Patent ID: 6383124
Filing Date: 2002-05-07
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
A paper folding machine for severing a continuously fed web of paper into sections and folding said sections, the machine comprising:a rotating hollow drum which includes a peripheral ring defining a drum outer surface and a drum interior, the outer surface having both a plurality of grippers extending around the periphery of the rotating hollow drum in spaced apart relationship and adapted to hold the web of paper therebetween against the drum outer surface and a plurality of apertures extending around the periphery of the outer surface of the rotating hollow drum in spaced apart relationship, the apertures being located between respective grippers and communicating with said drum interior; a knife located in the interior of the drum and rotatable in synchronism with the rotating drum about an axis offset from and parallel to the axis of rotation for the drum to extend radially outwardly through said respective apertures as the drum rotates for severing said web while said web is situated on said drum outer surface and is being held by the grippers; and at least one folding station at the periphery of the rotating drum for severing and folding said web while on the rotating drum, the folding station including a folding roll adjacent to said drum outer surface and substantially para-axial with said drum, the folding roll including at least one anvil for interaction with said knife through the aperture of said drum while said web is situated on said drum outer surface, and at least one retainer adjacent to and following said anvil, the retainer releasably holding a leading edge of said web to be folded back over said web while said drum rotates and said portion of said web gripped by one of said grippers moves past the folding roll thereby providing a fold in the web, and the folding roll being driven in synchronism with the rotating drum being rotated in a direction opposite that of the rotating drum.