Abstract: A cylinder folding apparatus for a web-fed rotary printing press utilizes solid cutting and a collecting cylinders to cut a paper web into signatures. A hollow folding drum is provided with an interior folding blade cylinder whose axis of rotation is offset from that of the folding drum. A pair of folding rollers are placed adjacent the folding drum. A stapling device may also be placed adjacent the hollow folding drum. The folding apparatus is intended to cut thick signatures at high production speeds as well as to produce stapled tabloid products.

Abstract: A device for making folded products, which is usable to simultaneously make two different folded products, includes a plurality of partial paper web train fold formers arranged on lower and upper levels and a double wide folding station. The fold formers located in the upper level are shiftable in the direction of the axis of rotation of the cylinders in the folding station. This axial movement of the upper level fold formers allows the production of various folded products having different signature arrangements by the insertion of the partial web trains from the upper level fold formers into either the right or left sides of the double wide folding station.

Abstract: A folding cylinder for a web-fed rotary printing press is provided with signature end engaging point spurs. The cylinder is also provided with signature grippers which will engage the signature end or sides so that the point spurs can be retracted at a slower rate of speed to thereby avoid damaging the signature end.

Abstract: A paper train inlet in a longitudinal fold gate utilizes an upstream paper guide cylinder and a downstream paper guide cylinder, which is situated adjacent to the gate, to guide superimposed paper webs to the longitudinal fold gate. At least one traction cylinder group is located between the upstream or remote paper guide cylinder and the downstream or adjacent paper guide cylinder. The paper train inlet provides a slip-free paper train transport by use of a traction cylinder drive mechanism of low structural height.

Abstract: A crosscutting device for a folder assembly utilizes a pair of cooperating cylinders. A cutting groove cylinder has at least one groove strip assembly on its periphery and cooperates with a cutter cylinder having a corresponding number of cutters. Each groove strip assembly includes a cutting groove component and a pressure spring component.

Abstract: A crosscutting device for a folder assembly utilizes a pair of cooperating cylinders. A cutting groove cylinder has at least one groove strip assembly on its periphery and cooperates with a cutter cylinder having a corresponding number of cutters. Each groove strip assembly includes a cutting groove component and a pressure spring component.

Abstract: A folding jaw cylinder has at least one set of movable folding jaws and a cooperating set of stationary folding jaws. The spacing between these sets of folding jaws can be varied in response to changes in paper ribbon thickness. Such variance in spacing is accomplishable during the operation of the folder. A measuring device is provided an senses the paper ribbon thickness in front of the folder. The second value is used to create an adjusting value that is fed to an adjusting device to accomplish the folding jaw adjustment.

Abstract: A signature formed as a plurality of layers of paper sheets and having a fold line is provided along the fold line with a line of spaced perforations. This line of perforations is formed by a signature perforating knife which has a plurality of spaced perforating teeth. The folded signature avoids creases and bulges during stacking of plural signatures.

Abstract: A device used to deliver folded printed products from delivery fanwheels of a folder to a conveyor uses chains driven by the fanwheel shaft and which pass over cam segments to clamp the folded products. The chains each carry angle elements and clamping pieces which cooperate with the vanes of the fanwheels to clasp the printed products.

Abstract: A gear folder for paper web ribbons utilizes four cooperating cylinders. The paper web is delivered between a cutting cylinder and a pin-holing and grooved bar cylinder where one or more cutting knives sever the web into signatures. The signatures are taken from the pin-holing cylinder by a collecting cylinder that is equipped with controllable pin sets. This collecting cylinder is operable in either straight, collect or double collect production. A bipartite folding blade cylinder, which has a slotted outer casing and a plurality of gear driven folding blades, receives the signatures from the collecting cylinder and causes them to be folded between opposed driven folding rollers. A section stitcher is cooperatively positioned adjacent the pin-holing and grooved bar cylinder.

Abstract: A paper web guiding mechanism for a web-fed rotary printing machine is disclosed. The paper web guiding mechanism includes paper guide rollers and a prefeed formed roller which are substantially wider than the maximum width of the web which can be printed. Two turning bars are provided for each paper web which may be slit from the printed web. At least three formers are disposed on a common horizontal plane and are used to form the web sections that are guided to various mixed or superimposed arrays by the paper web guiding mechanism.

Abstract: A folding blade cylinder for use in a rotary printing machine is disclosed. The periphery of the cylinder is provided with a plurality of spaced circumferential slots. Arched carrying bows are positioned within the slots and elements which are capable of expanding under the influence of a pressurized fluid are placed in the slots underneath the carrying bows. Application of the pressurized fluid to the expandable elements forces the carrying bows radially outwardly to increase the peripheral size of the folding blade cylinder.

Abstract: A variable size folder cylinder for a web-fed rotary printing machine is disclosed. Spaced inner support wheels and spaced outer support wheels are carried by a common shaft. The inner and outer wheels serve as support for sheet grippers, folding blades and the like. The inner wheels and outer wheels are rotatable on the shaft with respect to each other so that the elements which they carry can be variably spaced about the periphery of the folder cylinder. A clutch assembly is carried by adjacent ones of these inner and outer support wheels with the clutch including a ring-shaped piston that carries a coupling ring which is brought into engagement with a thrust collar. A flexible membrane return ring is sealed between the ring-shaped piston and the face of the surrounding wall of the support wheel and acts to return the piston its rest position when actuating pressure is removed.

Abstract: A folding jaw cylinder having friction increasing elements for insuring that the fold is not withdrawn from the folding jaws during removal of the folding blade is disclosed. The folding jaw cylinder includes a fixed front folding edge and a movable folding jaw which together cooperate to form a folding slot into which a folding blade forces a plurality of sheets which are folded into a signature. The folding jaw carries suitable friction increasing elements and the folding slot is so structured that the folded sheets are retained in the slot while the folding blade is withdrawn.

Abstract: A web-fed rotary printing press apparatus for the production of printed products of various sizes is disclosed. The apparatus includes forme cylinders having removable printing formes of different sizes, adjustably positionable cross cutting cylinders, speed varying means for the collecting and transfer cylinders, and a longitudinal folding device. As the number and size of printing formes on the forme cylinder is varied to change the size of the printed product, the position of the cross cutting cylinders and the speeds of the collecting and transfer cylinders are selectively varied so that the different sized printed products will be correctly severed and folded into signatures.

Abstract: A folding assembly for book folding in web-fed rotary printing machines is disclosed. A take-over or transfer cylinder, which is capable of operating in either straight or collect run production, transfers signatures to an acceleration section which is run at a selected speed to deliver the signatures to a longitudinal folding device in a spaced array thereby allowing adequate time for the longitudinal folding device to perform a second longitudinal folding operation on the signatures. The speed of the acceleration section is varied by changing its gear drives.

Abstract: A gear folder comprising a gear folding cylinder, at least a pair of folding rollers, and spaced pressure mechanisms for maintaining a precut ribbon segment in position on the folding cylinder for accurate folding of the segment. A first pressure mechanism is positioned before the folding rollers and a second similar mechanism is located after the folding rollers. These pressure mechanisms have rotating, yieldable surfaces which contact the ribbon section which is to be folded. The rotational speeds of the pressure mechanisms are different from each other and from that of the gear folding cylinder to tension the ribbon section on the folding cylinder.