BUNDLING MECHANISM FOR SIGNATURES
A bundling mechanism for receiving a stream of signatures in overlapping relation on a conveyor belt and for stacking them in register with one another preparatory to separation into bundles for transfer or storage. A twisting conveyor is provided for helically twisting the stream of signatures substantially 90 degrees so that the signatures are placed on edge. The outlet of the twisting conveyor is formed of a pair of vertically oriented rollers defining an outlet nip. A stop horizontally spaced from the nip arrests and accumulates the signatures thereby establishing the remote surface of the stack, the stack being supported on a table extending horizontally at right angles to the direction of the incoming stream. The near surface of the stack is horizontally spaced from the nip, the space being bridged by an auxiliary conveyor driven substantially at stream speed for incrementally conveying the trailing edge of each signature from the nip into a position which is flush with the near surface of the stack. Packer discs having rollers spaced about the periphery are provided for continuously beating upon the forming end of the stack with the blows being applied in unison over the area of the forming end to facilitate advancement of the stack and sliding of the signatures over one another from the overlapping state into a condition of precise monolithic register. A conveyor integrated into the stack supporting table assists the packer discs in advancing the major portion of the stack.