GB1568092A - Attachments for printing press folders - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN ATTACHMENTS FOR PRINTING PRESS FOLDERS (71) We, LINOTYPE AND MACH INERY LIMITED, a British Company of Norman Road, Altrincham, Cheshire, WA14 4ES do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- The present invention relates to an attachment for the folders of web fed printing presses.

A web fed printing press folder typically folds each web into one of a number of formats selectable by the press operator. Such formats can be broadsheet, in which the web is folded about its longitudinal run, severed to a length substantially that of the circurn- ference. of the plate cylinder (or an equal proportion of it), tabloid, in which a broadsheet is folded in half, centrally about its longest side and a quarter fold in which a tabloid is folded in half, centrally about its longest side.

An object of the present invention is to provide an attachment to the folder of a web printing press to enable that press to produce from its folder a signature which can be trimmed to A4 landscape size, that is 210 mm X 297 mtn.

To obtain this size of signature from a conventional web fed printing press folder would require a ribbon folder attachment to slit the web prior to entering the folder, which is both expensive to fit and provides technical difficulties by virtue of the folder having to handle relatively narrow webs.

According to the present invention there is provided an attachment for the folder of a web fed printing press in which at least one printed web is passed down a former plate to fold the web about itself in the direction of its travel into the folder, the web then being cut at right angles to its direction of travel to produce a broadsheet signature and folded about itself at right angles to its direction of travel to produce a tabloid signature, the attachment including a framework carrying supporting means for cutting means which include a positively driven slitting disc which cooperates with an anvil, the support means for the slitting disc and the cooperating anvil acting as signature gripping rollers as slitting of the signatures is effected.

In the accompanying drawings which show one example of printing press folder attachment according to the present invention; Figure 1 is a side elevation detail of the delivery end of a printing press folder and Figure 2 is a front section elevation of the signature slitting knife, taken on the line I-I, Figure 1.

In the example of web fed printing press folder shown in the drawings, the printed web (or webs) enter the folder by passing down a triangular shaped former plate, which folds the web about its centre in the direction of its travel, whence the web is fed through nip rollers into the folder. The web is pierced by picker pins and pulled round a drum within the folder and is then severed at right angles to its direction of travel and ejected from the drum to be folded about its centre at right angles to its direction of travel. These features of a folder are well known and are not shown in the drawings. The signature thus formed from the webs is deposited on a delivery plate 1 which terminates with a delivery creel 2.

Each signature is propelled along the delivery plate 1 by means of two sets of vertically spaced endless tapes, the upper run of one set, generally designated 3, resting on the delivery plate 1 and the lower run of the other set, generally designated 4, is in adjustable superposition to the delivery plate, the arrangement being such that the signatures are fed spine first, between the two sets of tapes 3, 4, and propelled thereby, supported on the delivery plate, to the delivery creel 2.

Each set of tapes 3 and 4, is carried on pulleys only one 20, being shown, axially spaced on two shafts carried at their ends in bearings in the side frames of the folder, one shaft being located adjacent to the delivery creel and the other adjacent the drum signature ejection mechanism 7.

The shaft 5 adjacent the drum signature ejector mechanism, supports the upper set of tapes 3 and the shaft 6 supports the lower set of tapes 3. The shafts located adjacent the delivery creel are not shown. Although two tapes 3, 4 are shown, conveniently there are provided four laterally spaced tapes in both upper and lower tape sets.

The shaft 5, 6 of each set adjacent the drum signature ejection mechanism is positively driven, through gearing, not shown from the folder drive.

The lateral space between tapes in either set can be adjusted by moving the pulleys axially on their respective shafts.

Each of the folder side frames 9 (only one is shown) is provided with a framework including a hanger 8 (only one is shown) adjustably supporting a cross shaft 10 to which is secured, by clamp stud 16 centrally of the shaft, an arm 11 carrying a stub shaft 12, extending parallel with the cross shaft 10. The stub shaft carries a cutting disc 13, as hereafter described.

The hanger 8 is adjustable within the limits of a slot 14, and is locked in place by means of studs 15.

A sprocket wheel 28 is secured to the pulley 20. A chain 29 passes round the sprocket wheel 28 and engages the teeth of a sprocket wheel 22 secured to supporting means for a slitting disc. The supporting means include a slitting disc drum which is in two parts 26, 27 which sandwich the slitting disc 13. A flanged spacer 31 is rotatably mounted on the stub shaft 12, by bearings 30, and bolts 21 pass through the flanges of the spacer 31, bolting together as a unit the sprocket 22, parts 26, 27 and the slitting disc 13. The parts 26, 27 of the slitting disc drum each have a portion 32, 33 respectively of reduced diameter adjacent the slitting disc.

The shaft 6 adjacent the signature ejection mechanism of the lower set of tapes is adapted to receive an anvil generally designated 23 mounted on the shaft. The anvil consists of a two part drum, 24, 25 preferably of the same diameter as the slitting disc drum and each drum is provided with a central circumferential slot 35, 36 respectively which is deeper than the height of the slitting disc 13 protrudes above its associated drums.

The slot 36 is undercut.

The drums 26, 27 associated with the slitting disc 13 are vertically spaced above the anvil drums 24, 25 a distance sufficient to allow passage of the signatures therebetween, and the slitting disc 13 is located so that its cutting edge is almost touching one side of the slot 26 in the anvil drum 25 to produce a slitting effect on a signature passing between the slitting disc drum and the anvil drum.

In operation, a tabloid size signature from the folder is presented to the delivery plate 1 where it is propelled towards the delivery creel between the sets of tapes 3, 4. As it commences its travel so the signature is fed between the slitting disc drums 26, 27 and the anvil drums 24, 25 and is slit in its direction of travel by the co-operation of the slitting disc 13 and the anvil 36, the two signatures so produced then passing to the delivery creel 2.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. An attachment for the folder of a web fed printing press in which at least one printed web is passed down a former plate to fold the web about itself in the direction of its travel into the folder, the web then being cut at right angles to its direction of travel to produce a broadsheet signature and folded about itself at right angles to its direction of travel to produce a tabloid signature, the attachment including a framework carrying supporting means for cutting means which include a positively driven slitting disc which cooperates with an anvil, the supporting means for the slitting disc and the co-operating anvil acting as signature gripping rollers as slitting of the signatures is effected.

2. An attachment for the folder of a web fed printing press according to claim 1 wherein the slitting disc is carried between two drums each of smaller diameter than that of the slitting disc.

3. An attachment for the folder of a web fed printing press according to claim 1 wherein the anvil includes two drums.

4. An attachment for the folder of a web fed printing press according to claims 1 and 3 wherein one drum of the anvil is provided with a circumferential slot co-operating with the slitting disc to produce a slitting action.

5. An attachment for the folder of a web fed printing press according to claim 1 wherein the supporting means can be adjustably located across the width of the framework.

6. An attachment for the folder of a web fed printing press constructed and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. creel and the other adjacent the drum signature ejection mechanism 7. The shaft 5 adjacent the drum signature ejector mechanism, supports the upper set of tapes 3 and the shaft 6 supports the lower set of tapes 3. The shafts located adjacent the delivery creel are not shown. Although two tapes 3, 4 are shown, conveniently there are provided four laterally spaced tapes in both upper and lower tape sets. The shaft 5, 6 of each set adjacent the drum signature ejection mechanism is positively driven, through gearing, not shown from the folder drive. The lateral space between tapes in either set can be adjusted by moving the pulleys axially on their respective shafts. Each of the folder side frames 9 (only one is shown) is provided with a framework including a hanger 8 (only one is shown) adjustably supporting a cross shaft 10 to which is secured, by clamp stud 16 centrally of the shaft, an arm 11 carrying a stub shaft 12, extending parallel with the cross shaft 10. The stub shaft carries a cutting disc 13, as hereafter described. The hanger 8 is adjustable within the limits of a slot 14, and is locked in place by means of studs 15. A sprocket wheel 28 is secured to the pulley 20. A chain 29 passes round the sprocket wheel 28 and engages the teeth of a sprocket wheel 22 secured to supporting means for a slitting disc. The supporting means include a slitting disc drum which is in two parts 26, 27 which sandwich the slitting disc 13. A flanged spacer 31 is rotatably mounted on the stub shaft 12, by bearings 30, and bolts 21 pass through the flanges of the spacer 31, bolting together as a unit the sprocket 22, parts 26, 27 and the slitting disc 13. The parts 26, 27 of the slitting disc drum each have a portion 32, 33 respectively of reduced diameter adjacent the slitting disc. The shaft 6 adjacent the signature ejection mechanism of the lower set of tapes is adapted to receive an anvil generally designated 23 mounted on the shaft. The anvil consists of a two part drum, 24, 25 preferably of the same diameter as the slitting disc drum and each drum is provided with a central circumferential slot 35, 36 respectively which is deeper than the height of the slitting disc 13 protrudes above its associated drums. The slot 36 is undercut. The drums 26, 27 associated with the slitting disc 13 are vertically spaced above the anvil drums 24, 25 a distance sufficient to allow passage of the signatures therebetween, and the slitting disc 13 is located so that its cutting edge is almost touching one side of the slot 26 in the anvil drum 25 to produce a slitting effect on a signature passing between the slitting disc drum and the anvil drum. In operation, a tabloid size signature from the folder is presented to the delivery plate 1 where it is propelled towards the delivery creel between the sets of tapes 3, 4. As it commences its travel so the signature is fed between the slitting disc drums 26, 27 and the anvil drums 24, 25 and is slit in its direction of travel by the co-operation of the slitting disc 13 and the anvil 36, the two signatures so produced then passing to the delivery creel 2. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. An attachment for the folder of a web fed printing press in which at least one printed web is passed down a former plate to fold the web about itself in the direction of its travel into the folder, the web then being cut at right angles to its direction of travel to produce a broadsheet signature and folded about itself at right angles to its direction of travel to produce a tabloid signature, the attachment including a framework carrying supporting means for cutting means which include a positively driven slitting disc which cooperates with an anvil, the supporting means for the slitting disc and the co-operating anvil acting as signature gripping rollers as slitting of the signatures is effected.

2. An attachment for the folder of a web fed printing press according to claim 1 wherein the slitting disc is carried between two drums each of smaller diameter than that of the slitting disc.

3. An attachment for the folder of a web fed printing press according to claim 1 wherein the anvil includes two drums.

4. An attachment for the folder of a web fed printing press according to claims 1 and 3 wherein one drum of the anvil is provided with a circumferential slot co-operating with the slitting disc to produce a slitting action.

5. An attachment for the folder of a web fed printing press according to claim 1 wherein the supporting means can be adjustably located across the width of the framework.

6. An attachment for the folder of a web fed printing press constructed and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.