Patent ID: 6196959
Filing Date: 2001-03-06
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
A method of folding stacks of sheets, each stack comprising at least one sheet, wherein individual sheets may have different folding resistances, by supplying a plurality of stacks of sheets to a folding device by means of a temporally successive, cyclic supply which comprises phases of movement and pauses in movement, said method comprising the following steps:determining a stack folding resistance for a respective stack of sheets based on at least one of a number and a folding resistance of individual sheets forming a stack of sheets; andfolding a respective stack of sheets, a folding speed used by the folding device for folding said stack of sheets being controlled in dependence upon the stack folding resistance that has been determined for this stack of sheets,the control of the folding speed of the folding device being carried out during respective pauses in movement of the cyclic supply in such a waythat, in case of a reduction of the folding speed for a folding of a next stack of sheets to be folded, a pause in movement is extended, if a necessary folding-speed reduction is not achieved during a normal pause in movement of the cyclic supply;that, in case of an increase in the folding speed for a folding of a next stack of sheets to be folded, the pause in movement is extended or not extended, depending on a time required, if a necessary increase in the folding speed is not achieved during the normal pause in movement of the cyclic supply.