Method and apparatus for transporting signatures around a roll without introducing skew

An apparatus for transporting folded signatures in a transport direction, comprising:

• a first roller;
• a second roller forming a first nip with the first roller;
• a third roller;
• a fourth roller forming a second nip with the third roller, the first, second, third and fourth rollers each having a compressible outer layer, the first, second, third, and fourth rollers rotatable about respective axes, the second nip downstream of the first nip in the transport direction;
• a first and second downstream rollers located downstream of the second nip in the transport direction, the first and second downstream rollers forming a downstream nip;
• a plurality of first transport tapes wrapped at least partially around the first and third rollers;
• a plurality of second transport tapes wrapped at least partially around the second roller and the third roller, the plurality of first and second transport tapes passing through the first, second and downstream nips, the plurality of first and second transport tapes entering the second nip along a path, the plurality of first and second transport tapes traveling between the third roller and the downstream nip at an angle relative to the path, wherein a signature transported between the first and second transport tapes and through the first nip and the second nip undergoes a change in transport direction as it is transported at least partially around the third roller after exiting the second nip.

A folding and transport apparatus comprising:

• a former, the former imparting a longitudinal fold to a continuous web passing over the former;
• a pair of cutting cylinders positioned below the former to cut the longitudinally folded web into signatures;
• and
• a transport tape assembly for transporting the longitudinally folded signatures, the transport tape assembly positioned to receive the longitudinally folded signatures with a spine of the signatures substantially parallel with a direction of travel of the signatures, the transport tape assembly including:
• a first roller;
• a second roller forming a first nip with the first roller
• a third roller;
• a fourth roller forming a second nip with the third roller, the first, second, third and fourth rollers each having a compressible outer layer, the first, second, third, and fourth rollers rotatable about respective axes, the second nip downstream of the first nip in the transport direction;
• a first and second downstream rollers located downstream of the second nip in the transport direction, the first and second downstream rollers forming a downstream nip;
• a plurality of first transport tapes wrapped at least partially around the first and third rollers;
• a plurality of second transport tapes wrapped at least partially around the second roller and the third roller, the plurality of first and second transport tapes passing through the first, second and downstream nips, the plurality of first and second transport tapes entering the second nip along a path, the plurality of first and second transport tapes traveling between the third roller and the downstream nip at an angle relative to the path, wherein signatures transported between the first and second transport tapes and through the first nip and the second nip undergo a change in transport direction as it is transported at least partially around the third roller after exiting the second nip.

A method of transporting a signature in a transport direction, comprising:

• moving signatures in a transport direction between opposing transport tapes with a spine of the signatures parallel to the transport direction, the signatures having an open edge parallel to the transport direction, opposite the spine;
• passing the signatures, and the opposing transport tapes through a first and second rotating compressible rollers forming a first nip;
• and
• wrapping the opposing transport tapes, having the signatures therebetween, around at least a portion of the second roller to change the transport direction of the signatures without introducing skew.