Apparatus for folding and cutting web stacks

Claim 1

An apparatus for folding material webs such as paper webs and for placing said webs in a stack of folded layers, with a folder and a stacking means, in which the stack is formed in a stack region and in a stacking direction, the apparatus comprising: separating means for separating contiguous folded layers in the stack, the separating means being arranged adjacent to the folder; a separating means drive, operative to insert the separating means into the stack in a direction transverse to the stacking direction and to withdraw the separating means from the stack, and during insertion of the separating means to effect separation along a folding edge between said two contiguous layers; a pre-cutting mechanism located upstream of the folder in a running direction of the material, the pre-cutting mechanism partly cutting through the contiguous layers at the folding edge to be subsequently completely separated by the separating means; and, the pre-cutting mechanism and the separating means being synchronized, such that said pre-cutting mechanism and said separating means respectively cut and separate the same folded edge, which folded edge is preceded and followed by a predetermined number of folded edges which are not cut.

Claim 2

An apparatus for folding material webs such as paper webs and for placing said webs in a stack of folded layers, with a folder and a stacking means, in which the stack is formed in a stack region and in a stacking direction, the apparatus comprising: separating means for separating contiguous folded layers in the stack, the separating means being arranged adjacent to the folder; a separating means drive, operative to insert the separating means into the stack in a direction transverse to the stacking direction and to withdraw the separating means from the stack, and during insertion of the separating means to effect separation along a folding edge between said two contiguous layers; a pre-cutting mechanism located upstream of the folder in a running direction of the material, the pre-cutting mechanism partly cutting through the contiguous layers at the folding edge to be subsequently completely separated by the separating means; and, the pre-cutting mechanism and the separating means being synchronized, such that said pre-cutting mechanism and said separating means respectively cut and separate the same folded edge, which folded edge is preceded and followed by a predetermined number of folded edges which are not cut.

Claim 6

An apparatus for folding material webs such as paper webs and for placing said webs in a stack of folded layers, with a folder and a stacking means, in which the stack is formed in a stack region and in a stacking direction, the apparatus comprising: separating means for separating contiguous folded layers in the stack, the separating means being arranged adjacent to the folder; a separating means drive, operative to insert the separating means into the stack in a direction transverse to the stacking direction and to withdraw the separating means from the stack, and during insertion of the separating means to effect separation along a folding edge between said two contiguous layers; straightening means operative for aligning a surface of the layers of the stack in the stack region, the straightening means acting on already-formed layers in the stack, the straightening means including arching means movably operative to raise an area of said layers of the already-formed stack between folding edges thereof, said arching means comprising a belt conveyor means periodically operable for discharging the stack, the belt conveyor means having belts guided on guide rollers, and means for lifting certain of the guide rollers for bending the belts into an arcuate path.

Claim 7

An apparatus for folding material webs such as paper webs and for placing said webs in a stack of folded layers, with a folder and a stacking means, in which the stack is formed in a stack region and in a stacking direction, the apparatus comprising: separating means for separating contiguous folded layers in the stack, the separating means being arranged adjacent to the folder; a separating means drive, operative to insert the separating means into the stack in a direction transverse to the stacking direction and to withdraw the separating means from the stack, and during insertion of the separating means to effect separation along a folding edge between said two contiguous layers; straightening means operative for aligning a surface of the layers of the stack in the stack region, the straightening means acting on already-formed layers in the stack, the straightening means including arching means movably operative to raise an area of said layers of the already-formed stack between folding edges thereof, said arching means comprising a belt conveyor means periodically operable for discharging the stack, the belt conveyor means having belts guided on guide rollers, and means for lifting certain of the guide rollers for bending the belts into an arcuate path.

Claim 8

An apparatus for folding material webs such as paper webs and for placing said paper webs in a stack of folded layers, with a folder and a stacking means, in which the stack is formed in a stack region in a stacking direction, the apparatus comprising: separating means for separating contiguous folded layers in the stack, the separating means being arranged adjacent to the folder; a separating means drive, operative to insert the separating means into the stack in a direction transverse to the stacking direction, and to withdraw the separating means from the stack, and during insertion of the separating means to effect separation along a folding edge between the contiguous layers; straightening means operative for aligning a surface of the layers of the stack in the stack region, the straightening means acting on already-formed layers of the stack, the straightening means having a straightening member located on an edge of the stack containing the folding edge to be separated, said straightening member periodically compressing the stack at said stack edge, and means for operating the straightening member after a predetermined number of folding edges are folded and at predetermined intervals during subsequent operations of the separating means.

Claim 9

An apparatus for folding material webs such as paper webs and for placing said paper webs in a stack of folded layers, with a folder and a stacking means, in which the stack is formed in a stack region in a stacking direction, the apparatus comprising: separating means for separating contiguous folded layers in the stack, the separating means being arranged adjacent to the folder; a separating means drive, operative to insert the separating means into the stack in a direction transverse to the stacking direction, and to withdraw the separating means from the stack, and during insertion of the separating means to effect separation along a folding edge between the contiguous layers; straightening means operative for aligning a surface of the layers of the stack in the stack region, the straightening means acting on already-formed layers of the stack, the straightening means having a straightening member located on an edge of the stack containing the folding edge to be separated, said straightening member periodically compressing the stack at said stack edge, and means for operating the straightening member after a predetermined number of folding edges are folded and at predetermined intervals during subsequent operations of the separating means.

Claim 11

An apparatus for folding material webs such as paper webs and for placing said webs in a stack of folded layers, with a folder and a stacking means, in which the stack is formed in a stack region in a stacking direction, the apparatus comprising: separating means for separating contiguous folded layers in the stack, the separating means being arranged adjacent to the folder and having a plurality of rake-like juxtaposed separating bars with front separating edges; a separating means drive, operable to insert the separating means into the stack in a direction transverse to the stacking direction and to withdraw the separating means therefrom, and during insertion of the separating means in the stack to effect separation along a folding edge between two layers in the stack; and, a rotary drive operable to rotate the separating bars about respective longitudinal axes of the separating bars, backwards and forwards in the oscillating manner.

Claim 12

An apparatus for folding material webs such as paper webs and for placing said webs in a stack of folded layers, with a folder and a stacking means, in which the stack is formed in a stack region in a stacking direction, the apparatus comprising: separating means for separating contiguous folded layers in the stack, the separating means being arranged adjacent to the folder and having a plurality of rake-like juxtaposed separating bars with front separating edges; a separating means drive, operable to insert the separating means into the stack in a direction transverse to the stacking direction and to withdraw the separating means therefrom, and during insertion of the separating means in the stack to effect separation along a folding edge between two layers in the stack; and, a rotary drive operable to rotate the separating bars about respective longitudinal axes of the separating bars, backwards and forwards in the oscillating manner.

Claim 17

An apparatus for folding material webs such as paper webs and for placing said webs in a stack of folded layers, with a folder and a stacking means, in which the stack is formed in a stack region in a stacking direction, the apparatus comprising: separating means for separating contiguous folded layers in the stack, the separating means being arranged adjacent to the folder and having separating edges; a separating means drive, operable to insert the separating means into the stack in a direction transverse to the stacking direction and to withdraw the separating means therefrom, and during insertion of the separating means in a stack to effect separation along a folding edge between two layers in the stack, and blast air outlets being provided on the separating means.

Claim 18

An apparatus for folding material webs such as paper webs and for placing said webs in a stack of folded layers, with a folder and a stacking means, in which the stack is formed in a stack region in a stacking direction, the apparatus comprising: separating means for separating contiguous folded layers in the stack, the separating means being arranged adjacent to the folder and having separating edges; a separating means drive, operable to insert the separating means into the stack in a direction transverse to the stacking direction and to withdraw the separating means therefrom, and during insertion of the separating means in a stack to effect separation along a folding edge between two layers in the stack, and blast air outlets being provided on the separating means.