Apparatus for opening and transporting a product with a non-symmetrical fold

A method for transporting and opening newspapers for inserting, comprising:

• feeding an asymmetrically folded multiple section newspaper into a pocket of a pocket conveyor of an inserting machine, wherein the asymmetrically folded multiple section newspaper has an extended lap having a height of at least 15% of a height of the asymmetrically folded newspaper when unfolded, a face of a first section of the headline side of the newspaper adjacent a movable wall of the pocket, a back of a last section of the headline side of the newspaper adjacent a fixed wall of the pocket;
• applying a vacuum from a suction opening on the fixed pocket wall, thereby holding a last section of the headline side of the newspaper against the fixed wall of the pocket;
• moving a first side gripper mounted on the pocket to secure the last section the headline side of the newspaper against the fixed wall of the pocket;
• moving the movable pocket wall away from the fixed pocket wall while applying a vacuum from a suction opening on the movable pocket wall, thereby holding at least the first section of the headline side of the newspaper against the movable pocket wall;
• feeding one or more inserts from a hopper to the pocket, the inserts fed into an opening between newspaper sections;
• removing the newspapers with the inserts therein from the pocket with a gripper conveyor;
• and
• releasing the newspapers with the inserts from the gripper conveyor headline up on a lapped stream conveyor.