Folding apparatus

Claim 2

Folding apparatus in which a sheet travels through plural folding sections to produce a signature without substantial change in a generally horizontal path of the travelling sheet, said apparatus comprising a first folder through which said sheet travels in a first direction and is folded along a fold line transverse to said first direction, a second folder receiving said sheet from said first folder, said sheet travelling through said second folder wholly in said first direction, said second folder including holder means under which one side portion of said sheet travels and having a straight edge surface extending longitudinally in said first direction toward which the other side portion of said sheet may be folded, and a fixed crossover guide extending diagonally in the direction of travel and in a 180* arc relative to said holder means from a point below and to one side thereof corresponding to said other side of said sheet up and diagonally in the direction of travel across the holder means and down generally to the level of the holder means on the opposite side of the holder means to lift said other side portion of said sheet and fold the same sideways and down against said straight edge surface along a longitudinal fold line which contacts said straight edge surface, and a third folder through which said sheet travels in said first direction and is folded again along a fold line transverse to said first direction, thereby producing a signature, said first and second and third folders lying generally in the same horizontal plane.

Claim 3

The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including sheet distorting means ahead of said guide to weaken said sheet along said longitudinal fold line.

Claim 4

The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said guide comprises a twisted band.

Claim 5

The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including means for directing air on the lifted portion of the sheet to assist in producing the fold.

Claim 6

The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which said guide is hollow and has at least one opening through which air may be directed on said sheet.

Claim 7

The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which said air directing means is separate from said guide.

Claim 8

The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said guide comprises a rod.

Claim 9

Folding apparatus in which a sheet travels through plural folding sections to produce a signature without substantial change in a generally horizontal path of the travelling sheet, said apparatus comprising a first buckle folder through which said sheet travels in a first direction and is folded along a fold line transverse to said first direction, a second folder receiving said sheet from said first folder, said sheet travelling through said second folder wholly in said first direction, said second folder including holder means under which one side portion of said sheet travels, said holder means having a straight edge surface extending longitudinally in said first direction toward which the other side portion of said sheet may be folded, a perforating disk retained in longitudinal alignment with said straight edge surface ahead of said surface to perforate said sheet along said longitudinal fold line, and a fixed crossover guide band extending diagonally in the direction of travel in a 180* arc relative to said holder means from a point below and to one side thereof corresponding to said other side of said sheet up and diagonally across said holder means and down generally to the level of said holder means on the opposite side of said holder means to lift said other side portion of said sheet and fold the same sideways and down against said straight edge surface along a longitudinal fold line which contacts said straight edge surface, said crossover guide band twisting through part of a revolution in traversing said holder means, and a third buckle folder through which said sheet travels in said first direction and is folded again along a fold line transverse to said first direction, thereby producing a signature, said first and second and third folders lying generally in the same plane.

Claim 10

Folding apparatus in which a sheet travels through plural folding sections to produce a signature without substantial change in a generally horizontal path of the travelling sheet, said apparatus comprising a first buckle folder through which said sheet travels in a first direction and is folded along a fold line transverse to said first direction, a second folder receiving said sheet from said first folder, said sheet travelling through said second folder wholly in said first direction, said second folder including holder means under which one side portion of said sheet travels, said holder means having a straight edge surface extending longitudinally in said first direction toward which the other side portion of said sheet may be folded, a perforating disk retained in longitudinal alignment with said straight edge surface ahead of said surface to perforate said sheet along said longitudinal fold line, and a fixed crossover guide band extending diagonally in the direction of travel in a 180* arc relative to said holder means from a point below and to one side thereof corresponding to said other side of said sheet up and diagonally across said holder means and down generally to the level of said holder means on the opposite side of said holder means to lift said other side portion of said sheet and fold the same sideways and down against said straight edge surface along a longitudinal fold line which contacts said straight edge surface, said crossover guide band twisting through part of a revolution in traversing said holder means, and a third buckle folder through which said sheet travels in said first direction and is folded again along a fold line transverse to said first direction, thereby producing a signature, said first and second and third folders lying generally in the same plane.

Claim 11

Folding apparatus in which a sheet travels through plural folding sections without substantial change in a generally horizontal path of the travelling sheet, said apparatus comprising a first folder through which said sheet travels in a first direction and is folded along a fold line transverse to said first direction, a second folder receiving said sheet from said first folder, said sheet travelling through said second folder wholly in said first direction, said second folder including holder means under which one side portion of said sheet travels and having a straight edge surface extending longitudinally in said first direction toward which the other side portion of said sheet may be folded, and a hollow crossover guide rod extending diagonally in the direction of travel relative to said holder means from a point below and to one side thereof up and diagonally across the holder means and down generally to the level of said holder means on the other side of said holder means to lift said other side portion of said sheet and fold the same sideways against said straight edge surface along a longitudinal fold line, said hollow guide rod having at least one opening therein through which air may be directed on said lifted portion of said sheet to assist the folding thereof, and a third folder through which said sheet travels in said first direction and is folded again along a fold line transverse to said first direction, thereby producing a signature.

Claim 12

Folding apparatus in which a sheet travels through plural folding sections without substantial change in a generally horizontal path of the travelling sheet, said apparatus comprising a first folder through which said sheet travels in a first direction and is folded along a fold line transverse to said first direction, a second folder receiving said sheet from said first folder, said sheet travelling through said second folder wholly in said first direction, said second folder including holder means under which one side portion of said sheet travels and having a straight edge surface extending longitudinally in said first direction toward which the other side portion of said sheet may be folded, and a hollow crossover guide rod extending diagonally in the direction of travel relative to said holder means from a point below and to one side thereof up and diagonally across the holder means and down generally to the level of said holder means on the other side of said holder means to lift said other side portion of said sheet and fold the same sideways against said straight edge surface along a longitudinal fold line, said hollow guide rod having at least one opening therein through which air may be directed on said lifted portion of said sheet to assist the folding thereof, and a third folder through which said sheet travels in said first direction and is folded again along a fold line transverse to said first direction, thereby producing a signature.

Claim 13

The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 in which said hollow guide rod has a plurality of said openings arranged in a spiral pattern.