Signature velocity reduction device and method

1. An apparatus for decelerating a signature comprising:

a movable belt arrangement; and

means for driving the movable belt arrangement for controllably moving the movable belt arrangement through a cyclical velocity profile, the profile including a continuously oscillating sinusoidal wave;

the movable belt arrangement moving a signature through a signature engaging section;

the cyclical velocity profile causing the motor to decelerate the movable belt arrangement from a first speed to a second speed while engaging the signature in the signature engaging section, the signature entering the signature engaging section at the first speed, and leaving the signature engaging section at the second speed, lower than the first speed, and to accelerate the movable belt arrangement upon the signature leaving the signature engaging section, back to the first speed, prior to a next signature entering the signature engaging section.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising signature engaging pins arranged on the movable belt arrangement.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the movable belt arrangement comprises a pair of endless belts extended around sprockets.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second speed is 50% of the first speed.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the movable belt arrangement comprises a sequence of movable belts arranged and configured to transport signatures, one after another, in a series of stages, each one of the sequence of movable belts decelerating the signatures by a preselected amount.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the means for driving comprises first and second means for driving each selectively coupled to alternate ones of the sequence of movable belts, the first and second means for driving operating according to the cyclical velocity profile, out of phase from one another.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the first means for driving is directly coupled to a first one of the alternate ones of the sequence of movable belts, and coupled through a first gearbox to a second one of the alternate ones of the sequence of movable belts, and the second means for driving is directly coupled to a third one of the alternate ones of the sequence of movable belts, and coupled through a second gearbox to a fourth one of the alternate ones of the sequence of movable belts.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the first gearbox and the second gearbox operate to provide a nominal velocity offset between the first one and the second one, and the third one and the fourth one of the alternate ones of the sequence of movable belts, respectively.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising signature engaging grippers arranged on the movable belt arrangement.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising signature engaging pads arranged on the movable belt arrangement.

11. An apparatus for decelerating signatures comprising:

a movable belt arrangement including a first movable belt arrangement interspersed with a second movable belt arrangement; and

a first means for driving and a second means for driving the first and second movable belt arrangements respectively, for controllably moving the first and second belt arrangements through first and second cyclical velocity profiles, the first cyclical velocity profile of the first means for driving being out of phase from the second cyclical velocity profile of the second means for driving;

the movable belt arrangement moving the signatures through a signature engaging section;

the first and second cyclical velocity profiles causing the first and second means for driving to decelerate a respective one of the first and second movable belt arrangements from a first speed to a second speed while engaging a signature in the signature engaging section, the signature entering the signature engaging section at the first speed, and leaving the signature engaging section at the second speed, lower than the first speed, and to accelerate the respective one of the first and second movable belt arrangements upon the signature leaving the signature engaging section, back to the first speed, prior to a next signature entering the signature engaging section that is to be engaged by the respective one of the first and second movable belt arrangements.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the first cyclical velocity profile is 180 degrees out of phase from the second cyclical velocity profile.

13. A method for decelerating a signature comprising the steps of:

providing a movable belt arrangement;

controllably moving the movable belt arrangement through a cyclical velocity profile, the profile including a continuously oscillating sinusoidal wave;

causing the cyclical velocity profile to decelerate the movable belt arrangement from a first speed to a second speed while the movable belt arrangement engages the signature in a signature engaging section, the signature entering the signature engaging section at the first speed, and leaving the signature engaging section at the second speed, lower than the first speed; and

accelerating the movable belt arrangement upon the signature leaving the signature engaging section, back to the first speed, prior to a next signature entering the signature engaging section.

14. A method for decelerating signatures comprising the steps of:

providing a first and a second movable belt arrangement;

controllably moving the first and the second movable belt arrangements through a first and a second cyclical velocity profile, respectively, the cyclical velocity profiles including a continuously oscillating sinusoidal wave;

causing the first and the second cyclical velocity profile to decelerate the first and the second movable belt arrangements, respectively, from a first speed to a second speed while the first and second movable belt arrangements engage a signature in a signature engaging section, the signature entering the signature engaging section at the first speed, and leaving the signature engaging section at the second speed, lower than the first speed; and

accelerating the respective one of the first and second movable belt arrangements upon the signature leaving the signature engaging section, back to the first speed, prior to a next signature entering the signature engaging section that is to be engaged by the respective one of the first and second movable belt arrangements.