Patent ID: 8360948

Claim:
An apparatus for folding and stacking a continuous web comprising: a folding and stacking mechanism that outputs folded continuous web defining a plurality of zigzag folded pages to a folding area; a compression plate assembly that projects into a portion of the folding area at predetermined times to interfere with movement of edges of the folded pages past the compression plate assembly; a supporting mechanism that moves cyclically away from the compression plate assembly and toward the compression plate assembly to cause the edges of the folded pages in a stack supported between the compression plate assembly and the supporting mechanism to pressurably engage and be compressed by the compression plate assembly; a plurality of stack guides that engage the edges of the folded pages in the stack when the supporting mechanism moves toward the compression plate assembly so as to align the folded edges, the stack guides passing through the supporting mechanism when the supporting mechanism is within a predetermined distance from the compression plate assembly; and a temporary support assembly that extends into the folding area when the continuous web is separated so as to support the folded pages of a leading end of the separated web while the folded pages of the trailing end of the separated web are directed away by the supporting mechanism in the stack to a stack transfer location.