Spreading and lap-forming machine

A spreading and lap-forming machine for converting a web (4) to a lap (6) by folding in pleats, comprising two conveyor-belts (2, 5) which are each following separate closed paths (20 to 31, 50 to 59) and associated with rollers (32 to 43, 60 to 69) for respective guiding and displacement of said conveyor-belts, the closed paths (20 to 31, 50 to 59) being external to each other and adjacent to each other in a pinching zone (23, 53) delimited by guide rollers (35, 61;

• 38, 64) carried by an input carriage (10) and an output carriage (14) displaceable in translational motion in a horizontal direction perpendicular to axes of the rollers (32 to 43, 60 to 69), the guide rollers comprising two pinching rollers (35, 61) which are each associated with a different one of the conveyor-belts and about which the conveyor-belts (2, 5) define between them a pinching line constituting a beginning of the pinching zone, means (20, 21, 22) for transporting the web (4) to the beginning of the pinching zone (23, 53), an apron (8) moves in a direction parallel to the axes of the rollers (32 to 43, 60 to 69) and which receives the web (4) as it passes out of the pinching zone (23, 53), and driving means (84, 85, 88, 89) for applying reciprocating movements of translation to the input carriage (10) and to the output carriage (14), wherein said machine includes means (34) for defining a section (22) for the web (4) on a first conveyor-belt (2), said section (22) being located upstream of the pinching line and inclined towards said line, wherein the pinching roller (35) associated with the first conveyor-belt causes said first conveyor-belt (2) to make a turn through an angle (B) greater than 90 degrees and smaller than 180 degrees, and wherein the pinching line is located in an intermediate angular position between the beginning and the end of said turn, and wherein the means which defines for the web (4), the section (22) which is inclined towards the pinching line, comprises a roller (34) mounted on the input carriage (10).