USRE662E - Improvement in machines for folding paper - Google Patents

Description

I v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E. N. SMITH. MAGHINE FOR FOLDING PAPER.

No. 662. Reissued Feb. 8, 1859.

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E. N. SMITH. MACHINE FOR FOLDING PAPER.

2233 I J7me? f I I 07 gum? V UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFI E.

EDWARD SMITH,- 0F WASHlNGTON, DIsTRIc'r or COLUMBIA, ASSIG'NOR,

BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO S. T.: BACON.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR. FOLDtNG PAPER.

"Specification forming -T0 w ll whom-it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD N. SMITH, formerly of West Brookfield, in 'the county of \Vorcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, now of the oi y and county of Washington,in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Folding Sheets of'Paper, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, rvferenee being had to the accompanying drawings, whieh form part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 isa by In perspective of my automatic paper-folding machine. 'IfigJi is an elevation of the end of the-machine at which the folded paper isdischarged. Fig.3isa plan showing the'arrangement of the endless carrying-bands, foldin gsurfaces, and rolls. Fi g.

used for the purposes'of -foldingpaper.

I will now proceed to'descrihe the construe tion andoperation of my'impro'vcd machine for folding sheets of paper -a number of" times consecutively, and which is represented in the accompanying drawings.

This machine consists of .a strong frame supporting anumher of revolving rolls, and

upon which run carrying-bands and folding aprons,as hereinafter described. Some of the rolls are arranged in pairs with a. long narrow opening'o-r slot between the rolls of each pair, into which the extended sheet of paper is struck by a curved-edged knife to make the fold.

The paper, .after' being folded by passing through-the opening, is carried to the next opening to receive another fold upon an endless moving apron, composed of parallel yielding'helts encircling one of the rolls WhiGhfOIlIl the sides of the opening, and a corresponding tightening-roll parallel thereto and placed beyond thenext opening into which the paper part'of I lettersPatent No. 61896, dated November 27, 1849; RissueNo. January '1, 1851; Reissue N0. 66). dated February 8, 1859.

186, dated is to be struck. There is in most cases a second shorter moving apron which encircles the other roll of the pair, between which the fold is struck, and a corresponding tightening-roll placed a little above the carrying-apron, at a short distanccfrom the opening. This shorter apron in passing from the roll at the opening tolits tightening roll is deflected bythe roll-on the opposite side of the opening, and'therefore presses upon the carryingrapron. The adjacent surfaces of the two aprons are moved in the same direction, and as they converge seize the fold of paper struck up between them by the knife, and compress and carry it forward.

These moving-aprons, with thcirrolls and kuives,are operated by suitable machinery,

which is mounted with them on, the frame.

The'frame ot'the machine, which is of a rectangular form, is composed of upright posts 0 c" c 0, connected by upper andlower ho izontal side and end rails,'B B and B B".

To the sides of the frame are attached the hearings A, in which the journals 0 ot'the rolls 1 and 2 are supported. These rolls are parallel, their peripheries move with equa l velocity and the two are surroundedhy a set of parallel endless aprons or hands, the tops of which constitute a. plane surface, 1), on

which the extended sheetof paperto be t'olded is received and carried forward in the directionindicated by the arrows in a plane parallel with the first pair of folding-rolls. Between the central bands of this surface, and parallel in direction with them, is a curvededged knife, A, supported by a vertical rod or stem, B, to which a vertical reciprocating motion is given by acam, E, and by ahelical spring, I), coiled upon the vertical stem, the cam E being secured to a horizontal shaft, f, turning in hearings attached to the lower side rails, B", of the frame. The cum acts to depress the knife A below the moving surface I) Fig. 4, on which the paper is extended, and at the same time strains the spring I). As the shaft revolves the rod is liberated and the spring b, contracting again throws the upper knife, A, suddenly upward, the edge thereof striking the moving paper across its middle, forces it upward into an opening or slot between the adjoining flexible and yielding surfaces of two sets of endless aprons, D D(, respectively second knit'e',"K,' is projected. v

aprons, D, is the short one, which has al- I moving on two rollers, 3A, which are parallel with each other and revolve at right angles to the continuously-moving surface D. These endless aprons or hands are of unequal length. The ion ger, D passes ofii horizontally and returns round a tightening-roll, 5, parallel with the first two rolls 3 and 4. It forms the second continuously-moving planesurface on which the paper is carried forward until it is arrest 4 ed in its further progress by astop, Z, as shown at Fig. 3, attached to the main framing just above the roll 5. The functions of this stop are twofold, viz: First, that of arresting and retaining the sheet in theproperposition to be acted upon by the second folding-knife, and

thus obviatiiigthe necessity of that delicate adj ustment of the moving parts of the machine which is essentialwhen the paperisforc'ed between the folding-rolls, while the sheet is upon the run, as is the case in obtaining the first fold; second, it performs the important of i lice of regulating andtruing the once folded sheet'preparatory to its receiving a second fold by being struck upward byasecondkpite,

G,-into a second opening, to be'scized in turn by a second set of aprons or hands.

The'short'er endless band D, after pressing against the first D sufficiently long'to seize the paper and draw it upon the second moving surface, diverges from it and returns over a roller, 6, revolving above the longer band.

Bymultiplying the sets of endless a ifrons or bands and folding-edges, anygrequired number of foldsmay be at right angles to each other, or. by varying the angle of the bands and folding-edges any desired angle-may be given to the folds with respect to each other, It is frequently necessary that the linesat which successive folds are madeshall be parals lel. To accomplish this result the arrangement of aprons or hands and knives is varied, as

shown in Fig. 5. The longer folding apron or band D. does not run directly upon one, 8, of

the two rollers'fl 8, forming the opening between H which the knife G strikes the sheet, but upon a' third roll, 10, which has its axis in the same plane and parallel with those of the first two, and is separated by anarrow space from them. Through this space a second knife, K, is pro jected upward against the paper,-struck up by the first knife G and passing over the space to the horizontal apron or band D"'.. This second knife forces the paper upward into an opening between two yielding aprons, D

12, revolving directly above the space between the two lower rolls, 8 10, through which this One of these ready actedin making the first fold, and which is bent out ofits direct course to'the tightening-roll 13 by this second pair of folding-rolls.

' U The other band is tightened by passing its several members over a set of small pulleys, g

and h, hung upon a movable-bar operated by lever W, all having thesame common axis.

' This se'tof tighteners can be moved up or down in a circular;arc'of'which' theaxis'of the folding-roll 1 2 is the'ceri'ter.

When the parallel folding is required, the second folding-edge K is put in gear, and the tighteners g and h of this short endless band aredepressed to deliver the folded paper upon the horizontal band D". L When this parallel foldingis not required, the second folding-edge K is thrown out of gear, the tighteners are raised, and the sheet folded by the first parallel folding-edge, G, passes directly, to the horizontal band 13, from which it is' struck in a line at right angles to the fold formed knife G.

The machine represented in the drawings is arranged to fold paper four tinies,-in-the' manner shown in Fig. (i-the firstfold being across the paper, thesecond being at right angles tot'lie first, the third parallel to the second, and the fourth at right angles to the third fold; The first fold is made by striking the paper up between the continuously-moving flexible and yielding aprons upon the rolls 3' and 4 while the sheet is upon the run, by means of the curved-edged knife A, which is operated bythe spring 11 andcam I J, acting upon a stem, B, to the, upper extremity of of which the knifcis'secured. The paper is seized in the opening by yielding-aprons D! D, running on'the rolls 3. and 4, and is convveyed upon the apron 1)" until it reaches the stop Z, when it is struck upward into a second opening by the knife G, operated by a cam, J, and spring '5, acting upon its stein 11, to be seized-by the roll 8 and-the yielding apron running on the roll 7.

.K is the third fblding-kniie'with its ste n M, cam L, and spring I. 9 and 12 are the third folding'rolls.

The horizontal apron 11 receives the papc'ral'ter the third fold is made and conveys it forward until it is arrested by the stop Z, 5

as fully shown in Fig. 3, to be acted upon by a fourth knife, S, operated by cam U, and spring L, acting upon its-stem T, from which it is seized by the yielding aprons D and I), running upon the iblding-rolls l5 and 16 and "carried forward to and between the pressing and' discharging rolls 17 and 1S.

To'provide for the accurate foldingof pa-.

per varying in size, it is requisite that the stop should be so constructed as to be readily adjusted to arrest the sheet at any given point on the carrying-bands. One mode in which this is accomplished-is shown in Fig. 3, where stop Z 'is provided with slots and set-screws. r The stops are shown as being placed above the carrying-bands, but they have projections extending downward between said bands, as

shown at Z. The power of the prime mover is applied directly to the pulley E on the shaft'of the roll 3 and thence by bolts and geared wheels 0 and c to' the several members of the fni'achine.

The folding-machine thus constructed may, be applied directly to the power printing press the drawings.

about threefourths of the length of the rolls and receive the sheets upon the continuouslymoving carrying-bands D as fast as they are printed. f

. The paper may be delivered outside of the machine after one or more'folds have been made without liability of its being entangled 'in the working parts of the machine, by throw- 'ing the remaining folding-edges outof gear and removing the stops; or a fold may be omitted, as in Fig. 7, where the third fold of Fig.0 has not been made. The folding-edges may be thrown outof-or into gear with their respective cams by the arrangement represented at O I M' N O P Fig. 2, or in any other convenient manner.

it may be well to remark, in this connection, that the paper being thin, and in many instances damp, the use of stops to arrest the sheet'prior to its receiving its first fold would be attended with difficulties and objections, inasmuch as there would not be sufficient substance or stren'gth'in the-sheet to prevent its being carried forward and wrinkled or rolled upagainst the stop; To obviate this difiiculty I so arrange and time the action of the knife as that it shall act upon thepaper to form the first fold whilethe sheet is upon the run.

- To insure greater certainty in the action of the machine, the rolls-3 and 4; are placed a v short distance apart, so as to permit of yield.-

ing aprons or-bands being used, as shown in These aprons or hands cover and may be made of any yielding flexible materiahsuch as cloth, gutta-percha, &c. This arrangement admits of the paper being forced by th knife between continuously-moving converging and yielding surfaces to form the ffoldsand thus avoid the danger of the knife being caught between the rolls, while at the same time it insures the more accurate progress of the-sheet to be folded and with less liability to its being torn than, would be the case it folded between unyielding surfaces.

' when supported at each end it naturally assumes the form of a curve, so that when forced up against the paper the edges ofthe paper will be carried between the'tbldingsurfacesa. little in advance of the center of :the sheet,

f thus avoiding a liability of the sheets wrinkling while being folded.-

about three-fourths of the entire length of the folding-rolls, in the narrow spaces between which, as shown in the drawings, are placed guides R, for the purpose of preventing the aprons from overriding each other or otherwise interfering with theproper course of the sheet. v

. In Jorder that the machine may be used sizes, the folding-rolls are supported inboxes,

hearings, or frames, as shown'in the drawings,

so as to permit of their being moved toward or from each other, as well as laterally. By. this construction and arrangement the rolls and folding surfaces may be squaredto the print and knife with great accuracy. I

It isalso necessary .that the knife should be supported in such a manner as to lie-quickly .s't in different positions in order to render the machine capable of being used with advantage to fold paper varying in both size of sheet and print. i r

By reference to Fig. 3, it will be seen that the folding-roll 8 is geared. to the roll 6, at or near its center and at right angles thereto, the Said gearing being. placedbetween the aprons or bands which run upon said roll 6, as fully shown in the drawings. By this construction and arrangement, the folding-roll 8, which is necessarily so placed that the space or opening between it and the roll. 7 shall be at right angles, or nearly so, to the centerof the preceding pair of folding-rolls, is drivenin a very direct manner, and consequently the machine is rendered more simple and perfect in its operation than would be the case if additional shafts and gearing were employed to communicate motion to roll 8. 1

- In paper-folding machines it is very desira ble to have as few shafts and gears as possible and yet-have the working parts of the machine so connected as that they shall move and work in harmony with each other, and by reference to the the mode of driving the second pair of folding-rolls, as fully shown in the drawings, it will be seen that the plan which I have devised tends towards the accomplishment of this object in an eminent degree. 7 v

Having'described my machine for-folding and pressing paper, what I claim, and desire .to secure by Letters Patent, is- 4 1. Forcing the paper required to be folded between the first set of folding-rolls by the the knitewhile the sheet is on the run.

2. Forcing the paper to form the first fold between two converging and continuously moving flexible, yielding surfaces.

3. Forcing the sheet of paper required to be folded upward for the purpose specified.

4. The use of a cord or curved-edged knife for the purpose of forcing the'sheet between the folding-rolls.-

5. The stops for determining the proper position of the sheet for' receiving its second ,The folding-aprons as before stated, coverv and succeeding folds.

6. The combination. of the carrying-bands with a stop for regulating the sheet in proper position to receive its second and succeeding folds, as specified. v

7. The combination of the rolls and endless aprons or hands with the guides, substantially as described.

8. So arranging the knives,aprons, and

rolls in a paper-folding machine as that the sheet may receive two or more parallel folds in succession. Y I

9. So arranging the carrying and folding rolls in paper-folding machine as that only a single series of endless aprons or hands shall remain in contact with the sheet to con.- gligt it while it is receivinginore than one 10. The tightening pulleys and cords or bands hung upon the movable bar for the purpose of giving proper direction-to the sheet for receiving its next fold after having received a parallel fold, as described.

11. So constructing amaehine for folding i paper as that one or more folds may be omitted at pleasure and the folded sheet delivered outside of the frame and working ptgrts of the machine-by simply detaching the knives and removin g the stops, as described.

12. Supporting the folding-rolls in adjusta- I ble'boxes, liearingsorirames for the purpose print or register of the sheet.

14. Conveying motion to any pair of foldand perfeetin its operation.

ofsquaring them with the print or register of thesheet to be folded, and providing for the contraction and expansion of the endless aprons or hands. v o

13. {the movable. guides for the purpose of squaring the knives to correspond with the ing-rolls running at right-angles to the preceding pair by means of bevel-gears placed at or near thecenter of a roll and between the-aprons or bands, substantially as shown, whereby the machine is rendered more simple 15. Pressing". the folded sheet previous to its delivery by passing it between two eonverging and continuously-moving yielding" surfaces; p

. v N. SMITH,

Witnesses:

THo's. H. DODGE,- Eon. F. BROWN.

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