Abstract: Systems and methods for folding a stack of substrate sheets are provided. The system may include a roller assembly and a positioning mechanism. The roller assembly is configured for folding the stack of substrate sheets and the positioning mechanism is configured to position the substrate or stack for entry into the roller assembly. The positioning mechanism includes an upper curved form and a lower curved form to guide the stack of substrate sheets into a curved position for folding. The positioning mechanism further includes a folding blade positioned to extend through the gap between the upper and lower curved forms. The roller assembly can move the folded stack of substrate sheets in at least two directions.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for collecting a printed copy is disclosed. A collecting cylinder is operable in a non-collect mode and a collect mode. A cam collect is coupled to the collecting cylinder. The collecting cylinder is switchable between the non-collect mode and the collect mode by a relative rotational movement between the collecting cylinder and the cam collect.

Abstract: A cylinder is usable for processing flat material and includes a cylindrical body, which can be rotated about a cylinder axis, and at least one group of a plurality of tools. These tools perform a working movement in relation to the cylindrical body and are coupled to first and second control levers. A fixed cam plate is followed by the first control lever of each tool. A rotating cover disk is followed by the second control lever of each tool. The cover disk comprises a plurality of congruent sectors each having at least one section with a first radius which allows that tool to accomplish its working movement. The cover disk sectors each also have at least one section with a second radius which blocks the working movement of the tool.

Abstract: A rotary blade device for interacting with printed materials has a rotating arm, a first pulley rotatably supported on the rotating arm, a first blade fixed to the first pulley, a fixed pulley, and a first belt connecting the first pulley to the fixed pulley so that as the arm rotates, the first pulley rotates with respect to the arm.

Abstract: A signature transport device has a conveyor for moving a plurality of signatures in a first direction, and a rotary blade device having a first blade having an edge for lifting a first signature of the plurality of signatures from the conveyor, the edge being parallel to the first direction, and the first blade rotating about an axis perpendicular to the edge. A printing press and rotary blade device are also disclosed.

Abstract: A folding blade cylinder for use in a folding machine includes a cylindrical cradle and a folding blade that can be situated in various positions in the cylindrical cradle. Each position of the folding blade corresponds to a gap in the cylinder cradle surface. These gaps are separated from each other by segments of the cylindrical cradle. In order to move the folding blade from one gap to another, the folding blade is retracted into the interior of the folding blade cylinder.

Abstract: A rotary-blade folding unit includes at least one folding blade, a pair of folding rollers and a drive for producing a hypocycloid movement of the folding blade about a rotational axis of the folding blade and a main rotational axis for folding a signature that has been guided up to the rotary-blade folding unit in a transport plane extending between the main rotational axis and the folding rollers, and further includes a drive mechanism for producing an oscillatory movement of the folding blade at least approximately parallel to the main rotational axis; a folder including the folding unit; and a printing machine in combination with the folder.

Abstract: A signature slow-down section in a folder of a printing press for slowing down signatures is provided. The folder is driven by a folder drive mechanism and the signature slow-down section includes a frame, a slow-down mechanism supported by the frame, and a motor connected to the slow-down mechanism for rotatably driving the slow-down mechanism separately from the folder drive mechanism. The motor is selectively operable to drive the slow-down mechanism at a speed in response to the position of the signatures relative to the slow-down mechanism.

Abstract: An apparatus for decelerating signatures moving in tandem fashion through sheet processing equipment is provided. A pair of counter-rotating cams lying in general face-to-face relation along a travel path of the signatures reach into the travel path of the signatures to effectively grab the trailing end of each signature so as to decrease the speed of each signature as the signature continues or to further processing equipment in the sheet handling system. Also provided is a guide assembly which increases control over the signatures during the decelerating process and during transport of the signatures to further downstream processing equipment. The guide assembly includes grooved rollers which act as pulleys for belts near the exit stream of the slow-down equipment, wherein the protruding segments between belt grooves act to push the signatures away from the belt.

Abstract: A device for accurately setting a roller gap of a folding device of a rotary web-fed press uses a rotatable threaded spindle with contrarotating threads at both of its ends. A drivable differential screw gear mechanism is associated with each threaded spindle end and operates to pivot two-armed levers that support the folding rollers to thus vary the roller gap.

Abstract: A cylinder folding apparatus for a rotary printing press uses a collection and cutting cylinder in cooperation with a solid folding blade cylinder. A paper web train is cut into sections and is folded by transverse folding rollers. The point spur sets on the folding blade cylinder release signatures prior to commencement of the folding procedure. A brush roller is used to maintain contact between the signatures and the folding blade cylinder after release of the point spur set.

Abstract: To move folding jaws (4, 5) in a scissor-like or pincer-like movement symmetrical with respect to a center line (CL) and to permit adjustment of the gap or opening of the jaws, for acceptance of folded substrates of different thicknesses, the jaws are coupled together by a rotation reversal arrangement (14, 114, 112, 314) so that rotation of one of the carrier bodies (6) will be transferred as an equal and opposite movement to the other (7) of the carrier bodies. An axial position adjustment spindle (25, 125, 325), controllable by a hand wheel (29) or servo motor (30), changes the axial position of gears rotating or rotating with a shaft (2, 202, 402) of a folding jaw cylinder (1, 201, 401), at least some of the gears or gear pairs having inclined teeth, to thereby transfer a positioning movement into a relative rotary shift of the respectively rotating gear with respect to the gear driving the shaft, thereby causing rocking or tilting of the folding jaw carriers (6, 7).

Abstract: The folding cylinder assembly has: rotatable folding cylinder having three pin lever shaft assemblies spaced substantially equally about the folding cylinder, each of the pin lever shaft assemblies having at least one pin and a cam follower positioned on a first end of the folding cylinder; one piece cam for interfacing with the cam followers, the one piece cam rotationally mounted on the first end of the folding cylinder, the one piece cam having two lobes which periodically contact the cam followers as the cam rotates; mechanism for rotating the folding cylinder and the cam such that the cam and the folding cylinder have a first relative angular velocity for the first mode of operation and second relative velocity for the second mode of operation, wherein in the first mode of operation the folding cylinder rotates at a substantially constant angular velocity and the cam rotates at one and one-half times the substantially constant angular velocity in the same direction of rotation as the folding cylinder, an

Abstract: A folding machine of a rotary press is of the type that after superposed paper sheets have been cut out by means of a folding drum and a cutting drum, a folding blade is projected from the folding drum to insert the cut paper sheets between a pair of folding rollers for folding. A gap adjusting device for the folding rollers is composed of a pair of support arms for the folding rollers which are swingable about a pair of fixed shafts. Vertically movable adjusting tables are disposed under the respective support arms and a pair of links connect the adjusting tables with the respective support arms. In a variation a pair of arms pivotably supporting the folding rollers are coupled via a pair of adjusting levers pivotably supported from a single support shaft disposed under a middle portion of the support shafts of the arms and links.

Abstract: In the machine, a tabloid brochure produced from the strip is either stripped directly from a folding cylinder (30) or passed between the folding cylinder and a second fold cylinder at which a transverse, so-called second fold is made.The folding cylinder (30) comprises at least one insertion blade (37A, 37B) movable between two fixed positions, a deployed position in which it projects relative to the lateral surface of the cylinder and is adapted to cooperate with a jaw of the second fold cylinder, and a retracted position in which it is inside the folding cylinder, the insertion blade being adapted to be deployed when it is necessary to make said second fold and retracted otherwise.

Abstract: A web (17) received, for example, from an 8-page or 16-page printing machine, is severed in a cutter blade cylinder (6) needle-tucking blade cylinder (7) combination and the severed sheets are provided with a cross fold in a first system (A) formed by the combination needle-tucking blade cylinder (7) and a combination needle-cutter blade cylinder (12), to be then further cross-folded and cut in a second system formed by the combination of the needle-cutter blade cylinder (12) with a needle-folding jaw cylinder (13). To permit the second combination to be operative, the combination needle-cutter blade cylinder (12) is additionally formed with tucking blades (21) for engagement in the folding jaws (22) of the needle-folding jaw cylinder (13). This arrangement permits double cutting and folding, for example, of longitudinally folded superimposed webs into, selectively, 81/2".times.11" or A4 products and cross-folding them to 51/2".times.81/2 or A5 products.

Abstract: Accoumulator cylinder assembly for a folding machine of a printing press having tucking blades mounted on respective tucking-blade shafts and respectively associated with entrainer members mounted on entrainer shafts includes, for each entrainer shaft and each tucking-blade shaft, a latch fixed to the accumulator cylinder and having an operating position in which the latch blocks the shaft to prevent an roller thereof from being affected by a respective control region of a respective cam thereof and a non-operating position in which the latch does not act on the shaft; a latch-signal production device for generating at least one series of periodic signals according to an angular position of the accumulator cylinder, in order to cause it to operate in an accumulation mode; a device for enabling the latches to respond to the signals wherein each latch the operating position thereof when a signal is addressed to it, and the non-operating position thereof when no signal is addressed to it; and a device for select

Abstract: In the case of a folder with at least two folding cylinders having cooperating folding members in the form of folding blades and folding jaws and intended for processing products of very different thickness, more reliable operation may be achieved if at least one folding cylinder has circumferential sections which are able to be adjusted in the radial direction.

Abstract: To provide a compact, readily adjustable system which provides two longitudinal folds on a printed web, a combination transfer and collection cylinder has product retention means (11, 35) thereon, such as grippers (11) or puncture needles (35); selectively operable lift-off fingers (14, 14') remove the printed products from the cylinder (10) and feed them, superimposed, between belts (7, 17), the belts being guided by drive and guide rollers (18, 19, 20, 21). A pair of drive and guide rollers is constructed to form a perforating blade-perforating groove roller combination (22, 23) to provide perforations in a plurality of superposed first folded products for subsequent delivery to a second folding apparatus (29, 30).

Abstract: The known pinless folding machine in the prior art is improved in that the speed-up conveyor belts therein is removed, the drive at an increased speed of the folding drum, the clamping drum and the conveyor belts is abolished, but instead, drive at the same speed as the web is effected for these three members. More particulary, there are provided a first cutter drum and a first cutter receiver drum, a second cutter receiver drum, a head end push-in drum, and drum-round conveyor belts wrapped around the folding drum and traveling at the same speed as the web. Cutting of the web is effected twice between the first cutter drum and the receiver drum therefor and between the second cutter receiver drum and a second cutter device disposed on the folding drum, and the web is perfectly cut by the second cutter device. Accordingly, perfect cutting of the web is effected on the folding drum.

Abstract: To match the speed of a folding flap cylinder (12) folding sheets cut from a web in half to a slower speed of a gripper chain delivery system (17, 18), a transfer cylinder (15) with grippers (16) is provided which operates at a circumferentially non-uniform speed (FIG. 3, curve 30), in which the speed of the transfer cylinder (15), when receiving a sheet from the folding flap cylinder (12), is essentially synchronous therewith, and then decelerates to be essentially synchronous with the speed of the gripper chain delivery system (17), for subsequent acceleration to the speed of the folding flap cylinder. The circumferentially non-uniform speed is obtained by driving the transfer cylinder (15) through a worm transmission in which the worm has a non-uniform pitch or non-uniform angle of inclination of the worm groove or the respective worm lands defining the groove.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for folding webs which includes a pair of rolls each having tuckers and grippers arranged for tucker-gripper coaction and wherein the tucker is free floating within its mounting advantageously of the order of 1/16" movement in a circumferential direction.

Abstract: Apparatus for continuously manufacturing surgical sponges from a web of gauze is disclosed. The apparatus cuts the web into discrete pieces, and thereafter folds, irons, stacks and counts the pads as an integrated and automated operation at a high rate of speed.

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: For manufacture of booklets consisting of an inner portion and a cover having material different than the inner portion on a folding apparatus including a collecting cylinder, two successively-disposed band guidances associated with the collecting cylinder, surrounding two successively-disposed peripheral segments of the collecting cylinder. One band guidance surrounding the rear peripheral segment transports web segments from which the inner portion is assembled to the collecting cylinder, while the other band guidance which surrounds the front peripheral segment delivers web segments forming a cover to the collecting cylinder. The collecting cylinder is provided with holding members which grip the leading edges of the web segments being set thereon, the holding members being activated in the region of the front peripheral segment. The holding members being inactivated following the completed collection process after passing the folding flap cylinder associated with the collecting cylinder.

Abstract: An improvement in the method and apparatus for folding newspaper in the "collect" mode. Inside and outside web sections are printed with the same number of lines and transferred to a folding cylinder which collects them in overlapping relation. Expanding means incorporated in the body of the cylinder expand its effective radius to permit the trailing edge of the outside section to be cut to a length equal to that of the inside section without recutting the inside section. The collected sections are then passed through second fold rollers for final folding.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing the cutoff length of a duel web folding and cutting assembly. The method comprises steps of reducing the support surface under the working parts of the folding cylinder along the length of a roller which contacts the web such that the working parts may be replaced without modification. Further, the cutting rollers reduced in diameter must be moved closer to the folding cylinder. One method of moving the cutting cylinder is by reboreing the mounting hole for one end of the cutting cylinder on the drive side to enable placement of sleeve having eccentric center holes in each side frame to move the cylinder closer. The other method comprises steps of cutting the driven side of the cutting cylinder support shaft off positioning it in an auxiliary side frame mounted inside of the old side frame and driving cutting cylinder with gears positioned inide of the auxiliary side frame.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for folding sheet stacks in a web-fed rotary printing press is disclosed. The sheet stacks are severed from groups of paper ribbons and are conveyed by suitable conveying cylinders to spaced folding tables. Each folding table is provided with rotating folding blades and cooperating driving folding roller pairs. Each folding table is further provided with a pulse absorber assembly having a plurality of stop rods or bars which are positioned to contact the leading edge of each group of sheet stacks to halt the motion of the stacks on the folding tables. The halted sheet stacks are then folded. A suitable drive assembly for the pulse absorber is also disclosed.

Abstract: A gear folder for folding paper webs or sheets is provided with a cutting knife cylinder, a counter-cut groove cylinder, and a collecting and folding blade cylinder. The collecting cylinder has an odd number of fields for receipt of sheets and further includes an internal folding blade carrier having an even number of folding blades which selectively project through the periphery of the collecting cylinder to transfer a web to suitable folding rollers. Each of the fields of the collecting cylinder is provided with a pin set to retain the web on the periphery of the cylinder. The pin sets are controlled to selectively retract in conjunction with the projection of the folding blades to allow transfer of a selected sheet or stack of sheets to the folding rollers. The frequency of retraction of the pin sets and projection of the folding blades can be varied to transfer the sheets to the folding rollers after each revolution or only after several revolutions of the collecting drum.

Abstract: The invention is concerned with a device for slowing down a fed printing specimen as it is fed to the paddle wheel, and includes a pair of rollers, one of which is adjustable relative to the other to provide for an adjustable wedge portion therebetween which includes means to slow the speed of the fed printing specimen down as it is fed to the paddle wheel.