GB905909A - Improvements in or relating to folding machines for flexible sheets - Google Patents

Abstract

905,909. Folding fabrics. AMETEK Inc. Sept. 15, 1958, No. 21473/62. Divided out of 905,907. Class 42 (2). A folding machine comprises a first pair of foldproducing rollers 26B, 27A; air blast pipe means 26A extending along the nip of said roller pair; means feeding a sheet to be folded in a substantially vertical path between the rollers and the air blast pipe; a second pair of foldproducing rollers 29A, 30A; air blast pipe means 28A extending along the nip thereof; means for conveying a folded sheet from the first roller pair in a substantially vertical path between the second roller pair and its associated air blast pipe; air valve means for selectively and sequentially, when actuated, feeding air to the air blast pipes in a predetermined relation to the length of the sheet to be folded; sensing fingers in the path of the sheet and timer means actuated by the sensing fingers for actuating the valve means for feeding air to the pipe means corresponding to the position of the sensing fingers. In the embodiment shown, bed sheets from an ironer 10A are fed along the path 11B to folding machine 12A. The sheet is engaged between ribbons 20A and 16A which carry it past sensing fingers 33A and feed it substantially vertically between foldproducing rollers 26B, 27A and air blast pipe means 26A. At an appropriate time, as governed by the sensing finger means and associated selecting and timing mechanism 24A air is fed from pipe 26A so as to introduce portions of the sheet into gripping relationship with rollers 26A, 27A so as to form a fold in the sheet. The folded sheet is then conveyed by ribbons 34A and fed substantially vertically between second fold-producing rollers 29A, 30A and corresponding air blast pipe means 28A. If a second fold is to be made a blast of air from pipe means 28A is furnished at a predetermined time as governed by the measuring and timing means to push the sheet into the nip of rollers 29A, 30A. Preferably each air blast pipe means is formed in two portions, air being fed to the centre of each portion. The sensing or measuring fingers can be provided on either side of the machine arranged to activate individual timing and air blast activating mechanisms for narrow work or, for wide work, the control may be such that either measuring finger can operate both folding mechanisms simultaneously.