Conveying an essentially sheet-shaped element, in particular, a sheet of printing medium

Abstract

Conveying an essentially sheet-shaped element, in particular, for conveying a sheet of printing medium in a printing machine. The sheet-shaped element is picked up by at least one rotating conveying component having at least one jaw-shaped receiver for introducing or inserting the leading edge of the sheet-shaped element at a pickup point located in the area of its leading edge and is carried along to a stacking point where it is stacked. The sheet-shaped element is bowed around a rotational radius or a radius of curvature, and is held by at least one retaining component located in the area of the jaw-shaped receiver, in particular, proactively, and by force.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An apparatus for conveying an essentially sheet-shaped element, in particular, for conveying a sheet of printing medium in a printing machine, comprising: at least one rotating conveying component that conveys a sheet-shaped element from a pickup point to a stacking point where it stacks such sheet-shaped element, at least one jaw-shaped receiver for the purpose of holding and carrying along the sheet-shaped element, for introducing and inserting the leading edge area of the sheet-shaped element, such at least one jaw-shaped receiver having at least one fragmentarily present bending mandrel for bending the sheet-shaped element around its rotational radius or radius of curvature while it is being conveyed, and at least one retaining component respectively in the area of said at least jaw-shaped receiver.  
     
     
         2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said retaining component is essentially a retaining rod that rotates along with the conveying component and can be moved in a direction that is radial to the conveying component's direction of rotation.  
     
     
         3 . An apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said retaining component is moved by an actuating component including an eccentric that is stationary in relation to said conveying component and said retaining component, such that said eccentric in at least one relative position of said conveying component's rotation essentially closes said jaw-shaped receiver by such retaining component and, in at least one of the other relative positions of rotation, essentially leaves said jaw-shaped receiver open.  
     
     
         4 . An apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said eccentric is a cam disk that is aligned next to said conveying component.  
     
     
         5 . An apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said cam disk rests on a stationary axle, on which a drive shaft of said conveying component rotates coaxially in the form of a hollow shaft.  
     
     
         6 . An apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said retaining rod is essentially a piston rod extending radially in relation to said conveying component, and is located in a radially-oriented guide slot in said conveying component where it can move back and forth, whereby an end of said retaining rod that faces away from said jaw-shaped receiver runs along said eccentric cam disk when said conveying component is rotating.  
     
     
         7 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said conveying component is essentially in the shape of a disk.  
     
     
         8 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein two or more jaw-shaped receivers are equally aligned around a full 360° and that a retaining component is assigned to each of said jaw-shaped receivers.  
     
     
         9 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one jaw-shaped receiver is essentially a slot or slit.  
     
     
         10 . An apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the length of said slot incorporates sufficient clearance for the leading edge of a sheet-shaped element so that there is no danger that such leading edge will bump against the face of said slot.  
     
     
         11 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein, in the area of the stacking point, an arresting bar is provided, for the leading edge of the sheet-shaped element that is inserted in said jaw-shaped receiver and, is aligned stationary across from said conveying component.  
     
     
         12 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , including two or more conveying components that are separated from one another coaxially.  
     
     
         13 . An apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein said two conveying components are aligned in mirror image relative to a reflective plane that is perpendicular to the rotational axis.