Abstract: Systems and methods for allowing existing rotary printing press units to produce smaller pages at a faster rate of speed without having to replace the press unit. Specifically, the systems and methods relate to retrofitting an existing press unit to produce three pages of material in each full rotation instead of the traditional two pages.

Abstract: A device and a method for folding a print substrate web is disclosed. The device has devices for quarter folding and for cross-cutting the print substrate web for severing individual products as well as devices for cross folding. As viewed in the transport direction of the products, an arrangement for dividing the product stream is provided after a second quarter folding device, the arrangement conveying the successive products to a first and a second conveyor belt in an alternating manner.

Abstract: A folder superstructure is provided including a lead roll, a nip roll biasing the lead roll, and a frame supporting the lead roll and the nip roll. The frame is selectively movable between a first position where the lead roll and the nip roll act on a first web ribbon and a second position where the lead roll and the nip roll act on a second web ribbon. A method for folding printed webs is also provided.

Abstract: A single level web conversion apparatus is provided. The single level web conversion apparatus includes a web guiding apparatus guiding a web, a former longitudinally folding the web downstream of the web guiding apparatus and a cutting apparatus cutting the folded web into a first signature and a second signature. The web guiding apparatus includes rolls having axes of rotation aligned with a vertical direction that guide the web in a vertical on-edge orientation. The former receives the web in a vertical on-edge orientation and folding the web such that the folded web has a horizontal orientation and travels in a horizontal plane. The first and second signature each travel in the horizontal plane. A method of producing and delivering printed products is also provided.

Abstract: A device for distributing successive products of a product flow, particularly the successive folding products produced by a cross cutting device by dividing a material web, to two branch flows, with a wedge arrangement which is arranged in a stationary manner in the transporting plane of the product flow and which engages between two cam rollers which flank it and which are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center working plane. The device is characterized in that the wedge arrangement engages between two guide plates which flank it and which, together with the wedge arrangement, define a path fork. The guide plates have slots through which they are alternately penetrated by cams of the respective adjacent cam roller which are associated with the slots, so that the penetrating cams and the guide plate which is not penetrated form a feed for a belt guide associated with a branch flow.

Abstract: A folder for a web printing press includes a cut cylinder cutting a web into signatures; a first transport belt having a first raised section; a second transport belt having a second raised section, the signatures being received from the cut cylinder so as to be located between the first and second raised sections; and at least one variable speed motor driving the first and second transport belts. A method is also provided.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a winding unit configured to wind a continuous sheet, a binding unit configured to bind the continuous sheet that is wound and stacked by the winding unit, and a first cutting unit configured to cut the continuous sheet that is bound by the binding unit in a state that the continuous sheet is wound by the winding unit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a digitally printed product that includes at least one section of sequentially printed sheets folded approximately in the center. The sequentially printed sheets are conveyed one after another on a conveying device and folded inside a folding apparatus to form a first fold. The folded sheets are gathered in a gathering station to form a section which is fed to a work station where the section is folded approximately in the center to form a second fold.

Abstract: In an apparatus for handling rolls of web material, a shaft bearing one or more fully wound rolls of web material thereon are supported from one end in a cantilever support. An external mandrel is aligned with a free end of the shaft. A roll-moving device is positioned to shift the rolls axially along the shaft away from the supported end of the shaft. The roll-moving device shifts the rolls of web material off the shaft and onto the aligned external mandrel, shaft or other support device. The weight of the roll of web material is borne by the shaft and external mandrel throughout the transfer. Once the shaft is removed, the rolls of web material can be handled during further processing from the core.

Abstract: For the production of different types of newspapers, the material web printed in a digital printing system (2) passes through a further processing system (3), whose most important structural units are a side edge cutting station (4), a longitudinal cutting station (5), a crosscutting station (6), a first collecting station (8), a crossfolding station (10), a longitudinal folding station (11), a stitching station (12), a second collecting station (13) and a delivery station (14). The sheets separated from the material web in the crosscutting station (6) are placed on one another in the first collecting station (8) to form sections. These sections are folded transversely with respect to the direction of movement (Y) in the crossfolding station (10). In the longitudinal folding station (11), the sections are folded in their direction of movement (Y). In the stitching station (12), the sheets of a section are joined to one another along the longitudinal fold.

Abstract: A spinning wheel format having a wheel rotatable about an axle, both carried within a substrate, wherein the substrate, the wheel, and the axle are made from the same stock, created in a continuous, single-pass finishing system, is described. The format is manufactured by adhering a first ribbon to a second ribbon to form a multi-ply ribbon, cutting the multi-ply ribbon to form a plurality of wheels and axles within the wheels, marrying the multi-ply ribbon to a third ribbon, folding the third ribbon to enclose the multi-ply ribbon within the folded third ribbon; and transversely cutting the third ribbon into a plurality of spinning wheel formats. A mass distributable packet can be created by marrying a plurality of spinning wheel formats to a fourth ribbon, and manufacturing a plurality of mass distributable packets from the fourth ribbon.

Abstract: An apparatus for supplying web material to an image creation and cutting device, taking up processed material from the device, and physically supporting the device. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes a plurality of upright support structures, adjacent ones defining troughs therebetween. The apparatus can further have the image creation and cutting device pivotably mounted thereupon. Servomotors selectively drive the rolls such that a loop of predetermined length is maintained between each roll and the image creation and cutting device, while the image creation and cutting device processes the web material.

Abstract: Folders in a web-fed rotary printing press are associated with two spaced horizontal planes. Each of these planes is provided with a superstructure carriage that supports a plurality of turning bars. Each of the superstructure carriages can be displaced horizontally with respect to the other carriage and with respect to the folders.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming books comprising pages of coated paper interspersed with pages of newsprint paper. The book is formed by providing a moving web of coated paper, providing a plurality of moving webs of newsprint paper, printing the moving web of coated paper with inks of a plurality of colors including printing within identified coupon areas, selectively perforating the moving web of coated paper around the printed coupon areas, subjecting the moving web of coated paper to a heatset operation to set the inks on the web, printing the moving webs of newsprint paper with at least one color ink, and associating the moving webs of coated paper and newsprint paper in a pasting, folding, and cutting operation to form a plurality of books each comprising a plurality of pages of coated paper interspersed with a plurality of pages of newsprint paper and adhesively bound together along one longitudinal edge of the book and each including detachable coupons on at least some of the coated paper pages.

Abstract: A pair of partial paper web receiving superstructure units are placed above a transverse folding unit in a folding apparatus. Either a drawing unit or a longitudinal folder and its associated folder hopper inlet can be placed between the superstructure units and the transverse folder. Use of the two superstructure units allows the folding apparatus to have a low structural height.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming books comprising pages of coated paper interspersed with pages of newsprint paper.

Abstract: A paper web guide assembly utilizes a plurality of longitudinal formers that are arranged in three levels. The formers in the upper level receive a web from a first six plate width press while the formers in the intermediate and lower levels receive web segments from a second six plate width press. The formed ribbons can be directed over a plurality of paths of travel.

Abstract: To permit web portions (16, 17; 18, 19; 20, 21) slit from longitudinal webs (2a, 2b, 2c) to be selectively interleaved or interlaced, with or without turning over, pairs of turning bars or rods (6, 7; 8, 9; 10, 11; 12, 13) are located in essentially vertically aligned position; laterally of the turning rods, two deflection rollers (22, 23) are positioned which can be individually movably shifted by individual drive motors (32) operating a gear on a rack formed on guide rails, so that the deflection rollers can be selectively positioned at the level of a selected pair of turning rods. This permits placement of a web portion, right side up or turned over, between a pair of web portions which is not necessarily the next adjacent one in the vertical sequence of superimposed webs arriving at the interlacing or interleaving system.

Abstract: An anglebar and/or a compensator roller in a folder of a printing press is adjustable. A motor has an output shaft operatively connected with the anglebar and/or the compensator roller to, when driven, adjust the position of the anglebar and/or the compensator roller. A tachometer provides a speed reference signal indicative of the speed of movement of a web of sheet material relative to the anglebar and/or the compensator roller. A web position sensor provides an adjustment control signal indicating that the anglebar and/or the compensator roller should be adjusted. A computer responds to the speed reference signal and the adjustment control signal to control a DC drive. The DC drive drives the motor at a speed which varies with the speed of movement of the web of sheet material. The anglebar and/or the compensator roller is thereby moved to a desired position at a rate which is a function of the speed of movement of the web of sheet material relative to the anglebar and/or the compensator roller.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are disclosed for composing an imposition in terms of an arrangement of printing plates on selected of the image positions on selected units of a printing press to print a given edition, by first assigning each section of this edition to one of the press areas. Thereafter, each printing unit is examined to determine an utilization value thereof in terms of the placement of the printing plates on the image positions and the relative number of image positions to which printing plates are assigned with respect to the total number of image positions. Thereafter, a list of the image positions for each of the sections and its area, is constructed by examining one printing unit at a time in an order according to the placement of that printing unit in the array and examining its utilization value to determine whether or not to include a particular image position of that printing unit in the list.