US 5,037,365 AGranted

Folder with belt speed control

AssigneeHarris Graphics Corporation

InventorRichard E. Breton

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Abstract

An improved folder includes a first series of belts which grips and moves sheet material along converging deflectors to fold the sheet material. As the space between the deflectors narrows, a second series of belts grips the sheet material and continues its movement between the deflectors. The first series of belts includes a first plurality of tapes disposed on a first side of a fold line and a second plurality of tapes disposed on a second side of the fold line. The second series of belts includes a pair of creaser belts which extend from between the tapes to an outlet portion of the folder. The speed of movement of the tapes and creaser belts is coordinated by using speed signal generators which are driven at the speed of movement of the tapes and creaser belts. A controller compares the speed signals and maintains a desired relationship between the speed of movement of the tapes and creaser belts. It is believed that the creaser belts will usually be driven at the same speed. However, the creaser belts may be driven at slightly different speeds in order to compensate for deformation imparted to the sheet material before it moved between the creaser belts.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A folder for forming a fold along a predetermined fold line in sheet material, said folder comprising first longitudinally extending deflector means disposed on a first side of the fold line and extending from an inlet portion of said folder to an outlet portion of said folder for deflecting sheet material extending from an area on the first side of the fold line in a first direction as the sheet material moves from the inlet portion of said folder to the outlet portion of said folder, second longitudinally extending deflector means disposed on a second side of the fold line and extending from the inlet portion of said folder to the outlet portion of said folder for deflecting sheet material extending from an area on the second side of the fold line in the first direction as the sheet material moves from the inlet portion to the outlet portion of said folder, said first and second deflector means including deflector surfaces for engaging areas of the sheet material which areas increase as the sheet material moves away from the inlet portion of said folder toward the outlet portion of said folder, a first series of belts at least partially disposed between said first and second deflector means for gripping and moving sheet material along said first and second deflector means in a direction away from the inlet portion of said folder toward the outlet portion of said folder, a second series of belts at least partially disposed between said first and second deflector means for gripping sheet material while the sheet material is being gripped and moved by the first series of belts, said second series of belts extending beyond said first series of belts toward the outlet portion of said folder to enable said second series of belts to grip and move the sheet material along said first and second deflector means away from said first series of belts and toward the outlet portion of said folder after the sheet material has been separated from said first series of belts, drive means for varying the speed of movement of at least one driven belt in one of said first and second series of belts, first signal generator means for providing a first speed signal which is a function of the speed of movement of at least one belt in said first series of belts, second signal generator means for providing a second speed signal which is a function of the speed of movement of at least one belt in said second series of belts, and control means for comparing the first and second speed signals and for effecting operation of said drive means to vary the speed of movement of at least said one driven belt in said one series of belts in response to a change in the relationship between said first and second speed signals.

A sheet material handling apparatus comprising first folder means for forming a first fold in the sheet material, said first folder means including means which deflects the sheet material adjacent to the first fold to impart a deformed configuration to the sheet material, second folder means for receiving sheet material from said first folder means with the sheet material in a deformed configuration and for forming a second fold in the sheet material along a fold line which extends through the first fold, said second folder means including a first belt which engages a first side of the sheet material and a second belt which engages a second side of the sheet material to grip the sheet material while the sheet material is in the deformed configuration and to move the sheet material along a path extending transversely to the first fold line, and drive means for moving said first and second belts and for maintaining the speed of movement of said first belt at a speed which is greater than the speed of said second belt, said first belt including surface means for transmitting force from said first belt to one side of the sheet material to pull the one side of the sheet material forward and change the configuration of the sheet material from a deformed configuration as the sheet material is being moved by said first and second belts.

An apparatus for use in handling sheet material, said apparatus comprising a first continuous belt having a side portion for engaging a side of the sheet material, a first plurality of pulleys engaging said first belt said first plurality of pulleys being rotatable during movement of said first belt, and cooperating with said first belt in a manner which results in variations in the effective pitch diameters of said first plurality of pulleys during movement of said first belt, a second continuous belt having a side portion for engaging a side of the sheet material at a location opposite from said first belt, a second plurality of pulleys engaging said second belt, said second plurality of pulleys being rotatable during movement of said second belt and cooperating with said second belt in a manner which results in variations in the effective pitch diameters of said second plurality of pulleys during movement of said second belt, said first and second belts cooperating to grip the sheet material and move the sheet material during movement of said first and second belts, said first and second belts cooperating to hold the sheet material during movement of the sheet material by said first and second belts, first drive means for driving said first belt, second drive means for driving said second belt, first signal generator means for providing a first speed signal which is a function of the speed of movement of said first belt, second signal generator means for providing a second speed signal which is a function of the speed of movement of said second belt, and control means connected with said first and second drive means and said first and second signal generator means for effecting operation of said first and second drive means as a function of the first and second speed signals to maintain the relationship of the speed of movement of said first belt to the speed of movement of said second belt substantially constant even though the effective pitch diameters of said first and second plurality of pulleys vary during movement of said first and second belts.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.