Apparatus for folding sheets of different formats

An apparatus for folding and depositing sheets of different formats, the apparatus comprising:

• a folding station for folding a sheet in one direction which folding station has opposite exits;
• a delivery station for depositing folded sheets one upon another;
• a feed path for feeding a sheet to said folding station;
• a discharge path for discharging folded sheets to said delivery station, wherein said discharge path comprises a first part and a second part which extend from opposite exits of said folding station to said delivery station, said first part having zero or an even number of 180.degree. bends and said second part having an odd number of 180.degree. bends;
• and
• a control means for selectively operating said folding station either in a first operating state, in which sheets which belong to a first group or format are folded in accordance with a first pattern, or in a second operating state, in which sheets which belong to a second group or format are folded in accordance with a second pattern, in which operating states folded sheets thus formed consecutively by said folding station are applied in directions which are the inverse of one another, sheets which have been folded in accordance with said first pattern being discharged by way of said first part of said discharge path and sheets which have been folded in accordance with said second pattern being discharged by way of said second part of said discharge path.