US 6,257,142 B1 · Rotary printing press for production of multiple center spread signatures

Abstract

Several printing units are arranged in a row for printing on as many separate webs traveling in centerline alignment and in phase with one another. At least one preselected web, on issuing from one printing unit, is directed over an angled guide rod thereby to be turned 90 degrees out of phase with the other, unselected webs. Subsequently traveling over a triangular shaped former, the preselected web is folded along a centerline thereof, back into phase with the unselected webs. The preselected web, already formed, and the unselected ones, yet unfolded, are then all superposed one upon another, with the fold of the preselected web in register with the aligned centerline of the unselected webs. The superposed webs are then folded by another former along the aligned centerline of the unselected webs. Subsequently fed into a cutting and folding device, the webs are cut and folded transversely into individual multiple-page signatures each having one center spread in addition to the usual inmost center spread. The additional center spread may be inserted between any two pages on either side of the centerline folds of each signature. Additional embodiments are disclosed for creating two or three additional center spreads.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A web-fed rotary printing press capable of producing signatures each having a predetermined number of pages including a plurality of center spreads, comprising:

(a) a plurality of printing units for printing on separate webs of paper or like printable material traveling in centerline alignment and in phase with one another;
(b) angle guide means for turning a preselected web, which has been printed in one of the printing units, 90 degrees out of phase with the other, unselected webs;
(c) at least one preselected web former disposed downstream of the angle guide means with respect to a traveling direction of the preselected web for folding the preselected web along a centerline thereof, back into phase with the unselected webs;
(d) means for superposing the preselected web, which has been folded by the preselected web former, and the unselected webs, which have bypassed the angle guide means and the preselected web former, one upon another, with the fold of the preselected web in register with the aligned centerline of the unselected webs;
(e) an unselected web former disposed downstream of the superposing means with respect to a traveling direction of the superposed webs and displaced 90 degrees out of phase with the preselected web former for folding the superposed webs along the aligned centerline of the unselected webs;
and
(f) means disposed downstream of the unselected web former for transversely cutting the folded webs into individual multiple-page signatures each having at least two center spreads.

4 more elements

A web-fed rotary printing press capable of producing signatures each having a predetermined number of pages including a plurality of center spreads, comprising:

(a) a plurality of printing units for printing on separate webs of paper or like printable material traveling in centerline alignment and in phase with one another;
(b) at least two angle guide means each for turning one preselected web, which has been printed in one of the printing units, 90 degrees out of phase with unselected webs;
(c) at least two preselected web formers each disposed downstream of one angle guide means with respect to a traveling direction of one preselected web for folding one preselected web along a centerline thereof, back into phase with the unselected webs;
(d) means for superposing the preselected webs, which have been folded by the preselected web formers, and the unselected webs, which have bypassed the angle guide means and the preselected web formers, one upon another, with the folds of the preselected webs in register with the aligned centerline of the unselected webs;
(e) an unselected web former disposed downstream of the superposing means with respect to a traveling direction of the superposed webs and displaced 90 degrees out of phase with the preselected web formers for folding the superposed webs along the aligned centerline of the unselected webs;
and
(f) means disposed downstream of the unselected web former for transversely cutting the folded webs into individual multiple-page signatures each having at least three center spreads.

4 more elements

A web-fed rotary printing press capable of producing signatures each having a predetermined number of pages including a plurality of center spreads, comprising:

(a) a plurality of printing units for printing on separate webs of paper or like printable material traveling in centerline alignment and in phase with one another;
(b) first angle guide means for turning a first preselected web, which has been printed in one of the printing units, 90 degrees out of phase with unselected webs;
(c) second angle guide means for turning a second preselected web, which has been printed in another of the printing units, 90 degrees out of phase with unselected webs;
(d) third angle guide means for turning a third preselected web, which has been printed in still another of the printing units, 90 degrees out of phase with unselected webs;
(e) a first preselected web former disposed downstream of the first angle guide means with respect to a traveling direction of the first preselected web for folding the first preselected web along a centerline thereof, back into phase with the unselected webs;
(f) a second preselected web former disposed downstream of the second angle guide means with respect to a traveling direction of the second preselected web for folding the second preselected web along a centerline thereof, back into phase with the unselected webs;
(g) a third preselected web former disposed downstream of the third angle guide means with respect to a traveling direction of the third preselected web for folding the third preselected web along a centerline thereof, back into phase with the unselected webs;
(h) means for superposing the first to third preselected webs, which have been folded by the first to third preselected web formers, and the unselected webs, which have bypassed all the angle guide means and all the preselected web formers, one upon another, with the folds of the preselected webs in register with the aligned centerline of the unselected webs;
(i) an unselected web former disposed downstream of the superposing means with respect to a traveling direction of the superposed webs and displaced 90 degrees out of phase with each preselected web former for folding the superposed webs along the aligned centerline of the unselected webs;
and
(j) means disposed downstream of the unselected web former for transversely cutting the folded webs into individual multiple-page signatures each having at least four center spreads;
(k) at least one of the three angle guide means and at least one of the three preselected web formers are oriented in a direction opposite to the orientation of the other angle guide means and the other preselected web formers, whereby at least one center spread is created on one side, and two other center spreads on the other side, of centerline folds of each signature.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Rotary printing press for production of multiple center spread signatures

Life of this patent

Rotary printing press for production of multiple center spread signatures

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10