Folding apparatus with multiple speed folding jaw cylinder

Continuous web-fed folding apparatus including:

• a) means for severing the web to form a stream of successive discrete signatures;
• b) a first rotary cylinder having a periphery formed to carry said stream from said means for severing and having at least one first tucking element selectively operable to project transversely of said periphery in timed relationship to rotation of said cylinder,
• c) a second rotary cylinder alongside said first cylinder and having at least one first peripheral jaw means selectively operable to open and close in timed relationship to rotation of said second cylinder;
• d) means for driving said means for severing, and said first and second cylinders synchronously whereby said first tucking element coacts with said first jaw means to insert an intermediate part of a signature carried on the first cylinder periphery in use into said first jaw means for engagement thereby so transversely folding said signature while transferring it to the second cylinder;
• and
• e) at least one third rotary cylinder alongside said second cylinder, said means for driving also driving said third cylinder synchronously with the second cylinder, said third cylinder including at least one peripheral gripper means selectively operable to open and close in timed relationship to rotation of said third cylinder whereby said gripper means engages and takes successive signatures off the second cylinder for downstream delivery;
• wherein the improvement comprises
• f) said second cylinder further including at least one second tucking element selectively operable to project transversely of the second cylinder periphery in timed relationship to rotation of that cylinder;
• and
• g) said third cylinder including at least one second peripheral jaw means selectively operable to open and close in timed relationship to rotation of said third cylinder with said means for driving set to bring said second jaw means into coacting relationship with said second tucking element in a second fold mode whereby an intermediate part of a signature previously folded by the first tucking means and carried on the second cylinder is inserted into said second jaw means to further transversely fold said signature while transferring it to the third cylinder, wherein the second cylinder includes a plurality of angularly spaced sequentially operated first jaw means and the equivalent number of angularly spaced sequentially operable second tucking elements for acting on a plurality of signatures while carried by said second cylinder, wherein the third cylinder includes a plurality of angularly spaced sequentially operable gripper means, a plurality of angularly spaced sequentially operable second jaw means, and drive input means which can be selectively set to bring said plurality of gripper means or said plurality of second jaw means into synchronization with operation of the second cylinder for selection or de-selection of said second fold mode.