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: To fold large sheets of different sizes with different folding patterns, in zig-zag folds, the sheets are introduced into a folding system having first, second and third belts (5, 6, 10) which, between the first, second and third belt define a folding gap. The belts are driven, respectively, in selected directions of rotation to fold a sheet in a zig-zag pattern. A control system (35) having a memory (50) with folding patterns stored therein, is responsive to a sheet-length signal derived, for example, from a printer (75). A stepping motor moves a sheet, in accordance with a selected program stored in the memory, to form the fold based on the length of the sheet. Prior to folding sheet a maybe end-for-end a sheet is flung upwardly in a reversing gap (46) whereupon the sheet is transported by paper removal rollers (44, 48) and transport belts (55, 63) to sheet supply rollers (3) of the folding apparatus.

Abstract: A device for folding rolled carpets essentially made of a rectangular frame having two pairs of upstanding posts at the corners of the frame. Roller means extending between each pair of posts are adapted to support the rolled carpets. A central bar disposed parallel to the roller means is connected to flexible links to at least one winch fixed to the frame below the central rod. The central rod is adapted to be mounted over the rolled carpets whereby by pulling on the rod, the carpets are folded in a V-shape, the end portions of the carpet being adapted to slide over the roller means.

Abstract: Flexible drapable sheets, such as cloth sheets or garments, are folded and stacked. A first horizontal conveyor conveys the garments past an automatic sewing machine to a lifting device which engages a middle portion of the garment and stuffs it into the inlet of a vertical second conveyor formed from two sets of horizontally spaced conveyor tapes. At a discharge end of the second conveyor, the garments are discharged onto a receiving surface formed by a number of bent wire sections interleaved with the conveyor tapes of the second conveyor. The receiving surface is flipped over (pivoted about a horizontal axis) to flip the folded over garment onto a platform above the first conveyor. The garments are stacked to a desired height on the platform.

Abstract: A print copy folding device arrangement including a folding blade drum, a first folding roller, a second folding roller and a conveyor belt arrangement. The folding rollers include a first peripheral area segment having a surface extending about a first circumferential portion of said first roller, spaced from a central rotational axis a distance r.sub.1 and a second peripheral area segment including a recessed peripheral surface, the recessed peripheral surface being spaced from the central rotational axis a distance r2 wherein r.sub.1 >r.sub.2 and having residual peripheral surfaces disposed at each side of the recess peripheral surface. The residual peripheral surfaces are spaced from the central rotational axis the distance r.sub.1. A third peripheral area segment is provided extending about a third circumferential portion of rollers. The third peripheral area is provided with a recessed surface spaced from the central rotational axis the distance r.sub.2.

Abstract: A general-purpose document folding machine comprises a folding module including at least one folding blade on a main document path. A pair of feed rollers and a pair of ejector rollers for advancing and ejecting documents are associated with each folding blade, disposed one on each side thereof and adapted to have the rollers driven to advance documents along the main path. At least one deflector flap on the main path diverts selectively from the main path documents that are to be folded. Drive means displace each folding blade transversely to a diverted document facing it in order to fold the document and also displace each folding blade along the main path at a longitudinal speed substantially equal to the rate of advance of the documents along the main path. This is in order to fold a diverted document while in motion and insert it between the rollers of the respective pair of ejector rollers.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for folding paperlike material, such as documents, which may have different quality and length and are conveyed in assembled form or successively in a transport track, said paperlike material having a leading and a trailing edge and being provided with a fold at a location between its leading and its trailing edge by bending the leading edge and the contiguous portion of the material out of the transport track during conveying of the material until the trailing edge reaches a predetermined position and creating a sharp folding edge by bringing the edge to be folded between folding means by a folding blade moving substantially in the transport track.

Abstract: A web of flat plastic bag stock formed with transverse perforations and heat seals is separated into individual bags, then individually formed in plural folds and the folded bags are stacked for packaging. To form as many as three folds, four rollers are used. The individual, separated bag is forced between the first and second rolls by a reciprocating first "blade" which contacts the middle of the bag. After being formed with the first fold, the bag is forced between the second and third rolls by a reciprocating second "blade". The twice-folded bag is then forced between the third and fourth rolls by a third reciprocating "blade" and, after the third fold, is conveyed away on belts to a stacking station where plural bags are deposited as a layer on a table. The layers may be packaged by hand or by suitable machinery.

Abstract: A quarter-folder operates at high speed by reducing the leading edge to leading edge distance between successive papers, and continuing to move the papers forward while urging the papers down between folding rolls. The folding rolls are obliquely disposed so that a tucking blade urges a portion of the paper between the rolls, and the angular disposition causes the paper to continue. A plurality of pairs of folding rolls receives a paper for complete folding. Retarding brush rollers will slow the folded paper to be received by a conventional creel.

Abstract: A mechanical folding device fires a multiplicity of pins through an air table and a multiplicity of parallel endless belts forming the conveyor to lift a flexible foldable length of material, such as a plastic film bag body, into a catching device such as a pair of nip conveyors carrying sets of folding belts for completing the fold and carrying the length of material away from the first conveyor. The pins are fired through the air table and conveyor belts by means of a torsion bar coupled by means of lever arms to a carriage carrying the pins. The torsion bar is mechanically loaded by a first air cylinder while the carriage is locked in a lowered position. When the carriage is released by a second air cylinder, the torsion bar first accelerates the carriage upward then decelerates the carriage during the upper half of the extension of the pins. The bar forces the pins to return to a retracted position within the air table.

Abstract: A method and a machine for folding bags comprising a first conveyor for positioning a flat bag over a first support surface. A pair of sealer bars holds the bag stationary over the first support surface in predetermined alignment with a first folding device. The first folding device effects a first fold to the flat bag and a second conveyor positions the folded bag on a second stationary support surface. A second folding device effects a second fold to the folded bag, and a third conveyor positions the twice folded bag onto a third stationary support surface. A third folding device is provided for imparting a third fold to the twice folded bag, and it includes an orientation support frame to position the bag for transferring same to a collector trough. A predetermined quantity of bags are collected in the collector trough, and identified for transfer into a container.

Abstract: A machine for parallel processing a group of clips of stacked interfolded paper sheets having a base, a reciprocating table carrying projectable pins for advancing the group of clips, a clip spreading station for increasing clip-to-clip spacing transverse to the direction of advance of the reciprocating table, a pre-compression station for compressing the clips to a uniform height, a rotation station for selectively rotating each clip 90.degree. length to width, and a folding station having selectively operable opposed blades parallel to the width for forming each clip into a generally U-shaped configuration to fit within a cube-like package.

Abstract: An improved knife folder includes a blade adapted to collapse a sheet a predetermined amount in order to allow nip rollers to buckle the sheet into a pair of folding cylinders. In this manner, potential for blade damage to the sheet and a critical set up are eliminated while at the same time insuring positive paper acquisition.

Abstract: A folder for sheets of pliable material, including bags, includes sets of conveying ropes and rollers to move the sheet from in-feed to discharge. One or more folding stations are provided, each of which includes a pneumatically-operated anvil with air holes which serves to create a fold in the material and change its direction of movement through the conveyor system. The final size of the product is determined by the number of folding steps employed. Control of the location of the fold, and hence the quality of the product is accomplished by control of the conveyor speed. An interrupt section is provided so that individual sheets of pliable material can be removed from perforated strips, e.g., in this production of garbage bags. Folded product is discharged into a pair of receiving trays, from which the product can be loaded into boxes or other packaging.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for forming one or more pleats in a continuously advancing sheet of indeterminate length are provided. The apparatus includes a first roll, over which the sheet passes while a streak of adhesive is laid upon a selected strip of the sheet, and a composite roll, to which the sheet passes as a reach under selectively varied tension. The composite roll includes a parallel roll and an inclined roll which is inclined at a pleat angle to the parallel roll and is driven by rolling contact with the parallel roll while passing through a pinch zone at the apex of the pleat angle which is 0.25.degree. to 5.degree., preferably about 1.5.degree.. The periphery of the inclined roll may vary from a right circular cylinder to a right circular cone with its peripheral surface at a bevel angle to the circular side thereof. The bevel angle is preferably one half of the pleat angle.

Abstract: A machine for continuously and automatically cutting, folding and packing sheet material into rolled up webs. The machine is provided with two variable speed drive devices which continuously pulls the sheet material into the machine where it can be cut and folded. The second variable speed drive device comprises a variable speed transmission that operates the folding devices which comprises pivotable plates, folding rollers and the cylinder. The pivotable plates directs the material between the roller and the cylinder by links and levers so that multiple folds may be made in the material. The links and levers are operationally connected to the variable transmission.

Abstract: A paper folder is disclosed, in which a drive motor and a crank mechanism supplied with power from the motor are not directly coupled together. Instead, they are secured to a common plate such that their respective shafts penetrate the common plate in a suitably spaced-apart relation to one another and coupled together by a belt. An adjusting screw mechanism is assembled in the crank mechanism to permit easy and accurate adjustment of the position of the paper folding knife. The device thus can be constructed as a belt drive unit type device, which produces less noise and is subject to less wear.

Abstract: This invention provides an apparatus for folding sheet products, such as newspapers or the like, which includes a pair of cooperating fold rolls, a sheet supporting surface located above the fold rolls, a rotatable cage assembly carrying a tucker blade that tucks a sheet product into the nip of the fold rolls during each revolution of the cage assembly, and means mounted on the rotating cage assembly to substantially fill the space between the cage assembly and the sheet supporting surface during the time when the trailing edges of the folded product approach each other as the product is drawn through the fold rolls.

Abstract: A sheet folding machine having a pair of sheet folding rollers and a widthwise displacing direction sheet stopper provided in a sheet conveying path. The pair of sheet folding rollers are rotatable perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction of the sheet conveying path and abut against each other with the sheet stopper disposed along the sheet conveying direction. An idle roller adapted to depress a sheet against one of said sheet folding rollers. A curving member bends the sheet towards the nipping region of the pair of sheet folding rollers. A control mechanism detects the delivery of the sheet to the pair of sheet folding rollers and operates the operating mechanism for a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: Folding device for web-fed rotary printing presses for forming a longitudinal fold in a direction wherein printed copies are conveyed, the longitudinal fold being producible, after a cylinder-crossfold, by a folding blade disposed parallel to the conveying direction, the folding blade being suspended from two drive cranks having the same speed of rotation and being reciprocatingly movable by the latter, the folding blade, in a bottom position thereof, thrusting the printed copies between two driven folding rollers, including an additional crank disposed between the respective drive crank from which the folding blade is suspended, the respective drive crank having a crank pin and the additional crank having a trunnion, the additional crank being coaxially supported by the trunnion thereof on the crank pin of the respective drive crank, and a gear train operatively connected with the additional crank for driving the additional crank at the same rotary speed as that of the respective drive crank and in opposite

Abstract: In a cross-folder for flexible pads such as diapers a wide first conveyor belt runs over a segment of the periphery of a rotationally driven drum. A narrow second conveyor belt runs in parallelism with the first belt for transporting unfolded pads toward the drum and a third conveyor belt runs in parallelism with the first belt for transporting folded pads away from the drum. The drum carries diametrically opposite pairs of slidable members that are reciprocated radially inwardly and outwardly as the drum rotates under the influence of cam rollers on the members which run in stationary cam grooves. Pivotable levers are carried on the slidable members, respectively. The levers have fingers for gripping the pads at their mid-line. The levers have cam follower rollers which are forced to follow cam grooves carried by the drum and, under the influence of the slidable members, the levers are actuated to grip and release the pads to effect folding.

Abstract: This invention provides an apparatus for quarter folding sheet products such as newspapers and the like, which includes a pair of cooperating fold rolls, a sheet supporting surface above the fold rolls, a rotatable cage assembly carrying a tucker blade that tucks a sheet into the nip of the fold rolls during each revolution of the fold rolls, a pressing device for exerting a force against one group of the ends of the product being folded and cam device operating the pressing device in timed relationship with the tucking of a sheet product into the fold rolls.

Abstract: A folding machine comprises at least one folding unit including a plurality of conveyor belts (12), a stop member (14) extending transversely of the conveyor belts, a plurality of folding rolls disposed below the conveyor belts and extending parallel thereto, a folding blade adapted to be moved within a gap defined by the folding rolls, and a detector device (light barrier 16). The folding machine is characterized by a length-of-path pulse generator (22) coupled to the conveyor belts (12), a presettable counter (24) coupled to the length-of-path pulse generator (22), the start input (26) of said counter being connected to the detector device (16) and the distance between the detector device (16) and the stop member (14) at least equalling the length of the longest sheet to be handled, and a logic circuit (30, 36, 38) adapted to start the folding blade driving means (21) only upon the counter (24) reaching a predetermined count and upon the terminal edge of a sheet having passed the light barrier.

Abstract: In a method of stacking sacks of thermoplastic film, the sacks are successively deposited on each other and formed with internested loops of progressively shallower depth.

Abstract: A signature transfer device in a folder for a rotary printing press includes a plurality of adjustable-pressure rollers for holding down upper tapes for transferring a signature with a strong force to prevent the upper tapes from slipping on the signature and hence, to prevent the latter from being inclined while the signature is being transferred toward a position in which the signature will be folded on itself by a chopper blade. The signature transfer device includes an adjustment mechanism for adjusting gaps between the upper tapes and the lower tapes to reduce the force with which the signature is sandwiched between the upper and lower tapes, so that the signature is prevented from being forcibly pressed against front lays in the folding position. With this arrangement, the signature is prevented from getting wrinkled upon abutment against the front lays, and from becoming inclined relative to the chopper blade when the signature approaches and arrives at the folding position.

Abstract: A drive arrangement for folding blades in sheet-processing machines with a pair of folding rollers to support the sheet material to be folded and a folding blade movable in the direction toward the sheet material includes a linear motor with a secondary part movable along the stationary part of the motor. A transmission device coupled with the secondary part of the motor and connected to the folding blade is provided to effect the reciprocating movement of the folding blade to and from the material to be folded.

Abstract: The invention is a drive system for folding blades for the folding of flat material, preferably paper, in folding devices working by the principle of blade folding, consisting of one or several universal joints interposed between the drive and output shafts of the folding-blade drive. Universal joints may be used so that the shafts are in different planes and the angle of intersection of the shafts is greater than zero. The irregularity of the angular velocity achieved will cause an extreme displacement of the point of return, so that the folding blade will contact the sheet with a small velocity and will then be considerably accelerated to reach the velocity of the folding rollers prevailing at the moment of transferring the sheet to be folded to the folding rollers. The drive and output shafts may also be telescopic shafts.

Abstract: An apparatus for making a gate fold in a prefolded sheet, including a folding table with a central opening, a pair of fold rolls located below the opening and forming a nip, and a vertically movable gate assembly with a blade located parallel to the fold rolls. A sheet in which the gate fold is to be made is conveyed across the table and stopped at a predetermined position over the opening and under the blade. The gate assembly is then lowered until the blade engages the sheet along the desired transverse crease zone and then further lowered to drive the sheet down between the nip formed by the fold rolls to make the gate fold. The gate assembly includes a tuck roll assembly with a pair of tuck rolls parallel to the blade located one on each side and adjacent the lower edge thereof. The tuck roll assembly is movable relative to the gate assembly in a vertical path between a downwardly extended normal position to which it is biased by resilient means, and a retracted position.

Abstract: Machines for stapling and folding a stack of paper sheets, having a reciprocable tray to receive and move a stack of paper sheets between a rest, stapling position and a sheet-folding position; solenoid-operated staplers to staple together said sheets in a stapling line, a blade on said machine reciprocally movable between a rest position and a sheetfolding, extended position wherein an edge of said blade presses against said stack of paper sheets at said stapling line, a power-driven pair of spaced, opposed rollers with the nip between rollers aligned with said blade to allow said blade in its extended position and the bent stack of paper sheets thereon to enter said nip, whereupon said power-driven rollers grip and fold said sheets along said stapling line, electrically powered drive means to move said blade to extended position when said tray is moved into said sheet-folding position, whereby said power-driven pair of rollers lift the stapled, folded sheets off of said blade and convey said stapled, folded

Abstract: A device for pivoting the knife in its longitudinal axis and for adjusting the knife depth on knife folding machines having a coupling and brake unit disposed between drive motor and knife drive, for the upwards and downwards movement of the knife bar guided in a housing pivotable in the direction of rotation of the drive, characterized in that in the course of the driving axis there is between drive motor and the coupling-brake unit mounted on the housing an elastically deformable rotary joint and in that a substantially vertically extending guide plate is arranged to be rigid with the machine frame and in that for pivoting the knife there is at the bottom end of the housing a stay bolt, the space-forming length of which is adjustable between housing and guide plate, whereby there is in the upper part of the housing on the guide plate side and parallel with the drive axis, a horizontal pivot arbor which serves as a pivoting axis and in that to adjust the knife depth a substantially vertically disposed setscr

Abstract: An improvement in a machine for folding bags wherein bags are rolled and removed from rolling cages through an opening between the rolling cages, the improvement constituting extending the moving surface within the rolling cages beyond the rolling cages and into the opening between the rolling cages.

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: Method for fixing a handle to a package. The closing flap of a package is provided with the ears is attached, which strip rises to form a handle when the foldable ears bearing the strip are folded towards the strip.

Abstract: To eliminate the need for braking sheets or webs being fed to a pleat-and-pinch folding apparatus, a pleating blade, suspended to fold sheets in the nip between folding rollers is arranged for reciprocating movement in the direction of feed of the sheets or web, conjointly with movement of the rollers so that the moving sheet is being creased and pushed into the nip between the rollers while it still has a longitudinal movement component, which is synchronized essentially with the axial movement of the rollers and the longitudinal movement of the pleating blade. The longitudinal movement of the sheet or web is stopped after the sheet has been gripped between the rollers and as it is being fed to a further transport arrangement, return movement of the rollers and the blade being effected between feeds of subsequent sheets. The axial movement of the roller and the longitudinal movement of the pleating blade can be controlled by cams, eccenters and the like.