Patent ID: 7255668

Claim:
A folding apparatus comprising: a rotatable folding blade cylinder adapted to convey a signature to be folded; a support in said folding blade cylinder; a rotatable support shaft connected to said support and supporting said support for rotation in said rotatable folding blade cylinder; a support drive gear connected to said support shaft; at least a first folding blade shaft supported on, and spaced from said support for rotation with respect to said support; a folding blade carried by said folding blade shaft, said folding blade being extendable out of said folding blade cylinder in response to rotation of said support and said folding blade shaft; a cutting blade cylinder cooperating with, and driving said folding blade cylinder; means for phase-shifting said support and said folding blade cylinder relative to each other wherein said rotation of said folding blade cylinder and of said support are coupled, with a variable phase, to a rotation of said cutting blade cylinder; a differential gear assembly coupling said support drive gear and said cutting cylinder; and a differential gear drive connected to said differential gear assembly.