GB664178A - Folding machine for flat articles such as sheets, towels and the like - Google Patents

Abstract

664,178. Folding sheets &c. MALOTT, C. S. Feb. 3, 1949, No. 3022/49. Class 42 (ii). A folding-machine for flat, limp articles such as sheets or towels, of the kind comprising a frame, co-operating folding rolls mounted thereon into the bite of which an article to be folded may be advanced, a support movably mounted on the frame and carrying an elongated folding bar extending parallel to said rolls and movable back and forth with said support along a path in a direction transverse to bar length and toward and from the bite of said rolls, and means for feeding the article in a plane parallel with the axes of said rolls and intersecting said path, whereby during advance and retreat of said bar the article is draped upon it and is so delivered to said rolls for folding, is characterised in that a clamping member movable with said bar and co-operating therewith is provided for clamping the article to the bar while it is being draped thereon. As shown, an article delivered by an ironer 10 is fed along conveyers 30, 31, 32, consisting of sets of endless ribbons, and delivered vertically between pressure fingers 41, 42. Fingers 41 are located on a roll 24 between the ribbons of conveyer 32 and act to strip the article from the conveyer ; fingers 42 are located over the ribbons and spaced slightly from fingers 41 to provide a light frictional drag on the article passing between them. The leading end of the article descends between a folding blade 44, carried by a bar 43 on arms 47, and a clamping rod 46, carried by springs 56 fixed to arms 47. Rod 46 carries spaced rubber sleeves and is biased by the springs towards blade 44, but is held apart from the blade in the position shown by engagement of hooked rods 57 with a crossrod 59. To reduce jar, the hooked ends of rods 57 are rubber sheathed. When one quarter of the article has descended, arms 47 are moved back by a half rotation of a cam 52 so that the article is clamped between rod 46 and bar 43 and carried back with blade 44, the remainder of the article descending in a loop in front of the blade. After three-quarters of the article has descended, a further half revolution of cam 52 causes arms 47 to advance again, bar 43 separating from rod 46 to release the article which is then carried by blade 44 between folding rolls 33, 34 which fold it at its quarter and three-quarter points. The article with a double transverse fold is delivered on to a table 65. Operation of cam 52 is timed according to the length of the article by a timer controlled by a switch 62, 63 actuated by the passing article. The machine comprises several lanes, side by side, which can operate independently on different streams of work, or can work together when an article overlaps two or more lanes. Specification 591,000 and U.S.A. Specification 1,607,407 are referred to.