Apparatus for folding a portion of a textile length

An apparatus for folding a portion of a textile length, comprising:

• a lengthwise folding device in which the portion of a textile length is folded to produce a tubular folded product with lengthwise folding edges extending substantially parallel to one another;
• a crosswise folding device in which the tubular folded product is folded to produce a crosswise folded product in packet form with at least one crosswise folding edge extending substantially perpendicularly to the lengthwise folding edges;
• a stop strip, wherein the tubular folded product can be brought to lie with at least a region of one lengthwise edge against said stop strip in the crosswise folding device before being folded;
• a drawing device disposed in between two ends of the tubular folded product in order to draw in the tubular folded product for crosswise folding;
• a thrust device disposed in said crosswise folding device, said thrust device being brought to lie against the tubular folded product while the tubular folded product is being drawn into the drawing device, said thrust device exerting a thrust force component directed substantially perpendicularly to said stop strip on the tubular folded product,
• said thrust device including at least one continuously circulating pressure belt on each side of the drawing device, said pressure belt being able to lie on the tubular folded product while the tubular article is being drawn in, said pressure belt traveling substantially slip-free with the tubular folded product in a direction toward said drawing device, wherein said pressure belt extends at an acute angle relative to a direction in which the tubular folded product is conveyved such that a horizontal distance between the stop strip and the pressure belt decreases in the direction toward the drawing device.