Apparatus and method for folding and stocking book documents

An apparatus for folding and receiving book documents, comprising:

• a main conveying device having a first conveying surface arranged and configured to convey unfolded book documents in a main conveying direction over the first conveying surface,
• a secondary conveying device with a second conveying surface, which is arranged and designed to receive book documents conveyed by the main conveying device and to convey them in a secondary conveying direction and against the secondary conveying direction over the second conveying surface, the secondary conveying direction running transversely to the main conveying direction, and
• a receiving device arranged at a spatial distance from the first and/or the second conveying surface and adapted to receive folded book documents, wherein
• the apparatus is designed to fold the conveyed book documents in each case with a movement of the book documents in the secondary conveying direction and against the secondary conveying direction, and wherein
• a lifting device is arranged and designed to convey the folded book documents from the main conveying device and/or from the secondary conveying device into the receiving device, and wherein
• the lifting device is at least partially retractable in the main conveyor device and/or in the secondary conveyor device, and wherein
• the lifting device can be lifted at least partially into the receiving device.