US1946142A - Paper handling machine - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 6, 1934. HITCHCQCK 1,946,142

PAPER HANDLING MACHINE Original Filed May 16, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 gwum vbo t REUBEN H11 SHED CK Feb. 6, 1934. R. HITCHCOCK 1,946,142

PAPER HANDLING MACHINE Original Filed May 16, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 MN h Feb. 6, 1934. R. HITCHC OCK 1,946,142

PAPER HANDLING MACHINE Original Filed May 16, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 gvvventoz RE ub En Hz f cficoc/l.

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Feb. 6, 1934. R. l-uTcHcocK 1,946,142

PAPER HANDLING MACHINE Original Filed May 16, 1927 4 SheetsSheet 4 93, jW f/w Patented Feb. 6, 1934 TTES PAPER HANDLING MACHINE Reuben Hitchcock, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The Cleveland Folding Machine Company, Qieveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application May 16, 1927, Serial No. 191,688 Renewed April 14, 1931 46 Claims.

This invention relates to paper handling machines, and particularly to the cutting and fold ing of paper sheets in paper handling machines. The present application is a continuation in part of my application Serial No. 152,184, which eventuated in Patent 1,880,044.

One of the objects of the invention is to increase the usefulness of folding and cutting machines, that is, by adding to the number of operations performed on one machine and, consequently, to the output of the machine without an increase in the size of the machine. Heretofore when sheets have been fed through a folder and cut into two sectibns as they left the folder, it has been the practice to provide a separate folding mechanism for imparting a cross fold to each of the two sections of the sheet. In accordance with my invention however, the two sections of the sheet pass through the same cross folding mechanism, these sections being delivered from the first fold section onto a cross feed table along which they move in single file toward the first cross fold section or any other mechanism for performing further operations upon the sheets. Hence my machine is capable of imparting to two or more divisions of the original sheet the same number of folds as could be imparted to a single undivided sheet by the same machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide means in a single folding machine for making a plurality of cuts at right angles to each other so that at least four booklets or folded sections may be produced at one time and from a single printed sheet, thus reducing the handling of the paper to a minimum.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for accomplishing the above results in a machine which is no larger than has been heretofore employed for merely producing in one sheet two sets of folds at right angles to each other.

Other objects will appear I proceed with the description of that embodiment of the invention which, for the purposes of present application I have illustrated in the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmental elevational view, partly in section, of a folding and slitting machine embodying my invention; and

Fig. 2 is an elevational View of the same machine, partly in section, upon the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental cross sectional view corresponding to Fig. 2, but showing a fold plate retracted and its deflector in operative position.

Fig. l is a View similar to Fig. 1 of a slightly different modification, wherein a third fold section is employed. lhe View is taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 5, and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the same, partly in section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

In the drawings, the frame of the machine is indicated at 10. At the left of Fig. 1 there is shown a feed table 11 provided with feed rollers 12 which so rotate as to carry sheets of paper into a folding mechanism comprising feed and folding rolls 13, 1 1, 15, 16 and 17, and fold plates 18, i9 and 20, the said fold plates being provided with adjustable stops 21, 22 and 23 against which the paper sheets are adapted to abut and are thereby caused to buckle and be creased by the folding rolls in accordance with a method of operation well known in this art.

As the folded sheets emerge from between rolls 16 and 17, they are directed by a guide plate 24 between feed rolls comprising rubber-faced wheels 25 mounted on shafts 26 and 27. Rotation is imparted to the shafts 26 and 2'? and to the folding rolls 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 by any suitable means which may include a train of gears 28.

On the shafts 26 and 27 I mount one or more pairs of cutting disks or slitters 29, which, however, are both movable and removable so as to cause the sheets folded in the first folding mechanism to be delivered therefrom as single folded sheets or as two or more folded sections, depending upon the requirements of the job to be performed.

When the folded sheets or sections leave the rubber wheels 25, they drop onto a cross carrier comprising a series of rollers 39 driven by any convenient means so as to have rotation in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, and hence carrying the sheets or sections to the right. The rollers are set at a slight angle, as is common in this type of machine, for the purpose of moving the sheet to the right of the cross carrier, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 5, while it travels forward on the carrier. the length of the cross carrier and serves as an abutment against which one edge of the sheet or section bears as it travels on the carrier. The stop bar 31 has attached thereto a bracket 32 which runs upon a rod 33 mounted parallel to and beneath the plane of the tops of the rollers 30. The stop 31 is thereby adjustable crosswise of the carrier and may be locked in any desired position by means of a setscrew 34.

As the sheets or sections impelled by the rollers leave the cross carrier, they may enter a second folding mechanism which, as illustrated in the drawings, may comprise feeding and folding rolls 35, 36, 3'7, 38, and 39, and fold plates 49, ell, and 42 with adjustable stops 43, 44 and 45, for imparting folds at right angles to the folds formed in the sheets or sections by the firstnamed folding mechanism.

As the folded sheets or sections emerge from this second folding mechanism, they pass over a A stop or guide bar 31 runs A guide plate l6 and through a second pair of feed rolls with rubber-faced wheels, identical with the wheels 25, and mounted on shafts a7 and 48. These shafts, like the shafts 26 and 27, are also adapted to carry one or more pairs of cutter disks or slitters 29 adjustably and removably supported on the shafts for imparting one or more cuts in each sheet or section passing through the second folding mechanism, the cuts, of course, being at right angles to the cuts made as the folded sheet leaves the first folding mechanism.

Any further operations which may be desirable may be provided for in additional units of the machine to receive and act upon the paper sections after they are delivered from the feed rolls on the shafts 47 and 48. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, I have shown a stacker attached to the frame 10 of the machine in a position to receive the sections after they leave the feed rolls on the shafts 47 and 48. This stacker comprises an endless belt 49 running on rollers 50 and 51, rotation being inn-- parted to the roller 50 from a gear on the shaft 4'7 through gears 52, 53 and 54. to a small gear which is rigid with roller 50, the gears of this train being so designed as to effect a considerable speed reduction.

Frequently, it is desirable to disable one or more and sometimes all of the fold plates of a given fold mechanism. Means for accomplishing this end are known in the art, and I have illustrated such a means in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings as applied to the fold plate 40. The same or a similar means is applied to all of the fold plates in practice, but for the sake of avoiding complication, is illustrated herein as applied to the one fold plate only. At both side edges the fold plate has pivoted thereto at 55 an arm 56, and these two arms carry a cross bar 57 which is termed in the art a deflector. When the particular fold plate in question is to be used the deflector 5'7 is swung back into the position illustrated in Fig. 2. However, when it is desired to disable that fold plate, the same is slid upon its guides in the direction away from the fold rolls, 35, 36 and 3'7 far enough to permit the deflector to be swung down through approximately 180, and the fold plate is then slid down again until it reaches the position of Fig. 3, where it is adapted to engage paper moving through rolls 35 and 36 and to deflect it downwardly through rolls 36 and 37. As will be apparent, it is possible by means of these deflectors to reduce the number of folds imparted to a paper sheet by a three fold plate mechanism to two folds or one fold or to pass it through that mechanism without any folding Whatever.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have illustrated the same machine with a further or third fold section employed ahead of the stacker. In the construction of these figures the feed rolls 47 and 48 deliver the sheets from the second fold section onto a table 60 comprising driven angularly arranged rollers 61 and a sheet guide 62 adjustable upon a rod 63, this sheet guide and mounting rod being similar in all respects to the corresponding parts 31 and 33 of the first cross feed table. As each sheet engages the sheet guide 62 the rollers 61 impart motion to it in a direction toward the right as viewed in Fig. 5. From the feed table 61 the sheets are delivered into the third fold section, which in the present instance, is illustrated as a single fold section comprising folding rolls 64, 65

operative connection with one of the rolls of the second fold section through beveled gears 68 and 69 and a train of spur gears 70. Sheets'leaving this third fold section pass through a pair of feed rolls 71 and 72. They may then be received upon a stacker similar to the stacker shown in Fig. 2, having an endless stacker belt 73 moving at low speed. This belt, at one end, runs over a roller on a shaft 74 which may be driven by reduction gearing from a gear on feed roll '71, or otherwise.

In the operation of the machine, sheets of paper are fed by the rollers 12 into the first folding mechanism embodying rollers l3, 14, 15, 16 and 17. This mechanism may be employed to impart to the sheets one, two or three folds, all parallel to each other or no folds at all, as above explained. The sheet then passes over the guide plate 24 and is grasped by the rubber faced wheels 25 which draw it forward through the cutting disks or slitters 29. As previously stated, I may employ one or more pairs of such slitters, thus dividing the sheet into two or more sections, which are fed down upon the rollers 30 of the cross carrier in side by side relation. As the sections are delivered to the cross carrier, they move forward, toward the right in Fig. 2, in single file relation guided by the stop bar 31.

When the first section of paper reaches the second folding mechanism, its forward edge moves into the fold plate 40 and up against the stop 43, when the sheet buckles and moves between rolls 36 and 37 with its folded edge forward into the fold plate 41, and so on. When the first fold is imparted by the second folding mechanism, the very folding of the section, by means of which it is shortened in its direction of travel, serves to effect a separation between it and the section traveling just behind on the rollers 36. Each succeeding fold increases that spacing.

Leaving the second folding mechanism, the folded sections pass over the guide plate 46 and through the feed rolls on the shafts 47 and 48 where, if desired, one or more additional cuts may be made by slitters 29 on these shafts. The sections may then fall onto the belt 49 of the stacker.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the sheets instead of being stacked immediately after leaving the second fold section are delivered onto the feed table 60. Upon striking the sheet guide 62 their direction of motion is changed and they travel toward the right into the third fold section where there may be imparted to the sheets a fold parallel to the folds received in the first or primary fold section. Thereafter the sheets are delivered onto the stacker belt 73. The two forms of the invention herein illustrated, therefore are precisely the same, except that in the form of Figs. 4 and 5 the sheets are fed through three fold sections, whereas in the form of Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive they are fed through two fold sections only.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a paper handling machine, feeding means, means for cutting a sheet into sections as it passes through said feeding means, a cross carrier onto which said sections are fed in side by side relation, means in connection with said cross carrier adapted to engage the surfaces of sheets passing thereover for moving said sections thereupon in the same direction transverse to the movement of the sheet through said feeding means, and folding means at the delivery end of said cross carrier. and 66 and a fold plate 67. These rolls may be driven by any suitable means, as for instancaby 2. In a paper handling machine, feeding means, means for cutting a sheet into sections as l il) it passes through said feeding means, a cross carrier onto which said sections are fed in sideby side relation, means in connection with said cross carrier adapted to engage the surfaces of sheets passing thereover for moving said sections thereupon in the same direction transverse to the movement of the sheet through said feeding means, folding means at the delivery end of said cross carrier, and means beyond said folding means for cutting the folded sections into further sections by cuts at right angles to the cuts resulting from said first named cutting means.

3. In a paper handling machine, folding mechanism, means for cutting folded sheets into sections by cuts parallel with the direction of motion of the sheets through said folding mechanism, a cross carrier onto which said folded sections are fed in side by side relation, means in connection with said cross carrier adapted to engage the surfaces of sheets passing thereover for moving said folded sections thereupon in the same direction transverse to the movement of the sheet through the said folding mechanism, feeding means at the delivery end of said cross carrier, and means for cutting the said folded sections again at right angles to the first named cuts as the folded sections pass through said feeding means.

4. In a paper handling machine, folding mechanism comprising means for moving sheets therethrough, means for cutting folded sheets into sections by cuts parallel with the direction of motion of the sheets through said folding mechanism, a cross carrier onto which said folded sections are fed in side by side relation, means in connection with said cross carrier adapted to engage the surfaces of sheets passing thereover for moving said folded sections thereupon in the same direction transverse to the movement of the sheet through the said folding mechanism, folding mechanism at the delivery end of said cross carrier adapted to impart folds at right angles to those imparted by the first named folding mechanism, and means for cutting said sections at right angles to the cuts imparted by said first named cutting means.

5. In a paper handling machine, folding mechanism comprising means for moving sheets there through, means for cutting folded sheets into sections by cuts parallel with the direction of lllOtlOIl'Of the sheets through said folding mechanism, a cross carrier onto which said folded sections are fed in side by side relation, and means in connection with said cross carrier adapted to engage the surfaces of sheets passing thereover for moving said sections thereupon in the same direction transverse to the movement of the sheet through said folding mechanism.

6. In a paper handling machine, folding mechanism comprising means for moving sheets therethrough, means for cutting folded sheets into sections by cuts parallel with the direction of motion of the sheets through said folding mechanism, a cross carr'er onto which said folded sections are fedin side by side relation, means in connection with said cross carrier adapted to engage the surfaces of sheets passing thereo-ver for moving said folded sections thereupon in the direction transverse to the movement of the sheet through said folding mechanism, and folding mechanism at the delivery end of said cross carrier adapted to impart folds at right angles to those imparted by the first named folding mechanism.

7. The method of folding sheets, which consists in folding an undivided sheet, cutting the folded undivided sheet transverse to the fold into smaller folded sheets, feeding the smaller folded sheets to a common cross-holder and cross-folding the same, and then feeding the sheets so cross-folded to another cross-folder and further cross-folding the same thereby.

8. The method of folding sheets, which consists in folding an undivided sheet, cutting the undivided traveling sheet transverse to the fold, and then moving the folded smaller sheets in a common path at right angles to their first paths and cross-folding the same individually.

9. The method of folding sheets, which consists in folding an undivided sheet in the same direction a plurality of times, cutting the undivided sheet into smaller sheets, feeding the sheets so folded in a common direction to a common first cross-folder and individually cross folding the same thereby, and then feeding the sheets thus cross-folded to other cross-folding mechanism and further cross-folding the same thereby.

10. In a folding machine, a first folder, a feeder for feeding an undivided sh et to the folder, a

cutter for dividing the undivided and folded sheet into smaller folded sheets, and devices for moving the folded smaller sheets located on opposite sides of the line of division in the same direction single file and cross-folding the same.

11. In a folding machine, a first folder, a feeder 101 feeding an undivided sheet to the folder, a cutter for dividing the undivided and folded sheet into smaller folded sheets, and devices for moving the folded smaller sheets located on opposits sides of the line of division laterally in the same general direction at right angles to the line of cut and cross-folding the same individually.

1.2. In a folding machine, a parallel folder, a feeder for feeding an undivided sheet to the folder, a cutter for dividing the parallel folded sheet into smaller parallel folded sheets, means for moving the smaller parallel folded sheets away from the cutter in parallel rows, means for producing right angle turns in the travel of the parallel folded sheets of both rows while maintaining the folded sheets parallel to their own planes, means for feeding the said smaller sheets in their new paths of travel, and buckle folding mechanism for action upon the smaller folded sheets of both rows.

13. Ina folding machine, a folder, means for causing travel of a sheet into and through said folder, a cutter for dividing a sheet along a line at right angles to a fold imparted by said folder, said cutter and folder being arranged to successively operate upon a sheet in a desired order, for moving the divisions of the original sheet away from said folder and cutter in parallel rows, means for altering the travel of the sheet divisions in both rov/s while maintaining them in their own planes so as to cause the leading edge of each sheet division to become its guide edge, and folding mechanism for imparting folds to said sheet divisions at right angles to their original folds.

14. In a folding machine, a folder, a feeder for ceding an undivided sheet to the folder, a cutter for longitudinally dividing the sheet, said cutter and folder being arranged for operation upon the sheet in a desired order to produce smaller folded sheets therefrom, cross feeding means onto which the smaller sheets are delivcred from said cutter and folder, means asso ciated with the cross feeding means for interrupting travel of thesmallersheets from the cut- J ter and folder, said cross feeding means being adapted to produce travel of the smaller sheets laterally at right angles to their previous direction of travel, cross folding means served by the cross feeding means for imparting the next fold to each smaller sheet at right angles to the preceding fold therein, and treatment devices for acting upon the cross folded sheets.

15. In a folding machine, a folder, a feeder for feeding an undivided sheet to the folder, a cutter for longitudinally dividing the sheet, said cutter and folder being arranged for operation upon the sheet in a desired order to produce smaller folded sheets therefrom, cross feeding means onto which the smaller sheets are delivered from said cutter and folder, means associated with the cross feeding means for interrupting travel of the smaller sheets from the cutter and folder, said cross feeding means being adapted to produce travel of the smaller sheets laterally at right angles to their previous direction of travel, cross folding means served by the cross feeding means for imparting the next fold to each smaller sheet at right angles to the preceding fold therein, and treatment devices for acting upon the cross folded sheets resulting from those portions of the original sheet located upon opposite sides of the line of division and cross folded by said cross folding means when delivered thereto by the cross feeding means.

16. The method of folding sheets, which consists in folding and cutting a sheet in a desired order to form smaller folded sheets therefrom. and producing the next fold in each of the smaller folded sheets by moving them laterally at right angles to the line of cut and cross folding said smaller sheets.

17. In a folding machine, a folder and a cutter arranged for operation upon a sheet in a desired order to produce smaller folded sheets therefrom, cross feeding means onto which the smaller sheets are delivered from the cutter and folder, means associated with the cross feeding means for in terrupting the travel of the smaller sheets from said cutter and folder, said cross feeding means being adapted to produce travel of the smaller sheets laterally at right angles to their previous direction of travel, and means served by the cross feeding means for imparting the next fold to each of the smaller sheets individually and at right angles to the preceding fold therein.

18. In a folding machine, a folder and a cutter arranged for operation upon a sheet in a desired order to produce small-er folded sheets therefrom, cross feeding means onto which the smaller sheets are delivered from the cutter and fold means associated with the cross feeding means for interrupting travel of the smaller sh ets from said cutter and folder, said cross feeding means being adapted to feed the smaller folded sheets laterally in a common direction and at right angles to the line of cut, and means for folding the laterally fed smaller sheets individually.

19. In a folding machine, a folder a cutter arranged for operation upon a sheet in a desired order to produce smaller folded sheets therefrom, means for cross-folding the smaller sheets successively when they are cut from the single sheet and delivered from the cutter and folder, and treatment devices for acting upon the cross folded sheets.

20. In a folding machine, a folder and a cutter arranged for operation upon a sheet in a desired order to produce smaller folded sheets therefrom, means for cross folding the smaller sheets one after another when they have been cut from the single sheet and delivered from the cutter and folder, and treatment devices for acting upon the cross folded sheets resulting from those portions of the original sheet located upon opposite sides f the line of division.

21. In a folding machine, a folder and a cutter arranged for operation upon a sheet in a desired order to produce smaller folded sheets therefrom, and means for moving the smaller sheets located on opposite sides of the line of division laterally at right angles to the line of cut and cross folding the next fold in each of said smaller sheets individually.

22. In a folding machine, a folder and a cutter arranged for operation upon a. sheet, in a desired order to produce smaller folded sheets therefrom, means for interrupting travel of the smaller folded sheets when they are delivered from said folder and cutter, and means for moving the folded smaller sheets located on opposite sides of the line of division one after another in the same direction single file and again folding the same.

23. In a folding machine, a folder and a cutter arranged for operation upon a sheet in a desired order to produce smaller folded sheets therefrom, means for moving the smaller folded sheets away from the folder and cutter in parallel rows, cross folding means positioned laterally of the folder and cutter and making the next fold in each sheet of the rows delivered from said folder and cutter, and means for moving the sheets of said rows laterally one after another to said cross-folding means.

24. In a folding machine, a folder and a cutter arranged for operation upon a sheet in a desired order to produce smaller folded sheets therefrom, folding means arranged laterally of the folder and cutter and making the next fold in each smaller sheet individually and at right angles to the preceding fold therein, and means for feeding the smaller sheets laterally to said folding means for folding thereby as aforesaid.

25. In a folding machine, a folder and a cutter arranged for operation upon a sheet in a desired order to produce smaller folded sheets therefrom, cross folding means arranged laterally of the folder at right angles thereto and making the next fold in each smaller sheet individually and at right angles to the preceding fold therein, means for feeding the smaller sheets laterally to said cross folding means for folding thereby as aforesaid, and treatment devices for acting upon the cross folded sheets.

26. In a folding machine, a folder and a cutter arranged for operation upon a sheet in a desired order to produce smaller folded sheets therefrom, cross folding means arranged laterally of the folder at right angles thereto and making the next fold in each smaller sheet at right angles to the preceding fold therein, and means for feeding the smaller sheets laterally one after another to said cross folding means for folding thereby as aforesaid.

2'7. In a folding machine, a folder and a cutter arranged for operation upon a sheet in a desired order to produce smaller folded sheets therefrom, folding means arranged laterally of the folder and cross folding the next fold in each smaller sheet at right angles to the preceding fold therein,

means for feeding the smaller sheets laterally one after another to said folding means for cross folding thereby in succession, and treatment devices for acting upon the cross folded sheets successively.

28. In a folding machine, a folder, means for feeding an undivided sheet to the folder, a cutter for dividing the folded sheet into smaller folded sheets, and means for feeding the smaller folded sheets one after another laterally of the folder and cutter and for making the next fold in each smaller sheet at right angles to the preceding fold therein.

29. In a folding machine, a folder, a feeder for feeding an undivided sheet to the-folder, a cutter for cutting the folded sheet into smaller folded sheets, and means for feeding the smaller folded sheets laterally one after another at right angles to the line of cut and for making the next fold in each smaller sheet at right angles to the preceding fold therein.

30. The method of folding sheets, which consists in folding and cutting a sheet in a desired order to form smaller folded sheets, and producing the next fold in each of the smaller folded sheets by moving them one after another along a single path at right angles to the line of cut and cross folding said smaller folded sheets individually.

31. The method of folding sheets, which consists in folding and cutting a sheet in a desired order to form folded divisions of said sheet, and producing the next fold in each folded division of the sheet by moving the folded divisions laterally in single file along a path at right angles to the line of cut and cross folding said divisions individually.

32. The method of folding sheets, which consists in folding an undivided sheet, cutting the undivided sheet transversely of the fold to form folded divisions of said sheet, and producing the next fold in the folded divisions of the sheet respectively by movin them laterally from the line of cut and cross folding said divisions individually.

33. The method of folding sheets, which consists in feeding an undivided sheet in one direction and folding it a plurality of times, cutting the undivided folded sheet into smaller folded sheets, producing the next fold in each smaller sheet by feeding said smaller sheets laterally one after another in a direction at right angles to the first named direction and cross folding the smaller sheets individually, and then feeding the cross folded sheets at right angles to their previous direction of travel and further cross folding said smaller sheets.

34. In a folding machine, means for dividing a sheet to form smaller sheets therefrom, and means for moving and acting upon the smaller sheets so that their leading edges become guide edges during travel of the smaller sheets and before a folding action thereon in said machine.

35. In a folding machine, means for dividing a sheet to form smaller sheets therefrom, means for folding the smaller sheets and to which the latter are fed from the first named means, and means for moving and acting upon the smaller sheets so that their leading edges become guide edges during travel of said sheets to said folding means.

36. In a folding machine, sheet feeding means, sheet dividing means receiving a sheet therefrom and dividing it into smaller sheets, and means for moving and acting upon the smaller sheets so that their leading edges become guide edges during travel of the smaller sheets and before a folding action thereon in said machine.

37. In a folding machine, sheet folding and dividing means arranged for operation upon a sheet in a desired order to produce folded divisions thereof, and means for moving and acting upon the folded divisions so that their leading edges become guide edges during travel of the folded divisions and before further folding thereof in said machine.

38. In a folding machine, sheet folding and dividing means arranged for operation upon a sheet in a desired order to produce folded divisions thereof, means for further folding the divisions and to which the latter are fed, and means for moving and acting upon the folded divisions so that their leading edges become guide edges during travel of said divisions to said last named folding means.

39. In a folding machine of the character described, a folder and a cutter arranged for operation upon a sheet in a desired order to produce folded divisions thereof, and means for moving and acting upon the folded divisions so that their leading edges become guide edges during travel of the folded divisions and before cross folding action thereon in said machine.

40. In a folding machine, sheet folding and dividing means arranged for operation upon a sheet in a desired order to produce folded divisions thereof, a cross folder to which the folded divisions are fed from the cutter and first named folder, and means for moving and acting upon the folded divisions so that their leading edges become guide edges during travel of said divisions to said cross folder.

41. The method of folding sheets, which consists in dividing a sheet to form smaller sheets therefrom, moving and acting upon the smaller sheets so that their leading edges become guide edges, and thereafter folding said smaller sheets.

42. The method of folding sheets, which consists in folding and dividing a sheet in a desired order to form smaller folded sheets therefrom, moving and acting upon the smaller folded sheets so that their leading edges become guide edges, and thereafter cross folding said smaller sheets.

43. The method of folding sheets, which consists in feeding a sheet and dividing it to form smaller sheets therefrom, moving and acting upon the smaller sheets so that their leading edges become guide edges, and thereafter folding said smaller sheets.

44. The method of folding sheets, which consists in making a fold in a sheet transversely thereof, dividing the sheet transversely of the fold to form smaller folded sheets, and moving and acting upon the smaller folded sheets so that their leading edges become guide edges during travel of said smaller sheets and before further folding thereof.

45. The method of folding sheets, which consists in making one or more folds in a sheet transversely thereof, dividing the sheet transversely of the fold or folds into a plurality of smaller folded sheets, moving and acting upon the smaller folded sheets so that their leading edges become guide edges, and further folding said smaller sheets.

46. The method of folding sheets, which consists in making one or more folds in a sheet transversely thereof, dividing the folded sheet transversely of the fold or folds into a plurality of smaller folded sheets, moving and acting upon the smaller folded sheets so that their leading edges become guide edges, and thereafter cross folding said smaller folded sheets.

REUBEN HITCHCOCK.

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