Apparatus for forming folded stacks from a web

An apparatus for forming folded stacks from a web, comprising:

• folding means for bending the webs at folding edges into multiple layers forming the stack,
• a stacking zone being defined adjacent to the folding means, in which stacking zone the stack is accumulated and is carried by stacking table means,
• separating means movable by separating drive means along a plane substantially parallel to the layers of the stack, thereby performing an inserting movement of the separating means into the stack and a retracting movement from the stack in said plane, the separating means being provided with frontal severing means for separating from each other during said inserting movement two adjacent layers of the stack at adjacent folding edges, and thereby separating the stack into an upper stack part and a lower stack part, the separating means being adapted to at least temporarily carry the upper stack part,
• stack removal means provided at a lower end of the stacking zone for removing the lower stack part from the stacking zone and from the stacking table means, the stacking table means being movable in a substantially vertical direction from an upper level adjacent to the separating means to a lower level adjacent to the stack removal means by vertical movement means, and said stacking table means being movable substantially horizontally by horizontal displacement means between a position beside and outside the stacking zone and a position inside the stacking zone,
• the stacking table means being sequentially movable by said vertical movement means and said horizontal displacement means
• from the lower level to the upper level while the stacking table means is in the position beside and outside the stacking zone,
• from the outside position to the inside position while the stacking table means is on the upper level, the stacking table means closely following the separation means during the retracting movement and thereby resuming support of the upper stack part upon retraction of the separation means,
• from the upper level to the lower level in the inside position, during which movement the stack is accumulated on the stacking table, and,
• from the inside position to the outside position on the lower level after the stack is transferred from the stacking table means to the removal means.