FR2588253A1 - Machine intended to form transverse folds on a set of sheets (webs) and machine for making books including such a machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a machine which are intended for making books. After having printed, on a width 10 of paper and in a predetermined order, the pages 11 of the book being made, k2<n> pages being disposed over the extent of the width, k and n being integers, longitudinal folds are formed by means of longitudinal folding devices 13, 13', 13''. The first longitudinal fold is disposed in the middle of the width (axis 18), so that the longitudinal edges 27, 28 of this width are superposed, whereas the next longitudinal folds are disposed in the middle of the extent of paper remaining between the previous fold made and the superposed longitudinal edges 27, 28 of the width 10. A series of transverse folds 50 is then formed.

Description

The present invention relates in particular to methods and machines for making documents such as books.

The present invention relates more particularly to the field of continuous printing and production of books, in an automated manner.

In particular, French patent No. 1,571,775 filed in the name of the CAMERON MACHINE COMPANY Company discloses a printing machine with continuous automatic operation.

This machine, which in its marketed form, conforms to the description of this French patent, comprises two endless printing belts each cooperating with a printing cylinder to perform the continuous printing of the front and back of a width of paper unwound by a set of driving cylinders.

After printing both sides of the web, eight pages of the book at most being printed across the width, the pages of the book being printed on both sides of the web in a predetermined longitudinal and transverse order and in a predetermined direction, the web is fed in a block making device. This device comprises at its input three longitudinal cutting devices comprising a rotating blade separating the width into at most four continuous bands of identical width, two pages of the book to be printed therefore being arranged in the width of each band. The block making device comprises, downstream of the cutting devices, four longitudinal folding devices, over which the strips then pass. Each folding device comprises in particular a turning bar, serving to center the strip in question on a fairy tale. folding, thus making it possible to fold it lengthwise, its longitudinal edges being superimposed. At the output of the folding devices, a maximum of eight bands are thus available in pairs, comprising a series of printed pages, one page of the book being arranged over the width of the band.

The eight bands are then superimposed and the device for making blocks comprises for this purpose compensating rollers provided to ensure correct superposition of the bands. The bands are then admitted into a transverse cutting mechanism comprising in particular a fixed blade and a rotary shear with multiple blades having the function of separating by cutting the pages of the book which follow one another on the various bands. Thus at the output of the machine there are series of notebooks or blocks of sheets printed on both sides, each notebook constituting a set of four pages.

These notebooks are then directed to a sorter of conventional type, the function of which is to stack them, in the desired order, in sets of pages corresponding to the book being manufactured. These assemblies are then directed by a conveyor mechanism to automatic broaching and trimming devices.

Thus the machine described in the CAMERON patent associated with a sorter and with automatic broaching and trimming devices makes it possible to print and continuously make finished books ready to be packaged and shipped.

The introduction of such a machine in printing has made it possible, compared to the previous techniques used (double-sided printing of sets of 16 or 32 pages, followed by folding making it possible to produce a notebook, and assembly of these notebooks) a marked increase in the productivity and flexibility of printing plants and, above all, their reliability, especially for large runs of variable format books with a large number of pages.

However, since the implementation of these machines, it has been observed that they nevertheless presented a certain number of drawbacks.

We know that the format of paperbacks is not standardized so that printers are often required to produce books of different formats, according to the wishes of their customers.

In practice, in the CAMERON machine, a change of format leads to a change in the width of the paper web, which requires individual adjustment of most of the elements of the machine and in particular those of the block making device, namely the three devices. longitudinal cutting, the four longitudinal folding devices with their turning bar and their folding cone, and the four compensation rollers.

Indeed, it is understood that the width of the width is determined by the width or the length of the pages of the book which is printed. As you wish, as much as possible, to print eight double-sided pages across the width when the width of a page varies, the paper width should be changed. Once the paper width has been changed, it is first necessary to center the latter on the three cutters so that the paper width is divided into four strips of the same width. reversal of each folding device so that the strips of paper are very exactly centered on the folding rod in question. Finally, it is necessary to adjust the compensation rollers so as to allow, before separation of the blocks of paper, a superposition of the pages of the book as precise as possible in the longitudinal direction.

Usually the settings mentioned above are done in two steps. A first static step makes it possible to carry out the coarse adjustment on the stopped machine. Then, in a dynamic adjustment step, in order to refine the adjustments, the machine is made to turn. The three cutting devices are then adjusted, then the four turning bars and finally; one after the other, the four compensation rollers. In addition, if the texture of the paper has varied from one width to another, in addition to the adjustments mentioned above; adjust each of the folding cones and in particular the folding rollers that each of the canes have downstream.

Sometimes you also have to adjust the angle of the story in relation to the width of the paper.

All of these operations require a particularly long start-up time for the machine for a given width. In fact, the dynamic adjustment step is quite long since the adjustments can only be made one after the other, which also results in a particularly large waste of paper.

The set of disadvantageous cases means that the use of the CAMERON machine is only justified for large print runs of books, for example of the order of several thousand or even more than ten thousand copies.

In addition to the problems relating to the change of paper width format, mention should be made of those resulting from a rupture either of the width upstream of the three cutting devices, or of a strip of paper downstream of these cutting devices. In most cases, it will be necessary to "re-pass" the web throughout the machine, which is both longer and more complicated than a simple change of web. Thus, it is necessary, in particular; centering the width with respect to the longitudinal cutters then re-centering each strip on the turning bars and the folding cones, and; above all, pass these bands on the folding canes and; in particular, between the two folding rollers arranged downstream of each of said folding cones. The time required to carry out all these operations is particularly long, which obviously reduces the profitability of the CAMERON machine. In fact, depending on the quality of the paper used, a quality imposed on printers by their customers, it may happen that there are several consecutive web breaks with subsequent production stoppages.

To overcome these drawbacks, it is sometimes envisaged to "glue" the two parts of the cut width together. Such an operation is not always possible and is, in any event, particularly difficult to achieve so that; in general, in the event of a break in the width, the width must be ironed throughout the machine and the above-mentioned adjustments made.

Of course, there is again a large waste of paper.

To avoid as much as possible having to change the width format and therefore to avoid time lost in adjustment, printers using the CAMERON machine are required to distribute the pages over the width of the width, at the location of future bands, so that a reduction in the page format does not lead to a change in width format. This practice is paid for by a very large waste of paper since the size of the pages having decreased, it is necessary to leave a particularly large gap between each page on the width of the width, to take account of the reduction in the width of the page.

Finally, we must mention the cases where it is not possible to print eight pages on the width of a web, in particular when the width of a page is greater than one eighth of the maximum width of the web authorized in the machine. . In these cases, we must adjust the longitudinal cutting devices so that they separate the width into three bands of identical width and a side band of width equal to half that of the other bands. This lateral band attacks the corresponding folding device like the other bands but only passes over half of the folding cone and is therefore not folded by the latter. All of these arrangements have several drawbacks. First of all, it is necessary to adjust each of the folding devices and it is no longer possible to maintain the original symmetry of the latter.Moreover, the adjustment of the passage of the half-strip on the corresponding folding cone is particularly meticulous since this band cannot be maintained over its entire width by the cone itself. It is therefore appropriate to attack this cone very precisely.

One of the aspects of the present invention makes it possible to overcome all of these drawbacks since the present invention relates in particular to a process for making documents, in particular books, comprising at least one so-called printing phase during which printing is carried out continuously. at least one of the two sides of a width of a printing support material, in particular paper, several pages of the document being printed in the width of the width on said side, the pages of the document being printed in a longitudinal and transverse order and in a predetermined direction, then at least one phase called "superposition of bands" during which several bands are superimposed, coming from the width and having a width corresponding to a fraction of that of the width, method characterized in that 'we print kan pages of the document on the width of the width ;; "k" being an integer and "n" being an integer greater than or equal to 2; and in that, in the phase of superimposing strips, the width is folded n times in the longitudinal direction, a first fold being executed in the middle of the width so that the longitudinal edges of the width are superimposed, each subsequent fold being carried out in the middle of the remaining width of material between the fold previously made and said superimposed longitudinal edges, so that the previous fold is superimposed on said longitudinal edges.

Thanks to these arrangements, the method according to the present invention makes it possible to obtain in a simple manner 2 bands comprising k pages over their width, joined together by the n longitudinal folds.

It will be observed that the method according to the invention makes it possible to maintain a systematic symmetry from one step to another since the first longitudinal fold is made in the middle of the width and the following folds are made in the middle of the remaining width of paper between the fold previously made and the longitudinal edges superimposed. As a result, there is no doubt, and in a simple manner, subsequent folds to the quarters, to the eighths, to the sixteenths, etc., of the remaining portions of the width after the folds. Thus, if it is necessary to change the width following a change in the format of the book to be printed, the only adjustment to be made is that of the device making said folds to the quarters, to the eighths, to the sixteenths, etc. '' have a first fold constantly made in the middle of the width, and, by means of simple adjustment and, in particular, by one and the same adjustment, as explained below, to have subsequent folds constantly made at the desired places and mentioned more high.

As a result, the method according to the present invention makes it possible to easily achieve excellent superposition of the bands between them.

In addition, the method according to the present invention makes it possible to very significantly simplify the passage of the paper through the machine.

Indeed, whether it is a change of width format or the passage of the paper through the machine following a break in the paper width, as the bands are integral with each other, they form a set of unique bands. which, in order to be handled and ironed in a machine implementing the process, generally requires only one person, whereas in the process and in the CAMERON machine, as many people are needed to iron the paper as there are bands, namely four.

In summary, it should be emphasized that in the method according to the present invention, the adjustment time is significantly reduced, these adjustments are very simplified compared to the machine of the prior art. This results in a much smaller waste of paper, which results in excellent profitability of the process according to the present invention.

According to another characteristic of the present invention, to perform said longitudinal folds, the width is passed over n folding devices arranged in series, each folding device comprising in particular, on the one hand; an element called for convenience "folding cone" of substantially triangular isosceles shape, the base of the triangle being upstream with respect to the direction of travel of the width, perpe) dicular to the latter and parallel to the plane of the width upstream of the cane, the point of the triangle opposite the base being disposed on the considered folding axis, and on the other hand, two folding rollers disposed downstream of the folding cone on either side of the plane comprising the perpendicular bisector of the triangle coming from said point, this plane being orthogonal to that of the triangle, the width being engaged between the folding rollers.

This arrangement allows easy and economical implementation of the method according to the invention as briefly described above. It will also be observed here that if one obtains at the output of the last folding device a single set of joined bands, those skilled in the art will appreciate the fact that the passage of the paper both on the canes and between the folding rollers is simplified compared to the prior art.

According to another characteristic of the method according to the present invention, the relative position of some of the folding cones called "adjustable cones" is slaved to that of one of them called "reference folding rod", so that the displacement of the reference bending cone parallel to its base over a predetermined distance causes for the other adjustable cones a correlative displacement, parallel to their base, this displacement being equal to either half of that of the preceding rod for each of the rods arranged downstream of the reference folding cane, or twice that of the following cane for each of the folding cones arranged upstream of the reference folding cone.

As a variant, the relative position of some of the folding rods, called "adjustable cones, is slaved to that of one of them called" reference folding cone ", so that the movement of the reference folding rod parallel to the axis of the folding rollers which are associated with it, over a predetermined distance, causes for the other adjustable rod (s) a correlative displacement, parallel to the axis of the associated folding rollers, this displacement being equal, either to the half of that of the preceding cane for each of the adjustable canes arranged downstream of the reference folding cone, ie double that of the adjustable cane for each of the folding cones arranged upstream of the reference folding cone.

Thanks to these arrangements there is a particularly simple means of adjusting the various folding devices.

In fact, in the event of a change in width, it suffices to adjust the position of one of the folding cones chosen as the reference folding cone, for example the one placed immediately downstream of said first folding cone; to achieve, at the same time, the adjustment of the relative positioning of the other folding rods and be sure that the longitidunaux folds will thus effectively be made in half, in quarters, them eighth, in sixteenths; etc. of the width of the paper web. This arrangement thus makes it possible to further simplify the adjustment of a machine implementing according to the method, in the event of a change in the width of the paper or of tearing thereof.

Another drawback of the CAMERON machine lies in the fact that at the output of this machine there are sets of four-page notebooks intended to be superimposed in a sorter to constitute sets of four-page notebooks following in the order of pagination of the book in production. It will be observed that upstream and downstream of the sorter, in fact, only sets of loose sheets are available, constituting the four-page notebooks, which are in no way integral with one another. Two disadvantages are thus generated:
First of all, the transfer to the sorter and from the latter to the stapling-trimming device is made difficult by the very fact that the various notebooks are not held together.

On the other hand, in the event of a breakdown of the machine, it is necessary to handle, by hand, upstream and downstream of the sorter, notebooks which are not integral with each other, which is a considerable source of errors and losses. As machine breakdowns, without being very frequent, happen at least several times a week, for example following a tear in the web or a power failure, it is clear that having to manipulate time to other sets of notebooks in hand with the losses that this implies, is an important cause of reduced efficiency and reliability of ~ 'the whole installation.

According to another aspect of the present invention which makes it possible in particular to overcome this drawback, the method of making documents, which comprises, in addition to the phases stated above, a phase known as “page superposition” during which the pages printed on the bands are superimposed, so that at the end of this phase is obtained a series of documents whose pages are in the desired pagination order is in particular characterized in that in this phase of superposition of pages is carried out periodically successive transverse folds, the pitch between two consecutive transverse folds being chosen to allow the superposition of at least one series of pages, so that one thus obtains at the end of this phase of superposition of pages, at least one series documents whose pages are joined at least by said longitudinal and transverse folds.

Thanks to this particularly advantageous arrangement, the present invention makes it possible to alleviate the drawbacks mentioned above since at the end of the printing and book-making process, books are available, before stitching and trimming, including all the pages:
- are in the desired pagination order,
- are perfectly superimposed on each other, the text being well framed inside each page,
- are integral with each other at least thanks to the various longitudinal and transverse folds.

This provides homogeneous blocks which can be easily handled if necessary without risk of loss or inversion of pages.

In addition, it will be observed that the process is such that this risk of errors during normal manufacturing is completely excluded.

In addition, the fact of having books at the end of the process in the form of blocks of pages integral with each other, makes it possible to envisage binding (cardboard) in a place different from the place of printing. On the other hand, being the process of the prior art in such a case, this requires securing the different sheets by any means: there is an additional operation which further reduces the profitability of the process of the prior art.

The present invention also relates to at least one machine for making documents, in particular books, making it possible to implement the method succinctly described hitherto.

Thus in another of these aspects, the present invention is aimed at such a machine, of the type comprising at least one device for printing at least one face of a width of printing support material, in particular paper, this device allowing the continuous printing of several pages of the document over the width of the width in a transverse and longitudinal order and in a predetermined direction, a device for superimposing bands making it possible to divide the width into several bands having an identical width and to superimpose them, machine characterized in that the superposition device comprises at least two longitudinal folding devices arranged in series, the first device being adapted to perform a first longitudinal fold in the middle of the web, so that the two longitudinal edges of the web are superimposed , downstream of this first device, each of the following folding devices being adapted to perform a longitudinal fold in the middle of the lar remaining geur of material between the fold previously made and said superimposed longitudinal edges so that the previous fold is superimposed on said longitudinal edges downstream of the folding device concerned.

Thanks to these arrangements, there is a machine for making continuous documents which is relatively simple and which implements the method according to the present invention economically and reliably.

According to another characteristic of the machine according to the invention, each folding assembly comprises in particular, on the one hand, an element called for convenience folding clone "of substantially triangular isosceles shape, the base of the triangle being 9 upstream with respect to in the direction of travel of the width and perpendicular to the latter, and parallel to the plane of the width immediately upstream of the cane; the point of the triangle opposite the base being placed on the fold axis considered, and the other on the other hand, two folding rollers arranged downstream of the folding cone on either side of the plane comprising the perpendicular bisector of the triangle coming from said point, this plane being orthogonal to that of the triangle, the width being engaged between the rollers of folding.

According to another characteristic, the document making machine comprises a control device adapted to control the position of all the longitudinal folding devices to that of one of them, for convenience, called "longitudinal folding device of reference".

According to another characteristic; the document making machine according to the invention is characterized in that the servo device is adapted to adjust the relative position of the folding canes downstream of the cane belonging to said first folding device so that the movement of the cane folding of the reference folding device, which is then called, for convenience, "reference folding rod", parallel to its base, over a predetermined distance causes for the other rods a correlative displacement, parallel to their base, this displacement being equal either to half of that of the preceding cane for each of the cones arranged downstream of the reference folding rod, or to double that of the following cone for each of the folding rods arranged upstream of the reference cone.

All these arrangements allow the implementation of the process according to the invention by means of mechanisms already known and widely used in the prior art, such as folding cones, characterized by their simplicity of implementation and their reliability.

In addition, as has already been observed above, the arrangement of the invention consisting in slaving the position of a certain number of folding cones to that of one of them called the reference folding cone, allows to simplify and make even more reliable compared to the machines of the prior art, ie switching from one width of paper to another width of paper in the event of a change in book format.

In another of these aspects allowing in particular the implementation of the page superposition phase described briefly above, the present invention relates to a machine intended to form a periodic succession of transverse folds on a set of one or more strips of width. identical superimposed, of material such as paper.

In a general way; this aspect of the invention is characterized in that the machine comprises
- a fold marking device suitable for making; according to a predetermined period, transverse impressions in said assembly, called "ply marking",
- A stop means disposed downstream of the fold marking device adapted, in particular, to temporarily block in translation at least a portion of said set of bands;
- "folding" means intended to act on the portion of the set of strips between the stop means and the fold marking device to form at least some of the transverse folds.

In a preferred embodiment of this aspect of the invention, the machine comprises
a device for marking folds, in the set of bands comprising a cylinder called "marking folds" comprising at least one cutting blade known as "marking folds" extending along a generatrix of the cylinder, the cutting blade being adapted to make a set of discontinuous incisions in the set of bands, called "fold markings",
- a rotating folding pallet, arranged downstream of the fold marking device, one radial end of this pallet describing a cylinder of revolution, intersecting with the strip, at the outlet of the fold marking device, the pallet coming every two ply markings in contact with the set of bands on some of them or in the vicinity of these to preform plies, the latter then being called, for convenience, "lower transverse plies",
a rotary stopper comprising at least one blade on which the said strip periodically abuts, in operation, at the level of an already preformed transverse fold; this fold being disposed between a lower transverse fold and a lower transverse fold marking and then called, for convenience, "upper transverse fold", the rotational movement of the rotary stop being synchronized with that of the rotary folding palmette so that the joint movement of these two elements gives the portion of strip between said preformed upper transverse ply and the next lower transverse ply marking, then called "lower transverse ply in formation", a momentary rotational movement whose axis is close to that of the rotary stopper, which has the effect of partly forming said lower transverse fold in formation and said upper preformed fold,
- A so-called "folding" caterpillar comprising a plurality of equidistant, called "transfer" rods, the movement of which is synchronized with those of the rotary pallet and of the rotary stop, so that after engagement of the band with the rotary stop a transfer rod comes into contact with said portion of strip to, on the one hand, facilitate said momentary movement of rotation of this portion of the set of strips, which has the effect of completing the formation of said upper transverse fold in contact of the rotary stop, to continue the formation of said lower transverse fold in formation and to preform the next upper transverse fold and, on the other hand, to transfer the succession of transverse folds to the outlet of the machine,
- at least one conveyor belt arranged at least below the folding caterpillar to receive the lower transverse folds, this belt having a speed similar to that of the caterpillar and cooperating with the latter to transfer the succession of transverse folds to the outlet of the machine.

It is thus possible to produce, on one or more strips of paper, a periodic succession of equidistant transverse folds making it possible in particular to implement the phase of superimposing pages succinctly stated above. It will be observed that by virtue of these arrangements, said succession of transverse folds can be produced on one or a set of superimposed strips of relatively rigid paper and a priori not very conducive to the production of such a succession of transverse folds.

According to another characteristic of the present invention, different drive members of the machine being coupled to the same motor, in order to synchronize, in phase, these different drive members, they are coupled by means of a phasing mechanism. having an input shaft and an output shaft which, in normal operation, has a constant ratio between the rotational speeds of its input shaft and of its output shaft. This mechanism is adapted to allow, in an adjustment phase, a variation between said speeds so that one can adjust the phase or the offset of the instantaneous angular position of the output shaft with respect to that of the input shaft.

According to another characteristic, said phasing mechanism is a differential.

Thanks to these arrangements, it is possible to synchronize the various parts of the machine: front printing device back printing device - mechanism for making longitudinal folds - mechanism for making transverse folds, etc.
These adjustments are made in a simple and convenient manner by actuating a means for adjusting the differential phasing mechanism making it possible to vary the speed momentarily as explained above.

According to another characteristic of the present invention, the machine is associated with a mechanism for separating sets of transverse folds. This mechanism for separating sets of transverse folds comprises cutting means regularly distributed on a rotary axis, these cutting means cooperating with suitable counter cutting means; in a rest position, to move the various transverse folds away from the field of said cutting means, and, in a working position, to bring a considered transverse fold into the field of said cutting means so that two volumes can thus be separated .

According to another characteristic, the cutting means are spaced along a shaft so as to correspond to notches which the fold marking blades of said fold marking cylinder comprise.

Thanks to these arrangements, it is thus possible to separate the volumes during manufacture in a practical and automatic manner.

The characteristics and advantages of the present invention will moreover emerge from the following description given with reference to the appended drawings in which
- Figure 1 is a schematic view illustrating the method of making documents according to the present invention;
- Figure 2 is a schematic overall view in simplified perspective of an embodiment of a machine implementing the method according to the present invention,
- Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view on a larger scale inset III of Figure 2,
- Figure 4 is a schematic elevational view on a larger scale of an embodiment of a folding machine according to the invention, illustrated in insert IV of Figure 2,
- Figure 5 is an elevational view on a larger scale illustrating, in a simplified manner, the structure of the folder at the level of the insert V of Figure 4,
- Figure 6 is a top view along the line VI-VI of Figure 4, of the folder,
- Figure 7 is an elevational view partially sectioned along the line VII-VII of Figure 8 of a mechanism of the folding machine,
- Figure 8 is the top view of this mechanism and corresponds to insert VIII in Figure 6,
- Figure 9 is a sectional view along the line IX-IX of Figure 10, of a differential mechanism used in the machine according to the present invention,
- Figure 10 is a sectional view along line XX of Figure 9 of the same mechanism,
- Figure 11 corresponds substantially to Figure 4 by schematically illustrating certain parts of the folding machine not shown in Figure 4,
- Figure 11A is a schematic perspective view illustrating the structure of the conveyor belts of the folder,
- Figure 12 is a sectional view along the line XII-XII of Figure 13, of a mechanism for separating sets of folds associated with the machine,
- Figure 13 is the corresponding sectional view along line XIII-XIII of Figure 12,
- Figure 14 is a schematic perspective view of a cutting blade of the ply set separation mechanism ;;
- Figure 15 is a schematic perspective view of a cutting counter blade holder used in the ply separation mechanism,
- Figure 16 is a view along arrow 16 of Figure 12,
- Figures 17 to 21 show schematically certain elements of Figures 4 and 5 and illustrate the operation of this part of the machine during several repetitive steps thereof,
- Figure 22 shows, in perspective; a set of transverse folds made according to the method of the invention.

According to the embodiment chosen and shown in FIG. 1, the pages 11 of a book are printed continuously on the front and back of a width of paper by means of a device not shown in this figure. This device can for example be that described in French patent 1,571,775 or any device suitable for printing on the front and back of a width of successive series 40 of pages regularly distributed over the width of the width 10. It will be noted that the pages are arranged lengthwise, in the transverse direction of the width. The printing is of course made so that the pages 11 come in a transverse order and in a longitudinal order such that at the end of the process of making the book these pages are found in the correct direction and in the desired pagination order. .

According to a characteristic of the method according to the present
n invention, k2 of the document is printed across the width of the width, "k" being an integer and "n" being an integer greater than or equal to 2.

In the embodiment shown, the series 40 of pages comprise eight pages regularly spaced over the width of the width 10, k here being equal to 1 and n being here equal to 3.

The width 10 is allowed in a mechanism generally referred to as 12. The mechanism 12 has been shown in a very simplified manner in order to make it possible to understand the method according to the present invention. This mechanism 12 comprises, according to one characteristic of the invention, n longitudinal folding devices (n being here equal to 3), arranged in series and referenced 13 (13 ', 13 "). Each folding device 13 (13', 13 ") comprises a triangular piece 14 (14 ', 14") known as the "folding cane", an inlet roller 15 (15'; 15 ") constituting the base of the folding cone, and a set of two folding rollers 16 (16 ', 16 ") arranged downstream of the cone 14 with respect to the direction F of movement of the width. It will be observed that each cone 14 (14', 14") is oriented so that its base 15 (15 ', 15 ") is located upstream with respect to the travel of the width 10, is perpendicular to the direction of travel and parallel to the plane of the width immediately upstream of the cone, while the point 17 (17 ', 17 ") of the cone opposite the base 15 (15', 15") is disposed on an axis 18 (18 ', 18 ") drawn in phantom in Figure 1, schematically showing a longitudinal folding axis of the portion width allowed, in trea of the cone of this folding axis dividing said portion of width into two equal parts. In fact the axes 18, (18 'and 18 ") comprise the perpendicular bisector of the triangular pieces 14, (14', 14") coming from the point 17, (17 ', 17 ").

It will also be noted that the set of folding rollers 16 (lu ', 16') is disposed downstream of the folding cone 14 (14 ', 14 ") on either side of the plane comprising said perpendicular bisector resulting from the point 17 (17 ', 17 "), orthogonal to the plane of the triangular piece 14, (14', 14"). The width 10 is engaged between the folding rollers 16 (16 ', 16 ").

In the embodiment shown, the mechanism 12 comprises relay rollers 20, 21, 22 respectively arranged downstream of the sets of folding rollers 16, (16 ', 16 ").

The width 10 is allowed on the first folding device 13 comprising the first folding cone 14. As downstream of this cone 14, the width is engaged between the folding rollers 16, the cooperation of the folding cone 14, and in particular of its tip 17, with the folding rollers 16, causes the width 10 to be folded in the longitudinal direction along the axis 18. A first fold is thus executed in the middle of the width so that the longitudinal edges 27 , 28 of it are superimposed.

It can be seen that at the output of the folding device 13 there is thus a set of two superimposed bands on which are printed on both sides of the series of four pages distributed regularly over the width of the two superimposed bands. Several series of four pages have been schematically represented and referenced at 29 in FIG. 1. The set of two superimposed bands joined by the fold 30 is then admitted into the second longitudinal folding device 13 'and a fold 31 is produced from the in the same way by the second folding cone 14 'along the axis 18' so that at the output of the folding device 13 'there is a set of four superimposed bands, the fold 30, previously performed, being superimposed on said edges longitudinal sections 27, 28 already themselves superimposed. It will be observed that each of the four strips thus superimposed comprises, printed on both sides, series of two pages, represented at 33 in FIG. 1.

The set of four superimposed bands is then admitted into the third folding device 13 "which proceeds in the same way so that a third fold 35 is made in the middle of the remaining width of paper between the fold previously made, the fold 31, and the longitudinal edges of the superimposed width 27, 28, on which the first folded fold 30 is already superimposed. At the output of the folding rollers 16 ", there are thus available eight strips superimposed in a particularly precise manner since the folding devices 13 (13 ', 13 "), well known in the prior art make it possible to perform very precise folds along the determined folding axis. Thus at the output of the folding device 13", the longitudinal edges of the width 27, 28 and the folds previously made 30, 31 are very precisely superimposed. It is observed that on each of the eight bands a page 11 of the book being produced is placed over the width of the band.

It will be noted that thanks to the mechanism 12, the pages 11 of the series 40 of eight pages printed on both sides of the width 10 are very precisely superimposed without any transverse and / or longitudinal offset of the pages between them. This absence of transverse and / or longitudinal offset at the end of the phase of superposition of bands which has just been described makes it possible to approach a following phase of separation and / or superposition of pages under excellent conditions.

The exemplary embodiment described in support of FIG. 1 has made it possible to illustrate the invention with regard to series of eight pages printed on both sides which can be superimposed by means of three successive longitudinal folds, each fold being made. in the middle of the remaining width of paper between the previous fold and the overlapping longitudinal edges of the web.

In general, according to the method according to the present invention, k2n can be printed over the width of the web; "k" being an integer and "n" being an integer greater than or equal to 2 and; in the phase of superposition of bands; the width is then folded n times in the longitudinal direction, a first fold being executed in the middle of the width so that the longitudinal edges of the width are superimposed, each subsequent fold being made in the middle of the remaining width of paper between the fold previously performed and said longitudinal edges superimposed so that the previous fold is superimposed on said longitudinal edges.

It will be observed that Si in the example illustrated in FIG. 1, k is equal to 1 and n is equal to 3, three successive folds being made; in other embodiments we can choose k greater than 1, for example equal to 2 and n other than 3, for example equal to 2. In this last example we always print eight pages in the width of the width but we do not fold this last only twice. At the end of the process, we then have, in this last example; four bands superimposed on each other, joined by two longitudinal folds, two pages then being arranged over the width of the bands at the output of the process.

The process for making a book illustrated in FIG. 1 also includes a phase called "page superposition" during which the pages printed on the strips are superimposed so that at the end of this phase a series is obtained. documents whose pages are in the desired pagination order.

According to one aspect of the invention, in this phase of superimposing pages, successive transverse folds are periodically carried out, the pitch between two consecutive transverse folds being chosen to allow the superposition of at least one series of pages so that the one thus obtains at the end of this phase of superposition of pages; at least one series of documents, the pages of which are joined together at least by said longitudinal and transverse folds.

In the embodiment chosen and shown in FIG. 1, the pitch between two consecutive transverse folds 50 is shown diagrammatically at 52 and corresponds to the distance between two lower or upper edges of two successive pages of the book on the strip. The folds 50 are made between two successive pages, for example along the dotted lines shown at 51 in FIG. 1. In this embodiment, there is obtained at the end of the page superposition phase a set of superimposed pages constituting the document being produced, the pages being secured by the longitudinal 30, 31, 35 and transverse 50 folds.

In other embodiments not shown, the pitch between two transverse folds can be chosen to cover two or more pages, for example three. In the latter case, we would thus obtain at the end of the page superposition phase, three series of superimposed pages, corresponding for example to three books integral with each other and whose pages would also be joined by the longitudinal and transverse folds.

Likewise by printing from the start on the width of the web, for example eight pages, but by carrying out only two longitudinal folds (k = 2, n = 2), but by choosing a transverse folding step corresponding to two pages, there would thus be obtained four sets of pages corresponding for example to four books integral with one another and the pages of which would also be joined by said longitudinal and transverse folds.

So as to be able to allow a change of width format, the second and third folding devices 13 ', 13 "of the mechanism 12 include an adjustment device 60', 60" making it possible to adjust the transverse position of the folding cones 14 ', 14 "along a transverse axis shown schematically at 61, 61" parallel to that of the intake rollers 15 ', 15 ".

It is effectively understood that if the width of the width 10 changes, the latter being brought onto the first folding device 13 so that the point 17 of the first folding rod 14 is located on the axis 18 of symmetry of the width 10 , the position of the following folding rods must be adjusted in a transverse direction so that their point 17 'or 17 "is also on an axis such as 18' or 18" in order to be able to perform the folds 31, 35 in the middle of the remaining width of paper between the fold previously made 30, 31 and said superimposed longitudinal edges 27, 28.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the mechanism 12 comprises a control device 63 adapted to control the position of all the longitudinal folding devices arranged downstream of said first longitudinal folding device, to that of the one of them says for convenience "reference longitudinal folding device".

In the embodiment chosen and shown in FIG. 1, the second longitudinal folding device 13 'being chosen as the reference longitudinal folding device, the position on the axis 6.1 "of the third device 13" is slaved to that of the device. folding 13 'on the axis 61' by means of the servo device 63. This device is adapted to adjust the relative position of the folding cones 14 ', 14 "downstream of the cone 14 belonging to said first folding device 13. The cones 14 ', 14 "are adjustable cones as opposed to the fixed cone 14. The servo device 63 is such that the displacement, parallel to its base 15' of the folding cone 14 'of the folding device. reference 13 ', this cone then being said, for convenience, reference folding clone ", over a predetermined distance, causes for the other skulls, here the third cone 14", a correlative displacement parallel to their base, this displacement being equal half of that of the duck above, the third folding cone 14 "being disposed downstream of the second folding cone 14 '. In the case where the reference folding cone chosen is the third cone 14", the servo device 63 is adapted to controlling the movement of the second folding cone 14 'along the axis 61' so that it is equal to twice that of the cone 14 "along the axis 61".

By virtue of the servo device 63, by adjusting the position of the second cone 14 ', the position of the third cone 14 "is adjusted or vice versa.

This arrangement is particularly advantageous if it is envisaged to have several cones in series, for example four or five. It is then sufficient to choose one of them as the fixed cone, generally the first or the last, and another reference folding cone and to control the mechanisms for adjusting the position of the other cones along axes such as axes 61 or 61 ", so that this displacement is equal either to half that of the preceding cone for each of the cones arranged downstream of the reference folding cone, or to double that of the following cone for each of the cones of bending arranged upstream of the reference bending cone.

In the embodiment which has just been described, the cones are adjusted by moving the latter parallel to their base so that the paper which is admitted therein is centered.

It is of course possible to obtain the same paper result centered on a given skull (for example the third cane 14 ") - by adjusting the position of the previous cone (the second cone 14 ') along an axis parallel to the rollers folding (16 ') associated with this hinge (14'), which are found to be parallel to the base 15 "of said determined roller.

Thus in a variant, the reference folding device being the second device 13 ', there is associated with the first and second folding devices which are adjustable 13, 13', a position adjusting device 70, 70 'along a axis 71, 71 'parallel to the folding rollers 16, 161s These adjustment devices 70, 700 allow the paper to be centered on the next cone (14' and 14 "respectively).

A control device 73, similar to the device 63, makes it possible to control the position of all the folding devices (here that of the first) to that of the reference folding device (here the device 13 ').

Thus, a movement of the second folding device 13 'on the axis 71' causes a correlative movement of the first device 13 along the axis 71, over a distance equal to twice the movement of the second folding device.

Thanks to the servo device 73, by adjusting the position of the second rod 14 ', the position of the first (14) is adjusted or vice versa.

An embodiment of a machine implementing the method which has just been described in support of Figure 1 will now be described in support of FIG. 2.

In this figure, only the essential elements necessary for understanding the invention and the illustrated embodiment have been shown; for the sake of simplification and to allow easy reading of the drawing. The Applicant wishes to emphasize that the other elements not shown in this figure, when they are not shown and described in support of other figures of the present application, are only construction details which, being widely used in Mechanical Art, are part of the general knowledge of those skilled in the art and therefore need not be described in detail here. This is the case, for example, with the frame of the machine, on which are mounted, in a conventional manner, the rollers and other means described below.

According to the embodiment chosen and shown in FIG. 2, the machine for making documents, in particular books, which is generally referenced as 100 comprises a paper unwinder 101 comprising a first reel 104, of a width of paper 102 and a second coil 103 intended to take over from coil 104 when the latter is exhausted. The width of paper 102 has, in a well-known manner, a "front" side and a "back" side respectively referenced 107 and 108. The width 102 passes, downstream of the roller 104, by a first transfer roller shown diagrammatically in 110 before approaching a first alignment roller 111 of structure well known to those skilled in the art, this alignment roller as well as the other alignment rollers in this figure being shown schematically by an axis in phantom drawn in the middle of the alignment roller considered.

The width 102 is then admitted on a first continuous printing device 106 called a "recto printing device", adapted to continuously print on the front 107 of the width 102 series of four pages of the book being manufactured, regularly distributed over the width of the front of the width 102. The width 102 then passes through a second transfer roller 113 before approaching a second alignment roller 114. The width then approaches a second continuous printing device 106 'called "device of" reverse printing "suitable for printing on the reverse 108 of the width 102 of a series of four pages regularly distributed over the width of the reverse 108 of the width 102.

The printing devices 106, 106 'are identical and can be, for example, in certain embodiments of the present invention, of the type of that described in French patent 1,571,775. In the embodiment chosen and shown in FIG. 2, the device 106 comprises a belt 115 consisting of an endless belt arranged between a driving roller 116 and a tensioning roller 117, the center distance between the rollers 116 and 117 being variable. .

The mat 115 is in mylar and pictures of the pages of the book to be printed, made here in photopolymer resin manufactured by ASAHI
CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES, or an equivalent material, are glued in a transverse and longitudinal order and in a predetermined direction on the belt 115 so that at the end of the printing process and the making of the book the pages are found in the desired order pagination. In this embodiment shown, the photographs are arranged on the mat 115 in sets of four, the photographs representing in this example the 320 pages of a book of 14.5 cm x 21 cm format, 40 series of four pages thus being arranged on the belt 115, which thus has a length of 5.8 m. The device 106 also comprises, in a conventional manner, an inking group 120.

In practice, the driving cylinder 116 is an impression cylinder, a driving cylinder, against pressure, 121 being disposed above the impression cylinder 116, the width 102 passing between the cylinders 116 and 121, so that the series four pages are printed at this level.

All of these arrangements are moreover well known to those skilled in the art and therefore need not be described in more detail here.

The printing device 106 'is identical; these constituent elements 115 ', 116', 117 ', 120', 121 'being of identical structure to that of the corresponding elements of the device 106.

On leaving the reverse side printing device 106 ', the width is admitted on a set of seven transfer rollers 125-131.

The width 102 is then admitted on a third alignment roller 132 before being admitted on a first longitudinal folding device 133 similar to those described in support of FIG. 1 and comprising a folding cone 134, an admission roller 135 and two folding rollers 136 arranged downstream of the tip 138 of the cone 134.

The web then passes through a transfer roller 139 before being admitted into a second longitudinal folding device 140 comprising a folding cone 141, two folding rollers 142 and an intake roller 143. A device for adjusting the length. position of the longitudinal folding device 133 along the axis of the folding rollers 136 to center the width on the inlet roller 143 is not shown in this figure and is described below in support of the figure 3.

The structure of the machine at the level of insert III, namely the two longitudinal folding devices 133, 140 and the device for adjusting the position of the first device 133, will now be described in support of FIG. 3.

This figure shows the first, 133, and the second 140 longitudinal folding devices. The elements of the first folding device 133, namely the admission roller 135, the cone 134 and the folding rollers 135 are mounted in a cage 405 movable in translation in a support structure 401.

In this figure, the elements 134, 135, 136 are shown schematically, their method of mounting on the movable cage 405 not exhibiting any particular features and therefore not having to be described and represented in detail in this description and drawing.

Likewise, the device making it possible to drive the admission drive roller 135 in rotation has not been shown. It will be noted that the intake roller 135 is associated with two counterpressure rollers shown schematically at 406 making it possible to apply the width 102 on the driving roller 135 so that this width is driven by this roller.

The alignment roller 132 is mounted in the fixed structure 401 in a conventional manner.

The fixed structure 401; which comprises for this purpose four corner profiles 480, acts as a guide for the mobile cage 405, the position of the cage 405 being adjusted by means of a threaded rod 407 cooperating with a thread 408 made in a part 409 integral with the mobile cage 405.

The screw 407 comprises, at its end opposite to that cooperating with the part 409, a first frustoconical adjustment gear 410 cooperating with a second frustoconical adjustment gear 411 associated with an adjustment pin 412 integral with the structure 401 and fixed to the latter. by means of two guides 413.

The end 414 of this pin 412 opposite the gear 411 has a square section so that it can be handled by a key.

The second longitudinal folding device 140, and in particular the driving cylinder 143, the cone 141 and the folding rollers 142, are mounted in a structure 402. The same is true for the transit roll 139. It will be observed that the rollers of backpressure 403 are associated with the driving roller 143 to drive the width 102.

Downstream of this second folding device 140, the width 102; which appears, as explained below, in a set 150 of four superimposed bands, is then admitted into a folder generally referenced as 200 in FIG. 2, this folder being a machine intended to form a periodic succession of transverse folds on the set of bands 150.

The folder 200 will now be described in support of Figures 4 to 16.

In these figures, only the essential elements necessary for understanding the invention and the illustrated embodiment have been shown, for the purpose of simplification, and to allow easy reading of the drawings. The other elements of the used plaice, not shown in these figures, are only construction details which, being widely used in the Art of Mechanics, are, therefore, within the reach of those skilled in the art, and n 'therefore do not need to be represented and explained in detail in the present application.

The set of bands 150 is first admitted into a fold marking device 151 comprising two pairs of traction rollers 152; 153 between which passes the set of bands 150, this set of bands then being admitted between two rollers, a first of these being called the fold marking cylinder and referenced 154, and a back pressure cylinder 155.

In general, the fold marking device 151 is suitable for making, according to a predetermined period, transverse imprints in the set of bands 150, called "fold marking".

In the embodiment shown and according to another characteristic of the invention, the fold marking cylinder comprises at least one cutting blade, also called "fold marking", extending along a generatrix of the cylinder, the cutting blade being adapted to make an imprint or "fold marking" in the set of bands 150.

The fold marking cylinder 154 here comprises four fold marking blades 156 extending along four generatrices of the cylinder 154 and regularly spaced on the periphery of the directrix of this cylinder. Each blade 156 has several recesses 156a, FIG. 6. Thus, in this embodiment, when a blade 156 attacks the set of strips 150 to leave an imprint thereon, only incisions are made on this strip so that it this is not cut by the blade. Here the blades 156 have four recesses 156a (Figure 6) and therefore make five incisions per imprint in the set of bands 150.

The set of bands 150 is then admitted between a pair of upper drive rollers 160 and a pair of lower drive rollers 161, the latter further driving; a first endless belt 162. Belt 162 extends between rollers 161, which are driving, Fig. 11, and a pair of secondary rollers 915.

As the casters 161 and 915 are only shown in elevation, only a castor 161 and a castor 915 are visible in the drawings.

The machine comprises a rotary folding plane 165 also called a "rotary folding pallet", visible in cross section in FIGS. 4 and 5. This pallet comprises, here, a blade 164, a longitudinal edge of which is secured to an axis of rotation 163. (Figure 6) and the other edge 166, is substantially curved upward (Figure 5). The longitudinal edge 166 is in fact, with respect to the axis 163, the radial end of the pallet 165. This radial end 166 thus describes a cylinder of revolution centered on the axis 163, which intersects with the assembly. of bands 150 downstream of the guide rollers 160.

In the embodiment shown, the rotating folding plane 165 is in the form of a pallet comprising a single blade 164. Other embodiments are possible: several blades arranged in the same plane and integral with the axis 163. ; structure of rods welded to the axis and forming a plane etc ...

The folder 200 generally comprises, according to another characteristic of the invention, a stop means adapted to block, momentarily in translation, at least a portion of the set of bands 150.

According to another characteristic implemented in the preferred embodiment shown, said stop means consists of a rotary stop 170 comprising at least one blade extending transversely to the direction of travel of the paper. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the rotary stop 170 comprises three blades 171, extending along the axis 170a of the rotary stop (FIG. 6), that is to say parallel to all of the rollers of the folder arranged upstream of this rotary stop; these blades 171 being spaced by sectors of -1200 each so that in cross section the stopper 170 has a regular star-shaped section with three branches.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the folding machine comprises a folding caterpillar 175 comprising a plurality of equidistant rods 176 which are called, for convenience, "transfer".

In the embodiment shown in the figures, the track 175 consists of two chains, shown diagrammatically in broken lines in Figures 3 and 4, and referenced 177, between which are mounted the transfer rods 176. -All of these arrangements will be described in more detail in support of Figure 5.

Note, however, that the track extends downstream of the rollers of the fold marking device and of the guide rollers 160 over a distance which is approximately 1 meter; in the embodiment chosen and shown in the figures.

It will be noted that the rotary pallet 165 and the caterpillar 175 constitute an embodiment of what is called, within the meaning of the invention, "folding means".

According to another characteristic of the invention, the folder comprises at least one conveyor belt arranged below the folding caterpillar 175. In the embodiment shown (see FIG. 11 in particular), in addition to the first conveyor belt 162, four other belts conveyors 178, 179a, 179b, 179c, extend below the assembly of the folding caterpillar 175.

In this embodiment, the belt 178 is substantially inclined along the mean plane of the lower left part of the folder, while the belts 179a, 179b, 179c, are horizontal. The set of three mats 179a, 179b, and 179c is generally referenced as 179 in Figures 4 and 11.

The structure of conveyor belts 162, 178 and 179 will be explained in support of FIG. 11Aa which schematically illustrates this structure at the level of belts 178, 179a, 179b.

Each belt comprises on the one hand, a pair of belts referenced as 910, 910 '(belt 178) 911, 911' (belt 179a) and 912, 912 '(belt 179b). The belts are stretched between drive pins. In the figure only the axes relating to the belts 179a are represented and referenced as 913, 914. It will be noted that the axis 913 is common to the belts 178, 179a while the axis 914 is common to the belts 179a, 179b. In practice, the belts are mounted on secondary drive rollers 915 mounted integral in rotation on the various drive shafts (Figures 11 and 11A).

Thus, all of the belts of the belts 162, 178 and 179 are found to be in direct or indirect engagement with the driving drive rollers 161 and driven by them.

It will be noted that with each belt is associated a support comprising in particular a steel sheet (references 920, 921, in FIG. 11A, thus making it possible to stiffen and fix the transport plane.

We will now describe the various drive and synchronization devices and mechanisms making it possible to drive the various motor members of the machine shown in the figures.

As previously, only the essential elements necessary for understanding the mode of drive and synchronization chosen have been shown in the figures, sometimes schematically, for the purpose of simplification and to allow easy reading of the drawings. The Applicant wishes to emphasize again that the elements not shown or described in support of figures are in fact only construction details which, being widely used in the Art of Mechanics2, form part of the general knowledge of man. of the trade and need not be described in detail here. This is the case, for example, with various coupling systems between motor and drive shafts and between drive shafts and driving rollers.

The drive of the engine parts of the machine is provided by means of an electric motor 500 coupled with a main shaft 501 shown diagrammatically in phantom in Figure 2. In the embodiment shown, the motor 500 drives, by the 'intermediary of appropriate branches, shown schematically at 501, 502, 503 and 504, the printing cylinders 116 and backpressure 121 of the front printing device 106, the intake roller 135 of the first longitudinal folding device 133 and the roller inlet 143 of the second longitudinal folding device 140.

According to one characteristic of the invention, the main shaft 501 also drives two so-called “phasing” devices or mechanisms, namely: a first two-sided phasing device 510, via the bypass 502 , and a second device 520 for phasing the fold markings, via the bypass 501.

The phasing devices 510, 520 are in this embodiment and according to another characteristic of the invention, differentials having, in normal working phase, a constant ratio of the speeds of rotation of the input and output shafts. and making it possible to vary this ratio, in an adjustment phase, momentarily.

In Figures 9 and 10, one of the differentials, namely that constituting the second phasing device, has been shown.

It will be noted that in the embodiment chosen and shown, the two differentials 510, 520 are differentials marketed by the company CATEP, model BHDT-315.

Each differential is mounted in a fixed housing 530. I1 has an input shaft 531 and an output shaft 532. The input shaft 531 engages an input frustoconical pinion 533 which engages an intermediate pinion 534 mounted on. a shaft 535 itself mounted on a wall of a movable intermediate parallelpipedic cage 536. The intermediate pinion 534 attacks a frustoconical output pinion 537 secured to the output shaft 532. The intermediate cage 536 is secured to a toothed wheel 538 mounted coaxially with the output shaft 532 but not integral with the latter. The toothed wheel 538 is driven by a worm 539 mounted on a shaft 540 controlled in rotation by a flywheel 180 which can be operated by hand.

When the steering wheel 180 is not actuated during normal operation; the toothed wheel 538 remains fixed and, consequently, the intermediate cage 536 as well. The three frustoconical pinions 533, 534, 537, being in this embodiment identical, the ratio of the speeds of rotation of the input shaft 531 and of the output shaft 532 is equal to one.

As soon as the flywheel 180 is actuated in one direction or another, the speed of rotation of the output shaft 532 is varied, in a well-known manner. We are then in an adjustment phase.

Those skilled in the art are well aware of differentials of this type which therefore do not need to be described in more detail here. Note however that in the adjustment phase, by actuating the handwheel 180 and, therefore, by momentarily accelerating or decelerating the speed of rotation of the output shaft 532, the instantaneous angular position or phase is advanced or delayed. instantaneous of the output shaft compared to that of the input shaft: if the action on the steering wheel 180 is stopped, the speed ratio of the input and output shaft becomes equal to one again, but there is then, compared to the state prior to the action on the flywheel, a phase difference between said input and output shafts.

The input shaft of the first differential 510 is connected to the main shaft 501 while the output shaft of the differential 510 is connected to a drive shaft 505 of the printing rollers 116 'and back pressure 121' of the. , back printing device 106 '.

The input shaft of the second differential 520 is connected to the main shaft 501, while the output shaft of this differential is connected to an angle transmission 521. The output shaft 522 of this transmission angle, Figures 4, 6 and 9, engaging a drive mechanism of the fold marking cylinder 154 of the fold marking device 151.

The drive mechanism 541 of the fold marking cylinder 154 will now be described in support of FIGS. 6 to 8.

The output shaft 522 of the bevel gear 521 is connected, by means of a coupling 523, to an intermediate shaft 540, FIG. 6, which engages the drive mechanism 541 of the pleat marking cylinder 154. For this purpose Indeed, the intermediate shaft 540 is integral, at its end opposite the connector 523, with a so-called fixed toothed wheel 542 engaging a second so-called mobile toothed wheel 543. It will be observed, in FIG. 7, that the axis 549 of the toothed wheel 543 is mounted on a yoke 544, also visible in Figures 6 and 8.

According to one characteristic of the invention, a crew 182, of fixed structure constituted here by the fixed toothed wheel 542 and the movable toothed wheel 543, is mounted in an oscillating manner around the axis of the fixed toothed wheel.

Here the yoke 544 for supporting the axis 549 of the movable toothed wheel is mounted in an oscillating manner around the axis of the fixed toothed wheel 542, namely the intermediate shaft 540.

The movable toothed wheel 543 meshes with a so-called "adaptation" toothed wheel 545, integral in rotation with the cylinder 154 by means of a shaft 546. This shaft 546 is a fixed shaft called "adaptation" in the mechanism 541. In other embodiments not shown, the mounting shaft of the wheel 545 may be chosen as desired, provided that it engages, at least indirectly, with the axial shaft of the cylinder 154.

The fold marking cylinder 154 is driven by the shaft 540 via the toothed wheels 542, 543 and 545.

According to another characteristic of the invention, while the equipment 182 of fixed structure is mounted in an oscillating manner around the axis of the fixed toothed wheel 542, the adaptation toothed wheel 545 is capable of being able to be changed. As the diameter of this adaptation wheel varies, the number of teeth increases or decreases, which causes a variation in the ratio of the rotational speeds between the shafts 540 and 546.

In FIG. 7, there is shown in phantom lines, under the reference 182a, another position of the crew, the position of the toothed wheel 543 being referenced at 543a and that of the yoke at 544a.

The arrangement thus represented makes it possible to mount on the shaft 546 a toothed wheel 545b of larger diameter, so that for a determined rotation of the shaft 540, the rotational speed of the shaft 546 has decreased with respect to that. generated by toothed wheel 545.

In support of FIG. 6, a description will now be given of the drive and synchronization mechanism of the folding machine 200.

The roller 154 is integral, via its axis 546, with a toothed wheel 547 engaging with a toothed wheel 548 mounted on an input shaft of an angle gear 549 of identical structure to the gearbox. 'angle 521. The output shaft of this angle transmission is connected, via a coupling 550, to the input shaft 551 of a third differential 552 of structure identical to the differentials 510, 520 previously described. This differential is also called the folding marking phasing device.

The output shaft 553 of the differential 552 is connected, via a universal joint 554, to a drive shaft 555 of the folder. The cardan 554 is a so-called "long" cardan, the shaft 555 can slide therein while being integral in rotation with this cardan.

The set of the following elements: toothed wheels 547, 548, bevel gear 549 and coupling 550 in fact constitute an intermediate drive mechanism between the drive mechanism 541 of the fold marking cylinder 154 and the differential 552. This The intermediate drive mechanism is shown schematically in FIG. 4 by the sixth line referenced at 560 which connects the symbolic representations of the mechanism 541 and of the differential 552. In this figure, the drive shaft 555 of the folder is also referenced at 555 and is connected to a mechanism or force circuit shown schematically at 561, adapted to drive noted the toothed wheels 562, 563 meshed with the chains 177 of the folding machine 200.

The drive mechanism 561 is not shown in detail in the figures, and in particular in Figure 6, and is of quite conventional constitution (belts, pulleys, etc.) and therefore does not need be described in more detail in this application.

The chains 177 of the caterpillar 175 also mesh with a toothed shaft 930 for driving the rotary stop 170, FIG. 6.

The toothed shaft 930, which comprises a bevel pinion 580, is integral in rotation with a shaft 581 having at each of its ends a bevel pinion 582, 583. The first of these two pinions 582 cooperates with the pinion 580 of the tree 930.

This pinion 582 is mounted integral in rotation with the shaft 581 and slidably on this shaft. Pinion 583 is mounted on shaft 581, at the opposite end of where pinion 582 slides.

The second pinion 583 is engaged with a pinion 584 mounted integral with the axis 163 of the rotary vane 164, thereby causing the latter to rotate.

The toothed shaft 930 has, at one of its ends, a pulley 931 on which is mounted a belt 932, shown diagrammatically in broken lines, in FIG. 6. This belt attacks a pulley 933 mounted on the axis 170e of the rotary stopper 170. It is thus observed that, via the toothed shaft 930. There is synchronism between the rotation of the rotary stopper 170 and that of the rotary vane 164.

It will also be noted that these two elements are therefore synchronized to the movement of the chains 177.

It will be observed on examination of FIGS. 6 and 11 that the whole of the caterpillar 175 is mounted on a frame comprising essentially two support axes 940. In this embodiment, the latter are co-axis with the drive axes of the secondary drive rollers 915 of the belts 179b. Each support shaft 940 having at each of its two ends a roller 941 mounted for rotation.

It will be noted that the whole of the caterpillar 175 is mounted on the support pins 940 by means of four batiks, shown diagrammatically at 943 in FIG. 11.

The entire track 175 rests, via the rollers 941, on two flat support rails 942.

The whole of this assembly makes the track 175 and the driving elements of this track, movable in translation on the rails 942.

The position of the track 175 on the rails 942 is adjusted by means of a positioning device 945, FIGS. 6 and 11. This device comprises, in this embodiment, an adjustment pin 946 having at one of its ends , a crank 947 and at the other a bevel gear 948; pinion 948 engages pinion 947 of a threaded positioning pin 949; the latter cooperates with a positioning part 950 having a threaded bore, this positioning part 950 being secured, in the illustrated embodiment, to one of the axes 940, is that arranged on the right part of FIGS. 6 and 11 .

Thus, by actuating the crank 947, the user can move the entire track 175 forward or backward in the direction of the arrows 951, FIG. 11.

We have seen above that to allow this movement, the bevel gear 582, integral with the caterpillar 175, is slidably mounted on the axis 581, integral with the fixed part of the machine, while the drive shaft 555 , integral with the caterpillar 175, can also slide in the long cardan shaft 554, integral with the fixed part of the machine.

The distance between the rotary pallet 164 integral with the fixed part of the machine and the caterpillar 175 is therefore adjusted.

It will be observed, in FIG. 6, that the pair of traction rollers 153 is driven by means of the intermediate shaft 540 and of a gear assembly referenced at 580.

The set of belts 162, 178, 179a, 179b is driven as previously described by means of a speed variator 590 of the trapezoidal belt type, and 179c whose input shaft 591 is made integral in rotation, by suitable means, and not shown in the figures, of the intermediate shaft 540. This input shaft 591 is also shown in Figure 4. The output shaft 592 of this variable speed drive, Figures 4 and 6, drives meanwhile, by means of a belt 193, the driving drive rollers 161 of the belt 162. The assembly makes it possible to adjust the linear speed of the belts 162, 178, 179e, 179b and 179c to that, peripheral , of the folding caterpillar 175.

It is recalled here that the rollers 161 also have the function of pulling the paper downstream of the fold marking cylinder 154 in cooperation with the upper rollers 160. The latter, which are mounted on an axis 160a are driven in rotation, to the same speed as the rollers 161, and in the opposite direction by means not shown in the figures.

According to another characteristic of the invention and; in the embodiment shown, a device for separating the assembly of transverse folds is associated with the folder 200, referenced at 190 in FIGS. 4 and 6. This mechanism will now be described in support of FIGS. 12 and 13.

The volume separation device 191 essentially comprises four blade holders 701 mounted on a shaft 702.

The shaft 702 is itself mounted in a protective casing 703. At a first of its ends, the shaft 702 comprises a drive pulley 705, adapted to cooperate with a belt shown diagrammatically in FIG. 12 under the reference 706, itself driven in rotation by a driving pulley 707. The pulley. 707 is driven by the drive mechanism 561, Figures 4, 6 and 12, for driving the chains 177 of the folder 200. This drive mechanism 561 is not shown in Figure 12 but is adapted to drive the pulley in rotation. 707.

The shape of each blade holder 701 is symmetrical with respect to the axis 702. The blade holder 701 is suitable for carrying; at each of their radial ends, a proper cutting blade 710 which will now be described in support of FIG. 14.

Each cutting blade 710 is in the form of a "truncated parallelepiped" having a horizontal support face 711 and three cutting faces: two vertical cutting faces 712 and 712 'and an oblique cutting face 713. The horizontal face 711 has, in its center, a fixing hole 714.

The cutting blades 710 are mounted on the faces of the blade holders 701 arranged in a diametral plane of these blade holders, at the ends of the latter. Each blade holder 701 being symmetrical with respect to the shaft 702, the support faces 706 have an opposite orientation. The cutting blades 710 are fixed by screwing on the support 705 (dot-and-dash lines 707, 707 ').

For cooperation with the cutting blades 710, the device for separating sets of transverse folds comprises four elements 715 called, in the remainder of the description, "counter-blades".

Each counter-blade 715 is in the form of a metal part whose plan shape is that of a U, the two branches 716, 716 'of the
U comprising a so-called tangential section 717 and a so-called support section 718. The support section 718 forms an obtuse angle with the tangential section 717. The counter-blades thus have a notch 730.

The backing blades 715 are carried on a so-called backing support plate, referenced at 720 in the figures. The counterblade support plate 720 is mounted on an axis 721, the two ends 722 of which are embedded in bearings 723 mounted on the end walls 724 of the housing 703. The counterblade holder 720 can thus pivot in a vertical plane. . The counter-blade holder 720 has, in its center, a retaining yoke 722 on which is mounted a pin 723 itself connected to a rod 724 of an electromagnet or electromagnetic jack 725. This electromagnetic jack 725 is mounted on one side upper 726 of the housing 703.

The electromagnetic actuator 725 is connected through conductors 727 to a source of electrical energy. The electromagnetic cylinder 725 has the following characteristics: as soon as it is under tension, the rod 724 retracts upwards, in a position similar to that illustrated in FIG. 12. In the absence of tension, the rod 724 comes in. low position, thereby causing the counterblade support 720 in a position such that the counterblades 715 are outside the field of the blades 710, a field shown schematically by the circle 728 in phantom in FIG. 12.

In Figure 16 there is shown the counter-blade holder 720 in the high position, also called the working position (Figure 16A) and in the low position, on the right part of this figure, called the rest position and referenced (Figure 16B). It is observed that the notch 730 of the counter-blades 715 is such that, in the high position of the counter-blade holder, the blades 710 pass through the plane of the tangential sections 717 of the counter-blades 715, while in the low position, known as the position of rest, the cutting blades 710 do not cross the plane of said tangential sections 717.

It will be noted for this purpose that the depth of the notch 730 of each counter-blade 715, and the angle made by the counter-blade holder 720 with the horizontal, are such that in the working position of the blade-holder 720 , the counterblades 715, and in particular the base 731 of the U formed by these counterblades, do not interfere with the rotating cutting blades 710.

The housing 703 is integral with a support element 735 mounted on the upper face 726. The support element 735 is itself mounted at the lower end 737 of a threaded retaining rod 736 cooperating with a thread 738 of an element 739 mounted on a fixed member, not shown, of the folding machine 200. The second end 740 of the rod 736 is provided with a flywheel 741.

We will now describe the operation of the machine and the elements shown in Figures 2 to 16. The motor 500 drives all the engine parts of the machine via, in particular the shafts 501, 505 and the differentials 510, 520 and 552.

Thus, the bypass 502 makes it possible to drive the printing 116 and backpressure 121 rollers of the front printing device 106 in rotation. The movement of the belt 115 is thereby generated.

The width 102 of paper coming from the unwinder 101 is first of all aligned in the longitudinal axis of symmetry of the belt 115 by means of the alignment roller 111. The photos arranged on the milar belt 115 are inked, in a conventional manner, by means of of the inking group 120. The width 102 is admitted between the belt 115 and the printing roller 121 and therefore the pages of the cliché located at a given moment in line with the printing cylinder 121 are printed on the front 107 of the width 102 by the pressure exerted jointly by the rollers 120, 121.

The paper width 102 is then realigned by means of the aligner 114 so that an identical process occurs at the level of the reverse printing device 1bu ', the reverse side 108 of the width 102 then being printed. Series of four pages are therefore printed on the width 102 on the front and back of the latter, in a transverse and longitudinal order and in the direction in which they are arranged on the belts 115, 115 '.

It will be noted that the printing roller 116 ′ and back pressure 121 of the reverse device 106 ′ are driven by the shaft 505 connected to the output shaft of the differential 510.

The device 510 here acts as a two-sided phasing device. Indeed, as explained above, by acting on the flywheel of the differential 510, a phase difference is generated between the input and output shafts. In fact, it is a phase difference between the motor members (printing roller and backpressure) of the two printing devices 106, 106 'which is thus generated.

It is therefore convenient and precise to adjust the correspondence of the front printing and the back printing, so that for all the printed sheets, the front corresponds very precisely to the back, without any offset.

After a transit through the transfer rollers 125 - 131, at the level of the aligner 132, the width 102 is realigned to engage the longitudinal folding device 133 so that the tip 138 of the cone 134 generates a first fold 301 along of the axis symmetry of the width. The second folding cone 141 makes it possible to make a second fold 304 in the middle of the remaining width of paper between the fold 301 and the longitudinal edges 302, 303 of the superimposed width. 'downstream of the folding rollers 142 of the second folding device 140, there are four perfectly superimposed bands forming the set of bands 150, the process which has just been described being moreover essentially identical to that which was described above, in general, in support of Figure 1, before execution of the transverse folds.

It will be observed that thanks to the device for adjusting the position of the first longitudinal folding device 133, FIG. 3, the width can be aligned very precisely on the second cone 141 to generate a second fold in the middle of the width of the paper remaining between the first fold. 301 and the longitudinal edges 302, 303 superimposed.

This adjustment can be done very simply by turning the axis 412 as illustrated by the arrow 414a, figure 3. As a result, thanks to the combined action of the gears 410, 411, of the threaded rod 407 and of the tapping 408 , the movable cage 405 is positioned in height, so that the position of the width at the exit of the first cone corresponds to the desired position of the latter at the entry of the second cone.

The operation of the folding machine 200 will now be described in support of FIGS. 4 to 21.

The function of this folder here is to produce a succession of transverse folds in the set of bands 150 coming from the second folding cone, these transverse folds having to be positioned very precisely to separate the pages between them and so that a set of folds transverse corresponds to a volume that it will suffice, for example, to cardboard and trim. This phase of the process is described above in general, with the aid of FIG. 1.

In the particular example shown in the figures, the set of bands 150, which is admitted into the fold marking device 151 of the folder 200, first passes between the traditional rollers 152, 153 of this folder before insert between the ply marking 154 and back pressure 155 rollers.

It has been explained above that the fold marking cylinder 154, the traction rollers 152, 153 and in general all of the drive members of the folder 200, are coupled to the main drive motor 500 The main drive shaft 501 is connected to the second differential 520 acting as a phasing device for the fold markings. The rollers 152, 153 are indirectly engaged with the output shaft of the differential 520 by means of the angle transmission 521 and the gears 580, integral in rotation with the shaft 540. The ply marking cylinder driven by the mechanism 180 itself driven by the intermediate shaft 540.

It is observed that the traction rollers 152, 153 and the fold marking cylinder 154 have a speed of rotation imposed directly by the output shaft of the second differential 520. The ratio of the speeds of rotation of the input shafts and the output of this differential being equal to un1 in normal operation, the speed of rotation of the members 152, 153, 154 is directly imposed by the motor 500.

The technical problem to be solved at this level is to adjust as simply as possible the speed of rotation of the fold marking cylinder and the phase of this cylinder, relative to the entire machine, so that the blades 156 come make an imprint called "fold marking" in the space left free between the pages. In addition, it is desired to position the fold markings in these spaces according to a very precise position making it possible to determine the margins between the text and the edge of the page considered or between the text and the binding side of the page.

According to the invention, these technical problems are solved on the one hand, by the drive mechanism 541 of the fold marking cylinder and, on the other hand, by the second differential 520 acting as a device for phasing the markings. of folds.

Indeed, the characteristic of the invention described above, according to which the equipment 182 mounted in an oscillating manner around the axis 540, FIG. 7, makes it possible to mount different types of adaptation toothed wheels 545. Thus in FIG. 7 in solid lines, the crew 182 is shown in a position such that an adaptation wheel of relatively small diameter is mounted on the shaft 546 of the fold marking cylinder 154. The latter is thus driven at a rotational speed relatively high. In phantom lines, the adaptation toothed wheel, referenced at 545b, has a substantially larger diameter. Under these conditions, it suffices to tilt the crew 182 to the left, position 182a. This results in a speed of rotation of the toothed wheel of frequency 545b appreciably slower than previously, which concomitantly decreases the peripheral speed of the cylinder. of fold marking 154.

In the first case, adaptation gear 545, the ply markings on the band assembly 150 will be relatively close together while in the second case, adaptation gear 545b, these ply markings will be relatively further apart. In the first case, it is a question of making a book of a relatively small format while in the second case, it is on the contrary a book of a significantly larger format.

The positioning of the fold marking in the space left free between two pages printed on the tape assembly 150 is solved by actuating the handwheel 180 of the second differential 520: as explained above, by actuating this handwheel in one direction or in one direction. other one decreases or increases momentarily the speed of rotation of the output shaft of the second differential 520 relative to that of the input shaft. The phase of the output shaft can thus be shifted at will relative to that of the input shaft, which has the direct effect of shifting the positioning of the ply marking on the set of bands 150. As soon as the correct positioning is found, all action on the flywheel 180 is stopped. The rotational speed of the fold marking cylinder 154 is then directly imposed by the engine 500.

It is thus possible to adjust very precisely and conveniently (simple change of a toothed wheel, momentary action on a flywheel) the positioning of the ply marking on the set of bands 150.

As explained above, each ply marking is constituted by a set of five incisions made by a cutting blade 156 which in this example has four docrochements. This arrangement has at least three advantages
- There is no sectioning of the set of bands 150 which therefore remains integral with one another downstream of the fold marking cylinder 154,
- the incisions made in the set of bands 150 are such that the future folds which will be explained later are well marked,
- The bands integral with one another remain so by portions of paper arranged in well-determined places, which will allow, as explained below in support of Figure 22, a particularly easy separation of the volumes printed after the from each other.

In Figures 5, 17 to 21, the fold markings have been alternately referenced as 350, 351.

I1 was explained above that both the rotary stop 170 and the rotary vane 165 are driven in rotation indirectly by the chains 177 of the caterpillar 175. The speed of rotation of these elements is therefore generally fixed. by the drive mechanism of the folder and, in particular, by the mechanism shown schematically at 561 in the figures. Therefore the curved radial end 166 of the rotary vane 165, which describes a cylinder of revolution, comes into contact with the band assembly 150 every two fold markings on some of them, the fold markings 351 , Figure 4, in any case in the immediate vicinity thereof to preform plies, the latter being called, "lower transverse plies" and referenced in Figures 5, 17 to 21, at 351 '.

FIG. 17 illustrates the phenomenon which occurs just after the rotary vane 165 comes into contact and more precisely of its curved radial end 166 with the set of bands 150. It can be seen that the coming of this end 166 with a lower transverse plia marking 351 begins to preform this ply, the portion 353 of the strip assembly 150 disposed upstream of the ply marking 351 in contact with the end 166 of the rotating pallet, curving as the portion strips 354 disposed downstream of said ply marking 351 remaining, for its part, right.

On the rotary stop 170 periodically abuts the set of bands 150 in operation at the level of an already preformed transverse fold, this fold being arranged between a lower transverse fold 351 'and a transverse fold marking 351, and then being called, for convenience, "upper transverse fold" and referenced 3501 in Figures 5, 17 to 21, the corresponding fold marking on the set of bands 150 being referenced 350. The rotational movement of the rotary stop is, as explained further high, synchronized with that of the rotating pallet 165 so that the joint movement of these two elements and more particularly of a blade 171 of the stop 170 and of the end 166 of the rotating pallet 165 impresses the portion of strips 354 between said upper transverse preformed fold 350 ', in contact with the stopper 170, and said lower transverse fold marking 351 in the vicinity of the end 166 of the rotating pallet 165, a momentary rotational movement é, the axis of which is said preformed upper transverse fold 350 'in contact with this rotary stop 170. This rotational movement has the effect of partly forming the following lower transverse fold 351' which is located in the vicinity of the curved radial end 166 of the rotating pallet 165, and forming said upper preformed fold 351 '.

In Figure 18, the rotation of the stopper 170 drives the portion 354 out of contact with the end 166 of the pallet 165 but, in this embodiment, the first conveyor belt 162 comes into contact with the lower transverse ply marking 351 previously. in contact with this end 166 of the pallet 165, drives the latter so that the momentary rotational movement mentioned above continues.

It can be seen, in FIGS. 18 and 19, that a transfer rod 176 then comes into contact with this portion 354 of the set of bands 150, the movement of the folding caterpillar and, consequently of the transfer rods being synchronized as mentioned above with those of the rotating pallet 165 and the rotating stopper 170, so that this rod 176 facilitates said momentary rotational movement of the portion of the set of bands. This has the effect of almost completing the formation of said upper transverse fold 350 'in contact with the rotary stop 170, FIGS. 18 and 19, of continuing the formation of the next lower transverse fold 351 being in contact with said first conveyor belt 162 and of preform the next upper transverse fold 350 ', figure 8.

The conveyor belts 178, 179 arranged downstream of the belt 162 and the transfer rods 176 then have the function of transferring the succession of transverse folds to the exit zone 360 of the folder 200, FIG. 4. These conveyor belts are driven. by the output shaft 592 of the variable speed drive 590 which makes it possible to adjust the peripheral speed of. carpet 162, 178 and 179 so that it matches that of the caterpillar.

It will be observed, FIG. 4, that the transfer rods remain almost in contact with the lower transverse folds 351 ′ and support the latter on the conveyor belts 178, 179. There is thus cooperation of the caterpillar 175 with the belts 178, 179 having for effect of facilitating said transfer, to the exit zone 360 of the folder 200.

It will be noted that the caterpillar 175 and the rotary pallet 165 constitute folding means.

In general, according to the invention, these folding means or their equivalents are intended to act on the portion of the set of strips between the stop 170 and the fold marking device 151 to preform and then form the folds. .

The assembly of the drive members of the folding machine 200 is coupled, via the force circuit 561 to the output shaft of the third differential 552. The input shaft of this differential is coupled, by the intermediate of the return 549 and the toothed wheels 547 and 548 to the fold marking cylinder 154.

When the differential flywheel 552 is not actuated, the ratio of the rotational speeds between input shaft and output shaft remains constant and equal to one. The speed of rotation of the drive members of the folding machine 200 is therefore directly imposed by the motor 500.

The third differential 552. makes it possible to adjust the phase of the rods 176 of the rotary pallet 165 and of the rotary stopper 170 with respect to the ply marking cylinder 154.

Indeed, in this embodiment, the members 177, 170 and 165 being synchronized, the problem to be solved is that when an upper transverse fold 350 'comes into contact with the rotary stop 170, the latter, the pallet 165 and the rod 176 then located in the vicinity of the stop 170, are in a position such that the operations illustrated in FIGS. 17 to 21 can occur.

In other words, it is necessary to adjust the phase of the members 177, 170 and 165 with respect to the fold markings 350, 351 upstream of the track 175.

This is the function of the third differential 552. In fact, when the steering wheel of this differential is actuated, the aforementioned components take a momentary advance or delay so that the phase of these components can be adjusted.

As mentioned above, the shaft 702 of the volume separator 190, which carries the cutting blades 710, is driven in constant rotation.

It will also be noted that the conductors 727 of the magnetic actuator 725 are connected to an electronic device 192 which is itself connected to a source of electrical energy (not shown).

The device 192 comprises a cell 192a capable of being excited by a den 194 (materialized here by reflective adhesive paper) placed on one of the two Mylar mats, here the mat 115 of the front printing device 106, FIG. 4 When the den 194 appears opposite the cell 192a, the latter is energized and generates an electrical signal for the electronic device 192 so that the magnetic jack 725 retracts. The rod 724 thereby brings the blade holder 720 into the working position, FIG. 16A.

In the rest position of the door against the blade 720, FIG. 16B, the cutting blades 710, driven in rotation by the blade holder 701, do not interfere with the plane of the tangential sections 717 of the counter blades 715: said tangential sections are located at the outside of the circle 728 shown in phantom in FIG. 12. The upper transverse folds 350 ′ driven by the rods 176 and the belt 179, abut the tangential sections 717 and support sections 718 of the counter blades 715. The fold transverse considered is therefore significantly flexed.

As the plane of the tangential sections lies outside the cylinder of revolution of the cutting blades, no cut is made.

As soon as the cell 192a is energized and consequently the electromagnetic actuator 725 powered, the latter will retract the rod bringing the door against the blade 720 into the working position, FIG. 16A.

The upper transverse fold abutting at ee moment on the tangential sections 717 of the backing blades 715 is held against the backing blade 715 by the abutment sections 718 which these backing blades comprise. The upper transverse fold 350 'considered thus remains in abutment on these abutment segments for a sufficiently long time, compared to the travel time of the transfer rods 176, so that the cutting blades 710, which, in the working position door against blade 720, cross the plane formed by the tangential sections, come fsire a U-shaped cut on the transverse fold considered.

Another characteristic of the machine according to the present invention should be noted here. The position of the blade holders 701 on the axis 702 corresponds to the position of the notches 156a on the cutting blades 156 of the fold marking cylinder 154. Thus the cut made by the cutting blades 710 just removes a portion of paper precisely. in places where paper remains between two incisions.

In Figure 22 there has been shown a set of transverse folds 820 after separation, here forming a book.

This figure shows the upper transverse folds 3511 'and the lower transverse folds 351'. The incisions made by the cutting blades 156 have been referenced as 800. In 801 the portions of paper remaining due to the indentations 156a mixed in the blades 156 have been referenced. These portions of paper 801 are referred to as the holding portions. "
In 810 it was referenced a set of four sheets corresponding to the first pages of the book in production, the upper transverse fold 350 'a of this set 810 being that which separated the set of transverse folds 820 illustrated in Figure 22 from a another set of transverse folds.

It is noted that sections 821 having a shape corresponding to that of the blade 710, are arranged at the location of the holding portions 801.

It is therefore understood that by creating, by the collaboration of the means 715, 720, 725 conditions according to which the fold 350'a comes into the field of the cutting blades, the latter operate the cuts 821 on the holding portions 801 so that the volumes are separated from each other.

In the embodiment chosen and shown in the figures, the blades 156 are interchangeable on the cylinders 154 with other blades having a higher or lower number of notches 156, so that different page formats can be considered. The position of the cutting blade holders 701 on the axis 702 of the device for separating the assembly of transverse folds is adjusted, to correspond to the notches 156, the adjustment means not having been illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13 to do so. simplify understanding.

In addition, by means of the handwheel 741 of the holding rod 736, it is possible to adjust the height of the cross-fold set separator 190 according to the format of the pages of the book being manufactured, in fact and in accordance with the the distance between two consecutive upper and lower fold markings.

This adjustment makes it possible to present the ad hoc fold in the correct position in the counter blades 715.

Downstream of the exit zone 360 of the folding machine 200, the volumes thus made up are taken in charge by a conveyor 198, FIG. 4.

It will be observed that at the outlet of the machine, there is a set of sheets which are entirely integral with each other thanks to the various longitudinal and transverse folds, so that the volumes 820 can be handled without particular precaution either mechanically or by hand.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments chosen and shown in the figures but encompasses any variant embodiment and / or execution.

Claims (22)

1. Machine intended to form a periodic succession of transverse folds on a set of one or more strips of identical width superimposed, of material such as paper, characterized in that it comprises - A fold marking device (151), in the set of bands, comprising a cylinder (154) called "fold marking" comprising at least one fold marking blade (156) extending along a generator of the cylinder, the ply marking blade being adapted to attack the set of bands to leave imprints therein at (350, 351), called "ply marking", - a rotary folding plane (165), disposed downstream of the fold marking device (151), a radial end (166) of this plane describing a cylinder of revolution, intersecting with the set of bands (150) , at the output of the fold marking device, the folding plane coming every two fold markings in contact with the set of bands on some (351) of them or in the vicinity thereof to preform folds , the latter then being called, for convenience, "lower transverse folds", - a rotary stopper (170) comprising at least one blade (171) on which periodically abuts, in operation, said set of bands (150), at the level of an already preformed transverse fold, this fold (350 ') being arranged between a lower transverse fold (351 ') and a lower transverse fold marking (350) and then called, for convenience, "upper transverse fold", the rotational movement of the rotary stop being synchronized with that of the rotary folding plane in so that the joint movement of these two elements prints, on the portion (354) of strip between said preformed upper transverse fold (350 ') and the following lower transverse fold marking (351), then called "lower transverse fold in formation ", a momentary rotational movement whose axis is close to that (170a) of the rotary stopper, which has the effect of partly forming said lower transverse fold in formation and said upper preformed fold, - A so-called "folding" caterpillar (175) comprising a plurality of equidistant rods (176), called eransfer, the movement of which is synchronized with those of the rotary plane (165) and of the rotary stop (170), so that after engagement of the set of bands with the rotary stopper, a transfer rod comes into contact with said portion (359) of the set of bands (150) to, on the one hand, facilitate said momentary movement of rotation of this portion of the set of strips, which has the effect of completing the formation of said upper transverse fold (350 ') in contact with the rotary stopper, of continuing the formation of said lower transverse fold in formation (351) and of preforming the fold upper transverse (350) following and, on the other hand, transfer the succession of transverse folds to the output of the machine. 2. Machine intended to form a periodic succession of transverse folds on an assembly, movable in translation, of one or more strips of material such as paper, of identical width, superimposed, characterized in that it comprises - a device (151) for marking folds suitable for making, according to a predetermined period, transverse impressions (350 ;; 341) in said assembly, called "marking of folds", - a stop means (170) arranged downstream of the fold marking device adapted, in particular, to temporarily block in translation, at least a portion of said set of bands (150), - "folding" means (165, 175) intended to act on the portion of the set of strips between the stop means (170) and the fold marking device (151) to form at least some of the folds transverse (351 '). 3. Machine according to claim 2, -characterized in that it further comprises means "transfer'l (175,176) adapted to transfer to the outside of the machine said transverse folds. 4. Machine according to any one of claims 2, 3, characterized in that the fold marking device (151) comprises a cylinder (154) called fold marking comprising at least one fold marking element (156) extending along a generator of the cylinder, the fold marking member being adapted to engage the set of bands (150) to make said fold markings (350, 351) therein. 5. Machine according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that said stop means consist in particular of a rotary stop (170) comprising at least one blade (171) on which periodically abuts in operation said set of bands. (150), the rotational movement of said stopper (170) being synchronized with that of the folding means (165, 175) for printing on said portion (354) of the set of strips, upstream of the stopper (170) , a momentary rotational movement having the effect of partially forming a transverse fold, called "upper" (350 '), on the portion of strips in the immediate vicinity of the rotary stop and a transverse fold, called "lower" (351') ), at the opposite end, of said portion (354) of the band assembly (150), to the rotary stopper (170). 6. Machine according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that said folding means (165) comprises at least one element (166, 176) coming periodically into abutment with said portion (154) of the assembly. bands (150). 7. Machine according to claim 6, characterized in that said folding means comprises a rotary folding plane (165); arranged downstream of the fold marking device (151), a radial end (166) of this plane describing a cylinder of revolution, intersecting with the set of bands (150) at the outlet of the fold marking device, the rotating folding plane (165) coming every two fold markings in contact with the set of strips on some (351) of them, or in the vicinity of these to preform folds, the latter then being called , for convenience, "lower transverse folds". 8. Machine according to claim 7, characterized in that said folding means (165) further comprises a so-called "folding" caterpillar (175) comprising a plurality of equidistant rods (176), called "transfer" whose movement is synchronized with those of the rotary plane (165) and of the rotary stop (170), so that after engagement of the set of bands with the rotary stop (170) a transfer rod comes into contact with said portion (35 ) of the set of bands (150) for, on the one hand; facilitating said momentary rotational movement of this portion of the set of strips, which has the effect of completing the formation of said upper transverse fold (350 ') in contact with the rotary stop; to continue the formation of said lower transverse fold in formation (351) and to preform the next upper transverse fold (350) and, on the other hand, to transfer the succession of transverse folds to the outlet of the machine. 9. Machine according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it comprises at least one conveyor belt (162, 178, 179) disposed below at least a portion of the folding caterpillar (175) to receive the lower transverse folds (351 '), this belt having a speed similar to that of the caterpillar and cooperating with the latter to transfer the succession of transverse folds to the outlet of the machine. 10. Machine according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it comprises guide rollers (160; 161) arranged between the fold marking device (151) and the rotary plane (165). 11. -Machine according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the fold marking blade (156) - is adapted to make an imprint- (350, 351) in the set of bands (150). comprising at least one incision (800). 12. Machine according to claim 11, characterized in that the fold marking blade (156) comprises at least one recess (156a). 13. Machine according to any one of claims 1, 7 to 12, characterized in that the rotary folding plane (165) comprises a pallet comprising at least one blade (164), a longitudinal edge of which is secured to the axis of rotation (163) of said plane and the opposite edge (166) of which describes said cylinder of revolution. 14. Machine according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that it comprises a first conveyor belt (162) arranged directly above the rotary pallet (165) to receive the lower transverse folds which have just been preformed by the pallet and cooperate with the rotary stopper (170) to cause said momentary rotational movement to execute said portion (354) of the set of strips (150) between said preformed upper transverse fold, in contact with the rotary stopper (170), and the lower transverse fold being formed. 15. Machine according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that it comprises a drive mechanism (541) of the fold marking cylinder (154), this drive mechanism comprising on the one hand a toothed wheel (545), called "adaptation", capable of having different diameters, removably mounted on a fixed axis (546) called "adaptation" and, on the other hand, a crew (182) comprising at least a first drive toothed wheel (543), the assembly being mounted in an oscillating manner about a fixed drive axis (540) meshing with said toothed wheel (543), the latter meshing with the toothed wheel d adaptation (545). 16. Machine according to claim 15, characterized in that a second drive wheel (542) is mounted co-axially with said drive shaft (540), this wheel meshing with the first drive toothed wheel. 17. Machine according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that it further comprises a device (190) for separating sets of transverse folds comprising a cutting device adapted to separate sets of transverse folds at the level of a predetermined upper transverse fold. 18. Machine according to claim 17, characterized in that the cutting device (190) is adapted to act in response to a signal from said printing device. 19. Machine according to any one of claims 17, 18, characterized in that the cutting device (190) comprises a set of cutting blades (701) associated with cutting counterblades (715), the cutting counterblades ( 715) providing adapted to momentarily retain a predetermined upper transverse fold (350 ') and bring this fold into the field of the cutting blades (701). 20. Machine according to claim 19, characterized in that said cutting blades (701) are arranged along a support axis (702) so that their position on this axis corresponds to the position of the notches (156a) on said. cutting blades (156) of the fold marking cylinder (154). 21. Machine for making documents, in particular books, characterized in that it comprises a machine intended to form a periodic succession of transverse folds according to any one of claims 1 to 20. 22. Machine according to claim 21, characterized in that it further comprises at least one printing device (106) of at least one face of a width (102) of printing support material, in particular paper, this device allowing the continuous printing of several pages of the document over the width of the width in a transverse and longitudinal order and in a predetermined direction, a device for superimposing bands (133, 140) making it possible to divide the width into several bands having an identical width and superimposing them, the superimposing device comprising had at least two longitudinal folding devices (133, 140) arranged in series, the first device (133) being adapted to perform a first longitudinal fold (301) in the middle of the width (102), so that the two longitudinal edges (302, 303) of the width are superimposed, downstream of this first device, each of the following folding devices being adapted to perform a longitudinal fold (30 4) in the middle of the remaining width of material between the previously made fold (301) and said superimposed longitudinal edges (302, 303) so that the previous fold is superimposed on said longitudinal edges downstream of the relevant folding device (140) .