US3570335A

US3570335A - Cam actuated paperworking assembly for folding machines

Info

Publication number: US3570335A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mario James Marin
Original assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc
Current assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc
Priority date: 1969-03-17
Filing date: 1969-03-17
Publication date: 1971-03-16
Anticipated expiration: 1988-03-16
Also published as: AU1266470A; FR2039614A5; SE374080B; CH500898A; DE2012331A1; GB1291955A

Abstract

The disclosed apparatus is a folding machine for paper sheets which includes a paperworking assembly for performing operations such as perforating, scoring or slitting on each folded sheet. Sheets are fed through the apparatus and folded by means of buckle chutes. They then pass through the paperworking assembly which comprises a pair of rotatable shafts carrying selected combinations of cooperating pairs of feed and working rollers which act to perforate, score and/or slit the folded sheets. The shafts and their rolls may be moved between an operative position and an inoperative position by actuation of a cam which lifts one shaft. This simple procedure makes the paperworking assembly suited for use in heavy machines, or in those in which the paperworking assembly must be frequently made inoperative. The paperworking assembly also pivots from the machine for changing shafts or realigning or changing the feed or working rolls.

Description

United States Patent Inventor Mario James Marin 1,462,478 7/1923 Beynon et al. s3/503x South Nvrwalk, (3999- 1,510,656 10/1924 Clements 83/506X pp 807,719 2,572,802 10/1951 Crabtree et al s3/302x 1 Filed Mar-17,1969 3,122,040 2/1964 Bishop s3/430x [45] Patented Mar. 16, 197] 1 [73] Assignee Pitney-Bowcs, Inc. Primary Exam m er-Frank T. Yost I Stamford, Calm Attorneys-Wflham D. Soltow, Jr., Albert W. Scr1bner and Martin D. Wittstein [54] CAM ACTUATED PAPERWORKING ASSEMBLY ABSTRACT: The disclosed apparatus is a folding machine for FOR FOLDING MACHINES paper sheets which includes a paperworkmg assembly for per- 13 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs forming operations such as perforating, scormg or sllttmg on each folded sheet. Sheets are fed through the apparatus and U-S. folded means of buckle chutes then pass through the 83/302, 83/322, 83/348, 33/430, 83/481, 83/482 paperworking assembly which comprises a pair of rotatable ll!!- hafts carrying elected combinations of cooperating pairs of Fleld ofSearch feed and working rollers which act to perforate score and/or 302, 348, 430, 563, 564, 482, 481, 503, 506, slit the folded sheets. The shafts and their rolls may be moved 322 between an operative position and an inoperative position by 56] References Cited actuation of a cam which lifts one shaft. This simple procedure makes the paperworking assembly suited for use in heavy UNITED STATES PATENTS machines, or in those in which the paperworking assembly Re20,492 8/1937 Yoder 83/482X must be frequently made inoperative. The paperworking as 904,247 11/1908 Cameron. 83/482X sembly also pivots from the machine for changing shafts or 1,037,284 9/1912 Meisel 83/482X realigning or changing the feed or working rolls.

Patented March 16, 1911 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. MARIO J. MARlN Wm 12 mm ATTORNEY Patented L-March 16, 1971 3,570,335

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I O I II III .II N

INVENTOR. MARIO J. MARIN BY MA. 0. mm

ATTORNEY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to folding machines and more particularly to a device for perforating, scoring or slitting folded sheets of paper as they emerge from the folding machine.

Paper folding machines are well known in the paper handling art and have enjoyed substantial commercial success. In general, these machines successively feed sheets of paper of various sizes from a stack into and through a folding mechanism and then discharge the folded sheets in a suitably stacked arrangement. The machines may be adjusted to make various fold configurations such as letter fold, accordion fold or single fold. The thus folded sheets are then generally delivered to some form of stacking tray or feeder in staggered relationship ready to be inserted into envelopes,although in some instances the folding machines may be attached to or otherwise associated with other paper handling apparatus, for example, an envelope stuffing machine.

Frequently, however, the other types of operations which the folding machine itself is not capable for performing must be performed on the sheets subsequent to folding. For example, it may be desirable to provide a perforated line on a sheet of letter paper todefme a tear-off portion which the addressee is asked to return to the sender. Another example might be where a memorandum or notice isprinted twice on the same sheet of paper for convenience in printing; in such a case it is often desirable to slit the sheet of paper between the two printed portions after the folding operation. A further example arises where it becomes necessary to pass a folded sheet through the folding machine more than once in order to achieve further folding and size reduction. In this situation it has been found that if each folded sheet is initially scored along the desired fold lines, a more uniform and uncrimped fold is obtained with less jamming of the folded sheets during the subsequent folding operations.

Accordingly, some prior art folding machines have been provided with devices for performing subsequent operations on the folded sheets such as perforating, slitting or scoring as the folded sheets emerge from the final feeding elements of the machine. Generally, however, it has been extremely difficult for an operator to set up or disable these devices on the folding machine. The reason is that prior art perforating, slitting and scoring devices have either been permanently mounted, wherein the apparatus for performing these functions can only be removed by substantial disassembly of portions of the folding machine, or the apparatus has been in the form of an attachment which requires relatively complicated connections to the folding machine. Also, since these devices should be driven in synchronization with the folding machine, complications have occurred in making connections with the driving power source. Further, in the case of removable devices, there is a storage problem when the device is not in use.

Many of these problems have been overcome by the apparatus disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 707,627 filed Feb. 23, 1968 and assigned to'the present assignee. However, in some instances, and particularly in the case of larger folding machines, the perforating, scoring and slitting mechanism may be too heavy and bulky to afford convenient pivotal movement between operative and inoperative positions. In other cases the frequency of change of the machine may necessitate a more simplified procedure for rendering the perforating, scoring and slitting mechanism either operative or inoperative.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved cam actuated device for perforating, scoring or slitting folded sheets in conjunction with a sheet folding machine.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device of the above character which may be readily shifted from an operative position to an inoperative position without being removed from the folding machine or pivoted from its normal plane of operation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device of the above character which does not require connection or disconnection from the drive mechanism of the folding machine when it is shifted from operative to inoperative positions.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a .device of the above character which is simply constructed,

relatively inexpensive, readily installed, and accurate and reliable in use.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the constructions hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention, a paperworking assembly for perforating, scoring and/or slitting folded paper sheets is integrated into a paper folding machine. The paperworking assembly is rendered operative and inoperative without removal or displacement from its normal plane of operation, and without disconnection from the folding machine power source. This makes the invention particularly suited for use in larger and heavier folding machines, and in those applications where frequent shifts of the paperworking assembly between operative and inoperative conditions may be required.

The paperworking assembly comprises a pair of rotatable shafts carrying corresponding pairs of feeding and working rollers for performing one or more of the operations of perforating, scoring or slitting folded sheets. One shaft is fixed in place in the folding machine and connected to the power source. The other shaft is mounted to a subframe which may be moved away from the fixed shaft to separate the pairs'of feeding and working rollers and render them inoperative. The subframe is moved through rotation of a cam which bears against a portion of the subframe to lift it away from the fixed shaft, and which supports the subframe and its associated shafts in this inoperative position.

Further, the paperworking assembly may be pivoted out of the machine for purposes of changing shafts, or of adding, subtracting or realigning the feeding and working rollers for various paperworking operations.

The paperworking assembly is provided at the discharge end of the folding machine so that after paper sheets have been folded therein, they are fed between the shafts of the assembly where they are either subject to the action of the working rollers if in an operative position, or pass through without change if in an inoperative position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation sectional view of the apparatus of the invention taken along line 1-1 of FIG. 2 and showing the paperworking assembly of the invention in a normal operative position (solid lines), and pivoted from the paper folding machine for adjustment (dotted lines).

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 1, partly broken away to reveal the means for moving the paperworking assembly between operative and inoperative position.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the folding machine comprises a pair of parallel

upstanding sideplates

12 and 14 which define a frame for supporting the folding machine components. A paper feeding assembly 15 including a supporting tray 16 having suitable side guides 17 holds a stack of sheets to be folded (FIG. 1). Tray 16 is disposed in suitable angled relationship to facilitate the feeding of sheets seriatim by a feed roller 13 mounted on a shaft 20 which is rotatably mounted by journals 22 to the folding machine frame.

Roller 18 cooperates with a paper separator roll 24 on assembly 15 to insure that only a single sheet is fed at one time. A slot 26 is provided in paper tray 16 through which separator roll 24 contacts the lower surface of successive sheets of paper.

A pair of

guide surfaces

28a and 28b (FIG. 1) on

guide members

30a and 30b (FIG. 2) at either side of the machine define a forward wall for the paper tray compartment of the folding machine. Guide surfaces 28a and 23b together with the forward end 32 of paper tray 16 define in passageway 34 for the sheets of paper to be folded.

Guide surfaces

28a and 28b terminate in turn-around guides 36a and 36b (FIG. 1) for directing sheets of paper into the nip between a feed roller 38 mounted on a shaft 40, and another feed roller 42 mounted on a shaft 44 disposed in spaced parallel relationship with shaft 40. The paper sheets are held against roller 38 as they round it by a guide roller 37 (FIG. 1) supported on a shaft 39 joumaled to guide

members

30a and 30b (FIG. 2).

As shown in FIG. 1, shafts 40 and 44 and the

respective feed rollers

38 and 42 are disposed adjacent the inlet end 46 of a buckle chute 48. Buckle chute 48 may be of any desired or known construction for the purposes of this n invention; for illustration purposes, however, it is shown as comprising a pair of closely spaced

parallel plates

50 and 51 having between them an adjustable stop element 49. Stop element 49 provides an abutment which stops the movement of each sheet of paper moving through buckle chute 48. This causes the sheet to buckle for folding as is more fully described hereinafter.

A further feed roller 52 is mounted on shaft 54 in position to cooperate with feed roller 42.

Rollers

42 and 52 form a first fold as each buckled sheet of paper feeds between them; they then feed the folded leading edge of the paper sheet to the inlet end 55 of a second buckle chute 56 located beneath buckle chute 48.

Buckle chute 56 may also be of any desired or known construction and again for illustrative purposes is shown as comprising a pair of closely spaced

parallel plates

58 and 59.

An adjustable stop 57 is located between

plates

58 and 59 against which the previously folded leading edge of the paper sheet abuts. This stops the movement thereof and causes the sheet to buckle again to prepare for a subsequent fold. It will be seen that both

buckle chutes

48 and 56 are provided with shaped guide surfaces adjacent their inlet ends for assisting the sheets of paper to buckle in the right direction, and for guiding the buckled portion of each sheet toward the next set of folding rollers.

A further feed roller 60 is mounted on a shaft 62 in position to cooperate with roller 42 to impart a second fold to each buckled sheet of paper as it passes therebetween, and to feed each sheet out of the folding machine.

It can be seen that guide surfaces 28a and 28b, 36a and 36b, and

rollers

37, 38, 42, 52 and 60 all constitute a feeding and folding roller assembly mounted on the folding machine. It can also be seen from FIG. 1, that the nip of rollers 42 and 60 and a plane extending substantially parallel therefrom define for at least a short distance a discharge path for folded sheets of paper emerging from the feeding and folding roller assembly.

For the sake of convenience, the folded sheets which are being discharged at a substantially high rate of speed are collected on a suitable tray or powered stacker mechanism, an example of the latter being shown in FIG. 1 wherein an endless belt 64 passes around a driven roller support 66 and an idler support (not shown). The upper reach 68 of belt 64 receives the discharged folded sheets and enables them to be stacked in staggered relationship in a manner well known in the art.

In operation of the above-described apparatus, a stack of sheets to be folded is placed in paper tray 16 with their leading edges slightly staggered, the upper sheet being foremost. Roller 18, in cooperation with separator roll 24 and

guide surfaces

28a and 28b, feeds the topmost sheet into passageway 34 and around guides 36a and 36b until the sheet is picked up in the nip of

rollers

38 and 42. These rollers feed the sheet into upper buckle chute 48 until the leading edge of the sheet abuts stop element 49. At that instant the sheet buckles downwardly in the area of the inlet end 46 of buckle chute 50, and the buckled portion of the sheet enters the nip of

rollers

42 and 52 which press the buckled portion to effect a fold. The fold now constitutes a new leading edge.

Rollers

42 and 52 then feed the sheet downwardly to the inlet end 55 of buckle chute 56 where the leading edge is deflected into the buckle chute until it engages stop element 57. Continued rotation of the

feed rollers

42 and 52 causes the sheet to buckle again in the area of inlet end 55 of buckle chute 56, the buckles extending forwardly toward the nip of rollers 42 and 60.

Rollers

42 and 52 continue to feed the sheet causing the buckled portion to be picked up in the nip of rollers 42 and 60 to effect a second fold in the sheet which forms a new folded leading edge. Rollers 42 and 60 then feed the fully folded sheet along the discharge path and out of the folding machine to be deposited on upper reach 68 of traveling belt 64 of a stacker tray (not shown). As soon as the trailing edge of the first sheet leaves feed roller 18, a second sheet is started along the same path. However,

rollers

38, 42, 52 and 60 are rotating at a much higher rate of speed than roller 18 so that the trailing edge of the first sheet is completely clear of the nip of

rollers

38 and 42 before the leading edge of the next sheet arrives at that point.

All of the above-described rollers and shafts, including shaft 66 for belt 64, may be driven by a suitable power source through any desired power chain as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a unitary paperworking assembly 70 is located adjacent the discharge area of the folding machine. Assembly 70 is contained wholly within the folding machine and is cam actuable between operative and inoperative positions without being removed from the machine or pivoted from its normal plane of operation. As will be recognized, this makes assembly 70 particularly suitable for larger machines, or for those machines in which the frequency of change from operative to inoperative portions makes a removable or pivotable assembly impractical or undesirable.

Specifically, paper working assembly 70 comprises a generally rectangular frame 72 terminating at either end in the previously discussed

guide members

30a and 30b (FIG. 1). A pair of

side plates

71a and 71b (FIG. 2) formed integrally with frame 72 are pivotably journaled about

bearings

73a and 73b in either end of the folding machine frame. This permits the entire assembly 70 to be pivoted out of the folding machine, as shown by dotted lines in FIG. 1, for major but relatively infrequent changes more fully discussed below.

A pair of shafts 78 and are rotatably supported respectively in bearings 73 on sideplates 71, and in sliding blocks 74 and 76. Blocks 74 and 76 and shaft 80 are part of a movable subframe 81, more fully described below, which is manually actuated to render the paper working assembly operable or inoperable as desired.

Shafts

78 and 80 are preferably removable from the bearings 73 and blocks 74 and 76 for purposes of replacement or repair.

Each shaft carries a plurality of selected feeding rollers and working rollers; these cooperate with each other to simultaneously feed folded sheets and perform various operations thereon as they pass between the

shafts

78 and 80 when assembly 70 is in an operative position. Specifically, but for purposes of illustration only,

shafts

78 and 80 are shown carrying two pairs of spaced apart feed

rollers

84 and 86 for feeding folded sheets between the shafts. Shaft 80 may also carry one or more scoring rollers 88 which each cooperate with a flat resilient roller 00 on shaft 78 to provide a score line on each folded sheet as it passes therebetween. Shaft 80 may also carry one or more slitting rollers 92 which each cooperate with a grooved roller 94 to slit each folded sheet as it passes through. Shaft 80 may further carry one or more perforating rollers 96 which each cooperate with a grooved roller 98 similar to roller 94 in order to form a perforated line across each folded sheet as it passes. Feed rollers 84 and all of the working

rollers

88, 90, 92, 96 and 98 are mounted so as to be axially adjustable on shafts 78 and 8022s well as removable from the shafts, so that any desired arrangement of feed rollers and working rollers may be set up in order to achieve a particular result. It is for this purpose that assembly 70 is pivotable from the front of the machine as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, the bearings 73 rotatably supporting shaft 78 are fixedly mounted in sideplates 71. Shaft 78 is driven through a gear 100 affixed to one end which meshes with an adjacent gear 102 connected to a convenient power source such as a power takeoff from the folding machine. The connection of shaft 78 is not moved from its position even when, as shown in FIG. 1, assembly 70 is pivoted from the front of the folding machine for changes to the feeding and working rollers on

shafts

78 and 80.

As indicated above, shaft 80 is movable in a vertical plane within the folding machine between operative and inoperative positions. Referring to F168. 2 and 3, sliding blocks 74 and 76, in which the ends of shaft 80 are rotatably journaled, are respectively slidably mounted in slots 104a and 10411 in sideplates 71. Blocks 74 and 76 are suspended from a carrier plate 106 by a pair of pins 108a and 10812 which pass freely through plate 106 and are upset to attach them thereto. Coil springs 110a and 110b, telescopically mounted on pins 108a and 1118b between blocks 74, 76, and plate 106, bias blocks 74 and 76 away from plate 106. As shown in FIG. 2, springs 110a and 1101) serve to maintain the rollers on shaft 80 resiliently biased against the corresponding rollers on shaft 78 to maintain their cooperating relationship. They also act somewhat like shock absorbers capable of adjusting for variations in the thickness of materials passing between

shafts

78 and 80.

Carrier plate 106 is in turn suspended by

bolts

112a and 112b from a top plate 114 forming part of subframe 81 (FIG. 2). A pair of spacers 113a and 1111b are interposed between the upper surface of the carrier plate 106 and the underside of a cam follower plate 124 described below to maintain a fixed predetermined distance between the carrier plate 106 and the cam follower plate 124. A pair of coil springs 116a and 1l6b are telescopically mounted on the spacers 113a and 11% between carrier plate 106 and top plate 14, and bias the carrier plate 106 downwardly with respect to the top plate 114 for a purpose made clear hereinafter.

The mechanism for shifting paperworking assembly 70 between operative and inoperative positions preferably comprises a cam 118 secured to a rotatable shaft 120 within a recess 122 in top plate 114. It will be recognized however that cam 118 may be replaced by an equivalent mechanical device such as a jackscrew, a lever arrangement, a wedge or the like. The cam follower plate 124, also part of the subframe 81, is mounted over recess 122 in alignment with cam 118. Plate 124 may be conveniently held inposition by

bolts

112a and 112b. Thus, blocks 74 and 76, pins 108a and 108b, springs 110a and 110b, plate 106,

bolts

112a and 112b, springs 116a and 11612 and cam follower plate 124 are all components of the subframe 81 for supporting shaft 80.

Referring to FIG. 1, it can be seen that shaft 120 upon which cam 118 is mounted extends out through the front of frame 72 where it terminates in an operating member 126. Member 126 may be a handle, or a fitting to which a handle may be attached; alternatively it may be in the shape of a bolt head which can be turned with a wrench or the like.

To move paperworking assembly 70 between operative and inoperative positions, the operator need merely twist operating member 126 in the proper direction. Referring to FIGS. I and 2 assembly 70 is shown in its operative position, that is shaft is in a lowered position with its

rollers

84, 86, 88, 92 and 96 working in cooperation with

corresponding rollers

84, 86 and 94 and 98 on shaft 78. In this position, folded paper sheets exiting from between rollers 42 and 60 of the folding machine (FIG. 1) are passed between the rollers on

shafts

78 and 80 and are perforated, scored and/or slit as the case may be. It should be noted that the folding machine includes suitable means for disabling the folding mechanism so that unfolded sheets can be fed through the machineand perforated, scored or slit should this be desired.

To move assembly 70 to its inoperative position, the operator twists member 126 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 2, rotating shaft and attached cam 118 also in a clockwise direction. As cam 118 rotates, lifting surface 128 thereof contacts the bottom of plate 124 forcing it upwardly. Plate 124 in moving upward carries bolts 112a and 112k upward through top plate 114 pulling carrier plate 106 upward against the bias of springs 116a and 11612. The upward motion of plate 106 is in turn transferred through screws 108a and 108b and sliding blocks 74 and 76 to shaft 80, thus separating the rollers on shafts 78 and 80m render them inoperative. When turned through approximately 90 from the position shown in FIG. 2, the support surface 130 of cam 118 comes to rest against the bottom of plate 124 to maintain it and thus subframe 81 in its upper, inoperative position. It will be seen from the above that the motion of subframe 81 is confined to a plane common to both

shafts

78 and 80. Springs 116a and 116b improve the stability of vertical movement of the subframe 81. When cam 118 is rotated to raise or lower the carrier plate 106; without these springs there is a tendency of the subframe 81 to cock and cause binding between the spacers 1 13a and 113b and the holes in the top plate 114.

When it is desired to return the assembly 70 to its operative position, the operator twists the member 126 in a counterclockwise direction thereby causing a lowering surface 132 to push downwardly on the carrier plate 106 until a locking surface 134 secures the subframe 81 in its lower position, thereby maintaining the assembly 70 in its operative position.

Thus, the paperworking assembly of the invention may be readily shifted between operative and inoperative position without removal or pivoting from the folding machine, and without any need for connecting or disconnecting the assembly from its power source.

Although shown in combination with a particular type of folding machine, it will be understood that the paperworking assembly of the invention is adaptable to many kinds of folding machines or the like.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention, which as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim:

1. In a sheet folding machine, an assembly for performing an operation such as scoring, slitting or perforating on each folded sheet comprising:

A. a pair of parallel rotatable shafts carrying a selected grouping of cooperating pairs of feed and working rolls, said shafts being mounted to said machine adjacent the area of discharge of the folded paper sheets;

13. means driving at least one of said shafts; and

C. cam actuating means operating to separate said shafts to render the rolls thereon inoperative, and to return said shafts and the rolls thereon to an operative position, said cam actuating means comprising, a subframe supporting one said shaft for movement toward and away from the other said shaft in a plane common to both said shafts, and a rotatable cam engaging with and moving said subframe and its supported shaft toward or away from said other shaft.

2. A machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said supported shaft is mounted for free rotational movement in said subframe and said other shaft is positively driven.

3. A machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said cam has a lifting surface thereon, and including a follower on said subframe in position to be contacted by said lifting surface when said cam is rotated to one orientation to move said subframe and its supported shaft away from said other shaft.

4. A machine as defined in claim 3 wherein said cam further has a lowering surface, a portion of said subframe being in position to be contacted by said lowering surface when said cam is rotated to a second orientation to move said subframe and its supported shaft toward said other shaft.

5. A machine as defined in claim 4 wherein said cam further includes a supporting surface adjacent said lifting surface and a locking surface adjacent said lowering surface, said supporting and locking surfaces cooperating respectively with said follower and subframe portion to maintain said shafts in said inoperative and operative position respectively.

6. A machine as defined in claim 3 wherein said supported shaft is spring mounted in said subframe, the springs biasing said supported shaft toward said other shaft to keep said feeding and working rolls thereon in cooperating relationship when said shafts are in an operative position.

7. In a paper folding machine, a paperworking assembly for scoring, slitting and/or perforating folded paper sheets comprising:

A. a first driven shaft rotatably mounted to said machine, said first shaft carrying a selected grouping of feeding and working rolls;

B. a second shaft rotatably supported parallel to said first shaft by a subframe;

1. said subframe being movable toward said first shaft to an operative position and away from said first shaft to an inoperative position, and

2. a selected grouping of feeding and working rolls carried by said second shaft, said rolls corresponding to said feeding and working rolls carried by said first shaft and cooperating therewith to perform scoring, slitting and/or perforating operations when said shafts are in an .5; operative position; and

C. means for moving said subframe between operative and inoperative positions comprising a single rotatable cam mounted to said machine and having a lifting surface thereon, and a follower on said subframe in position to be contacted by said lifting surface when said cam is rotated to move said subframe and said second shaft away from said first shaft.

8. A machine as defined in claim 7 including means confining said movement of said subframe to a plane common to both said first and second shafts.

9. A machine as defined in claim 7 including a frame pivotably mounted about said first shaft and carrying said subframe, said frame being pivotable out of said machine for purposes of making changes to said shafts or the rolls carried thereon.

10. A machine as defined in claim 7 wherein said cam further has a lowering surface, a portion of said subframe being in position to be contacted by said lowering surface when said cam is rotated to a second orientation to move said subframe and its supported shaft toward said other shaft.

11. A machine as defined in claim 10 wherein said cam further includes a supporting surface adjacent said lifting surface and a locking surface adjacent said lowering surface, said supporting and locking surfaces cooperating respectively with said follower and subframe portion to maintain said shafts in said inoperative and operative positions res ectively.

2. In a sheet folding machine, an assem ly for performing an operation such as scoring, slitting or perforating on each folded sheet comprising:

B. means driving at least one of said shafts; and

C. a single cam rotatably mounted to said machine and engaging with cam follower means connected with one said shaft to separate said shafts and render the rolls thereon inoperative at one cam orientation, and to return said shafts and the rolls thereon to an operative position at another cam orientation.

13. A machine as defined in claim 12 including a frame pivotably mounted about one said shaft and carrying the other said shaft, said frame being pivotable out of said machine for purposes of making changes to said shafts or the rolls carried thereon.

Claims

1. In a sheet folding machine, an assembly for performing an operation such as scoring, slitting or perforating on each folded sheet comprising: A. a pair of parallel rotatable shafts carrying a selected grouping of cooperating pairs of feed and working rolls, said shafts being mounted to said machine adjacent the area of discharge of the folded paper sheets; B. means driving at least one of said shafts; and C. cam actuating means operating to separate said shafts to render the rolls thereon inoperative, and to return said shafts and the rolls thereon to an operative position, said cam actuating means comprising, a subframe supporting one said shaft for movement toward and away from the other said shaft in a plane common to both said shafts, and a rotatable cam engaging with and moving said subframe and its supported shaft toward or away from said other shaft.

2. a selected grouping of feeding and working rolls carried by said second shaft, said rolls corresponding to said feeding and working rolls carried by said first shaft and cooperating therewith to perform scoring, slitting and/or perforating operations when said shafts are in an operative position; and C. means for moving said subframe between operative and inoperative positions comprising a single rotatable cam mounted to said machine and having a lifting surface thereon, and a follower on said subframe in position to be contacted by said lifting surface when said cam is rotated to move said subframe and said second shaft away from said first shaft.

7. In a paper folding machine, a paperworking assembly for scoring, slitting and/or perforating folded paper sheets comprising: A. a first driven shaft rotatably mounted to said machine, said first shaft carrying a selected grouping of feeding and working rolls; B. a second shaft rotatably supported parallel to said first shaft by a subframe;

11. A machine as defined in claim 10 wherein said cam further includes a supporting surface adjacent said lifting surface and a locking surface adjacent said lowering surface, said supporting and locking surfaces cooperating respectively with said follower and subframe portion to maintain said shafts in said inoperative and operative positions respectively.

12. In a sheet folding machine, an assembly for performing an operation such as scoring, slitting or perforating on each folded sheet comprising: A. a pair of parallel rotatable shafts carrying a selected grouping of cooperating pairs of feed and working rolls, said shafts being mounted to said machine adjacent the area of discharge of the folded paper sheets; B. means driving at least one of said shafts; and C. a single cam rotatably mounted to said machine and engaging with cam follower means connected with one said shaft to separate said shafts and render the rolls thereon inoperative at one cam orientation, and to return said shafts and the rolls thereon to an operative position at another cam orientation.