Process for the final folding and subsequent storage of a piece of linen and final folding means

An apparatus for folding articles comprising:

• a draw-in surface defining a gap shaped to receive an unfolded article having first and second surfaces;
• a folding member configured to move between a retracted position outside of the gap and an extended position inside the gap to place the article in a folded state where the first and second surfaces are folded about a fold line;
• a folding channel in communication with the gap and extending from a side of the draw-in surface opposite to the folding member in a retracted position, the folding channel configured to receive an article in the folded state from the folding member and maintain the article in the folded state by compressing the second surface of the article;
• a packing mechanism comprising first and second parallel packing belts defining a packing channel having a width approximately corresponding to a width of the folding channel, said packing channel being configured to maintain the article in the folded state by compressing the second surface of the article about the fold line and to receive a web of packaging material along each of the packing belts to wrap around the article while the article is maintained in the folded state;
• and
• a connecting mechanism disposed downstream of the packing belts and configured to connect the webs to each other on either side of the article while the article is maintained in the folded state.

An apparatus for folding articles comprising:

• a draw-in surface defining a gap for receiving an article having first and second surfaces;
• a folding member configured to advance from a retracted position outside the gap to a folding position in the gap so as to place the article in a folded state where the first and second surfaces are folded about a fold line;
• a transfer mechanism, aligned with the gap and disposed on a side of the draw-in surface opposite to the folding member in the retracted position, said transfer mechanism being configured to receive the article from the draw-in surface and to maintain the article in the folded state;
• a stacking mechanism disposed adjacent to the transfer mechanism and configured to receive the article from the transfer mechanism while maintaining the article in the folded state, the stacking mechanism being configured to receive a series of articles so as to form a stack of articles, said stacking mechanism including a pressure exerting mechanism configured to compress each of the series of articles forming the stack in a direction toward the transfer mechanism so as to maintain each of the articles in the folded state;
• and
• wherein said pressure exerting mechanism is displaceable in a direction opposite from the stack in response to a sufficient pressure on the pressure exerting mechanism so as to allow each of the articles in the stack to move along a stacking line while being maintained in the folded state.

An apparatus for folding articles, comprising:

• a draw-in surface defining a gap for receiving an article having first and second sides;
• a folding member configured to move between a retracted position and an extended position inside the gap so as to place the article in a folded state, where the first and second sides are folded about a fold line;
• a transfer mechanism, aligned with the gap and disposed on a side of the draw-in surface opposite to the folding member in the retracted position, said transfer mechanism being configured to receive the article while in the folded state from the draw-in surface;
• a stacking mechanism disposed adjacent to the transfer mechanism and configured to receive the article from the transfer mechanism while maintaining the article in the folded state, and wherein the stacking mechanism receives a series of articles each in the folded state so as to form a stack of folded articles, and said stacking mechanism including a pressure exerting mechanism configured to compress each of the articles forming the stack in a direction toward the transfer mechanism and in a direction perpendicular to a folding direction of the folded material so as to maintain each of the stacked articles in the folded state.

An apparatus for folding pieces of material comprising:

• at least one support surface defining a folding gap for receiving a piece of material having first and second surfaces;
• a folding device having a folding blade pivotally supported to move between a first position and a second position inside the folding gap so as to place the piece of material in a folded state, where the first and second surfaces of the piece of material are folded about a fold line;
• and
• a transfer device arranged to move between a receiving position, where the transfer mechanism receives the piece of material from the folding device and a transfer position, where the piece of material is transferred away from the transfer device, the transfer device including a receptacle having a back panel and at least one wing configured to receive the piece of material and maintain the piece of material in the folded state continuously when the transfer mechanism moves between the receiving position and the transfer position and wherein the wing is arranged to maintain the second surface of the piece of material folded about the fold line when the piece of material is received in the receptacle of the transfer device and move away from the back panel of the receptacle when the piece of material is transferred away from the transfer device.