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An improved folder apparatus includes a first folder assembly which forms a first fold in sheet material along the path of movement of the sheet material. A second folder assembly forms a second fold in the sheet material in a direction extending transversely to the path of movement of the sheet mat

An improved folder apparatus includes a first folder assembly which forms a first fold in sheet material along the path of movement of the sheet material. A second folder assembly forms a second fold in the sheet material in a direction extending transversely to the path of movement of the sheet material. A third folder assembly forms a third fold in the sheet material with the first and third folds extending along the path of movement of the sheet material through the third folder assembly and the second fold at a leading edge portion of the sheet material. During the forming of the three folds, the sheet material is continuously moved through the folder assemblies without stopping. The third folder assembly includes an array of upper and lower tapes. The array of tapes tapers from a wide inlet portion of the third folder assembly toward a discharge portion of a third folder assembly. The array of upper and lower tapes maintains areas on opposite sides of the third fold flat in a horizontal plane while the sheet material is gripped by the tapes. A stacker assembly stacks the folded signatures received from the third folder assembly in a stack with major side surface areas in an upright orientation and with the third fold downward against a supporting surface.

대표청구항 ▼

A folder apparatus for continuously moving sheet material while first folding the sheet material along the path of movement of the sheet material, folding the sheet material in a direction transverse to the path of movement of the sheet material and then folding the sheet material in a direction alo

A folder apparatus for continuously moving sheet material while first folding the sheet material along the path of movement of the sheet material, folding the sheet material in a direction transverse to the path of movement of the sheet material and then folding the sheet material in a direction along the path of movement of the sheet material, said apparatus comprising first folder means for forming a first fold in the sheet material along the path of movement of the sheet material through said first folder means, second folder means for forming a second fold in the sheet material extending transversely to the path of movement of the sheet material through said second folder means and with the first fold extending along the path of movement of the sheet material through said second folder means, and third folder means for forming a third fold in the sheet material with the first and third folds extending along the path of movement of the sheet material through said third folder means and with the second fold at a leading edge portion of the sheet material, said first, second and third folder means including drive means for continuously moving the sheet material through said first, second and third folder means without stopping during the formation of said first, second and third folds, said third folder means includes upper and lower formers which cooperate to at least partially define a path along which the sheet material moves between said upper and lower formers from an entrance portion to an exit portion of said third folder means, said third folder means including a base means which cooperates with said upper and lower formers to define a portion of the path having a width which is at least as great as the length of the second fold at the entrance portion of said third folder means, said base means tapering in width from the entrance portion of said third folder means to the exit portion of said third folder means, said upper former having a pair of side sections which are connected with opposite longitudinally extending edge portions of said base means and which converge from the entrance portion of said third folder means toward exit portion of said third folder means, each of said side sections of said upper former having a width at the exit portion of said third folder which is at least as great as one half of the length of the second fold, said lower former having a pair of side sections which are connected with opposite longitudinally extending edge portions of said base means and which converge from the entrance portion of said third folder means toward the exit portion of said third folder means, each of said side sections of said lower former having a width at the exit portion of said third folder means which is at least as great as one half of the length of said second fold, each of said side sections of said lower former being disposed in a side-by-side relationship with a side section of said upper former.