Folding device for producing folded printed products from a web of printed material

A folding device for producing folded printed products from an incoming web of printed material, comprising:

• (a) a first folding cylinder having at least one first jaw for forming a first transverse fold in a printed product and at least one second jaw for forming a second transverse fold parallel to the first fold;
• (b) a second folding cylinder parallel to the first folding cylinder having at least one set of grippers and at least one engaging blade which cooperates with the first folding cylinder in forming the second transverse fold;
• and
• (c) a set of movable belts wound partially around the second folding cylinder, so that the second folding cylinder in rotation drives the set of movable belts;
• and
• a drive for moving the set of movable belts to a first position, where the set of movable belts is wound partially around the first folding cylinder downstream of a plane P passing through the axes of the first and second folding cylinders, for forming a single transverse fold and to a second position, where the set of movable belts is wound only partially around the second folding cylinder downstream of the plane P passing through the axes of the first and second folding cylinders, for forming a second transverse fold parallel to the first fold, so that in the first position the set of movable belts maintains the printed product on the first folding cylinder engaged in the first folding jaw as the first folding jaw delivers the printed product for further processing and in the second position the set of grippers on the second folding cylinder grips the printed product engaged in the first folding jaw so as to maintain the printed product on the second folding cylinder until at least one engaging blade inserts the printed product into the second folding jaw of the first folding cylinder so as to form the second transverse fold in the printed product.