Device for slowing down printing specimen in the folding apparatus

Claim 1

Apparatus for slowing down fed printing specimens which are fed from a folding cylinder by means of a conveyor belt at a given speed before they are introduced into a paddle wheel of the folding apparatus in a rotary printing press, comprising: a frame; a pair of rollers supported on said frame and including a driven roller and a cooperating, freely pivotable roller forming a wedge portion therebetween interposed between said folding cylinder and said paddle wheel, the conveyor belt and the fed printing specimens passing through said wedge portion, said driven roller being fixed for rotation in said frame in synchronism with the fed printing specimens, said driven roller including on the outer periphery thereof at least two peripherally spaced rings forming therebetween a first aperture, said pivotable roller being movably coupled to said frame and adjustable for movement relative to said driven roller, said pivotable roller including on the outer periphery thereof a radially protruding bar running longitudinally therealong, said bar having at least one undercut portion forming a second aperture adapted to be aligned with said first aperture for providing a path through which said conveyor belt runs, said rollers being operable at a lower speed than that of said given speed of said conveyor belt, so as to reduce the impact speed of the specimens when they are introduced into said paddle wheel; and adjustable means to adjust the distance between said pair of rollers, coupled to said pivotable roller, so as to permit adjustment relative to the thickness of said fed printing specimen.