Method and apparatus for assembling sheet material assemblages

摘要

A method and apparatus for assembling newspapers which have a jacket and a plurality of inserts within the jacket are disclosed. The apparatus includes a circular array of stations and a rotor carrying a plurality of pockets which move below the stations. A two-speed transmission is provided so that the rotor can be driven at either of two speeds. At each station there is a hopper for feeding a jacket or insert into the pockets as they move below. The jacket feeding stations are grouped into a group of two or more adjacent stations. The insert feeding stations are likewise grouped into groups of adjacent stations having two or more in each group. All groups have the same number of stations and the stations in each group all feed an identical jacket or insert. In addition there is a single opener station for opening jackets before inserts are fed into the jackets and a single delivery station for each group of jacket feeding stations. In one embodiment each group includes two stations. There is a single opener station and a single delivery station. The rotor is provided with a plurality of groups of pockets.