High speed signature manipulating apparatus

A quarter folder machine to convert half folded signatures into quarter folded signatures, said machine comprising, in combination

• (a) means for feeding in half folded signatures as a horizontally-disposed first running shingle traveling at a first velocity V.sub.1 along a path,
• (b) conveyor means for receiving and transporting said signatures as they come from said means (a), including means for successively grabbing the leading edge of successive signatures and accelerating said signatures so they are transported seriatim in spaced relation at a speed S,
• (b1) said conveyor means (b) including a driven belt engaging the centerline of each signature and running in a downstream direction,
• (c) stationary camming means disposed along and on opposite sides of said belt for urging the wings of each signature downwardly into essentially vertical disposition to form a fold about said centerline, said fold being a quarter spine,
• (b2) said conveyor means including 90.degree. twist belt means running at said speed S for receiving vertically oriented, quarter folded signatures from said means (c) by grabbing them along their quarter spines and swinging such signatures upwardly to a substantially horizontal orientation with the spines running parallel to the path, said signatures being ejected in timed and spaces succession from said twist belt means,
• (d) moving throat means located to intercept the leading edge of each ejected signature for decelerating the signature and forming successive signatures into a second running shingle, said moving throat means including
• (d1) an underlying second belt driven at a velocity V.sub.2 which is less than said speed S and upon which ejected signatures fall after being intercepted, and
• (d2) an upper moving barrier surface disposed to be struck by and to affirmatively intercept the leading edge of each ejected signature and to tuck it down into shingled relation with the preceding signature moving with said second belt.

Apparatus for making quarter folded signatures from half folded signatures, comprising in combination

• (a) means for feeding in half folded signatures as a first shingle running in a given plane downstream along a path,
• (b) conveyor means for receiving signatures from said means (a) and individually accelerating each one so that they travel along said path seriatim and in spaced-apart relation at a given speed S,
• (c) means associated with said conveyor means for folding each signature essentially about its centerline which is parallel to said path, thereby to create a quarter folded signature disposed in a plane lying transverse to said given plane,
• (d) means downstream of said means (c) for decelerating the quarter folded signatures and forming them into a second running shingle,
• (d1) said means (d) including a moving barrier surface for affirmatively intercepting the successive leading edges of successive signatures arriving seriatium to slow and guide them to a moving conveyor surface traveling at a velocity slower than said speed S, said conveyor surface being oppositely disposed from said barrier surface to create a moving V-shaped throat.