US3038719A

US3038719A - Cutting and folding mechanism

Info

Publication number: US3038719A
Application number: US788395A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Louis S Tyma
Original assignee: Miehle Goss Dexter Inc
Current assignee: Miehle Goss Dexter Inc
Priority date: 1959-01-22
Filing date: 1959-01-22
Publication date: 1962-06-12
Anticipated expiration: 1979-06-12

Description

June 12, 1962 L. S.-TYMA, JR ,0

CUTTING AND FOLDING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 22, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 w 'gl INvELMI'om Loni 3 g %mz, m 42 MWZZFIQW/ June 12, 1962 L. s. TYMA, JR

CUTTING AND FOLDING MECHANISM e Sheets- Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 22,- 1959 j-h-Tamsyw June 12, 1962 Filed Jan. 22, 1959 L. S. TYMA, JR

CUTTING AND FOLDING MECHANISM LOuLJ 6 Sheets- Sheet a cnvwemmyw June 12, 1962 L. s. TYMA, JR

CUTTING AND FOLDING MECHANISM 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 22, 1959 June 12, 1962 1.. s. TYMA, JR 3,033,719

CUTTING AND FOLDING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 22, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 NDWHEEL wm June 12, 1962 1.. s. TYMA, JR 3,038,719

v CUTTING AND FOLDING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 22,-1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 tut: i 1 I60 Loon! d, T j we r?- m4 MZKM 3,038,719 CUTTING AND WELDING MECHANISM Louis S. Tyma, Jr., Hinsdale, Ill., assignor to Miehle-Goss- Dexter, Incorporated, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 22, 1959, Ser. No. 788,395 4 Claims. (Cl. 270-50) The present invention relates to a cutting and folding mechanism for a printing press and more particularly to an improved folding cylinder for use therein.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cutting and folding mechanism which is capable of both collect and straight delivery and which includes novel means for converting from one type of operation to the other.

It is a more specific object to provide a novel folder mechanism having converting means which is readily accessible for convenient use by the press operator, and which is positive and safe. It is a related object to provide a folder mechanism which is adapted for two types of operation and which includes a novel arrangement for silencing the unused tucker blade and for locking the same into a safe position incident to disconnecting the drive therefrom.

It is another object to provide a cutting and folding mechanism which is compact yet inherently strong and capable of cutting through all of the many thicknesses of paper comprising a large edition of a big city newspaper. It is a more general object to provide a cutting and folding mechanism which is capable of reliable operation over long periods of time and at high speed without shut down.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the attached detailed description and upon reference to the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a simplified diagrammatic perspective of the cutting and folding mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary left-hand end view of the drive gears for the folding and cutting cylinders.

FIG. 3 is a transverse section taken along the line 33 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a section taken through the spider along line 44 in FIG. 2, the right-hand end of the same being unfolded to show the gear connections.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a right-hand end view of the means for converting between straight and collect operation.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view on an enlarged scale of the straight-collect mechanism.

FIG. 8 is a transverse section taken along the line 88 in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a section taken on the line 99 in FIG. 4.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary section, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the spider similar to a portion of FIG. 4 but showing component relationship for collect operation.

FIGS. 11a, llb and 110 are diagrammatic views depicting typical straight run operation.

FIGS. 121142 inclusive, are diagrammatic views showing typical collect run operation.

While the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment it will be understood that I do not intend to limit myself to such embodiment but intend to cover all modifications and equivalents which may be included in the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Turning now to FIG. 1 which is diagrammatic, there shown is a folding cylinder 20 and an associated cutting cylinder 21. Passing between the two cylinders is a

web

3,33,7i9 Patented June 12, 19%2 23 which is given a first fold by a former and nipping rolls generally indicated at 24. In a typical case the web 23 comprises a number of thicknesses which have been printed in separate press units and combined by conventional means. For example, in the case of a large newspaper edition the web may be formed of 64 thicknesses of paper which after folding produce a total thickness of 128 pages.

For the purpose of severing the folded webs the cutting cylinder 21 in the present instance employs two

knives

31, 32 which cooperate with

cutting rubbers

33, 34, 35 in the fold-ing cylinder 2%. The severed webs are held in place with respect to the folding cylinder by

pins

36, 37, 38, respectively, which may be conventionally projected and retracted in the desired sequence familiar to one skilled in the art.

Following the severing of the tail of the product, means are provided in the folding cylinder 2% for causing the product to be tucked between

second-fold rollers

41, 42. In accordance with the present invention this tucking is accomplished by a spider 51 which is rotatably mounted within the folding cylinder and which has folding or

tucldng blades

51, 52 thereon. Means are provided within the spider 50 for rotating the

blades

51, 52 and additionally the spider is bodily rotated so that the tucking blades project downwardly in timed relation with the arrival of the middle of each product at a point centered above the

second-fold rollers

41, 42 as the product is held upon the folding cylinder by the

pins

36, 37, 38. Thus double-folded products are discharged in succession from the second-fold rollers into suitable delivery means which as shown includes a fan F and a conveyor delivery belt D. It will be understood by one skilled in the art that the folding cylinder, cutting cylinder, spider and second-fold rollers are all driven at coordinated speeds by common drive means. This coordination will become apparent as the discussion proceeds and will be reviewed in connection with FIGS. lla-llc and 12a-12f.

Attention may next be given to the structural details of the folding cylinder 24 which are set forth primarily in the FIGS. 3 and 4. As stated the folding cylinder includes a spider 5i and in addition to the foregoing figures reference will be made as the description proceeds to FIGS. 9 and 10 which show the spider mechanism on somewhat enlarged scales as compared to that of FIG. 3.

For supporting the mechanism to be decribed, parallel frame members 55, so are provided for a purpose which will become clear as the description proceeds. The folding cylinder 26 is of open construction and may be formed of three longitudinal members all, 62, 63, referred to in the art as struts, welded to

end members

64, 65 having large diameter cylindrical hubs as, 67 respectively. These hubs are journaled in the

frame members

55, 56 by antifriction bearings 68, 69. This hollow hub construction provides large cylindrical access openings at each end of the folding cylinder, the latter being employed to mount the spider 50 contained within the cylinder.

For the purpose of supporting the spider 50, end caps 70, 71 are provided. Taking the end cap '70 by way of example, it will be noted that it includes a disk portion 72 and a cylindrical bracket portion 73 which is telescoped within the hollow hub 66 of the cylinder. For supporting the end cap 7%} and for enclosing the driving mechanism, a hollow pedestal 75 is provided which is suitably secured to the press frame. The left-hand end cap 71 similarly has a disk-shaped flange portion '76 and a cylindrical inwardly extending bracket portion 77 which is telescoped within the hub 67.

In order to rotatably support the spider 50, anti friction bearings are provided on the end caps 70 and 71, such bearings being indicated at 80, 31 respectively.

Attention may next be given to the means employed for driving the folding cylinder 26, cutting cylinder 21 and the spider within the folding cylinder. For this purpose an input gear is provided on the shaft 84 of the cutting cylinder 21. The other end of the cutting shaft 64 mounts a gear 86 which consists of a central portion 87 and a peripheral or rack portion 85 held together by clamps 89 together with an adjusting means 90 (FIG. 5) for adjusting the phase between them. The purpose of such adjustment is to correlate the phasing between the cutting cylinder 21 and the folding cylinder 22%. Meshing with the gear 86 is a folding cylinder drive gear 96 which is suitably splined to the outside of the hub 66. Thus it will be apparent that rotation of the input gear 85, acting through the gears 86 and 96 produces rotation of the folding cylinder 20.

Turning next to means for driving the spider Sti, it will be noted, in the left-hand side of FIG. 3, that the gear 85 is in mesh with a spider gear 106 having a central portion 101, a rack portion 102, clamps 163 and adjusting means 104 (see FIG. 2). For coupling the gear to the spider 50 a shaft 105 is provided which is supported in bearings 166 and having a spline 107 at its inner end. It will be apparent that by suitable adjustment of the adjusting means 104, which is interposed between the central portion 101 and the rack portion 102, the phase position of the spider 50 may be correlated to the cutting cylinder 21 and the folding cylinder 21 and this adjustment is maintained by the clamps 103.

The spider 50 is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 9. There it will be noted that the spider 50 has a central portion 110, which is preferably of a hollow square cross-section, having a right-hand flange 111 and a left-hand flange 112. Secured to the flange 111 is a gear box generally indicated at 113 which includes a sun and planet gear arrangement for driving the

folding blades

51, 52. For supporting the folding blades the spider 50

mounts shafts

115 and 116. The shaft 115 is supported in bearings 117, 118, and the shaft 116 is supported in bearings 119, 120. For rotating the shaft 115 a gear is provided at its right-hand end (FIG. 4). This gear meshes with an idler gear 126 supported on bearings 127. The latter in turn meshes with a sun gear 128 which is stationarily mounted with respect to the cap member 70 and hence with respect to the frame of the press. It will be apparent that as the spider 59 rotates, the idler gear 126 moves about the sun gear 128 thereby rotating the gear 125 which is on the folder blade shaft 115 causing the latter to revolve. Somewhat similar means is employed for rotating the folder blade shaft 116. That is to say, a gear is mounted at the end of the shaft 116, and it is engaged by an idler pinion 136 mounted on bearings 137. The pinion 136 reacts against the sun gear 128 as the spider is rotated to rotate the shaft 116.

For the purpose of adjusting the phasing of the

folder blade shafts

115, 116, means are provided for adjusting the phase or angular position of the sun gear 128. For this purpose the sun gear is splined to a hollow shaft 140 which extends through an opening 141 formed in cylindrical bracket portion 73 of the cap member 70 (FIG. 3). To adjust the position of the hollow shaft 140 an adjusting means is provided. As shown in FIG. 6, this means includes a forked arm fixed to the outer end of the shaft 144*, and having

sections

142, 143 which mount adjusting

screws

144, 145. The adjusting screws bear against opposite sides of a stationary post 146 which is fixed in the end cap member 70. For holding the sun gear stationary but for permitting adjustment thereof, a clamping screw 147 is provided. The clamping screw is telescoped inside of the shaft 140 and at its inner end is threaded to screw into the sun gear 128. When released it will be seen that the angular position of the sun gear can be adjusted by appropriate manipulation of the

screws

144 and 145 upon the post 146. When the desired position of adjustment obtains the screw 147 is tightened to the end that the sun gear 128 is drawn to the right (FIG. 3) and into clamping engagement with the inner end of the bracket portion 73 of the right-hand end cap 70.

In accordance with the present invention, means are provided for silencing one of the folder blade shafts, in the present instance shaft 115, incident to operating straight by disengaging the idler gear which drives the shaft. Reference is made to FIGS. 4 and 10 for the details of this construction. In order to transport the idler gear 126 endwise and out of engagement with the gear 125, the gear 126 and its bearings 127 are mounted on a sliding collar 1150. The collar 15% is movable enrlwise on a guide shaft 151 and prevented from rotating thereon by means of a key and keyway indicated at 152 (HG. 10). In order to move the collar inwardly and outwardly, a captive screw 155 (FIG. 4) is employed having a screw thread which engages an internal thread 157 formed in the collar 150. For the purpose of rotating screw 155 a hexagonal receptacle 153 is affixed thereto. The screw has a locating flange which is engaged by semicircular retaining

elements

161, 162 which are recessed into and suitably secured to the casing 113 of the gear box. Detent 163 in the sector 161 tends to prevent the screw 155 from rotating except when forcibly moved.

It will be apparent from what has been said thus far that upon rotating the screw 155, the thread 156 thereon will screw into the thread 1157 in the collar 150 thereby drawing the collar in the axially outward direction.

In accordance with one of the aspects of the invention, the interengaging gears 125, 126 are formed in a plurality of axially spaced sections having relieved portions therebetween so that complete disengagement may be effected by moving the idler gear 126 axially outwardly, i.e., to the right as illustrated, through only a limited distance. Thus it will be noted that the gear 125 includes sections 1251:, 1251) which are spaced apart. Similarly, the gear 126 includes sections 126a, 12Gb which are normally in register with the gear sections 125a, 12512. However, when the collar 150, on which the gear 126 is mounted, is moved to the right by rotating the screw 155, the sections 126a, 1261) are moved opposite the relieved portions on the gear 125 as shown in FIG. 10. As a result the shaft 115 is effectively silenced.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, provision is made to insure that the silenced shaft 115 is positively held in its silenced position so as to preclude any free movement thereof. For this purpose means are provided for locking the shaft 115 incident to movement of the collar 150, and thus the gear 126, into disengaged position. Thus the shaft 115 has a locking flange thereon in which i formed a slot 171, and a dog is provided on the movable collar 159 for registering with the slot. In the present instance the dog, indicated at 172, is formed as a radial finger or extension on the collar 150. A fixed notch 173 is formed in the oppositely disposed portion of the gear case 113 in radial alinement with the finger 172, and engages the inner end of the finger to remove stress from the finger and the collar 150 on which it is mounted during operation when forces thereon are substantial. Briefly stated, the finger 172 forms a rigid bridge, engaging both the notch 171 associated with the shaft 115 and the stationary notch 173 which is positioned immediately adjacent thereto. To facilitate entry of the arm 172 into the notches, the right-hand or leading edge thereof is preferably beveled on both sides. In a practical apparatus seven and one-quarter turns of the screw 155 cause the collar to be moved from one extreme position to the other.

In accordance with another one of the important aspects of the invention, stationary but shiftable means are provided, which are accessible through the hub of the folding cylinder 20, for engaging the silencing means in the spider 50. In the present instance, this means is generally indicated at 179 and it includes a shaft 180 which is mounted for axial sliding movement in a suitable opening provided in the end cap 70. The shaft 180 has a hexagonal head 181 at its inner end for reception in the hexagonal socket 158 of the screw 155 in the spider. At its outer end the shaft 180 carries a flange 182 having a manual knob 183 thereon. In order to insure that the press is not operated when the shaft 180 is inwardly extended into the spider a novel interlock is provided. The interlock includes an interlock switch 185 which is incorporated in the electrical control system of the press in which the present device is included, and which switch can be closed only when the shaft 180 is pulled outwardly into disengaged position. For this purpose a locking member 190 is provided which is pivoted at its lower end upon a bolt 191 and which has a collar portion 192 for engaging a groove 193 formed in the flange 182. To close the switch 185 during the time that the locking member is engaged with the shaft 180, the locking member 190 includes a switch operating screw 195 which is threaded therein and which is alined with the switch plunger 185a of the switch 185 when the looking member 190 is in its locking position, access being provided through a hole 196 in the switch casing.

In operation, and when it is desired to shift from one mode of operation to another, the screw 195 is backed off thereby enabling the locking member 190 to be swung into the position shown in FIG. 7. This turns off the switch and disables the press controls by means not shown but which will be understood by one skilled in the art. The knob 183 is pushed inwardly so that the hexagonal head 181 of the shaft 180 engages the socket 158 of the screw 155. The knob 183 is then manually rotated through approximately seven and one-quarter revolutions which moves the collar150 carrying the gear 126 to its alternate position. It may be noted at this point that since the gear 126 which is shifted is not drivingly connected to any shaft and thus where helical gears are used, the gear 126 may turn freely as it is withdrawn or inserted without any accompanying movement of the gears with which it is engaged. Following the above manual rotation of the adjusting shaft 180, such shaft is then retracted by pulling upon the manual knob 183 so as to disengage the shaft head 181 from the socket 158. Following this operation the locking member 190 may be swung into register with the groove 193 in the shaft flange 182. Then the switch operating screw 195 may be screwed into place engaging and depressing plunger 185a of the switch 185 so as to condition the interlock to make it possible to actuate the press control circuits for continued operation.

It will be helpful to the understanding of the invention to describe briefly the operation of the folder in which it is incorporated in connection with the folding of an edition of a newspaper. There are two conditions of operation: Straight run and collect run. A straight run is one wherein the pages of the same section are repeated successively on the web. A collect run is one wherein the pages of two sections are repeated in alternate succession on the web.

Referring generally to the first sheet of drawings, it will be seen that the webs are brought to the folding and cutting cylinders, 20 and 21, from the nipping rollers 24, these rollers sometimes being referred to as first-fold rollers. The folding and cutting cylinders are collectively referred to as the folding couple and by the operation thereof: the web is cut into product sections by the

cutting blades

31 and 32 of the cutting cylinder 21; the folding or

tucker blades

51 and 52 direct the product into the folding, or second-fold,

rollers

41 and 42; and therefrom, the product is delivered to the fan F for disposition upon the delivery conveyor D.

Straight run operation is diagrammatically indicated in FIGS. 11a, 11b and 11c. During straight run operation each set of folding cylinder pins 36, 37 and 38, respectively, is withdrawn once each revolution of the folding cylinder and both folding, or tucker,

blades

51 and 52 are active. Thus, one set of pins, 36, pierces the leading edge of the section from the nipping, or firstfold, rollers 24. These pins hold the section against the folding cylinder 20 until the section is carried by the cylinder 29 for one-third of a revolution. The pin 36 then retract releasing the section. The folding blade 52 is brought into position by the spider 50 and tucks the middle of the section between the

second-fold rollers

41, 42 at the instant that the pins 36 retract from the leading edge of the section. Also at the same time the next set of pins, 38, of the folding cylinder pierces the new leading edge, and the cutting knife 32 severs the trailing edge of the preceding section.

The pins 38 hold the new section against the folding cylinder so that the new section is carried by the cylinder for one-third of a revolution. The pins 38 then retract releasing the section at which instant the folding blade 51, having been brought into position by the spider 58, tucks the middle of the new section between the

rollers

41 and 42 and the knife 31 severs the trailing edge of the new section. Also at this instant the next set of pins, 37, of the folding cylinder pierces the new leading edge and the foregoing is repeated.

It will be seen then that during straight run operation three products are delivered for each revolution of the folding cylinder 20 with a corresponding one and one-half revolutions of the cutting cylinder 21.

The second condition of operation is that for a collect run. In the operation of the folder during a collect run two different sections of the product must be brought together, i.e., collected, before the product receives its final fold. Collect operation is illustrated diagrammatically in FIGS. 12a to 12 inclusive. During collect operation one folding blade is silenced, and the timing of the projection and withdrawal of the sets of

pins

36, 37 and 38 is adjusted so that each set of pins is withdrawn once every two revolutions of the folding cylinder 28. Assuming that it is the set of pins 36 that pierces the leading edge of the web for the second or inside section, this section is held against the folding roller for one-third of a revolution of the folding cylinder at which time the cutting knife 32 severs the trailing edge of the section and the pins 38 engage the succeeding leading edge. The folding pins 36 continue to carry the second or inside section for the remainder of the revolution of the folding cylinder.

On the second revolution of the folding cylinder 20, the pins holding the inside section pierce the leading edge of the incoming overlapping, or outside, section. The pins 36 then carry the two sections one-third of a revolution (which is equal to one full page length) and then retract releasing the product. tion and release of the now collected sections, the operative folding blade 51 is brought into position by the driven spider 50, and it tucks the center of the collected product between the

second fold rollers

41 and 42. At the same time one of the cutting cylinder knives severs the trailing edge of the outside section.

The above cycle occurs for the sections carried on the other two sets of pins of the folding cylinder 20. It will be thus apparent that three products, i.e., collected newspapers, are delivered for each two revolutions of the folding cylinder. By way of summary then in respect of collect action, at the moment that a complete product is delivered by the folding blade 51 into the

folding rollers

41 and 42, the three sets of pins in the folding cylinder are performing the following functions: (a) one set of pins still has attached to it the second section that will be carried around the folding cylinder for two revolutions; (b) the second set of pins has just retracted to release a collected product, with its center being delivered into the

folding rollers

41 and 42 by the folding blade 51; and (c) the third set of pins have pierced the leading edge of the web from which the first section has just been cut. It is important to note that during a collect run the fold- At the instant of retrac- Y ing blade 52 is silenced and is retained, locked in silenced position, by the construction and arrangement hereinbefore described.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that a cutting and folding mechanism embodying the features of the present invention is capable of both collect and straight runs and it can be converted readily from one type of operation to the other. It is also apparent that the converting means is readily accessible for convenient manipulation by the press operator, and it is positive and safe in its operation. The novel construction and arrangement for silencing the unused folding, or tucker, blade during collect runs effectively locks the silenced blade in a safe withdrawn position as an incident to its disconnection from the drive.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a printing press having a pair of spaced frame members, a folding mechanism comprising, in combination, a hollow folding cylinder having end walls and spaced longitudinal members defining openings therebetween, means for retaining products on said cylinder substantially over said openings, said cylinder having hollow cylindrical hubs extending outwardly therefrom and journaled in said frame members, a spider in said cylinder, end caps mounted on said frame members and having central cylindrical brackets extending inwardly into said hubs, means for mounting said spider for rotation upon said brackets about an axis eccentric with respect to the cylinder axis, a pair of folder blade shafts mounted on said spider and having folder blades thereon, means for driving said spider and said cylinder at related speeds, drive means including shaft gears non-rotatably mounted on the respective folder blade shafts, a sun gear stationarily mounted at the inner end of one of said brackets, and including idler gears interposed between said sun gear and the shaft gears so that upon rotation of the spider the folder blades are extended outwardly through said openings in said folding cylinder in sequence for folding engagement with the corresponding product, and means including a non-rotatable but longitudinally shiftable collar journaling one of said idler gears and mounting the same for axial movement into and out of driving engagement with the corresponding one of the shaft gears, a first member rigid with said one shaft gear, a second member rigid with said spider, and a locking member fixed to and movable with said collar and engageable with said first and second members to lock the same together as an incident to movement of said collar to disengage said idler gear from said one shaft gear whereby the associated folder blade is silenced and is positively held in inoperative position.

2. In a printing press adapted for electric power operation including an electric control system and having a pair of spaced frame members, a folding mechanism comprising, in combination, a hollow folding cylinder having end walls and spaced longitudinal members defining openings therebetween, means for retaining products on said cylinder substantially centered on said openings, end caps mounted on said frame members and having central cylindrical brackets extending inwardly into said cylinder, a spider within said cylinder, means for mounting said spider for rotation upon said brackets about an axis eccentric with respect to the cylinder axis, a pair of folder blade shafts mounted on said spider and having folder blades thereon, means for driving said spider and said cylinder at related speeds, drive means including shaft gears on the respective folder blade shafts, a sun gear stationarily mounted at the inner end of one of said brackets, and including idler gears carried by said spider and interposed between said sun gear and the shaft gears so that upon rotation of the spider the folder blades are extended outwardly through said openings in said folding cylinder in sequence for folding engagement with the corresponding product, means mounting one'of th'e-idler gears for movement between engaged and disengaged positions with respect to the associated shaft gear for silencing the associated folder blade when in the disengaged position, means including an exteriorly-accessible, manually-operable screw engageable with said mounting means for moving the same, and interlock means including an electric switch incorporated in the electric control system of the press, said interlock means being operatively associated with said screw to prevent press operation so long as said screw is in engagement with said idler gear mounting means.

3. In a printing press intended for electric power operation including an electric control system, and having a pair of spaced frame members, a folding mechanism comprising, in combination, a hollow folding cylinder having end walls and having longitudinal slots in the surface thereof, means for retaining products on said cylinder over said slots, means for journaling said cylinder on said frame members, a spider rotatably mounted in said cylinder for rotation about an axis parallel thereto, a pair of folder blade shafts eccentrically mounted on said spider and having folder blades thereon, means for driving said cylinder, spider and folder blade shafts at related speeds so that said blades are sequentially projected through the slots in the folding cylinder for folding engagement with a product on said cylinder, and manually-operated means on said spider engageable with said driving means for interrupting the drive to one of said folder shafts for silencing the folder blade associated with said one folder shaft, and interlock means including a switch incorporated in the electrical control system of the press and including a switch operator, and including a member coacting with said manually-operated means for precluding operation of said switch by said operator so as to prevent press operation so long as said manually-operated means is engaged with said driving means.

4. In a printing press intended for electric power operation and including an electric control system, a folding mechanism comprising, in combination, a hollow folding cylinder having longitudinal slots in the surface thereof, means for retaining products on said cylinder over said slots, means for journalling said cylinder for rotation, a spider rotatably mounted in said cylinder for rotation about an axis parallel thereto, a pair of folder blade shafts eccentrically mounted on said spider and having folder blades thereon, means for driving said cylinder, spider and folder blade shafts at related speeds so that said blades are sequentially projected through the respective slots in the folding cylinder for folding engagement with a product on said cylinder, and manually-operated means on said spider engageable with said driving means for interrupting the drive to one of said folder shafts for silencing the folder blade associated with said one folder shaft, and interlock means including a switch incorporated in the electrical control system of the press and including a switch operator, said switch and operator being located in proximate relation to said manually-operated means, and said interlock means including a locking member mounting said switch operator and moveable into position to permit operation of said switch only when said manually operated means is disengaged whereby to preclude operation of said switch and press operation so long as said manually operated means is engaged with said driving means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,997,126 Spillane Apr. 9, 1935 2,026,443 Tomlin Dec. 31, 1935 2,597,932 Huck et al. May 27, 1952 2,624,572 Harleso Jan. 6, 1953