Abstract: A zig-zag folding apparatus which includes a swing chute movable in a forward and rearward direction to transmit narrow sheet material between spaced, forward and rearward folding stations. A sheet folding device is located at each of the folding stations which includes a chain carrying a series of paddles, and a drive train which rotates the chain and paddles with respect to the folding station. In the course of moving in a forward and rearward direction, the swing chute transmits the narrow sheet material into contact with beaters or knock-down fingers located at each folding station which direct the sheet into a folding position where the paddles carried by the chain operate to fold or crease the sheet material along its perforations and thus form a stack of zig-zag folded sheets.

Abstract: A zig-zag folding apparatus includes a slitter blade which forms one or more longitudinally extending slits completely through a comparatively wide web of paper thus forming two or more individual, narrower sections of paper. A spreader device, located downstream from the slitter blade, is effective to produce a longitudinally extending gap or space between the individual paper sections where the slits were formed, and these separated paper sections are each transferred to an individual folding mechanism to form individual stacks of zig-zag folded sheets.