Continuous form stationery folding and cutting machine

Claim 1

In combination with apparatus for producing continuous form stationery by folding a strip of paper along transverse lines of weakening formed therein, said paper strip including a first side, and a second side opposite and spaced apart from said first side, each of said transverse lines of weakening including a first end which is nearer to said first side than said second side of said paper strip, and, a second end which is nearer to said second side than said first side of said paper strip, said apparatus including a frame, oscillating guide means mounted on said frame for alternately distributing said successive lines of weakening in said paper strip in substantially opposite directions, means for feeding said paper strip into said guide means at a predetermined speed, folding means carried on said frame and operatively associated with said oscillating guide means for urging said paper strip distributed by said guide means into a folded condition, said folding means including a first spiral and a second spiral spaced apart from said first spiral, each of said spirals having helical flight means shaped and dimensioned and rotatably driven to receive said paper strip from said oscillating guide means to fold said paper strip along said transverse lines of weakening, said first spiral being positioned on said first side of said paper strip, said second spiral being positioned on said second side of said paper strip, said guide means, feeding means and folding means moving in sychronous relationship during the operation of said apparatus, the improvement comprising means for severing the folded paper along a selected cut line spaced away from a selected one of said folded transverse lines of weakening in a fold extending between said first side and said second side of said paper strip and extending between said first and said second spirals, said fold including an upper fold surface and a lower fold surface, said upper and lower fold surfaces extending from said selected one of said transverse lines of weakening, said severing means including (a) cutting means mounted for movement between at least two operative positions, (i) a first operative position spaced away from said upper fold surface such that said upper fold surface is intermediate said cutting means and said lower fold surface, (ii) a second operative position spaced away from said lower fold surface such that said lower fold surface is intermediate said cutting means and said upper fold surface; and, (b) means for moving said cutting means from said first operative position to said second operative position at a selected time to cut through said upper and lower fold surfaces along said selected cut line, said one of said folded transverse lines of weakening interconnecting paper having a portion extending from said one of said lines of weakening (i) through and contacting said helical flight means of at least one of said first and second spirals, and (ii) to a folded line of weakening selected from the group consisting of the folded line of weakening immediately preceding said one of said folded transverse lines of weakening, and, the folded line of weakening immediately succeeding said one of said folded transverse lines of weakening, said immediately preceding and immediately succeeding lines of weakening being folded by said folding means.