Parallel folding device of folding machine

• US 6,656,102 B1
• Filed: 02/13/2001
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Komori Corporation
• Original Assignee: Komori Corporation
• Inventors: Nagano, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Rada, Rinaldi I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weeks, Gloria R
• Application Number:
  US09/762,819
• Time in Patent Office: 1,022 Days
• Field of Search: 493/423, 493/424, 493/425, 493/426, 493/427, 493/434, 493/454
• US Class Current: 493/423
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2404/268 Arrangement of belts facing a transport surface, e.g. contact glass in copy machine
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 45/165 Details of sheet gripping means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 45/167 having associated sheet guide means

Abstract

The folding device of a folding machine, which can perform parallel double folding and delta folding, and which can smoothly and reliably transfer a parallel single-folded signature between first and second jaw cylinders regardless of paper quality. A first jaw cylinder and a second jaw cylinder arranged with circumferential surfaces thereof opposed to and in contact with each other. At least one belt is looped between the first jaw cylinder and a set of rollers, and wherein one of the rollers is moved to switch the belt between a guide position and a retreat position.

Claims

1. A parallel folding device of a folding machine, comprising:

a first jaw cylinder and a second jaw cylinder arranged with circumferential surfaces thereof opposed to and in contact with each other,

said first jaw cylinder being further arranged so as to be opposed to and in contact with an upstream folding cylinder, said first jaw cylinder receiving a signature from said upstream folding cylinder and then transferring the signature to said second jaw cylinder,

at least one belt which surrounds said first jaw cylinder and wraps around and contacts a portion of the circumferential surface of the first jaw cylinder,

said belt being supported by support means and movable thereby in a travel direction of the signature between a guide position where said belt approaches the circumferential surface of said second jaw cylinder downstream from a point of contact between said first jaw cylinder and said second jaw cylinder, and a retreat position where said belt retreats from the circumferential surface of said second jaw cylinder,

said belt, when located at said guide position, guiding a front end of the signature, gripped by a gripping means located on said first jaw cylinder, to said second jaw cylinder, whereby the front end of the signature is subjected to a gripping change from the gripping means on said first jaw cylinder to a gripping means located on said second jaw cylinder, and

said belt, when located at said retreat position, allowing the front end of the signature to pass said point of contact while being gripped by said gripping means of said first jaw cylinder and then folded between said first jaw cylinder and said second jaw cylinder.

2. The parallel folding device of a folding machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said support means comprises:

a plurality of rollers located generally below the first jaw cylinder and adjacent the second jaw cylinder, being rotatably parallel to the first and second jaw cylinder, and

wherein the belt is looped between said rollers and the first jaw cylinder.

3. The parallel folding device of a folding machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein a roller of said plurality of rollers closest to the second jaw cylinder is movable toward and away from the second jaw cylinder, whereby the belt is moved between the guide position and the retreat position.

4. The parallel folding device of a folding machine as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said at least one belt comprises a plurality of the belts located so as to contact a portion of the circumferential surface of the first jaw cylinder in a region in which the first jaw cylinder transports the signature, and

each of the belts traveling in accordance with rotation of the first jaw cylinder by a frictional force working between each of the belts and the circumferential surface of the first jaw cylinder.

5. The parallel folding device of a folding machine as claimed in claim 4, and further comprising:

a plurality of annular grooves formed in the circumferential surface of the first jaw cylinder so as to be out of phase with a gripper board and a folding jaw in a cylinder shaft direction,

wherein the belts travel in the annular grooves along the circumferential surface of the first jaw cylinder, and

wherein the annular grooves have a depth such that an outer peripheral surface of the belt and the circumferential surface of the cylinder define coplanar peripheral surfaces.

6. The parallel folding device of a folding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein during said gripping change the belt contacts the front end of the signature and raises a gripping margin of the signature and straightens the front end of the signature as it is guided to the gripping means of said second jaw cylinder.

7. The parallel folding device of a folding machine as claimed in claim 6 wherein the signature is transported by the front end thereof being pinched between gripper means of the first jaw cylinder and when the straightened front end of the signature is raised during the gripping change the belt presses the front end of the signature against the second jaw cylinder where the front end is pinched between gripper means of the second jaw cylinder.

8. The parallel folding device of a folding machine as claimed in claim 7 wherein the gripper means of the first jaw cylinder includes a gripper board and a folding jaw and wherein the gripper means of the second jaw cylinder includes a gripper member and a gripper pad.

9. The parallel folding device of a folding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least one belt wraps around the first jaw cylinder in the region in which the signature is transported by the first jaw cylinder.

10. A parallel folding device of a folding machine, comprising:

a first jaw cylinder and a second jaw cylinder, each of said cylinders including gripper means, arranged with circumferential surfaces thereof opposed to and in contact with each other,

said first jaw cylinder being arranged so as to also be opposed to and in contact with an upstream folding cylinder, said first jaw cylinder receiving a signature from said upstream folding cylinder and then transferring the signature to said second jaw cylinder,

at least one movable belt which completely surrounds said first jaw cylinder and wraps around and contacts a portion of the circumferential surface of the first jaw cylinder beneath a signature held and transported thereby,

said belt being supported and switched by a roller assembly so as to be movable between a guide position where said belt approaches the circumferential surface of said second jaw cylinder downstream in a travel direction of the signature from a point of contact between said first jaw cylinder and said second jaw cylinder in a first type folding operation, and a retreat position where said belt retreats from the circumferential surface of said second jaw cylinder in a second type folding operation,

said belt, when located at said guide position, guiding a front end of the signature gripped by the gripper means of said first jaw cylinder to the gripper means of said second jaw cylinder, whereby the front end of the signature is subjected to a gripping chance from the gripper means of said first jaw cylinder to the gripper means of said second jaw cylinder,

wherein during said gripping change from the first jaw cylinder to the second jaw cylinder, the gripper means of said first cylinder releases the front end of the signature, whereupon the belt contacts the front end of the signature and raises a gripping margin of the signature and thereby straightens the front end of the signature as it is guided to and gripped by the gripping means of said second jaw cylinder during said first type folding operation, and

wherein said belt, when located at said retreat position, allowing the front end of the signature to pass said point of contact, while being gripped by the gripper means of said first jaw cylinder, the signature is folded between said first jaw cylinder and said second jaw cylinder during said second type folding operation.

11. The parallel folding device of a folding machine as claimed in claim 10 wherein the gripper means the first jaw cylinder includes a gripper board and a folding jaw and wherein the gripper means of the second jaw cylinder includes a gripper member and a gripper pad.