Devices and method for feeding at least one material web or web strand into a folding device

A device for drawing in at least one web of material into a folding apparatus comprising:

• a superstructure in said folding apparatus;
• at least one former in said folding apparatus said at least one former having a former inlet and a former outlet and at least one former lateral edge, said at least one former being movable relative to a direction of travel of the web of material through said folding apparatus, said at least one former being located after said superstructure in said direction of web travel and being usable to longitudinally form said at least one web of material;
• a transverse cutting apparatus located after said former outlet of said at least one former, in said direction of web travel, said transverse cutting apparatus being adapted to separate said at least one web of material into individual products;
• at least one guide rail, said at least one guide rail extending through said superstructure and past said former along a path of web travel through said former and at a level of said former, said at least one guide rail being parallel to said lateral edge of said at least one former and spaced from said at least one former;
• at least one web leading end holding device adapted for travel along said at least one guide rail along said path of web travel;
• and
• at least first and second variable shape guide rail sections in said at least one guide rail, said first variable shape guide rail section being located before, in said direction of web travel, said former inlet, said second variable shape guide rail section being located after, in said direction of web travel, said former outlet, said second variable shape guide rail section extending, in said direction of web travel from said former outlet toward said transverse cutting apparatus, said guide rail being twisted at said level of said former and between said first variable shape guide rail section and said second variable shape guide rail section, a position of said guide rail being matched to a position of said at least one movable former.