Method and apparatus for stacking folded products, especially newspapers, having longitudinal folds and, possibly, also cross folds

摘要

To form a stack of essentially uniform height of folded products, typically newspapers, in which each one of the folded products (1, 2) may include a plurality of sheet elements, such as newspaper sections, the folded products being formed, for example, with a longitudinal fold (3, 4) and a cross fold (5, 6). The products (1, 2) are spread apart by suitable spreaders (26, 27; 46, 47; 64, 65) to hold the sheet portions spread-apart in open V-shaped configuration; holders (24, 25; 46, 47; 48, 48'), having at least two parts, hold sequentially first and second alternate folded products, one of the folded products being rotated 180. degree. with respect to the other, for example by a rotary apparatus (32; 31; 42; 59), the then rotated products being interdigited with the non- rotated products upon being moved towards each other, for example being laterally fed towards each other by a gripper robot, by approaching conveying chain guides, or by being moved vertically against each other, to form a double-comb-like interdigited assembly of the first and second products which, when stacked vertically, will provide a stack of circumferentially essentially uniform height.