Motion stabilizing and aligning apparatus for moving folded signatures through an ink jet printer

摘要

In a booklet-making system including a collating conveyor having an inverted V-shaped top profile for receiving folded signatures to be draped thereover, a signature raising plate is provided in the path of movement of the signature to and past an ink jet printing station for raising preferably only one side or panel of the conveyor draped signature to be printed upon and the fold thereof above the conveyor so that the signature is not then supported by the conveyor. Signature backing and aligning apparatus is provided opposite the printing station for receiving the fold of the raised signature or stack of signatures and for acting as a backing support therefor to stabilize and align the same as it moves past said printing station. In one form of the invention this apparatus includes the longitudinal edge of the signature raising plate which engages and forces the raised fold toward a backing wall. In the other form of the invention this apparatus includes an angle bar whose vertical leg forms said vertical backing wall and air jet nozzles for directing jets of air against the crotch of the fold of the raised signature to push the fold edge thereof into the crotch of the angle bar.