Web folder protection apparatus and method

Claim 1

In a high speed web press folder including means for imparting a fold to a paper web, cut-off cylinders for cutting the folded paper web into sections, folder cylinders for imparting a second fold to the cut-off paper sections and thereby producing folded paper booklets, and a run-out conveyor including a moveable belt disposed below said folder cylinders for receiving from the folder cylinders successive folded paper booklets in partially overlying relation and carrying said booklets laterally away from the folder, an apparatus for detecting paper jam-ups anywhere in the folder and protecting the folder from damage comprising, in combination, fluidic sensing means immediately adjacent said run-out conveyor belt at the approximate location where said folded booklets are received by said conveyor for sensing the presence or absence of folded booklets on said belt at that location, said fluidic sensing means including an air emittor for directing a stream of air toward said conveyor belt at said booklet receiving location, a web severing device located upstream of the cut-off cylinders and adapted to be caused to sever the web, and means responsive to said fluidic sensing means for actuating said web severing device to cause it to sever the web in response to the absence of folded booklets on the conveyor belt at said receiving location.

Claim 8

A method of detecting paper jam-ups in a printing press web folder which folds and cuts paper signatures from a continuous web and discharges successive folded signatures onto a moveable belt of a run-out conveyor with said signatures being deposited onto said belt in partially overlying relation for lateral transfer away from said folder comprising the steps of sensing the presence or absence of folded signatures at the approximate point on said conveyor belt where said folded signatures are discharged onto said bolt, severing the web entering the folder in response to the sensed absence of folded signatures on said conveyor at said discharge point, sensing the presence or absence of folded signatures on said run-out conveyor belt at a point downstream from said discharge point if there is no absence of signatures at said discharge point, activating an alarm means in response to the sensed absence of folded signatures at said downstream sensing point, and stopping the operation of said folder after a predetermined relatively short interval following activation of said alarm means.

Claim 9

A method of detecting paper jam-ups in a printing press web folder which folds and cuts paper signatures from a continuous web and discharges successive folded signatures onto a moveable belt of a run-out conveyor with said signatures being deposited onto said belt in partially overlying relation for lateral transfer away from said folder comprising the steps of sensing the presence or absence of folded signatures at the approximate point on said conveyor belt where said folded signatures are discharged onto said bolt, severing the web entering the folder in response to the sensed absence of folded signatures on said conveyor at said discharge point, sensing the presence or absence of folded signatures on said run-out conveyor belt at a point downstream from said discharge point if there is no absence of signatures at said discharge point, activating an alarm means in response to the sensed absence of folded signatures at said downstream sensing point, and stopping the operation of said folder after a predetermined relatively short interval following activation of said alarm means.