Web unit handling method and apparatus

Apparatus for producing stacks of folded web units comprising a frame,

• a collection conveyor horizontally disposed on said frame,
• means operably associated with said collection conveyor for moving the same at a predetermined speed,
• a plurality of cutoff-transverse folding devices successively aligned along said collection conveyor terminating in a discharge end, each said cutoff-transverse folding device including a folding roll having an outer surface,
• means associated with said folding rolls for rotating the same to move said surface at said predetermined speed,
• means for separately, vertically advancing at said predetermined speed a plurality of continuous webs, one into each of said cutoff-transverse folding devices, said cutoff-transverse folding devices providing folded web units,
• means for controlledly transferring said folded web units from each of said cutoff-transverse folding devices to a series of points on said collection conveyor for advancing units thereon in synchronism with the units being delivered successively thereto to develop a series of stacks, each stack having a plurality of units therein,
• said transferring means including belt means for traveling on said folding roll in underlying relation to a web unit on said folding roll whereby said belt means travels at said predetermined speed,
• each said belt means being entrained about an idler roll spaced downstream relative to the path of collection conveyor movement from said folding roll to provide a length of travel generally parallel to said collection conveyor to confine each folded web unit as the same is superposed onto a previously transferred folded web unit,
• said surface of each of said folding rolls, each said belt means and said collection conveyor all being arranged so that at the point of transfer of a folded web unit all of said folding roll surface, belt means, folded unit and collection conveyor are traveling at the same speed and in the same direction whereby a folded web unit traveling with said folding roll changes direction progressively during transfer without any change in speed.