GB2282133A

GB2282133A - Sheet folding apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2282133A
Application number: GB9419212A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ulf Kunze
Original assignee: Zirkon Druckmaschinen GmbH
Current assignee: Zirkon Druckmaschinen GmbH
Priority date: 1993-09-27
Filing date: 1994-09-23
Publication date: 1995-03-29
Anticipated expiration: 2014-09-23
Also published as: DE4332792A1; FR2710581B1; FR2710581A1; DE4332792C2; GB9419212D0; GB2282133B

Description

2282133 SHEET FOLDING APPARATUS The present invention relates to sheet

folding apparatus, especially such apparatus in a rotary roller printing machine.

Modular folding apparatus are known from, for example, DE-PS 36 26 287. In that case the apparatus can be assembled from different modules and enlarged according to need, starting out from a simple basic structure. However, a disadvantage of this modular construction is-that the system components have individual connection arrangements which restrict positional change of individual components within the system.

Although enlargement of the production range is possible through insertion or addition of further components, this requires modification or replacement of already present system components.

There is thus a need for folding apparatus which, with a minimum of system components, permits building up of arrangements allowing production of a variety of folded products.

According to the present invention there is provided folding apparatus, for example of a rotary roller printing machine, comprising a first longitudinal folding device, a trans verse-cutt i ng and transversefolding device with cutting cylinders, folding blade and puncture cylinder and a folding blade cylinder, at least one second longitudinal folding device passed through by a respective belt guide, a corresponding paying-out device and a transport device for transferring and delaying of transversely folded printed products to the or each second longitudinal folding device, wherein the apparatus has a modular construction in that the first longitudinal folding device and the trans verse-cutti ng and transverse-f ol ding device are received by a base frame, the paying-out equipment (second fold/second transverse fold) is received in a first supplementary frame and the second longitudinal folding devices each with a respective transport device are received in second supplementary frames, that a lower and an upper horizontally oriented product discharge device are provided at a first folding blade cylinder of the transversefolding device, that the base frame in the region of the lower product discharge has connection points for the connecting of the first frame or alternatively one of the second frames, that the base frame in the region of the upper product discharge has connection Doints for the connecting of one of the second frames, that the first frame and the second frames have connection points in the region of their inlet gaDs on their sides near the base frame, that the second frames on their sides remote from the base frame and in the region of the belt guides passing through the second longitudinal folding devices have connection points for the connecting of the first frame and alternatively a belt feeder, and that the lower discharge device comprises a first belt guide disposed in operative connection therewith, a deflecting roller, a second belt guide disposed in oDerative connection with the deflecting roller and pivotable away from the deflecting roller in its front Dart, deflector blades that are pivotable away and stationary deflector blades, wherein the travel distance for folded products between the first belt guide and the second belt guide is smaller than the folded product length and wherein a second folding blade cylinder for the formation of a second transverse fold is usable in place of the deflecting roller, but can alternatively fulfil the function of a deflecting roller.

Preferably, the upper product discharge COMDrises an arrangement of diverter tongues, which are movable away and pivotable periodically, and a belt guide disposed in oDerative connection therewith.

For preference, in a first apparatus format the first frame is so folding blade cylinder in the region of the lower connected at the first 3 discharge device that the inlet gap of the paying-out device faces an outlet gap of the lower discharge device.

In the case where a second folding blade cylinder for the formation of a second transverse fold is present in place of the deflecting roller, the pivotable part of the second belt guide together with the pivotable deflector blades can be pivoted away from the second folding flap cylinder, the folding blades at the first folding blade cylinder then being engaged. If the second folding blade cylinder is present in place of the deflecting roller but fulfilling the function of the latter, the pivotable part of the second belt guide and the pivotable deflector blades need not be pivoted away and the folding blades at the first folding blade cylinder are disengaged.

Preferably, in a second apparatus format the second frame is so connected at the first folding blade cylinder in the region of the lower discharge device while being horizontally oriented at the base frame that an inlet gap of the transport device faces an outlet gap of the lower discharge device.

Expediently, each transport device comprises driven circulating belts each guided over a respective first roller pair and a respective second roller pair, wherein the first roller pairs, which are disposed opposite each other, respectively bound a product transport Path, the rollers forming the path inlet and the rollers forming the path outlet are each mounted at two sides on threaded nuts of a screw drive with a threaded spindle and are symmetrically displaceable inwardly and outwardly with respect to the middle of the path, equalising rollers are provided for equalisation of the travel length of the belts, a respective roller of each of the second roller pairs is drivable at a peripheral speed which is reduced relative to the intake speed of products, and - 4 guide rods, which pass through the transport device, are oriented in conveying direction and aranged below the product stream between the belts.

For preference the first frame is so connected at the second frame that an inlet gap of the paying-out device faces an outlet gap of the belt guide passing through the second longitudinal folding device.

Preferably, in a third apparatus format the two second frames are oriented one vertically above the other and horizontally at the base frame and so connected at the first folding blade cylinder in the region of the lower discharge device and the upper discharge device that inlet gaps of the transport devices face outlet gaps of the discharge device, the first frame is so connected at the lower second frame that an inlet gap of the paying-out device faces an outlet gap of the belt guide passing through the lower second longitudinal folding device, and the feeder connects the belt guide which passes through the upper second longitudinal folding device with the Paying-out device.

For preference, the lower discharge device is so arranged at the first folding blade cylinder in respect of its angular position at the first folding blade cylinder that the lengths of the product paths going out from the two product discharge points of the first folding blade cylinder to the overlapping flow discharge of second longitudinal fold are integral multiples of the length of the transversely folded products.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

z Fig. 1 is a schematic side elevation of folding apparatus embodying the invention in a third format; Fig. 2 Fig. 3a Fig. 3b Fig. 4 Fig. Sa Fig. 5b is a schematic side elevation of the folding apparatus in a second format; is a schematic side elevation of a lower discharge device of the apparatus, equipped with a second folding blade cylinder; is an elevation similar to Fig. 3a, but showing the device equipped with a deflecting roller; is a schematic side elevation of the folding apparatus in a first format; is a schematic side elevation of a transport device in the apparatus, in a setting for minimum product length; and is an elevation similar to Fig. 5a, but showing the transport device in a setting for maximum product length.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. 1 folding apparatus in which an incoming printed material web (not shown) receives a first longitudinal fold by way of a fold-forming device 1 in cooDeration with traction rollers 2. A transverse-cutting device and a transverse-folding device, comprising cutting cylinders 3, folding blade and puncture cylinder 4.1 and a first folding blade cylinder 4.2, are arranged behind the device 1. The cylinder 4.1 effects seizing and retention of a web portion, in co-operation with the cutting cylinder 3 severing of a web portion and in co-operation with the folding blade cylinder 4.2 transverse folding and the seizing of the web portion. The web portion is guided around by the cylinder 4.1 and folded by the cylinder 4.2 in about the middle of the portion.

During "collecting production", the folding blades of the cylinders 4.1 and 4.2 are activated only when two web portions, lying one above the other on the cylinder 4.1, are fed to the cylinder 4.2.

Disposed in the cylinder 4.2, apart from the folding blades, are engageable folding blades which can be brought into action and which in co-operation with the folding blades of another cylinder are needed for production of second transverse folds.

In addition, a lower and an upper horizontally oriented product discharge device 5 and 6 are arranged at the cylinder 4.2.

The lower discharge device 5 consists, as shown in Fig. 3b, of a first belt guide 5.1 standing in operative connection with the cylinder 4.2, a deflecting roller 5.2, a second belt guide 5.3 with a front part which is pivotable against and away from the roller and stands in operative connection therewith, deflector blades 5.4 pivotable on and off together with the front part of the belt guide 5.3, and stationary deflector blades 5.5. The travel path for folded products between the belt guides 5.1 and 5.3 is smaller than the folded product length.

is The upper discharge device 6 consists of an arrangement of disengageable and periodically pivotable diverter tongues 6.1 and a belt guide 6.2 standing in operative connection therewith.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3a, a second folding blade cylinder 7 for the formation of a second transverse fold is readily insertable in the place of the deflecting roller 5.2. However, the function of the deflecting roller 5.2 is alternatively fulfillable by the cylinder 7.

Fig. 3a shows the deployment of the cylinder 7 in place of the roller 5.2 for both the function "folding blade cylinder" and the function Meflecting roller". In the former function, the front part of the belt guide 5.3 together with the deflector blades 5.4 is pivoted away from the cylinder 7 as shown by dashed lines. In the latter function, this part and the deflector blades are pivoted against the cylinder 7.

Fig. 3b shows the lower discharge device 5 with the front part of C.

- 7 the second belt guide 5.3 together with the deflector blades 5.4 Divoted against the roller 5.2.

It is to be noted that when the discharge device 5 contains the deflecting roller 5.2 or the second folding blade cylinder 7 fulfilling the function of a deflecting roller, the folding blades are to be disengaged at the folding blade cylinder 4.2.

It is also evident from Figs. 3a and 3b that the deflector blades 5.4, which are pivotable together with the front pivotable part of the belt guide 5.3, in the pivoted-on state stand in operative connection with the cylinder 4.2 (deflection of the products therefrom) and also in operative connection with the cylinder 7 (guidance of the products during deflection). In accordance with their double function, the blades 5.4 are convexly shaped on the side facing the cylinder 4.2 and concavely shaped on the side facing the cylinder 7. The side facing the cylinder 7 forms a part of a circularly cylindrical surface, the radius of curvature of which is in amount about equal to the radius of the cylinder 7 increased by the maximum thickness of the product stream.

The first longitudinal folding device, the transverse-cutting and transverse-folding devices 3, 4.1 and 4.2 and the uooer and lower discharge devices 5 and 6 are received by a base frame S. In the regions of the discharge devices 5 and 6 the frame 8 has connection points for the alternative connection of supplementary frames.

One such frame is represented by a first supplementary frame 10, which receives a paying-out device 9 (second fold/second transverse fold). This frame 10 is provided on its side closest to the base frame 8 with connection points in the region of the inlet gap of a belt feed of the device 9.

The base frame 8 and a first frame 10 connected in the region of the lower discharge device 5 - the inlet gap of the paying-out device 9 faces the outlet gap of the discharge device 5 - together with the deflecting roller 5.2 in the discharge device 5 form a basic format, which is illustrated in Fig. 4, of the folding apparatus. In this format the apparatus can produce folded products with a longitudinal fold and a transverse fold in the production modes "not collecting" and "collecting".

A variant of this basic format arises through substitution of the second folding blade cylinder 7 for the deflecting roller 5.2 in the discharge device 5, as described above and illustrated in Fig. 3a. This now enables the production of folded products with a longitudinal fold and two transverse folds in the production modes "not collecting" and "collecting".

The interconnection of the two frames 8 and 10 is effected by releasable screws.

Further supplementary frames are -represented by two second frames 14. Each second frame 14 receives a second longitudinal folding device 11 together with a respective transport device 12 for the transferring and delaying of the transversely folded products. As shown in Fig. 5, each transport device 12 comprises a belt system having driven circulating belts 12.1 and 12.2. The belts 12.1 and 12.2 are each guided by way of a respective first pair of rollers 12.3 and 12.4 and a respective second pair of rollers 12.5 and 12.6. The four rollers 12.3 and 12.4 bound a product path. The rollers 12.3 form an inlet gap and are each mounted borne at their ends on threaded nuts 12.7, while the rollers 12.4 form an outlet gap and are each mounted at the ends on threaded nuts 12.8. The nuts are part of screw drives disposed at both frame sides. Each screw drive includes a threaded spindle 12.9 with a- righthand trapezium-section thread on one half and a lefthand trapeziumsection thread on the other half, the threads respectively carrying the threaded nuts 12.7 and 12.8 with appropriate screw direction.

The rollers 12.3 and 12.4 bounding the product path upwardly are mounted to be upwardly yielding in fork-shaped holders 12.10 and 12.11, which are firmly connected with the nuts 12.7 and 12.8 and loaded by compression springs. The rollers 12.6 are each mounted at the ends in rockers 12.12, which are loaded by compression springs, so as to be yielding in the direction of the resultant tension force. The rollers 12.5 are mounted at their ends in the frame of the transport device 12 and drivable from outside by way of a gear train. The belt system is drivable by a speedchange gear at the same peripheral speed, or at a peripheral speed reduced by half, with respect to the intake speed of the products.

Moreover, equalising rollers 12.13 for equalisation of the travel length of the belts 12.1 and 12.2 are provided. Each roller 12.3 and 12.4 is associated with a respective equalising roller 12.13, which is mounted in a strap 12.14 firmly connected therewith.

Guide rods 12.15, which are oriented in conveying direction, pass through the transport device 12 over its entire le,ngth and are arranged underneath the product stream between the belts 12.1.

The screw drives enable the rollers 12.3 forming the inlet gap and the rollers 12.4 forming the outlet gap to be symmetrically displaced inwardly or outwardly with respect to the centre of the product path and at the same time by a single setting action in dependence on the product length, so that the length of the conveying portion of the belts 12.1 and 12.2 is continuously adjustable by the inwardly or outwardly displaced path inlet and outlet. Two different path lengths are shown in Figs. 5a and 5b. The spring-loaded roller pair 12.3 and 12.4 bounding the product path upwardly displaces resiliently in accordance with the thickness of the product stream. 5 Each second frame 14 is provided with connection points in the region of its inlet gap at its side adjacent the base frame 8 and in the region of the belt guide 13 passing through the second longitudinal folding device 11 at its side remote from the base frame for the connection of the first frame 10 or of belt guides 15 (Fig. 1). 10 The base frame 8 and a second frame 14 connected in the region of the lower discharge device 5 - the inlet gap of the transport device 12 faces the outlet gap of the discharge device 5 - and the first frame 10 connected to the second frame 14 at its side remote from the frame - the inlet gap of the paying-out device 9 (second fold/second transverse fold) faces the outlet gap of the belt guide 13 - form a second stage of enlargement or second format, as illustrated in Fig. 2, of the folding apparatus. This format enables the production of folded products with two longitudinal folds and two transverse folds in the production modes "not collecting" and "collecting", wherein production in the mode "not collecting" is carried out at a folding speed which is limited by the maximum folding speed of the second longitudinal folding device 11.

The connection of the frames 8, 10 and 14 is effected by releasable screws.

The base frame 8, two second frames 14, which are disposed vertically one above the other and horizontally oriented and which are connected at the base frame 8 in the region of the lower and the upper discharge devices 5 and 6, the frame 10, which is connected to the lower one of the frames 14 at its side remote from the base frame, and the belt - 11 guides 15, which are connected to the upper one of the frames 14 at its side remote from the frame 8 and close the product path to the frame 10, form a third enlargement stage or third format, illustrated in Fig. 1, of the folding apparatus. This format enables the production of folded products with two longitudinal folds and a transverse fold in the production modes "not collecting" and "collecting", wherein production ir)the mode "not collecting" can be carried out at a substantially higher folding speed, possibly twice as great, by comparison with the second format.

It is to be noted that the lower discharge device 5 is so arranged in respect of its angular position at the first folding blade cylinder blade 4.2 that the lengths of the product paths going out from the two product discharge points of the cylinder 4.2 to the overlapping flow discharge of second fold/second transverse fold/second longitudinal fold are, in terms of amount. integral multiples of the length of the transversely folded products.

A particular advantagge of the apparatus embodying the invention is that the second folding blade cylinder 7, which is usable alternatively for folding as well as also for transferring of the folded products, and the transport devices 12, which are settable for different folded products and usable alternatively for undelayed and delayed transferring of products, in conjunction with the modular construction of the apparatus and with exploitation of the available running speed of an associated printing machine, enable an optimum range of folded product variants to be produced very economically.

The possible folded product variants, which are mentioned in the description of the stage-by-stage build-up of the apparatus, have not been listed exhaustively. For example, the second format also permits - 12 production of folded products with one longitudinal fold and two transverse folds in the production mode "collecting" with a substantially higher folding speed, possibly twice as great, by comparison with the first format.

It is also particularly advantageous that the stage-by-stage enlargement of the apparatus takes place through the multiple use of corresponding components - supplementary frames - and this has the effect of lowering production costs and capital outlay of the user. Enlargements of the apparatus are also possible at a later time and include the existing equipment completely and without changes, i.e. further investment is for the benefit of extension of the folded product range.

Claims

- 13 CLAIMS 1 Sheet folding apparatus of variable modular construction,

comprising a base frame supporting a first longitudinal folding device for longitudinally folding a strip, a transverse cutting device for cutting sheets from the folded strip, a transverse folding device for transversely folding the sheets, and an upper and a lower discharg-e device for discharging sheets from the transverse folding device, a first supplementary frame supporting a sheet paying-out device, a feeder for feeding sheets to the paying-out device, and two second supplementary frames each supporting a respective sheet transport device and a respective second longitudinal folding device for longitudinally folding sheets from the associated transport device, the frames and feeder being provided with connecting means permitting a first apparatus format in which the first frame is connected to the base frame at the lower discharge device, a second apparatus format in which one of the second frames is connected to the base frame at the lower discharge device and the first frame is connected to that second frame at a side thereof remote from the base frame, and a third apparatus format which is based on the second format but in which the other second frame is connected to the base frame at the upper discharge device and the feeder is connected to that other second frame at a side thereof remote from the base frame, and the lower discharge device comprising a first belt guide co-operable with a folding blade cylinder of the transverse folding device, a sheet handling element downstream of the first belt guide, a second belt guide arranged downstream of the handling element and having a portion pivotable into and out of operative association therewith, and stationary and movable deflector members for deflecting sheets during passage through the lower discharge device, the belt guides and handling element - 14 being so arranged that the travel distance for folded sheets between the belt guides is less than a given folded sheet length and the handling element being selectably a deflecting roller to deflect sheets to the second belt guide and a folding blade cylinder operable alternatively to deflect sheets in the manner of said deflecting roller or to provide further transverse folds in the sheets.
2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper discharge device comprises a plurality of movable sheet diverter tongues co-operable with the folding blade cylinder of the transverse folding device to periodically divert sheets therefrom and a belt guide to convey sheets diverted by the tongues.
3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein in the first apparatus format the first frame is so connected to the base frame that an inlet of the paying-out device faces an outlet of the lower discharge device.
4. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the folding blade cylinder of the transverse folding device has activatable folding blades and the handling element is a folding blade cylinder operable to provide said further transverse folds.said portion of said second belt guide being disposed out of operative assocation with, and the movable deflector members moved away from, that cylinder and the blades of the cylinder of the transverse folding device being active.
5. Apparatus as claimed in claims 1 to 3, wherein the folding blade cylinder of the transverse folding device has activatable folding blades A -15 and the handling element is a folding blade cylinder operable to deflect sheets in the manner of said deflecting roller, said portion of said second belt guide being disposed in operative association with, and the movable deflector members moved up to, that cylinder and the blades of the cylinder of the transverse folding device being inactive.
6. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein in the second apparatus format said one of the second frames is so connected to the base frame thatan inlet of the respective transport device faces an outlet of the lower discharge device.
7. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each transport device comprises two endless belts defining a sheet conveying path therebetween and each guided around a respective first pair of spaced-nart rollers respectively disposed at an inlet and an outlet of the path and a respective second pair of spaced-apart rollers, the rollers of each first pair being movable to vary the spacing therebetween thereby to vary the length of the conveying path.
8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the spacings of the rollers of the first pairs are variable by means of a spindle drive so drivingly coupled to the rollers that the rollers of each first pair are displaceable symmetrically with respect to the middle of the conveying path.
9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8, wherein each transport device further comprises a resoective pair of tensioning rollers so guiding each belt as to maintain belt tension on change in the length of the conveying path.
10. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein each transport device further comprises drive means arranged to drive one of the rollers of each second pair at a peripheral speed which is reduced relative to a predetermined speed of feed of sheets to that transport device.
11. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein each transport device further comprises guide elements extending through the device and arranged below the conveying path.
12. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein in the second and third apparatus formats the first frame is so connected to said one of the second frames that an inlet of the paying-out device faces an outlet of a belt guide passing through the longitudinal folding device supported by that second frame.
13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 when appended to claim 6, wherein in the third apparatus format in addition the other second frame is arranged vertically above said one second frame and so connected to the base frame that an inlet of the respective transport device faces an outlet of the upper discharge device, and the feeder is connected to said other second frame to provide a link between the paying-out device and a belt guide passing through the longitudinal folding device supported by said other second frame.

A
14. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the discharge devices are so arranged relative to a folding blade cylinder of the transverse folding device that the lengths of folded sheet discharge paths from two discharge points of that cylinder are each substantially equal to an integral multiple of a given length of such folded sheets.
15. Sheet folding apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
16. A rotary roller printing machine comprising printing means and sheet folding apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, the 10 apparatus being arranged downstream of the printing means.