Importance

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Abstract

The inventive method and apparatus serve to combine into groups different printed products supplied as continuous flows (1, 2, 3 etc.), on at least one grouping section (10.1, 10.2, 10.3), in which each group can have a composition of in each case one product from different supply flows corresponding to a predetermined group sequence. The production of faulty groups is prevented, in that in the supplies errors are detected at an early stage, so that groups affected by an error, are not formed in the predetermined cycle and are instead displaced by one cycle. The group flow leaving the method consequently contains only gaps and not faulty groups. For performing the method between the supplies (63.4, 63.5) of products and the grouping (10.1, 10.2) are introduced a supply control, a supply buffer storage and a controlled delivery. The means (64.2, 64.3, 64.4 etc.) for performing these three method stages are constituted by conveyors with cams or drivers, which are interconnected with a drag connection and which are moved by two substantially independently controlled drives on a continuous guide. The drivers are controlled following an acceptance point at which they have accepted a product from the supply unit (63.4, 63.5) and faulty products are recorded. They then pass into a buffer storage space and leave the latter through a controlled delivery point, where they deliver the product into the grouping.

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First Claim