 6~ is guided slidably in the radial direction 'E
with its free end regions 64' o><x a bearing shaft G6 in each case. The bearing shaft 6G is arranged on a holding part 68, which is likewise C-shaped and fastened to the particular holding rang 54. The end region 64' o~ the bearing part 64 that is shown above in Figure 6 is embraced by the holding part 68. A
compression spring 'l~ is disposed. around the bearing shaft 66, and is supported, seen in the direction E, inside on the holding part 68 and outside on the bearing part 64. Consequently, the compressxor~ springs '70 hold the stapling heads 28 i>~ a rest position that is not shown in Figure 6. In this rest position, the U~i;'~I%1'~_!~1 1~1~4lJ I-KUI''I IJILLIHf~lrYtklf~IKSr~.JLLS IU
J1I>13~'.i~''rJCf4U h'.Vjj c~ ,Ta -g r stapling heads 28 are raised from the supports z4 and the bearing parts 64 stand on the holding part 6B.
~kze bearing .parts 64 each have an arm 72, which projects outward in the radial directiarz aver the relevant holding part 68 and on which a follower roller 74 is mounted freely pivotally in each case. A pair of lowering slotted links 76 acting upon these follower rollexs ?4 is fastened above the collector drum lfl by the frame 5$.
Furthermore, in the region of the pair of lowerxzag slotted links 76 a ram slotted link 78 assigned to each stapling head arrangement 24 is fastened to the frame 58. Tn each case, the ram slotted links 78 act an rams 80 of the fatapling heads 28 in a region iza which the staplizag heads 28 are located izx their contact position shown in k'i~gure b.
A carrier 82 is slidably mounted in each case in the radial direction on the holding parts 68 wkiich are fastened to a holding ring 5~. ,At its end facing the support 14, the carrier 82 has an essentially V-shaped carrier section 84, and at its opposite er~d a follower roller 86 mounted freely p~.votally. A furtlaer compression spring, 88 embraces the caxz-i.er 82, and is supported, seen in the radial direction, at its inner end on the holding part 6g, and at its outer end on a ring 90 which is fastened to the car'riex 82. A Carrier control slotted link 92 is arranged on the frame 5~3 and acts upon the follower xollers 86 appro~cimately above the upper half of the track of travel 25 of the stapling heads 28. By means of this carrier control slotted link 92, the particular carrier section 89~ can be lowered from a rest position (not represented a.n ~°a.guxe G), in which the carrier sectian 8~ stands an the holding paz-t 68, against the force of 'the further compression spring 88 into a dra.ving position repres-LiS:''~4~'199~7 1~:<I1 FRO!~1 IJILLI(-11J.E;R11~11<SrCiLDS TO JlHi~23~E,44~3 F'.~2 6 f' ~9 Y

anted in Figure 6, in which, the V-shaped carrier sec Lion 84 embxaces 'the saddle-shaped suppoxt I,4.
Following the end o~ tae pair of lowering slotted links 76 seen in the directioia of xotation U, a releasing slotted link 96 (indicated in figure 6 by dots and dashes), which acts upon the clamp Lever 94 of the stapling heads 28, is arranged on tk~e frame 58.
Furthermore, following the wire section dispenser 30 indicated by an arrow, a matrix 98 shaped lake a slatted link, which acts upon the wire section 58, and a swivel slotted link I02 acting upon az~ actuating shaft 100 0~ the stapling heads 28 are axraz~ged on the frame 5$ (see Fig. 5).
The sugpart 14 is represented paxtkally Cut away in Figure 6. Located mutually overlying an the support I4 are printed sheets 20, Represented in cut away is the case wherein the pxi.nted sheets 20 are located beneath the stapling hr~ads 28 shawa.x~g the staples 104 inserted in the sheets 20.
In the interiox of the support 14, a coupler 106 is swivelably mounted on two pivoted levers 108 in the form of a parallel crank drive. The Levez°s 108 extend parallel to one another and era swivelably mounted an the suppoxt L4. The pivoted levex 108, repxesented on the left ix~ figtixe 6, is coupled to a control level 1L0, which can be moved to and from an the Longitudinal direction of the support 14 by means of a contxoL arrangement (not xepresented). This up and down movement of the contxol Lever L10 leads to a to and from movement o~ the coupler 106 in the radial directian E. In the xegion of the staplxxig heads 28, slots 1l2 are provided in the coupler 1n6 which act in the direction o~ the arrow E upon a bend-over ram 1~.4, indicated only diagrammatically.

G_15!24i199~J 1:41 FROIv1 L~,IILLIFa~I~ HRIhI!<S,OLDS TCJ 9161~2~~2~4~4~ F.
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- ss -For the purpose o~ a better understanding o~
the mode o~ operation of the apparatus shown in figures and 6, the first step is now to describe the stapling heads 28 in more detail below with reference to figures ? to 9. Mounted freely pivotally. on the lateral sides 116 of a supporting part 118, which is essentially U-shaped, is a shaft 120. 'fhe shaft 120 has a swivel axis 122, which is indicated by dots and dashes, extending parallel to the longitudinal direction of the support section 62 (cf. ~'xg. 6) and thus parallel to the axis of rotation 12 of the collector drum 10. Two mutually apaced bushes 124, are seated on the shaft 7.20 in the region between the two lateral, sides 116 and are rotationally firmly connected to the shaft 120 by means of pins 126. Stamp arms 128 0~ a stamp 130, which extend parallel to one another, are fastened to the two mutually spaced bushes 124. The two stamp arms 128 are connected to one another by means of a lateral web 132.
In the freo end region, the two stamp arms 128 have a slight swelling 134 directed against one another, in which there axe provided grooves 7.36 which are open with respect to one another and e~ctend in the rad~.a1 direction. ~.'hese grooves 136 are also open in the radial directiof< at the free end of the stamp 7.30. ~,t its free end, next to the groove 136, each stamp arm 1,28 has a drive nose 138, projecting in the radial direction, and a permanent magnet 19:0 arranged in the stamp arm 128. Shown in Figures 7 and 8 is a wire sec~Cion 38 that is grasped by the drive noses 138 Grad held by the permaJn~ent magnets 140, xhe stamp 13~ i,s shown in ~.ts rest positaon in k'xgures ? and 8, and ire the staple placing position 130' an Fig. 9.
On each bush. 124, a spacer bush 143 is seated in the region of the pin 7.26, and a pivoted 7.~:ver 7.44 is mounted free7.y pivotally between the spacer bush 142 - is -t7°i~~l%1~'a0 10:x2 FROI~i IJILLIRN~BRIhJI<S~OLDS T~J '~1F1~3~e~l~lf~
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- 7. 6 -and t;he xelevant stamp arm 128. A staple ho~.ding element 146, which is essentially constructed in the foam of an annular segment and connects the two pivoted levers 144 to one anotk~er, is arranged at the free end regions o~ tk~e pivoted levers 244. 1~ormed unto the staple holding element 146 are two mutual7.y spaced grooves 148, in which the ~ree end regions of the stamp arms 128 engage upon swiveling of the stamp 130. A
lea~ spring arrangement 150 is fastened to the sup_ porting part 118. The lea~ spring arrangement 1S0 acts with a farce which is directed countexoloGkw~,se upon one pivoted lever 144 and pxesses the pivoted lever 149:
together with the stops 7.52 integrally Formed on them against the supporting part 118. The staple holding element 246 has a staple guide nose 154 projecting counterclockwise ovex the pivoted lever 144. This staple wade nose 154 is constructed in the form of a wedge, and has a wedge face demoted by 154' wk~iGh is directed inward when seen ~.ra the radial direction.
The ram 80 is slidably guided in the direc-tion of the arrow F on the supporting part 118. This sliding direction x extends parallel to the grooves 13C~
in the stamp arms 128 when the stamp 130 is located in the staple placing position 130', At its lower end xegion, the ram 80 has a ram head 158, which engages between the two stamp aims x2$ when the stamp 1.30 is located in the staple placing position 130'.
integrally Formed oz~ the ram head 7.58 are laterally projecting guide wedges 160. Where the ram 80 is sled in the direction E' from its rest position shown in Figure 7, the projecting guide wedges 160 run ~.nto the ejection pos~.tion shown in Figure 9, and when the? stamp 130 is located in the staple placing position 7,3C7', the projecting guide wedges 160 enter the grooves 7.36. At its l,owex er~d, the ram head 158 has a ram groove 162 ~5~~~~I~lqyO 16:43 FF01°1 WILLIRN~FRI~II<S~rLI7S 'f0 J161~2~2644~ F,r ~a~a.~~~j~~a 17 .~
for ejecting the staple x,04, which is guided with its lateral arms 104' in the grooves 136. Furthermore, the ram 80 has a groove-shaped cutout 3.64 open towards the supporting part 118, in which a aompxessxoz~ spring 166 is arrmnged. The Compression spring 166 as supported at its upper end on the ram 8d and at its lower end on a bolt 3.68, which is fastened to the supporting part 318 arid reaches into the groove-shaped cutout 164 (Figure 9). The Compression spring 166 holds the ram 80 in the rest position indicated in Figure 7 with unbroken liIles and in Figure 9 with dots and dashes.
At the lower end with respect to the stamp 130 located in the staple placing positron 130', the lateral sides 116 have projecting holding noses 170, xhe projecting holding noses 170 are separated from one another by an essentially V-shaped Cutout 17p'. When the stapling head 28 z$ lowered, it Comes to bear with the holding noses 1'~0 against the support :14 or against the printed sheets 20 deposited thereupon.
~'he supporting part 118 is slidably mounted, likewise in the direction of the arrow F, in a bearing arrangement 172 fastened to the suppoxt section 62 (cf.
also Figure 6). At the lateral ends, the supporting part 118 likewise has g7roove-shaped cutout s 174 (Figures 7 and ~~), into which a bore 1.76 with a thread 1~6' opens from below in each case. E'urthex bolts 7.78, which engage in the groove-shaped cutouts 174 and on which one further Compression spring ?80 each is sup-ported at the upper end, are arranged on the bearing arrangement 172. At its lower end, th~.s compression spring 180 presses against a screw 7.82 inserted into the thread 176'. Conseduently, in relation to the bearing arrangement 172, tlae COmpxession spring 180 holds the supporting part 2~8 in the ~.owez~ rest posi-tion shown in ~'iguxe 7, on which the supportzz~g part _ 17 -~5% ~4~19'J~:J 1 G_1: d.a FRfJhI kl I LL I Flhl. BR I h4KS ~ OLDS TO
5161.:ic3284~10 P . ~iF_, ~ fin -a ~~ ;~f ~
l~ 'wig .~. r~ '-.~: ~ vb 118 is supported on the bolt 178. When the support section 1~,2 as lowered (cf. Eigure ~) by the action of the pair of lowering slotted links 76 upon the follower rollers 7.~, the supporting part 118 comes to bear with the holding noses 170 against the support 14 or against the printed sheets 20 deposited thereupon. The differ-ing position of the lowered stapling head 28, which is occasioned in relation to the support 14 by printed sheets 20 of varying thicknesses, is now accommodated by filiding the supporting part 118 in relation to the support section 62 (and bearing arranr~ement 172}, which section is always lowered to the same et~tent.
A drive arrangement 184 for swiveling the shaft 120 is fastened to one lateral side 116 of the supporting part 118, which side as represented below in Figure 8. The shaft 220 has a guide element 185, on which the actuating shaft 100 is slidably mounted, likewise in the direction of the arrow F. Integrally formed at the lower end region on the 2tctuating shaft 100 is a toothed rack 186. The toothed rank meshes with a pinion 190, which is seated rotationally firmly on the shaft 120. A further compression spring 194, is arranged in a bore 192, which as open downwards in the actuating shaft 100. The compression spring 194 a,s supported at its upper end on the actuating shaft 100 and at its rower end on a pin 196 fastened to the guide element 185. The pin 7.96 penetrates an elongated passage 198 in the actuating shaft 100. The upper end region of the actuating shaft IOOy s covered by a cap-shaped sliding shoe 200, wk~ich is slidabls in the longitudinal direction in relation to 'the a~c'tua~ting shaft 100 and is held by means of a further pin 198'.
The further pin 196' is attached to the actuating shaft 100 azxd penetrates the slidaxxr<c~ shoe 2007 in a passage 198' that is likewise elongated. .~ further compression _ lg n5~~4~1 ~!G~7 1 ~7: a4 FRGhI In I LL I f~I~I ~ B~ I IJI<S ~ OLDS TC1 91E1 ~i23284~1 J P, ~7 ~ 1 ~? !~ -~
_ 1~
spring 194", which is supported on the sliding shoe 200 and on the actuating shaft 200, is inserted into a bore 192', open upwards, in the actuating shaft 200. It the actuating shaft 100 is located in its lowex end posi-~Cion shown in Figure 9, and the swa.vel slotted ~.~.nk 3.02 approaches the supporting part 13~ even moxe closely, the compression spxi.ng 194' accomanodates this approach.
The clamp lever 94, which is penetrated by the actuating shaft 100, is swivelably mounted on the guide element 185. The corresponding hole an the clamp lever 94 has a diameter that is only slightly larger than the thickness of the actuating shaft 100, xhe clamp lever 94 is held pretenszoned Gountexclockwise by means of a compression spring 204. In the positi.an of the clamp lever 94 showxz in Figure 7, the lever 94 holds the actuating shaft 100 in place by tilting. Hy applying a force in the direction of the arrow G by means of the releasing slotted link 96 {cf. Figv,axe 6) this fiilting is undone by swiveling the clamp 7.evex 94 clockwise, and the actuating shaft 100 is released, the latter being slid upwards by tk~e Gompresszon spring 194.
The mode of operation of the stapling head 2~
will now be described xn conjunction with Figuxes lO to 15. .These figures show part of the stapling head 28 during various phases of an operational cycle. The correspozzding parts of the staplizag head 28 are num-bered in these figures in the same way as in figures 7 and 9, and will therefore not be ~xplaiz~ed an more detail. xhe bend-over ram 3.14 is guided to slide up and down in th.r~ support ~.4 (Figures 12 to 15) i.n the direction of the arrow E. Supported on it are two benders 206 that are swivelably mouzxted on the support 14 (cf. also figure 6 in this connection).
~, g O5,'~~; laa~ 1L~:4s FROP1 I.JILLIRNrE~INI<S~OLDS TO J1E~1~232c~~140 F',GE

In Figure 10, the stamp 1.30 is located iz~ its rest positzox~, also shown in Figures 7 and 8. The ram 80 with its ram head 158 is likewise located in the rest position. The stapling head 28 moves past the conveyor wheel 42 of the wixe sectfan dispenser 30 (e~, Fig, 1), and in so doing accepts a wire section 38 from the holding element 44 of the conveyor wheel 42 drive by means of the drive noses 138. The wire section 38 ~.s held on the stamp arms 128 by means of the permanent magnets 140 Snot shown in this k'igure). ThE web con-necting the two stamp arms 128 to one alnother is illustrated by 132.
xn Figure 12, the stapling head 28 is located in the region of the matrix 98 (see Fig. 5), the stamp 130 still being located in its rest position. ~s the stapling head 28 slides along the matrix 98, the wire section 38 is bent in the shape of a U to form a staple 104, the lateral arms 104' sliding into the grooves 136 of the stamp arms 128. due to the effect of the swivel slotted link 102 on the sliding shoe 200, the actuating shaft 200 is brought into its lower end positfon shawz~
in Figure 9, with the result that thp stamp 130 is swiveled into -the staple placing pasitimn 130' shown in Figures 9 and 12. In the course of this swi.veliz~.g movement, the stamp arms 1.28 engage in the region of their swellfng 134 in thp grooves 148 of the staple holding element 146, so that the lateral arms 104' are held in the grooves 136. The pivoted lever, designated by 144, is fastened to the staple guide element 146.
In tlZe staple placing position 130' o~ the stamp 130 the ram head 158 0~ the ram 80 is likewise located between the two stamp arms 128, but fn the region between the shaft 120 and the swellings' 134. When the ram slatted link 78 acts upon the ram 80, the latter is pushed i:n the direction o~ the arrow F against the ~0 _ n5: c4~199~7 l~:a~, FROI~1 IJILLIAhI~BRIf~II:S~r_~LUS TO 9161~2S2S44~ F.cS
~zW~~~~.j .~ ~.
_ 21 -support 14, as is Showri iri Figure 13. rn this process, the guide wedges 160, which are integrally foamed latexally on the ram 158, slide into the grooves 136 of the stamp arms 128 located in the staple placing position a30'. The staple 104 is ejected ~rom the stamp 130 bx the ram groove 162, the lateral arms 104' simultaneously being pushed through the printed sheets 20 which are deposited on the Support 14. As tk~e ram 80 is lowered, it slides on the wedge face 1S4' of the staple guide nose 7.54, so that the staple holding element 146 which is fastened to the piwated levers 144 is swiveled clockwise (cf. Figure 9). In this pxocess, the staple guide nose 7.54 holds the lateral arms 104' of the staple 104 in the grooves 13C~ until, the staple 104 is inserted into the printed sheets 120 and the staple guide nose 154 is swiveled out of the region of the gxaaves 136. The subsequent xaising of the bend-over ram 114 in the direction of the arrow F swivels the benders 206 in the upwards direction. As a coz~se-quence, the sectipns of the lateral arms 104' that project in the region of the benders 206 are bent over with respect to one another (Fig. 14). xn this process, the ram 80 is still held in the lower end position by~ the ram slotted link 78. After the ram 80 has retuxned Exam the ram slotted link 78, it once again moves back under 'the force o~ the compression spring 166 into the upper rest position, as is shown in Figure 15. The lowering of the bend-over ram 114 in the direction of the arrpw ~ also swivels the benders 206 back into their oxxginal position. As the stapling head 28 runs past the releasing slatted link 96, the actuating shaft 100 ~.s released from the clamp lever 94, and this causes the stamp 130 to swivel back into the rest position.

. n5~~4~1aG~ 1~~:46 FRUhI IJILLIf-11~I~BRI~II:S~fjL~S TO G151'~32r44a F'.1~
~,~,~ r n ~.~ s.
..
The wire section dispensers 30, which are indicated in Figure 5 by the arrow 30 and assigned to the two tapering head arrangements 2~k, are shown ez~Iaxged in Figures 15 and 17. Each of these wire section dispensers 30 is Constructed in the same way as the wire section dispenser 30 shown in Figure 1. The cutting device 32 as driven via a rotating toothed belt 208.. A pair of conveyor rollers 220 conveys the wire 36, which is clamped therebetween, ~.n steps in the direction of the arrow ~. A cutting blade 212, can be moved up and down in the direction of the arrow I. 1'he cutting blade 212 severs a ware section 3s3 from the wire 36 by being lowered after each conveying movement of the wire 36, A magazine 40 is arranged below the cutting device 32, downstream o~ the cutting b7Lade 212.
The magazine 40 has an essentia~.Zy sla.t~-shaped stacking shaft 214 extending approximately in the vertical direction. The wire sections 3$ fall in the stacking shelf 214 so that they extend longitudinally in an essentially horizontal direction.and are stacked above one another.
Provided ar the upper end o~ the stacking shaft 214 is a pxes-tacking device 21~. 'fhe prestacking device incJ.udes a tongue 218 which can lee moved into the region o~ the stacking shaft 2a4 and once again withdrawn therefrom. When the tongue 21$ is moved into the region o~ the stacking shaft 214, a number of wire sections 38 severed from the wire 36 by means of the cutting device 32 are stacked. A brief withdrawal o~
the tongue 218 causes these stacked wire sections 38 to then fall together into the stacking shaft.214. This prevents exaction end tilting of the wire secta.ons 38 during free fall, and guarantees neat stack~.ng of the wire sections 38 in the stacking shaft 2~.4.
_ 22 ..

O5~'~~:'lqq~7 1«:4'7 FFU7h-1 WILL1~~I~HRI~II;S~CiLDS TO 916:LJ~'~J~~4~IO P,11 ~.'~
~~ ~'~ ?~
_ ,~ 3 _ The two conveyor wheels 42 arranged below the magazine 4Q are firmly seated rotationally on a common bearing shaft 22~k, which is pivotally mounted on a pair of support levers 222. The two conveyor wheels 42 axe driven to rotate in the direction of the arrow 'V by a drive deva.ce 228 acting upon the bEaring shaft 224 via a drive belt 226.
;;ach conveyor wheel 43 has two mutually spaced parallel disks 230, between which the holding elements 44 are arranged at specific spacings along the circumference. The holding elements are preferably constructed in the form of a U, and have at their ~ree ends, which are directed outward ~.x~ the rad~.a~. direc-tion, carrier sides 232 projecting sl~.ghtly above the periphery of the disks 230, zn a manner similar to that described above in connection with the stapling head 28, a permanent magnet arrangement xs provided on the holding elements 44, in order to hold in place the wire sections 38 which are released from ~Che stacking shaft 214 by means of the carrier sides 232 while running past the magazine 40.
The stapling heads 28 are more widely mutu-ally spaced than the holding elements 44. Canse-quentty, the c~.rcumferant~a~. speeu ~r ~zm 4v~~A~dy~~
wheels 42 is lower than the rotational. speed of the staplxx~g heads 28, such that 9.x~ each case the next stapling head 28 coincides with the next hol~,ang element 44. xhus, the stapling head 28 rung past the holding element ~~, and draws the re3.evaa~t wi~:~r~ secta~n 38 from ~Gha holding element 44 with the drive noses 138 arranged on the stamp arms 138, and kaolds the wire section xz~ place by means of the permanent magnets 140 pn the stamp 130. The holding elemewts 9~4 are arranged slidably and resiliently an the radial direction in a generally known fashian, ~.n order to be able to accom~
_ 23 _ ~J5%~C~t~:l9'lt_I lCt:dr~~ FF;GI'I LJILLIFII~Irla'RII~II!SrGLDS TO
9161JG,J~G~14~J F.12 ~i~i'l~~~IJL~
J,.
2 4 ~-modate tolerances, and to guarantee a reliable accept-ance of the ware sections 38 from the stacl~xng shaft 21~ and transfer to the stapling heads 28.
The mode of operation of the stapling stations 22 represented fn Figures S azad 6 will now be explained with the aid of Figures lg to 24, The initial region of the carrier slotted lank 9z is represented in the.direction of rotation tJ
in Figure 18. As the follower rollexs 86 of tha carriers 8,2 rotate in the direction of the arrow U, they xun up onto tho caxxxer slotted link 9c, As a consequence, the carrisrs 82, which are slidably guided in the radial direction on the holding pant 68, are lowered onto the relevant supports ~.~ of the calleator drum 10, Zn this process, the V-shaped carrier sec-tions 84 embrace the supports 24. Conseciuently, the stapling heads 28 (not shown in Figure 18) which are , arxanged on the support section 62 are accurately aligned relative to the assigned support 19. or to the printed sheets 20 deposited thereupon. Furthermore, the holdi>lag arrangement 52 is driven exc~.usively by driving effected by the carriers $2 engaged with the supports 14. The carriers 82 axe lowered only in the upper region of the rotation track o,~ the collector drum IO onto the supports 14. Zn this mannex, in the lower region of the rotation track, the printed sheets 20 which have been stapled by means of the stapling station 22 can be conveyed away in the direction of the axis of rotation 12 through 'the now mutually spaeed supports 1~ and carriex sections $~, or the printed sheets 20 which are to be stapled can ~e brought into the region of the stapling station 22.
A stapling head 28 will now be followed ~.n the course of a rotation of the holding arrangement 52, starting at the wire section dispenser 20, .~s the ,24 _ n~:'~4; 1y9~~ i~t~49 FRUf>1 I,.11LLIEd~I~BFrItll-:.'~,OLD~~ T~ J1613232~~1nGJ
P.1~ ~- ~~
6 Pe .' ry ~ ~~
~~.,1 .D

stapling heads 28 run past the ware sectioza dispenser, the heads 28 are located, seen in the radial direction, in their outer rest position, in which they are spaced tram the supports ~,~. Moreover, the staples x.30 ax-e swiveled back into the rest position, so that the free ends of the stamp arms 128 are directed outward, seen in the radial direction. As the stapling head 28 runs past the xe3.evant x~o~,dang element ~~ of the conveyor wheel 42, the wire section 38 which as fed from the' holding element 44 is detached by the drive noses 138 from the holding said element 44, and Carried along (Fig. 19).
In the Bourse of the further rotation in the direction of the arrow U, the stapling heads 28 pass into 'the region of the matrix 98, as is shown in Figure 20. The matrix 88 zs formed in the shape of a slotted link. Seen in the direction of the arrow U, the spacing between the matrix 98 and the shaft 1~0 dOCreaS~S, 84 that W~~x'7. t~G Stamp 130 iS laCat~2d In the X'2st poSitIOn the relevant Wire section 38 d~ '~~~l~t t0 form a staple lOg, and p~ashPd into the grooves 136 of the stamp arms 128 (Fig. 20). Upon reaching the swivel slotted lirxk 1a2, t~xe sliding shoo 204 runs up onto the latter, and as a result the actuating ~ahaft 1.00 is forced inward in tae radial direction: in the da.recta~az~
of the arrow F. This translational movement of the actuating shaft 340 is converted wia the pia~ion 19~
into a swi~relinc~ movement o~ tl~e shaft 120. As a result, the stamp 130 is swiveled cou~atexcloGkwise 180°
from its rest position into the staple placing position 130', whereugon the free ends of the stamp arms 138 now faae 'Ck~e supports 14 inward in the radial raa.xwctxolo.~
The Clamp lever 2D2 holds the aa'tuatanc~ shaft lOi? xxx its lower end position against the force of the compression spring 394 (cf. figure 7) (Fig. 21).

175i~~1:'1~'-~~t lvJ:49 ~ROh1 LJILL1AIJ~ERINK~~,nLDS TO D161J~J~~~~I~ F.14 f ,a' ., .
4xJ ~~ ~, YJ ~~ ~~t ?~

In the caurse of the further rotation in the direction of the arrow tl, upon reaching the carrier slotted link 92 the carriers $2 are lowered onto the supports 14, as is described above,. 'xhe follower rollers 74 subseeluently pass into the region c~~ the pair of lowering s2otted links 75 (see Figures 5 and , so tha'!; the support section 6~ witk~ the stapling heads 28 which is arxanged thereupon is lowered to a specific extent in the direction against the suppowts 14. Iz~ this process, the supporting part 118 with its holding noses 170 comes to bear against the painted sheets 20, which rest astride the supports 14.
It should be noted that the holding noses 170 hold the printed sheets 2.0, seen in th~ direct:~on o~
the support 14, in place in front of and behind the staple 104, and on both sides of the latter. This arrangement leads tv especzally neat stapling. It should also be noted that the sugportinc~ part 21~ is dzsplaeed in relation to the bearing arrangement 1?2, which is fixed on the support section 62, as a function of the thickness of the printed sheets 20.
Consequently, neat stapling of printed sheets za of different thicknessas is guaranteed without it bexnc~
necessary to reset the apparatus (cf. Figuxe,22).
When the stapling heads 28 bear against the printed sheets 20, the heads 28 are conveyed against the ram slotted lank 7$. In a first section 78° seen in the direction o~ the arrow tJ, the ram slotted Link 78 e~rtends at a spacing that decreases towards the rotation track of the supports 14 '(Fig, 23). In this region, the ram 80 is lowered in the direction against the printed sheets 20, so that the staple 104 is ejected from the stamp 7.30, and placed into the printed sheets 20. In a section 7$" which adjoins the section 7$', the ram slotted link 78 extends at a constant 05 ~'~'4 i 19961 1 O: ~Et FROM h11 LL I Fi!~I ~ ER 1 P IKS ~ OLDS TO 51F
132328~I~i ~ F, 1 . G:a ~

spacing in relation to the supports 14. I~, this section, the ram head 158 forces the staple 104 t~.ghtly against the printed sheets 20. This prevents the staple 104 from .falling back when the lateral arms 104' are being bent over as a coxxseguence of raising of the bend~over ram 114 in the direction o~ the arrow E, and of the swiveling of the benders 205 connected thereto (c~. also Figures 22 to 15).
Aftex the staple 7.04 is placed axxd the lateral arms 104' are bent over, the ram $0 slides back into its outer rest position, seen in the radial direction, under the action of the compression spring 166 and of the spacing from the supporting part 118, which increases in the end region of the ram slotted link 78.
Following the ram slotted link 78, the spacing of the pair of lowering slotted links 76 increases in relation to the holding arrangement 52.
As a result the stapling heads 28 are raised from the supports l4 or from the stapled pri.x~ted sheets 20 deposited thereupon. This is illustrated in figure 24.
In the course of the furthex rotation, the stapling heads come into the regxox~ of the releasing slotted link 96, which swivels the clamp lever g4 clockwise. Gonsec~uently, the actuating shaft 100 is released, so that said shaft is pushed outward under the force of the compression spring 194 (cf. Figure 7) ire the radial direction in the direction o~ the arrow F. This leads, ixx turxx, to the stamp 130 swivel-ing back clockwise from its staple placixag position 130' into the rest position. 'the stapling heads 28 are now ready once again to accept a new wire from the wire section dispenser 30.
Upon further rotation o~ the call@ctor drum 10, the stapled pxi.nted sheet: 20 are now coxxveyed n5% =~~Si1990 16: 51 FR01°1 I.J I LL I FiI~I ~ ~R I hJhS ~ r_~LDS TG
5161 ~2~5 S44G P.16 t v% ~~ tf G,a E.v ..~. d ~. ~.~,; r.~

in the direction of the axa.s o~ rotation 12 away from the regxor~ of the stapling station 22 to a lead-away station (not shown).
The stapling heads 28 caz~ be constructed vexy simply due to the separation p~ the wire section preparation and the wire stapling heads 28. Moreover, only a single wire section dispenser 30 is required per stapling bead arrangement 24 thus xeduCing the expenditure to a minimum. Moreover, the wire section dispenser 30 can be removed from the region in which the staples 104 are planed iR~to the pranted s~~eets 20.
As a result, enough time is available for prepaxa,zxg the staples 104 in the region between the wire section dis-penser 30 and the staple placing region. In the case o~ stapling heads with swivable stamps x.30, the prepa-ration o~ the staples 104 can be performed in a posi~-tion different from the staple placing position 1?10'.
This means that the different functions of tkze stapling heads 18 are spatiallX separated from one another; the result o~ this zs, in turn, that the stapl~.ng heads 28 are constructed simply a,s well as with small dimensions.
Of course, the matrix for bending the wire section 38 to foam a staple Z04 aan be pxova.ded on each stapling head 28 itself. This matrix has a profile that is eccentric with. respect to the shaft,, so that the staple 104 is formed during the course o~ 'the swiveling movement of the stamp 130 from its rest position~into the staple plaafng~~osxtion 130'. Such a matrix could especiallx be integrally formed cloclswise on the staple holdiaag element 146 as an ~e~ttensac~n thereaf .
It is, of course, also possible for the carriers to be arranged on the stapling heads.
Therefore, it is entirely conceivable that the holding - 2g -noses 170 could serve as carriers. In this arrangement, a separate drive for the stapling station 22 is no longer necessary, and synchronization problems between the rotation of the collector drum 10 and the stapling head arrangements 24 are eliminated.
Of course, the tension member or the holding arrangement 52 can be driven to rotate by means of its own drive motor. Furthermore, it is conceivable that the wire section dispenser could have a replaceable magazine, or that the wire sections could be fed directly to the stapling heads from the cutting device.
It remains to be mentioned in conclusion that, for the purpose of accepting the wire, the stamps 130 can be located in a wire acceptance position different from the rest position. However, the wire acceptance position does not correspond to the staple placing position 130'. The wire sections 38 extend essentially parallel to the swivel axis 122.
Stapling heads that are especially suitable for apparatuses according to the invention for collecting printed sheets are described in the contemporaneous CA Patent Appli-cation No. 2,017,441-2 and EP-A-0 399 322.
An apparatus according to the invention with which a stapling head is permanently assigned to each support also allows the stapling heads of a stapling head arrangement to be mutually offset in the longitudinal direction of the supports. It is thus possible, for example, for each second stapling head to be slightly offset in relation to the other stapling heads arranged in a plane; the two groups of stapling heads then advantageously run past their own wire section dispenser in each case. All The staples do not ~~:-~4;~l~9rn in:~~_ FR01~1 4J1LLIRf~I~Ef;lt'II:S~nLDS TO 51F1'2328~14~J f-',1~

then come to be located above one another during stack-ing o.~ th~ stapled sheets.
.. gp _

Claims (28)

1. An apparatus for collecting folded printed sheets, comprising:
a plurality of spaced saddled-shaped supports including means for arranging the plurality of supports to rotate along a closed path of conveyance;
the supports, in at least one section of the path of conveyance, having a mutually parallel longitudinal extent extending substantially perpendicular to the direction of rotation;
at least two feed stations arranged spatially from one another for depositing printed sheets astride one another on the supports;
a stapling station disposed at at least one section of the path of conveyance and the downstream of the feed stations, the stapling station having a plurality of stapling heads arranged in a row one behind another essentially at the spacing of the supports for placing staples, in a staple region, into the printed sheets deposited on the supports;
the stapling heads essentially moving in a plane extending transverse with the supports;
means for forming staples from essentially straight wire sections held by the stapling heads;
a wire section dispenser;
a lead-away means for conveying the stapled printed sheets away from the stapling station;
wherein the stapling station has one single extensive staple placing region extending along said section of the path of conveyance and the stapling heads travel along a closed track of travel, the track of travel leading past the wire section dispenser and along said section of the path of conveyance, the stapling heads traveling at a rate or velocity essentially equal to the rate or velocity of the supports, and moving together synchronously with the supports along said section of the path of conveyance of the supports.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the stapling heads are arranged on a closed tension member and further comprising driving means configured to be brought into engagement with the supports for synchronously driving the tension member.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the stapling heads are arranged on a movable holding arrangement, and further comprising driving means configured to be brought into engagement with the supports for synchronously driving the holding arrangement.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the supports include a mutually parallel longitudinal extent extending essentially perpendicular to the direction of rotation along the entire path of conveyance, and wherein the track of travel of the stapling heads extends around the path of conveyance of the supports.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the path of conveyance of the supports extends on the inside of the track of travel of the stapling heads, and the wire section dispenser is arranged on the outside of the track of travel.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the path of conveyance of the supports extends on the outside of the track of travel, and the wire section dispenser is arranged on the inside of the track of travel.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the wire section dispenser as spaced from the staple placing region in the direction of the track of travel.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the means for arranging the plurality of supports to rotate along a closed path comprises a collector drum configured such that the supports rotate about a common axis of rotation extending essentially in the horizontal direction, and further comprising:
a frame;
an annular-shaped holding arrangement surrounding the collector drum, the holding arrangement being pivotally mounted on the frame; and having one stapling head per support arranged on the holding arrangement.

9. The apparatus as claimed am claim 8 further comprising a carrier associated with each respective support, the carriers disposed on the holding arrangement such that a carrier may be moved into engagement with the respective support to synchronously drive the holding arrangement.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein:
the holding arrangement is arranged coaxially with the collector drum;
the stapling heads and carriers are slidably mounted in the radial direction on the holding arrangement; and further comprising control means for sectionally lowering the stapling heads and carriers onto one of the supports and the printed sheets deposited thereupon.

11. The apparatus as claimed are claim 10 wherein the control means comprises separate control means for each stapling head, each control means having a cam path assigned to the stapling heads and to the carriers, wherein the cam paths are constructed such that the stapling heads are lowered only if the corresponding carriers bear against the supports.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the control means comprises a slotted link.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the stapling station includes at least two stapling head arrangements each having a respective wire section dispenser and having tracks of travel that extend mutually parallel, each track of travel leading past its own respective wire section dispenser.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein each stapling head includes a stamp swivably mounted about an axis extending essentially perpendicular to the direction of rotation of the stapling head, the stamp being swivable from a rest position into a staple placing position and back to the rest position, the stamp arranged to accept a wire section from the wire section dispenser by means of the stamp in an acceptance position, the acceptance position being different from the staple position.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for forming the staples comprises a matrix that acts upon the wire sections in a region downstream of the wire section dispenser, seen in the direction of rotation of the stapling heads.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claims 14 wherein the means for forming the staples includes a bending slotted link arranged on sand stapling head for each stapling head, the bending slotted link acting upon the wire section during the swiveling movement of the stamp from the acceptance position into the staple placing position.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claims 15 wherein the matrix includes a bending slotted link arranged on said stapling head for each stapling head, the bending slotted link acting upon the wire section during the swiveling movement of the stamp from the acceptance position into the staple placing position.

18. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 14 wherein the means for forming the staples includes a beading slotted link arranged between the wire section dispenser and the staple placing region and extending along the track o~ travel, the bending slotted link forming a staple from a wine section carried by the stamp held essentially rotationally firmly in the region of the bending slotted link.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein the matrix includes a bending slotted link arranged between the wire section dispenser and the staple placing region and extending along the track of travel, the bending slotted link forming a staple from a wise section carried by the stamp held essentially rotationally firmly in the region o~ the bending slotted link.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein the stamp accepts a wire section in the rest position.

21. The apparatus as Claimed an claim 1 wherein the wire section dispenser includes cutting means for severing wire sections from a wire drawn from a wire roll.

22. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the wire section dispenser includes a magazine for holding wire sections.

23. The apparatus as claimed in claim 22 further including a cutting means for severing wire sections from a wire drawn from a wire roll, the cutting means feeding the magazine.

24. The apparatus as claimed in claim 22 wherein the magazine includes a stapling shaft for stapling the wire sections, the stapling shaft having a longitudinal section extending essentially mutually parallel and transverse to the wire sections, and prestacking means for respective prestacking of a plurality of fed wire sections and for joint dropping of the plurality of wire sections into the stapling shaft, the prestacking means being located upstream of the stapling shaft.

25. The apparatus as claimed in claim 24 wherein the stapling shaft extends in a vertical direction.

26. The apparatus as claimed in claim 21 wherein the wire section dispenser includes conveyor means for feeding the wire sections from the cutting means to the stapling heads.

27. The apparatus as claimed in claim 26 wherein the conveyor means includes a conveyor wheel, the conveyor wheel driven to rotate and having holding elements distributed on the circumference thereof and resiliently arranged in the radial direction, for accepting the wire sections from the cutting device and transferring said sections to the stapling heads.

28. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising bent-over members provided in the supports for bending over lateral arms of the staples, the lateral arms being pushed through the printed sheets, wherein all of the bent-over members of a support can be actuated by means of a common control device that can be actuated from one end of the support.